Monitor for detecting and assessing exposure to airborne nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marra, Johan; Voetz, Matthias; Kiesling, Heinz-Jürgen

2010-01-01

An important safety aspect of the workplace environment concerns the severity of its air pollution with nanoparticles (NP; <100 nm) and ultrafine particles (UFP; <300 nm). Depending on their size and chemical nature, exposure to these particles through inhalation can be hazardous because of their intrinsic ability to deposit in the deep lung regions and the possibility to subsequently pass into the blood stream. Recommended safety measures in the nanomaterials industry are pragmatic, aiming at exposure minimization in general, and advocating continuous control by monitoring both the workplace air pollution level and the personal exposure to airborne NPs. This article describes the design and operation of the Aerasense NP monitor that enables intelligence gathering in particular with respect to airborne particles in the 10-300 nm size range. The NP monitor provides real time information about their number concentration, average size, and surface areas per unit volume of inhaled air that deposit in the various compartments of the respiratory tract. The monitor's functionality relies on electrical charging of airborne particles and subsequent measurements of the total particle charge concentration under various conditions. Information obtained with the NP monitor in a typical workplace environment has been compared with simultaneously recorded data from a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) capable of measuring the particle size distribution in the 11-1086 nm size range. When the toxicological properties of the engineered and/or released particles in the workplace are known, personal exposure monitoring allows a risk assessment to be made for a worker during each workday, when the workplace-produced particles can be distinguished from other (ambient) particles.

In-flight spectral performance monitoring of the Airborne Prism Experiment.

PubMed

D'Odorico, Petra; Alberti, Edoardo; Schaepman, Michael E

2010-06-01

Spectral performance of an airborne dispersive pushbroom imaging spectrometer cannot be assumed to be stable over a whole flight season given the environmental stresses present during flight. Spectral performance monitoring during flight is commonly accomplished by looking at selected absorption features present in the Sun, atmosphere, or ground, and their stability. The assessment of instrument performance in two different environments, e.g., laboratory and airborne, using precisely the same calibration reference, has not been possible so far. The Airborne Prism Experiment (APEX), an airborne dispersive pushbroom imaging spectrometer, uses an onboard in-flight characterization (IFC) facility, which makes it possible to monitor the sensor's performance in terms of spectral, radiometric, and geometric stability in flight and in the laboratory. We discuss in detail a new method for the monitoring of spectral instrument performance. The method relies on the monitoring of spectral shifts by comparing instrument-induced movements of absorption features on ground and in flight. Absorption lines originate from spectral filters, which intercept the full field of view (FOV) illuminated using an internal light source. A feature-fitting algorithm is used for the shift estimation based on Pearson's correlation coefficient. Environmental parameter monitoring, coregistered on board with the image and calibration data, revealed that differential pressure and temperature in the baffle compartment are the main driving parameters explaining the trend in spectral performance deviations in the time and the space (across-track) domains, respectively. The results presented in this paper show that the system in its current setup needs further improvements to reach a stable performance. Findings provided useful guidelines for the instrument revision currently under way. The main aim of the revision is the stabilization of the instrument for a range of temperature and pressure conditions

Monitoring of airborne bacteria and aerosols in different wards of hospitals - Particle counting usefulness in investigation of airborne bacteria.

PubMed

Mirhoseini, Seyed Hamed; Nikaeen, Mahnaz; Khanahmd, Hossein; Hatamzadeh, Maryam; Hassanzadeh, Akbar

2015-01-01

The presence of airborne bacteria in hospital environments is of great concern because of their potential role as a source of hospital-acquired infections (HAI). The aim of this study was the determination and comparison of the concentration of airborne bacteria in different wards of four educational hospitals, and evaluation of whether particle counting could be predictive of airborne bacterial concentration in different wards of a hospital. The study was performed in an operating theatre (OT), intensive care unit (ICU), surgery ward (SW) and internal medicine (IM) ward of four educational hospitals in Isfahan, Iran. A total of 80 samples were analyzed for the presence of airborne bacteria and particle levels. The average level of bacteria ranged from 75-1194 CFU/m (3) . Mean particle levels were higher than class 100,000 cleanrooms in all wards. A significant correlation was observed between the numbers of 1-5 µm particles and levels of airborne bacteria in operating theatres and ICUs. The results showed that factors which may influence the airborne bacterial level in hospital environments should be properly managed to minimize the risk of HAIs especially in operating theaters. Microbial air contamination of hospital settings should be performed by the monitoring of airborne bacteria, but particle counting could be considered as a good operative method for the continuous monitoring of air quality in operating theaters and ICUs where higher risks of infection are suspected.

HIERARCHIAL BAYESIAN CALIBRATION: AN APPLICATION TO AIRBORNE PARTICULATE MATTER MONITORING DATA

EPA Science Inventory

In studies of the relationship between airborne fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and health, researchers frequently use monitoring data with the most extensive temporal coverage. Such data may come from a monitor that is not a federal reference monitor (FRM), a monitor that is d...

Monitoring individual tree-based change with airborne lidar.

PubMed

Duncanson, Laura; Dubayah, Ralph

2018-05-01

Understanding the carbon flux of forests is critical for constraining the global carbon cycle and managing forests to mitigate climate change. Monitoring forest growth and mortality rates is critical to this effort, but has been limited in the past, with estimates relying primarily on field surveys. Advances in remote sensing enable the potential to monitor tree growth and mortality across landscapes. This work presents an approach to measure tree growth and loss using multidate lidar campaigns in a high-biomass forest in California, USA. Individual tree crowns were delineated in 2008 and again in 2013 using a 3D crown segmentation algorithm, with derived heights and crown radii extracted and used to estimate individual tree aboveground biomass. Tree growth, loss, and aboveground biomass were analyzed with respect to tree height and crown radius. Both tree growth and loss rates decrease with increasing tree height, following the expectation that trees slow in growth rate as they age. Additionally, our aboveground biomass analysis suggests that, while the system is a net source of aboveground carbon, these carbon dynamics are governed by size class with the largest sources coming from the loss of a relatively small number of large individuals. This study demonstrates that monitoring individual tree-based growth and loss can be conducted with multidate airborne lidar, but these methods remain relatively immature. Disparities between lidar acquisitions were particularly difficult to overcome and decreased the sample of trees analyzed for growth rate in this study to 21% of the full number of delineated crowns. However, this study illuminates the potential of airborne remote sensing for ecologically meaningful forest monitoring at an individual tree level. As methods continue to improve, airborne multidate lidar will enable a richer understanding of the drivers of tree growth, loss, and aboveground carbon flux.

Monitoring of viable airborne SARS virus in ambient air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agranovski, Igor E.; Safatov, Alexander S.; Pyankov, Oleg V.; Sergeev, Alexander N.; Agafonov, Alexander P.; Ignatiev, Georgy M.; Ryabchikova, Elena I.; Borodulin, Alexander I.; Sergeev, Artemii A.; Doerr, Hans W.; Rabenau, Holger F.; Agranovski, Victoria

Due to recent SARS related issues (Science 300 (5624) 1394; Nature 423 (2003) 240; Science 300 (5627) 1966), the development of reliable airborne virus monitoring procedures has become galvanized by an exceptional sense of urgency and is presently in a high demand (In: Cox, C.S., Wathers, C.M. (Eds.), Bioaerosols Handbook, Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL, 1995, pp. 247-267). Based on engineering control method (Aerosol Science and Technology 31 (1999) 249; 35 (2001) 852), which was previously applied to the removal of particles from gas carriers, a new personal bioaerosol sampler has been developed. Contaminated air is bubbled through porous medium submerged into liquid and subsequently split into multitude of very small bubbles. The particulates are scavenged by these bubbles, and, thus, effectively removed. The current study explores its feasibility for monitoring of viable airborne SARS virus. It was found that the natural decay of such virus in the collection fluid was around 0.75 and 1.76 lg during 2 and 4 h of continuous operation, respectively. Theoretical microbial recovery rates of higher than 55 and 19% were calculated for 1 and 2 h of operation, respectively. Thus, the new sampling method of direct non-violent collection of viable airborne SARS virus into the appropriate liquid environment was found suitable for monitoring of such stress sensitive virus.

airborne data analysis/monitor system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephison, D. B.

1981-01-01

An Airborne Data Analysis/Monitor System (ADAMS), a ROLM 1666 computer based system installed onboard test airplanes used during experimental testing is evaluated. In addition to the 1666 computer, the ADAMS hardware includes a DDC System 90 fixed head disk and a Miltape DD400 floppy disk. Boeing designed a DMA interface to the data acquisition system and an intelligent terminal to reduce system overhead and simplify operator commands. The ADAMS software includes RMX/RTOS and both ROLM FORTRAN and assembly language are used. The ADAMS provides real time displays that enable onboard test engineers to make rapid decisions about test conduct thus reducing the cost and time required to certify new model airplanes, and improved the quality of data derived from the test, leading to more rapid development of improvements resulting in quieter, safer, and more efficient airplanes. The availability of airborne data processing removes most of the weather and geographical restrictions imposed by telemetered flight test data systems. A data base is maintained to describe the airplane, the data acquisition system, the type of testing, and the conditions under which the test is performed.

Development of a Cost-Effective Airborne Remote Sensing System for Coastal Monitoring

PubMed Central

Kim, Duk-jin; Jung, Jungkyo; Kang, Ki-mook; Kim, Seung Hee; Xu, Zhen; Hensley, Scott; Swan, Aaron; Duersch, Michael

2015-01-01

Coastal lands and nearshore marine areas are productive and rapidly changing places. However, these areas face many environmental challenges related to climate change and human-induced impacts. Space-borne remote sensing systems may be restricted in monitoring these areas because of their spatial and temporal resolutions. In situ measurements are also constrained from accessing the area and obtaining wide-coverage data. In these respects, airborne remote sensing sensors could be the most appropriate tools for monitoring these coastal areas. In this study, a cost-effective airborne remote sensing system with synthetic aperture radar and thermal infrared sensors was implemented to survey coastal areas. Calibration techniques and geophysical model algorithms were developed for the airborne system to observe the topography of intertidal flats, coastal sea surface current, sea surface temperature, and submarine groundwater discharge. PMID:26437413

Development of a Cost-Effective Airborne Remote Sensing System for Coastal Monitoring.

PubMed

Kim, Duk-jin; Jung, Jungkyo; Kang, Ki-mook; Kim, Seung Hee; Xu, Zhen; Hensley, Scott; Swan, Aaron; Duersch, Michael

2015-09-30

Coastal lands and nearshore marine areas are productive and rapidly changing places. However, these areas face many environmental challenges related to climate change and human-induced impacts. Space-borne remote sensing systems may be restricted in monitoring these areas because of their spatial and temporal resolutions. In situ measurements are also constrained from accessing the area and obtaining wide-coverage data. In these respects, airborne remote sensing sensors could be the most appropriate tools for monitoring these coastal areas. In this study, a cost-effective airborne remote sensing system with synthetic aperture radar and thermal infrared sensors was implemented to survey coastal areas. Calibration techniques and geophysical model algorithms were developed for the airborne system to observe the topography of intertidal flats, coastal sea surface current, sea surface temperature, and submarine groundwater discharge.

10 CFR 835.603 - Radiological areas and radioactive material areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Danger, Very High Radiation Area” shall be posted at each very high radiation area. (d) Airborne radioactivity area. The words “Caution, Airborne Radioactivity Area” or “Danger, Airborne Radioactivity Area” shall be posted at each airborne radioactivity area. (e) Contamination area. The words “Caution...

AIR RADIOACTIVITY MONITOR

DOEpatents

Bradshaw, R.L.; Thomas, J.W.

1961-04-11

The monitor is designed to minimize undesirable background buildup. It consists of an elongated column containing peripheral electrodes in a central portion of the column, and conduits directing an axial flow of radioactively contaminated air through the center of the column and pure air through the annular portion of the column about the electrodes. (AEC)

Air modelling as an alternative to sampling for low-level radioactive airborne releases

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

Morgenstern, M.Y.; Hueske, K.

1995-05-01

This paper describes our efforts to assess the effect of airborne releases at one DOE laboratory using air modelling based on historical data. Among the facilities affected by these developments is Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in New Mexico. RCRA, as amended by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) in 1984, requires all facilities which involve the treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste obtain a RCRA/HSWA waste facility permit. LANL complied with CEARP by initiating a process of identifying potential release sites associated with LANL operations prior to filing a RCRA/HSWA permit application. In the process of preparingmore » the RCRA/HSWA waste facility permit application to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a total of 603 Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs) were identified as part of the requirements of the HSWA Module VIH permit requirements. The HSWA Module VIII permit requires LANL to determine whether there have been any releases of hazardous waste or hazardous constituents from SWMUs at the facility dating from the 1940`s by performing a RCRA Facility Investigation to address known or suspected releases from specified SWMUs to affected media (i.e. soil, groundwater, surface water, and air). Among the most troublesome of the potential releases sites are those associated with airborne radioactive releases. In order to assess health risks associated with radioactive contaminants in a manner consistent with exposure standards currently in place, the DOE and LANL have established Screening Action Levels (SALs) for radioactive soil contamination. The SALs for each radionuclide in soil are derived from calculations based on a residential scenario in which individuals are exposed to contaminated soil via inhalation and ingestion as well as external exposure to gamma emitters in the soil. The applicable SALs are shown.« less

New Methods for Personal Exposure Monitoring for Airborne Particles

PubMed Central

Koehler, Kirsten A.; Peters, Thomas

2016-01-01

Airborne particles have been associated with a range of adverse cardiopulmonary outcomes, which has driven its monitoring at stationary, central sites throughout the world. Individual exposures, however, can differ substantially from concentrations measured at central sites due to spatial variability across a region and sources unique to the individual, such as cooking or cleaning in homes, traffic emissions during commutes, and widely varying sources encountered at work. Personal monitoring with small, battery-powered instruments enables the measurement of an individual’s exposure as they go about their daily activities. Personal monitoring can substantially reduce exposure misclassification and improve the power to detect relationships between particulate pollution and adverse health outcomes. By partitioning exposures to known locations and sources, it may be possible to account for variable toxicity of different sources. This review outlines recent advances in the field of personal exposure assessment for particulate pollution. Advances in battery technology have improved the feasibility of 24-hour monitoring, providing the ability to more completely attribute exposures to microenvironment (e.g., work, home, commute). New metrics to evaluate the relationship between particulate matter and health are also being considered, including particle number concentration, particle composition measures, and particle oxidative load. Such metrics provide opportunities to develop more precise associations between airborne particles and health and may provide opportunities for more effective regulations. PMID:26385477

Airborne Optical and Thermal Remote Sensing for Wildfire Detection and Monitoring.

PubMed

Allison, Robert S; Johnston, Joshua M; Craig, Gregory; Jennings, Sion

2016-08-18

For decades detection and monitoring of forest and other wildland fires has relied heavily on aircraft (and satellites). Technical advances and improved affordability of both sensors and sensor platforms promise to revolutionize the way aircraft detect, monitor and help suppress wildfires. Sensor systems like hyperspectral cameras, image intensifiers and thermal cameras that have previously been limited in use due to cost or technology considerations are now becoming widely available and affordable. Similarly, new airborne sensor platforms, particularly small, unmanned aircraft or drones, are enabling new applications for airborne fire sensing. In this review we outline the state of the art in direct, semi-automated and automated fire detection from both manned and unmanned aerial platforms. We discuss the operational constraints and opportunities provided by these sensor systems including a discussion of the objective evaluation of these systems in a realistic context.

Airborne Optical and Thermal Remote Sensing for Wildfire Detection and Monitoring

PubMed Central

Allison, Robert S.; Johnston, Joshua M.; Craig, Gregory; Jennings, Sion

2016-01-01

For decades detection and monitoring of forest and other wildland fires has relied heavily on aircraft (and satellites). Technical advances and improved affordability of both sensors and sensor platforms promise to revolutionize the way aircraft detect, monitor and help suppress wildfires. Sensor systems like hyperspectral cameras, image intensifiers and thermal cameras that have previously been limited in use due to cost or technology considerations are now becoming widely available and affordable. Similarly, new airborne sensor platforms, particularly small, unmanned aircraft or drones, are enabling new applications for airborne fire sensing. In this review we outline the state of the art in direct, semi-automated and automated fire detection from both manned and unmanned aerial platforms. We discuss the operational constraints and opportunities provided by these sensor systems including a discussion of the objective evaluation of these systems in a realistic context. PMID:27548174

Development of an advanced radioactive airborne particle monitoring system for use in early warning networks.

PubMed

Baeza, A; Corbacho, J A; Caballero, J M; Ontalba, M A; Vasco, J; Valencia, D

2017-09-25

Automatic real-time warning networks are essential for the almost immediate detection of anomalous levels of radioactivity in the environment. In the case of Extremadura region (SW Spain), a radiological network (RARE) has been operational in the vicinity of the Almaraz nuclear power plant and in other areas farther away since 1992. There are ten air monitoring stations equipped with Geiger-Müller counters in order to evaluate the external ambient gamma dose rate. Four of these stations have a commercial system that provides estimates of the total artificial alpha and beta activity concentrations in aerosols, and of the 131 I activity (gaseous fraction). Despite experience having demonstrated the benefits and robustness of these commercial systems, important improvements have been made to one of these air monitoring systems. In this paper, the analytical and maintenance shortcomings of the original commercial air monitoring system are described first; the new custom-designed advanced air monitoring system is then presented. This system is based mainly on the incorporation of gamma spectrometry using two scintillation detectors, one of NaI:Tl and the other of LaBr 3 :Ce, and compact multichannel analysers. Next, a comparison made of the results provided by the two systems operating simultaneously at the same location for three months shows the advantages of the new advanced air monitoring system. As a result, the gamma spectrometry analysis allows passing from global alpha and beta activity determinations due to artificial radionuclides in aerosols, and the inaccurate measurement of the gaseous 131 I activity concentration, to the possibility of identifying a large number of radionuclides and quantifying each of their activity concentrations. Moreover, the new station's dual capacity is designed to work in early warning monitoring mode and surveillance monitoring mode. This is based on custom developed software that includes an intelligent system to issue the

Real-time monitoring of non-viable airborne particles correlates with airborne colonies and represents an acceptable surrogate for daily assessment of cell-processing cleanroom performance.

PubMed

Raval, Jay S; Koch, Eileen; Donnenberg, Albert D

2012-10-01

Airborne particulate monitoring is mandated as a component of good manufacturing practice. We present a procedure developed to monitor and interpret airborne particulates in an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) class 7 cleanroom used for the cell processing of Section 351 and Section 361 products. We collected paired viable and non-viable airborne particle data over a period of 1 year in locations chosen to provide a range of air quality. We used receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis to determine empirically the relationship between non-viable and viable airborne particle counts. Viable and non-viable particles were well-correlated (r(2) = 0.78), with outlier observations at the low end of the scale (non-viable particles without detectable airborne colonies). ROC analysis predicted viable counts ≥ 0.5/feet(3) (a limit set by the United States Pharmacopeia) at an action limit of ≥ 32 000 particles (≥ 0.5 µ)/feet(3), with 95.6% sensitivity and 50% specificity. This limit was exceeded 2.6 times during 18 months of retrospective daily cleanroom data (an expected false alarm rate of 1.3 times/year). After implementing this action limit, we were alerted in real time to an air-handling failure undetected by our hospital facilities management. A rational action limit for non-viable particles was determined based on the correlation with airborne colonies. Reaching or exceeding the action limit of 32 000 non-viable particles/feet(3) triggers suspension of cleanroom cell-processing activities, deep cleaning, investigation of air handling, and a deviation management process. Our full procedure for particle monitoring is available as an online supplement.

Real-time monitoring of non-viable airborne particles correlates with airborne colonies and represents an acceptable surrogate for daily assessment of cell-processing cleanroom performance

PubMed Central

RAVAL, JAY S.; KOCH, EILEEN; DONNENBERG, ALBERT D.

2014-01-01

Background aims Airborne particulate monitoring is mandated as a component of good manufacturing practice. We present a procedure developed to monitor and interpret airborne particulates in an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) class 7 cleanroom used for the cell processing of Section 351 and Section 361 products. Methods We collected paired viable and non-viable airborne particle data over a period of 1 year in locations chosen to provide a range of air quality. We used receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis to determine empirically the relationship between non-viable and viable airborne particle counts. Results Viable and non-viable particles were well-correlated (r 2 = 0.78), with outlier observations at the low end of the scale (non-viable particles without detectable airborne colonies). ROC analysis predicted viable counts ≥0.5/feet 3 (a limit set by the United States Pharmacopeia) at an action limit of ≥32 000 particles (≥0.5 μ)/feet 3 , with 95.6% sensitivity and 50% specificity. This limit was exceeded 2.6 times during 18 months of retrospective daily cleanroom data (an expected false alarm rate of 1.3 times/year). After implementing this action limit, we were alerted in real time to an air-handling failure undetected by our hospital facilities management. Conclusions A rational action limit for non-viable particles was determined based on the correlation with airborne colonies. Reaching or exceeding the action limit of 32 000 non-viable particles/feet 3 triggers suspension of cleanroom cell-processing activities, deep cleaning, investigation of air handling, and a deviation management process. Our full procedure for particle monitoring is available as an online supplement. PMID:22746538

Evaluation of three portable samplers for monitoring airborne fungi

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehta, S. K.; Mishra, S. K.; Pierson, D. L.

1996-01-01

Airborne fungi were monitored at five sample sites with the Burkard portable, the RCS Plus, and the SAS Super 90 air samplers; the Andersen 2-stage impactor was used for comparison. All samplers were calibrated before being used simultaneously to collect 100-liter samples at each site. The Andersen and Burkard samplers retrieved equivalent volumes of airborne fungi; the SAS Super 90 and RCS Plus measurements did not differ from each other but were significantly lower than those obtained with the Andersen or Burkard samplers. Total fungal counts correlated linearly with Cladosporium and Penicillium counts. Alternaria species, although present at all sites, did not correlate with total count or with amounts of any other fungal genera. Sampler and location significantly influenced fungal counts, but no interactions between samplers and locations were found.

Radon Monitoring in Army Stand-Alone Housing Units

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-04-01

greater damage to tissues. The internal exposures to alpha radiation resulting from inhalation of radioactive radon daughters (adsorbed onto airborne...appropriate detector, the monitor can measure all or some of the radon daughters adsorbed onto airborne, respirable dust particles. As with the 3...input to the cell is equipped with a 0.8-rim micropore filter that3removes any solid radon daughters from the air stream. Alpha I 26 Final Report, April

Environmental hazards and distribution of radioactive black sand along the Rosetta coastal zone in Egypt using airborne spectrometric and remote sensing data.

PubMed

Kaiser, M F; Aziz, A M; Ghieth, B M

2014-11-01

High-resolution airborne gamma ray spectrometry, conducted in 2003, was used to estimate radioactive elements spatial abundance along the Rosetta coastal zone area. It was noticed that both Uranium and Thorium are concentrated in the black sand deposits along the beach. In contrary, Potassium was observed in high level abundance at the cultivated Nile Delta lands due to the accumulated usage of fertilizers. Exposure Rate (ER), Absorbed Dose Rate (ADR) and Annual Effective Dose Rate (AEDR) were calculated to evaluate the radiation background influence in human. Results indicated that the human body in the study sites is subjected to radiation hazards exceeds the accepted limit for long duration exposure. In addition, the areas covered by the highest concentration of Uranium and Thorium show the highest level of radiogenic heat production. Detection the environmental hazards of the radioactive black sands in the study site encouraged this research to monitor the spatial and temporal distribution of these sediments. The Landsat Thematic Mapper images acquired in 1990, 2003 and 2013 were analyzed using remote sensing image processing techniques. Image enhancements, classification and changes detection indicated a positive significant relationship between the patterns of coastline changes and distribution of the radioactive black sand in the study sites. The radioactive black sands are usually concentrated in the eroded areas. Therefore, in 1990 high concentration of the radioactive black sands were observed along the eastern and western flanks of the Rosetta promontory. Distribution of these sediments decreased due to the construction of the protective sea walls. Most of the radioactive black sands are transported toward the east in Abu Khashaba bay under the effect of the longshore currents and toward the west in Alexandria and Abu Quir bay under the action of the seasonal reverse currents. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

LONGITUDINAL MONITORING OF TREE AIRBORNE POLLEN IN JAPAN.

PubMed

Kishikawa, Reiko; Kotoh, Eiko; Oshikawa, Chie; Soh, Nobuo; Shimoda, Terufumi; Saito, Akemi; Sahashi, Norio; Enomoto, Tadao; Usami, Atsushi; Teranishi, Hidetoyo; Fujisaki, Yohko; Yokoyama, Toshitaka; Murayama, Kohji; Imai, Tohru; Fukutomi, Yuma; Taniguchi, Masami; Iwanaga, Tomoaki

2017-01-01

In Japan patients with Japanese Cedar (JC) pollinosis have increased nation widely since the latter of 1970's. The Ministry of Health and Welfare of Japanese Governments has begun to take preventive measures against JC pollinosis and airborne pollen monitoring has begun to investigate as a causative agent since 1986. We have estimated the longitudinal investigation result for successful prevention and treatment against pollinosis in Japan. We have monitored airborne pollen all year around since July 1986 by gravitational pollen sampler, Durham's sampler, at more than 20 locations in the Japanese Islands. Pollen samples were sent to our hospital and counted pollen number per cm 2 after stained by Calberla solution and then classified main pollen grains as a causative agent of pollinosis. JC pollen number was the most of all, more than 40%, next cypress family, about 20%. They were occupied of more than 60% of all and they increased with the remarkable annual fluctuation as the allergen of JC pollinosis. Beech family pollen counting were also increasing and occupied about 10% of all pollen counts. In Hokkaido the prevalence of birch family pollen count was larger than that in other districts. There is cross-reactivity between beech and birch family which related with oral allergic syndrome.Perspective and Conclusion: In future new occurrences of oral allergy syndrome due to increasing allergic tree pollen grains would be appeared. The contentious pollen research should be important for patients with pollinosis in Japan.

Applicability of Monte-Carlo Simulation to Equipment Design of Radioactive Noble Gas Monitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakai, Hirotaka; Hattori, Kanako; Umemura, Norihiro

In the nuclear facilities, radioactive noble gas is continuously monitored by using the radioactive noble gas monitor with beta-sensitive plastic scintillation radiation detector. The detection efficiency of the monitor is generally calibrated by using a calibration loop and standard radioactive noble gases such as 85Kr. In this study, the applicability of PHITS to the equipment design of the radioactive noble gas monitor was evaluated by comparing the calculated results to the test results obtained by actual calibration loop tests to simplify the radiation monitor design evaluation. It was confirmed that the calculated results were well matched to the test results of the monitor after the modeling. In addition, the key parameters for equipment design, such as thickness of detector window or depth of the sampler, were also specified and evaluated.

Mountain pine beetle detection and monitoring: evaluation of airborne imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, A.; Bone, C.; Dragicevic, S.; Ettya, A.; Northrup, J.; Reich, R.

2007-10-01

The processing and evaluation of digital airborne imagery for detection, monitoring and modeling of mountain pine beetle (MPB) infestations is evaluated. The most efficient and reliable remote sensing strategy for identification and mapping of infestation stages ("current" to "red" to "grey" attack) of MPB in lodgepole pine forests is determined for the most practical and cost effective procedures. This research was planned to specifically enhance knowledge by determining the remote sensing imaging systems and analytical procedures that optimize resource management for this critical forest health problem. Within the context of this study, airborne remote sensing of forest environments for forest health determinations (MPB) is most suitably undertaken using multispectral digitally converted imagery (aerial photography) at scales of 1:8000 for early detection of current MPB attack and 1:16000 for mapping and sequential monitoring of red and grey attack. Digital conversion should be undertaken at 10 to 16 microns for B&W multispectral imagery and 16 to 24 microns for colour and colour infrared imagery. From an "operational" perspective, the use of twin mapping-cameras with colour and B&W or colour infrared film will provide the best approximation of multispectral digital imagery with near comparable performance in a competitive private sector context (open bidding).

Airborne Transducer Integrity under Operational Environment for Structural Health Monitoring

PubMed Central

Salmanpour, Mohammad Saleh; Sharif Khodaei, Zahra; Aliabadi, Mohammad Hossein

2016-01-01

This paper investigates the robustness of permanently mounted transducers used in airborne structural health monitoring systems, when exposed to the operational environment. Typical airliners operate in a range of conditions, hence, structural health monitoring (SHM) transducer robustness and integrity must be demonstrated for these environments. A set of extreme temperature, altitude and vibration environment test profiles are developed using the existing Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA)/DO-160 test methods. Commercially available transducers and manufactured versions bonded to carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite materials are tested. It was found that the DuraAct transducer is robust to environmental conditions tested, while the other transducer types degrade under the same conditions. PMID:27973450

A Methodology to Monitor Airborne PM10 Dust Particles Using a Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

PubMed Central

Alvarado, Miguel; Gonzalez, Felipe; Erskine, Peter; Cliff, David; Heuff, Darlene

2017-01-01

Throughout the process of coal extraction from surface mines, gases and particles are emitted in the form of fugitive emissions by activities such as hauling, blasting and transportation. As these emissions are diffuse in nature, estimations based upon emission factors and dispersion/advection equations need to be measured directly from the atmosphere. This paper expands upon previous research undertaken to develop a relative methodology to monitor PM10 dust particles produced by mining activities making use of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). A module sensor using a laser particle counter (OPC-N2 from Alphasense, Great Notley, Essex, UK) was tested. An aerodynamic flow experiment was undertaken to determine the position and length of a sampling probe of the sensing module. Flight tests were conducted in order to demonstrate that the sensor provided data which could be used to calculate the emission rate of a source. Emission rates are a critical variable for further predictive dispersion estimates. First, data collected by the airborne module was verified using a 5.0 m tower in which a TSI DRX 8533 (reference dust monitoring device, TSI, Shoreview, MN, USA) and a duplicate of the module sensor were installed. Second, concentration values collected by the monitoring module attached to the UAV (airborne module) obtaining a percentage error of 1.1%. Finally, emission rates from the source were calculated, with airborne data, obtaining errors as low as 1.2%. These errors are low and indicate that the readings collected with the airborne module are comparable to the TSI DRX and could be used to obtain specific emission factors from fugitive emissions for industrial activities. PMID:28216557

Airborne Dust Monitoring Activities at the National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephens, G.; McNamara, D.; Taylor, J.

2002-12-01

particles such as dust. Techniques effective for the monitoring of airborne dust are used operationally by NESDIS and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction at the Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center, which monitors the presence of airborne volcanic ash, optically similar to airborne dust.

Airborne field strength monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bredemeyer, J.; Kleine-Ostmann, T.; Schrader, T.; Münter, K.; Ritter, J.

2007-06-01

In civil and military aviation, ground based navigation aids (NAVAIDS) are still crucial for flight guidance even though the acceptance of satellite based systems (GNSS) increases. Part of the calibration process for NAVAIDS (ILS, DME, VOR) is to perform a flight inspection according to specified methods as stated in a document (DOC8071, 2000) by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). One major task is to determine the coverage, or, in other words, the true signal-in-space field strength of a ground transmitter. This has always been a challenge to flight inspection up to now, since, especially in the L-band (DME, 1GHz), the antenna installed performance was known with an uncertainty of 10 dB or even more. In order to meet ICAO's required accuracy of ±3 dB it is necessary to have a precise 3-D antenna factor of the receiving antenna operating on the airborne platform including all losses and impedance mismatching. Introducing precise, effective antenna factors to flight inspection to achieve the required accuracy is new and not published in relevant papers yet. The authors try to establish a new balanced procedure between simulation and validation by airborne and ground measurements. This involves the interpretation of measured scattering parameters gained both on the ground and airborne in comparison with numerical results obtained by the multilevel fast multipole algorithm (MLFMA) accelerated method of moments (MoM) using a complex geometric model of the aircraft. First results will be presented in this paper.

Miniaturized inertial impactor for personal airborne particulate monitoring: Prototyping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pasini, Silvia; Bianchi, Elena; Dubini, Gabriele; Cortelezzi, Luca

2017-11-01

Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations allowed us to conceive and design a miniaturized inertial impactor able to collect fine airborne particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5 and PM1). We created, by 3D printing, a prototype of the impactor. We first performed a set of experiments by applying a suction pump to the outlets and sampling the airborne particulate of our laboratory. The analysis of the slide showed a collection of a large number of particles, spanning a wide range of sizes, organized in a narrow band located below the exit of the nozzle. In order to show that our miniaturized inertial impactor can be truly used as a personal air-quality monitor, we performed a second set of experiments where the suction needed to produce the airflow through the impactor is generated by a human being inhaling through the outlets of the prototype. To guarantee a number of particles sufficient to perform a quantitative characterization, we collected particles performing ten consecutive deep inhalations. Finally, the potentiality for realistic applications of our miniaturized inertial impactor used in combination with a miniaturized single-particle detector will be discussed. CARIPLO Fundation - project MINUTE (Grant No. 2011-2118).

Use of Portal Monitors for Detection of Technogenic Radioactive Sources in Scrap Metal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solovev, D. B.; Merkusheva, A. E.

2017-11-01

The article considers the features of organization of scrap-metal primary radiation control on the specialized enterprises engaging in its deep processing and storage at using by primary technical equipment - radiation portal monitors. The issue of this direction relevance, validity of radiation control implementation with the use of radiation portal monitors, physical and organizational bases of radiation control are considered in detail. The emphasis is put on the considerable increase in the number of technogenic radioactive sources detected in scrap-metal that results in the entering into exploitation of radioactive metallic structures as different building wares. One of reasons of such increase of the number of technogenic radioactive sources getting for processing with scrap-metal is the absence of any recommendations on the radiation portal monitors exploitation. The practical division of the article offers to recommendation on tuning of the modes of work of radiation portal monitors depending on influence the weather factor thus allowing to considerably increase the percent of technogenic radioactive sources detection.

Evaluation of portable air samplers for monitoring airborne culturable bacteria

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehta, S. K.; Bell-Robinson, D. M.; Groves, T. O.; Stetzenbach, L. D.; Pierson, D. L.

2000-01-01

Airborne culturable bacteria were monitored at five locations (three in an office/laboratory building and two in a private residence) in a series of experiments designed to compare the efficiency of four air samplers: the Andersen two-stage, Burkard portable, RCS Plus, and SAS Super 90 samplers. A total of 280 samples was collected. The four samplers were operated simultaneously, each sampling 100 L of air with collection on trypticase soy agar. The data were corrected by applying positive hole conversion factors for the Burkard portable, Andersen two-stage, and SAS Super 90 air samplers, and were expressed as log10 values prior to statistical analysis by analysis of variance. The Burkard portable air sampler retrieved the highest number of airborne culturable bacteria at four of the five sampling sites, followed by the SAS Super 90 and the Andersen two-stage impactor. The number of bacteria retrieved by the RCS Plus was significantly less than those retrieved by the other samplers. Among the predominant bacterial genera retrieved by all samplers were Staphylococcus, Bacillus, Corynebacterium, Micrococcus, and Streptococcus.

Real-time alpha monitoring of a radioactive liquid waste stream at Los Alamos National Laboratory

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

Johnson, J.D.; Whitley, C.R.; Rawool-Sullivan, M.

1995-12-31

This poster display concerns the development, installation, and testing of a real-time radioactive liquid waste monitor at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The detector system was designed for the LANL Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility so that influent to the plant could be monitored in real time. By knowing the activity of the influent, plant operators can better monitor treatment, better segregate waste (potentially), and monitor the regulatory compliance of users of the LANL Radioactive Liquid Waste Collection System. The detector system uses long-range alpha detection technology, which is a nonintrusive method of characterization that determines alpha activity on themore » liquid surface by measuring the ionization of ambient air. Extensive testing has been performed to ensure long-term use with a minimal amount of maintenance. The final design was a simple cost-effective alpha monitor that could be modified for monitoring influent waste streams at various points in the LANL Radioactive Liquid Waste Collection System.« less

Airborne relay-based regional positioning system.

PubMed

Lee, Kyuman; Noh, Hongjun; Lim, Jaesung

2015-05-28

Ground-based pseudolite systems have some limitations, such as low vertical accuracy, multipath effects and near-far problems. These problems are not significant in airborne-based pseudolite systems. However, the monitoring of pseudolite positions is required because of the mobility of the platforms on which the pseudolites are mounted, and this causes performance degradation. To address these pseudolite system limitations, we propose an airborne relay-based regional positioning system that consists of a master station, reference stations, airborne relays and a user. In the proposed system, navigation signals are generated from the reference stations located on the ground and are relayed via the airborne relays. Unlike in conventional airborne-based systems, the user in the proposed system sequentially estimates both the locations of airborne relays and his/her own position. Therefore, a delay due to monitoring does not occur, and the accuracy is not affected by the movement of airborne relays. We conducted several simulations to evaluate the performance of the proposed system. Based on the simulation results, we demonstrated that the proposed system guarantees a higher accuracy than airborne-based pseudolite systems, and it is feasible despite the existence of clock offsets among reference stations.

Airborne Relay-Based Regional Positioning System

PubMed Central

Lee, Kyuman; Noh, Hongjun; Lim, Jaesung

2015-01-01

Ground-based pseudolite systems have some limitations, such as low vertical accuracy, multipath effects and near-far problems. These problems are not significant in airborne-based pseudolite systems. However, the monitoring of pseudolite positions is required because of the mobility of the platforms on which the pseudolites are mounted, and this causes performance degradation. To address these pseudolite system limitations, we propose an airborne relay-based regional positioning system that consists of a master station, reference stations, airborne relays and a user. In the proposed system, navigation signals are generated from the reference stations located on the ground and are relayed via the airborne relays. Unlike in conventional airborne-based systems, the user in the proposed system sequentially estimates both the locations of airborne relays and his/her own position. Therefore, a delay due to monitoring does not occur, and the accuracy is not affected by the movement of airborne relays. We conducted several simulations to evaluate the performance of the proposed system. Based on the simulation results, we demonstrated that the proposed system guarantees a higher accuracy than airborne-based pseudolite systems, and it is feasible despite the existence of clock offsets among reference stations. PMID:26029953

Airborne asbestos fibres monitoring in tunnel excavation.

PubMed

Gaggero, Laura; Sanguineti, Elisa; Yus González, Adrián; Militello, Gaia Maria; Scuderi, Alberto; Parisi, Giovanni

2017-07-01

Tunnelling across ophiolitic formation with Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA) can release fibres into the environment, exposing workers, and the population, if fibres spread outside the tunnel, leading to increased risk of developing asbestos-related disease. Therefore, a careful plan of environmental monitoring is carried out during Terzo Valico tunnel excavation. In the present study, data of 1571 samples of airborne dust, collected between 2014 and 2016 inside the tunnels, and analyzed by SEM-EDS for quantification of workers exposure, are discussed. In particular, the engineering and monitoring management of 100 m tunnelling excavation across a serpentinite lens (Cravasco adit), intercalated within calcschists, is reported. At this chrysotile occurrence, 84% of 128 analyzed samples (from the zone closer to the front rock) were above 2 ff/l. However, thanks to safety measures implemented and tunnel compartmentation in zones, the asbestos fibre concentration did not exceed the Italian standard of occupational exposure (100 ff/l) and 100% of samples collected in the outdoor square were below 1 ff/l. During excavation under normal working conditions, asbestos concentrations were below 2 ff/l in 97.4% of the 668 analyzed samples. Our results showed that air monitoring can objectively confirm the presence of asbestos minerals at a rock front in relative short time and provide information about the nature of the lithology at the front. The present dataset, the engineering measures described and the operative conclusions are liable to support the improvement of legislation on workers exposure to asbestos referred to the tunnelling sector, lacking at present. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Monte Carlo program to calculate the exposure rate from airborne radioactive gases inside a nuclear reactor containment building.

PubMed

Sherbini, S; Tamasanis, D; Sykes, J; Porter, S W

1986-12-01

A program was developed to calculate the exposure rate resulting from airborne gases inside a reactor containment building. The calculations were performed at the location of a wall-mounted area radiation monitor. The program uses Monte Carlo techniques and accounts for both the direct and scattered components of the radiation field at the detector. The scattered component was found to contribute about 30% of the total exposure rate at 50 keV and dropped to about 7% at 2000 keV. The results of the calculations were normalized to unit activity per unit volume of air in the containment. This allows the exposure rate readings of the area monitor to be used to estimate the airborne activity in containment in the early phases of an accident. Such estimates, coupled with containment leak rates, provide a method to obtain a release rate for use in offsite dose projection calculations.

Evaluation of the Eberline AMS-3A and AMS-4 Beta continuous air monitors

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

Johnson, M.L.; Sisk, D.R.

1996-03-01

Eberline AMS-3A-1 and AMS-4 beta continuous air monitors were tested against the criteria set forth in the ANSI Standards N42.18, Specification and Performance of On-site Instrumentation for Continuously Monitoring Radioactivity in Effluents, and ANSI N42.17B, Performance Specification for Health Physics Instrumentation - Occupational Airborne Radioactivity Monitoring Instrumentation. ANSI N42.18 does not, in general, specify testing procedures for demonstrating compliance with the criteria set forth in the standard; therefore, wherever possible, the testing procedures given in ANSI N42.17B were adopted. In all cases, the more restrictive acceptance criteria and/or the more demanding test conditions of the two standards were used.

Experiment of monitoring thermal discharge drained from nuclear plant through airborne infrared remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Difeng; Pan, Delu; Li, Ning

2009-07-01

The State Development and Planning Commission has approved nuclear power projects with the total capacity of 23,000 MW. The plants will be built in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Guangdong, Shandong, Liaoning and Fujian Province before 2020. However, along with the nuclear power policy of accelerated development in our country, the quantity of nuclear plants and machine sets increases quickly. As a result the environment influence of thermal discharge will be a problem that can't be slid over. So evaluation of the environment influence and engineering simulation must be performed before station design and construction. Further more real-time monitoring of water temperature need to be arranged after fulfillment, reflecting variety of water temperature in time and provided to related managing department. Which will help to ensure the operation of nuclear plant would not result in excess environment breakage. At the end of 2007, an airborne thermal discharge monitoring experiment has been carried out by making use of MAMS, a marine multi-spectral scanner equipped on the China Marine Surveillance Force airplane. And experimental subject was sea area near Qin Shan nuclear plant. This paper introduces the related specification and function of MAMS instrument, and decrypts design and process of the airborne remote sensing experiment. Experiment showed that applying MAMS to monitoring thermal discharge is viable. The remote sensing on a base of thermal infrared monitoring technique told us that thermal discharge of Qin Shan nuclear plant was controlled in a small scope, never breaching national water quality standard.

Biosensor for remote monitoring of airborne toxins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knopf, George K.; Bassi, Amarjeet S.; Singh, Shikha; Macleod, Roslyn

1999-12-01

The rapid detection of toxic contaminants released into the air by chemical processing facilities is a high priority for many manufacturers. This paper describes a novel biosensor for the remote monitoring of toxic sites. The proposed biosensor is a measurement system that employs immobilized luminescent Vibrio fisheri bacteria to detect airborne contaminants. The presence of toxic chemicals will lead to a detectable decrease in the intensity of light produced by the bacteria. Both cellular and environmental factors control the bioluminescence of these bacteria. Important design factors are the appropriate cell growth media, environmental toxicity, oxygen and cell concentrations. The luminescent bacteria are immobilized on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) gels and placed inside a specially constructed, miniature flow cell which houses a transducer, power source, and transmitter to convert the light signal information into radio frequencies that are picked up by a receiver at a remote location. The biosensor prototype is designed to function either as a single unit mounted on an exploratory robot or numerous units spatially distributed throughout a contaminated environment for remote sensing applications.

Iraq liquid radioactive waste tanks maintenance and monitoring program plan.

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

Dennis, Matthew L.; Cochran, John Russell; Sol Shamsaldin, Emad

2011-10-01

The purpose of this report is to develop a project management plan for maintaining and monitoring liquid radioactive waste tanks at Iraq's Al-Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center. Based on information from several sources, the Al-Tuwaitha site has approximately 30 waste tanks that contain varying amounts of liquid or sludge radioactive waste. All of the tanks have been non-operational for over 20 years and most have limited characterization. The program plan embodied in this document provides guidance on conducting radiological surveys, posting radiation control areas and controlling access, performing tank hazard assessments to remove debris and gain access, and conducting routine tankmore » inspections. This program plan provides general advice on how to sample and characterize tank contents, and how to prioritize tanks for soil sampling and borehole monitoring.« less

The Ebb and Flow of Airborne Pathogens: Monitoring and Use in Disease Management Decisions.

PubMed

Mahaffee, Walter F; Stoll, Rob

2016-05-01

Perhaps the earliest form of monitoring the regional spread of plant disease was a group of growers gathering together at the market and discussing what they see in their crops. This type of reporting continues to this day through regional extension blogs, by crop consultants and more formal scouting of sentential plots in the IPM PIPE network (http://www.ipmpipe.org/). As our knowledge of plant disease epidemiology has increased, we have also increased our ability to detect and monitor the presence of pathogens and use this information to make management decisions in commercial production systems. The advent of phylogenetics, next-generation sequencing, and nucleic acid amplification technologies has allowed for development of sensitive and accurate assays for pathogen inoculum detection and quantification. The application of these tools is beginning to change how we manage diseases with airborne inoculum by allowing for the detection of pathogen movement instead of assuming it and by targeting management strategies to the early phases of the epidemic development when there is the greatest opportunity to reduce the rate of disease development. While there are numerous advantages to using data on inoculum presence to aid management decisions, there are limitations in what the data represent that are often unrecognized. In addition, our understanding of where and how to effectively monitor airborne inoculum is limited. There is a strong need to improve our knowledge of the mechanisms that influence inoculum dispersion across scales as particles move from leaf to leaf, and everything in between.

Calculation of airborne radioactivity in a Technegas lung ventilation unit.

PubMed

López Medina, A; Miñano, J A; Terrón, J A; Bullejos, J A; Guerrero, R; Arroyo, T; Ramírez, A; Llamas, J M

1999-12-01

Airborne contamination by 99Tcm has been monitored in the Nuclear Medicine Department in our hospital to assess the risk of internal contamination to occupational workers exposed to Technegas studies. An air sampler fitted with a membrane filter was used. The optimum time for air absorption for obtaining the maximum activity in the filter was calculated. Maximum activity in the membrane filter ensures minimum uncertainty, which is especially important when low-level activities are being measured. The optimum time depends on air absorption velocity, room volume and filter efficiency for isotope collection. It tends to 1/lambda (lambda = disintegration constant for 99Tcm) for large volume and low velocity. Room activity with the air pump switched on was related to filter activity, and its variation with time was studied. Free activity in air for each study was approximately 7 x 10(-4) the activity used, and the effective half-life of the isotope in the room was 13.9 min (decay and diffusion). For a typical study (630 MBq), the effective dose to staff was 0.01 microSv when in the room for 10 min.

Potential Application of Airborne Passive Microwave Observations for Monitoring Inland Flooding Caused by Tropical Cyclones

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hood, Robbie E.; Radley, C.D.; LaFontaine, F.J.

2008-01-01

Inland flooding from tropical cyclones can be a significant factor in storm-related deaths in the United States and other countries. Information collected during NASA tropical cyclone field studies suggest surface water and flooding induced by tropical cyclone precipitation can be detected and therefore monitored using passive microwave airborne radiometers. In particular, the 10.7 GHz frequency of the NASA Advanced Microwave Precipitation Radiometer (AMPR) flown on the NASA ER-2 has demonstrated high resolution detection of anomalous surface water and flooding in numerous situations. This presentation will highlight the analysis of three cases utilizing primarily satellite and airborne radiometer data. Radiometer data from the 1998 Third Convection and Moisture Experiment (CAMEX-3) are utilized to detect surface water during landfalling Hurricane Georges in both the Dominican Republic and Louisiana. A third case is landfalling Tropical Storm Gert in Eastern Mexico during the Tropical Cloud Systems and Processes (TCSP) experiment in 2005. AMPR data are compared to topographic data and vegetation indices to evaluate the significance of the surface water signature visible in the 10.7 GHz information. The results of this study suggest the benefit of an aircraft 10 GHz radiometer to provide real-time observations of surface water conditions as part of a multi-sensor flood monitoring network.

Bags with oven-dried moss for the active monitoring of airborne trace elements in urban areas.

PubMed

Giordano, S; Adamo, P; Monaci, F; Pittao, E; Tretiach, M; Bargagli, R

2009-10-01

To define a harmonized methodology for the use of moss and lichen bags as active monitoring devices of airborne trace elements in urban areas, we evaluated the element accumulation in bags exposed in Naples in different spring weather conditions for 6- and 12-weeks. Three different pre-exposure treatments were applied to moss and lichen materials: water-washing, acid-washing and oven-drying. During the different exposure periods in the Naples urban environment the moss accumulated always higher amounts of elements (except Hg) than lichens and the element accumulation increased during wetter weather and higher PM(10) conditions. The oven pre-treatment did not substantially modify the morphology and element composition of moss and the exposure in bags of this material for 6-weeks was sufficient to detect the pattern of airborne trace elements.

Demolition and removal of radioactively contaminated concrete soil: Aerosol control and monitoring

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

Newton, G.J.; Hoover, M.D.; Grace, A.C. III

1995-12-01

From 1963 to 1985, two concrete-lined ponds were used to reduce the volume of radioactive liquids from the Institute`s research programs. Following withdrawal of the {open_quotes}hot ponds{close_quotes} from active use, the residual sludges and plastic liners of the ponds were removed and shipped to a radioactive waste disposal site. From 1987 to 1994, the concrete structures remained undisturbed pending environmental restoration on the site. Restoration began in 1994 and was completed in 1995. Restoration involved mechanical breakup and removal of the concrete structures and removal of areas of contaminated soils from the site. This report describes the design and resultsmore » of the aerosol control and monitoring program that was conducted to ensure protection of workers and the environment during the restoration process. The aerosol control and monitoring strategy developed for remediation of the ITRI hot ponds was successful both in preventing dispersion of radioactive dusts and in demonstrating that exposures of workers and offsite releases were within statutory limits.« less

Room air monitor for radioactive aerosols

DOEpatents

Balmer, D.K.; Tyree, W.H.

1987-03-23

A housing assembly for use with a room air monitor for simultaneous collection and counting of suspended particles includes a casing containing a combination detector-preamplifier system at one end, a filter system at the other end, and an air flow system consisting of an air inlet formed in the casing between the detector-preamplifier system and the filter system and an air passageway extending from the air inlet through the casing and out the end opposite the detector-preamplifier combination. The filter system collects suspended particles transported directly through the housing by means of the air flow system, and these particles are detected and examined for radioactivity by the detector-preamplifier combination. 2 figs.

Monitoring technologies for ocean disposal of radioactive waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Triplett, M. B.; Solomon, K. A.; Bishop, C. B.; Tyce, R. C.

1982-01-01

The feasibility of using carefully selected subseabed locations to permanently isolate high level radioactive wastes at ocean depths greater than 4000 meters is discussed. Disposal at several candidate subseabed areas is being studied because of the long term geologic stability of the sediments, remoteness from human activity, and lack of useful natural resources. While the deep sea environment is remote, it also poses some significant challenges for the technology required to survey and monitor these sites, to identify and pinpoint container leakage should it occur, and to provide the environmental information and data base essential to determining the probable impacts of any such occurrence. Objectives and technical approaches to aid in the selective development of advanced technologies for the future monitoring of nuclear low level and high level waste disposal in the deep seabed are presented. Detailed recommendations for measurement and sampling technology development needed for deep seabed nuclear waste monitoring are also presented.

Monitoring airborne biotic contaminants in the indoor environment of pig and poultry confinement buildings.

PubMed

Hong, Pei-Ying; Li, Xiangzhen; Yang, Xufei; Shinkai, Takumi; Zhang, Yuanhui; Wang, Xinlei; Mackie, Roderick I

2012-06-01

Given the growing concerns over human and animal health issues related to confined animal feeding operations, an in-depth examination is required to monitor for airborne bacteria and associated antibiotic resistance genes. Our 16S rRNA-based pyrosequencing revealed that the airborne microbial community skewed towards a higher abundance of Firmicutes (> 59.2%) and Bacteroidetes (4.2-31.4%) within the confinement buildings, while the office environment was predominated by Proteobacteria (55.2%). Furthermore, bioaerosols in the confinement buildings were sporadically associated with genera of potential pathogens, and these genera were more frequently observed in the bioaerosols of pig and layer hen confinement than the turkey confinement buildings and office environment. High abundances of tetracycline resistance genes (9.55 × 10(2) to 1.69 × 10(6) copies ng(-1) DNA) were also detected in the bioaerosols sampled from confinement buildings. Bacterial lineages present in the poultry bioaerosols clustered apart from those present in the pig bioaerosols and among the different phases of pig production, suggesting that different livestock as well as production phase were associated with a distinct airborne microbial community. By understanding the diversity of biotic contaminants associated with the different confinement buildings, this study facilitates the implementation of better management strategies to minimize potential health impacts on both livestock and humans working in this environment. © 2012 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

10 CFR 835.209 - Concentrations of radioactive material in air.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Section 835.209 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OCCUPATIONAL RADIATION PROTECTION Standards for Internal and External Exposure § 835.209 Concentrations of radioactive material in air. (a) The derived air... exposures to airborne radioactive material. (b) The estimation of internal dose shall be based on bioassay...

Urban land use monitoring from computer-implemented processing of airborne multispectral data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Todd, W. J.; Mausel, P. W.; Baumgardner, M. F.

1976-01-01

Machine processing techniques were applied to multispectral data obtained from airborne scanners at an elevation of 600 meters over central Indianapolis in August, 1972. Computer analysis of these spectral data indicate that roads (two types), roof tops (three types), dense grass (two types), sparse grass (two types), trees, bare soil, and water (two types) can be accurately identified. Using computers, it is possible to determine land uses from analysis of type, size, shape, and spatial associations of earth surface images identified from multispectral data. Land use data developed through machine processing techniques can be programmed to monitor land use changes, simulate land use conditions, and provide impact statistics that are required to analyze stresses placed on spatial systems.

Safety monitoring of the FBG sensor in respect of radioactivity and deformation measurement of a silo structure for radioactive waste disposal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Ki-Soo; Cho, Seong-Kyu

2015-07-01

The FBG sensor has globally been commercialized in various fields that is actively applied in Korea as well. Especially it is widely used as a structural monitoring sensor in civil engineering and construction structures due to its advantages including electrical stability, chemical stability and multiplexing. This report aims to introduce safety inspection of the FBG sensor in respect of radioactivity which has been applied to a silo structure for radioactive waste disposal as an example.

Airborne remote sensing of forest biomes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sader, Steven A.

1987-01-01

Airborne sensor data of forest biomes obtained using an SAR, a laser profiler, an IR MSS, and a TM simulator are presented and examined. The SAR was utilized to investigate forest canopy structures in Mississippi and Costa Rica; the IR MSS measured forest canopy temperatures in Oregon and Puerto Rico; the TM simulator was employed in a tropical forest in Puerto Rico; and the laser profiler studied forest canopy characteristics in Costa Rica. The advantages and disadvantages of airborne systems are discussed. It is noted that the airborne sensors provide measurements applicable to forest monitoring programs.

Global Test Range: Toward Airborne Sensor Webs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mace, Thomas H.; Freudinger, Larry; DelFrate John H.

2008-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the planned global sensor network that will monitor the Earth's climate, and resources using airborne sensor systems. The vision is an intelligent, affordable Earth Observation System. Global Test Range is a lab developing trustworthy services for airborne instruments - a specialized Internet Service Provider. There is discussion of several current and planned missions.

Tonopah Test Range Air Monitoring: CY2015 Meteorological, Radiological, and Airborne Particulate Observations

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

Nikolich, George; Shadel, Craig; Chapman, Jenny

2016-09-01

In 1963, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) (formerly the Atomic Energy Commission [AEC]), implemented Operation Roller Coaster on the Tonopah Test Range (TTR) and an adjacent area of the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) (formerly the Nellis Air Force Range). The operation resulted in radionuclide-contaminated soils at the Clean Slate I, II, and III sites. This report documents observations made during ongoing monitoring of radiological, meteorological, and dust conditions at stations installed adjacent to Clean Slate I and Clean Slate III, and at the TTR Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) Range Operations Control (ROC) center. The primary objective ofmore » the monitoring effort is to determine if winds blowing across the Clean Slate sites are transporting particles of radionuclide-contaminated soil beyond the physical and administrative boundaries of the sites. Radionuclide assessment of airborne particulates in 2015 found the gross alpha and gross beta values of dust collected from the filters at the monitoring stations are consistent with background conditions. The meteorological and particle monitoring indicate that conditions for wind-borne contaminant movement exist at the Clean Slate sites and that, although the transport of radionuclide-contaminated soil by suspension has not been detected, movement by saltation is occurring.« less

Study of ocean red tide multi-parameter monitoring technology based on double-wavelength airborne lidar system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Hong; Wang, Xinming; Liang, Kun

2010-10-01

For monitoring and forecasting of the ocean red tide in real time, a marine environment monitoring technology based on the double-wavelength airborne lidar system is proposed. An airborne lidar is father more efficient than the traditional measure technology by the boat. At the same time, this technology can detect multi-parameter about the ocean red tide by using the double-wavelength lidar.It not only can use the infrared laser to detect the scattering signal under the water and gain the information about the red tise's density and size, but also can use the blue-green laser to detect the Brillouin scattering signal and deduce the temperature and salinity of the seawater.The red tide's density detecting model is firstly established by introducing the concept about the red tide scattering coefficient based on the Mie scattering theory. From the Brillouin scattering theory, the relationship about the blue-green laser's Brillouin scattering frequency shift value and power value with the seawater temperature and salinity is found. Then, the detecting mode1 of the saewater temperature and salinity can be established. The value of the red tide infrared scattering signal is evaluated by the simulation, and therefore the red tide particles' density can be known. At the same time, the blue-green laser's Brillouin scattering frequency shift value and power value are evaluated by simulating, and the temperature and salinity of the seawater can be known. Baed on the multi-parameters, the ocean red tide's growth can be monitored and forecasted.

Use of the selective agar medium CREAD for monitoring the level of airborne spoilage moulds in cheese production.

PubMed

Kure, Cathrine Finne; Borch, Elisabeth; Karlsson, Ingela; Homleid, Jens Petter; Langsrud, Solveig

2008-02-29

It was investigated if a selective medium for common cheese spoiling moulds (CREAD) could give more relevant information than a general mould medium in hygienic air-sampling in cheese factories. A total of 126 air-samples were taken in six Nordic cheese factories using the general mould medium DG18 and CREAD. The level and genera of air-borne mould was determined. Identification to species-level was performed for a selection of samples. In five cheese factories the mycobiota was dominated by Penicillium spp. and in one cheese factory by Cladosporium spp. The concentration of air-borne moulds varied between the cheese factories ranging from 1 to 270 cfu/m3 on DG18 with a median value of 17. The number of mould colonies was in general lower at CREAD. Identification indicated that CREAD supported growth of common spoilage moulds for cheese, such as Penicillium palitans and P. commune. The mycobiota on DG18 also consisted of moulds not commonly associated with spoilage of cheese, such as Cladosporium spp., P. brevicompactum and P. chrysogenum. Contamination of cheese with mould is periodically a problem in production of semi-hard cheese and the level of air-borne mould is therefore routinely monitored in cheese factories. A clear correlation between the total number of moulds in air and mould growth on products is not always found. The conclusion from the investigation is that it is recommended to use a selective medium for cheese spoilage moulds, such as CREAD in hygienic monitoring.

Great Lakes Hyperspectral Water Quality Instrument Suite for Airborne Monitoring of Algal Blooms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lekki, John; Leshkevich, George; Nguyen, Quang-Viet; Flatico, Joseph; Prokop, Norman; Kojima, Jun; Anderson, Robert; Demers, James; Krasowski, Michael

2007-01-01

NASA Glenn Research Center and NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab are collaborating to utilize an airborne hyperspectral imaging sensor suite to monitor Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in the western basin of Lake Erie. The HABs are very dynamic events as they form, spread and then disappear within a 4 to 8 week time period in late summer. They are a concern for human health, fish and wildlife because they can contain blue green toxic algae. Because of this toxicity there is a need for the blooms to be continually monitored. This situation is well suited for aircraft based monitoring because the blooms are a very dynamic event and they can spread over a large area. High resolution satellite data is not suitable by itself because it will not give the temporal resolution due to the infrequent overpasses of the quickly changing blooms. A custom designed hyperspectral imager and a point spectrometer mounted on aT 34 aircraft have been used to obtain data on an algal bloom that formed in the western basin of Lake Erie during September 2006. The sensor suite and operations will be described and preliminary hyperspectral data of this event will be presented

Airborne lidar experiments at the Savannah River Plant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krabill, William B.; Swift, Robert N.

1985-01-01

The results of remote sensing experiments at the Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River Nuclear Facility utilizing the NASA Airborne Oceanographic Lidar (AOL) are presented. The flights were conducted in support of the numerous environmental monitoring requirements associated with the operation of the facility and for the purpose of furthering research and development of airborne lidar technology. Areas of application include airborne laser topographic mapping, hydrologic studies using fluorescent tracer dye, timber volume estimation, baseline characterization of wetlands, and aquatic chlorophyll and photopigment measurements. Conclusions relative to the usability of airborne lidar technology for the DOE for each of these remote sensing applications are discussed.

Monitoring and Modeling Crop Health and Water Use via in-situ, Airborne and Space-based Platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCabe, M. F.

2014-12-01

The accurate retrieval of plant water use, health and function together with soil state and condition, represent key objectives in the management and monitoring of large-scale agricultural production. In regions of water shortage or stress, understanding the sustainable use of available water supplies is critical. Unfortunately, this need is all too often limited by a lack of reliable observations. Techniques that balance the demand for reliable ground-based data with the rapid retrieval of spatially distributed crop characteristics represent a needed line of research. Data from in-situ monitoring coupled with advances in satellite retrievals of key land surface variables, provide the information necessary to characterize many crop health and water use features, including evaporation, leaf-chlorophyll and other common vegetation indices. With developments in UAV and quadcopter solutions, the opportunity to bridge the spatio-temporal gap between satellite and ground based sensing now exists, along with the capacity for customized retrievals of crop information. While there remain challenges in the routine application of autonomous airborne systems, the state of current technology and sensor developments provide the capacity to explore the operational potential. While this presentation will focus on the multi-scale estimation of crop-water use and crop-health characteristics from satellite-based sensors, the retrieval of high resolution spatially distributed information from near-surface airborne and ground-based systems will also be examined.

Remote monitoring of soil moisture using airborne microwave radiometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kroll, C. L.

1973-01-01

The current status of microwave radiometry is provided. The fundamentals of the microwave radiometer are reviewed with particular reference to airborne operations, and the interpretative procedures normally used for the modeling of the apparent temperature are presented. Airborne microwave radiometer measurements were made over selected flight lines in Chickasha, Oklahoma and Weslaco, Texas. Extensive ground measurements of soil moisture were made in support of the aircraft mission over the two locations. In addition, laboratory determination of the complex permittivities of soil samples taken from the flight lines were made with varying moisture contents. The data were analyzed to determine the degree of correlation between measured apparent temperatures and soil moisture content.

Room air monitor for radioactive aerosols

DOEpatents

Balmer, David K.; Tyree, William H.

1989-04-11

A housing assembly for use with a room air monitor for simultaneous collection and counting of suspended particles includes a casing containing a combination detector-preamplifier system at one end, a filter system at the other end, and an air flow system consisting of an air inlet formed in the casing between the detector-preamplifier system and the filter system and an air passageway extending from the air inlet through the casing and out the end opposite the detector-preamplifier combination. The filter system collects suspended particles transported directly through the housing by means of the air flow system, and these particles are detected and examined for radioactivity by the detector-pre The U.S. Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. DE-AC04-76DP03533 between the Department of Energy and Rockwell International Corporation.

Airborne Tactical Intent-Based Conflict Resolution Capability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wing, David J.; Vivona, Robert A.; Roscoe, David A.

2009-01-01

Trajectory-based operations with self-separation involve the aircraft taking the primary role in the management of its own trajectory in the presence of other traffic. In this role, the flight crew assumes the responsibility for ensuring that the aircraft remains separated from all other aircraft by at least a minimum separation standard. These operations are enabled by cooperative airborne surveillance and by airborne automation systems that provide essential monitoring and decision support functions for the flight crew. An airborne automation system developed and used by NASA for research investigations of required functionality is the Autonomous Operations Planner. It supports the flight crew in managing their trajectory when responsible for self-separation by providing monitoring and decision support functions for both strategic and tactical flight modes. The paper focuses on the latter of these modes by describing a capability for tactical intent-based conflict resolution and its role in a comprehensive suite of automation functions supporting trajectory-based operations with self-separation.

Monitoring of Carbon Dioxide and Methane Plumes from Combined Ground-Airborne Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacob, Jamey; Mitchell, Taylor; Honeycutt, Wes; Materer, Nicholas; Ley, Tyler; Clark, Peter

2016-11-01

A hybrid ground-airborne sensing network for real-time plume monitoring of CO2 and CH4 for carbon sequestration is investigated. Conventional soil gas monitoring has difficulty in distinguishing gas flux signals from leakage with those associated with meteorologically driven changes. A low-cost, lightweight sensor system has been developed and implemented onboard a small unmanned aircraft and is combined with a large-scale ground network that measures gas concentration. These are combined with other atmospheric diagnostics, including thermodynamic data and velocity from ultrasonic anemometers and multi-hole probes. To characterize the system behavior and verify its effectiveness, field tests have been conducted with simulated discharges of CO2 and CH4 from compressed gas tanks to mimic leaks and generate gaseous plumes, as well as field tests over the Farnsworth CO2-EOR site in the Anadarko Basin. Since the sensor response time is a function of vehicle airspeed, dynamic calibration models are required to determine accurate location of gas concentration in space and time. Comparisons are made between the two tests and results compared with historical models combining both flight and atmospheric dynamics. Supported by Department of Energy Award DE-FE0012173.

Assessment of Airborne Particles. Fundamentals, Applications, and Implications to Inhalation Toxicity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mercer, Thomas T., Ed.; And Others

Concern over chemical and radioactive particulate matter in industry and over rapidly increasing air pollution has stimulated research both on the properties of airborne particles and methods for assessing them and on their biological effects following inhalation. The Third Rochester International Conference on Environmental Toxicity was,…

Efficiency calibration and minimum detectable activity concentration of a real-time UAV airborne sensor system with two gamma spectrometers.

PubMed

Tang, Xiao-Bin; Meng, Jia; Wang, Peng; Cao, Ye; Huang, Xi; Wen, Liang-Sheng; Chen, Da

2016-04-01

A small-sized UAV (NH-UAV) airborne system with two gamma spectrometers (LaBr3 detector and HPGe detector) was developed to monitor activity concentration in serious nuclear accidents, such as the Fukushima nuclear accident. The efficiency calibration and determination of minimum detectable activity concentration (MDAC) of the specific system were studied by MC simulations at different flight altitudes, different horizontal distances from the detection position to the source term center and different source term sizes. Both air and ground radiation were considered in the models. The results obtained may provide instructive suggestions for in-situ radioactivity measurements of NH-UAV. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Utilizing Structure-from-Motion Photogrammetry with Airborne Visual and Thermal Images to Monitor Thermal Areas in Yellowstone National Park

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, B. B.; Vaughan, R. G.

2017-12-01

The thermal areas in Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, USA) are constantly changing. Persistent monitoring of these areas is necessary to better understand the behavior and potential hazards of both the thermal features and the deeper hydrothermal system driving the observed surface activity. As part of the Park's monitoring program, thousands of visual and thermal infrared (TIR) images have been acquired from a variety of airborne platforms over the past decade. We have used structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry techniques to generate a variety of data products from these images, including orthomosaics, temperature maps, and digital elevation models (DEMs). Temperature maps were generated for Upper Geyser Basin and Norris Geyser Basin for the years 2009-2015, by applying SfM to nighttime TIR images collected from an aircraft-mounted forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera. Temperature data were preserved through the SfM processing by applying a uniform linear stretch over the entire image set to convert between temperature and a 16-bit digital number. Mosaicked temperature maps were compared to the original FLIR image frames and to ground-based temperature data to constrain the accuracy of the method. Due to pixel averaging and resampling, among other issues, the derived temperature values are typically within 5-10 ° of the values of the un-resampled image frame. We also created sub-meter resolution DEMs from airborne daytime visual images of individual thermal areas. These DEMs can be used for resource and hazard management, and in cases where multiple DEMs exist from different times, for measuring topographic change, including change due to thermal activity. For example, we examined the sensitivity of the DEMs to topographic change by comparing DEMs of the travertine terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs, which can grow at > 1 m per year. These methods are generally applicable to images from airborne platforms, including planes, helicopters, and unmanned aerial

78 FR 33894 - Proposed Information Collection (Open Burn Pit Registry Airborne Hazard Self-Assessment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-05

... Burn Pit Registry Airborne Hazard Self-Assessment Questionnaire) Activity: Comment Request AGENCY... ascertain and monitor the health effects of the exposure of members of the Armed Forces to toxic airborne... to ``OMB Control No. 2900-NEW, Open Burn Pit Registry Airborne Hazard Self-Assessment Questionnaire...

High-resolution real-time optical studies of radiological air sample filtration processes in an environmental continuous air monitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodgers, John C.; Wasiolek, Piotr T.; Schery, Stephen D.; Alcantara, Raul E.

1999-01-01

The need for a continuous air monitor capable of quick and accurate measurements of airborne radioactivity in close proximity to the work environment during waste management, site restoration, and D&D operations led to the Los Alamos National Laboratory development of an environmental continuous air monitor (ECAM). Monitoring the hostile work environment of waste recovery, for example, presents unique challenges for detector design for detectors previously used for the clean room conditions of the typical plutonium laboratory. The environmental and atmospheric conditions (dust, high wind, etc.) influence aerosol particle penetration into the ECAM sampling head as well as the build-up of deposits on the ECAM filter.

A quantitative method for optimized placement of continuous air monitors.

PubMed

Whicker, Jeffrey J; Rodgers, John C; Moxley, John S

2003-11-01

Alarming continuous air monitors (CAMs) are a critical component for worker protection in facilities that handle large amounts of hazardous materials. In nuclear facilities, continuous air monitors alarm when levels of airborne radioactive materials exceed alarm thresholds, thus prompting workers to exit the room to reduce inhalation exposures. To maintain a high level of worker protection, continuous air monitors are required to detect radioactive aerosol clouds quickly and with good sensitivity. This requires that there are sufficient numbers of continuous air monitors in a room and that they are well positioned. Yet there are no published methodologies to quantitatively determine the optimal number and placement of continuous air monitors in a room. The goal of this study was to develop and test an approach to quantitatively determine optimal number and placement of continuous air monitors in a room. The method we have developed uses tracer aerosol releases (to simulate accidental releases) and the measurement of the temporal and spatial aspects of the dispersion of the tracer aerosol through the room. The aerosol dispersion data is then analyzed to optimize continuous air monitor utilization based on simulated worker exposure. This method was tested in a room within a Department of Energy operated plutonium facility at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina, U.S. Results from this study show that the value of quantitative airflow and aerosol dispersion studies is significant and that worker protection can be significantly improved while balancing the costs associated with CAM programs.

ANALYZING WATER QUALITY WITH IMAGES ACQUIRED FROM AIRBORNE SENSORS

EPA Science Inventory

Monitoring different parameters of water quality can be a time consuming and expensive activity. However, the use of airborne light-sensitive (optical) instruments may enhance the abilities of resource managers to monitor water quality in rivers in a timely and cost-effective ma...

Source Identification Of Airborne Antimony On The Basis Of The Field Monitoring And The Source Profiling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iijima, A.; Sato, K.; Fujitani, Y.; Fujimori, E.; Tanabe, K.; Ohara, T.; Shimoda, M.; Kozawa, K.; Furuta, N.

2008-12-01

The results of the long-term monitoring of airborne particulate matter (APM) in Tokyo indicated that APM have been extremely enriched with antimony (Sb) compared to crustal composition. This observation suggests that the airborne Sb is distinctly derived from human activities. According to the material flow analysis, automotive brake abrasion dust and fly ash from waste incinerator were suspected as the significant Sb sources. To clarify the emission sources of the airborne Sb, elemental composition, particle size distribution, and morphological profiles of dust particles collected from two possible emission sources were characterized and compared to the field observation data. Brake abrasion dust samples were generated by using a brake dynamometer. During the abrasion test, particle size distribution was measured by an aerodynamic particle sizer spectrometer. Concurrently, size- classified dust particles were collected by an Andersen type air sampler. Fly ash samples were collected from several municipal waste incinerators, and the bulk ash samples were re-dispersed into an enclosed chamber. The measurement of particle size distribution and the collection of size-classified ash particles were conducted by the same methodologies as described previously. Field observations of APM were performed at a roadside site and a residential site by using an Andersen type air sampler. Chemical analyses of metallic elements were performed by an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometr. Morphological profiling of the individual particle was conducted by a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer. High concentration of Sb was detected from both of two possible sources. Particularly, Sb concentrations in a brake abrasion dust were extremely high compared to that in an ambient APM, suggesting that airborne Sb observed at the roadside might have been largely derived from

Quality assurance program plan for radionuclide airborne emissions monitoring

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

Boom, R.J.

1995-12-01

This Quality Assurance Program Plan identifies quality assurance program requirements and addresses the various Westinghouse Hanford Company organizations and their particular responsibilities in regards to sample and data handling of radiological airborne emissions. This Quality Assurance Program Plan is prepared in accordance with and to written requirements.

307TH Engineer Battalion Prop Blast - An Airborne Tradition

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-04-24

American servicemen and women have trained and fought gallantly as airborne soldiers . Most officers who have been honored to serve with the airborne...distribution is unlimited. 4. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER (S) 5. MONITORING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER (S) 6a. NAME OF PERFORMING ORGANIZATION 6b...and ZIP Code) Carlisle Barracks, PA 17013-5002 Ba. NAME OF FUNDING/SPONSORING 8b. OFFICE SYMBOL 9. PROCUREMENT INSTRUMENT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER

SOURCES OF HUMAN EXPOSURE TO AIRBORNE PAH

EPA Science Inventory

Personal exposures to airborne particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were studied in several populations in the US, Japan, and Czech Republic. Personal exposure monitors, developed for human exposure biomonitoring studies were used to collect fine particles (<_ 1....

Arduino based radioactive tracking system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, Nur Aira Abd; Rashid, Mohd Fazlie Bin Abdul; Rahman, Anwar Bin Abdul; Ramlan, Atikah

2017-01-01

There is a clear need to strengthen security measures to prevent any malevolent use or accidental misuse of radioactive sources. Some of these radioactive sources are regularly transported outside of office or laboratory premises for work and consultation purposes. This paper present the initial development of radioactive source tracking system, which combined Arduino microcontroller, Global Positioning System (GPS) and Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) technologies. The tracking system will help the owner to monitor the movement of the radioactive sources. Currently, the system is capable of tracking the movement of radioactive source through the GPS satellite signals. The GPS co-ordinate could either be transmitted to headquarters at fixed interval via Short Messaging Service (SMS) to enable real time monitoring, or stored in a memory card for offline monitoring and data logging.

Monitoring airborne fungal spores in an experimental indoor environment to evaluate sampling methods and the effects of human activity on air sampling.

PubMed Central

Buttner, M P; Stetzenbach, L D

1993-01-01

Aerobiological monitoring was conducted in an experimental room to aid in the development of standardized sampling protocols for airborne microorganisms in the indoor environment. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the relative efficiencies of selected sampling methods for the retrieval of airborne fungal spores and to determine the effect of human activity on air sampling. Dry aerosols containing known concentrations of Penicillium chrysogenum spores were generated, and air samples were taken by using Andersen six-stage, Surface Air System, Burkard, and depositional samplers. The Andersen and Burkard samplers retrieved the highest numbers of spores compared with the measurement standard, an aerodynamic particle sizer located inside the room. Data from paired samplers demonstrated that the Andersen sampler had the highest levels of sensitivity and repeatability. With a carpet as the source of P. chrysogenum spores, the effects of human activity (walking or vacuuming near the sampling site) on air sampling were also examined. Air samples were taken under undisturbed conditions and after human activity in the room. Human activity resulted in retrieval of significantly higher concentrations of airborne spores. Surface sampling of the carpet revealed moderate to heavy contamination despite relatively low airborne counts. Therefore, in certain situations, air sampling without concomitant surface sampling may not adequately reflect the level of microbial contamination in indoor environments. PMID:8439150

Study of Natural Radioactivity, Radon Exhalation Rate and Radiation Doses in Coal and Flyash Samples from Thermal Power Plants, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Lalit Mohan; Kumar, Mukesh; Sahoo, B. K.; Sapra, B. K.; Kumar, Rajesh

Coal is one of the most important source used for electrical power generation. Its combustion part known as fly ash is used in the manufacturing of bricks, sheets, cement, land filling etc. Coal and its by-products have significant amounts of radionuclide's including uranium, thorium which is the ultimate source of the radioactive gas radon and thoron respectively. Radiation hazard from airborne emissions of coal-fired power plants have been cited as possible causes of health in environmental. Assessment of the radiation exposure from coal burning is critically dependent on the concentration of radioactive elements in coal and in the fly ash. In the present study, samples of coal and flyash were collected from Rajghat Power Plant and Badarpur Thermal Power Plant, New Delhi, India. Radon exhalation is important parameter for the estimation of radiation risk from various materials. Solis State Nuclear Track Detector based sealed Can Technique (using LR-115 type II) has been used for measurement radon exhalation rate. Also accumulation chamber based Continuous Radon Monitor and Continuous Thoron Monitor have been used for radon masss exhalation and thoron surface exhalation rate respectively. Natural radioactivity has been measured using a low level NaI(Tl) detector based on gamma ray spectrometry.

Challenges and Opportunities of Airborne Metagenomics

PubMed Central

Behzad, Hayedeh; Gojobori, Takashi; Mineta, Katsuhiko

2015-01-01

Recent metagenomic studies of environments, such as marine and soil, have significantly enhanced our understanding of the diverse microbial communities living in these habitats and their essential roles in sustaining vast ecosystems. The increase in the number of publications related to soil and marine metagenomics is in sharp contrast to those of air, yet airborne microbes are thought to have significant impacts on many aspects of our lives from their potential roles in atmospheric events such as cloud formation, precipitation, and atmospheric chemistry to their major impact on human health. In this review, we will discuss the current progress in airborne metagenomics, with a special focus on exploring the challenges and opportunities of undertaking such studies. The main challenges of conducting metagenomic studies of airborne microbes are as follows: 1) Low density of microorganisms in the air, 2) efficient retrieval of microorganisms from the air, 3) variability in airborne microbial community composition, 4) the lack of standardized protocols and methodologies, and 5) DNA sequencing and bioinformatics-related challenges. Overcoming these challenges could provide the groundwork for comprehensive analysis of airborne microbes and their potential impact on the atmosphere, global climate, and our health. Metagenomic studies offer a unique opportunity to examine viral and bacterial diversity in the air and monitor their spread locally or across the globe, including threats from pathogenic microorganisms. Airborne metagenomic studies could also lead to discoveries of novel genes and metabolic pathways relevant to meteorological and industrial applications, environmental bioremediation, and biogeochemical cycles. PMID:25953766

Opportunities and challenges for structural health monitoring of radioactive waste systems and structures

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

Giurgiutiu, Victor; Mendez Torres, Adrian E.

2013-07-01

Radioactive waste systems and structures (RWSS) are safety-critical facilities in need of monitoring over prolonged periods of time. Structural health monitoring (SHM) is an emerging technology that aims at monitoring the state of a structure through the use of networks of permanently mounted sensors. SHM technologies have been developed primarily within the aerospace and civil engineering communities. This paper addresses the issue of transitioning the SHM concept to the monitoring of RWSS and evaluates the opportunities and challenges associated with this process. Guided wave SHM technologies utilizing structurally-mounted piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) have a wide range of applications basedmore » on both propagating-wave and standing-wave methodologies. Hence, opportunities exist for transitioning these SHM technologies into RWSS monitoring. However, there exist certain special operational conditions specific to RWSS such as: radiation field, caustic environments, marine environments, and chemical, mechanical and thermal stressors. In order to address the high discharge of used nuclear fuel (UNF) and the limited space in the storage pools the U.S. the Department of Energy (DOE) has adopted a 'Strategy for the Management and Disposal of Used Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste' (January 2013). This strategy endorses the key principles that underpin the Blue Ribbon Commission's on America's Nuclear Future recommendations to develop a sustainable program for deploying an integrated system capable of transporting, storing, and disposing of UNF and high-level radioactive waste from civilian nuclear power generation, defense, national security, and other activities. This will require research to develop monitoring, diagnosis, and prognosis tools that can aid to establish a strong technical basis for extended storage and transportation of UNF. Monitoring of such structures is critical for assuring the safety and security of the nation's spent

Monitoring for airborne allergens

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

Burge, H.A.

1992-07-01

Monitoring for allergens can provide some information on the kinds and levels of exposure experienced by local patient populations, providing volumetric methods are used for sample collection and analysis is accurate and consistent. Such data can also be used to develop standards for the specific environment and to begin to develop predictive models. Comparing outdoor allergen aerosols between different monitoring sites requires identical collection and analysis methods and some kind of rational standard, whether arbitrary, or based on recognized health effects.32 references.

Monitoring airborne molecular contamination: a quantitative and qualitative comparison of real-time and grab-sampling techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shupp, Aaron M.; Rodier, Dan; Rowley, Steven

2007-03-01

Monitoring and controlling Airborne Molecular Contamination (AMC) has become essential in deep ultraviolet (DUV) photolithography for both optimizing yields and protecting tool optics. A variety of technologies have been employed for both real-time and grab-sample monitoring. Real-time monitoring has the advantage of quickly identifying "spikes" and upset conditions, while 2 - 24 hour plus grab sampling allows for extremely low detection limits by concentrating the mass of the target contaminant over a period of time. Employing a combination of both monitoring techniques affords the highest degree of control, lowest detection limits, and the most detailed data possible in terms of speciation. As happens with many technologies, there can be concern regarding the accuracy and agreement between real-time and grab-sample methods. This study utilizes side by side comparisons of two different real-time monitors operating in parallel with both liquid impingers and dry sorbent tubes to measure NIST traceable gas standards as well as real world samples. By measuring in parallel, a truly valid comparison is made between methods while verifying the results against a certified standard. The final outcome for this investigation is that a dry sorbent tube grab-sample technique produced results that agreed in terms of accuracy with NIST traceable standards as well as the two real-time techniques Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) and Pulsed Fluorescence Detection (PFD) while a traditional liquid impinger technique showed discrepancies.

1988 environmental monitoring report, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico

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

Millard, G.; Yeager, G.; Phelan, J.

1989-05-01

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque is located south of Albuquerque on Kirtland Air Force Base. Because radionuclides are potentially released in small quantities from its research activities, SNL, Albuquerque has a continuing environmental monitoring program which analyzes for cesium-137, tritium, uranium, alpha emitters, and beta emitters in water, soil, air, and vegetation. A total of 5.23 curies of argon-41 were released as a result of SNL, Albuquerque operations in 1988. The albuquerque population received an estimated 0.04 person-rem from airborne radioactive releases, whereas it received greater than 44,500 person-rem from naturally occurring radionuclides. A nonradioactive effluent monitoring program at SNL,more » Albuquerque includes groundwater, stormwater and sewage monitoring. Results indicate that the groundwater has not been impacted by the chemical waste landfill. Preliminary testing of stormwater showed that no pollutants were above minimum detectable levels. A program to investigate potential remedial action sites has been started. 47 refs., 12 figs., 19 tabs.« less

Challenges and opportunities of airborne metagenomics.

PubMed

Behzad, Hayedeh; Gojobori, Takashi; Mineta, Katsuhiko

2015-05-06

Recent metagenomic studies of environments, such as marine and soil, have significantly enhanced our understanding of the diverse microbial communities living in these habitats and their essential roles in sustaining vast ecosystems. The increase in the number of publications related to soil and marine metagenomics is in sharp contrast to those of air, yet airborne microbes are thought to have significant impacts on many aspects of our lives from their potential roles in atmospheric events such as cloud formation, precipitation, and atmospheric chemistry to their major impact on human health. In this review, we will discuss the current progress in airborne metagenomics, with a special focus on exploring the challenges and opportunities of undertaking such studies. The main challenges of conducting metagenomic studies of airborne microbes are as follows: 1) Low density of microorganisms in the air, 2) efficient retrieval of microorganisms from the air, 3) variability in airborne microbial community composition, 4) the lack of standardized protocols and methodologies, and 5) DNA sequencing and bioinformatics-related challenges. Overcoming these challenges could provide the groundwork for comprehensive analysis of airborne microbes and their potential impact on the atmosphere, global climate, and our health. Metagenomic studies offer a unique opportunity to examine viral and bacterial diversity in the air and monitor their spread locally or across the globe, including threats from pathogenic microorganisms. Airborne metagenomic studies could also lead to discoveries of novel genes and metabolic pathways relevant to meteorological and industrial applications, environmental bioremediation, and biogeochemical cycles. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Uptake of the natural radioactive gas radon by an epiphytic plant.

PubMed

Li, Peng; Zhang, Ruiwen; Gu, Mintian; Zheng, Guiling

2018-01-15

Radon ( 222 Rn) is a natural radioactive gas and the major radioactive contributor to human exposure. The present effective ways to control Rn contamination are ventilation and adsorption with activated carbon. Plants are believed to be negligible in reducing airborne Rn. Here, we found epiphytic Tillandsia brachycaulos (Bromeliaceae) was effective in reducing airborne Rn via the leaves. Rn concentrations in the Rn chamber after Tillandsia plant treatments decreased more than those in the natural situation. The specialized foliar trichomes densely covering Tillandsia leaves play a major role in the uptake of Rn because the amplified rough leaf surface area facilitates deposition of Rn progeny particles and the powdery epicuticular wax layer of foliar trichomes uptakes liposoluble Rn. The results provide us a new ecological strategy for Rn contamination control, and movable epiphytic Tillandsia plants can be applied widely in Rn removal systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Airborne Detection and Tracking of Geologic Leakage Sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacob, Jamey; Allamraju, Rakshit; Axelrod, Allan; Brown, Calvin; Chowdhary, Girish; Mitchell, Taylor

2014-11-01

Safe storage of CO2 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions without adversely affecting energy use or hindering economic growth requires development of monitoring technology that is capable of validating storage permanence while ensuring the integrity of sequestration operations. Soil gas monitoring has difficulty accurately distinguishing gas flux signals related to leakage from those associated with meteorologically driven changes of soil moisture and temperature. Integrated ground and airborne monitoring systems are being deployed capable of directly detecting CO2 concentration in storage sites. Two complimentary approaches to detecting leaks in the carbon sequestration fields are presented. The first approach focuses on reducing the requisite network communication for fusing individual Gaussian Process (GP) CO2 sensing models into a global GP CO2 model. The GP fusion approach learns how to optimally allocate the static and mobile sensors. The second approach leverages a hierarchical GP-Sigmoidal Gaussian Cox Process for airborne predictive mission planning to optimally reducing the entropy of the global CO2 model. Results from the approaches will be presented.

Individual snag detection using neighborhood attribute filtered airborne lidar data

Treesearch

Brian M. Wing; Martin W. Ritchie; Kevin Boston; Warren B. Cohen; Michael J. Olsen

2015-01-01

The ability to estimate and monitor standing dead trees (snags) has been difficult due to their irregular and sparse distribution, often requiring intensive sampling methods to obtain statistically significant estimates. This study presents a new method for estimating and monitoring snags using neighborhood attribute filtered airborne discrete-return lidar data. The...

Space and time resolved monitoring of airborne particulate matter in proximity of a traffic roundabout in Sweden.

PubMed

Wilkinson, Kai E; Lundkvist, Johanna; Netrval, Julia; Eriksson, Mats; Seisenbaeva, Gulaim A; Kessler, Vadim G

2013-11-01

Concerns over exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM) are on the rise. Currently monitoring of PM is done on the basis of interpolating a mass of PM by volume (μg/m(3)) but has the drawback of not taking the chemical nature of PM into account. Here we propose a method of collecting PM at its emission source and employing automated analysis with scanning electron microscopy associated with EDS-analysis together with light scattering to discern the chemical composition, size distribution, and time and space resolved structure of PM emissions in a heavily trafficated roundabout in Sweden. Multivariate methods (PCA, ANOVA) indicate that the technogenic marker Fe follows roadside dust in spreading from the road, and depending on time and location of collection, a statistically significant difference can be seen, adding a useful tool to the repertoiré of detailed PM monitoring and risk assessment of local emission sources. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of High Resolution Air-Borne Remote Sensing Observations for Monitoring NOx Emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Souri, A.; Choi, Y.; Pan, S.; Curci, G.; Janz, S. J.; Kowalewski, M. G.; Liu, J.; Herman, J. R.; Weinheimer, A. J.

2017-12-01

Nitrogen oxides (NOx=NO+NO2) are one of the air pollutants, responsible for the formation of tropospheric ozone, acid rain and particulate nitrate. The anthropogenic NOx emissions are commonly estimated based on bottom-up inventories which are complicated by many potential sources of error. One way to improve the emission inventories is to use relevant observations to constrain them. Fortunately, Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is one of the most successful detected species from remote sensing. Although many studies have shown the capability of using space-borne remote sensing observations for monitoring emissions, the insufficient sample number and footprint of current measurements have introduced a burden to constrain emissions at fine scales. Promisingly, there are several air-borne sensors collected for NASA's campaigns providing high spatial resolution of NO2 columns. Here, we use the well-characterized NO2 columns from the Airborne Compact Atmospheric Mapper (ACAM) onboard NASA's B200 aircraft into a 1×1 km regional model to constrain anthropogenic NOx emissions in the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria area. Firstly, in order to incorporate the data, we convert the NO2 slant column densities to vertical ones using a joint of a radiative transfer model and the 1x1 km regional model constrained by P3-B aircraft measurements. After conducting an inverse modeling method using the Kalman filter, we find the ACAM observations are resourceful at mitigating the overprediction of model in reproducing NO2 on regular days. Moreover, the ACAM provides a unique opportunity to detect an anomaly in emissions leading to strong air quality degradation that is lacking in previous works. Our study provides convincing evidence that future geostationary satellites with high spatial and temporal resolutions will give us insights into uncertainties associated with the emissions at regional scales.

Airborne Microwave Imaging of River Velocities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Plant, William J.

2002-01-01

The objective of this project was to determine whether airborne microwave remote sensing systems can measure river surface currents with sufficient accuracy to make them prospective instruments with which to monitor river flow from space. The approach was to fly a coherent airborne microwave Doppler radar, developed by APL/UW, on a light airplane along several rivers in western Washington state over an extended period of time. The fundamental quantity obtained by this system to measure river currents is the mean offset of the Doppler spectrum. Since this scatter can be obtained from interferometric synthetic aperture radars (INSARs), which can be flown in space, this project provided a cost effective means for determining the suitability of spaceborne INSAR for measuring river flow.

Results of airborne geophysical surveys in the Weser-Elbe area in Northern Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, U.; Siemon, B.; Steuer, A.; Ibs-von Seht, M.; Voss, W.; Miensopust, M. P.; Wiederhold, H.

2012-12-01

Airborne geophysical surveys were carried out by the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) in Northern Germany close to the estuaries of the Weser and Elbe rivers from 2000 to 2010. Two of the six helicopter-borne surveys were conducted in cooperation with the Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics (LIAG). The common aim was the acquisition of a reference data set for monitoring climate or man-made induced changes of the saltwater/freshwater interface at the German North Sea coast and to build up a data base containing all airborne geophysical data sets. Airborne frequency-domain electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric data were collected simultaneously with the helicopter-borne geophysical system operated at BGR. The airborne geophysical results show both geological and hydrogeological structures down to about 100 m depth. The electromagnetic results reveal several hydrogeological important features such as the distribution of sandy or clayey sediments, the extension of saltwater intrusion, and buried valleys. These results are supported by magnetic and radiometric data indicating lateral changes of weakly magnetized sediments or mineral compositions of the top soil. The airborne geophysical data sets provide serve as base-line data for a variety of applications and particularly for groundwater modeling and monitoring.

Environmental radioactivity in the UK: the airborne geophysical view of dose rate estimates.

PubMed

Beamish, David

2014-12-01

This study considers UK airborne gamma-ray data obtained through a series of high spatial resolution, low altitude surveys over the past decade. The ground concentrations of the naturally occurring radionuclides Potassium, Thorium and Uranium are converted to air absorbed dose rates and these are used to assess terrestrial exposure levels from both natural and technologically enhanced sources. The high resolution airborne information is also assessed alongside existing knowledge from soil sampling and ground-based measurements of exposure levels. The surveys have sampled an extensive number of the UK lithological bedrock formations and the statistical information provides examples of low dose rate lithologies (the formations that characterise much of southern England) to the highest sustained values associated with granitic terrains. The maximum dose rates (e.g. >300 nGy h(-1)) encountered across the sampled granitic terrains are found to vary by a factor of 2. Excluding granitic terrains, the most spatially extensive dose rates (>50 nGy h(-1)) are found in association with the Mercia Mudstone Group (Triassic argillaceous mudstones) of eastern England. Geological associations between high dose rate and high radon values are also noted. Recent studies of the datasets have revealed the extent of source rock (i.e. bedrock) flux attenuation by soil moisture in conjunction with the density and porosity of the temperate latitude soils found in the UK. The presence or absence of soil cover (and associated presence or absence of attenuation) appears to account for a range of localised variations in the exposure levels encountered. The hypothesis is supported by a study of an extensive combined data set of dose rates obtained from soil sampling and by airborne geophysical survey. With no attenuation factors applied, except those intrinsic to the airborne estimates, a bias to high values of between 10 and 15 nGy h(-1) is observed in the soil data. A wide range of

Laser sensor for monitoring radioactive contamination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kascheev, S. V.; Elizarov, V. V.; Grishkanich, A. S.; Bespalov, V. G.; Vasiev, S. K.; Zhevlakov, A. P.

2014-11-01

Remote laser spectroscopy availability for airborne search of radionuclides polution has been examined. Experiments were carried out under the CARS circuit. The method of remote detection a radionuclide in atmosphere from container burial places and in places of recycling the fuel waste of the atomic power station is elaborated. Preliminary results of investigation show the real possibility to register of leakage of a radionuclide with concentration at level of 1012÷1013 cm-3 on a safe distance from the infected object.

An integrated compact airborne multispectral imaging system using embedded computer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yuedong; Wang, Li; Zhang, Xuguo

2015-08-01

An integrated compact airborne multispectral imaging system using embedded computer based control system was developed for small aircraft multispectral imaging application. The multispectral imaging system integrates CMOS camera, filter wheel with eight filters, two-axis stabilized platform, miniature POS (position and orientation system) and embedded computer. The embedded computer has excellent universality and expansibility, and has advantages in volume and weight for airborne platform, so it can meet the requirements of control system of the integrated airborne multispectral imaging system. The embedded computer controls the camera parameters setting, filter wheel and stabilized platform working, image and POS data acquisition, and stores the image and data. The airborne multispectral imaging system can connect peripheral device use the ports of the embedded computer, so the system operation and the stored image data management are easy. This airborne multispectral imaging system has advantages of small volume, multi-function, and good expansibility. The imaging experiment results show that this system has potential for multispectral remote sensing in applications such as resource investigation and environmental monitoring.

Research on airborne infrared leakage detection of natural gas pipeline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Dongjie; Xu, Bin; Xu, Xu; Wang, Hongchao; Yu, Dongliang; Tian, Shengjie

2011-12-01

An airborne laser remote sensing technology is proposed to detect natural gas pipeline leakage in helicopter which carrying a detector, and the detector can detect a high spatial resolution of trace of methane on the ground. The principle of the airborne laser remote sensing system is based on tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS). The system consists of an optical unit containing the laser, camera, helicopter mount, electronic unit with DGPS antenna, a notebook computer and a pilot monitor. And the system is mounted on a helicopter. The principle and the architecture of the airborne laser remote sensing system are presented. Field test experiments are carried out on West-East Natural Gas Pipeline of China, and the results show that airborne detection method is suitable for detecting gas leak of pipeline on plain, desert, hills but unfit for the area with large altitude diversification.

Airborne Geophysical Surveys Applied to Hydrocarbon Resource Development Environmental Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, B. D.; Ball, L. B.; Finn, C.; Kass, A.; Thamke, J.

2014-12-01

mapping AEM surveys could also be effectively used in mapping tectonic features. Airborne radiometric methods have not been routinely used in hydrocarbon environmental studies but might be useful in understanding the surficial distribution of deposits related to naturally occurring radioactive materials.

Airborne Nicotine, Secondhand Smoke, and Precursors to Adolescent Smoking.

PubMed

McGrath, Jennifer J; Racicot, Simon; Okoli, Chizimuzo T C; Hammond, S Katharine; O'Loughlin, Jennifer

2018-01-01

Secondhand smoke (SHS) directly increases exposure to airborne nicotine, tobacco's main psychoactive substance. When exposed to SHS, nonsmokers inhale 60% to 80% of airborne nicotine, absorb concentrations similar to those absorbed by smokers, and display high levels of nicotine biomarkers. Social modeling, or observing other smokers, is a well-established predictor of smoking during adolescence. Observing smokers also leads to increased pharmacological exposure to airborne nicotine via SHS. The objective of this study is to investigate whether greater exposure to airborne nicotine via SHS increases the risk for smoking initiation precursors among never-smoking adolescents. Secondary students ( N = 406; never-smokers: n = 338, 53% girls, mean age = 12.9, SD = 0.4) participated in the AdoQuest II longitudinal cohort. They answered questionnaires about social exposure to smoking (parents, siblings, peers) and known smoking precursors (eg, expected benefits and/or costs, SHS aversion, smoking susceptibility, and nicotine dependence symptoms). Saliva and hair samples were collected to derive biomarkers of cotinine and nicotine. Adolescents wore a passive monitor for 1 week to measure airborne nicotine. Higher airborne nicotine was significantly associated with greater expected benefits ( R 2 = 0.024) and lower expected costs ( R 2 = 0.014). Higher social exposure was significantly associated with more temptation to try smoking ( R 2 = 0.025), lower aversion to SHS ( R 2 = 0.038), and greater smoking susceptibility ( R 2 = 0.071). Greater social exposure was significantly associated with more nicotine dependence symptoms; this relation worsened with higher nicotine exposure (cotinine R 2 = 0.096; airborne nicotine R 2 = 0.088). Airborne nicotine exposure via SHS is a plausible risk factor for smoking initiation during adolescence. Public health implications include limiting airborne nicotine through smoking bans in homes and cars, in addition to stringent restrictions

Use of airborne near-infrared LiDAR for determining channel cross-section characteristics and monitoring aquatic habitat in Pacific Northwest rivers: A preliminary analysis [Chapter 6

Treesearch

Russell N. Faux; John M. Buffington; M. German Whitley; Steve H. Lanigan; Brett B. Roper

2009-01-01

Aquatic habitat monitoring is being conducted by numerous organizations in many parts of the Pacific Northwest to document physical and biological conditions of stream reaches as part of legal- and policy-mandated environmental assessments. Remote sensing using discrete-return, near-infrared, airborne LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and high-resolution digital...

On-line remote monitoring of radioactive waste repositories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calì, Claudio; Cosentino, Luigi; Litrico, Pietro; Pappalardo, Alfio; Scirè, Carlotta; Scirè, Sergio; Vecchio, Gianfranco; Finocchiaro, Paolo; Alfieri, Severino; Mariani, Annamaria

2014-12-01

A low-cost array of modular sensors for online monitoring of radioactive waste was developed at INFN-LNS. We implemented a new kind of gamma counter, based on Silicon PhotoMultipliers and scintillating fibers, that behaves like a cheap scintillating Geiger-Muller counter. It can be placed in shape of a fine grid around each single waste drum in a repository. Front-end electronics and an FPGA-based counting system were developed to handle the field data, also implementing data transmission, a graphical user interface and a data storage system. A test of four sensors in a real radwaste storage site was performed with promising results. Following the tests an agreement was signed between INFN and Sogin for the joint development and installation of a prototype DMNR (Detector Mesh for Nuclear Repository) system inside the Garigliano radwaste repository in Sessa Aurunca (CE, Italy). Such a development is currently under way, with the installation foreseen within 2014.

Radioactive materials released from nuclear power plants

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

Tichler, J.; Norden, K.; Congemi, J.

Releases of radioactive materials in airborne and liquid effluents from commercial light water reactors during 1987 have been compiled and reported. Data on solid waste shipments as well as selected operating information have been included. This report supplements earlier annual reports issued by the former Atomic Energy Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The 1987 release data are summarized in tabular form. Data covering specific radionuclides are summarized. 16 tabs.

Radioactive materials released from nuclear power plants

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

Tichler, J.; Norden, K.; Congemi, J.

Releases of radioactive materials in airborne and liquid effluents from commercial light water reactors during 1988 have been compiled and reported. Data on solid waste shipments as well as selected operating information have been included. This report supplements earlier annual reports issued by the former Atomic Energy Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The 1988 release data are summarized in tabular form. Data covering specific radionuclides are summarized. 16 tabs.

Reduction of airborne radioactive dust by means of a charged water spray.

PubMed

Bigu, J; Grenier, M G

1989-07-01

An electrostatic precipitator based on charged water spray technology has been used in an underground uranium mine to control long-lived radioactive dust and short-lived aerosol concentration in a mine gallery where dust from a rock breaking/ore transportation operation was discharged. Two main sampling stations were established: one upstream of the dust precipitator and one downstream. In addition, dust samplers were placed at different locations between the dust discharge and the end of the mine gallery. Long-lived radioactive dust was measured using cascade impactors and nylon cyclone dust samplers, and measurement of the radioactivity on the samples was carried out by conventional methods. Radon and thoron progeny were estimated using standard techniques. Experiments were conducted under a variety of airflow conditions. A maximum radioactive dust reduction of about 40% (approximately 20% caused by gravitational settling) at a ventilation rate of 0.61 m3/sec was obtained as a result of the combined action of water scrubbing and electrostatic precipitation by the charged water spray electrostatic precipitator. This represents the optimum efficiency attained within the range of ventilation rates investigated. The dust reduction efficiency of the charged water spray decreased with increasing ventilation rate, i.e., decreasing air residence time, and hence, reduced dust cloud/charged water droplets mixing time.

Fourth Airborne Geoscience Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The focus of the workshop was on how the airborne community can assist in achieving the goals of the Global Change Research Program. The many activities that employ airborne platforms and sensors were discussed: platforms and instrument development; airborne oceanography; lidar research; SAR measurements; Doppler radar; laser measurements; cloud physics; airborne experiments; airborne microwave measurements; and airborne data collection.

Detection of airborne genetically modified maize pollen by real-time PCR.

PubMed

Folloni, Silvia; Kagkli, Dafni-Maria; Rajcevic, Bojan; Guimarães, Nilson C C; Van Droogenbroeck, Bart; Valicente, Fernando H; Van den Eede, Guy; Van den Bulcke, Marc

2012-09-01

The cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops has raised numerous concerns in the European Union and other parts of the world about their environmental and economic impact. Especially outcrossing of genetically modified organisms (GMO) was from the beginning a critical issue as airborne pollen has been considered an important way of GMO dispersal. Here, we investigate the use of airborne pollen sampling combined with microscopic analysis and molecular PCR analysis as an approach to monitor GM maize cultivations in a specific area. Field trial experiments in the European Union and South America demonstrated the applicability of the approach under different climate conditions, in rural and semi-urban environment, even at very low levels of airborne pollen. The study documents in detail the sampling of GM pollen, sample DNA extraction and real-time PCR analysis. Our results suggest that this 'GM pollen monitoring by bioaerosol sampling and PCR screening' approach might represent an useful aid in the surveillance of GM-free areas, centres of origin and natural reserves. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Radioactive materials released from nuclear power plants

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

Tichler, J.; Benkovitz, C.

Releases of radioactive materials in airborne and liquid effluents from commercial light water reactors during 1979 have been compiled and reported. Data on solid waste shipments as well as selected operating information have been included. This report supplements earlier annual reports issued by the former Atomic Energy Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The 1979 release data are compared with previous year's releases in tabular form. Data covering specific radionuclides are summarized.

Innovative concept for a major breakthrough in atmospheric radioactive xenon detection for nuclear explosion monitoring.

PubMed

Le Petit, G; Cagniant, A; Morelle, M; Gross, P; Achim, P; Douysset, G; Taffary, T; Moulin, C

The verification regime of the comprehensive test ban treaty (CTBT) is based on a network of three different waveform technologies together with global monitoring of aerosols and noble gas in order to detect, locate and identify a nuclear weapon explosion down to 1 kt TNT equivalent. In case of a low intensity underground or underwater nuclear explosion, it appears that only radioactive gases, especially the noble gas which are difficult to contain, will allow identification of weak yield nuclear tests. Four radioactive xenon isotopes, 131m Xe, 133m Xe, 133 Xe and 135 Xe, are sufficiently produced in fission reactions and exhibit suitable half-lives and radiation emissions to be detected in atmosphere at low level far away from the release site. Four different monitoring CTBT systems, ARIX, ARSA, SAUNA, and SPALAX™ have been developed in order to sample and to measure them with high sensitivity. The latest developed by the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is likely to be drastically improved in detection sensitivity (especially for the metastable isotopes) through a higher sampling rate, when equipped with a new conversion electron (CE)/X-ray coincidence spectrometer. This new spectrometer is based on two combined detectors, both exhibiting very low radioactive background: a well-type NaI(Tl) detector for photon detection surrounding a gas cell equipped with two large passivated implanted planar silicon chips for electron detection. It is characterized by a low electron energy threshold and a much better energy resolution for the CE than those usually measured with the existing CTBT equipments. Furthermore, the compact geometry of the spectrometer provides high efficiency for X-ray and for CE associated to the decay modes of the four relevant radioxenons. The paper focus on the design of this new spectrometer and presents spectroscopic performances of a prototype based on recent results achieved from both radioactive xenon standards and air sample

Airborne pollen trends in the Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

Galán, C; Alcázar, P; Oteros, J; García-Mozo, H; Aira, M J; Belmonte, J; Diaz de la Guardia, C; Fernández-González, D; Gutierrez-Bustillo, M; Moreno-Grau, S; Pérez-Badía, R; Rodríguez-Rajo, J; Ruiz-Valenzuela, L; Tormo, R; Trigo, M M; Domínguez-Vilches, E

2016-04-15

Airborne pollen monitoring is an effective tool for studying the reproductive phenology of anemophilous plants, an important bioindicator of plant behavior. Recent decades have revealed a trend towards rising airborne pollen concentrations in Europe, attributing these trends to an increase in anthropogenic CO2 emissions and temperature. However, the lack of water availability in southern Europe may prompt a trend towards lower flowering intensity, especially in herbaceous plants. Here we show variations in flowering intensity by analyzing the Annual Pollen Index (API) of 12 anemophilous taxa across 12 locations in the Iberian Peninsula, over the last two decades, and detecting the influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Results revealed differences in the distribution and flowering intensity of anemophilous species. A negative correlation was observed between airborne pollen concentrations and winter averages of the NAO index. This study confirms that changes in rainfall in the Mediterranean region, attributed to climate change, have an important impact on the phenology of plants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transmitter Pulse Estimation and Measurements for Airborne TDEM Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vetrov, A.; Mejzr, I.

2013-12-01

The processing and interpretation of Airborne Time Domain EM data requires precise description of the transmitter parameters, including shape, amplitude and length of the transmitted pulse. There are several ways to measure pulse shape of the transmitter loop. Transmitted pulse can be recorded by a current monitor installed on the loop. The current monitor readings do not give exact image due to own time-domain physical characteristics of the current monitor. Another way is to restore the primary pulse shape from the receiver data recorded on-time, if such is possible. The receiver gives exact image of the primary field projection combined with the ground response, which can be minimized at high altitude pass, usually with a transmitter elevation higher than 1500 ft from the ground. The readings on the receiver are depending on receiver position and orientation. Modeling of airborne TDEM transmitter pulse allows us to compare estimated and measured shape of the pulse and apply required corrections. Airborne TDEM system transmitter pulse shape has been studied by authors while developing P-THEM system. The data has been gathered during in-doors and out-doors ground tests in Canada, as well as during flight tests in Canada and in India. The P-THEM system has three-axes receiver that is suspended on a tow-cable in the midpoint between the transmitter and the helicopter. The P-THEM receiver geometry does not require backing coils to dump the primary field. The system records full-wave data from the receiver and current monitor installed on the transmitter loop, including on-time and off-time data. The modeling of the transmitter pulse allowed us to define the difference between estimated and measured values. The higher accuracy pulse shape can be used for better data processing and interpretation. A developed model can be applied to similar systems and configurations.

Spatial and temporal variations in airborne Ambrosia pollen in Europe.

PubMed

Sikoparija, B; Skjøth, C A; Celenk, S; Testoni, C; Abramidze, T; Alm Kübler, K; Belmonte, J; Berger, U; Bonini, M; Charalampopoulos, A; Damialis, A; Clot, B; Dahl, Å; de Weger, L A; Gehrig, R; Hendrickx, M; Hoebeke, L; Ianovici, N; Kofol Seliger, A; Magyar, D; Mányoki, G; Milkovska, S; Myszkowska, D; Páldy, A; Pashley, C H; Rasmussen, K; Ritenberga, O; Rodinkova, V; Rybníček, O; Shalaboda, V; Šaulienė, I; Ščevková, J; Stjepanović, B; Thibaudon, M; Verstraeten, C; Vokou, D; Yankova, R; Smith, M

2017-01-01

The European Commission Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action FA1203 "SMARTER" aims to make recommendations for the sustainable management of Ambrosia across Europe and for monitoring its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The goal of the present study is to provide a baseline for spatial and temporal variations in airborne Ambrosia pollen in Europe that can be used for the management and evaluation of this noxious plant. The study covers the full range of Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. distribution over Europe (39°N-60°N; 2°W-45°E). Airborne Ambrosia pollen data for the principal flowering period of Ambrosia (August-September) recorded during a 10-year period (2004-2013) were obtained from 242 monitoring sites. The mean sum of daily average airborne Ambrosia pollen and the number of days that Ambrosia pollen was recorded in the air were analysed. The mean and standard deviation (SD) were calculated regardless of the number of years included in the study period, while trends are based on those time series with 8 or more years of data. Trends were considered significant at p  < 0.05. There were few significant trends in the magnitude and frequency of atmospheric Ambrosia pollen (only 8% for the mean sum of daily average Ambrosia pollen concentrations and 14% for the mean number of days Ambrosia pollen were recorded in the air). The direction of any trends varied locally and reflected changes in sources of the pollen, either in size or in distance from the monitoring station. Pollen monitoring is important for providing an early warning of the expansion of this invasive and noxious plant.

Relationships among indoor, outdoor, and personal airborne Japanese cedar pollen counts.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Naomichi; Matsuki, Yuuki; Yokoyama, Hiromichi; Matsuki, Hideaki

2015-01-01

Japanese cedar pollinosis (JCP) is an important illness caused by the inhalation of airborne allergenic cedar pollens, which are dispersed in the early spring throughout the Japanese islands. However, associations between pollen exposures and the prevalence or severity of allergic symptoms are largely unknown, due to a lack of understanding regarding personal pollen exposures in relation to indoor and outdoor concentrations. This study aims to examine the relationships among indoor, outdoor, and personal airborne Japanese cedar pollen counts. We conducted a 4-year monitoring campaign to quantify indoor, outdoor, and personal airborne cedar pollen counts, where the personal passive settling sampler that has been previously validated against a volumetric sampler was used to count airborne pollen grains. A total of 256 sets of indoor, outdoor, and personal samples (768 samples) were collected from 9 subjects. Medians of the seasonally-integrated indoor-to-outdoor, personal-to-outdoor, and personal-to-indoor ratios of airborne pollen counts measured for 9 subjects were 0.08, 0.10, and 1.19, respectively. A greater correlation was observed between the personal and indoor counts (r = 0.89) than between the personal and outdoor counts (r = 0.71), suggesting a potential inaccuracy in the use of outdoor counts as a basis for estimating personal exposures. The personal pollen counts differed substantially among the human subjects (49% geometric coefficient of variation), in part due to the variability in the indoor counts that have been found as major determinants of the personal pollen counts. The findings of this study highlight the need for pollen monitoring in proximity to human subjects to better understand the relationships between pollen exposures and the prevalence or severity of pollen allergy.

[Working environment measurement of radioactive substances].

PubMed

Kunugita, Naoki

2007-12-01

The control of the working environment is one of the most important duties in any working place to prevent occupational disease. In Japan, in the case of the controlled area using unsealed radioisotopes, the measurement of the concentration of airborne radioactive substances should be carried out under the regulations of the "Industrial Safety and Health Law" and the "Ordinance on Prevention of Ionizing Radiation Hazards". Many reports showed that the results of regular working environment measurements of radioactive substances were about background levels. Safe working environments are sufficiently guaranteed by a suitable estimation and handling under the strict regulation by the "Laws Concerning the Prevention from Radiation Hazards Due to Radioisotopes and Others". The regulation by "Ordinance on Prevention of Ionizing Radiation Hazards" would be relaxed in the field of education and research, which use very low quantities of radioactive substances, in ways such as estimation by calculation in place of the actual measurement, decrease of the number of monthly measurements, and measurement exemption for low levels of isotopes.

Tritium recapture behavior at a nuclear power reactor due to airborne releases.

PubMed

Harris, Jason T; Miller, David W; Foster, Doug W

2008-08-01

This paper describes the initiatives taken by Cook Nuclear Plant to study the on-site behavior of recaptured tritium released in its airborne effluents. Recapture is the process where a released radioactive effluent, in this case tritium, is brought back on-site through some mechanism. Precipitation, shifts in wind direction, or anthropogenic structures that restrict or alter effluent movement can all lead to recapture. The investigation was started after tritium was detected in the north storm drain outfall. Recent inadvertent tritium releases by several other nuclear power plants, many of which entered the groundwater, have led to increased surveillance and scrutiny by regulatory authorities and the general public. To determine the source of tritium in the outfall, an on-site surface water, well water, rainwater and air-conditioning condensate monitoring program was begun. Washout coefficients were also determined to compare with results reported by other nuclear power plants. Program monitoring revealed detectable tritium concentrations in several precipitation sample locations downwind of the two monitored containment building release vents. Tritium was found in higher concentrations in air-conditioning condensate, with a mean value of 528 Bq L(-1) (14,300 pCi L(-1)). The condensate, and to a lesser extent rainwater, were contributing to the tritium found in the north storm drain outfall. Maximum concentration values for each sample type were used to estimate the most conservative dose. A maximum dose of 1.1 x 10(-10) mSv (1.1 x 10(-8) mrem) total body was calculated to determine the health impact of the tritium detected.

Use of experimental airborne infections for monitoring altered host defenses.

PubMed Central

Gardner, D E

1982-01-01

The success or failure of the respiratory system to defend itself against airborne infectious agents largely depends upon the efficiency of the pulmonary defenses to maintain sterility and to dispose of unwanted substances. Both specific and nonspecific host defenses cooperate in the removal and inactivation of such agents. Several studies have shown that these defenses are vulnerable to a wide range of environmental agents and that there is a good relationship between exposure to pollutant and the impaired resistance to pulmonary disease. There are numerous immunological, biochemical and physiological techniques that are routinely used to identify and to characterize individual impairments of these defenses. Based on these effects, various hypotheses are proposed as to what health consequences could be expected from these effects. The ultimate test is whether the host, with its compromised defense mechanisms, is still capable of sustaining the total injury and continuing to defend itself against opportunistic pathogens. This paper describes the use of an experimental airborne infectious disease model capable of predicting subtle changes in host defenses at concentrations below which there are any other overt toxicological effects. Such sensitivity is possible because the model measure not just a single "health" parameter, but instead is capable of reflecting the total responses caused by the test chemical. Images FIGURE 3. PMID:7060549

Peat Depth Assessment Using Airborne Geophysical Data for Carbon Stock Modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keaney, Antoinette; McKinley, Jennifer; Ruffell, Alastair; Robinson, Martin; Graham, Conor; Hodgson, Jim; Desissa, Mohammednur

2013-04-01

The Kyoto Agreement demands that all signatory countries have an inventory of their carbon stock, plus possible future changes to this store. This is particularly important for Ireland, where some 16% of the surface is covered by peat bog. Estimates of soil carbon stores are a key component of the required annual returns made by the Irish and UK governments to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Saturated peat attenuates gamma-radiation from underlying rocks. This effect can be used to estimate the thickness of peat, within certain limits. This project examines this relationship between peat depth and gamma-radiation using airborne geophysical data generated by the Tellus Survey and newly acquired data collected as part of the EU-funded Tellus Border project, together encompassing Northern Ireland and the border area of the Republic of Ireland. Selected peat bog sites are used to ground truth and evaluate the use of airborne geophysical (radiometric and electromagnetic) data and validate modelled estimates of soil carbon, peat volume and depth to bedrock. Data from two test line sites are presented: one in Bundoran, County Donegal and a second line in Sliabh Beagh, County Monaghan. The plane flew over these areas at different times of the year and at a series of different elevations allowing the data to be assessed temporally with different soil/peat saturation levels. On the ground these flight test lines cover varying surface land use zones allowing future extrapolation of data from the sites. This research applies spatial statistical techniques, including uncertainty estimation in geostatistical prediction and simulation, to investigate and model the use of airborne geophysical data to examine the relationship between reduced radioactivity and peat depth. Ground truthing at test line locations and selected peat bog sites involves use of ground penetrating radar, terrestrial LiDAR, peat depth probing, magnetometry, resistivity, handheld gamma

Airborne wireless communication systems, airborne communication methods, and communication methods

DOEpatents

Deaton, Juan D [Menan, ID; Schmitt, Michael J [Idaho Falls, ID; Jones, Warren F [Idaho Falls, ID

2011-12-13

An airborne wireless communication system includes circuitry configured to access information describing a configuration of a terrestrial wireless communication base station that has become disabled. The terrestrial base station is configured to implement wireless communication between wireless devices located within a geographical area and a network when the terrestrial base station is not disabled. The circuitry is further configured, based on the information, to configure the airborne station to have the configuration of the terrestrial base station. An airborne communication method includes answering a 911 call from a terrestrial cellular wireless phone using an airborne wireless communication system.

DNA metabarcoding uncovers fungal diversity of mixed airborne samples in Italy

PubMed Central

Banchi, Elisa; Ametrano, Claudio Gennaro; Stanković, David; Verardo, Pierluigi; Moretti, Olga; Gabrielli, Francesca; Lazzarin, Stefania; Borney, Maria Francesca; Tassan, Francesca; Tretiach, Mauro; Pallavicini, Alberto

2018-01-01

Fungal spores and mycelium fragments are particles which become and remain airborne and have been subjects of aerobiological studies. The presence and the abundance of taxa in aerobiological samples can be very variable and impaired by changeable climatic conditions. Because many fungi produce mycotoxins and both their mycelium fragments and spores are potential allergens, monitoring the presence of these taxa is of key importance. So far data on exposure and sensitization to fungal allergens are mainly based on the assessment of few, easily identifiable taxa and focused only on certain environments. The microscopic method used to analyze aerobiological samples and the inconspicuous fungal characters do not allow a in depth taxonomical identification. Here, we present a first assessment of fungal diversity from airborne samples using a DNA metabarcoding analysis. The nuclear ITS2 region was selected as barcode to catch fungal diversity in mixed airborne samples gathered during two weeks in four sites of North-Eastern and Central Italy. We assessed the taxonomic composition and diversity within and among the sampled sites and compared the molecular data with those obtained by traditional microscopy. The molecular analyses provide a tenfold more comprehensive determination of the taxa than the traditional morphological inspections. Our results prove that the metabarcoding analysis is a promising approach to increases quality and sensitivity of the aerobiological monitoring. The laboratory and bioinformatic workflow implemented here is now suitable for routine, high-throughput, regional analyses of airborne fungi. PMID:29558527

Characteristics of airborne micro-organisms in a neurological intensive care unit: Results from China.

PubMed

Yu, Yao; Yin, Sufeng; Kuan, Yi; Xu, Yingjun; Gao, Xuguang

2015-06-01

To describe the characteristics of airborne micro-organisms in the environment in a Chinese neurological intensive care unit (NICU). This prospective study monitored the air environment in two wards (large and small) of an NICU in a tertiary hospital in China for 12 months, using an LWC-1 centrifugal air sampler. Airborne micro-organisms were identified using standard microbiology techniques. The mean ± SD number of airborne bacteria was significantly higher in the large ward than in the small ward (200 ± 51 colony-forming units [CFU]/m(3) versus 110 ± 40 CFU/m(3), respectively). In the large ward only, the mean number of airborne bacteria in the autumn was significantly higher than in any of the other three seasons. A total of 279 airborne micro-organisms were identified (large ward: 195; small ward: 84). There was no significant difference in the type and distribution of airborne micro-organisms between the large and small wards. The majority of airborne micro-organisms were Gram-positive cocci in both wards. These findings suggest that the number of airborne micro-organisms was related to the number of patients on the NICU ward. © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Airborne multispectral detection of regrowth cotton fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westbrook, John K.; Suh, Charles P.-C.; Yang, Chenghai; Lan, Yubin; Eyster, Ritchie S.

2015-01-01

Effective methods are needed for timely areawide detection of regrowth cotton plants because boll weevils (a quarantine pest) can feed and reproduce on these plants beyond the cotton production season. Airborne multispectral images of regrowth cotton plots were acquired on several dates after three shredding (i.e., stalk destruction) dates. Linear spectral unmixing (LSU) classification was applied to high-resolution airborne multispectral images of regrowth cotton plots to estimate the minimum detectable size and subsequent growth of plants. We found that regrowth cotton fields can be identified when the mean plant width is ˜0.2 m for an image resolution of 0.1 m. LSU estimates of canopy cover of regrowth cotton plots correlated well (r2=0.81) with the ratio of mean plant width to row spacing, a surrogate measure of plant canopy cover. The height and width of regrowth plants were both well correlated (r2=0.94) with accumulated degree-days after shredding. The results will help boll weevil eradication program managers use airborne multispectral images to detect and monitor the regrowth of cotton plants after stalk destruction, and identify fields that may require further inspection and mitigation of boll weevil infestations.

Relationships among Indoor, Outdoor, and Personal Airborne Japanese Cedar Pollen Counts

PubMed Central

Yamamoto, Naomichi; Matsuki, Yuuki; Yokoyama, Hiromichi; Matsuki, Hideaki

2015-01-01

Japanese cedar pollinosis (JCP) is an important illness caused by the inhalation of airborne allergenic cedar pollens, which are dispersed in the early spring throughout the Japanese islands. However, associations between pollen exposures and the prevalence or severity of allergic symptoms are largely unknown, due to a lack of understanding regarding personal pollen exposures in relation to indoor and outdoor concentrations. This study aims to examine the relationships among indoor, outdoor, and personal airborne Japanese cedar pollen counts. We conducted a 4-year monitoring campaign to quantify indoor, outdoor, and personal airborne cedar pollen counts, where the personal passive settling sampler that has been previously validated against a volumetric sampler was used to count airborne pollen grains. A total of 256 sets of indoor, outdoor, and personal samples (768 samples) were collected from 9 subjects. Medians of the seasonally-integrated indoor-to-outdoor, personal-to-outdoor, and personal-to-indoor ratios of airborne pollen counts measured for 9 subjects were 0.08, 0.10, and 1.19, respectively. A greater correlation was observed between the personal and indoor counts (r = 0.89) than between the personal and outdoor counts (r = 0.71), suggesting a potential inaccuracy in the use of outdoor counts as a basis for estimating personal exposures. The personal pollen counts differed substantially among the human subjects (49% geometric coefficient of variation), in part due to the variability in the indoor counts that have been found as major determinants of the personal pollen counts. The findings of this study highlight the need for pollen monitoring in proximity to human subjects to better understand the relationships between pollen exposures and the prevalence or severity of pollen allergy. PMID:26110813

Real-time nondestructive monitoring of the gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process by combined airborne acoustic emission and non-contact ultrasonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lu; Basantes-Defaz, Alexandra-Del-Carmen; Abbasi, Zeynab; Yuhas, Donald; Ozevin, Didem; Indacochea, Ernesto

2018-03-01

Welding is a key manufacturing process for many industries and may introduce defects into the welded parts causing significant negative impacts, potentially ruining high-cost pieces. Therefore, a real-time process monitoring method is important to implement for avoiding producing a low-quality weld. Due to high surface temperature and possible contamination of surface by contact transducers, the welding process should be monitored via non-contact transducers. In this paper, airborne acoustic emission (AE) transducers tuned at 60 kHz and non-contact ultrasonic testing (UT) transducers tuned at 500 kHz are implemented for real time weld monitoring. AE is a passive nondestructive evaluation method that listens for the process noise, and provides information about the uniformity of manufacturing process. UT provides more quantitative information about weld defects. One of the most common weld defects as burn-through is investigated. The influences of weld defects on AE signatures (time-driven data) and UT signals (received signal energy, change in peak frequency) are presented. The level of burn-through damage is defined by using single method or combine AE/UT methods.

An investigation of airborne allergenic pollen at different heights.

PubMed

Xiao, Xiaojun; Fu, Aixiang; Xie, Xiongjie; Kang, Minxiong; Hu, Dongsheng; Yang, Pingchang; Liu, Zhigang

2013-01-01

Airborne pollen is an important source of allergens in a number of allergic diseases. Data on the concentrations of pollen at different heights in the air are scarce. The aim of the present study was to investigate different types and numbers of airborne pollen and their seasonal variation at different heights in the urban area of Shenzhen (China) and their associations with meteorological factors. The concentration of airborne pollen at different heights was monitored with Burkard traps from July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007, in Shenzhen; the results were analyzed with SAS 9.13 software. In total, 1,095 films (at 3 heights, 365 films at each height) were exposed throughout the year, and 48 families and 85 genera of pollen taxa were identified. The total pollen count was 55,830 grains (25,204 grains at 1.5 m; 16,218 grains at 35 m, and 14,408 grains at 70 m); pollen grains were present in the atmosphere throughout the year, with two peaks of airborne pollen: one peak in February to April and the other in September to November. On the basis of our local investigations, the pollen concentrations and the pollen types in the air decrease gradually with increasing height. The distribution and concentrations of airborne pollen at different heights in the atmosphere were influenced by composite factors such as the season and meteorological factors. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Potential Impact Categories for Radiological Air Emission Monitoring

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

Ballinger, Marcel Y.; Gervais, Todd L.; Barnett, J. Matthew

2012-06-05

In 2002, the EPA amended 40 CFR 61 Subpart H and 40 CFR 61 Appendix B Method 114 to include requirements from ANSI/HPS N13.1-1999 Sampling and Monitoring Releases of Airborne Radioactive Substances from the Stack and Ducts of Nuclear Facilities for major emission points. Additionally, the WDOH amended the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 246-247 Radiation protection-air emissions to include ANSI/HPS N13.1-1999 requirements for major and minor emission points when new permitting actions are approved. A result of the amended regulations is the requirement to prepare a written technical basis for the radiological air emission sampling and monitoring program. A keymore » component of the technical basis is the Potential Impact Category (PIC) assigned to an emission point. This paper discusses the PIC assignments for the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Integrated Laboratory emission units; this revision includes five PIC categories.« less

Airborne particulate matter in spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

Acceptability limits and sampling and monitoring strategies for airborne particles in spacecraft were considered. Based on instances of eye and respiratory tract irritation reported by Shuttle flight crews, the following acceptability limits for airborne particles were recommended: for flights of 1 week or less duration (1 mg/cu m for particles less than 10 microns in aerodynamic diameter (AD) plus 1 mg/cu m for particles 10 to 100 microns in AD); and for flights greater than 1 week and up to 6 months in duration (0.2 mg/cu m for particles less than 10 microns in AD plus 0.2 mg/cu m for particles 10 to 100 microns in AD. These numerical limits were recommended to aid in spacecraft atmosphere design which should aim at particulate levels that are a low as reasonably achievable. Sampling of spacecraft atmospheres for particles should include size-fractionated samples of 0 to 10, 10 to 100, and greater than 100 micron particles for mass concentration measurement and elementary chemical analysis by nondestructive analysis techniques. Morphological and chemical analyses of single particles should also be made to aid in identifying airborne particulate sources. Air cleaning systems based on inertial collection principles and fine particle collection devices based on electrostatic precipitation and filtration should be considered for incorporation into spacecraft air circulation systems. It was also recommended that research be carried out in space in the areas of health effects and particle characterization.

Airborne monitoring of crop canopy temperatures for irrigation scheduling and yield prediction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Millard, J. P.; Jackson, R. D.; Goettelman, R. C.; Reginato, R. J.; Idso, S. B.; Lapado, R. L.

1977-01-01

Airborne and ground measurements were made on April 1 and 29, 1976, over a USDA test site consisting mostly of wheat in various stages of water stress, but also including alfalfa and bare soil. These measurements were made to evaluate the feasibility of measuring crop temperatures from aircraft so that a parameter termed stress degree day, SDD, could be computed. Ground studies have shown that SDD is a valuable indicator of a crop's water needs, and that it can be related to irrigation scheduling and yield. The aircraft measurement program required predawn and afternoon flights coincident with minimum and maximum crop temperatures. Airborne measurements were made with an infrared line scanner and with color IR photography. The scanner data were registered, subtracted, and color-coded to yield pseudo-colored temperature-difference images. Pseudo-colored images reading directly in daily SDD increments were also produced. These maps enable a user to assess plant water status and thus determine irrigation needs and crop yield potentials.

Monitor of the concentration of particles of dense radioactive materials in a stream of air

DOEpatents

Yule, Thomas J.

1979-01-01

A monitor of the concentration of particles of radioactive materials such as plutonium oxide in diameters as small as 1/2 micron includes in combination a first stage comprising a plurality of virtual impactors, a second stage comprising a further plurality of virtual impactors, a collector for concentrating particulate material, a radiation detector disposed near the collector to respond to radiation from collected material and means for moving a stream of air, possibly containing particulate contaminants, through the apparatus.

Exploring atmospheric radon with airborne gamma-ray spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baldoncini, Marica; Albéri, Matteo; Bottardi, Carlo; Minty, Brian; Raptis, Kassandra G. C.; Strati, Virginia; Mantovani, Fabio

2017-12-01

222Rn is a noble radioactive gas produced along the 238U decay chain, which is present in the majority of soils and rocks. As 222Rn is the most relevant source of natural background radiation, understanding its distribution in the environment is of great concern for investigating the health impacts of low-level radioactivity and for supporting regulation of human exposure to ionizing radiation in modern society. At the same time, 222Rn is a widespread atmospheric tracer whose spatial distribution is generally used as a proxy for climate and pollution studies. Airborne gamma-ray spectroscopy (AGRS) always treated 222Rn as a source of background since it affects the indirect estimate of equivalent 238U concentration. In this work the AGRS method is used for the first time for quantifying the presence of 222Rn in the atmosphere and assessing its vertical profile. High statistics radiometric data acquired during an offshore survey are fitted as a superposition of a constant component due to the experimental setup background radioactivity plus a height dependent contribution due to cosmic radiation and atmospheric 222Rn. The refined statistical analysis provides not only a conclusive evidence of AGRS 222Rn detection but also a (0.96 ± 0.07) Bq/m3 222Rn concentration and a (1318 ± 22) m atmospheric layer depth fully compatible with literature data.

Radioactive materials released from nuclear power plants. Annual report, 1980

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

Tichler, J.; Benkovitz, C.

Releases of radioactive materials in airborne and liquid effluents from commercial light water reactors during 1980 have been compiled and reported. Data on solid waste shipments as well as selected operating information have been included. This report supplements earlier annual reports issued by the former Atomic Energy Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The 1980 release data are summarized in tabular form. Data covering specific radionuclides are summarized.

Radioactive materials released from nuclear power plants: Annual report, 1984

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

Tichler, J.; Norden, K.; Congemi, J.

Releases of radioactive materials in airborne and liquid effluents from commercial light water reactors during 1984 have been compiled and reported. Data on solid waste shipments as well as selected operating information have been included. This report supplements earlier annual reports issued by the former Atomic Energy Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The 1984 release data are summarized in tabular form. Data covering specific radionuclides are summarized.

Radioactive materials released from nuclear power plants. Annual report 1978

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

Tichler, J.; Benkovitz, C.

Releases of radioactive materials in airborne and liquid effluents from commerical light water reactors during 1978 have been compiled and reported. Data on soild waste shipments as well as selected operating information have been included. This report supplements earlier annual reports by the former Atomic Energy Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The 1978 release data are compared with previous years releases in tabular form. Data covering specific radionuclides are summarized.

Radioactive materials released from nuclear power plants: Annual report, 1985

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

Tichler, J.; Norden, K.; Congemi, J.

Releases of radioactive materials in airborne and liquid effluents from commercial light water reactors during 1985 have been compiled and reported. Data on solid waste shipments as well as selected operating information have been included. This report supplements earlier annual reports issued by the former Atomic Energy Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The 1985 release data are summarized in tabular form. Data covering specific radionuclides are summarized.

Distribution and identification of airborne fungi in railway stations in Tokyo, Japan.

PubMed

Kawasaki, Tamami; Kyotani, Takashi; Ushiogi, Tomoyoshi; Izumi, Yasuhiko; Lee, Hunjun; Hayakawa, Toshio

2010-01-01

The current study was performed to (1) understand the distribution of airborne fungi culturable on dichloran-glycerol agar (DG18) media over a one-year monitoring period, (2) identify the types of airborne fungi collected, and (3) compare and contrast under- and above-ground spaces, in two railway stations in Tokyo, Japan. Measurements of airborne fungi were taken at stations A and B located in Tokyo. Station A had under- and above-ground concourses and platforms whereas station B had spaces only above-ground. Airborne fungi at each measurement position were collected with an air sampler on DG18 media. After cultivation of the sample plates, the number of fungi colonies was counted on each agar plate. In station A, the underground platform was characterized as (1) having the highest humidity and (2) a high concentration of airborne fungi, with (3) a high proportion of non-sporulating fungi (NSF) and Aspergillus versicolor. There was a strong positive correlation between the concentrations of airborne particles and fungi in station A. Common aspects of the two stations were (1) that fungi were mostly detected in autumn, and (2) there was no correlation between the humidity and concentration of fungi throughout the year. The results of this study indicate that the distribution and composition of fungi differ depending on the structure of the station.

Ground based and airborne atmospheric measurements near bucharest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nemuc, Anca; Boscornea, Andreea; Belegante, Livio; Vasilescu, Jeni; Vajaiac, Sorin; Ene, Dragos; Marmureanu, Luminita; Andrei, Simona

2018-04-01

This paper presents the results from a coordinated approach for atmospheric investigation, exploring synergies between different techniques. A wide range of instruments have been used during an intensive measurement period both from ground (lidar, sunphotometer, aethalometer and Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor) and airborne (aerodynamic particle sizer, the Picarro gas analyzer and the NO2 CAPS analyzer) in 2016 over Magurele, 6 km South West of Bucharest.

Airborne radionuclides in the proglacial environment as indicators of sources and transfers of soil material.

PubMed

Łokas, Edyta; Wachniew, Przemysław; Jodłowski, Paweł; Gąsiorek, Michał

2017-11-01

A survey of artificial ( 137 Cs, 238 Pu, 239+240 Pu, 241 Am) and natural ( 226 Ra, 232 Th, 40 K, 210 Pb) radioactive isotopes in proglacial soils of an Arctic glacier have revealed high spatial variability of activity concentrations and inventories of the airborne radionuclides. Soil column 137 Cs inventories range from below the detection limit to nearly 120 kBq m -2 , this value significantly exceeding direct atmospheric deposition. This variability may result from the mixing of materials characterised by different contents of airborne radionuclides. The highest activity concentrations observed in the proglacial soils may result from the deposition of cryoconites, which have been shown to accumulate airborne radionuclides on the surface of glaciers. The role of cryoconites in radionuclide accumulation is supported by the concordant enrichment of the naturally occurring airborne 210 Pb in proglacial soil cores showing elevated levels of artificial radionuclides. The lithogenic radionuclides show less variability than the airborne radionuclides because their activity concentrations are controlled only by the mixing of material derived from the weathering of different parent rocks. Soil properties vary little within and between the profiles and there is no unequivocal relationship between them and the radionuclide contents. The inventories reflect the pathways and time variable inputs of soil material to particular sites of the proglacial zone. Lack of the airborne radionuclides reflects no deposition of material exposed to the atmosphere after the 1950s or its removal by erosion. Inventories above the direct atmospheric deposition indicate secondary deposition of radionuclide-bearing material. Very high inventories indicate sites where transport pathways of cryoconite material terminated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Airborne Remote Sensing of River Flow and Morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuckerman, S.; Anderson, S. P.; McLean, J.; Redford, R.

2014-12-01

River morphology, surface slope and flow are some of the fundamental measurements required for surface water monitoring and hydrodynamic research. This paper describes a method of combining bathymetric lidar with space-time processing of mid-wave infrared (MWIR) imagery to simultaneously measure bathymetry, currents and surface slope from an airborne platform. In May 2014, Areté installed a Pushbroom Imaging Lidar for Littoral Surveillance (PILLS) and a FLIR SC8000 MWIR imaging system sampling at 2 Hz in a small twin-engine aircraft. Data was collected over the lower Colorado River between Picacho Park and Parker. PILLS is a compact bathymetric lidar based on streak-tube sensor technology. It provides channel and bank topography and water surface elevation at 1 meter horizontal scales and 25 cm vertical accuracy. Surface currents are derived from the MWIR imagery by tracking surface features using a cross correlation algorithm. This approach enables the retrieval of currents along extended reaches at the forward speed of the aircraft with spatial resolutions down to 5 m with accuracy better than 10 cm/s. The fused airborne data captures current and depth variability on scales of meters over 10's of kilometers collected in just a few minutes. The airborne MWIR current retrievals are combined with the bathymetric lidar data to calculate river discharge which is then compared with real-time streamflow stations. The results highlight the potential for improving our understanding of complex river environments with simultaneous collections from multiple airborne sensors.

Comparative performance of three sampling techniques to detect airborne Salmonella species in poultry farms.

PubMed

Adell, Elisa; Moset, Verónica; Zhao, Yang; Jiménez-Belenguer, Ana; Cerisuelo, Alba; Cambra-López, María

2014-01-01

Sampling techniques to detect airborne Salmonella species (spp.) in two pilot scale broiler houses were compared. Broilers were inoculated at seven days of age with a marked strain of Salmonella enteritidis. The rearing cycle lasted 42 days during the summer. Airborne Salmonella spp. were sampled weekly using impaction, gravitational settling, and impingement techniques. Additionally, Salmonella spp. were sampled on feeders, drinkers, walls, and in the litter. Environmental conditions (temperature, relative humidity, and airborne particulate matter (PM) concentration) were monitored during the rearing cycle. The presence of Salmonella spp. was determined by culture-dependent and molecular methods. No cultivable Salmonella spp. were recovered from the poultry houses' surfaces, the litter, or the air before inoculation. After inoculation, cultivable Salmonella spp. were recovered from the surfaces and in the litter. Airborne cultivable Salmonella spp. Were detected using impaction and gravitational settling one or two weeks after the detection of Salmonella spp. in the litter. No cultivable Salmonella spp. were recovered using impingement based on culture-dependent techniques. At low airborne concentrations, the use of impingement for the quantification or detection of cultivable airborne Salmonella spp. is not recommended. In these cases, a combination of culture-dependent and culture-independent methods is recommended. These data are valuable to improve current measures to control the transmission of pathogens in livestock environments and for optimising the sampling and detection of airborne Salmonella spp. in practical conditions.

Measurement of airborne gunshot particles in a ballistics laboratory by sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Diaz, Ernesto; Sarkis, Jorge E Souza; Viebig, Sônia; Saldiva, Paulo

2012-01-10

The present study aimed determines lead (Pb), antimony (Sb) and barium (Ba) as the major elements present in GSR in the environmental air of the Ballistics Laboratory of the São Paulo Criminalistics Institute (I.C.-S.P.), São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Micro environmental monitors (mini samplers) were located at selected places. The PM(2.5) fraction of this airborne was collected in, previously weighted filters, and analyzed by sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (SF-HR-ICP-MS). The higher values of the airborne lead, antimony and barium, were found at the firing range (lead (Pb): 58.9 μg/m(3); barium (Ba): 6.9 μg/m(3); antimony (Sb): 7.3 μg/m(3)). The mean value of the airborne in this room during 6 monitored days was Pb: 23.1 μg/m(3); Ba: 2.2 μg/m(3); Sb: 1.5 μg/m(3). In the water tank room, the air did not show levels above the limits of concern. In general the airborne lead changed from day to day, but the barium and antimony remained constant. Despite of that, the obtained values suggest that the workers may be exposed to airborne lead concentration that can result in an unhealthy environment and could increase the risk of chronic intoxication. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Raman lidar for hydrogen gas concentration monitoring and future radioactive waste management.

PubMed

Liméry, Anasthase; Cézard, Nicolas; Fleury, Didier; Goular, Didier; Planchat, Christophe; Bertrand, Johan; Hauchecorne, Alain

2017-11-27

A multi-channel Raman lidar has been developed, allowing for the first time simultaneous and high-resolution profiling of hydrogen gas and water vapor. The lidar measures vibrational Raman scattering in the UV (355 nm) domain. It works in a high-bandwidth photon counting regime using fast SiPM detectors and takes into account the spectral overlap between hydrogen and water vapor Raman spectra. Measurement of concentration profiles of H 2 and H 2 O are demonstrated along a 5-meter-long open gas cell with 1-meter resolution at 85 meters. The instrument precision is investigated by numerical simulation to anticipate the potential performance at longer range. This lidar could find applications in the French project Cigéo for monitoring radioactive waste disposal cells.

Radioactive materials in recycled metals.

PubMed

Lubenau, J O; Yusko, J G

1995-04-01

In recent years, the metal recycling industry has become increasingly aware of an unwanted component in metal scrap--radioactive material. Worldwide, there have been 35 instances where radioactive sources were unintentionally smelted in the course of recycling metal scrap. In some cases contaminated metal consumer products were distributed internationally. In at least one case, serious radiation exposures of workers and the public occurred. Radioactive material appearing in metal scrap includes sources subject to licensing under the Atomic Energy Act and also naturally occurring radioactive material. U.S. mills that have smelted a radioactive source face costs resulting from decontamination, waste disposal, and lost profits that range from 7 to 23 million U.S. dollars for each event. To solve the problem, industry and the government have jointly undertaken initiatives to increase awareness of the problem within the metal recycling industry. Radiation monitoring of recycled metal scrap is being performed increasingly by mills and, to a lesser extent, by scrap processors. The monitoring does not, however, provide 100% protection. Improvements in regulatory oversight by the government could stimulate improved accounting and control of licensed sources. However, additional government effort in this area must be reconciled with competing priorities in radiation safety and budgetary constraints. The threat of radioactive material in recycled metal scrap will continue for the foreseeable future and, thus, poses regulatory policy challenges for both developed and developing nations.

Monitoring of airborne biological particles in outdoor atmosphere. Part 1: Importance, variability and ratios.

PubMed

Núñez, Andrés; Amo de Paz, Guillermo; Rastrojo, Alberto; García, Ana M; Alcamí, Antonio; Gutiérrez-Bustillo, A Montserrat; Moreno, Diego A

2016-03-01

The first part of this review ("Monitoring of airborne biological particles in outdoor atmosphere. Part 1: Importance, variability and ratios") describes the current knowledge on the major biological particles present in the air regarding their global distribution, concentrations, ratios and influence of meteorological factors in an attempt to provide a framework for monitoring their biodiversity and variability in such a singular environment as the atmosphere. Viruses, bacteria, fungi, pollen and fragments thereof are the most abundant microscopic biological particles in the air outdoors. Some of them can cause allergy and severe diseases in humans, other animals and plants, with the subsequent economic impact. Despite the harsh conditions, they can be found from land and sea surfaces to beyond the troposphere and have been proposed to play a role also in weather conditions and climate change by acting as nucleation particles and inducing water vapour condensation. In regards to their global distribution, marine environments act mostly as a source for bacteria while continents additionally provide fungal and pollen elements. Within terrestrial environments, their abundances and diversity seem to be influenced by the land-use type (rural, urban, coastal) and their particularities. Temporal variability has been observed for all these organisms, mostly triggered by global changes in temperature, relative humidity, et cetera. Local fluctuations in meteorological factors may also result in pronounced changes in the airbiota. Although biological particles can be transported several hundreds of meters from the original source, and even intercontinentally, the time and final distance travelled are strongly influenced by factors such as wind speed and direction. [Int Microbiol 2016; 19(1):1-1 3]. Copyright© by the Spanish Society for Microbiology and Institute for Catalan Studies.

Landslide Investigation by Repeat Airborne LiDAR and Ground Monitoring in the Western Suburb of Sapporo, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasai, M.; Marutani, T.; Yoshida, H.

2014-12-01

This study presents landslide investigation using the combination of airborne LiDAR and ground monitoring data. The study site is located on the Teine Landslide (width: 2 km, Length: 6.5 km) in the western suburb of Sapporo city in Hokkaido Island, Japan, which collapsed more than 50,000 years ago. Since then streams have been developing and incising the landslide mass consisted of rock debris and volcanic deposits, presently causing a series of small deep-seated landslides along the banks. Because Sapporo is the economic center of Hokkaido and the suburb is expanding at the toe of the Teine slide, it is important to understand the behaviors of these active slopes to protect residents and infrastructures from unexpected disasters possibly triggered by an intense storm or earthquake. The LiDAR data for the area was first obtained by a manned helicopter in August 2010, and another survey by an unmanned helicopter is planned in autumn 2014 to estimate their activities from changes in the ground surfaces during the period from 2010 to 2014. Ground water level and landslide mass movements have also been monitored on site by using the coring holes for sampling since 2013. The combination of the data sets can make up the deficits of these methods, e.g., errors created through data processing for LiDAR survey and spatially limited information for ground monitoring, enabling to provide a solid three dimensional view of the slope movements. The notion obtained can be utilized to predict their future behaviors as well as to discover active but hiding landslides nearby. This study also showed that repeat monitoring of sites is a way of utilizing UAVs, particularly in terms of cost and convenience.

An Accurate Co-registration Method for Airborne Repeat-pass InSAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, X. T.; Zhao, Y. H.; Yue, X. J.; Han, C. M.

2017-10-01

Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technology plays a significant role in topographic mapping and surface deformation detection. Comparing with spaceborne repeat-pass InSAR, airborne repeat-pass InSAR solves the problems of long revisit time and low-resolution images. Due to the advantages of flexible, accurate, and fast obtaining abundant information, airborne repeat-pass InSAR is significant in deformation monitoring of shallow ground. In order to getting precise ground elevation information and interferometric coherence of deformation monitoring from master and slave images, accurate co-registration must be promised. Because of side looking, repeat observing path and long baseline, there are very different initial slant ranges and flight heights between repeat flight paths. The differences of initial slant ranges and flight height lead to the pixels, located identical coordinates on master and slave images, correspond to different size of ground resolution cells. The mismatching phenomenon performs very obvious on the long slant range parts of master image and slave image. In order to resolving the different sizes of pixels and getting accurate co-registration results, a new method is proposed based on Range-Doppler (RD) imaging model. VV-Polarization C-band airborne repeat-pass InSAR images were used in experiment. The experiment result shows that the proposed method leads to superior co-registration accuracy.

Effect of micro-scale wind on the measurement of airborne pollen concentrations using volumetric methods on a building rooftop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miki, Kenji; Kawashima, Shigeto; Fujita, Toshio; Nakamura, Kimihito; Clot, Bernard

2017-06-01

Evaluating airborne pollen concentrations is important for the understanding of the spatiotemporal dispersion of pollen grains. Using two identical pollen monitors in parallel, we performed two experiments in order to study the influences of a) the physical characteristics (orientation) of the air inlet and b) the presence of obstacles in proximity to the monitors on airborne pollen concentration data. The first experiment consisted of an evaluation of airborne pollen concentrations using two different types of orifices; 1) a vertically oriented inlet and 2) a wind vane intake, both attached to the same type of automatic pollen sampler. The second experiment investigated the relationship between vertical wind speed and horizontal wind direction around an obstacle with the goal of studying the impact of micro-scale wind on pollen sampling efficiency. The results of the two experiments suggest that the wind path near an obstacle might be redirected in a vertical direction before or after the wind flows over the obstacle, which causes measurement errors of airborne pollen concentrations that are proportional to the vertical wind speed, especially when a vertically oriented inlet is used.

How Cities Breathe: Ground-Referenced, Airborne Hyperspectral Imaging Precursor Measurements To Space-Based Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leifer, Ira; Tratt, David; Quattrochi, Dale; Bovensmann, Heinrich; Gerilowski, Konstantin; Buchwitz, Michael; Burrows, John

2013-01-01

the complex and often aerosol laden, humid, urban microclimates, atmospheric transport and profile monitoring, spatial resolution, temporal cycles (diurnal and seasonal which involve interactions with the surrounding environment diurnal and seasonal cycles) and representative measurement approaches given traffic realities. Promising approaches incorporate contemporaneous airborne remote sensing and in situ measurements, nocturnal surface surveys, with ground station measurement

Airborne imaging spectrometers developed in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jianyu; Xue, Yongqi

1998-08-01

Airborne imaging spectral technology, principle means in airborne remote sensing, has been developed rapidly both in the world and in China recently. This paper describes Modular Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (MAIS), Operational Modular Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (OMAIS) and Pushbroom Hyperspectral Imagery (PHI) that have been developed or are being developed in Airborne Remote Sensing Lab of Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, CAS.

Radioactive cesium in dirt accumulations on the roof of buildings.

PubMed

Fujita, J; Mikasa, H; Fujii, N; Suzuki, Y; Nishiyama, K

1992-12-01

The concentrations of 137Cs and 134Cs in dirt deposits on the roofs of buildings are much higher than those in the surface of soil at ground level. Thus dirt on roofs concentrates radioactive cesium in fall-outs. The 137Cs concentration in dirt deposits on the roofs of older buildings is not consistently higher than that on the roofs of new ones, but the 137Cs/134Cs ratio is higher in deposits on older buildings constructed before the first half of the 1970s, and decreases exponentially with decrease in age of the buildings gradually reaching 1.9 +/- 0.2, the value in the air-borne dust at the time of the Chernobyl accident. From this relationship, the contribution of Chernobyl radioactivity to accumulated 137Cs was calculated as 32% on buildings constructed in 1962. The radioactive cesium concentrations in dirt deposits in gutters of private houses and on the roofs of university buildings in Japan were also determined.

Evaluation of occupational exposure to naturally occurring radioactive materials in the Iranian ceramics industry.

PubMed

Fathabadi, N; Farahani, M V; Amani, S; Moradi, M; Haddadi, B

2011-06-01

Zircon contains small amounts of uranium, thorium and radium in its crystalline structure. The ceramic industry is one of the major consumers of zirconium compounds that are used as an ingredient at ∼10-20 % by weight in glaze. In this study, seven different ceramic factories have been investigated regarding the presence of radioactive elements with focus on natural radioactivity. The overall objective of this investigation is to provide information regarding the radiation exposure to workers in the ceramic industry due to naturally occurring radioactive materials. This objective is met by collecting existing radiological data specific to glaze production and generating new data from sampling activities. The sampling effort involves the whole process of glaze production. External exposures are monitored using a portable gamma-ray spectrometer and environmental thermoluminescence dosimeters, by placing them for 6 months in some workplaces. Internal routes of exposure (mainly inhalation) are studied using air sampling, and gross alpha and beta counting. Measurement of radon gas and its progeny is performed by continuous radon gas monitors that use pulse ionisation chambers. Natural radioactivity due to the presence of ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in zirconium compounds, glazes and other samples is measured by a gamma-ray spectrometry system with a high-purity germanium detector. The average concentrations of ²³⁸U and ²³²Th observed in the zirconium compounds are >3300 and >550 Bq kg⁻¹, respectively. The specific activities of other samples are much lower than in zirconium compounds. The annual effective dose from external radiation had a mean value of ∼0.13 mSv y⁻¹. Dust sampling revealed the greatest values in the process at the powdering site and hand weighing places. In these plants, the annual average effective dose from inhalation of long-lived airborne radionuclides was 0.226 mSv. ²²²Rn gas concentrations in the glaze production plant and

Concentrations and Sources of Airborne Particles in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

PubMed Central

Licina, Dusan; Bhangar, Seema; Brooks, Brandon; Baker, Robyn; Firek, Brian; Tang, Xiaochen; Morowitz, Michael J.; Banfield, Jillian F.; Nazaroff, William W.

2016-01-01

Premature infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) have underdeveloped immune systems, making them susceptible to adverse health consequences from air pollutant exposure. Little is known about the sources of indoor airborne particles that contribute to the exposure of premature infants in the NICU environment. In this study, we monitored the spatial and temporal variations of airborne particulate matter concentrations along with other indoor environmental parameters and human occupancy. The experiments were conducted over one year in a private-style NICU. The NICU was served by a central heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system equipped with an economizer and a high-efficiency particle filtration system. The following parameters were measured continuously during weekdays with 1-min resolution: particles larger than 0.3 μm resolved into 6 size groups, CO2 level, dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity, and presence or absence of occupants. Altogether, over sixteen periods of a few weeks each, measurements were conducted in rooms occupied with premature infants. In parallel, a second monitoring station was operated in a nearby hallway or at the local nurses’ station. The monitoring data suggest a strong link between indoor particle concentrations and human occupancy. Detected particle peaks from occupancy were clearly discernible among larger particles and imperceptible for submicron (0.3–1 μm) particles. The mean indoor particle mass concentrations averaged across the size range 0.3–10 μm during occupied periods was 1.9 μg/m3, approximately 2.5 times the concentration during unoccupied periods (0.8 μg/m3). Contributions of within-room emissions to total PM10 mass in the baby rooms averaged 37–81%. Near-room indoor emissions and outdoor sources contributed 18–59% and 1–5%, respectively. Airborne particle levels in the size range 1–10 μm showed strong dependence on human activities, indicating the importance of indoor

Concentrations and Sources of Airborne Particles in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

PubMed

Licina, Dusan; Bhangar, Seema; Brooks, Brandon; Baker, Robyn; Firek, Brian; Tang, Xiaochen; Morowitz, Michael J; Banfield, Jillian F; Nazaroff, William W

2016-01-01

Premature infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) have underdeveloped immune systems, making them susceptible to adverse health consequences from air pollutant exposure. Little is known about the sources of indoor airborne particles that contribute to the exposure of premature infants in the NICU environment. In this study, we monitored the spatial and temporal variations of airborne particulate matter concentrations along with other indoor environmental parameters and human occupancy. The experiments were conducted over one year in a private-style NICU. The NICU was served by a central heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system equipped with an economizer and a high-efficiency particle filtration system. The following parameters were measured continuously during weekdays with 1-min resolution: particles larger than 0.3 μm resolved into 6 size groups, CO2 level, dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity, and presence or absence of occupants. Altogether, over sixteen periods of a few weeks each, measurements were conducted in rooms occupied with premature infants. In parallel, a second monitoring station was operated in a nearby hallway or at the local nurses' station. The monitoring data suggest a strong link between indoor particle concentrations and human occupancy. Detected particle peaks from occupancy were clearly discernible among larger particles and imperceptible for submicron (0.3-1 μm) particles. The mean indoor particle mass concentrations averaged across the size range 0.3-10 μm during occupied periods was 1.9 μg/m3, approximately 2.5 times the concentration during unoccupied periods (0.8 μg/m3). Contributions of within-room emissions to total PM10 mass in the baby rooms averaged 37-81%. Near-room indoor emissions and outdoor sources contributed 18-59% and 1-5%, respectively. Airborne particle levels in the size range 1-10 μm showed strong dependence on human activities, indicating the importance of indoor

Airborne Tactical Crossload Planner

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

set out in the Airborne Standard Operating Procedure (ASOP). 14. SUBJECT TERMS crossload, airborne, optimization, integer linear programming ...they land to their respective sub-mission locations. In this thesis, we formulate and implement an integer linear program called the Tactical...to meet any desired crossload objectives. xiv We demonstrate TCP with two real-world tactical problems from recent airborne operations: one by the

Correlation between airborne Olea europaea pollen concentrations and levels of the major allergen Ole e 1 in Córdoba, Spain, 2012-2014.

PubMed

Plaza, M P; Alcázar, P; Galán, C

2016-12-01

Olea europaea L. pollen is the second-largest cause of pollinosis in the southern Iberian Peninsula. Airborne-pollen monitoring networks provide essential data on pollen dynamics over a given study area. Recent research, however, has shown that airborne pollen levels alone do not always provide a clear indicator of actual exposure to aeroallergens. This study sought to evaluate correlations between airborne concentrations of olive pollen and Ole e 1 allergen levels in Córdoba (southern Spain), in order to determine whether atmospheric pollen concentrations alone are sufficient to chart changes in hay fever symptoms. The influence of major weather-related variables on local airborne pollen and allergen levels was also examined. Monitoring was carried out from 2012 to 2014. Pollen sampling was performed using a Hirst-type sampler, following the protocol recommended by the Spanish Aerobiology Network. A multi-vial cyclone sampler was used to collect aeroallergens, and allergenic particles were quantified by ELISA assay. Significant positive correlations were found between daily airborne allergen levels and atmospheric pollen concentrations, although there were occasions when allergen was detected before and after the pollen season and in the absence of airborne pollen. The correlation between the two was irregular, and pollen potency displayed year-on-year variations and did not necessarily match pollen-season-intensity.

Correlation between airborne Olea europaea pollen concentrations and levels of the major allergen Ole e 1 in Córdoba, Spain, 2012-2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plaza, M. P.; Alcázar, P.; Galán, C.

2016-12-01

Olea europaea L. pollen is the second-largest cause of pollinosis in the southern Iberian Peninsula. Airborne-pollen monitoring networks provide essential data on pollen dynamics over a given study area. Recent research, however, has shown that airborne pollen levels alone do not always provide a clear indicator of actual exposure to aeroallergens. This study sought to evaluate correlations between airborne concentrations of olive pollen and Ole e 1 allergen levels in Córdoba (southern Spain), in order to determine whether atmospheric pollen concentrations alone are sufficient to chart changes in hay fever symptoms. The influence of major weather-related variables on local airborne pollen and allergen levels was also examined. Monitoring was carried out from 2012 to 2014. Pollen sampling was performed using a Hirst-type sampler, following the protocol recommended by the Spanish Aerobiology Network. A multi-vial cyclone sampler was used to collect aeroallergens, and allergenic particles were quantified by ELISA assay. Significant positive correlations were found between daily airborne allergen levels and atmospheric pollen concentrations, although there were occasions when allergen was detected before and after the pollen season and in the absence of airborne pollen. The correlation between the two was irregular, and pollen potency displayed year-on-year variations and did not necessarily match pollen-season-intensity.

Mismatch in aeroallergens and airborne grass pollen concentrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plaza, M. P.; Alcázar, P.; Hernández-Ceballos, M. A.; Galán, C.

2016-11-01

An accurate estimation of the allergen concentration in the atmosphere is essential for allergy sufferers. The major cause of pollinosis all over Europe is due to grass pollen and Phl p 5 has the highest rates of sensitization (>50%) in patients with grass pollen-induced allergy. However, recent research has shown that airborne pollen does not always offer a clear indicator of exposure to aeroallergens. This study aims to evaluate relations between airborne grass pollen and Phl p 5 concentrations in Córdoba (southern Spain) and to study how meteorological parameters influence these atmospheric records. Monitoring was carried out from 2012 to 2014. Hirst-type volumetric spore trap was used for pollen collection, following the protocol recommended by the Spanish Aerobiology Network (REA). Aeroallergen sampling was performed using a low-volume cyclone sampler, and allergenic particles were quantified by ELISA assay. Besides, the influence of main meteorological factors on local airborne pollen and allergen concentrations was surveyed. A significant correlation was observed between grass pollen and Phl p 5 allergen concentrations during the pollen season, but with some sporadic discrepancy episodes. The cumulative annual Pollen Index also varied considerably. A significant correlation has been obtained between airborne pollen and minimum temperature, relative humidity and precipitation, during the three studied years. However, there is no clear relationship between allergens and weather variables. Our findings suggest that the correlation between grass pollen and aeroallergen Phl p 5 concentrations varies from year-to-year probably related to a complex interplay of meteorological variables.

The dynamic monitoring of warm-water discharge based on the airborne high-resolution thermal infrared remote sensing data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Honglan; Xie, Feng; Liu, Chengyu; Liu, Zhihui; Zhang, Changxing; Yang, Gui; Wang, Jianyu

2016-04-01

The cooling water discharged from the coastal plants flow into the sea continuously, whose temperature is higher than original sea surface temperature (SST). The fact will have non-negligible influence on the marine environment in and around where the plants site. Hence, it's significant to monitor the temporal and spatial variation of the warm-water discharge for the assessment of the effect of the plant on its surrounding marine environment. The paper describes an approach for the dynamic monitoring of the warm-water discharge of coastal plants based on the airborne high-resolution thermal infrared remote sensing technology. Firstly, the geometric correction was carried out for the thermal infrared remote sensing images acquired on the aircraft. Secondly, the atmospheric correction method was used to retrieve the sea surface temperature of the images. Thirdly, the temperature-rising districts caused by the warm-water discharge were extracted. Lastly, the temporal and spatial variations of the warm-water discharge were analyzed through the geographic information system (GIS) technology. The approach was applied to Qinshan nuclear power plant (NPP), in Zhejiang Province, China. In considering with the tide states, the diffusion, distribution and temperature-rising values of the warm-water discharged from the plant were calculated and analyzed, which are useful to the marine environment assessment.

Airborne and ground reconnaissance of part of the syenite complex near Wausau, Marathon county, Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vickers, R.C.

1955-01-01

Airborne and ground reconnaissance for radioactive minerals in part of the syenite complex near Wausau, Marathon county, Wis., found 12 radioactive mineral localities. The rocks in the area are of Precambrian age and consist of syenite and nepheline syenite, which have intruded older granite, greenstone, quartzite, and argillite. There are very few outcrops, and much of the bedrock is deeply weathered and covered by residual soil. Thorium-bearing zircon pegatite float was found within the area of syenite and nepheline syenite at four localities. Reddish-brown euhedral to subeuhedral crystals of well-zoned zircon (variety cyrtolite) comprise more than 40 percent of some of the specimens. The radioactive mineral at four localities outside the area of syneites was identified as thorogummite, which occurred in nodular masses in residual soil. Alinement of the thorogummite float and associated radioactivity suggests that the thorogummite has resulted from weathering of narrow veins or pegmatites containing thorium-bearing minerals. Unidentified thorium-bearing minerals were found at three localities, and a specimen of allanite weighing about 2 pounds was found at one locality. Shallow trenches at two of the largest radioactivity anomalies showed that the radioactive material extended down into weathered bedrock. The occurrences might warrant additional physical exploration should there be sufficient demand for thorium. Further reconnaissance in the area would probably result in the discovery of additional occurrences.

Airborne detection of diffuse carbon dioxide emissions at Mammoth Mountain, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gerlach, T.M.; Doukas, M.P.; McGee, K.A.; Kessler, R.

1999-01-01

We report the first airborne detection of CO2 degassing from diffuse volcanic sources. Airborne measurement of diffuse CO2 degassing offers a rapid alternative for monitoring CO2 emission rates at Mammoth Mountain. CO2 concentrations, temperatures, and barometric pressures were measured at ~2,500 GPS-referenced locations during a one-hour, eleven-orbit survey of air around Mammoth Mountain at ~3 km from the summit and altitudes of 2,895-3,657 m. A volcanic CO2 anomaly 4-5 km across with CO2 levels ~1 ppm above background was revealed downwind of tree-kill areas. It contained a 1-km core with concentrations exceeding background by >3 ppm. Emission rates of ~250 t d-1 are indicated. Orographic winds may play a key role in transporting the diffusely degassed CO2 upslope to elevations where it is lofted into the regional wind system.We report the first airborne detection of CO2 degassing from diffuse volcanic sources. Airborne measurement of diffuse CO2 degassing offers a rapid alternative for monitoring CO2 emission rates at Mammoth Mountain. CO2 concentrations, temperatures, and barometric pressures were measured at approximately 2,500 GPS-referenced locations during a one-hour, eleven-orbit survey of air around Mammoth Mountain at approximately 3 km from the summit and altitudes of 2,895-3,657 m. A volcanic CO2 anomaly 4-5 km across with CO2 levels approximately 1 ppm above background was revealed downwind of tree-kill areas. It contained a 1-km core with concentrations exceeding background by >3 ppm. Emission rates of approximately 250 t d-1 are indicated. Orographic winds may play a key role in transporting the diffusely degassed CO2 upslope to elevations where it is lofted into the regional wind system.

International Symposium on Airborne Geophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mogi, Toru; Ito, Hisatoshi; Kaieda, Hideshi; Kusunoki, Kenichiro; Saltus, Richard W.; Fitterman, David V.; Okuma, Shigeo; Nakatsuka, Tadashi

2006-05-01

Airborne geophysics can be defined as the measurement of Earth properties from sensors in the sky. The airborne measurement platform is usually a traditional fixed-wing airplane or helicopter, but could also include lighter-than-air craft, unmanned drones, or other specialty craft. The earliest history of airborne geophysics includes kite and hot-air balloon experiments. However, modern airborne geophysics dates from the mid-1940s when military submarine-hunting magnetometers were first used to map variations in the Earth's magnetic field. The current gamut of airborne geophysical techniques spans a broad range, including potential fields (both gravity and magnetics), electromagnetics (EM), radiometrics, spectral imaging, and thermal imaging.

Environmental assessment of three egg production systems - Part III: Airborne bacteria concentrations and emissions.

PubMed

Zhao, Y; Zhao, D; Ma, H; Liu, K; Atilgan, A; Xin, H

2016-07-01

Airborne microorganism level is an important indoor air quality indicator, yet it has not been well documented for laying-hen houses in the United States. As a part of the Coalition for Sustainable Egg Supply (CSES) environmental monitoring project, this study comparatively monitored the concentrations and emissions of airborne total and Gram-negative (Gram(-)) bacteria in three types of commercial laying-hen houses, i.e., conventional cage (CC), aviary (AV), and enriched colony (EC) houses, over a period of eight months covering the mid and late stages of the flock cycle. It also delineated the relationship between airborne total bacteria and particulate matter smaller than 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10). The results showed airborne total bacteria concentrations (log CFU/m(3)) of 4.7 ± 0.3 in CC, 6.0 ± 0.8 in AV, and 4.8 ± 0.3 in EC, all being higher than the level recommended for human environment (3.0 log CFU/m(3)). The much higher concentrations in AV arose from the presence of floor litter and hen activities on it, as evidenced by the higher concentrations in the afternoon (with litter access) than in the morning (without litter access). The overall means and standard deviation of airborne total bacteria emission rates, in log CFU/[h-hen] (or log CFU/[h-AU], AU = animal unit or 500 kg live weight) were 4.8 ± 0.4 (or 7.3 ± 0.4) for CC, 6.1 ± 0.7 (or 8.6 ± 0.7) for AV, and 4.8 ± 0.5 (or 7.3 ± 0.5) for EC. Both concentration and emission rate of airborne total bacteria were positively related to PM10 Gram(-) bacteria were present at low concentrations in all houses; and only 2 samples (6%) in CC, 7 (22%) samples in AV, and 2 (6%) samples in EC out of 32 air samples collected in each house were found positive with Gram(-) bacteria. The concentration of airborne Gram(-) bacteria was estimated to be <2% of the total bacteria. Total bacteria counts in manure on belt (in all houses) and floor litter (only in AV) were similar; however, the manure had

Environmental surveillance at Los Alamos during 1994

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

NONE

1996-07-01

This report describes environmental monitoring activities at Los Alamos National Laboratory for 1994. Data were collected to assess external penetrating radiation, airborne emissions, liquid effluents, radioactivity of environmental materials and food stuffs, and environmental compliance.

Direct-reading inhalable dust monitoring--an assessment of current measurement methods.

PubMed

Thorpe, Andrew; Walsh, Peter T

2013-08-01

Direct-reading dust monitors designed specifically to measure the inhalable fraction of airborne dust are not widely available. Current practice therefore often involves comparing the response of photometer-type dust monitors with the concentration measured with a reference gravimetric inhalable sampler, which is used to adjust the dust monitor measurement. However, changes in airborne particle size can result in significant errors in the estimation of inhalable concentration by this method. The main aim of this study was to assess how these dust monitors behave when challenged with airborne dust containing particles in the inhalable size range and also to investigate alternative dust monitors whose response might not be as prone to variations in particle size or that could be adapted to measure inhalable dust concentration. Several photometer-type dust monitors and a Respicon TM, tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) personal dust monitor (PDM) 3600, TEOM 1400, and Dustrak DRX were assessed for the measurement of airborne inhalable dust during laboratory and field trials. The PDM was modified to allow it to sample and measure larger particles in the inhalable size range. During the laboratory tests, the dust monitors and reference gravimetric samplers were challenged inside a large dust tunnel with aerosols of industrial dusts known to present an inhalable hazard and aluminium oxide powders with a range of discrete particle sizes. A constant concentration of each dust type was generated and peak concentrations of larger particles were periodically introduced to investigate the effects of sudden changes in particle size on monitor calibration. The PDM, Respicon, and DataRam photometer were also assessed during field trials at a bakery, joinery, and a grain mill. Laboratory results showed that the Respicon, modified PDM, and TEOM 1400 observed good linearity for all types of dust when compared with measurements made with a reference IOM sampler; the

Airborne Hyperspectral Sensing of Monitoring Harmful Algal Blooms in the Great Lakes Region: System Calibration and Validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lekki, John; Anderson, Robert; Avouris, Dulcinea; Becker, RIchard; Churnside, James; Cline, Michael; Demers, James; Leshkevich, George; Liou, Larry; Luvall, Jeffrey;

Monitoring Ephemeral Streams Using Airborne Very High Resolution Multispectral Remote Sensing in Arid Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamada, Y.; O'Connor, B. L.

2012-12-01

Development in arid environments often results in the loss and degradation of the ephemeral streams that provide habitat and critical ecosystem functions such as water delivery, sediment transport, and groundwater recharge. Quantification of these ecosystem functions is challenging because of the episodic nature of runoff events in desert landscapes and the large spatial scale of watersheds that potentially can be impacted by large-scale development. Low-impact development guidelines and regulatory protection of ephemeral streams are often lacking due to the difficulty of accurately mapping and quantifying the critical functions of ephemeral streams at scales larger than individual reaches. Renewable energy development in arid regions has the potential to disturb ephemeral streams at the watershed scale, and it is necessary to develop environmental monitoring applications for ephemeral streams to help inform land management and regulatory actions aimed at protecting and mitigating for impacts related to large-scale land disturbances. This study focuses on developing remote sensing methodologies to identify and monitor impacts on ephemeral streams resulting from the land disturbance associated with utility-scale solar energy development in the desert southwest of the United States. Airborne very high resolution (VHR) multispectral imagery is used to produce stereoscopic, three-dimensional landscape models that can be used to (1) identify and map ephemeral stream channel networks, and (2) support analyses and models of hydrologic and sediment transport processes that pertain to the critical functionality of ephemeral streams. Spectral and statistical analyses are being developed to extract information about ephemeral channel location and extent, micro-topography, riparian vegetation, and soil moisture characteristics. This presentation will demonstrate initial results and provide a framework for future work associated with this project, for developing the necessary

Tillandsia stricta Sol (Bromeliaceae) leaves as monitors of airborne particulate matter-A comparative SEM methods evaluation: Unveiling an accurate and odd HP-SEM method.

PubMed

de Oliveira, Martha Lima; de Melo, Edésio José Tenório; Miguens, Flávio Costa

2016-09-01

Airborne particulate matter (PM) has been included among the most important air pollutants by governmental environment agencies and academy researchers. The use of terrestrial plants for monitoring PM has been widely accepted, particularly when it is coupled with SEM/EDS. Herein, Tillandsia stricta leaves were used as monitors of PM, focusing on a comparative evaluation of Environmental SEM (ESEM) and High-Pressure SEM (HPSEM). In addition, specimens air-dried at formaldehyde atmosphere (AD/FA) were introduced as an SEM procedure. Hydrated specimen observation by ESEM was the best way to get information from T. stricta leaves. If any artifacts were introduced by AD/FA, they were indiscernible from those caused by CPD. Leaf anatomy was always well preserved. PM density was determined on adaxial and abaxial leaf epidermis for each of the SEM proceedings. When compared with ESEM, particle extraction varied from 0 to 20% in air-dried leaves while 23-78% of particles deposited on leaves surfaces were extracted by CPD procedures. ESEM was obviously the best choice over other methods but morphological artifacts increased in function of operation time while HPSEM operation time was without limit. AD/FA avoided the shrinkage observed in the air-dried leaves and particle extraction was low when compared with CPD. Structural and particle density results suggest AD/FA as an important methodological approach to air pollution biomonitoring that can be widely used in all electron microscopy labs. Otherwise, previous PM assessments using terrestrial plants as biomonitors and performed by conventional SEM could have underestimated airborne particulate matter concentration. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Macroecology of Airborne Pollen in Australian and New Zealand Urban Areas

PubMed Central

Haberle, Simon G.; Bowman, David M. J. S.; Newnham, Rewi M.; Johnston, Fay H.; Beggs, Paul J.; Buters, Jeroen; Campbell, Bradley; Erbas, Bircan; Godwin, Ian; Green, Brett J.; Huete, Alfredo; Jaggard, Alison K.; Medek, Danielle; Murray, Frank; Newbigin, Ed; Thibaudon, Michel; Vicendese, Don; Williamson, Grant J.; Davies, Janet M.

2014-01-01

The composition and relative abundance of airborne pollen in urban areas of Australia and New Zealand are strongly influenced by geographical location, climate and land use. There is mounting evidence that the diversity and quality of airborne pollen is substantially modified by climate change and land-use yet there are insufficient data to project the future nature of these changes. Our study highlights the need for long-term aerobiological monitoring in Australian and New Zealand urban areas in a systematic, standardised, and sustained way, and provides a framework for targeting the most clinically significant taxa in terms of abundance, allergenic effects and public health burden. PMID:24874807

The macroecology of airborne pollen in Australian and New Zealand urban areas.

PubMed

Haberle, Simon G; Bowman, David M J S; Newnham, Rewi M; Johnston, Fay H; Beggs, Paul J; Buters, Jeroen; Campbell, Bradley; Erbas, Bircan; Godwin, Ian; Green, Brett J; Huete, Alfredo; Jaggard, Alison K; Medek, Danielle; Murray, Frank; Newbigin, Ed; Thibaudon, Michel; Vicendese, Don; Williamson, Grant J; Davies, Janet M

2014-01-01

The composition and relative abundance of airborne pollen in urban areas of Australia and New Zealand are strongly influenced by geographical location, climate and land use. There is mounting evidence that the diversity and quality of airborne pollen is substantially modified by climate change and land-use yet there are insufficient data to project the future nature of these changes. Our study highlights the need for long-term aerobiological monitoring in Australian and New Zealand urban areas in a systematic, standardised, and sustained way, and provides a framework for targeting the most clinically significant taxa in terms of abundance, allergenic effects and public health burden.

Radioactive materials released from nuclear power plants. Annual report 1991, Volume 12

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

Tichler, J.; Doty, K.; Congemi, J.

Releases of radioactive materials in airborne and liquid effluents from commercial light water reactors during 1991 have been compiled and reported. Data on solid waste shipments as well as selected operating information have been included. This report supplements earlier annual reports issued by the former Atomic Energy Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The 1991 release data are summarized in tabular form. Data Covering specific radionuclides are summarized.

Radioactive materials released from nuclear power plants. Annual report, 1982. Volume 3

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

Tichler, J.; Norden, K.

Releases of radioactive materials in airborne and liquid effluents from commercial light water reactors during 1982 have been compiled and reported. Data on solid waste shipments as well as selected operating information have been included. This report supplements earlier annual reports issued by the former Atomic Energy Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The 1982 release data are summarized in tabular form. Data covering specific radionuclides are summarized.

Radioactive materials released from nuclear power plants. Volume 11: Annual report, 1990

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

Tichler, J.; Doty, K.; Congemi, J.

Releases of radioactive materials in airborne and liquid effluents from commercial light water reactors during 1990 have been compiled and reported. Data on solid waste shipments as well as selected operating information have been included. This report supplements earlier annual reports issued by the former Atomic Energy Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The 1990 release data are summarized in tabular form. Data covering specific radionuclides are summarized.

Radioactive materials released from nuclear power plants. Annual report 1981. Vol. 2

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

Tichler, J.; Benkovitz, C.

Releases of radioactive materials in airborne and liquid effluents from commercial light water reactors during 1981 have been compiled and reported. Data on solid waste shipments as well as selected operating information have been included. This report supplements earlier annual reports issued by the former Atomic Energy Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The 1981 release data are summarized in tabular form. Data covering specific radionuclides are summarized.

Radioactive materials released from nuclear power plants. Annual report, 1983. Volume 4

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

Tichler, J.; Norden, K.

Releases of radioactive materials in airborne and liquid effluents from commercial light water reactors during 1983 have been compiled and reported. Data on solid waste shipments as well as selected operating information have been included. This report supplements earlier annual reports issued by the former Atomic Energy Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The 1983 release data are summarized in tabular form. Data covering specific radionuclides are summarized.

Background canceling surface alpha detector

DOEpatents

MacArthur, D.W.; Allander, K.S.; Bounds, J.A.

1996-06-11

A background canceling long range alpha detector which is capable of providing output proportional to both the alpha radiation emitted from a surface and to radioactive gas emanating from the surface. The detector operates by using an electrical field between first and second signal planes, an enclosure and the surface or substance to be monitored for alpha radiation. The first and second signal planes are maintained at the same voltage with respect to the electrically conductive enclosure, reducing leakage currents. In the presence of alpha radiation and radioactive gas decay, the signal from the first signal plane is proportional to both the surface alpha radiation and to the airborne radioactive gas, while the signal from the second signal plane is proportional only to the airborne radioactive gas. The difference between these two signals is proportional to the surface alpha radiation alone. 5 figs.

Background canceling surface alpha detector

DOEpatents

MacArthur, Duncan W.; Allander, Krag S.; Bounds, John A.

1996-01-01

A background canceling long range alpha detector which is capable of providing output proportional to both the alpha radiation emitted from a surface and to radioactive gas emanating from the surface. The detector operates by using an electrical field between first and second signal planes, an enclosure and the surface or substance to be monitored for alpha radiation. The first and second signal planes are maintained at the same voltage with respect to the electrically conductive enclosure, reducing leakage currents. In the presence of alpha radiation and radioactive gas decay, the signal from the first signal plane is proportional to both the surface alpha radiation and to the airborne radioactive gas, while the signal from the second signal plane is proportional only to the airborne radioactive gas. The difference between these two signals is proportional to the surface alpha radiation alone.

The use of a modified technique to reduce radioactive air contamination in aerosol lung ventilation imaging.

PubMed

Avison, M; Hart, G

2001-06-01

The aim of this study was to reduce airborne contamination resulting from the use of aerosols in lung ventilation scintigraphy. Lung ventilation imaging is frequently performed with 99mTc-diethylenetriaminepentaacetate aerosol (DTPA), derived from a commercial nebuliser. Airborne contamination is a significant problem with this procedure; it results in exposure of staff to radiation and can reduce gamma camera performance when the ventilation is performed in the camera room. We examined the level of airborne contamination resulting from the standard technique with one of the most popular nebuliser kits and tested a modification which significantly reduced airborne contamination. Air contamination was measured while ventilating 122 patients. The modified technique reduced air contamination by a mean value of 64% (p = 0.028) compared with the standard control technique. Additionally, differences in contamination were examined when a mask or mouthpiece was used as well as differences between operators. A simplified method of monitoring air contamination is presented using a commonly available surface contamination monitor. The index so derived was proportional to air contamination (r = 0.88). The problems and regulations associated with airborne contamination are discussed.

Occupational exposure to natural radioactivity in a zircon sand milling plant.

PubMed

Ballesteros, Luisa; Zarza, Isidoro; Ortiz, Josefina; Serradell, Vicente

2008-10-01

Raw zirconium sand is one of the substances (naturally occurring radioactive material, NORM) which is widely used in the ceramic industry. This sand contains varying concentrations of natural radionuclides: mostly U-238 but also Th-232 and U-235, together with their daughters, and therefore may need to be regulated by Directive 96/29/EURATOM. This paper describes the method used to perform the radiological study on a zircon sand milling plant and presents the results obtained. Internal and external doses were evaluated using radioactivity readings from sand, airborne dust, intermediate materials and end products. The results on total effective dose show the need for this type of industry to be carefully controlled, since values near to 1 mSv were obtained.

Geothermal Monitoring in Yellowstone National Park

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heasler, H. P.; Jaworowski, C.; Susong, D. D.; Lowenstern, J. B.

2007-12-01

When the first exploring parties surveyed the Yellowstone region in the late 19th Century, it was the geologic wonders - geysers, hot springs, mudpots, fumaroles - that captured their imaginations. Because of these treasures, the U.S. Congress set aside and dedicated this land of "natural curiosities" as the world's first "public pleasuring ground". Protection of Yellowstone's unique geothermal features is a key mission of Yellowstone National Park as mandated by U. S. Congressional law. In response to that mandate, the Yellowstone National Park Geology Program developed a peer-reviewed, Geothermal Monitoring Plan in 2003. With partial Congressional funding of the Plan in 2005, implementation of a scientific monitoring effort began. Yellowstone's scientific geothermal monitoring effort includes the acquisition of time-temperature data using electronic data loggers, basic water quality data, chloride flux data, estimates of radiative heat flux using airborne, thermal infrared imagery, geothermal gas monitoring, and the monitoring of groundwater wells. Time- temperature data are acquired for geysers, hot springs, steam vents, wells, rivers, and the ground. Uses of the time-temperature data include public safety, calibrating airborne thermal infrared-imagery, monitoring selected thermal features for potential hydrothermal explosions, and determining the spatial and temporal changes in thermal areas. Since 2003, upgrades of Yellowstone's stream gaging network have improved the spatial and temporal precision of the chloride flux, water quality, and groundwater components of the Geothermal Monitoring Plan. All of these methods serve both for geothermal monitoring and volcano monitoring as part of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. A major component of the Geothermal Monitoring Plan is remote sensing of the Yellowstone volcano and its active hydrothermal areas at various scales. The National Center for Landscape Fire Analysis at the University of Montana and the USDA

Generic particulate-monitoring system for retrofit to Hanford exhaust stacks

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

Camman, J.W.; Carbaugh, E.H.

1982-11-01

Evaluations of 72 sampling and monitoring systems were performed at Hanford as the initial phase of a program to upgrade such systems. Each evaluation included determination of theoretical sampling efficiencies for particle sizes ranging from 0.5 to 10 micrometers aerodynamic equivalent diameter, addressing anisokinetic bias, sample transport line losses, and collector device efficiency. Upgrades needed to meet current Department of Energy guidance for effluent sampling and monitoring were identified, and a cost for each upgrade was estimated. A relative priority for each system's upgrade was then established based on evaluation results, current operational status, and future plans for the facilitymore » being exhausted. Common system upgrade requirements lead to the development of a generic design for common components of an exhaust stack sampling and monitoring system for airborne radioactive particulates. The generic design consists of commercially available off-the-shelf components to the extent practical and will simplify future stack sampling and monitoring system design, fabrication, and installation efforts. Evaluation results and their significance to system upgrades are empasized. A brief discussion of the analytical models used and experience to date with the upgrade program is included. Development of the generic stack sampling and monitoring system design is outlined. Generic system design features and limitations are presented. Requirements for generic system retrofitting to existing exhaust stacks are defined and benefits derived from generic system application are discussed.« less

Toward Adaptation of fNIRS Instrumentation to Airborne Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adamovsky, Grigory; Mackey, Jeffrey R.

2013-01-01

The paper reviews potential applications of functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), a well-known medical diagnostic technique, to monitoring the cognitive state of pilots with a focus on identifying ways to adopt this technique to airborne environments. We also discuss various fNIRS techniques and the direction of technology maturation of associated hardware in view of their potential for miniaturization, maximization of data collection capabilities, and user friendliness.

Toward Adaptation of fNIRS Instrumentation to Airborne Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adamovsky, Grigory; Mackey, Jeffrey; Harrivel, Angela; Hearn, Tristan; Floyd, Bertram

2014-01-01

The paper reviews potential applications of functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), a well-known medical diagnostic technique, to monitoring the cognitive state of pilots with a focus on identifying ways to adopt this technique to airborne environments. We also discuss various fNIRS techniques and the direction of technology maturation of associated hardware in view of their potential for miniaturization, maximization of data collection capabilities, and user friendliness.

ESTIMATION OF FAT ABSORPTION BY MONITORING OF EXPIRED RADIOACTIVE CARBON DIOXIDE AFTER FEEDING A RADIOACTIVE FAT

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

Schwabe, A.D.; Cozzetto, F.J.; Bennett, L.R.

1962-03-01

A rapid, quantitative method based upon the oxidative decarboxylation of an easily, absorbable, short-chain fatty acid is described. The method for diagnosis of steatorrhea is based upon oral administration of radioactive glyceryl trioctanoate (RATO) and study of its oxidative decarboxylation as determined by monitoring expired C/sup 14/O/sub 2/. Results on 20 controls and 21 patients with steatorrhea of various types clearly separated 15 of the controls from all of the patients with steatorrhea, and 14 of 21 patients with steatorrhea fell below the lowest value encountered in 20 control subjects. The test was performed in the fasting patient, who wasmore » given a gelatin capsule containing 2 to 3 C of RATO in a corn oil base, and after 10 min C/sup 14/O/ sub 2/ in the expired air was measured. By calibration against standard sources the C/sup 14/O/sub 2/ is expressed in microcuries of activity. The average delay time is 26 min with a range of 8 to 54 min. The method thus provides a simple indication that gastric emptying has begun. (TCO)« less

Evaluation of meteorological airborne Doppler radar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hildebrand, P. H.; Mueller, C. K.

1984-01-01

This paper will discuss the capabilities of airborne Doppler radar for atmospheric sciences research. The evaluation is based on airborne and ground based Doppler radar observations of convective storms. The capability of airborne Doppler radar to measure horizontal and vertical air motions is evaluated. Airborne Doppler radar is shown to be a viable tool for atmospheric sciences research.

Webinar: Airborne Data Discovery and Analysis with Toolsets for Airborne Data (TAD)

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2016-10-18

Webinar: Airborne Data Discovery and Analysis with Toolsets for Airborne Data (TAD) Wednesday, October 26, 2016 Join us on ... and flight data ranges are available. Registration is now open.  Access the full announcement   For TAD Information, ...

Highly Protable Airborne Multispectral Imaging System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lehnemann, Robert; Mcnamee, Todd

2001-01-01

A portable instrumentation system is described that includes and airborne and a ground-based subsytem. It can acquire multispectral image data over swaths of terrain ranging in width from about 1.5 to 1 km. The system was developed especially for use in coastal environments and is well suited for performing remote sensing and general environmental monitoring. It includes a small,munpilotaed, remotely controlled airplance that carries a forward-looking camera for navigation, three downward-looking monochrome video cameras for imaging terrain in three spectral bands, a video transmitter, and a Global Positioning System (GPS) reciever.

Importance of airborne algae and protozoa

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

Schlichting, H.E. Jr.

1969-12-01

Membrane filters, bubblers, and exposed culture media were used to sample viable algae and protozoa from the atmosphere in Michigan, Texas, and North Carolina from 1956 to 1967. Aerial algae and protozoa were most abundant and diverse in North Central Texas, 0-8 cells/ft/sup 3/, less abundant and diverse in Michigan, 0-1.8 cells/ft/sup 3/, and least abundant in Coastal North Carolina, less than 0.41 cells/ft/sup 3/. Other significant research from 1910 to 1968 is reviewed. A total of 187 taxa of algae and protozoa has been sampled and cultured through this period. The importance of airborne algae and protozoa to manmore » is shown as related to allergies, radioactivity, clogging of air filters, an aid in determining the origin of hurricanes and other storms and adding to the understanding of the dispersal of these microorganisms throughout the world. 15 references, 2 tables.« less

Early-stage bioassay for monitoring radioactive contamination in living livestock.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Toshiro; Sawano, Kaita; Kishimoto, Miori; Furuhama, Kazuhisa; Yamada, Kazutaka

2012-12-01

Soil samples from the ground surface and feces and blood from a mixed-breed male pig were collected on April 10, 2011 at a farm within 20 km of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The radioactivity of each sample was measured using a Ge semiconductor detector. Despite the fact that the pig had been fed non-contaminated imported feed, (131)I, (134)Cs and (137)Cs were detected in the feces, and (134)Cs and (137)Cs were detected in the blood clots. Because it is considerably difficult to measure radioactive contamination in the edible muscle of living livestock, bioassays are an option for the screening of radioactive contamination in living livestock to ensure food safety.

Processor architecture for airborne SAR systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glass, C. M.

1983-01-01

Digital processors for spaceborne imaging radars and application of the technology developed for airborne SAR systems are considered. Transferring algorithms and implementation techniques from airborne to spaceborne SAR processors offers obvious advantages. The following topics are discussed: (1) a quantification of the differences in processing algorithms for airborne and spaceborne SARs; and (2) an overview of three processors for airborne SAR systems.

Estuarine Salinity Mapping From Airborne Radiometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, J. P.; Gao, Y.; Cook, P. L. M.; Ye, N.

2016-12-01

Estuaries are critical ecosystems providing both ecological habitat and human amenity including boating and recreational fishing. Salinity gradients, caused by the mixing of fresh and salt water, exert an overwhelming control on estuarine ecology and biogeochemistry as well as being a key tracer for model calibration. At present, salinity monitoring within estuaries typically uses point measurements or underway boat-based methods, which makes sensing of localised phenomena such as upwelling of saline bottom water difficult. This study has pioneered the use of airborne radiometry (passive microwave) sensing as a new method to remotely quantify estuarine salinity, allowing rapid production of high resolution surface salinity maps. The airborne radiometry mapping was conducted for the Gippsland Lakes, the largest estuary in Australia, in February, July, October and November of 2015, using the Polarimetric L-band Microwave Radiometer (PLMR). Salinity was retrieved from the brightness temperature collected by PLMR with results validated against boat sampling conducted concurrently with each flight. Results showed that the retrieval accuracy of the radiative transfer model was better than 5 ppt for most flights. The spatial, temporal and seasonal variations of salinity observed in this study are also analysed and discussed.

Airborne bacterial contaminations in typical Chinese wet market with live poultry trade.

PubMed

Gao, Xin-Lei; Shao, Ming-Fei; Luo, Yi; Dong, Yu-Fang; Ouyang, Feng; Dong, Wen-Yi; Li, Ji

2016-12-01

Chinese wet markets with live poultry trade have been considered as major sources of pathogen dissemination, and sites for horizontal transfer of bacterial and viral pathogens. In this study, the pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs) in air samples collected at a typical Chinese wet market had been analysis and quantified. Corynebacterium minutissimum and other pathogenic bacteria accounted for 0.81-8.02% of the whole microbial community in different air samples. The four ARGs quantified in this study showed a comparable relative concentration (copies/ng_DNA) with municipal wastewater. Poultry manures were demonstrated to be important microbial contamination source in wet market, which was supported by both microbial composition based source tracking and the quantification of airborne microbial density. A series of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes indicators of poultry area contamination were successfully screened, which will be useful for the more convenient monitoring of airborne poultry area contamination. Our results indicate bioaerosols acted as important route for the transmissions of pathogens and ARGs. Continued surveillance of airborne microbial contamination is required in poultry trade wet market. Urban live poultry markets are important sources of pathogen dissemination, and sites for horizontal transfer of viral and bacterial pathogens. In the present field-study, pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes were focused to provide quantitative information on the levels of microbial contaminations at the indoor air of wet markets. Results demonstrated that poultry manures were important microbial contamination source in wet market, and in the meanwhile bioaerosols were identified as important route for the transmissions of microbial contaminants. A series of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes indicators of poultry area contamination were successfully screened, which will be useful for the more convenient monitoring of airborne poultry

Gross-alpha and gross-beta activities in airborne particulate samples. Analysis and prediction models.

PubMed

Dueñas, C; Fernández, M C; Carretero, J; Liger, E; Cañete, S

2001-04-01

Measurements of gross-alpha and gross-beta activities were made every week during the years 1992-1997 for airborne particulate samples collected using air filters at a clear site. The data are sufficiently numerous to allow the examination of variations in time and by these measurements to establish several features that should be important in understanding any trends of atmospheric radioactivity. Two models were used to predict the gross-alpha and gross-beta activities. A good agreement between the results of these models and the measurements was highlighted.

Analysis on the influence of forest soil characteristics on radioactive Cs infiltration and evaluation of residual radioactive Cs on surfaces.

PubMed

Mori, Yoshitomo; Yoneda, Minoru; Shimada, Yoko; Fukutani, Satoshi; Ikegami, Maiko; Shimomura, Ryohei

2018-03-29

We investigated the depth profiles of radioactive Cs, ignition loss, and cation exchange capacity (CEC) in five types of forest soils sampled using scraper plates. We then simulated the monitored depth profiles in a compartment model, taking ignition loss as a parameter based on experimental results showing a positive correlation between ignition loss and the CEC. The calculated values were comparable with the monitored values, though some discrepancy was observed in the middle of the soil layer. Based on decontamination data on the surface dose rate and surface contamination concentration, we newly defined a surface residual index (SRI) to evaluate the residual radioactive Cs on surfaces. The SRI value tended to gradually decrease in forests and unpaved roads and was much smaller in forests and on unpaved roads than on paved roads. The radioactive Cs was assumed to have already infiltrated underground 18 months after the nuclear power plant accident, and the sinking was assumed to be ongoing. The SRI values measured on paved roads suggested that radioactive Cs remained on the surfaces, though a gradual infiltration was observed towards the end of the monitoring term. The SRI value is thought to be effective in grasping the rough condition of residual radioactive Cs quickly at sites of decontamination activity in the field. The SRI value may be serviceable for actual contamination works after further research is done to elucidate points such as the relation between the SRI and the infiltration of radioactive Cs in various types of objects.

Method for radioactivity monitoring

DOEpatents

Umbarger, C. John; Cowder, Leo R.

1976-10-26

The disclosure relates to a method for analyzing uranium and/or thorium contents of liquid effluents preferably utilizing a sample containing counting chamber. Basically, 185.7-keV gamma rays following .sup.235 U alpha decay to .sup.231 Th which indicate .sup.235 U content and a 63-keV gamma ray doublet found in the nucleus of .sup.234 Pa, a granddaughter of .sup.238 U, are monitored and the ratio thereof taken to derive uranium content and isotopic enrichment .sup.235 U/.sup.235 U + .sup.238 U) in the liquid effluent. Thorium content is determined by monitoring the intensity of 238-keV gamma rays from the nucleus of .sup.212 Bi in the decay chain of .sup.232 Th.

Comprehensive analysis of airborne contaminants from recent Spacelab missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matney, M. L.; Boyd, J. F.; Covington, P. A.; Leano, H. J.; Pierson, D. L.; Limero, T. F.; James, J. T.

1993-01-01

The Shuttle experiences unique air contamination problems because of microgravity and the closed environment. Contaminant build-up in the closed atmosphere and the lack of a gravitational settling mechanism have produced some concern in previous missions about the amount of solid and volatile airborne contaminants in the Orbiter and Spacelab. Degradation of air quality in the Orbiter/Spacelab environment, through processes such as chemical contamination, high solid-particulate levels, and high microbial levels, may affect crew performance and health. A comprehensive assessment of the Shuttle air quality was undertaken during STS-40 and STS-42 missions, in which a variety of air sampling and monitoring techniques were employed to determine the contaminant load by characterizing and quantitating airborne contaminants. Data were collected on the airborne concentrations of volatile organic compounds, microorganisms, and particulate matter collected on Orbiter/Spacelab air filters. The results showed that STS-40/42 Orbiter/Spacelab air was toxicologically safe to breathe, except during STS-40 when the Orbiter Refrigerator/Freezer unit was releasing noxious gases in the middeck. On STS-40, the levels of airborne bacteria appeared to increase as the mission progressed; however, this trend was not observed for the STS-42 mission. Particulate matter in the Orbiter/Spacelab air filters was chemically analyzed in order to determine the source of particles. Only small amounts of rat hair and food bar (STS-40) and traces of soiless medium (STS-42) were detected in the Spacelab air filters, indicating that containment for Spacelab experiments was effective.

Rail assembly for use in a radioactive environment

DOEpatents

Watts, Ralph E.

1989-01-01

An improved rail assembly and method of construction thereof is disclosed herein that is particularly adapted for use with a crane trolley in a hot cell environment which is exposed to airborne and liquidborne radioactive contaminants. The rail assembly is generally comprised of a support wall having an elongated, rail-housing recess having a floor, side wall and ceiling. The floor of the recess is defined at least in part by the load-bearing surface of a rail, and is substantially flat, level and crevice-free to facilitate the drainage of liquids out of the recess. The ceiling of the recess overhangs and thereby captures trolley wheels within the recess to prevent them from becoming dislodged from the recess during a seismic disturbance. Finally, the interior of the recess includes a power track having a slot for receiving a sliding electrical connector from the crane trolley. The power track is mounted in an upper corner of the recess with its connector-receiving groove oriented downwardly to facilitate the drainage of liquidborne contaminants and to discourage the collection of airborne contaminants within the track.

Validation of Airborne Visible-Infrared Imaging Spectrometer Data at Ray Mine, AZ

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lang, H.; Baloga, S.

1999-01-01

We validate 1997 Airborne Visible-Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) reflectance spectra covering 0.4 meu - 2.4 meu from a stable, flat mineralogically characterized man-made target at Ray Mine, AZ, the site for an EPA/NASA assessment of the utility of remote sensing for monitoring acid drainage from an active open pit mine.

Immunological Assays as an Opportunity of Assessment of Health Risks of Airborne Particle Mixture Including Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brzicová, Táňa; Lochman, Ivo; Danihelka, Pavel; Lochmanová, Alexandra; Lach, Karel; Mička, Vladimír

2013-04-01

The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate perspectives of the assessment of nonspecific biological effects of airborne particulate matter including nanoparticles using appropriate immunological assays. We have selected various in vitro immunological assays to establish an array allowing us to monitor activation of the cell-mediated and humoral response of both the innate and adaptive immunity. To assess comprehensive interactions and effects, the assays were performed in whole blood cultures from healthy volunteers and we used an original airborne particle mixture from high pollution period in Ostrava region representing areas with one of the most polluted air in Europe. Even if certain effects were observed, the results of the immunological assays did not prove significant effects of airborne particles on immune cells' functions of healthy persons. However, obtained data do not exclude health risks of long-term exposure to airborne particles, especially in case of individuals with genetic predisposition to certain diseases or already existing disease. This study emphasizes the in vitro assessment of complex effects of airborne particles in conditions similar to actual ones in an organism exposed to particle mixture present in the polluted air.

CHARACTERIZING THE SOURCES OF HUMAN EXPOSURE TO MUTAGENIC AND CARCINOGENIC CHEMICALS IN AIRBORNE FINE PARTICLES

EPA Science Inventory

Personal and ambient exposures to airborne fine particles, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and genotoxic activity has been studied in populations in the US, Japan, China, and the Czech Republic. Personal exposure monitors used to collect fine particles were extracted f...

a Study of Co-Planing Technology of Spaceborne, Airborne and Ground Remote Sensing Detecting Resource, Driven by Disaster Emergency Task

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, F.; Chen, H.; Tu, K.; Wen, Q.; He, J.; Gu, X.; Wang, Z.

2018-04-01

Facing the monitoring needs of emergency responses to major disasters, combining the disaster information acquired at the first time after the disaster and the dynamic simulation result of the disaster chain evolution process, the overall plan for coordinated planning of spaceborne, airborne and ground observation resources have been designed. Based on the analysis of the characteristics of major disaster observation tasks, the key technologies of spaceborne, airborne and ground collaborative observation project are studied. For different disaster response levels, the corresponding workflow tasks are designed. On the basis of satisfying different types of disaster monitoring demands, the existing multi-satellite collaborative observation planning algorithms are compared, analyzed, and optimized.

Monitoring land use and degradation using satellite and airborne data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, Terrill W.; Farr, Thomas G.; Blom, Ronald G.; Crippen, Robert E.

1993-01-01

In July 1990 AVIRIS and AIRSAR data were collected over the Manix Basin Area of the Mojave Desert to study land degradation in an arid area where centerpivot irrigation had been in use. The Manix Basin is located NE of Barstow, California, along Interstate-15 at 34 deg 57 min N 116 deg 35 min W. This region was covered by a series of lakes during the Late Pleistocence and Early Holocene. Beginning in the 1960's, areas were cleared of the native creosote bush-dominated plant community to be used for agricultural purposes. Starting in 1972 fields have been abandoned due to the increased cost of electricity needed to pump the irrigation water, with some fields abandoned as recently as 1988 and 1992. These circumstances provide a time series of abandoned fields which provide the possibility of studying the processes which act on agricultural fields in arid regions when they are abandoned. Ray et al. reported that polarimetric SAR (AIRSAR) could detect that the concentric circular planting furrows plowed on these fields persists for a few years after abandonment and then disappear over time and that wind ripples which form on these fields over time due to wind erosion can be detected with polarimetric radar. Ray et al. used Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) bandpasses to generate NDVI images of the Manix Basin which showed that the fields abandoned for only a few years had higher NDVI's than the undisturbed desert while the fields abandoned for a longer time had NDVI levels lower than that of the undisturbed desert. The purpose of this study is to use a fusion of a time series of satellite data with airborne data to provide a context for the airborne data. The satellite data time series will additionally help to validate the observation and analysis of time-dependent processes observed in the single AVIRIS image of fields abandoned for different periods of time.

A New Approach for the Determination of Dose Rate and Radioactivity for Detected Gamma Nuclides Using an Environmental Radiation Monitor Based on an NaI(Tl) Detector.

PubMed

Ji, Young-Yong; Kim, Chang-Jong; Lim, Kyo-Sun; Lee, Wanno; Chang, Hyon-Sock; Chung, Kun Ho

2017-10-01

To expand the application of dose rate spectroscopy to the environment, the method using an environmental radiation monitor (ERM) based on a 3' × 3' NaI(Tl) detector was used to perform real-time monitoring of the dose rate and radioactivity for detected gamma nuclides in the ground around an ERM. Full-energy absorption peaks in the energy spectrum for dose rate were first identified to calculate the individual dose rates of Bi, Ac, Tl, and K distributed in the ground through interference correction because of the finite energy resolution of the NaI(Tl) detector used in an ERM. The radioactivity of the four natural radionuclides was then calculated from the in situ calibration factor-that is, the dose rate per unit curie-of the used ERM for the geometry of the ground in infinite half-space, which was theoretically estimated by Monte Carlo simulation. By an intercomparison using a portable HPGe and samples taken from the ground around an ERM, this method to calculate the dose rate and radioactivity of four nuclides using an ERM was experimentally verified and finally applied to remotely monitor them in real-time in the area in which the ERM had been installed.

Evaluation of a new mobile system for protecting immune-suppressed patients against airborne contamination.

PubMed

Poirot, Jean-Louis; Gangneux, Jean-Pierre; Fischer, Alain; Malbernard, Mireille; Challier, Svetlana; Laudinet, Nicolas; Bergeron, Vance

2007-09-01

Invasive aspergillosis is one of the most lethal airborne dangers for immune-suppressed subjects. Providing patient protection from such airborne threats requires costly and high-maintenance facilities. We herein evaluate a new self-contained mobile unit as an alternative for creating a patient protective environment. Airborne contamination levels were monitored for different simulated scenarios and under actual clinical conditions. Functional tests were used to challenge the unit under adverse conditions, and a preliminary clinical study with patients and staff present was performed at 2 different French hospitals. Functional tests demonstrated that the unit can rapidly decontaminate air in the protected zone created by the unit and in the surrounding room. In addition, the protected zone is not sensitive to large disturbances that occur in the room. The clinical study included 4 patients with 150 accumulated days of testing. The protected zone created by the unit systematically provided an environment with undetectable airborne fungal levels (ie, <1 CFU/m(3)) regardless of the levels in the room or corridor (P < .01). These tests show that the unit can be used to create a mobile protective environment for immune-suppressed patients in a standard hospital setting.

An airborne laser fluorosensor for the detection of oil on water

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, H. H.; Hickman, G. D.

1975-01-01

An airborne laser fluorosensor for the detection of oil derivatives on water has been tested. The system transmits 337 nm UV radiation at the rate of 100 pulses per second and monitors fluorescent emission at 540 nm. Daylight flight tests were made over the areas of controlled oil spills and additional reconnaissance flights were made over a 50 km stretch of the Delaware River to establish ambient oil baseline in the river. The results show that the device is capable of monitoring and mapping out extremely low level oil on water which cannot be identified by ordinary photographic method.

Routing architecture and security for airborne networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Hongmei; Xie, Peng; Li, Jason; Xu, Roger; Levy, Renato

2009-05-01

Airborne networks are envisioned to provide interconnectivity for terrestial and space networks by interconnecting highly mobile airborne platforms. A number of military applications are expected to be used by the operator, and all these applications require proper routing security support to establish correct route between communicating platforms in a timely manner. As airborne networks somewhat different from traditional wired and wireless networks (e.g., Internet, LAN, WLAN, MANET, etc), security aspects valid in these networks are not fully applicable to airborne networks. Designing an efficient security scheme to protect airborne networks is confronted with new requirements. In this paper, we first identify a candidate routing architecture, which works as an underlying structure for our proposed security scheme. And then we investigate the vulnerabilities and attack models against routing protocols in airborne networks. Based on these studies, we propose an integrated security solution to address routing security issues in airborne networks.

The Bayo Canyon/radioactive lanthanum (RaLa) program

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

Dummer, J.E.; Taschner, J.C.; Courtright, C.C.

1996-04-01

LANL conducted 254 radioactive lanthanum (RaLa) implosion experiments Sept. 1944-March 1962, in order to test implosion designs for nuclear weapons. High explosives surrounding common metals (surrogates for Pu) and a radioactive source containing up to several thousand curies of La, were involved in each experiment. The resulting cloud was deposited as fallout, often to distances of several miles. This report was prepared to summarize existing records as an aid in evaluating the off-site impact, if any, of this 18-year program. The report provides a historical setting for the program, which was conducted in Technical Area 10, Bayo Canyon about 3more » miles east of Los Alamos. A description of the site is followed by a discussion of collateral experiments conducted in 1950 by US Air Force for developing an airborne detector for tracking atmospheric nuclear weapons tests. All known off-site data from the RaLa program are tabulated and discussed. Besides the radiolanthanum, other potential trace radioactive material that may have been present in the fallout is discussed and amounts estimated. Off-site safety considerations are discussed; a preliminary off-site dose assessment is made. Bibliographical data on 33 persons important to the program are presented as footnotes.« less

Asthmatic responses to airborne acid aerosols

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

Ostro, B.D.; Lipsett, M.J.; Wiener, M.B.

1991-06-01

Controlled exposure studies suggest that asthmatics may be more sensitive to the respiratory effects of acidic aerosols than individuals without asthma. This study investigates whether acidic aerosols and other air pollutants are associated with respiratory symptoms in free-living asthmatics. Daily concentrations of hydrogen ion (H+), nitric acid, fine particulates, sulfates and nitrates were obtained during an intensive air monitoring effort in Denver, Colorado, in the winter of 1987-88. A panel of 207 asthmatics recorded respiratory symptoms, frequency of medication use, and related information in daily diaries. We used a multiple regression time-series model to analyze which air pollutants, if any,more » were associated with health outcomes reported by study participants. Airborne H+ was found to be significantly associated with several indicators of asthma status, including moderate or severe cough and shortness of breath. Cough was also associated with fine particulates, and shortness of breath with sulfates. Incorporating the participants' time spent outside and exercise intensity into the daily measure of exposure strengthened the association between these pollutants and asthmatic symptoms. Nitric acid and nitrates were not significantly associated with any respiratory symptom analyzed. In this population of asthmatics, several outdoor air pollutants, particularly airborne acidity, were associated with daily respiratory symptoms.« less

Airborne Monitoring of Pollution from Individual Ships in the Framework of the IGPS Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beecken, Jörg; Mellqvist, Johan; Salo, Kent; Ekholm, Johan

2013-04-01

The environmental impact of maritime transport has been recognized by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) which sets limits on fuel quality and emission characteristics of ships. The IGPS project (Identification of Gross-Polluting Ships) is a Swedish project aimed at developing a surveillance system for measuring emissions of SO2, NOx and particulate matter from individual vessels at sea as well as at harbors. Equipped on aircrafts, this system can be used for efficient compliance monitoring of ships at open sea. Additionally plumes can be sampled several times to increase the measurement quality. This operation environment also sets special demands on the instrumentation such as fast response times for example. The presented results cover the measurements of four airborne campaigns which were conducted during 2011 and 2012, covering the western Baltic Sea between Denmark, Sweden and Germany as well as the German Bight and the English Channel regions of the North Sea. As platforms, two different airplanes and a helicopter were used respectively. Emission data of more than 150 different vessels was obtained. From the measured emissions the sulfur content in the fuel and the emitted NOx per main engine speed as reference characteristics were determined for the individual ships. Additionally, measurements on the particle size distributions of ship plumes were studied. Furthermore the conducted measurements also showed that the system is flight functional and works fine independent from the type of aircraft.

An airborne sunphotometer for use with helicopters

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

Walthall, C.L.; Halthore, R.N.; Elman, G.C.

1996-04-01

One solution for atmospheric correction and calibration of remotely sensed data from airborne platforms is the use of radiometrically calibrated instruments, sunphotometers and an atmospheric radiative transfer model. Sunphotometers are used to measure the direct solar irradiance at the level at which they are operating and the data are used in the computation of atmospheric optical depth. Atmospheric optical depth is an input to atmospheric correction algorithms that convert at-sensor radiance to required surface properties such as reflectance and temperature. Airborne sun photometry has thus far seen limited use and has not been used with a helicopter platform. The hardware,more » software, calibration and deployment of an automatic sun-tracking sunphotometer specifically designed for use on a helicopter are described. Sample data sets taken with the system during the 1994 Boreal Ecosystem and Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) are presented. The addition of the sun photometer to the helicopter system adds another tool for monitoring the environment and makes the helicopter remote sensing system capable of collecting calibrated, atmospherically corrected data independent of the need for measurements from other systems.« less

Radioactive materials released from nuclear power plants. Volume 13, Annual report 1992

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

Tichler, J.; Doty, K.; Lucadamo, K.

Releases of radioactive materials in airborne and liquid effluents from commercial light water reactors during 1992 have been compiled and reported. The summary data for the years 1973 through 1991 are included for comparison. Data on solid waste shipments as well as selected operating information have been included. This report supplements earlier annual reports issued by the former Atomic Energy Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The 1992 release data are summarized in tabular form. Data covering specific radionuclides are summarized.

Radioactive materials released from nuclear power plants. Annual report 1989: Volume 10

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

Tichler, J.; Norden, K.; Congemi, J.

Releases of radioactive materials in airborne and liquid effluents from commercial light water reactors during 1989 have been compiled and reported. The summary data for the years 1970 through 1988 are included for comparison. Data on solid waste shipments as well as selected operating information have been included. This report supplements earlier annual reports issued by the former Atomic Energy Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The 1989 release data are summarized in tabular form. Data covering specific radionuclides are summarized.

Radioactive materials released from nuclear power plants: Annual report, 1993. Volume 14

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

Tichler, J.; Doty, K.; Lucadamo, K.

Releases of radioactive materials in airborne and liquid effluents from commercial light water reactors during 1993 have been compiled and reported. The summary data for the years 1974 through 1992 are included for comparison. Data on solid waste shipments as well as selected operating information have been included. This report supplements earlier annual reports issued by the former Atomic Energy Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The 1993 release data are summarized in tabular form. Data covering specific radionuclides are summarized.

Trace Gas Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

Space technology is contributing to air pollution control primarily through improved detectors and analysis methods. Miniaturized mass spectrometer is under development to monitor vinyl chloride and other hydrocarbon contaminants in an airborne laboratory. Miniaturized mass spectrometer can be used to protect personnel in naval and medical operations as well as aboard aircraft.

Assessment of dry and wet atmospheric deposits of radioactive aerosols: application to Fukushima radiocaesium fallout.

PubMed

Gonze, Marc-André; Renaud, Philippe; Korsakissok, Irène; Kato, Hiroaki; Hinton, Thomas G; Mourlon, Christophe; Simon-Cornu, Marie

2014-10-07

The Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident led to massive atmospheric deposition of radioactive substances onto the land surfaces. The spatial distribution of deposits has been estimated by Japanese authorities for gamma-emitting radionuclides through either airborne monitoring surveys (since April 2011) or in situ gamma-ray spectrometry of bare soil areas (since summer 2011). We demonstrate that significant differences exist between the two surveys for radiocaesium isotopes and that these differences can be related to dry deposits through the use of physically based relationships involving aerosol deposition velocities. The methodology, which has been applied to cesium-134 and cesium-137 deposits within 80-km of the nuclear site, provides reasonable spatial estimations of dry and wet deposits that are discussed and compared to atmospheric numerical simulations from the Japanese Atomic Energy Agency and the French Institute of Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety. As a complementary approach to numerical simulations, this field-based analysis has the possibility to contribute information that can be applied to the understanding and assessment of dose impacts to human populations and the environment around Fukushima.

Airborne laser altimetry and multispectral imagery for modeling Golden-cheeked Warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia) density

Treesearch

Steven E. Sesnie; James M. Mueller; Sarah E. Lehnen; Scott M. Rowin; Jennifer L. Reidy; Frank R. Thompson

2016-01-01

Robust models of wildlife population size, spatial distribution, and habitat relationships are needed to more effectively monitor endangered species and prioritize habitat conservation efforts. Remotely sensed data such as airborne laser altimetry (LiDAR) and digital color infrared (CIR) aerial photography combined with well-designed field studies can help fill these...

Project 57 Air Monitoring Report: October 1, 2013, through December 31, 2014

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

Mizell, Steve A.; Nikolich, George; McCurdy, Greg

On April 24, 1957, the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC, now the Department of Energy [DOE]) conducted the Project 57 safety experiment in western Emigrant Valley north east of the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS, formerly the Nevada Test Site) on lands withdrawn by the Department of Defense (DoD) for the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). The test was undertaken to develop (1) a means of estimating plutonium distribution resulting from a nonnuclear detonation; (2) biomedical evaluation techniques for use in plutonium-laden environments; (3) methods of surface decontamination; and (4) instruments and field procedures for prompt estimation of alpha contaminationmore » (Shreve, 1958). Although the test did not result in the fission of nuclear materials, it did disseminate plutonium across the land surface. Following the experiment, the AEC fenced the contaminated area and returned control of the surrounding land to the DoD. Various radiological surveys have been performed in the area and in 2007, the DOE expanded the demarked contamination area by posting signs 200 to 400 feet (60 to 120 meters) outside of the original fence. Plutonium in soil is thought to attach preferentially to smaller particles. Therefore, redistribution of soil particulates by wind (dust) is the mechanism most likely to transport plutonium beyond the boundary of the Project 57 contamination area. In 2011, DRI installed two instrumentation towers to measure radiological, meteorological, and dust conditions. The monitoring activity was implemented to determine if radionuclide contamination was detectable in samples of airborne dust and characterize meteorological and environmental parameters that influence dust transport. Collected data also permits comparison of radiological conditions at the Project 57 monitoring stations to conditions observed at Community Environmental Monitoring Program (CEMP) stations around the NTTR. Biweekly samples of airborne particulates are submitted for

Airborne Cloud Computing Environment (ACCE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hardman, Sean; Freeborn, Dana; Crichton, Dan; Law, Emily; Kay-Im, Liz

2011-01-01

Airborne Cloud Computing Environment (ACCE) is JPL's internal investment to improve the return on airborne missions. Improve development performance of the data system. Improve return on the captured science data. The investment is to develop a common science data system capability for airborne instruments that encompasses the end-to-end lifecycle covering planning, provisioning of data system capabilities, and support for scientific analysis in order to improve the quality, cost effectiveness, and capabilities to enable new scientific discovery and research in earth observation.

Airborne laser ranging system for monitoring regional crustal deformation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Degnan, J. J.

1981-01-01

Alternate approaches for making the atmospheric correction without benefit of a ground-based meteorological network are discussed. These include (1) a two-color channel that determines the atmospheric correction by measuring the time delay induced by dispersion between pulses at two optical frequencies; (2) single-color range measurements supported by an onboard temperature sounder, pressure altimeter readings, and surface measurements by a few existing meteorological facilities; and (3) inclusion of the quadratic polynomial coefficients as variables to be solved for along with target coordinates in the reduction of the single-color range data. It is anticipated that the initial Airborne Laser Ranging System (ALRS) experiments will be carried out in Southern California in a region bounded by Santa Barbara on the norht and the Mexican border on the south. The target area will be bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and will extend eastward for approximately 400 km. The unique ability of the ALRS to provide a geodetic 'snapshot' of such a large area will make it a valuable geophysical tool.

High Resolution Airborne Shallow Water Mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinbacher, F.; Pfennigbauer, M.; Aufleger, M.; Ullrich, A.

2012-07-01

In order to meet the requirements of the European Water Framework Directive (EU-WFD), authorities face the problem of repeatedly performing area-wide surveying of all kinds of inland waters. Especially for mid-sized or small rivers this is a considerable challenge imposing insurmountable logistical efforts and costs. It is therefore investigated if large-scale surveying of a river system on an operational basis is feasible by employing airborne hydrographic laser scanning. In cooperation with the Bavarian Water Authority (WWA Weilheim) a pilot project was initiated by the Unit of Hydraulic Engineering at the University of Innsbruck and RIEGL Laser Measurement Systems exploiting the possibilities of a new LIDAR measurement system with high spatial resolution and high measurement rate to capture about 70 km of riverbed and foreland for the river Loisach in Bavaria/Germany and the estuary and parts of the shoreline (about 40km in length) of lake Ammersee. The entire area surveyed was referenced to classic terrestrial cross-section surveys with the aim to derive products for the monitoring and managing needs of the inland water bodies forced by the EU-WFD. The survey was performed in July 2011 by helicopter and airplane and took 3 days in total. In addition, high resolution areal images were taken to provide an optical reference, offering a wide range of possibilities on further research, monitoring, and managing responsibilities. The operating altitude was about 500 m to maintain eye-safety, even for the aided eye, the airspeed was about 55 kts for the helicopter and 75 kts for the aircraft. The helicopter was used in the alpine regions while the fixed wing aircraft was used in the plains and the urban area, using appropriate scan rates to receive evenly distributed point clouds. The resulting point density ranged from 10 to 25 points per square meter. By carefully selecting days with optimum water quality, satisfactory penetration down to the river bed was achieved

OFFSITE ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING REPORT: RADIATION MONITORING AROUND UNITED STATES NUCLEAR TEST AREAS, CALENDAR YEAR 1980

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory in Las Vegas continued its Offsite Radiological Safety Program for the Nevada Test Site (NTS) and other sites of past underground nuclear tests. For each test, the Laboratory provided airborne ...

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.

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.

Reconnaissance for radioactive materials in the southern part of Brazil

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pierson, Charles T.; Haynes, Donald D.; Filho, Evaristo Ribeiro

1957-01-01

During 1954-1956 a reconnaissance for radioactive minerals was made with carborne, airborne and handborne scintillation equipment in the southern Brazilian states of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Parana, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. During the traverse covering more than 5,000 kilometers the authors checked the radioactivity of Precambrian igneous and metamorphic rocks, Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary rocks, and Mesozoic alkalic intrusive and basaltic extrusive rocks. The 22 samples collected contained from 0.003 to 0.029 percent equivalent uranium oxide and from 0.10 to 0.91 percent equivalent thorimn; two samples were taken from radioactive pegmati tes for mineralogic studies. None of the localities is at present a commercial source of uranium or thorium; however, additional work should be done near the alkalic stock at Lages in the State of Santa Catarina and at the Passo das Tropas fossil plant locality near Santa Maria in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Near Lages highly altered alkalic rock from a dike contained 0.026 percent uranium oxide. At Passo das Tropas highly altered, limonite-impregnated sandstone from the Rio do Rasto group of sedimentary rocks contained 0.029 percent uranium oxide.

Second International Airborne Remote Sensing Conference and Exhibition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

The conference provided four days of displays and scientific presentations on applications, technology, a science of sub-orbital data gathering and analysis. The twelve displayed aircraft equipped with sophisticated instrumentation represented a wide range of environmental and reconnaissance missions,including marine pollution control, fire detection, Open Skies Treaty verification, thermal mapping, hydrographical measurements, military research, ecological and agricultural observations, geophysical research, atmospheric and meterological observations, and aerial photography. The U.S. Air Force and the On-Site Inspection Agency displayed the new Open Skies Treaty verification Boeing OC 135B that promotes international monitoring of military forces and activities. SRl's Jetstream uses foliage and ground penetrating SAR for forest inventories, toxic waste delineation, and concealed target and buried unexploded ordnance detection. Earth Search Sciences's Gulfstream 1 with prototype miniaturized airborne hyperspectral imaging equipment specializes in accurate mineral differentiation, low-cost hydrocarbon exploration, and nonproliferation applications. John E. Chance and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers displayed the Bell 2 helicopter with SHOALS that performs hydrographic surveying of navigation projects, coastal environment assessment, and nautical charting surveys. Bechtel Nevada and U.S. DOE displayed both the Beech King AIR B-200 platform equipped to provide first response to nuclear accidents and routine environmental surveillance, and the MBB BO-105 helicopter used in spectral analysis for environmental assessment and military appraisal. NASA Ames Research Center's high-altitude Lockheed ER-2 assists in earth resources monitoring research in atmospheric chemistry, oceanography, and electronic sensors; ozone and greenhouse studies and satellite calibration and data validation. Ames also showcased the Learjet 24 Airborne Observatory that completed missions in Venus

Transmission of Airborne Bacteria across Built Environments and Its Measurement Standards: A Review.

PubMed

Fujiyoshi, So; Tanaka, Daisuke; Maruyama, Fumito

2017-01-01

Human health is influenced by various factors including microorganisms present in built environments where people spend most of their lives (approximately 90%). It is therefore necessary to monitor and control indoor airborne microbes for occupational safety and public health. Most studies concerning airborne microorganisms have focused on fungi, with scant data available concerning bacteria. The present review considers papers published from 2010 to 2017 approximately and factors affecting properties of indoor airborne bacteria (communities and concentration) with respect to temporal perspective and to multiscale interaction viewpoint. From a temporal perspective, bacterial concentrations in built environments change depending on numbers of human occupancy, while properties of bacterial communities tend to remain stable. Similarly, the bacteria found in social and community spaces such as offices, classrooms and hospitals are mainly associated with human occupancy. Other major sources of indoor airborne bacteria are (i) outdoor environments, and (ii) the building materials themselves. Indoor bacterial communities and concentrations are varied with varying interferences by outdoor environment. Airborne bacteria from the outdoor environment enter an indoor space through open doors and windows, while indoor bacteria are simultaneously released to the outer environment. Outdoor bacterial communities and their concentrations are also affected by geographical factors such as types of land use and their spatial distribution. The bacteria found in built environments therefore originate from any of the natural and man-made surroundings around humans. Therefore, to better understand the factors influencing bacterial concentrations and communities in built environments, we should study all the environments that humans contact as a single ecosystem. In this review, we propose the establishment of a standard procedure for assessing properties of indoor airborne bacteria using

Transmission of Airborne Bacteria across Built Environments and Its Measurement Standards: A Review

PubMed Central

Fujiyoshi, So; Tanaka, Daisuke; Maruyama, Fumito

2017-01-01

Human health is influenced by various factors including microorganisms present in built environments where people spend most of their lives (approximately 90%). It is therefore necessary to monitor and control indoor airborne microbes for occupational safety and public health. Most studies concerning airborne microorganisms have focused on fungi, with scant data available concerning bacteria. The present review considers papers published from 2010 to 2017 approximately and factors affecting properties of indoor airborne bacteria (communities and concentration) with respect to temporal perspective and to multiscale interaction viewpoint. From a temporal perspective, bacterial concentrations in built environments change depending on numbers of human occupancy, while properties of bacterial communities tend to remain stable. Similarly, the bacteria found in social and community spaces such as offices, classrooms and hospitals are mainly associated with human occupancy. Other major sources of indoor airborne bacteria are (i) outdoor environments, and (ii) the building materials themselves. Indoor bacterial communities and concentrations are varied with varying interferences by outdoor environment. Airborne bacteria from the outdoor environment enter an indoor space through open doors and windows, while indoor bacteria are simultaneously released to the outer environment. Outdoor bacterial communities and their concentrations are also affected by geographical factors such as types of land use and their spatial distribution. The bacteria found in built environments therefore originate from any of the natural and man-made surroundings around humans. Therefore, to better understand the factors influencing bacterial concentrations and communities in built environments, we should study all the environments that humans contact as a single ecosystem. In this review, we propose the establishment of a standard procedure for assessing properties of indoor airborne bacteria using

Understanding the Laminar Distribution of Tropospheric Ozone from Ground-Based, Airborne, Spaceborne, and Modeling Perspectives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newchurch, Mike; Johnson, Matthew S.; Huang, Guanyu; Kuang, Shi; Wang, Lihua; Chance, Kelly; Liu, Xiong

2016-01-01

Laminar ozone structure is a ubiquitous feature of tropospheric-ozone distributions resulting from dynamic and chemical atmospheric processes. Understanding the characteristics of these ozone laminae and the mechanisms responsible for producing them is important to outline the transport pathways of trace gases and to quantify the impact of different sources on tropospheric background ozone. In this study, we present a new method to detect ozone laminae to understand their climatological characteristics of occurrence frequency in terms of thickness and altitude. We employ both ground-based and airborne ozone lidar measurements and other synergistic observations and modeling to investigate the sources and mechanisms such as biomass burning transport, stratospheric intrusion, lightning-generated NOx, and nocturnal low-level jets that are responsible for depleted or enhanced tropospheric ozone layers. Spaceborne (e.g., OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument), TROPOMI (Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument), TEMPO (Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution)) measurements of these laminae will observe greater horizontal extent and lower vertical resolution than balloon-borne or lidar measurements will quantify. Using integrated ground-based, airborne, and spaceborne observations in a modeling framework affords insight into how to gain knowledge of both the vertical and horizontal evolution of these ubiquitous ozone laminae.

Laser heterodyne detection techniques. [for atmospheric monitoring applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menzies, R. T.

1976-01-01

The principles of heterodyne radiometry are examined, taking into account thermal radiation, the Dicke microwave radiometer, photomixing in the infrared, and signal-to-noise considerations. The passive heterodyne radiometer is considered and a description is presented of heterodyne techniques in active monitoring systems. Attention is given to gas emissivities in the infrared, component requirements, experimental heterodyne detection of gases, a comparison of the passive heterodyne radiometer with the Michelson interferometer-spectrometer, airborne monitoring applications, turbulence effects on passive heterodyne radiometry, sensitivity improvements with heterodyning, atmosphere-induced degradation of bistatic system performance, pollutant detection experiments with a bistatic system, and the airborne laser absorption spectrometer. Future improvements in spectral flexibility are also discussed.

Meteorological factors had more impact on airborne bacterial communities than air pollutants.

PubMed

Zhen, Quan; Deng, Ye; Wang, Yaqing; Wang, Xiaoke; Zhang, Hongxing; Sun, Xu; Ouyang, Zhiyun

2017-12-01

Airborne bacteria have gained increasing attention because they affect ecological balance and pose potential risks on human health. Recently, some studies have focused on the abundance and composition of airborne bacteria under heavy, hazy polluted weather in China, but they reached different conclusions about the comparisons with non-polluted days. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that meteorological factors could have a higher impact on shaping airborne bacterial communities than air pollutants by systematically monitoring the communities for 1year. Total suspended particles in Beijing were sampled for 20 consecutive days in each season of 2015. Bacterial abundance varied from 8.71×10 3 to 2.14×10 7 ribosomal operons per cubic meter according to the quantitative PCR analysis. There were relatively higher bacterial counts in spring and in autumn than in winter and summer. Airborne bacterial communities displayed a strong seasonality, according to the hierarchical cluster analysis. Only two exceptions overtook the seasonal trend, and both occurred in or after violent meteorological changes (sandstorm or rain). Aggregated boosted tree analysis performed on bacterial abundance showed that the dominant factors shaping bacterial communities were meteorological. They were air pressure in winter, air temperature and relative humidity in spring, RH in summer, and vapor pressure in autumn. Variation partition analysis on community structure showed that meteorological factors explained more variations than air pollutants. Therefore, both of the two models verified our hypothesis that the differences in airborne bacterial communities in polluted days or non-polluted days were mainly driven by the discrepancies of meteorological factors rather than by the presence of air pollutants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Study of different filtering techniques applied to spectra from airborne gamma spectrometry

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

Wilhelm, Emilien; Gutierrez, Sebastien; Reboli, Anne

2015-07-01

One of the features of spectra obtained by airborne gamma spectrometry is low counting statistics due to the short acquisition time (1 s) and the large source-detector distance (40 m). It leads to considerable uncertainty in radionuclide identification and determination of their respective activities from the windows method recommended by the IAEA, especially for low-level radioactivity. The present work compares the results obtained with filters in terms of errors of the filtered spectra with the window method and over the whole gamma energy range. The results are used to determine which filtering technique is the most suitable in combination withmore » some method for total stripping of the spectrum. (authors)« less

Improvements and limitations on understanding of atmospheric processes of Fukushima Daiichi NPS radioactivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamazawa, Hiromi; Terasaka, Yuta; Mizutani, Kenta; Sugiura, Hiroki; Hirao, Shigekazu

2017-04-01

Understanding on the release of radioactivity into the atmosphere from the accidental units of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station have been improved owing to recent analyses of atmospheric concentrations of radionuclide. Our analysis of gamma-ray spectra from monitoring posts located about 100 km to the south of the site revealed temporal changes of atmospheric concentrations of several key nuclides including noble gas Xe-133 in addition to radio-iodine and cesium nuclides, including I-131 and Cs-137, at a 10 minute interval. By using the atmospheric concentration data, in combination with an inverse atmospheric transport modelling with a Bayesian statistical method, a modification was proposed for the widely used Katata's source term. A source term for Xe-133 was also proposed. Although the atmospheric concentration data and the source terms help us understand the atmospheric transport processes of radionuclides, they still have significant uncertainty due to limitations in availability of the concentration data. There still remain limitations in the atmospheric transport modeling. The largest uncertainty in the model is in the deposition processes. It had been pointed out that, in the 100 km range from the accidental site, there were locations at which the ambient dose rate significantly increased a few hours before precipitation detectors recorded the start of rain. According to our analysis, the dose rate increase was not directly caused by the air-borne radioactivity but by deposition. This phenomenon can be attributed to a deposition process in which evaporating precipitation enhances efficiency of deposition even in a case where no precipitation is observed at ground level.

An airborne remote sensing system for urban air quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duncan, L. J.; Friedman, E. J.; Keitz, E. L.; Ward, E. A.

1974-01-01

Several NASA sponsored remote sensors and possible airborne platforms were evaluated. Outputs of dispersion models for SO2 and CO pollution in the Washington, D.C. area were used with ground station data to establish the expected performance and limitations of the remote sensors. Aircraft/sensor support requirements are discussed. A method of optimum flight plan determination was made. Cost trade offs were performed. Conclusions about the implementation of various instrument packages as parts of a comprehensive air quality monitoring system in Washington are presented.

Determining a pre-mining radiological baseline from historic airborne gamma surveys: a case study.

PubMed

Bollhöfer, Andreas; Beraldo, Annamarie; Pfitzner, Kirrilly; Esparon, Andrew; Doering, Che

2014-01-15

Knowing the baseline level of radioactivity in areas naturally enriched in radionuclides is important in the uranium mining context to assess radiation doses to humans and the environment both during and after mining. This information is particularly useful in rehabilitation planning and developing closure criteria for uranium mines as only radiation doses additional to the natural background are usually considered 'controllable' for radiation protection purposes. In this case study we have tested whether the method of contemporary groundtruthing of a historic airborne gamma survey could be used to determine the pre-mining radiological conditions at the Ranger mine in northern Australia. The airborne gamma survey was flown in 1976 before mining started and groundtruthed using ground gamma dose rate measurements made between 2007 and 2009 at an undisturbed area naturally enriched in uranium (Anomaly 2) located nearby the Ranger mine. Measurements of (226)Ra soil activity concentration and (222)Rn exhalation flux density at Anomaly 2 were made concurrent with the ground gamma dose rate measurements. Algorithms were developed to upscale the ground gamma data to the same spatial resolution as the historic airborne gamma survey data using a geographic information system, allowing comparison of the datasets. Linear correlation models were developed to estimate the pre-mining gamma dose rates, (226)Ra soil activity concentrations, and (222)Rn exhalation flux densities at selected areas in the greater Ranger region. The modelled levels agreed with measurements made at the Ranger Orebodies 1 and 3 before mining started, and at environmental sites in the region. The conclusion is that our approach can be used to determine baseline radiation levels, and provide a benchmark for rehabilitation of uranium mines or industrial sites where historical airborne gamma survey data are available and an undisturbed radiological analogue exists to groundtruth the data. © 2013.

Air-borne and tissue-borne sensitivities of bioacoustic sensors used on the skin surface.

PubMed

Zañartu, Matías; Ho, Julio C; Kraman, Steve S; Pasterkamp, Hans; Huber, Jessica E; Wodicka, George R

2009-02-01

Measurements of body sounds on the skin surface have been widely used in the medical field and continue to be a topic of current research, ranging from the diagnosis of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases to the monitoring of voice dosimetry. These measurements are typically made using light-weight accelerometers and/or air-coupled microphones attached to the skin. Although normally neglected, air-borne sounds generated by the subject or other sources of background noise can easily corrupt such recordings, which is particularly critical in the recording of voiced sounds on the skin surface. In this study, the sensitivity of commonly used bioacoustic sensors to air-borne sounds was evaluated and compared with their sensitivity to tissue-borne body sounds. To delineate the sensitivity to each pathway, the sensors were first tested in vitro and then on human subjects. The results indicated that, in general, the air-borne sensitivity is sufficiently high to significantly corrupt body sound signals. In addition, the air-borne and tissue-borne sensitivities can be used to discriminate between these components. Although the study is focused on the evaluation of voiced sounds on the skin surface, an extension of the proposed methods to other bioacoustic applications is discussed.

Data Analysis of Airborne Electromagnetic Bathymetry.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-04-01

7 AD-R 58 889 DATA ANALYSIS OF AIRBORNE ELECTROMAGNETIC BRTHYMETRY i/i (U) NAVAL OCEAN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY NSTL STRTION MS R ZOLLINGER...Naval Ocean Research and Development Activity NSTL, Mississippi 39529 NORDA Report 93 April 1985 AD-A158 809 - Data Analysis of Airborne Electromagnetic ...8217 - Foreword CI Airborne electromagnetic (AEM) systems have traditionally been used for detecting anomalous conductors in the

The Airborne Visible / Infrared Imaging Spectrometer AVIS: Design, Characterization and Calibration.

PubMed

Oppelt, Natascha; Mauser, Wolfram

2007-09-14

The Airborne Visible / Infrared imaging Spectrometer AVIS is a hyperspectralimager designed for environmental monitoring purposes. The sensor, which wasconstructed entirely from commercially available components, has been successfullydeployed during several experiments between 1999 and 2007. We describe the instrumentdesign and present the results of laboratory characterization and calibration of the system'ssecond generation, AVIS-2, which is currently being operated. The processing of the datais described and examples of remote sensing reflectance data are presented.

Airborne Optical Communications Demonstrator Design And Preflight Test Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biswas, Abhijit; Page, N.; Neal, J.; Zhu, D.; Wright, M.; Ovtiz, G.; Farr, W. H.; Hernnzati, H.

2005-01-01

A second generation optical communications demonstrator (OCD-2) intended for airborne applications like air-to-ground and air-to-air optical links is under development at JPL. This development provides the capability for unidirectional high data rate (2.5-Gbps) transmission at 1550-nm, with the ability to receive an 810-nm beacon to aid acquisition pointing and tracking. The transmitted beam width is nominally 200-(micro)rad. A 3x3 degree coarse field-of-view (FOV) acquisition sensor with a much smaller 3-mrad FOV tracking sensor is incorporated. The OCD-2 optical head will be integrated to a high performance gimbal turret assembly capable of providing pointing stability of 5- microradians from an airborne platform. Other parts of OCD-2 include a cable harness, connecting the optical head in the gimbal turret assembly to a rugged electronics box. The electronics box will house: command and control processors, laser transmitter, data-generation-electronics, power conversion/distribution hardware and state-of-health monitors. The entire assembly will be integrated and laboratory tested prior to a planned flight demonstrations.

Quantitative real-time monitoring of multi-elements in airborne particulates by direct introduction into an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Yoshinari; Sato, Hikaru; Hiyoshi, Katsuhiro; Furuta, Naoki

2012-10-01

A new calibration system for real-time determination of trace elements in airborne particulates was developed. Airborne particulates were directly introduced into an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer, and the concentrations of 15 trace elements were determined by means of an external calibration method. External standard solutions were nebulized by an ultrasonic nebulizer (USN) coupled with a desolvation system, and the resulting aerosol was introduced into the plasma. The efficiency of sample introduction via the USN was calculated by two methods: (1) the introduction of a Cr standard solution via the USN was compared with introduction of a Cr(CO)6 standard gas via a standard gas generator and (2) the aerosol generated by the USN was trapped on filters and then analyzed. The Cr introduction efficiencies obtained by the two methods were the same, and the introduction efficiencies of the other elements were equal to the introduction efficiency of Cr. Our results indicated that our calibration method for introduction efficiency worked well for the 15 elements (Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Sn, Sb, Ba, Tl and Pb). The real-time data and the filter-collection data agreed well for elements with low-melting oxides (V, Co, As, Mo, Sb, Tl, and Pb). In contrast, the real-time data were smaller than the filter-collection data for elements with high-melting oxides (Ti, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sn, and Ba). This result implies that the oxides of these 8 elements were not completely fused, vaporized, atomized, and ionized in the initial radiation zone of the inductively coupled plasma. However, quantitative real-time monitoring can be realized after correction for the element recoveries which can be calculated from the ratio of real-time data/filter-collection data.

Application of GIS technologies to monitor secondary radioactive contamination in the Delegen mountain massif

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alipbeki, O.; Kabzhanova, G.; Kurmanova, G.; Alipbekova, Ch.

2016-06-01

The territory of the Degelen mountain massif is located within territory of the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and it is an area of ecological disaster. Currently there is a process of secondary radioactive contamination that is caused by geodynamic processes activated at the Degelen array, violation of underground hydrological cycles and as a consequence, water seepage into the tunnels. One of the methods of monitoring of geodynamic processes is the modern technology of geographic information systems (GIS), methods of satellite radar interferometry and high accuracy satellite navigation system in conjunction with radioecological methods. This paper discusses on the creation of a GIS-project for the Degelen array, facilitated by quality geospatial analysis of the situation and simulation of the phenomena, in order to maximize an objective assessment of the radiation situation in this protected area.

Separating and stabilizing phosphate from high-level radioactive waste: process development and spectroscopic monitoring.

PubMed

Lumetta, Gregg J; Braley, Jenifer C; Peterson, James M; Bryan, Samuel A; Levitskaia, Tatiana G

2012-06-05

Removing phosphate from alkaline high-level waste sludges at the Department of Energy's Hanford Site in Washington State is necessary to increase the waste loading in the borosilicate glass waste form that will be used to immobilize the highly radioactive fraction of these wastes. We are developing a process which first leaches phosphate from the high-level waste solids with aqueous sodium hydroxide, and then isolates the phosphate by precipitation with calcium oxide. Tests with actual tank waste confirmed that this process is an effective method of phosphate removal from the sludge and offers an additional option for managing the phosphorus in the Hanford tank waste solids. The presence of vibrationally active species, such as nitrate and phosphate ions, in the tank waste processing streams makes the phosphate removal process an ideal candidate for monitoring by Raman or infrared spectroscopic means. As a proof-of-principle demonstration, Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra were acquired for all phases during a test of the process with actual tank waste. Quantitative determination of phosphate, nitrate, and sulfate in the liquid phases was achieved by Raman spectroscopy, demonstrating the applicability of Raman spectroscopy for the monitoring of these species in the tank waste process streams.

An automated data exploitation system for airborne sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hai-Wen; McGurr, Mike

2014-06-01

Advanced wide area persistent surveillance (WAPS) sensor systems on manned or unmanned airborne vehicles are essential for wide-area urban security monitoring in order to protect our people and our warfighter from terrorist attacks. Currently, human (imagery) analysts process huge data collections from full motion video (FMV) for data exploitation and analysis (real-time and forensic), providing slow and inaccurate results. An Automated Data Exploitation System (ADES) is urgently needed. In this paper, we present a recently developed ADES for airborne vehicles under heavy urban background clutter conditions. This system includes four processes: (1) fast image registration, stabilization, and mosaicking; (2) advanced non-linear morphological moving target detection; (3) robust multiple target (vehicles, dismounts, and human) tracking (up to 100 target tracks); and (4) moving or static target/object recognition (super-resolution). Test results with real FMV data indicate that our ADES can reliably detect, track, and recognize multiple vehicles under heavy urban background clutters. Furthermore, our example shows that ADES as a baseline platform can provide capability for vehicle abnormal behavior detection to help imagery analysts quickly trace down potential threats and crimes.

Monitoring small pioneer trees in the forest-tundra ecotone: using multi-temporal airborne laser scanning data to model height growth.

PubMed

Hauglin, Marius; Bollandsås, Ole Martin; Gobakken, Terje; Næsset, Erik

2017-12-08

Monitoring of forest resources through national forest inventory programmes is carried out in many countries. The expected climate changes will affect trees and forests and might cause an expansion of trees into presently treeless areas, such as above the current alpine tree line. It is therefore a need to develop methods that enable the inclusion of also these areas into monitoring programmes. Airborne laser scanning (ALS) is an established tool in operational forest inventories, and could be a viable option for monitoring tasks. In the present study, we used multi-temporal ALS data with point density of 8-15 points per m 2 , together with field measurements from single trees in the forest-tundra ecotone along a 1500-km-long transect in Norway. The material comprised 262 small trees with an average height of 1.78 m. The field-measured height growth was derived from height measurements at two points in time. The elapsed time between the two measurements was 4 years. Regression models were then used to model the relationship between ALS-derived variables and tree heights as well as the height growth. Strong relationships between ALS-derived variables and tree heights were found, with R 2 values of 0.93 and 0.97 for the two points in time. The relationship between the ALS data and the field-derived height growth was weaker, with R 2 values of 0.36-0.42. A cross-validation gave corresponding results, with root mean square errors of 19 and 11% for the ALS height models and 60% for the model relating ALS data to single-tree height growth.

Airborne Submillimeter Spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zmuidzinas, J.

1998-01-01

This is the final technical report for NASA-Ames grant NAG2-1068 to Caltech, entitled "Airborne Submillimeter Spectroscopy", which extended over the period May 1, 1996 through January 31, 1998. The grant was funded by the NASA airborne astronomy program, during a period of time after the Kuiper Airborne Observatory was no longer operational. Instead. this funding program was intended to help develop instrument concepts and technology for the upcoming SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) project. SOFIA, which is funded by NASA and is now being carried out by a consortium lead by USRA (Universities Space Research Association), will be a 747 aircraft carrying a 2.5 meter diameter telescope. The purpose of our grant was to fund the ongoing development of sensitive heterodyne receivers for the submillimeter band (500-1200 GHz), using sensitive superconducting (SIS) detectors. In 1997 July we submitted a proposal to USRA to construct a heterodyne instrument for SOFIA. Our proposal was successful [1], and we are now continuing our airborne astronomy effort with funding from USRA. A secondary purpose of the NAG2-1068 grant was to continue the anaIN'sis of astronomical data collected with an earlier instrument which was flown on the NASA Kuiper Airborne Observatory (KAO). The KAO instrument and the astronomical studies which were carried out with it were supported primarily under another grant, NAG2-744, which extended over October 1, 1991 through Januarv 31, 1997. For a complete description of the astronomical data and its anailysis, we refer the reader to the final technical report for NAG2-744, which was submitted to NASA on December 1. 1997. Here we report on the SIS detector development effort for SOFIA carried out under NAG2-1068. The main result of this effort has been the demonstration of SIS mixers using a new superconducting material niobium titanium nitride (NbTiN), which promises to deliver dramatic improvements in sensitivity in the 700

Dose Calculation For Accidental Release Of Radioactive Cloud Passing Over Jeddah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alharbi, N. D.; Mayhoub, A. B.

2011-12-01

For the evaluation of doses after the reactor accident, in particular for the inhalation dose, a thorough knowledge of the concentration of the various radionuclide in air during the passage of the plume is required. In this paper we present an application of the Gaussian Plume Model (GPM) to calculate the atmospheric dispersion and airborne radionuclide concentration resulting from radioactive cloud over the city of Jeddah (KSA). The radioactive cloud is assumed to be emitted from a reactor of 10 MW power in postulated accidental release. Committed effective doses (CEDs) to the public at different distance from the source to the receptor are calculated. The calculations were based on meteorological condition and data of the Jeddah site. These data are: pasquill atmospheric stability is the class B and the wind speed is 2.4m/s at 10m height in the N direction. The residence time of some radionuclides considered in this study were calculated. The results indicate that, the values of doses first increase with distance, reach a maximum value and then gradually decrease. The total dose received by human is estimated by using the estimated values of residence time of each radioactive pollutant at different distances.

Simultaneous sampling of indoor and outdoor airborne radioactivity after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident.

PubMed

Ishikawa, Tetsuo; Sorimachi, Atsuyuki; Arae, Hideki; Sahoo, Sarata Kumar; Janik, Miroslaw; Hosoda, Masahiro; Tokonami, Shinji

2014-02-18

Several studies have estimated inhalation doses for the public because of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. Most of them were based on measurement of radioactivity in outdoor air and included the assumption that people stayed outdoors all day. Although this assumption gives a conservative estimate, it is not realistic. The "air decontamination factor" (ratio of indoor to outdoor air radionuclide concentrations) was estimated from simultaneous sampling of radioactivity in both inside and outside air of one building. The building was a workplace and located at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Aerosol-associated radioactive materials in air were collected onto filters, and the filters were analyzed by γ spectrometry at NIRS. The filter sampling was started on March 15, 2011 and was continued for more than 1 year. Several radionuclides, such as (131)I, (134)Cs, and (137)Cs were found by measuring the filters with a germanium detector. The air decontamination factor was around 0.64 for particulate (131)I and 0.58 for (137)Cs. These values could give implications for the ratio of indoor to outdoor radionuclide concentrations after the FDNPP accident for a similar type of building.

Radioactive Phosphorylation of Alcohols to Monitor Biocatalytic Diels-Alder Reactions

PubMed Central

Nierth, Alexander; Jäschke, Andres

2011-01-01

Nature has efficiently adopted phosphorylation for numerous biological key processes, spanning from cell signaling to energy storage and transmission. For the bioorganic chemist the number of possible ways to attach a single phosphate for radioactive labeling is surprisingly small. Here we describe a very simple and fast one-pot synthesis to phosphorylate an alcohol with phosphoric acid using trichloroacetonitrile as activating agent. Using this procedure, we efficiently attached the radioactive phosphorus isotope 32P to an anthracene diene, which is a substrate for the Diels-Alderase ribozyme—an RNA sequence that catalyzes the eponymous reaction. We used the 32P-substrate for the measurement of RNA-catalyzed reaction kinetics of several dye-labeled ribozyme variants for which precise optical activity determination (UV/vis, fluorescence) failed due to interference of the attached dyes. The reaction kinetics were analyzed by thin-layer chromatographic separation of the 32P-labeled reaction components and densitometric analysis of the substrate and product radioactivities, thereby allowing iterative optimization of the dye positions for future single-molecule studies. The phosphorylation strategy with trichloroacetonitrile may be applicable for labeling numerous other compounds that contain alcoholic hydroxyl groups. PMID:21731729

Integrating Airborne and Terrestrial Laser Scanning data to monitor active landsliding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Székely, B.; Molnár, G.; Roncat, A.; Lehner, H.; Gaisecker, Th.; Drexel, P.

2009-04-01

Active slope processes often endanger various built-up objects and, as a consequence, sometimes human lives as well. Data acquision on the status and evolution of such slopes, especially those that had already affected by landsliding, therefore is a primary target for engineering geomorphic research. The method of laser scanning provides an appropriate data collection technique with the requested accuracy. Data from repeated Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) campaigns are suitable to be analysed for the slow, incipient movements of the slope. The problem of this surveying technique is that repetition time is strongly dependent on the financial resources of the monitoring project, and often the requested recurrence of flight campaigns cannot be achieved. A possible solution to densify the data acquisition in time is the application of Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) and intergration of its data with ALS data sets. TLS has the advantage of flexibility and shorter observation distances compared to ALS. This technique needs special considerations and tedious processing since the geometric setting of the data acquision considerably differ in TLS and ALS. Furthermore, obstacles in the landscape may partly hamper the data acqusition which rarely the case in ALS. Our case study area is a several-decade-long active landsliding in Doren (Federal State Vorarlberg, Austria) that as it develops, it is about to endangers houses of the locality. The site is especially suitable for the project, because multi-temporal data sets (from ALS flight campaigns in 2003, 2006 and 2007, respectively) of this area are available. The data integration is carried out in the form of production of point clouds (sensed from various points of the valley sides) and we compared the results with the results of the previous ALS campaigns. With the planned repetition of the TLS measurements new and detailed insights can be achieved concerning the evolution of the incipient and on-going slow motions. This

Airborne laser-diode-array illuminator assessment for the night vision's airborne mine-detection arid test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stetson, Suzanne; Weber, Hadley; Crosby, Frank J.; Tinsley, Kenneth; Kloess, Edmund; Nevis, Andrew J.; Holloway, John H., Jr.; Witherspoon, Ned H.

2004-09-01

The Airborne Littoral Reconnaissance Technologies (ALRT) project has developed and tested a nighttime operational minefield detection capability using commercial off-the-shelf high-power Laser Diode Arrays (LDAs). The Coastal System Station"s ALRT project, under funding from the Office of Naval Research (ONR), has been designing, developing, integrating, and testing commercial arrays using a Cessna airborne platform over the last several years. This has led to the development of the Airborne Laser Diode Array Illuminator wide field-of-view (ALDAI-W) imaging test bed system. The ALRT project tested ALDAI-W at the Army"s Night Vision Lab"s Airborne Mine Detection Arid Test. By participating in Night Vision"s test, ALRT was able to collect initial prototype nighttime operational data using ALDAI-W, showing impressive results and pioneering the way for final test bed demonstration conducted in September 2003. This paper describes the ALDAI-W Arid Test and results, along with processing steps used to generate imagery.

Decoding Environmental Processes Using Radioactive Isotopes for the Post-Radioactive Contamination Recovery Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yasumiishi, Misa; Nishimura, Taku; Osawa, Kazutoshi; Renschler, Chris

2017-04-01

The continual monitoring of environmental radioactive levels in Fukushima, Japan following the nuclear plant accident in March 2011 provides our society with valuable information in two ways. First, the collected data can be used as an indicator to assess the progress of decontamination efforts. Secondly, the collected data also can be used to understand the behavior of radioactive isotopes in the environment which leads to further understanding of the landform processes. These two aspects are inseparable for us to understand the effects of radioactive contamination in a dynamic environmental system. During the summer of 2016, 27 soil core samples were collected on a farmer's land (rice paddies and forest) in Fukushima, about 20 km northwest of the nuclear plant. Each core was divided into 2.0 - 3.0 cm slices for the Cs-134, Cs-137, and I-131 level measurement. The collected data is being analyzed from multiple perspectives: temporal, spatial, and geophysical. In the forest area, even on the same hillslope, multiple soil types and horizon depths were observed which indicates the challenges in assessing the subsurface radioactive isotope movements. It appears that although highly humic soils show higher or about the same level of radioactivity in the surface layers, as the depth increased, the radioactivity decreased more in those samples compared with more sandy soils. With regard to the direction a slope faces and the sampling altitudes, the correlation between those attributes and radioactivity levels is inconclusive at this moment. The altitude might have affected the fallout level on a single hillslope-basis. However, to determine the correlation, further sampling and the detailed analysis of vegetation and topography might be necessary. Where the surface soil was scraped and new soil was brought in, former rice paddy surface layers did show three-magnitude levels lower of radioactivity in the top layer when compared with forest soils. At the foot of forest

FALLOUT DOSAGE AND MONITORING

PubMed Central

Kinsman, Simon

1960-01-01

At present there are a large number of people capable of conducting the task of surface and area radiation monitoring including external monitoring of personnel. Once the extent and the intensity of radioactivity in an area is determined, good use of personnel can be made without too much risk. This is fortunate for the medical profession whose personnel can devote their talents to casualty care during or following nuclear warfare. Most individuals who know how to detect and measure the extent of radioactive contamination are also capable of conducting personnel decontamination operations and would do so if necessary. Consequently the spread of contamination can be minimized by adequate decontamination and the medical personnel can treat casualties who are relatively free of external radioactive contamination. The appropriate use of trained manpower and radiation detection equipment which are available in California combined with sufficient rehearsals prior to a nuclear war will greatly reduce any casualty damage due to radioactive fallout. The chances of survival of individuals can be greatly improved with a little knowledge of protection from radioactive contamination and of salvage of food and water. PMID:14409247

Sweet smells prepare plants for future stress: airborne induction of plant disease immunity.

PubMed

Yi, Hwe-Su; Ryu, Choong-Min; Heil, Martin

2010-05-01

Plants require protection against a wide range of attackers such as insects and pathogens. The adequate plant defense responses are regulated via sophisticated signal cascades, which are activated following the perception of specific cues of the attackers. Plants might, however, gain a significant fitness advantage when pre-empting enemy attack before it actually occurs. Monitoring cues from attacked neighbors can permit plants to reach this goal. We have recently found airborne disease resistance against a bacterial pathogen in uninfected lima bean plants when these were located close to conspecific, resistance-expressing neighbors. The emitters could be chemically induced with benzothiadiazole or biologically with an avirulent pathogen. Unexpectedly, receiver plants, although expressing a functioning resistance, did not show reduced growth rates, which represent a common side-effect of directly induced pathogen resistance. Nonanal was identified as an active volatile and, rather than directly inducing full resistance, primed defense gene expression, which became fully activated only when the plants were subsequently challenged by a virulent pathogen. Priming by airborne signals allows for a more efficient and less costly preparation of plants for future attack and airborne signaling can affect resistance against both major groups of plant enemies: herbivores and pathogens.

Demonstration and development of control mechanism for radioactive sources in Saudi Arabia

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

Al-Kheliewi, A. S.

2012-06-06

Saudi Arabia have no nuclear industry. Nevertheless, many radioactive sources, for different purposes, have been used in the country. There is upswing in the number of companies that recruit nuclear technology in their daily work. The National Center for Radiation Protection (NCRP) takes the full commitment and responsibility for monitoring and regulating the movement of radioactive sources in the country. NCRP issues the licenses for import, export, and use of radioactive sources. It, also, protects the country from any trespassing radiation through a sizable net of early warning and radiation monitoring stations along the borders of Saudi Arabia. This papermore » talks about the procedures of licensing, importing, exporting of radioactive sources. It, also, sheds light on types of implementing radioactive sources in different practices encompass medicine, industry, research. The NCRP has established an electronic web site to ease the communication with all users in the country. This site is yet in the experimental stage.« less

Demonstration and development of control mechanism for radioactive sources in Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Kheliewi, A. S.

2012-06-01

Saudi Arabia have no nuclear industry. Nevertheless, many radioactive sources, for different purposes, have been used in the country. There is upswing in the number of companies that recruit nuclear technology in their daily work. The National Center for Radiation Protection (NCRP) takes the full commitment and responsibility for monitoring and regulating the movement of radioactive sources in the country. NCRP issues the licenses for import, export, and use of radioactive sources. It, also, protects the country from any trespassing radiation through a sizable net of early warning and radiation monitoring stations along the borders of Saudi Arabia. This paper talks about the procedures of licensing, importing, exporting of radioactive sources. It, also, sheds light on types of implementing radioactive sources in different practices encompass medicine, industry, research. The NCRP has established an electronic web site to ease the communication with all users in the country. This site is yet in the experimental stage.

Radioactive Waste Management in A Hospital

PubMed Central

Khan, Shoukat; Syed, AT; Ahmad, Reyaz; Rather, Tanveer A.; Ajaz, M; Jan, FA

2010-01-01

Most of the tertiary care hospitals use radioisotopes for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Safe disposal of the radioactive waste is a vital component of the overall management of the hospital waste. An important objective in radioactive waste management is to ensure that the radiation exposure to an individual (Public, Radiation worker, Patient) and the environment does not exceed the prescribed safe limits. Disposal of Radioactive waste in public domain is undertaken in accordance with the Atomic Energy (Safe disposal of radioactive waste) rules of 1987 promulgated by the Indian Central Government Atomic Energy Act 1962. Any prospective plan of a hospital that intends using radioisotopes for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures needs to have sufficient infrastructural and manpower resources to keep its ambient radiation levels within specified safe limits. Regular monitoring of hospital area and radiation workers is mandatory to assess the quality of radiation safety. Records should be maintained to identify the quality and quantity of radioactive waste generated and the mode of its disposal. Radiation Safety officer plays a key role in the waste disposal operations. PMID:21475524

Radioactive waste management in a hospital.

PubMed

Khan, Shoukat; Syed, At; Ahmad, Reyaz; Rather, Tanveer A; Ajaz, M; Jan, Fa

2010-01-01

Most of the tertiary care hospitals use radioisotopes for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Safe disposal of the radioactive waste is a vital component of the overall management of the hospital waste. An important objective in radioactive waste management is to ensure that the radiation exposure to an individual (Public, Radiation worker, Patient) and the environment does not exceed the prescribed safe limits. Disposal of Radioactive waste in public domain is undertaken in accordance with the Atomic Energy (Safe disposal of radioactive waste) rules of 1987 promulgated by the Indian Central Government Atomic Energy Act 1962. Any prospective plan of a hospital that intends using radioisotopes for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures needs to have sufficient infrastructural and manpower resources to keep its ambient radiation levels within specified safe limits. Regular monitoring of hospital area and radiation workers is mandatory to assess the quality of radiation safety. Records should be maintained to identify the quality and quantity of radioactive waste generated and the mode of its disposal. Radiation Safety officer plays a key role in the waste disposal operations.

Development of Decision Support System for Remote Monitoring of PIP Corn

EPA Science Inventory

The EPA is developing a multi-level approach that utilizes satellite and airborne remote sensing to locate and monitor genetically modified corn in the agricultural landscape and pest infestation. The current status of the EPA IRM monitoring program based on remote sensed imager...

41 CFR 50-204.24 - Caution signs, labels, and signals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... established for a period of 30 days or less, such control device is not required. (d) Airborne radioactivity area. (1) As used in the provisions of this subpart, “airborne radioactivity area” means (i) any room, enclosure, or operating area in which airborne radioactive materials, composed wholly or partly of...

10 CFR Appendix C to Part 835 - Derived Air Concentration (DAC) for Workers From External Exposure During Immersion in a Cloud of...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Exposure During Immersion in a Cloud of Airborne Radioactive Material C Appendix C to Part 835 Energy... Concentration (DAC) for Workers From External Exposure During Immersion in a Cloud of Airborne Radioactive... identifying the need for posting of airborne radioactivity areas in accordance with § 835.603(d). b. The air...

Comparison of Air Impaction and Electrostatic Dust Collector Sampling Methods to Assess Airborne Fungal Contamination in Public Buildings.

PubMed

Normand, Anne-Cécile; Ranque, Stéphane; Cassagne, Carole; Gaudart, Jean; Sallah, Kankoé; Charpin, Denis-André; Piarroux, Renaud

2016-03-01

Many ailments can be linked to exposure to indoor airborne fungus. However, obtaining a precise measurement of airborne fungal levels is complicated partly due to indoor air fluctuations and non-standardized techniques. Electrostatic dust collector (EDC) sampling devices have been used to measure a wide range of airborne analytes, including endotoxins, allergens, β-glucans, and microbial DNA in various indoor environments. In contrast, viable mold contamination has only been assessed in highly contaminated environments such as farms and archive buildings. This study aimed to assess the use of EDCs, compared with repeated air-impactor measurements, to assess airborne viable fungal flora in moderately contaminated indoor environments. Indoor airborne fungal flora was cultured from EDCs and daily air-impaction samples collected in an office building and a daycare center. The quantitative fungal measurements obtained using a single EDC significantly correlated with the cumulative measurement of nine daily air impactions. Both methods enabled the assessment of fungal exposure, although a few differences were observed between the detected fungal species and the relative quantity of each species. EDCs were also used over a 32-month period to monitor indoor airborne fungal flora in a hospital office building, which enabled us to assess the impact of outdoor events (e.g. ground excavations) on the fungal flora levels on the indoor environment. In conclusion, EDC-based measurements provided a relatively accurate profile of the viable airborne flora present during a sampling period. In particular, EDCs provided a more representative assessment of fungal levels compared with single air-impactor sampling. The EDC technique is also simpler than performing repetitive air-impaction measures over the course of several consecutive days. EDC is a versatile tool for collecting airborne samples and was efficient for measuring mold levels in indoor environments. © The Author 2015

Viewer Makes Radioactivity "Visible"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yin, L. I.

1983-01-01

Battery operated viewer demonstrates feasibility of generating threedimensional visible light simulations of objects that emit X-ray or gamma rays. Ray paths are traced for two pinhold positions to show location of reconstructed image. Images formed by pinholes are converted to intensified visible-light images. Applications range from radioactivity contamination surveys to monitoring radioisotope absorption in tumors.

An update on airborne contact dermatitis.

PubMed

Huygens, S; Goossens, A

2001-01-01

This review is an update of 2 previously published articles on airborne contact dermatoses. Because reports in the literature often omit the term 'airborne', 18 volumes of Contact Dermatitis (April 1991-June 2000), 8 volumes of the American Journal of Contact Dermatitis (1992 1999) and 4 volumes of La Lettre du Gerda (1996-1999) were screened, and the cases cited were classified as to history, lesion locations, sensitization sources, and other factors. Reports on airborne dermatitis are increasingly being published, sometimes in relation to specific occupational areas.

Measurement of airborne 131I, 134)Cs and 137Cs due to the Fukushima reactor incident in Milan (Italy).

PubMed

Clemenza, M; Fiorini, E; Previtali, E; Sala, E

2012-12-01

After the earthquake and the tsunami occurred in Japan on March 2011, four of the Fukushima reactors had released in air a large amount of radioactive isotopes that diffused all over the world. The presence of airborne (131)I, (134)Cs, and (137)Cs in air particulate due to this accident were detected and measured in the Low Radioactivity Laboratory operating in the Department of Environmental Sciences of the University of Milano-Bicocca. The sensitivity of the detecting apparatus is of 0.2 uBq/m(3) of air. Concentration and time distribution of these radiocontaminations ranging from a few to 400 uBq/m(3) for the (131)I and of a few tens of uBq/m(3) for the (137)Cs and (134)Cs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A study to identify and compare airborne systems for in-situ measurements of launch vehicle effluents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, T. J.; Chace, A. S.

1974-01-01

An in-situ system for monitoring the concentration of HCl, CO, CO2, and Al2O3 in the cloud of reaction products that form as a result of a launch of solid propellant launch vehicle is studied. A wide array of instrumentation and platforms are reviewed to yield the recommended system. An airborne system suited to monitoring pollution concentrations over urban areas for the purpose of calibrating remote sensors is then selected using a similar methodology to yield the optimal configuration.

Quick response airborne command post communications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blaisdell, Randy L.

1988-08-01

National emergencies and strategic crises come in all forms and sizes ranging from natural disasters at one end of the scale up to and including global nuclear warfare at the other. Since the early 1960s the U.S. Government has spent billions of dollars fielding airborne command posts to ensure continuity of government and the command and control function during times of theater conventional, theater nuclear, and global nuclear warfare. Unfortunately, cost has prevented the extension of the airborne command post technology developed for these relatively unlikely events to the lower level, though much more likely to occur, crises such as natural disasters, terrorist acts, political insurgencies, etc. This thesis proposes the implementation of an economical airborne command post concept to address the wide variety of crises ignored by existing military airborne command posts. The system is known as the Quick Response Airborne Command Post (QRAC Post) and is based on the exclusive use of commercially owned and operated aircraft, and commercially available automated data processing and communications resources. The thesis addresses the QRAC Post concept at a systems level and is primarily intended to demonstrate how current technology can be exploited to economically achieve a national objective.

The magnitude and relevance of the February 2014 radiation release from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant repository in New Mexico, USA.

PubMed

Thakur, P; Lemons, B G; White, C R

2016-09-15

After almost fifteen years of successful waste disposal operations, the first unambiguous airborne radiation release from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) was detected beyond the site boundary on February 14, 2014. It was the first accident of its kind in the 15-year operating history of the WIPP. The accident released moderate levels of radioactivity into the underground air. A small but measurable amount of radioactivity also escaped to the surface through the ventilation system and was detected above ground. The dominant radionuclides released were americium and plutonium, in a ratio consistent with the known content of a breached drum. The radiation release was caused by a runaway chemical reaction inside a transuranic (TRU) waste drum which experienced a seal and lid failure, spewing radioactive materials into the repository. According to source-term estimation, approximately 2 to 10Ci of radioactivity was released from the breached drum into the underground, and an undetermined fraction of that source term became airborne, setting off an alarm and triggering the closure of seals designed to force exhausting air through a system of filters including high-efficiency-particulate-air (HEPA) filters. Air monitoring across the WIPP site intensified following the first reports of radiation detection underground to determine the extent of impact to WIPP personnel, the public, and the environment, if any. This article attempts to compile and interpret analytical data collected by an independent monitoring program conducted by the Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring & Research Center (CEMRC) and by a compliance-monitoring program conducted by the WIPP's management and operating contractor, the Nuclear Waste Partnership (NWP), LLC., in response to the accident. Both the independent and the WIPP monitoring efforts concluded that the levels detected were very low and localized, and no radiation-related health effects among local workers or the public would be expected

OPTICAL REMOTE SENSING FOR AIR QUALITY MONITORING

EPA Science Inventory

The paper outlines recent developments in using optical remote sensing (ORS) instruments for air quality monitoring both for gaseous pollutants and airborne particulate matter (PM). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been using open-path Fourier transform infrared...

Chernobyl radioactivity found in mid-water sediment interceptors in the N. Pacific and Bering Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusakabe, M.; Ku, T.-L.; Harada, K.; Taguchi, K.; Tsunogai, S.

1988-01-01

Fission-product nuclides 134Cs, 137Cs and 103Ru originated from the Chernobyl accident have been detected in sediment traps deployed at mid-water depths ranging from 110 to 780 m in the N. Pacific and the Bering Sea. The detected radioactivities, originally associated with fine airborne particles, have apparently been incorporated into much larger aggregates of predominantly biogenic material formed in the surface ocean, and transferred downward through the water column with velocities of the order of 100 m/day.

Airborne mapping of Seoul's atmosphere: Trace gas measurements from GeoTASO during KORUS-AQ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nowlan, C. R.; Al-Saadi, J. A.; Castellanos, P.; Chance, K.; Gonzalez Abad, G.; Janz, S. J.; Judd, L.; Kowalewski, M. G.; Liu, X.

2017-12-01

The Geostationary Trace gas and Aerosol Sensor Optimization (GeoTASO) instrument is a pushbroom airborne remote sensing instrument capable of making measurements of air quality and ocean color using backscattered UV and visible light. GeoTASO is an airborne test-bed for the upcoming Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) and Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) geostationary satellite missions, which will measure air quality over North America and Asia, respectively. GeoTASO also acts as a satellite analogue during field campaigns. GeoTASO flew on the NASA Langley Research Center UC-12 aircraft during the Korea-United States Air Quality Study in May-June 2016, collecting spectra over South Korea during 30 flights over 19 flight days. These observations can be used to derive 2-D maps of tropospheric trace gases including ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, formaldehyde, nitrous acid and glyoxal below the aircraft at spatial resolutions between 250 m x 250 m and 1 km x 1 km, depending on the gas. We present spatially resolved trace gas retrievals over Seoul and its surrounding industrial regions, and comparisons with correlative satellite and campaign data.

An integrated GPS-FID system for airborne gas detection of pipeline right-of-ways

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

Gehue, H.L.; Sommer, P.

1996-12-31

Pipeline integrity, safety and environmental concerns are of prime importance in the Canadian natural gas industry. Terramatic Technology Inc. (TTI) has developed an integrated GPS/FID gas detection system known as TTI-AirTrac{trademark} for use in airborne gas detection (AGD) along pipeline right-of-ways. The Flame Ionization Detector (FID), which has traditionally been used to monitor air quality for gas plants and refineries, has been integrated with the Global Positioning System (GPS) via a 486 DX2-50 computer and specialized open architecture data acquisition software. The purpose of this technology marriage is to be able to continuously monitor air quality during airborne pipeline inspection.more » Event tagging from visual surveillance is used to determine an explanation of any delta line deviations (DLD). These deviations are an indication of hydrocarbon gases present in the plume that the aircraft has passed through. The role of the GPS system is to provide mapping information and coordinate data for ground inspections. The ground based inspection using a handheld multi gas detector will confirm whether or not a leak exists.« less

The Role of Airborne Proteins in Atopic Dermatitis

PubMed Central

Hostetler, Sarah Grim; Kaffenberger, Benjamin; Hostetler, Todd

2010-01-01

Atopic dermatitis is a common, chronic skin condition. A subpopulation of patients may have cutaneous exposure to common airborne proteins exacerbating their disease through direct proteolytic activity, direct activation of proteinase-activated receptor-2 itch receptors, and immunoglobulin E binding. The most common airborne proteins significant in atopic dermatitis include house dust mites, cockroach, pet dander, and multiple pollens. The literature on atopy patch testing, skin-prick testing, and specific IgE is mixed, with greater support for the use of atopy patch test. Patients with airborne proteins contributing to their disease typically have lesions predominately on air-exposed skin surfaces including the face, neck, and arms; a history of exacerbations after exposure to airborne proteins; severe disease resistant to conventional therapies; and concurrent asthma. Treatment strategies include airborne protein avoidance, removal of airborne proteins from the skin, and barrier repair. Further research is needed to establish the benefit of allergen-specific immunotherapy. PMID:20725535

Airborne Transparencies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horne, Lois Thommason

1984-01-01

Starting from a science project on flight, art students discussed and investigated various means of moving in space. Then they made acetate illustrations which could be used as transparencies. The projection phenomenon made the illustrations look airborne. (CS)

Airborne ballistic camera tracking systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Redish, W. L.

1976-01-01

An operational airborne ballistic camera tracking system was tested for operational and data reduction feasibility. The acquisition and data processing requirements of the system are discussed. Suggestions for future improvements are also noted. A description of the data reduction mathematics is outlined. Results from a successful reentry test mission are tabulated. The test mission indicated that airborne ballistic camera tracking systems are feasible.

Airborne Lidar Surface Topography (LIST) Simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yu, Anthony W.; Krainak, Michael A.; Harding, David J.; Abshire, James B.; Sun, Xiaoli; Cavanaugh, John; Valett, Susan; Ramos-Izquierdo, Luis; Winkert, Tom; Plants, Michael;

2016 Waste Management Monitoring Report Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Sites

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

Black, David

Environmental monitoring data are collected at and around the Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Sites (RWMSs) within the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). These data include direct radiation exposure, as well as radiation from the air, groundwater, meteorology, and vadose zone. This report summarizes the 2016 environmental data to provide an overall evaluation of RWMS performance and to support environmental compliance and performance assessment (PA) activities. Some of these data (e.g., radiation exposure, air, and groundwater) are presented in other reports, developed by National Security Technologies, LLC Direct radiation monitoring data indicate exposure levels at the RWMSsmore » are within the range of background levels measured at the NNSS. Slightly elevated exposure levels outside the Area 3 RWMS are attributed to nearby historical aboveground nuclear weapons tests. Air monitoring data show that tritium concentrations in water vapor and americium and plutonium concentrations in air particles are below Derived Concentration Standards for these radionuclides. Groundwater monitoring data indicate the groundwater in the uppermost aquifer beneath the Area 5 RWMS is not impacted by RWMS operations. Results of groundwater analysis from wells around the Area 5 RWMS were all below established investigation levels. Leachate samples collected from the leachate collection system at the mixed low-level waste cell were below established contaminant regulatory limits. During 2016, precipitation at the Area 3 RWMS was 8% below average, and precipitation at the Area 5 RWMS was 8% above average. Water balance measurements indicate that evapotranspiration from the vegetated weighing lysimeter dries the soil and prevents downward percolation of precipitation more effectively than evaporation as measured from the bare-soil weighing lysimeter. Vadose zone monitoring on Area 5 and Area 3 RWMS cell covers shows no evidence of precipitation percolating through the

Radioactive release during nuclear accidents in Chernobyl and Fukushima

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nur Ain Sulaiman, Siti; Mohamed, Faizal; Rahim, Ahmad Nabil Ab

2018-01-01

Nuclear accidents that occurred in Chernobyl and Fukushima have initiated many research interests to understand the cause and mechanism of radioactive release within reactor compound and to the environment. Common types of radionuclide release are the fission products from the irradiated fuel rod itself. In case of nuclear accident, the focus of monitoring will be mostly on the release of noble gases, I-131 and Cs-137. As these are the only accidents have been rated within International Nuclear Events Scale (INES) Level 7, the radioactive release to the environment was one of the critical insights to be monitored. It was estimated that the release of radioactive material to the atmosphere due to Fukushima accident was approximately 10% of the Chernobyl accident. By referring to the previous reports using computational code systems to model the release rate, the release activity of I-131 and Cs-137 in Chernobyl was significantly higher compare to Fukushima. The simulation code also showed that Chernobyl had higher release rate of both radionuclides on the day of accident. Other factors affecting the radioactive release for Fukushima and Chernobyl accidents such as the current reactor technology and safety measures are also compared for discussion.

Development and deployment of an underway radioactive cesium monitor off the Japanese coast near Fukushima Dai-ichi.

PubMed

Caffrey, J A; Higley, K A; Farsoni, A T; Smith, S; Menn, S

2012-09-01

A custom radiation monitoring system was developed by Oregon State University at the request of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute to measure radioactive cesium contaminants in the ocean waters near Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. The system was to be used on board the R/V Ka'imikai-O-Kanaloa during a 15 d research cruise to provide real-time approximations of radionuclide concentration and alert researchers to the possible occurrence of highly elevated radionuclide concentrations. A NaI(Tl) scintillation detector was coupled to a custom-built compact digital spectroscopy system and suspended within a sealed tank of continuously flowing seawater. A series of counts were acquired within an energy region corresponding to the main photopeak of (137)Cs. The system was calibrated using known quantities of radioactive (134)Cs and (137)Cs in a ratio equating to that present at the reactors' ocean outlet. The response between net count rate and concentration of (137)Cs was then used to generate temporal and geographic plots of (137)Cs concentration throughout the research cruise in Japanese coastal waters. The concentration of (137)Cs was low but detectable, reaching a peak of 3.8 ± 0.2 Bq/L. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ADVANCED REMOTE SENSING MONITORING OF MINE WASTE

EPA Science Inventory

The OEI-EAD and NERL-ESD have been cooperating on development of monitoring technologies and research to better use remote sensor-derived information and to ultimately disseminate that information to users. This work has focused on NASA'S airborne advanced remote sensor systems ...

Airborne asbestos in public buildings

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

Chesson, J.; Hatfield, J.; Schultz, B.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sampled air in 49 government-owned buildings (six buildings with no asbestos-containing material, six buildings with asbestos-containing material in generally good condition, and 37 buildings with damaged asbestos-containing material). This is the most comprehensive study to date of airborne asbestos levels in U.S. public buildings during normal building activities. The air outside each building was also sampled. Air samples were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy using a direct transfer preparation technique. The results show an increasing trend in average airborne asbestos levels; outdoor levels are lowest and levels in buildings with damaged asbestos-containing material are highest.more » However, the measured levels and the differences between indoors and outdoors and between building categories are small in absolute magnitude. Comparable studies from Canada and the UK, although differing in their estimated concentrations, also conclude that while airborne asbestos levels may be elevated in buildings that contain asbestos, levels are generally low. This conclusion does not eliminate the possibility of higher airborne asbestos levels during maintenance or renovation that disturbs the asbestos-containing material.« less

Feasibility study for airborne fluorescence/reflectivity lidar bathymetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinvall, Ove; Kautsky, Hans; Tulldahl, Michael; Wollner, Erika

2012-06-01

There is a demand from the authorities to have good maps of the coastal environment for their exploitation and preservation of the coastal areas. The goal for environmental mapping and monitoring is to differentiate between vegetation and non-vegetated bottoms and, if possible, to differentiate between species. Airborne lidar bathymetry is an interesting method for mapping shallow underwater habitats. In general, the maximum depth range for airborne laser exceeds the possible depth range for passive sensors. Today, operational lidar systems are able to capture the bottom (or vegetation) topography as well as estimations of the bottom reflectivity using e.g. reflected bottom pulse power. In this paper we study the possibilities and advantages for environmental mapping, if laser sensing would be further developed from single wavelength depth sounding systems to include multiple emission wavelengths and fluorescence receiver channels. Our results show that an airborne fluorescence lidar has several interesting features which might be useful in mapping underwater habitats. An example is the laser induced fluorescence giving rise to the emission spectrum which could be used for classification together with the elastic lidar signal. In the first part of our study, vegetation and substrate samples were collected and their spectral reflectance and fluorescence were subsequently measured in laboratory. A laser wavelength of 532 nm was used for excitation of the samples. The choice of 532 nm as excitation wavelength is motivated by the fact that this wavelength is commonly used in bathymetric laser scanners and that the excitation wavelengths are limited to the visual region as e.g. ultraviolet radiation is highly attenuated in water. The second part of our work consisted of theoretical performance calculations for a potential real system, and comparison of separability between species and substrate signatures using selected wavelength regions for fluorescence sensing.

Mapping above- and below-ground carbon pools in boreal forests: The case for airborne lidar

Treesearch

Terje Kristensen; Erik Naesset; Mikael Ohlson; Paul V. Bolstad; Randall Kolka

2015-01-01

A large and growing body of evidence has demonstrated that airborne scanning light detection and ranging (lidar) systems can be an effective tool in measuring and monitoring above-ground forest tree biomass. However, the potential of lidar as an all-round tool for assisting in assessment of carbon (C) stocks in soil and non-tree vegetation components of the forest...

Determination of airborne nanoparticles from welding operations.

PubMed

Gomes, João Fernando Pereira; Albuquerque, Paula Cristina Silva; Miranda, Rosa Maria Mendes; Vieira, Maria Teresa Freire

2012-01-01

The aim of this study is to assess the levels of airborne ultrafine particles emitted in welding processes (tungsten inert gas [TIG], metal active gas [MAG] of carbon steel, and friction stir welding [FSW] of aluminum) in terms of deposited area in pulmonary alveolar tract using a nanoparticle surface area monitor (NSAM) analyzer. The obtained results showed the dependence of process parameters on emitted ultrafine particles and demonstrated the presence of ultrafine particles compared to background levels. Data indicated that the process that resulted in the lowest levels of alveolar deposited surface area (ADSA) was FSW, followed by TIG and MAG. However, all tested processes resulted in significant concentrations of ultrafine particles being deposited in humans lungs of exposed workers.

[Association between airborne pollen distribution and allergic diseases in Beijing urban area].

PubMed

Wang, X Y; Tian, Z M; Ning, H Y; Wang, X Y

2017-05-20

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of airborne pollen in urban Beijing area on the consultation rate of allergic diseases. Method: A modified pollen sampler was used to monitor the distribution of main airborne pollen during Jan 1st 2015 to Dec 31 2015.The consultation rate of allergic rhinitis and asthma was obtained meanwhile among allergy, ENT and pneumology department. Relationship between pollen and consultation rate was analyzed by Pearson index. Result: ①Through the whole year of 2015 the total quantity of pollens amounted to 76164 grains. Two pollen peaks were observed which happened in spring (March 29.7%, April 34.8%) and autumn (August 9.9%, September 10.5%). The main airborne pollens in spring were cypress, sycamore, and poplar, while in autumn were artemisia, Chenopodiaceae, and Humulus. ②The peak consultation season of allergic rhinitis was presented in March to April and August to September with a positive correlation between allergy and ENT department ( r =0.625, P <0.05). Consultation peak of asthma was observed in allergy department but not pneumology department. ③Allergic rhinitis and asthma consultation rate was higher in autumn than spring while the pollen distribution was the opposite. No correlation was found between consultation rate and pollen distribution P >0.05. Conclusion: The airborne pollen distribution was in accordance with consultation rate in allergy department. The pollen count in spring was higher than autumn in Beijing urban area with a consultation peak in autumn inversely. This indicates a higher sensitization ability of autumn pollen compared with spring pollen. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.

Airborne monitoring and smoke characterization of prescribed fires on forest lands in western Washington and Oregon.

Treesearch

Lawrence F. Radke; Jamie H. Lyons; Peter V. Hobbs; Dean A. Hegg; David V. Sandberg; Darold E. Ward

1990-01-01

Detailed airborne measure ments of smoke plumes from seven prescribed burns of forest biomass residues leftover from timber harvests in Washington and Oregon are described. Measurements of particle size distributions in the plumes at 3.3 km downwind of the burns showed a prominent peak in the mass concentration for particles 0.25-0.30 µm in diameter. The total mass of...

Airborne surveys in the Arctic and Antarctic for geophysics, sea-ice thickness, and CryoSat validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forsberg, R.; Olesen, A. V.; Hvidegaard, S.; Skourup, H.

2010-12-01

Airborne laser and radar measurements over the Greenland ice sheet, Svalbard, and adjacent parts of the Arctic Ocean have been carried out by DTU-Space in a number of recent Danish/Greenlandic and European project campaigns, with the purpose to monitor ice sheet and sea-ice changes, support of Greenland societal needs (oil exploration and hydropower), and support of CryoSat pre-launch calibration and validation campaigns. The Arctic campaigns have been done using a Twin-Otter aircraft, carrying laser scanners and various radars. Since 2009 a new program of long-range gravity and magnetic surveys have been initiated using a Basler DC3 aircraft for large-scale surveys in the Arctic Ocean and Antarctica, with the 2010 cooperative Danish-Argentinean-Chilean-US ICEGRAV survey of the Antarctic Peninsula additionally including a UTIG 60 MHz ice-penetrating radar. In the paper we outline the recent and upcoming airborne survey activities, outline the usefulness of the airborne data for satellite validation (CryoSat and GOCE), and give examples of measurements and comparisons to satellite and in-situ data.

Miniature PCR based portable bioaerosol monitor development.

PubMed

Agranovski, I E; Usachev, E V; Agranovski, E; Usacheva, O V

2017-01-01

A portable bioaerosol monitor is greatly demanded technology in many areas including air quality control, occupational exposure assessment and health risk evaluation, environmental studies and, especially, in defence and bio-terrorism applications. Our recent groundwork allowed us to formulate the concept of a portable bioaerosol monitor, which needs to be light, user friendly, reliable and capable of detecting airborne pathogens within 1-1·5 h on the spot. Conceptually, the event of a bioaerosol concentration burst is determined by triggers to commence the representative air sampling with sequential real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmation of the targeted micro-organism present in the air. To minimize reagent consumption and idle running of the technology, an event of a bioaerosol burst is confirmed by three parameters: aerosol particle size, concentration and composition. Only particle sizes above 200 nm attract interest in the bioaerosol. Only an elevated aerosol concentration above the threshold (background aerosol concentration) is a signal to commence the analytical procedure. The combination of our previously developed personal bioaerosol sampler, aerosol particle counter based trigger and portable real-time PCR device formed the basis of the bioaerosol monitoring technology. The portable real-time PCR device was advanced to provide internally controlled detection, significantly reducing false-positive alarms. The technique is capable of detecting selected airborne micro-organisms on the spot within 30-80 min, depending on the genome organization of the particular strain. Due to recent outbreaks of infectious airborne diseases and the continuing threat of intentionally released bioaerosol attacks, investigations into the possibility of the early and reliable detection of pathogenic micro-organisms in the air is becoming increasingly important. The proposed technology consisting of a bioaerosol sampler, technology trigger and PCR device is

Reduction of Airborne Bacterial Burden in the OR by Installation of Unidirectional Displacement Airflow (UDF) Systems.

PubMed

Fischer, Sebastian; Thieves, Martin; Hirsch, Tobias; Fischer, Klaus-Dieter; Hubert, Helmine; Beppler, Steffen; Seipp, Hans-Martin

2015-08-13

Intraoperative bacterial contamination is a major risk factor for postoperative wound infections. This study investigated the influence of type of ventilation system on intraoperative airborne bacterial burden before and after installation of unidirectional displacement air flow systems. We microbiologically monitored 1286 surgeries performed by a single surgical team that moved from operating rooms (ORs) equipped with turbulent mixing ventilation (TMV, according to standard DIN-1946-4 [1999], ORs 1, 2, and 3) to ORs with unidirectional displacement airflow (UDF, according to standard DIN-1946-4, annex D [2008], ORs 7 and 8). The airborne bacteria were collected intraoperatively with sedimentation plates. After incubation for 48 h, we analyzed the average number of bacteria per h, peak values, and correlation to surgery duration. In addition, we compared the last 138 surgeries in ORs 1-3 with the first 138 surgeries in ORs 7 and 8. Intraoperative airborne bacterial burden was 5.4 CFU/h, 5.5 CFU/h, and 6.1 CFU/h in ORs 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Peak values of burden were 10.7 CFU/h, 11.1 CFU/h, and 11.0 CFU/h in ORs 1, 2, and 3, respectively). With the UDF system, the intraoperative airborne bacterial burden was reduced to 0.21 CFU/h (OR 7) and 0.35 CFU/h (OR 8) on average (p<0.01). Accordingly, peak values decreased to 0.9 CFU/h and 1.0 CFU/h in ORs 7 and 8, respectively (p<0.01). Airborne bacterial burden increased linearly with surgery duration in ORs 1-3, but the UDF system in ORs 7 and 8 kept bacterial levels constantly low (<3 CFU/h). A comparison of the last 138 surgeries before with the first 138 surgeries after changing ORs revealed a 94% reduction in average airborne bacterial burden (5 CFU/h vs. 0.29 CFU/h, p<0.01). The unidirectional displacement airflow, which fulfills the requirements of standard DIN-1946-4 annex D of 2008, is an effective ventilation system that reduces airborne bacterial burden under real clinical conditions by more than 90

Airborne Particles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ojala, Carl F.; Ojala, Eric J.

1987-01-01

Describes an activity in which students collect airborne particles using a common vacuum cleaner. Suggests ways for the students to convert their data into information related to air pollution and human health. Urges consideration of weather patterns when analyzing the results of the investigation. (TW)

Evaluation of continuous air monitor placement in a plutonium facility.

PubMed

Whicker, J J; Rodgers, J C; Fairchild, C I; Scripsick, R C; Lopez, R C

1997-05-01

Department of Energy appraisers found continuous air monitors at Department of Energy plutonium facilities alarmed less than 30% of the time when integrated room plutonium air concentrations exceeded 500 DAC-hours. Without other interventions, this alarm percentage suggests the possibility that workers could be exposed to high airborne concentrations without continuous air monitor alarms. Past research has shown that placement of continuous air monitors is a critical component in rapid and reliable detection of airborne releases. At Los Alamos National Laboratory and many other Department of Energy plutonium facilities, continuous air monitors have been primarily placed at ventilation exhaust points. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of exhaust register placement of workplace continuous air monitors with other sampling locations. Polydisperse oil aerosols were released from multiple locations in two plutonium laboratories at Los Alamos National Laboratory. An array of laser particle counters positioned in the rooms measured time-resolved aerosol dispersion. Results showed alternative placement of air samplers generally resulted in aerosol detection that was faster, often more sensitive, and equally reliable compared with samplers at exhaust registers.

Apparatus and method for downhole injection of radioactive tracer

DOEpatents

Potter, R.M.; Archuleta, J.; Fink, C.F.

The disclosure relates to downhole injection of radioactive /sup 82/Br and monitoring its progress through fractured structure to determine the nature thereof. An ampule containing granular /sup 82/Br is remotely crushed and water is repeatedly flushed through it to cleanse the instrument as well as inject the /sup 82/Br into surrounding fractured strata. A sensor in a remote horehole reads progress of the radioactive material through fractured structure.

Apparatus and method for downhole injection of radioactive tracer

DOEpatents

Potter, Robert M.; Archuleta, Jacobo R.; Fink, Conrad F.

1983-01-01

The disclosure relates to downhole injection of radioactive .sup.82 Br and monitoring its progress through fractured structure to determine the nature thereof. An ampule containing granular .sup.82 Br is remotely crushed and water is repeatedly flushed through it to cleanse the instrument as well as inject the .sup.82 Br into surrounding fractured strata. A sensor in a remote borehole reads progress of the radioactive material through fractured structure.

Wide-range radioactive-gas-concentration detector

DOEpatents

Anderson, D.F.

1981-11-16

A wide-range radioactive-gas-concentration detector and monitor capable of measuring radioactive-gas concentrations over a range of eight orders of magnitude is described. The device is designed to have an ionization chamber sufficiently small to give a fast response time for measuring radioactive gases but sufficiently large to provide accurate readings at low concentration levels. Closely spaced parallel-plate grids provide a uniform electric field in the active region to improve the accuracy of measurements and reduce ion migration time so as to virtually eliminate errors due to ion recombination. The parallel-plate grids are fabricated with a minimal surface area to reduce the effects of contamination resulting from absorption of contaminating materials on the surface of the grids. Additionally, the ionization-chamber wall is spaced a sufficient distance from the active region of the ionization chamber to minimize contamination effects.

Predictors of Airborne Endotoxin Concentrations in Inner City Homes

PubMed Central

Mazique, D; Diette, GB; Breysse, PN; Matsui, EC; McCormack, MC; Curtin-Brosnan, J; Williams, D; Peng, RD; Hansel, NN

2011-01-01

Few studies have assessed in-home factors which contribute to airborne endotoxin concentrations. In 85 inner-city Baltimore homes, we found no significant correlation between settled dust and airborne endotoxin concentrations. Certain household activities and characteristics, including frequency of dusting, air conditioner use and type of flooring, explained 36–42% of the variability of airborne concentrations. Measurements of both airborne and settled dust endotoxin concentrations may be needed to fully characterize domestic exposure in epidemiologic investigations. PMID:21429483

Enhanced Army Airborne Forces: A New Joint Operational Capability

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

that are trained to carry out airborne operations, including the 75th Ranger Regiment and Army special forces. Today’s airborne forces lack protected...Operation Just Cause Airborne units were used extensively in Panama, and the 82nd Air- borne’s 1st Brigade and the 75th Ranger Regiment were both...carry out airborne operations, including the 75th Ranger Regiment and Army special forces. The changes made to transition the Army into a force

A Multiple Resource Inventory of Delaware Using an Airborne Profiling Laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, Ross; Short, Austin; Valenti, Michael A.; Keller, Cherry; Smith, David E. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

An airborne profiling laser is used to monitor multiple resources related to landscape structure, both natural and man-made, across regions encompassing hundreds of thousands of hectares. A small, lightweight, inexpensive airborne profiling laser is used to inventory Delaware forests, to estimate impervious surface area statewide, and to locate potentially Suitable Delmarva Fox Squirrel (Scrotum niger cinereus) habitat. Merchantable volume estimates are within 14% of US Forest Service estimates at the county level and within 4% statewide. Total above-ground dry biomass estimates are within 19% of USES estimates at the county level and within 16% statewide. Mature forest stands suitable for reintroduction of the Delmarva Fox Squirrel, an endangered species historically endemic to the eastern shores of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, are identified and mapped along the laser transacts. Intersection lengths with various types of impervious surface (roofs, concrete/asphalt) and open water are tallied to estimate percent and areal coverage statewide, by stratum and county. Laser estimates of open water are within 7% of photointerpreted GIS estimates at the county level and within 3% of the GIS at the state level.

10 CFR 39.69 - Radioactive contamination control.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION LICENSES AND RADIATION SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR WELL LOGGING Radiation Safety Requirements § 39.69 Radioactive contamination control. (a) If the licensee detects... licensee shall continuously monitor, with an appropriate radiation detection instrument or a logging tool...

10 CFR 39.69 - Radioactive contamination control.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION LICENSES AND RADIATION SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR WELL LOGGING Radiation Safety Requirements § 39.69 Radioactive contamination control. (a) If the licensee detects... licensee shall continuously monitor, with an appropriate radiation detection instrument or a logging tool...

10 CFR 39.69 - Radioactive contamination control.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION LICENSES AND RADIATION SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR WELL LOGGING Radiation Safety Requirements § 39.69 Radioactive contamination control. (a) If the licensee detects... licensee shall continuously monitor, with an appropriate radiation detection instrument or a logging tool...

10 CFR 39.69 - Radioactive contamination control.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION LICENSES AND RADIATION SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR WELL LOGGING Radiation Safety Requirements § 39.69 Radioactive contamination control. (a) If the licensee detects... licensee shall continuously monitor, with an appropriate radiation detection instrument or a logging tool...

10 CFR 39.69 - Radioactive contamination control.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION LICENSES AND RADIATION SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR WELL LOGGING Radiation Safety Requirements § 39.69 Radioactive contamination control. (a) If the licensee detects... licensee shall continuously monitor, with an appropriate radiation detection instrument or a logging tool...

Radioactive materials deposition in Iwate prefecture, northeast japan, due to the Fukushima dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itoh, Hideyuki

2013-04-01

A catastrophic earthquake occurred in March 11, 2011, and additional tsunami gave the big damage along the pacific coastline of the northeast Japan. Tsunami also caused the accident of Fukushima dai-ichi nuclear power plant (FNPP), released of massive amount of radioactive materials to all over the northeast to central Japan. Ministry of Education, cultural, sports, science and technology (MEXT), Japan, carried out the airborne monitoring survey on several times, however, it is impossible to know the deposition of low level radiation under 0.1μSv/h. On the other hand, radioactive material was detected in Iwate by farm and livestock products, and it was necessary to understand an accurate contamination status in Iwate prefecture. Behavior of radioactive material is very similar to the ashfall by the volcanic eruption. Therefore, it is possible to apply the knowledge of volcanology to evaluation of the natural radiation dose. The author carried out the detailed contamination mapping across the Iwate prefecture. To γ-ray measurement, using scintillation counter A2700 of the clearpulse, measured on 1m grass field above ground, for one minute. The total measurement point became more than 800 point whole in Iwate. Field survey were carried out from April to November, 2011, therefore, it is necessary to consider to the half - life of the radioactive element of the cesium 134 and 137. In this study, the author reconstructed a deposition of April, 2011, just after the accident. In addition, the author also carried out the revision of the natural radiation dose included in the granite and so on. From the result, Concentration of radioactive materials depend on the topography, it tend to high concentrate in the basin or along the valley. The feeble deposition 0.01-0.2μsv/h with the radioactive material was recognized in whole prefecture. High contamination area distributed over the E-W directions widely in the southern part of the prefecture, and it also existence of the

Geoid determination by airborne gravimetry - principles and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forsberg, R.; Olesen, A. V.

2009-12-01

The operational development of long-range airborne gravimetry has meant that large areas can be covered in a short time frame with high-quality medium-wavelength gravity field data, perfectly matching the needs of geoid determination. Geoid from a combination of surface, airborne and satellite data not only is able to cover the remaining large data voids on the earth, notably Antarctica and tropical jungle regions, but also provide seamless coverage across the coastal zone, and tie in older marine and land gravity data. Airborne gravity can therefore provide essential data for GPS applications both on land and at sea, e.g. for marine construction projects such as bridges, wind mill farms etc. Current operational accuracies with the DTU-Space/UiB airborne system are in the 1-2 mGal range, which translates into geoid accuracies of 5-10 cm, dependent on track spacing. In the paper we will outline the current accuracy of airborne gravity and geoid determination, and show examples from recent international airborne gravity campaigns, aimed at either providing national survey infrastructure, or scientific applications for e.g. oceanography or sea-ice thickness determination.

14 CFR 135.175 - Airborne weather radar equipment requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Airborne weather radar equipment... Aircraft and Equipment § 135.175 Airborne weather radar equipment requirements. (a) No person may operate a large, transport category aircraft in passenger-carrying operations unless approved airborne weather...

14 CFR 135.175 - Airborne weather radar equipment requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Airborne weather radar equipment... Aircraft and Equipment § 135.175 Airborne weather radar equipment requirements. (a) No person may operate a large, transport category aircraft in passenger-carrying operations unless approved airborne weather...

14 CFR 135.175 - Airborne weather radar equipment requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Airborne weather radar equipment... Aircraft and Equipment § 135.175 Airborne weather radar equipment requirements. (a) No person may operate a large, transport category aircraft in passenger-carrying operations unless approved airborne weather...

14 CFR 135.175 - Airborne weather radar equipment requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Airborne weather radar equipment... Aircraft and Equipment § 135.175 Airborne weather radar equipment requirements. (a) No person may operate a large, transport category aircraft in passenger-carrying operations unless approved airborne weather...

14 CFR 135.175 - Airborne weather radar equipment requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Airborne weather radar equipment... Aircraft and Equipment § 135.175 Airborne weather radar equipment requirements. (a) No person may operate a large, transport category aircraft in passenger-carrying operations unless approved airborne weather...

Characteristics of lead isotope ratios and elemental concentrations in PM 10 fraction of airborne particulate matter in Shanghai after the phase-out of leaded gasoline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Jian; Tan, Mingguang; Shibata, Yasuyuki; Tanaka, Atsushi; Li, Yan; Zhang, Guilin; Zhang, Yuanmao; Shan, Zuci

The stable lead (Pb) isotope ratios and the concentrations of 23 elements, including heavy metals and toxic elements, were measured in the PM 10 airborne particle samples collected at seven monitoring sites in Shanghai, China, to evaluate the current elemental compositions and local airborne Pb isotope ratio characteristics. Some source-related samples, such as cement, coal and oil combustion dust, metallurgic dust, vehicle exhaust particles derived from leaded gasoline and unleaded gasoline, and polluted soils were analyzed for their Pb content and isotope ratio and compared to those observed in PM 10 samples. Airborne Pb concentration ranged from 167 to 854 ng/m 3 in the seven monitored sites with an average of 515 ng/m 3 in Shanghai, indicating that a high concentration of Pb remains in the air after the phasing out of leaded gasoline. Lead isotopic compositions in airborne particles ( 207Pb/ 206Pb, 0.8608±0.0018; 208Pb/ 206Pb, 2.105±0.005) are clearly distinct from the vehicle exhaust particles ( 207Pb/ 206Pb, 0.8854±0.0075; 208Pb/ 206Pb, 2.145±0.006), suggesting that the automotive lead is not currently the major component of Pb in the air. By using a binary mixing equation, a source apportionment based on 207Pb/ 206Pb ratios, indicates that the contribution from automotive emission to the airborne Pb is around 20%. The Pb isotope ratios obtained in the source-related samples confirmed that the major emission sources are metallurgic dust, coal combustion, and cement.

[Air-borne disease].

PubMed

Lameiro Vilariño, Carmen; del Campo Pérez, Victor M; Alonso Bürger, Susana; Felpeto Nodar, Irene; Guimarey Pérez, Rosa; Pérez Alvarellos, Alberto

2003-11-01

Respiratory protection is a factor which worries nursing professionals who take care of patients susceptible of transmitting microorganisms through the air more as every day passes. This type of protection covers the use of surgical or hygienic masks against the transmission of infection by airborne drops to the use of highly effective masks or respirators against the transmission of airborne diseases such as tuberculosis or SARS, a recently discovered disease. The adequate choice of this protective device and its correct use are fundamental in order to have an effective protection for exposed personnel. The authors summarize the main protective respiratory devices used by health workers, their characteristics and degree of effectiveness, as well as the circumstances under which each device is indicated for use.

Radioactive waste management and practice in Bangladesh

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

Mollah, A.S.; Rahman, M.M.

1993-12-31

A large amount of low- and medium-level radioactive wastes are being generated in different parts of Bangladesh. The solid wastes are being collected in steel containers and liquid wastes are collected in plastic carboys and drums. Gaseous Ar-41 is discharged into the atmosphere through the 25 m height stack under controlled conditions after proper monitoring. The solid radioactive wastes collected are approximately 5 m{sup 3} (1988--1992) with gross beta-gamma surface dose rates from 0.30 {micro}Sv/h to 250 {micro}Sv/h. The liquid radioactive wastes are approximately 200 liters (1988--1992) with gross-beta-gamma surface dose rates from 0.30 {micro}Sv/h to 1 mSv/h. The solidmore » and liquid wastes presently being collected are mostly short lived and low level and safely stored according to international safety codes of practice. Radioactive waste packages collected during the 5-yrs study totaled 16, representing a collective volume of {approximately} 7.5 m{sup 3}. The problem of management of radioactive waste in Bangladesh is not so serious at present because the wastes arising are small now. A computerized data base has been developed to document inventory of all radioactive waste arising in the country. The current practices of collection, handling, safe storage and management of the radioactive wastes are reported in this paper.« less

Nepal and Papua Airborne Gravity Surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olesen, A. V.; Forsberg, R.; Kasenda, F.; Einarsson, I.; Manandhar, N.

2011-12-01

Airborne gravimetry offers a fast and economic way to cover vast areas and it allows access to otherwise difficult accessible areas like mountains, jungles and the near coastal zone. It has the potential to deliver high resolution and bias free data that may bridge the spectral gap between global satellite gravity models and the high resolution gravity information embedded in digital terrain models. DTU Space has for more than a decade done airborne gravity surveys in many parts of the world. Most surveys were done with a LaCoste & Romberg S-meter updated for airborne use. This instrument has proven to deliver near bias free data when properly processed. A Chekan AM gravimeter was recently added to the airborne gravity mapping system and will potentially enhance the spatial resolution and the robustness of the system. This paper will focus on results from two recent surveys over Nepal, flown in December 2010, and over Papua (eastern Indonesia), flown in May and June 2011. Both surveys were flown with the new double gravimeter setup and initial assessment of system performance indicates improved spatial resolution compared to the single gravimeter system. Comparison to EGM08 and to the most recent GOCE models highlights the impact of the new airborne gravity data in both cases. A newly computed geoid model for Nepal based on the airborne data allows for a more precise definition of the height of Mt. Everest in a global height system. This geoid model suggests that the height of Mt. Everest should be increased by approximately 1 meter. The paper will also briefly discuss system setup and will highlight a few essential processing steps that ensure that bias problems are minimized and spatial resolution enhanced.

14 CFR 121.357 - Airborne weather radar equipment requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Airborne weather radar equipment... § 121.357 Airborne weather radar equipment requirements. (a) No person may operate any transport... December 31, 1964, unless approved airborne weather radar equipment has been installed in the airplane. (b...

14 CFR 121.357 - Airborne weather radar equipment requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Airborne weather radar equipment... § 121.357 Airborne weather radar equipment requirements. (a) No person may operate any transport... December 31, 1964, unless approved airborne weather radar equipment has been installed in the airplane. (b...

14 CFR 125.223 - Airborne weather radar equipment requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Airborne weather radar equipment... Equipment Requirements § 125.223 Airborne weather radar equipment requirements. (a) No person may operate an airplane governed by this part in passenger-carrying operations unless approved airborne weather radar...

14 CFR 125.223 - Airborne weather radar equipment requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Airborne weather radar equipment... Equipment Requirements § 125.223 Airborne weather radar equipment requirements. (a) No person may operate an airplane governed by this part in passenger-carrying operations unless approved airborne weather radar...

14 CFR 125.223 - Airborne weather radar equipment requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Airborne weather radar equipment... Equipment Requirements § 125.223 Airborne weather radar equipment requirements. (a) No person may operate an airplane governed by this part in passenger-carrying operations unless approved airborne weather radar...

14 CFR 121.357 - Airborne weather radar equipment requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Airborne weather radar equipment... § 121.357 Airborne weather radar equipment requirements. (a) No person may operate any transport... December 31, 1964, unless approved airborne weather radar equipment has been installed in the airplane. (b...

14 CFR 121.357 - Airborne weather radar equipment requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Airborne weather radar equipment... § 121.357 Airborne weather radar equipment requirements. (a) No person may operate any transport... December 31, 1964, unless approved airborne weather radar equipment has been installed in the airplane. (b...

14 CFR 125.223 - Airborne weather radar equipment requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Airborne weather radar equipment... Equipment Requirements § 125.223 Airborne weather radar equipment requirements. (a) No person may operate an airplane governed by this part in passenger-carrying operations unless approved airborne weather radar...

14 CFR 125.223 - Airborne weather radar equipment requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Airborne weather radar equipment... Equipment Requirements § 125.223 Airborne weather radar equipment requirements. (a) No person may operate an airplane governed by this part in passenger-carrying operations unless approved airborne weather radar...

14 CFR 121.357 - Airborne weather radar equipment requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Airborne weather radar equipment... § 121.357 Airborne weather radar equipment requirements. (a) No person may operate any transport... December 31, 1964, unless approved airborne weather radar equipment has been installed in the airplane. (b...

NASA Program of Airborne Optical Observations.

PubMed

Bader, M; Wagoner, C B

1970-02-01

NASA's Ames Research Center currently operates a Convair 990 four-engine jet transport as a National Facility for airborne scientific research (astronomy, aurora, airglow, meteorology, earth resources). This aircraft can carry about twelve experiments to 12 km for several hours. A second aircraft, a twin-engine Lear Jet, has been used on a limited basis for airborne science and can carry one experiment to 15 km for 1 h. Mobility and altitude are the principal advantages over ground sites, while large payload and personnel carrying capabilities, combined with ease of operations and relatively low cost, are the main advantages compared to balloons, rockets, or satellites. Typical airborne instrumentation and scientific results are presented.

WESTERN AIRBORNE CONTAMINANTS ASSESSMENT PROJECT RESEARCH PLAN

EPA Science Inventory

The goal of the Western Airborne Contaminants Assessment Project (WACAP) is to assess the deposition of airborne contaminants in Western National Parks, providing regional and local information on exposure, accumulation, impacts, and probable sources. This project is being desig...

Harvesting tree biomass at the stand level to assess the accuracy of field and airborne biomass estimation in savannas.

PubMed

Colgan, Matthew S; Asner, Gregory P; Swemmer, Tony

2013-07-01

Tree biomass is an integrated measure of net growth and is critical for understanding, monitoring, and modeling ecosystem functions. Despite the importance of accurately measuring tree biomass, several fundamental barriers preclude direct measurement at large spatial scales, including the facts that trees must be felled to be weighed and that even modestly sized trees are challenging to maneuver once felled. Allometric methods allow for estimation of tree mass using structural characteristics, such as trunk diameter. Savanna trees present additional challenges, including limited available allometry and a prevalence of multiple stems per individual. Here we collected airborne lidar data over a semiarid savanna adjacent to the Kruger National Park, South Africa, and then harvested and weighed woody plant biomass at the plot scale to provide a standard against which field and airborne estimation methods could be compared. For an existing airborne lidar method, we found that half of the total error was due to averaging canopy height at the plot scale. This error was eliminated by instead measuring maximum height and crown area of individual trees from lidar data using an object-based method to identify individual tree crowns and estimate their biomass. The best object-based model approached the accuracy of field allometry at both the tree and plot levels, and it more than doubled the accuracy compared to existing airborne methods (17% vs. 44% deviation from harvested biomass). Allometric error accounted for less than one-third of the total residual error in airborne biomass estimates at the plot scale when using allometry with low bias. Airborne methods also gave more accurate predictions at the plot level than did field methods based on diameter-only allometry. These results provide a novel comparison of field and airborne biomass estimates using harvested plots and advance the role of lidar remote sensing in savanna ecosystems.

Studies concerning the durability of concrete vaults for intermediate level radioactive waste disposal: Electrochemical monitoring and corrosion aspects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duffó, G. S.; Farina, S. B.; Arva, E. A.; Giordano, C. M.; Lafont, C. J.

2006-11-01

The Argentine Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) is responsible of the development of a management nuclear waste disposal programme. This programme contemplates the design and construction of a facility for the final disposal of intermediate-level radioactive waste. The proposed concept is the near-surface monolithic repository similar to those in operation in El Cabril, Spain. The design of this type of repository is based on the use of multiple, independent and redundant barriers. Since the vault and cover are major components of the engineered barriers, the durability of these concrete structures is an important aspect for the facilities integrity. This work presents a laboratory and field investigation performed for the last 6 years on reinforced concrete specimens, in order to predict the service life of the intermediate level radioactive waste disposal vaults from data obtained from electrochemical techniques. On the other hand, the development of sensors that allow on-line measurements of rebar corrosion potential and corrosion current density; incoming oxygen flow that reaches the metal surface; concrete electrical resistivity and chloride concentration is shown. Those sensors, properly embedded in a new full scale vault (nowadays in construction), will allow the monitoring of the corrosion process of the steel rebars embedded in thestructure.

An overview of Airborne Data for Assessing Models (ADAM): a web development effort to effectively disseminate airborne data products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangosing, D. C.; Chen, G.; Kusterer, J.; Rinsland, P.; Perez, J.; Sorlie, S.; Parker, L.

2011-12-01

One of the objectives of the NASA Langley Research Center's MEaSURES project, "Creating a Unified Airborne Database for Model Assessment", is the development of airborne Earth System Data Records (ESDR) for the regional and global model assessment and validation activities performed by the tropospheric chemistry and climate modeling communities. The ongoing development of ADAM, a web site designed to access a unified, standardized and relational ESDR database, meets this objective. The ESDR database is derived from publically available data sets, from NASA airborne field studies to airborne and in-situ studies sponsored by NOAA, NSF, and numerous international partners. The ADAM web development activities provide an opportunity to highlight a growing synergy between the Airborne Science Data for Atmospheric Composition (ASD-AC) group at NASA Langley and the NASA Langley's Atmospheric Sciences Data Center (ASDC). These teams will collaborate on the ADAM web application by leveraging the state-of-the-art service and message-oriented data distribution architecture developed and implemented by ASDC and using a web-based tool provided by the ASD-AC group whose user interface accommodates the nuanced perspective of science users in the atmospheric chemistry and composition and climate modeling communities.

The 1979 Southeastern Virginia Urban Plume Study (SEV-UPS): Surface and airborne studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, J. H.; Eaton, W. C.; Saeger, M. L.; Strong, R. B.; Tommerdahl, J. B.

1980-01-01

The operation of two surface monitoring stations (one in downtown Norfolk, Virginia, one south of the city near the Great Dismal Swamp) and the collection of 40 hours of airborne measurements is described. Surface site measurements of ozone, oxides of nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, temperature, dew point, b sub seat, and condensation nuclei were made. Instrument calibrations, quality assurance audits, and preliminary data analysis in support of the Urban Plume Study were also made. The air pollution problems that were addressed are discussed. Data handling procedures followed for the surface stations are presented. The operation of the aircraft sampling platform is described. Aircraft sampling procedures are discussed. A preliminary descriptive analysis of the aircraft data is given along with data or plots for surface sites, airborne studies, hydrocarbon species, and instrument performance audits. Several of the aircraft flights clearly show the presence of an urban ozone plume downwind of Norfolk in the direction of the mean wind flow.

Experimental study of the response functions of direct-reading instruments measuring surface-area concentration of airborne nanostructured particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bau, Sébastien; Witschger, Olivier; Gensdarmes, François; Thomas, Dominique

2009-05-01

An increasing number of experimental and theoretical studies focus on airborne nanoparticles (NP) in relation with many aspects of risk assessment to move forward our understanding of the hazards, the actual exposures in the workplace, and the limits of engineering controls and personal protective equipment with regard to NP. As a consequence, generating airborne NP with controlled properties constitutes an important challenge. In parallel, toxicological studies have been carried out, and most of them support the concept that surface-area could be a relevant metric for characterizing exposure to airborne NP [1]. To provide NP surface-area concentration measurements, some direct-reading instruments have been designed, based on attachment rate of unipolar ions to NP by diffusion. However, very few information is available concerning the performances of these instruments and the parameters that could affect their responses. In this context, our work aims at characterizing the actual available instruments providing airborne NP surface-area concentration. The instruments (a- LQ1-DC, Matter Engineering; b-AeroTrak™ 9000, TSI; c- NSAM, TSI model 3550;) are thought to be relevant for further workplace exposure characterization and monitoring. To achieve our work, an experimental facility (named CAIMAN) was specially designed, built and characterized.

An update on airborne contact dermatitis: 2001-2006.

PubMed

Santos, Raquel; Goossens, An

2007-12-01

Reports on airborne dermatoses are mainly published in the context of occupational settings. Hence, in recent years, dermatologists and also occupational physicians have become increasingly aware of the airborne source of contact dermatitis, resulting mainly from exposure to irritants or allergens. However, their occurrence is still underestimated, because reports often omit the term 'airborne' in relation to dust or volatile allergens. For the present update, we screened the journals 'Contact Dermatitis' (July 2000 to December 2006); 'Dermatitis', formerly named 'American Journal of Contact Dermatitis'; 'La Lettre du Gerda' (January 2000 to December 2006); and also included relevant articles from other journals published during the same period. This resulted in an updated list of airborne dermatitis causes.

NNSS Soils Monitoring: Plutonium Valley (CAU366) FY2012

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

Miller, Julianne J.; Mizell, Steve A.; Nikolich, George

2013-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nevada Site Office (NSO), Environmental Restoration Soils Activity has authorized the Desert Research Institute (DRI) to conduct field assessments of potential sediment transport of contaminated soil from Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 366, Area 11 Plutonium Valley Dispersion Sites Contamination Area (CA) during precipitation runoff events. Field measurements at the T-4 Atmospheric Test Site (CAU 370) suggest that radionuclide-contaminated soils may have migrated along a shallow ephemeral drainage that traverses the site (NNSA/NSO, 2009). (It is not entirely clear how contaminated soils got into their present location at the T-4more » Site, but flow to the channel has been redirected and the contamination does not appear to be migrating at present.) Aerial surveys in selected portions of the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) also suggest that radionuclide-contaminated soils may be migrating along ephemeral channels in Areas 3, 8, 11, 18, and 25 (Colton, 1999). In Area 11, several low-level airborne surveys of the Plutonium Valley Dispersion Sites (CAU 366) show plumes of Americium 241 (Am-241) extending along ephemeral channels (Figure 1, marker numbers 5 and 6) below Corrective Action Site (CAS) 11-23-03 (marker number 3) and CAS 11 23-04 (marker number 4) (Colton, 1999). Plutonium Valley in Area 11 of the NNSS was selected for the study because of the aerial survey evidence suggesting downstream transport of radionuclide-contaminated soil. The aerial survey (Figure 1) shows a well defined finger of elevated radioactivity (marker number 5) extending to the southwest from the southernmost detonation site (marker number 4). This finger of contamination overlies a drainage channel mapped on the topographic base map used for presentation of the survey data suggesting surface runoff as a likely cause of the contaminated area. Additionally, instrumenting sites strongly suspected of

Wide range radioactive gas concentration detector

DOEpatents

Anderson, David F.

1984-01-01

A wide range radioactive gas concentration detector and monitor which is capable of measuring radioactive gas concentrations over a range of eight orders of magnitude. The device of the present invention is designed to have an ionization chamber which is sufficiently small to give a fast response time for measuring radioactive gases but sufficiently large to provide accurate readings at low concentration levels. Closely spaced parallel plate grids provide a uniform electric field in the active region to improve the accuracy of measurements and reduce ion migration time so as to virtually eliminate errors due to ion recombination. The parallel plate grids are fabricated with a minimal surface area to reduce the effects of contamination resulting from absorption of contaminating materials on the surface of the grids. Additionally, the ionization chamber wall is spaced a sufficient distance from the active region of the ionization chamber to minimize contamination effects.

Meeting Review: Airborne Aerosol Inlet Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baumgardner, Darrel; Huebert, Barry; Wilson, Chuck

1991-01-01

Proceedings from the Airborne Aerosol Inlet Workshop are presented. The two central topics of discussion were the role of aerosols in atmospheric processes and the difficulties in characterizing aerosols. The following topics were discussed during the working sessions: airborne observations to date; identification of inlet design issues; inlet modeling needs and directions; objectives for aircraft experiments; and future laboratory and wind tunnel studies.

Investigation of radioactivity concentration in spent technetium generators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Idriss, Hajo; Salih, Isam; Alaamer, Abdulaziz S.; Eisa, M. H.; Sam, A. K.

2014-04-01

This study was carried out to survey and measure radioactivity concentration and estimate radiation dose level at the surface of spent technetium generator columns for the safe final disposal of radioactive waste. High resolution γ-spectrometry with the aid of handheld radiation survey meters has been used. The radioactivity measurements has shown that 238U, 40K and 137Cs were only measurable in one sample whereas 125Sb was found in 14 samples out of total of 20 samples with an activity concentration which ranged from 21 to 7404 with an average value of 1095 Bq/kg. The activity concentration of 125Sb is highly variable indicating that the spent 99mTc generator columns are of different origin. This investigation highlighted the importance of radiation monitoring of spent technetium generators in the country in order to protect workers, and the public from the dangers posed by radioactive waste.

Column Closure Studies of Lower Tropospheric Aerosol and Water Vapor During ACE-Asia Using Airborne Sunphotometer, Airborne In-Situ and Ship-Based Lidar Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmid, B.; Hegg, A.; Wang, J.; Bates, D.; Redemann, J.; Russells, P. B.; Livingston, J. M.; Jonsson, H. H.; Welton, E. J.; Seinfield, J. H.

2003-01-01

We assess the consistency (closure) between solar beam attenuation by aerosols and water vapor measured by airborne sunphotometry and derived from airborne in-situ, and ship-based lidar measurements during the April 2001 Asian Pacific Regional Aerosol Characterization Experiment (ACE-Asia). The airborne data presented here were obtained aboard the Twin Otter aircraft. Comparing aerosol extinction o(550 nm) from four different techniques shows good agreement for the vertical distribution of aerosol layers. However, the level of agreement in absolute magnitude of the derived aerosol extinction varied among the aerosol layers sampled. The sigma(550 nm) computed from airborne in-situ size distribution and composition measurements shows good agreement with airborne sunphotometry in the marine boundary layer but is considerably lower in layers dominated by dust if the particles are assumed to be spherical. The sigma(550 nm) from airborne in-situ scattering and absorption measurements are about approx. 13% lower than those obtained from airborne sunphotometry during 14 vertical profiles. Combining lidar and the airborne sunphotometer measurements reveals the prevalence of dust layers at altitudes up to 10 km with layer aerosol optical depth (from 3.5 to 10 km altitude) of approx. 0.1 to 0.2 (500 nm) and extinction-to-backscatter ratios of 59-71 sr (523 nm). The airborne sunphotometer aboard the Twin Otter reveals a relatively dry atmosphere during ACE- Asia with all water vapor columns less than 1.5 cm and water vapor densities w less than 12 g/cu m. Comparing layer water vapor amounts and w from the airborne sunphotometer to the same quantities measured with aircraft in-situ sensors leads to a high correlation (r(sup 3)=0.96) but the sunphotometer tends to underestimate w by 7%.

Airborne Oceanographic Lidar (AOL) (Global Carbon Cycle)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

This bimonthly contractor progress report covers the operation, maintenance and data management of the Airborne Oceanographic Lidar and the Airborne Topographic Mapper. Monthly activities included: mission planning, sensor operation and calibration, data processing, data analysis, network development and maintenance and instrument maintenance engineering and fabrication.

10 CFR 72.126 - Criteria for radiological protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... exposed to radiation or airborne radioactive materials. Structures, systems, and components for which... accessible work areas as appropriate to warn operating personnel of radiation and airborne radioactive...

Airborne oceanographic lidar system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Specifications and preliminary design of an Airborne Oceanographic Lidar (AOL) system, which is to be constructed for installation and used on a NASA Wallops Flight Center (WFC) C-54 research aircraft, are reported. The AOL system is to provide an airborne facility for use by various government agencies to demonstrate the utility and practicality of hardware of this type in the wide area collection of oceanographic data on an operational basis. System measurement and performance requirements are presented, followed by a description of the conceptual system approach and the considerations attendant to its development. System performance calculations are addressed, and the system specifications and preliminary design are presented and discussed.

[Phylogenetic diversity of airborne microbes in Qingdao downtown in autumn].

PubMed

Wang, Lin; Song, Zhi-wen; Xu, Ai-ling; Wu, Deng-deng; Xia, Yan

2015-04-01

To determine the community structure of airborne microbes in Qingdao downtown in autumn, the airborne bacteria and fungi were collected by the KC-6120 air sampler and analyzed using the 16S/18S rDNA gene clone library method. Phylogenetic analysis of airborne bacteria showed that they belonged to six major phylogenetic groups: Proteobacteria (78. 8%), Firmicutes (14.6%), Actinobacteria (4.0%), Planctomycetes (1.3%), Cyanobacteria (0.7%), and Deinococcus-Thermus (0.7%). The dominant genera of airborne bacteria included Acinetobacter (39.7%), Staphylococcus (11.3%), Sphingomonas (8.6%), Paracoccus (6.0%) and Massilia (5.3%). The main types of airborne fungi were Ascomycota (97.5%) and Basidiomycota (2.5%). Dominant genera of airborne fungi included Pyrenophora (76.5%), Xylaria (13.6%) and Exophiala (2.5%). The pathogens or conditioned pathogens, such as Acinetobacter, Staphylococcus, or Sphingomonas were detected in the airborne bacteria, whereas certain kinds of fungi, such as P. graminea, X. hypoxylon and Zasmidium angulare that could cause a variety of crop diseases were also detected.

Infrared airborne spectroradiometer survey results in the western Nevada area

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collins, W.; Chang, S. H.; Kuo, J. T.

1982-01-01

The Mark II airborne spectroradiometer system was flown over several geologic test sites in western Nevada. The infrared mineral absorption bands were observed and recorded for the first time using an airborne system with high spectral resolution in the 2.0 to 2.5 micron region. The data show that the hydrothermal alteration zone minerals, carbonates, and other minerals are clearly visible in the airborne survey mode. The finer spectral features that distinguish the various minerals with infrared bands are also clearly visible in the airborne survey data. Using specialized computer pattern recognition methods, it is possible to identify mineralogy and map alteration zones and lithologies by airborne spectroradiometer survey techniques.

Small Autonomous Aircraft Servo Health Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quintero, Steven

2008-01-01

Small air vehicles offer challenging power, weight, and volume constraints when considering implementation of system health monitoring technologies. In order to develop a testbed for monitoring the health and integrity of control surface servos and linkages, the Autonomous Aircraft Servo Health Monitoring system has been designed for small Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platforms to detect problematic behavior from servos and the air craft structures they control, This system will serve to verify the structural integrity of an aircraft's servos and linkages and thereby, through early detection of a problematic situation, minimize the chances of an aircraft accident. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's rotary-winged UAV has an Airborne Power management unit that is responsible for regulating, distributing, and monitoring the power supplied to the UAV's avionics. The current sensing technology utilized by the Airborne Power Management system is also the basis for the Servo Health system. The Servo Health system measures the current draw of the servos while the servos are in Motion in order to quantify the servo health. During a preflight check, deviations from a known baseline behavior can be logged and their causes found upon closer inspection of the aircraft. The erratic behavior nay include binding as a result of dirt buildup or backlash caused by looseness in the mechanical linkages. Moreover, the Servo Health system will allow elusive problems to be identified and preventative measures taken to avoid unnecessary hazardous conditions in small autonomous aircraft.

Biodiversity mapping in a tropical West African forest with airborne hyperspectral data.

PubMed

Vaglio Laurin, Gaia; Cheung-Wai Chan, Jonathan; Chen, Qi; Lindsell, Jeremy A; Coomes, David A; Guerriero, Leila; Del Frate, Fabio; Miglietta, Franco; Valentini, Riccardo

2014-01-01

Tropical forests are major repositories of biodiversity, but are fast disappearing as land is converted to agriculture. Decision-makers need to know which of the remaining forests to prioritize for conservation, but the only spatial information on forest biodiversity has, until recently, come from a sparse network of ground-based plots. Here we explore whether airborne hyperspectral imagery can be used to predict the alpha diversity of upper canopy trees in a West African forest. The abundance of tree species were collected from 64 plots (each 1250 m(2) in size) within a Sierra Leonean national park, and Shannon-Wiener biodiversity indices were calculated. An airborne spectrometer measured reflectances of 186 bands in the visible and near-infrared spectral range at 1 m(2) resolution. The standard deviations of these reflectance values and their first-order derivatives were calculated for each plot from the c. 1250 pixels of hyperspectral information within them. Shannon-Wiener indices were then predicted from these plot-based reflectance statistics using a machine-learning algorithm (Random Forest). The regression model fitted the data well (pseudo-R(2) = 84.9%), and we show that standard deviations of green-band reflectances and infra-red region derivatives had the strongest explanatory powers. Our work shows that airborne hyperspectral sensing can be very effective at mapping canopy tree diversity, because its high spatial resolution allows within-plot heterogeneity in reflectance to be characterized, making it an effective tool for monitoring forest biodiversity over large geographic scales.

Enumerating Spore-Forming Bacteria Airborne with Particles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Ying; Barengoltz, Jack

2006-01-01

A laboratory method has been conceived to enable the enumeration of (1) Cultivable bacteria and bacterial spores that are, variously, airborne by themselves or carried by, parts of, or otherwise associated with, other airborne particles; and (2) Spore-forming bacteria among all of the aforementioned cultivable microbes.

Detecting subtle environmental change: a multi-temporal airborne imaging spectroscopy approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yule, Ian J.; Pullanagari, Reddy R.; Kereszturi, G.

2016-10-01

Airborne and satellite hyperspectral remote sensing is a key technology to observe finite change in ecosystems and environments. The role of such sensors will improve our ability to monitor and mitigate natural and agricultural environments on a much larger spatial scale than can be achieved using field measurements such as soil coring or proximal sensors to estimate the chemistry of vegetation. Hyperspectral sensors for commentarial and scientific activities are increasingly available and cost effective, providing a great opportunity to measure and detect changes in the environment and ecosystem. This can be used to extract critical information to develop more advanced management practices. In this research, we provide an overview of the data acquisition, processing and analysis of airborne, full-spectrum hyperspectral imagery from a small-scale aerial mapping project in hill-country farms in New Zealand, using an AISA Fenix sensor (Specim, Finland). The imagery has been radiometrically and atmospherically corrected, georectified and mosaicked. The hyperspectral data cube was then spectrally and spatially smoothed using Savitzky-Golay and median filter, respectively. The mosaicked imagery used to calculate bio-chemical properties of surface vegetation, such as pasture. Ground samples (n = 200) were collected a few days after the over-flight are used to develop a calibration model using partial least squares regression method. In-leaf nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous concentration were calculated using the reflectance values from the airborne hyperspectral imagery. In total, three surveys of an example property have been acquired that show changes in the pattern of availability of a major element in vegetation canopy, in this case nitrogen.

Atmospheric Transport Studies Using In-situ Airborne Gas Chromatograph Measurements: An Overview of the NOAA Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory (CMDL) Contribution.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, F.; Dutton, G.; Elkins, J.; Hall, B.; Hurst, D.; Nance, D.; Ray, E.; Romashkin, P.; Thompson, T.; Volk, C. M.

2005-12-01

Accurate models of atmospheric transport are crucial to our current understanding of ozone production/loss and its coupling with climate change. Over the last ``20 years'', improvements in the ability to predict ``The Antarctic Ozone Hole and Polar Ozone Loss'' have tracked improvements in transport models. Data taken from the NOAA/CMDL airborne in-situ GC's (ACATS, LACE, PANTHER, and UCATS) have and will continue to play key roles in quantifying many aspects of stratospheric transport. Our data have been used in many of the model assessments to date. We will display an overview of the transport issues studied over the years using our data. They include descent with mixing within and into the polar vortex, entrainment of mid-latitude air across the vortex edge, upwelling and entrainment in the tropical pipe, isentropic transport across the tropopause into the lowermost stratosphere, mean ages of air parcels in the stratosphere, and stratospheric path distributions. ACATS - Airborne Chromatograph for Atmospheric Trace Species LACE - Lightweight Airborne Chromatograph Experiment PANTHER - PAN and Other Trace Hydrohalocarbons ExpeRiment UCATS - Unmanned aerial systems Chromatograph for Atmospheric Trace Species

Initial assessment of an airborne Ku-band polarimetric SAR.

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

Raynal, Ann Marie; Doerry, Armin Walter

2013-02-01

Polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has been used for a variety of dual-use research applications since the 1940s. By measuring the direction of the electric field vector from radar echoes, polarimetry may enhance an analysts understanding of scattering effects for both earth monitoring and tactical surveillance missions. Polarimetry may provide insight into surface types, materials, or orientations for natural and man-made targets. Polarimetric measurements may also be used to enhance the contrast between scattering surfaces such as man-made objects and their surroundings. This report represents an initial assessment of the utility of, and applications for, polarimetric SAR at Ku-band formore » airborne or unmanned aerial systems.« less

Occupational exposure to airborne mercury during gold mining operations near El Callao, Venezuela.

PubMed

Drake, P L; Rojas, M; Reh, C M; Mueller, C A; Jenkins, F M

2001-04-01

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently conducted a cross-sectional study during gold mining operations near El Callao, Venezuela. The purpose of the study was to assess mercury exposures and mercury-related microdamage to the kidneys. The study consisted of concurrent occupational hygiene and biological monitoring, and an examination of the processing techniques employed at the different mining facilities. Mercury was used in these facilities to remove gold by forming a mercury-gold amalgam. The gold was purified either by heating the amalgam in the open with a propane torch or by using a small retort. Thirty-eight workers participated in this study. Some participants were employed by a large mining company, while others were considered "informal miners" (self-employed). Mercury exposure was monitored by sampling air from the workers' breathing zones. These full-shift air samples were used to calculate time-weighted average (TWA) mercury exposure concentrations. A questionnaire was administered and a spot urine sample was collected. Each urine sample was analyzed for mercury, creatinine, and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG). The range for the 8-h TWA airborne mercury exposure concentrations was 0.1 to 6,315 micrograms/m3, with a mean of 183 micrograms/m3. Twenty percent of the TWA airborne mercury exposure measurements were above the NIOSH recommended exposure limit (REL) of 50 micrograms/m3, and 26% exceeded the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) threshold limit value (TLV) of 25 micrograms/m3. The mean urine mercury concentration was 101 micrograms/g creatinine (microgram/g-Cr), and the data ranged from 2.5 to 912 micrograms/g-Cr. Forty-two percent of the study participants had urine mercury concentrations that exceeded the ACGIH biological exposure index (BEI) of 35 micrograms/g-Cr. Urinary NAG excretion is considered a biological marker of preclinical, nonspecific microdamage to the kidney

Hyperspectral and Radar Airborne Imagery over Controlled Release of Oil at Sea.

PubMed

Angelliaume, Sébastien; Ceamanos, Xavier; Viallefont-Robinet, Françoise; Baqué, Rémi; Déliot, Philippe; Miegebielle, Véronique

2017-08-02

Remote sensing techniques are commonly used by Oil and Gas companies to monitor hydrocarbon on the ocean surface. The interest lies not only in exploration but also in the monitoring of the maritime environment. Occurrence of natural seeps on the sea surface is a key indicator of the presence of mature source rock in the subsurface. These natural seeps, as well as the oil slicks, are commonly detected using radar sensors but the addition of optical imagery can deliver extra information such as thickness and composition of the detected oil, which is critical for both exploration purposes and efficient cleanup operations. Today, state-of-the-art approaches combine multiple data collected by optical and radar sensors embedded on-board different airborne and spaceborne platforms, to ensure wide spatial coverage and high frequency revisit time. Multi-wavelength imaging system may create a breakthrough in remote sensing applications, but it requires adapted processing techniques that need to be developed. To explore performances offered by multi-wavelength radar and optical sensors for oil slick monitoring, remote sensing data have been collected by SETHI (Système Expérimental de Télédection Hyperfréquence Imageur), the airborne system developed by ONERA (the French Aerospace Lab), during an oil spill cleanup exercise carried out in 2015 in the North Sea, Europe. The uniqueness of this dataset lies in its high spatial resolution, low noise level and quasi-simultaneous acquisitions of different part of the EM spectrum. Specific processing techniques have been developed to extract meaningful information associated with oil-covered sea surface. Analysis of this unique and rich dataset demonstrates that remote sensing imagery, collected in both optical and microwave domains, allows estimating slick surface properties such as the age of the emulsion released at sea, the spatial abundance of oil and the relative concentration of hydrocarbons remaining on the sea surface.

Investigation of coastal areas in Northern Germany using airborne geophysical surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miensopust, Marion; Siemon, Bernhard; Wiederhold, Helga; Steuer, Annika; Ibs-von Seht, Malte; Voß, Wolfgang; Meyer, Uwe

2014-05-01

Since 2000, the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) carried out several airborne geophysical surveys in Northern Germany to investigate the coastal areas of the North Sea and some of the North and East Frisian Islands. Several of those surveys were conducted in cooperation with the Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics (LIAG). Two helicopter-borne geophysical systems were used, namely the BGR system, which collects simultaneously frequency-domain electromagnetic, magnetic and radiometric data, and the SkyTEM system, a time-domain electromagnetic system developed by the University of Aarhus. Airborne geophysical surveys enable to investigate huge areas almost completely with high lateral resolution in a relatively short time at economic cost. In general, the results can support geological and hydrogeological mapping. Of particular importance are the airborne electromagnetic results, as the surveyed parameter - the electrical conductivity - depends on both lithology and groundwater status. Therefore, they can reveal buried valleys and the distribution of sandy and clayey sediments as well as salinization zones and fresh-water occurrences. The often simultaneously recorded magnetic and radiometric data support the electromagnetic results. Lateral changes of Quaternary and Tertiary sediments (shallow source - several tens of metres) as well as evidences of the North German Basin (deep source - several kilometres) are revealed by the magnetic results. The radiometric data indicate the various mineral compositions of the soil sediments. This BGR/LIAG project aims to build up a geophysics data base (http://geophysics-database.de/) which contains all airborne geophysical data sets. However, the more significant effort is to create a reference data set as basis for monitoring climate or man-made induced changes of the salt-water/fresh-water interface at the German North Sea coast. The significance of problems for groundwater extraction

Note: Real time optical sensing of alpha-radiation emitting radioactive aerosols based on solid state nuclear track detector.

PubMed

Kulkarni, A; Ha, S; Joshirao, P; Manchanda, V; Bak, M S; Kim, T

2015-06-01

A sensitive radioactive aerosols sensor has been designed and developed. Its design guidance is based on the need for a low operational cost and reliable measurements to provide daily aerosol monitoring. The exposure of diethylene-glycol bis (allylcarbonate) to radiation causes modification of its physico-chemical properties like surface roughness and reflectance. In the present study, optical sensor based on the reflectance measurement has been developed with an aim to monitor real time presence of alpha radioactive aerosols emitted from thorium nitrate hydrate. The results shows that the fabricated sensor can detect 0.0157 kBq to 0.1572 kBq of radio activity by radioactive aerosols generated from (Th(NO3)4 ⋅ 5H2O) at 0.1 ml/min flow rate. The proposed instrument will be helpful to monitor radioactive aerosols in/around a nuclear facility, building construction sites, mines, and granite polishing factories.

ASSESSING THE COMPARABILITY OF AMMONIUM, NITRATE AND SULFATE CONCENTRATIONS MEASURED BY THREE AIR QUALITY MONITORING NETWORKS

EPA Science Inventory

Airborne fine particulate matter across the United States is monitored by different networks, the three prevalent ones presently being the Clean Air Status and Trend Network (CASTNet), the Interagency Monitoring of PROtected Visual Environment Network (IMPROVE) and the Speciati...

76 FR 76333 - Notification for Airborne Wind Energy Systems (AWES)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-07

...-1279; Notice No. 11-07] Notification for Airborne Wind Energy Systems (AWES) AGENCY: Federal Aviation... CFR) part 77, ``Safe, Efficient Use and Preservation of the Navigable Airspace,'' to airborne wind energy systems (AWES). In addition, this notice requests information from airborne wind energy system...

Mapping and Monitoring Delmarva Fox Squirrel Habitat Using an Airborne LiDAR Profiler

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, Ross; Ratnaswamy, Mary; Keller, Cherry

2004-01-01

Twenty five hundred thirty nine kilometers of airborne laser profiling and videography data were acquired over the state of Delaware during the summer of 2000. The laser ranging measurements and video from approximately one-half of that data set (1304 km) were analyzed to identify and locate forested sites that might potentially support populations of Delmarva fox squirrel (DFS, Sciurus niger cinereus). The DFS is an endangered species previously endemic to tall, dense, mature forests with open understories on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. The airborne LiDAR employed in this study can measure forest canopy height and canopy closure, but cannot measure or infer understory canopy conditions. Hence the LiDAR must be viewed as a tool to map potential, not actual, habitat. Fifty-three potentially suitable DFS sites were identified in the 1304 km of flight transect data. Each of the 53 sites met the following criteria according to the LiDAR and video record: (1 ) at least 120m of contiguous forest; (2) an average canopy height greater than 20m; (3) an average canopy closure of >80%; and (4) no roofs, impervious surface (e.g., asphalt, concrete), and/or open water anywhere along the 120m length of the laser segment. Thirty-two of the 53 sites were visited on the ground and measurements taken for a DFS habitat suitability model. Seventy eight percent of the sites (25 of 32) were judged by the model to be suited to supporting a DFS population. Twenty-eight of the 32 sites visited in the field were in forest cover types (hardwood, mixed wood, conifer, wetlands) according to a land cover GIS map. Of these, 23 (82%) were suited to support DFS. The remaining 4 sites were located in nonforest cover types - agricultural or residential areas. Two of the four, or 50% were suited to the DFS. All of the LiDAR flight data, 2539 km, were analyzed to

Recognizing Airborne Hazards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Christian M.

1990-01-01

The heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in older buildings often do not adequately handle air-borne contaminants. Outlines a three-stage Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) assessment and describes a case in point at a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, school. (MLF)

Compact Highly Sensitive Multi-species Airborne Mid-IR Spectrometer

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

Richter, Dirk; Weibring, P.; Walega, J.

2015-02-01

We report on the development and airborne field deployment of a mid-IR laser based spectrometer. The instrument was configured for the simultaneous in-situ detection of formaldehyde (CH2O) and ethane (C2H6). Numerous mechanical, optical, electronic, and software improvements over a previous instrument design resulted in reliable highly sensitive airborne operation with long stability times yielding 90% airborne measurement coverage during the recent air quality study over the Colorado front range, FRAPPÉ 2014. Airborne detection sensitivities of ~ 15 pptv (C2H6) and ~40 pptv (CH2O) were generally obtained for 1 s of averaging for simultaneous detection.

Evaluation of airborne thermal-infrared image data for monitoring aquatic habitats and cultural resources within the Grand Canyon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.

2002-01-01

This study examined thermal-infrared (TIR) image data acquired using the airborne Advanced Thematic Mapper (ATM) sensor in the afternoon of July 25th, 2000 over a portion of the Colorado River corridor to determine the capability of these 100-cm resolution data to address some biologic and cultural resource requirements for GCMRC. The requirements investigated included the mapping of warm backwaters that may serve as fish habitats and the detection (and monitoring) of archaeological structures and natural springs that occur on land. This report reviews the procedure for calibration of the airborne TIR data to obtain surface water temperatures and shows the results for various river reaches within the acquired river corridor. With respect to mapping warm backwater areas, our results show that TIR data need to be acquired with a gain setting that optimizes the range of temperatures found within the water to increase sensitivity of the resulting data to a level of 0.1 °C and to reduce scan-line noise. Data acquired within a two-hour window around maximum solar heating (1:30 PM) is recommended to provide maximum solar heating of the water and to minimize cooling effects of late-afternoon shadows. Ground-truth data within the temperature range of the warm backwaters are necessary for calibration of the TIR data. The ground-truth data need to be collected with good locational accuracy. The derived water-temperature data provide the capability for rapid, wide-area mapping of warm-water fish habitats using a threshold temperature for such habitats. The collected daytime TIR data were ineffective in mapping (detecting) both archaeological structures and natural springs (seeps). The inability of the daytime TIR data to detect archaeological structures is attributed to the low thermal sensitivity (0.3 °C) of the collected data. The detection of subtle thermal differences between geologic materials requires sensitivities of at least 0.1 °C, which can be obtained by most TIR

Synergism between airborne singlet oxygen and a trisubstituted olefin sulfonate for the inactivation of bacteria.

PubMed

Choudhury, Rajib; Greer, Alexander

2014-04-01

The reactivity of a trisubstituted alkene surfactant (8-methylnon-7-ene-1 sulfonate, 1) to airborne singlet oxygen in a solution containing E. coli was examined. Surfactant 1 was prepared by a Strecker-type reaction of 9-bromo-2-methylnon-2-ene with sodium sulfite. Submicellar concentrations of 1 were used that reacted with singlet oxygen by an "ene" reaction to yield two hydroperoxides (7-hydroperoxy-8-methylnon-8-ene-1 sulfonate and (E)-8-hydroperoxy-8-methylnon-6-ene-1 sulfonate) in a 4:1 ratio. Exchanging the H2O solution for D2O where the lifetime of solution-phase singlet oxygen increases by 20-fold led to an ∼2-fold increase in the yield of hydroperoxides pointing to surface activity of singlet oxygen with the surfactant in a partially solvated state. In this airborne singlet oxygen reaction, E. coli inactivation was monitored in the presence and absence of 1 and by a LIVE/DEAD cell permeabilization assay. It was shown that the surfactant has low dark toxicity with respect to the bacteria, but in the presence of airborne singlet oxygen, it produces a synergistic enhancement of the bacterial inactivation. How the ene-derived surfactant hydroperoxides can provoke (1)O2 toxicity and be of general utility is discussed.

High similarity between bacterioneuston and airborne bacterial community compositions in a high mountain lake area.

PubMed

Hervas, Anna; Casamayor, Emilio O

2009-02-01

The bacterioneuston (bacteria inhabiting the air-water interface) is poorly characterized and possibly forms a unique community in the aquatic environment. In high mountain lakes, the surface film is subjected to extreme conditions of life, suggesting the development of a specific and adapted bacterioneuston community. We have studied the surface film of a remote high mountain lake in the Pyrenees by cloning the PCR-amplified 16S rRNA gene and comparing with bacteria present in underlying waters (UW), and airborne bacteria from the dust deposited on the top of the snow pack. We did not detect unusual taxa in the neuston but rather very common and widespread bacterial groups. Betaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria accounted for >75% of the community composition. Other minor groups were Gammaproteobacteria (between 8% and 12%), Alphaproteobacteria (between 1% and 5%), and Firmicutes (1%). However, we observed segregated populations in neuston and UW for the different clades within each of the main phylogenetic groups. The soil bacterium Acinetobacter sp. was only detected in the snow-dust sample. Overall, higher similarities were found between bacterioneuston and airborne bacteria than between the former and bacterioplankton. The surface film in high mountain lakes appears as a direct interceptor of airborne bacteria useful for monitoring long-range bacterial dispersion.

30 CFR 57.5005 - Control of exposure to airborne contaminants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Control of exposure to airborne contaminants... Underground § 57.5005 Control of exposure to airborne contaminants. Control of employee exposure to harmful airborne contaminants shall be, insofar as feasible, by prevention of contamination, removal by exhaust...

Appendix : airborne incidents : an econometric analysis of severity

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-12-19

This is the Appendix for Airborne Incidents: An Econometric Analysis of Severity Report. : Airborne loss of separation incidents occur when an aircraft breaches the defined separation limit (vertical and/or horizontal) with another aircraft or terrai...

Networked Airborne Communications Using Adaptive Multi Beam Directional Links

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-05

Networked Airborne Communications Using Adaptive Multi-Beam Directional Links R. Bruce MacLeod Member, IEEE, and Adam Margetts Member, IEEE MIT...provide new techniques for increasing throughput in airborne adaptive directional net- works. By adaptive directional linking, we mean systems that can...techniques can dramatically increase the capacity in airborne networks. Advances in digital array technology are beginning to put these gains within reach

Scratched: World War II Airborne Operations That Never Happened

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-22

Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited SCRATCHED: WORLD WAR II AIRBORNE OPERATIONS THAT NEVER HAPPENED A Monograph by...2. REPORT TYPE Master’s Thesis 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) JUN 2013-MAY 2014 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Scratched: World War II Airborne...Maastricht gap, to get Allied troops through the West Wall. For numerous reasons, the overall Allied airborne effort of World War II provided mixed

Mapping Above- and Below-Ground Carbon Pools in Boreal Forests: The Case for Airborne Lidar

PubMed Central

Kristensen, Terje; Næsset, Erik; Ohlson, Mikael; Bolstad, Paul V.; Kolka, Randall

2015-01-01

A large and growing body of evidence has demonstrated that airborne scanning light detection and ranging (lidar) systems can be an effective tool in measuring and monitoring above-ground forest tree biomass. However, the potential of lidar as an all-round tool for assisting in assessment of carbon (C) stocks in soil and non-tree vegetation components of the forest ecosystem has been given much less attention. Here we combine the use airborne small footprint scanning lidar with fine-scale spatial C data relating to vegetation and the soil surface to describe and contrast the size and spatial distribution of C pools within and among multilayered Norway spruce (Picea abies) stands. Predictor variables from lidar derived metrics delivered precise models of above- and below-ground tree C, which comprised the largest C pool in our study stands. We also found evidence that lidar canopy data correlated well with the variation in field layer C stock, consisting mainly of ericaceous dwarf shrubs and herbaceous plants. However, lidar metrics derived directly from understory echoes did not yield significant models. Furthermore, our results indicate that the variation in both the mosses and soil organic layer C stock plots appears less influenced by differences in stand structure properties than topographical gradients. By using topographical models from lidar ground returns we were able to establish a strong correlation between lidar data and the organic layer C stock at a stand level. Increasing the topographical resolution from plot averages (~2000 m2) towards individual grid cells (1 m2) did not yield consistent models. Our study demonstrates a connection between the size and distribution of different forest C pools and models derived from airborne lidar data, providing a foundation for future research concerning the use of lidar for assessing and monitoring boreal forest C. PMID:26426532

Mapping Above- and Below-Ground Carbon Pools in Boreal Forests: The Case for Airborne Lidar.

PubMed

Kristensen, Terje; Næsset, Erik; Ohlson, Mikael; Bolstad, Paul V; Kolka, Randall

2015-01-01

A large and growing body of evidence has demonstrated that airborne scanning light detection and ranging (lidar) systems can be an effective tool in measuring and monitoring above-ground forest tree biomass. However, the potential of lidar as an all-round tool for assisting in assessment of carbon (C) stocks in soil and non-tree vegetation components of the forest ecosystem has been given much less attention. Here we combine the use airborne small footprint scanning lidar with fine-scale spatial C data relating to vegetation and the soil surface to describe and contrast the size and spatial distribution of C pools within and among multilayered Norway spruce (Picea abies) stands. Predictor variables from lidar derived metrics delivered precise models of above- and below-ground tree C, which comprised the largest C pool in our study stands. We also found evidence that lidar canopy data correlated well with the variation in field layer C stock, consisting mainly of ericaceous dwarf shrubs and herbaceous plants. However, lidar metrics derived directly from understory echoes did not yield significant models. Furthermore, our results indicate that the variation in both the mosses and soil organic layer C stock plots appears less influenced by differences in stand structure properties than topographical gradients. By using topographical models from lidar ground returns we were able to establish a strong correlation between lidar data and the organic layer C stock at a stand level. Increasing the topographical resolution from plot averages (~2000 m2) towards individual grid cells (1 m2) did not yield consistent models. Our study demonstrates a connection between the size and distribution of different forest C pools and models derived from airborne lidar data, providing a foundation for future research concerning the use of lidar for assessing and monitoring boreal forest C.

Satellite and airborne IR sensor validation by an airborne interferometer

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

Gumley, L.E.; Delst, P.F. van; Moeller, C.C.

1996-11-01

The validation of in-orbit longwave IR radiances from the GOES-8 Sounder and inflight longwave IR radiances from the MODIS Airborne Simulator (MAS) is described. The reference used is the airborne University of Wisconsin High Resolution Interferometer Sounder (HIS). The calibration of each sensor is described. Data collected during the Ocean Temperature Interferometric Survey (OTIS) experiment in January 1995 is used in the comparison between sensors. Detailed forward calculations of at-sensor radiance are used to account for the difference in GOES-8 and HIS altitude and viewing geometry. MAS radiances and spectrally averaged HIS radiances are compared directly. Differences between GOES-8 andmore » HIS brightness temperatures, and GOES-8 and MAS brightness temperatures, are found to be with 1.0 K for the majority of longwave channels examined. The same validation approach will be used for future sensors such as the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS). 11 refs., 2 figs., 4 tabs.« less

Background Radioactivity in River and Reservoir Sediments near Los Alamos, New Mexico

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

S.G.McLin; D.W. Lyons

2002-05-05

As part of its continuing Environmental Surveillance Program, regional river and lake-bottom sediments have been collected annually by Los Alamos National Laboratory (the Laboratory) since 1974 and 1979, respectively. These background samples are collected from three drainage basins at ten different river stations and five reservoirs located throughout northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. Radiochemical analyses for these sediments include tritium, strontium-90, cesium-137, total uranium, plutonium-238, plutonium-239,-240, americium-241, gross alpha, gross beta, and gross gamma radioactivity. Detection-limit radioactivity originates as worldwide fallout from aboveground nuclear weapons testing and satellite reentry into Earth's atmosphere. Spatial and temporal variations in individual analytemore » levels originate from atmospheric point-source introductions and natural rate differences in airborne deposition and soil erosion. Background radioactivity values on sediments reflect this variability, and grouped river and reservoir sediment samples show a range of statistical distributions that appear to be analyte dependent. Traditionally, both river and reservoir analyte data were blended together to establish background levels. In this report, however, we group background sediment data according to two criteria. These include sediment source (either river or reservoir sediments) and station location relative to the Laboratory (either upstream or downstream). These grouped data are statistically evaluated through 1997, and background radioactivity values are established for individual analytes in upstream river and reservoir sediments. This information may be used to establish the existence and areal extent of trace-level environmental contamination resulting from historical Laboratory research activities since the early 1940s.« less

30 CFR 56.5005 - Control of exposure to airborne contaminants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Control of exposure to airborne contaminants... Air Quality and Physical Agents Air Quality § 56.5005 Control of exposure to airborne contaminants. Control of employee exposure to harmful airborne contaminants shall be, insofar as feasible, by prevention...

NASA airborne laser altimetry and ICESat-2 post-launch data validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brunt, K. M.; Neumann, T.; Studinger, M.; Hawley, R. L.; Markus, T.

2016-12-01

A series of NASA airborne lidars have made repeated surveys over an 11,000-m ground-based kinematic GPS traverse near Summit Station, Greenland. These ground-based data were used to assess the surface elevation bias and measurement precision of two airborne laser altimeters: Airborne Topographic Mapper (ATM) and Land, Vegetation, and Ice Sensor (LVIS). Data from the ongoing monthly traverses allowed for the assessment of 8 airborne lidar campaigns; elevation biases for these altimeters were less than 12.2 cm, while assessments of surface measurement precision were less than 9.1 cm. Results from the analyses of the Greenland ground-based GPS and airborne lidar data provide guidance for validation strategies for Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite 2 (ICESat-2) elevation and elevation-change data products. Specifically, a nested approach to validation is required, where ground-based GPS data are used to constrain the bias and measurement precision of the airborne lidar data; airborne surveys can then be designed and conducted on longer length-scales to provide the amount of airborne data required to make more statistically meaningful assessments of satellite elevation data. This nested validation approach will continue for the ground-traverse in Greenland; further, the ICESat-2 Project Science Office has plans to conduct similar coordinated ground-based and airborne data collection in Antarctica.

Warriors from the Sky: US Army Airborne Operational Art in Normandy

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-25

capabilities required for conducting a cross- Channel joint forcible entry operation. This included the identification of specific missions for the airborne...cross- Channel joint forcible entry operation. This included the identification of specific missions for the airborne forces. As a result, the airborne...Operation Market Garden, Holland 1944 (HQ, 82 Airborne Division: Feb 1946), 4. Market Garden, following the invasion in Normandy, was the first

LAN MAP: An Innovative Airborne Light at Night Mapping Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craine, Eric R.; Craine, B. L.; Craine, E. M.; Craine, P. R.

2013-01-01

Widespread installation of inefficient and misdirected artificial light at night (LAN) has led to increasing concerns about light pollution and its impact, not only on astronomical facilities but larger communities as well. Light pollution impacts scientific research, environmental ecosystems, human health, and quality of life. In recent years, the public policy response to light pollution has included formulation of government codes to regulate lighting design and installation. Various environmental groups now include light pollution among their rallying themes to protest both specific and general developments. The latter efforts are often conducted in the absence of any quantitative data and are frequently charged by emotion rather than reason. To bring some scientific objectivity, and quantitative data, to these discussions, we have developed a suite of tools for simultaneous photometric measurements and temporal monitoring of both local communities and the sky overhead. We have also developed novel protocols for the use of these tools, including a triad of airborne, ground mobile, and ground static photometric surveys. We present a summary of these tools and protocols, with special emphasis on the airborne systems, and discuss baseline and follow-up measurements of LAN environments in the vicinity of numerous observatories in Arizona, the home of the initial LAN MAP surveys.

A Simple Method for Collecting Airborne Pollen

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kevan, Peter G.; DiGiovanni, Franco; Ho, Rong H.; Taki, Hisatomo; Ferguson, Kristyn A.; Pawlowski, Agata K.

2006-01-01

Pollination is a broad area of study within biology. For many plants, pollen carried by wind is required for successful seed set. Airborne pollen also affects human health. To foster studies of airborne pollen, we introduce a simple device--the "megastigma"--for collecting pollen from the air. This device is flexible, yielding easily obtained data…

Inter-agency Working Group for Airborne Data and Telemetry Systems (IWGADTS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Webster, Chris; Freudinger, Lawrence; Sorenson, Carl; Myers, Jeff; Sullivan, Don; Oolman, Larry

2009-01-01

The Interagency Coordinating Committee for Airborne Geosciences Research and Applications (ICCAGRA) was established to improve cooperation and communication among agencies sponsoring airborne platforms and instruments for research and applications, and to serve as a resource for senior level management on airborne geosciences issues. The Interagency Working Group for Airborne Data and Telecommunications Systems (IWGADTS) is a subgroup to ICCAGRA for the purpose of developing recommendations leading to increased interoperability among airborne platforms and instrument payloads, producing increased synergy among research programs with similar goals, and enabling the suborbital layer of the Global Earth Observing System of Systems.

Radioactive emission data from Canadian nuclear generating stations, 1988 to 1997. Report number INFO-0210/Rev.8

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

NONE

1998-12-31

This edition incorporates histograms for each nuclear generating station (NGS) displaying the annual gaseous emissions containing tritium, in the form of tritium oxide, noble gases, iodine-131, and radioactive particulates, as well as the annual liquid emissions containing tritium, in the form of tritiated water, and gross beta-gamma activity. For Pickering NGS A and Gentilly 2, annual emissions of carbon-14 are depicted; and for Darlington NGS A, airborne emissions of elemental tritium since 1988 are shown. In each case, the emission data are compared to the derived emission limits.

Current Measures on Radioactive Contamination in Japan: A Policy Situation Analysis.

PubMed

Gilmour, Stuart; Miyagawa, Shoji; Kasuga, Fumiko; Shibuya, Kenji

2016-01-01

The Great East Japan Earthquake on 11th March 2011 and the subsequent Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster caused radioactive contamination in the surrounding environment. In the immediate aftermath of the accident the Government of Japan placed strict measures on radio-contamination of food, and enhanced radio-contamination monitoring activities. Japan is a pilot country in the WHO Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group (FERG), and through this initiative has an opportunity to report on policy affecting chemicals and toxins in the food distribution network. Nuclear accidents are extremely rare, and a policy situation analysis of the Japanese government's response to the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident is a responsibility of Japanese scientists. This study aims to assess Japan government policies to reduce radio-contamination risk and to identify strategies to strengthen food policies to ensure the best possible response to possible future radiation accidents. We conducted a hand search of all publicly available policy documents issued by the Cabinet Office, the Food Safety Commission, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW), the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery (MAFF) and prefectural governments concerning food safety standards and changes to radiation and contamination standards since March 11th, 2011. We extracted information on food shipment and sales restrictions, allowable radio-contamination limits, monitoring activities and monitoring results. The standard for allowable radioactive cesium (Cs-134 and Cs-137) of 100 Bq/Kg in general food, 50 Bq/Kg in infant formula and all milk products, and 10 Bq/Kg in drinking water was enforced from April 2012 under the Food Sanitation Law, although a provisional standard on radio-contamination had been applied since the nuclear accident. Restrictions on the commercial sale and distribution of specific meat, vegetable and fish products were released for areas at risk of

Scaling wood volume estimates from inventory plots to landscapes with airborne LiDAR in temperate deciduous forest.

PubMed

Levick, Shaun R; Hessenmöller, Dominik; Schulze, E-Detlef

2016-12-01

Monitoring and managing carbon stocks in forested ecosystems requires accurate and repeatable quantification of the spatial distribution of wood volume at landscape to regional scales. Grid-based forest inventory networks have provided valuable records of forest structure and dynamics at individual plot scales, but in isolation they may not represent the carbon dynamics of heterogeneous landscapes encompassing diverse land-management strategies and site conditions. Airborne LiDAR has greatly enhanced forest structural characterisation and, in conjunction with field-based inventories, it provides avenues for monitoring carbon over broader spatial scales. Here we aim to enhance the integration of airborne LiDAR surveying with field-based inventories by exploring the effect of inventory plot size and number on the relationship between field-estimated and LiDAR-predicted wood volume in deciduous broad-leafed forest in central Germany. Estimation of wood volume from airborne LiDAR was most robust (R 2  = 0.92, RMSE = 50.57 m 3 ha -1  ~14.13 Mg C ha -1 ) when trained and tested with 1 ha experimental plot data (n = 50). Predictions based on a more extensive (n = 1100) plot network with considerably smaller (0.05 ha) plots were inferior (R 2  = 0.68, RMSE = 101.01 ~28.09 Mg C ha -1 ). Differences between the 1 and 0.05 ha volume models from LiDAR were negligible however at the scale of individual land-management units. Sample size permutation tests showed that increasing the number of inventory plots above 350 for the 0.05 ha plots returned no improvement in R 2 and RMSE variability of the LiDAR-predicted wood volume model. Our results from this study confirm the utility of LiDAR for estimating wood volume in deciduous broad-leafed forest, but highlight the challenges associated with field plot size and number in establishing robust relationships between airborne LiDAR and field derived wood volume. We are moving into a forest management era where

Airborne Visible Laser Optical Communications Program (AVLOC)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ward, J. H.

1975-01-01

The design, development, and operation of airborne and ground-based laser communications and laser radar hardware is described in support of the Airborne Visible Laser Optical Communication program. The major emphasis is placed on the development of a highly flexible test bed for the evaluation of laser communications systems techniques and components in an operational environment.

Concept of an advanced hyperspectral remote sensing system for pipeline monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keskin, Göksu; Teutsch, Caroline D.; Lenz, Andreas; Middelmann, Wolfgang

2015-10-01

Areas occupied by oil pipelines and storage facilities are prone to severe contamination due to leaks caused by natural forces, poor maintenance or third parties. These threats have to be detected as quickly as possible in order to prevent serious environmental damage. Periodical and emergency monitoring activities need to be carried out for successful disaster management and pollution minimization. Airborne remote sensing stands out as an appropriate choice to operate either in an emergency or periodically. Hydrocarbon Index (HI) and Hydrocarbon Detection Index (HDI) utilize the unique absorption features of hydrocarbon based materials at SWIR spectral region. These band ratio based methods require no a priori knowledge of the reference spectrum and can be calculated in real time. This work introduces a flexible airborne pipeline monitoring system based on the online quasi-operational hyperspectral remote sensing system developed at Fraunhofer IOSB, utilizing HI and HDI for oil leak detection on the data acquired by an SWIR imaging sensor. Robustness of HI and HDI compared to state of the art detection algorithms is evaluated in an experimental setup using a synthetic dataset, which was prepared in a systematic way to simulate linear mixtures of selected background and oil spectra consisting of gradually decreasing percentages of oil content. Real airborne measurements in Ettlingen, Germany are used to gather background data while the crude oil spectrum was measured with a field spectrometer. The results indicate that the system can be utilized for online and offline monitoring activities.

Use of Iodine-131 to Tellurium-132 Ratios for Assessing the Relationships between Human Inhaled Radioactivity and Environmental Monitoring after the Accident in Fukushima.

PubMed

Uchiyama, Koji; Miyashita, Masami; Tanishima, Yoshinobu; Maeda, Shigenobu; Sato, Hitoshi; Yoshikawa, Jun; Watanabe, Shuji; Shibata, Masamichi; Ohhira, Shuji; Kobashi, Gen

2018-03-09

Significant differences in findings were seen between the intake amounts of iodine-131 that were derived from direct measurements and the estimated intake from environmental monitoring data at the Fukushima accident. To clarify these discrepancies, we have investigated the iodine-131 and tellurium-132 body burdens of five human subjects, who after being exposed to a radioactive plume, underwent 21.5 h whole body counter measurements at Fukui Prefectural Hospital, so clear intake scenario and thyroid counter measurement data were available. To determine the iodine-131 and tellurium-132 body burdens, we introduced a new method of whole body counter calibration composed of a self-consistent approach with the time-dependent correction efficiency factors concept. The ratios of iodine-131 to tellurium-132, ranging from 0.96 ± 0.05 to 2.29 ± 0.38, were consistent with results of the environmental measurements. The 24 h iodine uptake values ranging from 12.1-16.0% were within euthyroid range in Japanese people. These results suggest, even if the relatively low thyroid iodine uptake in the Japanese population was taken into consideration, that there is no doubt about the consistency between direct measurements and environmental monitoring data. Adequate intake scenario is suggested to be principally important to estimate the inhaled radioactivity in areas in or around nuclear accidents.

OPTIMIZING THE PAKS METHOD FOR MEASURING AIRBORNE ACROLEIN

EPA Science Inventory

Airborne acrolein is produced from the combustion of fuel and tobacco and is of concern due to its potential for respiratory tract irritation and other adverse health effects. Active sampling with DNPH-coated solid sorbents has been widely used for sampling airborne carbonyls; ...

OPTIMIZING THE PAKS METHOD FOR MEASURING AIRBORNE ACROLEIN

EPA Science Inventory

Airborne acrolein is produced from the combustion of fuel and tobacco and is of concern due to its potential for respiratory tract irritation and other adverse health effects. DNPH active-sampling is a method widely used for sampling airborne aldehydes and ketones (carbonyls); ...

Airborne bacteria and fungi associated with waste-handling work.

PubMed

Park, Donguk; Ryu, Seunghun; Kim, Shinbum; Byun, Hyaejeong; Yoon, Chungsik; Lee, Kyeongmin

2013-01-01

Municipal workers handling household waste are potentially exposed to a variety of toxic and pathogenic substances, in particular airborne bacteria, gram-negative bacteria (GNB), and fungi. However, relatively little is known about the conditions under which exposure is facilitated. This study assessed levels of airborne bacteria, GNB, and fungi, and examined these in relation to the type of waste-handling activity (collection, transfer, transport, and sorting at the waste preprocessing plant), as well as a variety of other environmental and occupational factors. Airborne microorganisms were sampled using an Andersen single-stage sampler equipped with agar plates containing the appropriate nutritional medium and then cultured to determine airborne levels. Samples were taken during collection, transfer, transport, and sorting of household waste. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify environmental and occupational factors that significantly affect airborne microorganism levels during waste-handling activities. The "type of waste-handling activity" was the only factor that significantly affected airborne levels of bacteria and GNB, accounting for 38% (P = 0.029) and 50% (P = 0.0002) of the variation observed in bacteria and GNB levels, respectively. In terms of fungi, the type of waste-handling activity (R2 = 0.76) and whether collection had also occurred on the day prior to sampling (P < 0.0001, R2 = 0.78) explained most of the observed variation. Given that the type of waste-handling activity was significantly correlated with levels of bacteria, GNB, and fungi, we suggest that various engineering, administrative, and regulatory measures should be considered to reduce the occupational exposure to airborne microorganisms in the waste-handling industry.

Estimating individual-level exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons throughout the gestational period based on personal, indoor, and outdoor monitoring

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

Choi, H.; Perera, F.; Pac, A.

2008-11-15

Current understanding on health effects of long-term polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure is limited by lack of data on time-varying nature of the pollutants at an individual level. In a cohort of pregnant women in Krakow, Poland, we examined the contribution of temporal, spatial, and behavioral factors to prenatal exposure to airborne PAHs within each trimester and developed a predictive model of PAH exposure over the entire gestational period. The observed personal, indoor, and outdoor B(a)P levels we observed in Krakow far exceed the recommended Swedish guideline value for B(a)P of 0.1 ng/m{sup 3}. Based on simultaneously monitored levels, themore » outdoor PAH level alone accounts for 93% of total variability in personal exposure during the heating season. Living near the Krakow bus depot, a crossroad, and the city, center and time spent outdoors or commuting were not associated with higher personal exposure. During the nonheating season only, a 1-hr increase in environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure was associated with a 10-16% increase in personal exposure to the nine measured PAHs. A 1{degree}C decrease in ambient temperature was associated with a 3-5% increase in exposure to benz(a)anthracene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, and dibenz(a,h)anthracene, after accounting for the outdoor concentration. A random effects model demonstrated that mean personal exposure at a given gestational period depends on the season, residence location, and ETS. Considering that most women reported spending < 3 hr/day outdoors, most women in the study were exposed to outdoor-originating PAHs within the indoor setting. Cross-sectional, longitudinal monitoring supplemented with questionnaire data allowed development of a gestation-length model of individual-level exposure with high precision and validity.« less

Biodiversity Mapping in a Tropical West African Forest with Airborne Hyperspectral Data

PubMed Central

Vaglio Laurin, Gaia; Chan, Jonathan Cheung-Wai; Chen, Qi; Lindsell, Jeremy A.; Coomes, David A.; Guerriero, Leila; Frate, Fabio Del; Miglietta, Franco; Valentini, Riccardo

2014-01-01

Tropical forests are major repositories of biodiversity, but are fast disappearing as land is converted to agriculture. Decision-makers need to know which of the remaining forests to prioritize for conservation, but the only spatial information on forest biodiversity has, until recently, come from a sparse network of ground-based plots. Here we explore whether airborne hyperspectral imagery can be used to predict the alpha diversity of upper canopy trees in a West African forest. The abundance of tree species were collected from 64 plots (each 1250 m2 in size) within a Sierra Leonean national park, and Shannon-Wiener biodiversity indices were calculated. An airborne spectrometer measured reflectances of 186 bands in the visible and near-infrared spectral range at 1 m2 resolution. The standard deviations of these reflectance values and their first-order derivatives were calculated for each plot from the c. 1250 pixels of hyperspectral information within them. Shannon-Wiener indices were then predicted from these plot-based reflectance statistics using a machine-learning algorithm (Random Forest). The regression model fitted the data well (pseudo-R2 = 84.9%), and we show that standard deviations of green-band reflectances and infra-red region derivatives had the strongest explanatory powers. Our work shows that airborne hyperspectral sensing can be very effective at mapping canopy tree diversity, because its high spatial resolution allows within-plot heterogeneity in reflectance to be characterized, making it an effective tool for monitoring forest biodiversity over large geographic scales. PMID:24937407

Real-time measurements of airborne biologic particles using fluorescent particle counter to evaluate microbial contamination: results of a comparative study in an operating theater.

PubMed

Dai, Chunyang; Zhang, Yan; Ma, Xiaoling; Yin, Meiling; Zheng, Haiyang; Gu, Xuejun; Xie, Shaoqing; Jia, Hengmin; Zhang, Liang; Zhang, Weijun

2015-01-01

Airborne bacterial contamination poses a risk for surgical site infection, and routine surveillance of airborne bacteria is important. Traditional methods for detecting airborne bacteria are time consuming and strenuous. Measurement of biologic particle concentrations using a fluorescent particle counter is a novel method for evaluating air quality. The current study was to determine whether the number of biologic particles detected by the fluorescent particle counter can be used to indicate airborne bacterial counts in operating rooms. The study was performed in an operating theater at a university hospital in Hefei, China. The number of airborne biologic particles every minute was quantified using a fluorescent particle counter. Microbiologic air sampling was performed every 30 minutes using an Andersen air sampler (Pusong Electronic Instruments, Changzhou, China). Correlations between the 2 different methods were analyzed by Pearson correlation coefficients. A significant correlation was observed between biologic particle and bacterial counts (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.76), and the counting results from 2 methods both increased substantially between operations, corresponding with human movements in the operating room. Fluorescent particle counters show potential as important tools for monitoring bacterial contamination in operating theatres. Copyright © 2015 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[RADIATION HYGIENIC MONITORING AT THE AREA OF THE LOCATION OF THE FAR EASTERN CENTER FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT (FEC "DALRAO"--BRANCH OF FSUE "ROSRAO")].

PubMed

Kiselev, S M; Shandala, N K; Akhromeev, S V; Gimadova, T I; Seregin, V A; Titov, A V; Biryukova, N G

2015-01-01

Intensification ofactivities in the field of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and radioactive waste (RW) management in the Far East region of Russia assumes an increase of the environmental load on the territories adjacent to the enterprise and settlements. To ensure radiation safety during works on SNF and radioactive waste management in the standard mode of operation and during the rehabilitation works in the contaminated territories, there is need for the optimization of the existing system of radiation-hygienic monitoring, aimed at the implementation of complex dynamic observation of parameters of radiation-hygienic situation and radiation amount of the population living in the vicinity of the Far Eastern Center for Radioactive Waste Management (FEC "DALRAO"). To solve this problem there is required a significant amount of total and enough structured information on the character of the formation of the radiation situation, the potential ways of the spread of man-made pollution to the surrounding area, determining the radiation load on the population living in the vicinity of the object. In this paper there are presented the results of field studies of the radiation situation at the plant FEC "DALRAO", which were obtained during the course of expedition trips in 2009-2012.

40 CFR 192.03 - Monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR URANIUM AND THORIUM MILL TAILINGS Standards for the Control of Residual Radioactive Materials from Inactive Uranium Processing Sites § 192.03 Monitoring. A...

40 CFR 192.03 - Monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR URANIUM AND THORIUM MILL TAILINGS Standards for the Control of Residual Radioactive Materials from Inactive Uranium Processing Sites § 192.03 Monitoring. A...

40 CFR 192.03 - Monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR URANIUM AND THORIUM MILL TAILINGS Standards for the Control of Residual Radioactive Materials from Inactive Uranium Processing Sites § 192.03 Monitoring. A...

40 CFR 192.03 - Monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR URANIUM AND THORIUM MILL TAILINGS Standards for the Control of Residual Radioactive Materials from Inactive Uranium Processing Sites § 192.03 Monitoring. A...

ASSESSMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINANTS FOUND IN LOW LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE STREAMS

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

R.H. Little, P.R. Maul, J.S.S. Penfoldag

2003-02-27

This paper describes and presents the findings from two studies undertaken for the European Commission to assess the long-term impact upon the environment and human health of non-radioactive contaminants found in various low level radioactive waste streams. The initial study investigated the application of safety assessment approaches developed for radioactive contaminants to the assessment of nonradioactive contaminants in low level radioactive waste. It demonstrated how disposal limits could be derived for a range of non-radioactive contaminants and generic disposal facilities. The follow-up study used the same approach but undertook more detailed, disposal system specific calculations, assessing the impacts of bothmore » the non-radioactive and radioactive contaminants. The calculations undertaken indicated that it is prudent to consider non-radioactive, as well as radioactive contaminants, when assessing the impacts of low level radioactive waste disposal. For some waste streams with relatively low concentrations of radionuclides, the potential post-closure disposal impacts from non-radioactive contaminants can be comparable with the potential radiological impacts. For such waste streams there is therefore an added incentive to explore options for recycling the materials involved wherever possible.« less

Effects of ceiling-mounted HEPA-UV air filters on airborne bacteria concentrations in an indoor therapy pool building.

PubMed

Kujundzic, Elmira; Zander, David A; Hernandez, Mark; Angenent, Largus T; Henderson, David E; Miller, Shelly L

2005-02-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a new generation of high-volume, ceiling-mounted high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA)-ultraviolet (UV) air filters (HUVAFs) for their ability to remove or inactivate bacterial aerosol. In an environmentally controlled full-scale laboratory chamber (87 m3), and an indoor therapy pool building, the mitigation ability of air filters was assessed by comparing concentrations of total bacteria, culturable bacteria, and airborne endotoxin with and without the air filters operating under otherwise similar conditions. Controlled chamber tests with pure cultures of aerosolized Mycobacterium parafortuitum cells showed that the HUVAF unit tested provided an equivalent air-exchange rate of 11 hr(-1). Using this equivalent air-exchange rate as a design basis, three HUVAFs were installed in an indoor therapy pool building for bioaerosol mitigation, and their effectiveness was studied over a 2-year period. The HUVAFs reduced concentrations of culturable bacteria by 69 and 80% during monitoring periods executed in respective years. The HUVAFs reduced concentrations of total bacteria by 12 and 76% during the same monitoring period, respectively. Airborne endotoxin concentrations were not affected by the HUVAF operation.

Evaluation of exposure to the airborne asbestos in an asbestos cement sheet manufacturing industry in Iran.

PubMed

Panahi, Davood; Kakooei, Hossein; Marioryad, Hossein; Mehrdad, Ramin; Golhosseini, Mohammad

2011-07-01

Iran imports nearly 55,000 tons of Chrysotile asbestos per year and asbestos cement (AC) plants contribute nearly 94% of the total national usage. In the present study, airborne asbestos concentrations during AC sheet manufacturing were measured. The fiber type and its chemical composition were also evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Airborne total fiber concentrations of 45 personal samples were analyzed by phase contrast microscopy. The results have highlighted that 15.5% of samples exceed the threshold limit value (TLV) established the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, which is 0.1 fiber per milliliter (f/ml). Personal monitoring of asbestos fiber levels indicated a ranged from 0.02 ± 0.01 to 0.16 ± 0.03 f/ml. The geometrical mean was 0.05 ± 1.36 f/ml, which is considerably lower than the TLV. SEM data demonstrate that the fibrous particles consisted, approximately, of Chrysotile (55.89%) and amphiboles (44.11%). We conclude that the industrial consumption of imported Chrysotile asbestos is responsible for the high airborne amphibole asbestos levels in the AC sheet industry. More research is needed to improve characterization of occupational exposures by fiber size and concentration in a variety of industries.

Study on analysis from sources of error for Airborne LIDAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, H. C.; Yan, Q.; Liu, Z. J.; Zuo, Z. Q.; Xu, Q. Q.; Li, F. F.; Song, C.

2016-11-01

With the advancement of Aerial Photogrammetry, it appears that to obtain geo-spatial information of high spatial and temporal resolution provides a new technical means for Airborne LIDAR measurement techniques, with unique advantages and broad application prospects. Airborne LIDAR is increasingly becoming a new kind of space for earth observation technology, which is mounted by launching platform for aviation, accepting laser pulses to get high-precision, high-density three-dimensional coordinate point cloud data and intensity information. In this paper, we briefly demonstrates Airborne laser radar systems, and that some errors about Airborne LIDAR data sources are analyzed in detail, so the corresponding methods is put forwarded to avoid or eliminate it. Taking into account the practical application of engineering, some recommendations were developed for these designs, which has crucial theoretical and practical significance in Airborne LIDAR data processing fields.

Airborne gamma radiation soil moisture measurements over short flight lines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peck, Eugene L.; Carrol, Thomas R.; Lipinski, Daniel M.

1990-01-01

Results are presented on airborne gamma radiation measurements of soil moisture condition, carried out along short flight lines as part of the First International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project Field Experiment (FIFE). Data were collected over an area in Kansas during the summers of 1987 and 1989. The airborne surveys, together with ground measurements, provide the most comprehensive set of airborne and ground truth data available in the U.S. for calibrating and evaluating airborne gamma flight lines. Analysis showed that, using standard National Weather Service weights for the K, Tl, and Gc radiation windows, the airborne soil moisture estimates for the FIFE lines had a root mean square error of no greater than 3.0 percent soil moisture. The soil moisture estimates for sections having acquisition time of at least 15 sec were found to be reliable.

77 FR 21834 - Airborne Radar Altimeter Equipment (For Air Carrier Aircraft)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-11

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration Airborne Radar Altimeter Equipment... Technical Standard Order (TSO)-C67, Airborne Radar Altimeter Equipment (For Air Carrier Aircraft). SUMMARY: This is a confirmation notice of the cancellation of TSO-C67, Airborne Radar Altimeter Equipment (For...

The airborne Laser Absorption Spectrometer - A new instrument of remote measurement of atmospheric trace gases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shumate, M. S.; Menzies, R. T.

1978-01-01

The Laser Absorption Spectrometer is a portable instrument developed by JPL for remote measurement of trace gases from an aircraft platform. It contains two carbon dioxide lasers, two optical heterodyne receivers, appropriate optics to aim the lasers at the ground and detect the backscattered energy, and signal processing and recording electronics. Operating in the differential-absorption mode, it is possible to monitor one atmospheric gas at a time and record the data in real time. The system can presently measure ozone, ethylene, water vapor, and chlorofluoromethanes with high sensitivity. Airborne measurements were made in early 1977 from the NASA/JPL twin-engine Beechcraft and in May 1977 from the NASA Convair 990 during the ASSESS-II Shuttle Simulation Study. These flights resulted in measurements of ozone concentrations in the lower troposphere which were compared with ground-based values provided by the Air Pollution Control District. This paper describes the details of the instrument and results of the airborne measurements.

Validation of Airborne FMCW Radar Measurements of Snow Thickness Over Sea Ice in Antarctica

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Galin, Natalia; Worby, Anthony; Markus, Thorsten; Leuschen, Carl; Gogineni, Prasad

2012-01-01

Antarctic sea ice and its snow cover are integral components of the global climate system, yet many aspects of their vertical dimensions are poorly understood, making their representation in global climate models poor. Remote sensing is the key to monitoring the dynamic nature of sea ice and its snow cover. Reliable and accurate snow thickness data are currently a highly sought after data product. Remotely sensed snow thickness measurements can provide an indication of precipitation levels, predicted to increase with effects of climate change in the polar regions. Airborne techniques provide a means for regional-scale estimation of snow depth and distribution. Accurate regional-scale snow thickness data will also facilitate an increase in the accuracy of sea ice thickness retrieval from satellite altimeter freeboard estimates. The airborne data sets are easier to validate with in situ measurements and are better suited to validating satellite algorithms when compared with in situ techniques. This is primarily due to two factors: better chance of getting coincident in situ and airborne data sets and the tractability of comparison between an in situ data set and the airborne data set averaged over the footprint of the antennas. A 28-GHz frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar loaned by the Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets to the Australian Antarctic Division is used to measure snow thickness over sea ice in East Antarctica. Provided with the radar design parameters, the expected performance parameters of the radar are summarized. The necessary conditions for unambiguous identification of the airsnow and snowice layers for the radar are presented. Roughnesses of the snow and ice surfaces are found to be dominant determinants in the effectiveness of layer identification for this radar. Finally, this paper presents the first in situ validated snow thickness estimates over sea ice in Antarctica derived from an FMCW radar on a helicopterborne platform.

Laser measurement of extinction coefficients of highly absorbing liquids. [airborne oil spill monitoring application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoge, F. E.; Kincaid, J. S.

1980-01-01

A coaxial dual-channel laser system has been developed for the measurement of extinction coefficients of highly absorbing liquids. An empty wedge-shaped sample cell is first translated laterally through a He-Ne laser beam to measure the differential thickness using interference fringes in reflection. The wedge cell is carefully filled with the oil sample and translated through the coaxially positioned dye laser beam for the differential attenuation or extinction measurement. Optional use of the instrumentation as a single-channel extinction measurement system and also as a refractometer is detailed. The system and calibration techniques were applied to the measurement of two crude oils whose extinction values were required to complete the analysis of airborne laser data gathered over four controlled spills.

SGA-WZ: A New Strapdown Airborne Gravimeter

PubMed Central

Huang, Yangming; Olesen, Arne Vestergaard; Wu, Meiping; Zhang, Kaidong

2012-01-01

Inertial navigation systems and gravimeters are now routinely used to map the regional gravitational quantities from an aircraft with mGal accuracy and a spatial resolution of a few kilometers. However, airborne gravimeter of this kind is limited by the inaccuracy of the inertial sensor performance, the integrated navigation technique and the kinematic acceleration determination. As the GPS technique developed, the vehicle acceleration determination is no longer the limiting factor in airborne gravity due to the cancellation of the common mode acceleration in differential mode. A new airborne gravimeter taking full advantage of the inertial navigation system is described with improved mechanical design, high precision time synchronization, better thermal control and optimized sensor modeling. Apart from the general usage, the Global Positioning System (GPS) after differentiation is integrated to the inertial navigation system which provides not only more precise altitude information along with the navigation aiding, but also an effective way to calculate the vehicle acceleration. Design description and test results on the performance of the gyroscopes and accelerations will be emphasized. Analysis and discussion of the airborne field test results are also given. PMID:23012545

Characterization of airborne bacteria at an underground subway station.

PubMed

Dybwad, Marius; Granum, Per Einar; Bruheim, Per; Blatny, Janet Martha

2012-03-01

The reliable detection of airborne biological threat agents depends on several factors, including the performance criteria of the detector and its operational environment. One step in improving the detector's performance is to increase our knowledge of the biological aerosol background in potential operational environments. Subway stations are enclosed public environments, which may be regarded as potential targets for incidents involving biological threat agents. In this study, the airborne bacterial community at a subway station in Norway was characterized (concentration level, diversity, and virulence- and survival-associated properties). In addition, a SASS 3100 high-volume air sampler and a matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry-based isolate screening procedure was used for these studies. The daytime level of airborne bacteria at the station was higher than the nighttime and outdoor levels, and the relative bacterial spore number was higher in outdoor air than at the station. The bacterial content, particle concentration, and size distribution were stable within each environment throughout the study (May to September 2010). The majority of the airborne bacteria belonged to the genera Bacillus, Micrococcus, and Staphylococcus, but a total of 37 different genera were identified in the air. These results suggest that anthropogenic sources are major contributors to airborne bacteria at subway stations and that such airborne communities could harbor virulence- and survival-associated properties of potential relevance for biological detection and surveillance, as well as for public health. Our findings also contribute to the development of realistic testing and evaluation schemes for biological detection/surveillance systems by providing information that can be used to mimic real-life operational airborne environments in controlled aerosol test chambers.

Characterization of Airborne Bacteria at an Underground Subway Station

PubMed Central

Dybwad, Marius; Granum, Per Einar; Bruheim, Per

2012-01-01

The reliable detection of airborne biological threat agents depends on several factors, including the performance criteria of the detector and its operational environment. One step in improving the detector's performance is to increase our knowledge of the biological aerosol background in potential operational environments. Subway stations are enclosed public environments, which may be regarded as potential targets for incidents involving biological threat agents. In this study, the airborne bacterial community at a subway station in Norway was characterized (concentration level, diversity, and virulence- and survival-associated properties). In addition, a SASS 3100 high-volume air sampler and a matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry-based isolate screening procedure was used for these studies. The daytime level of airborne bacteria at the station was higher than the nighttime and outdoor levels, and the relative bacterial spore number was higher in outdoor air than at the station. The bacterial content, particle concentration, and size distribution were stable within each environment throughout the study (May to September 2010). The majority of the airborne bacteria belonged to the genera Bacillus, Micrococcus, and Staphylococcus, but a total of 37 different genera were identified in the air. These results suggest that anthropogenic sources are major contributors to airborne bacteria at subway stations and that such airborne communities could harbor virulence- and survival-associated properties of potential relevance for biological detection and surveillance, as well as for public health. Our findings also contribute to the development of realistic testing and evaluation schemes for biological detection/surveillance systems by providing information that can be used to mimic real-life operational airborne environments in controlled aerosol test chambers. PMID:22247150

Performance analysis and technical assessment of coherent lidar systems for airborne wind shear detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huffaker, R. Milton; Targ, Russell

1988-01-01

Detailed computer simulations of the lidar wind-measuring process have been conducted to evaluate the use of pulsed coherent lidar for airborne windshear monitoring. NASA data fields for an actual microburst event were used in the simulation. Both CO2 and Ho:YAG laser lidar systems performed well in the microburst test case, and were able to measure wind shear in the severe weather of this wet microburst to ranges in excess of 1.4 km. The consequent warning time gained was about 15 sec.

Airborne Microalgae: Insights, Opportunities, and Challenges

PubMed Central

Skjøth, Carsten Ambelas; Šantl-Temkiv, Tina; Löndahl, Jakob

2016-01-01

Airborne dispersal of microalgae has largely been a blind spot in environmental biological studies because of their low concentration in the atmosphere and the technical limitations in investigating microalgae from air samples. Recent studies show that airborne microalgae can survive air transportation and interact with the environment, possibly influencing their deposition rates. This minireview presents a summary of these studies and traces the possible route, step by step, from established ecosystems to new habitats through air transportation over a variety of geographic scales. Emission, transportation, deposition, and adaptation to atmospheric stress are discussed, as well as the consequences of their dispersal on health and the environment and state-of-the-art techniques to detect and model airborne microalga dispersal. More-detailed studies on the microalga atmospheric cycle, including, for instance, ice nucleation activity and transport simulations, are crucial for improving our understanding of microalga ecology, identifying microalga interactions with the environment, and preventing unwanted contamination events or invasions. PMID:26801574

Airborne microorganisms associated with grain handling.

PubMed

Swan, J R; Crook, B

1998-01-01

There is substantial evidence that workers handling grain develop allergic respiratory symptoms. Microbiological contaminants are likely to be a significant contributing factor. Worker's exposure to microorganisms contaminating grain dust in the UK was therefore examined. Aerobiological studies were made when grain was being handled on farms and also during bulk handling of grain in dockside terminals. A quantitative and qualitative microbiological examination of the airborne grain dust was carried out. Samples of airborne grain dust were collected and viable bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes were grown, isolated and identified. It was found that workers handling grain or working close to grain at farms and docks were frequently exposed to more than 1 million bacteria and fungi per m3 air, and that airborne bacteria and fungi exceeded 10(4) per m3 air in all areas sampled. The qualitative examination of the samples showed that the predominant microorganisms present differed between freshly harvested grain and stored grain, but not between different types of grain.

Airborne microorganisms from waste containers.

PubMed

Jedlicka, Sabrina S; Stravitz, David M; Lyman, Charles E

2012-01-01

In physician's offices and biomedical labs, biological waste is handled every day. This waste is disposed of in waste containers designed for holding red autoclave bags. The containers used in these environments are closed hands-free containers, often with a step pedal. While these containers protect the user from surface-borne microorganisms, the containers may allow airborne microorganisms to escape via the open/close mechanism because of the air current produced upon open/close cycles. In this study, the air current was shown to be sufficient to allow airborne escape of microorganisms held in the container, including Aspergillus niger. However, bacterial cultures, such as Escherichia coli and Lactococcus lactis did not escape. This may be due to the choice of bacterial cultures and the absence of solid waste, such as dust or other particulate matter in the waste containers, that such strains of bacteria could travel on during aerosolization. We compared these results to those obtained using a re-designed receptacle, which mimimizes air currents, and detected no escaping microorganisms. This study highlights one potential source of airborne contamination in labs, hospitals, and other environments that dispose of biological waste.

Inactivation of an enterovirus by airborne disinfectants

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The activity of airborne disinfectants on bacteria, fungi and spores has been reported. However, the issue of the virucidal effect of disinfectants spread by fogging has not been studied thoroughly. Methods A procedure has been developed to determine the virucidal activity of peracetic acid-based airborne disinfectants on a resistant non-enveloped virus poliovirus type 1. This virus was laid on a stainless carrier. The products were spread into the room by hot fogging at 55°C for 30 minutes at a concentration of 7.5 mL.m-3. Poliovirus inoculum, supplemented with 5%, heat inactivated non fat dry organic milk, were applied into the middle of the stainless steel disc and were dried under the air flow of a class II biological safety cabinet at room temperature. The Viral preparations were recovered by using flocked swabs and were titered on Vero cells using the classical Spearman-Kärber CPE reading method, the results were expressed as TCID50.ml-1. Results The infectious titer of dried poliovirus inocula was kept at 105 TCID50.mL-1 up to 150 minutes at room temperature. Dried inocula exposed to airborne peracetic acid containing disinfectants were recovered at 60 and 120 minutes post-exposition and suspended in culture medium again. The cytotoxicity of disinfectant containing medium was eliminated through gel filtration columns. A 4 log reduction of infectious titer of dried poliovirus inocula exposed to peracetic-based airborne disinfectant was obtained. Conclusion This study demonstrates that the virucidal activity of airborne disinfectants can be tested on dried poliovirus. PMID:23587047

The Western Airborne Contaminant Assessment Project (WACAP): An interdisciplinary evaluation of the impacts of airborne contaminants in Western U.S. National Parks

EPA Science Inventory

The Western Airborne Contaminants Assessment Project (WACAP) was initiated in 2002 by the National Park Service to determine if airborne contaminants were having an impact on remote western ecosystems. Multiple sample media (snow, water, sediment, fish and terrestrial vegetation...

Geronimo: Planning Considerations for Employing Airborne Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-25

Information Operations and Reports (0704-0188), 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302. Respondents should be aware that... operation , a planner must adhere to joint planning considerations and understand the Air Force and Army requirements. Today the Army maintains only...one brigade and two battalions of deployable conventional airborne combat power. The special operations community also is airborne capable, and the

Airborne Network Optimization with Dynamic Network Update

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-26

Faculty Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate School of Engineering and Management Air Force Institute of Technology Air University...Member Dr. Barry E. Mullins Member AFIT-ENG-MS-15-M-030 Abstract Modern networks employ congestion and routing management algorithms that can perform...airborne networks. Intelligent agents can make use of Kalman filter predictions to make informed decisions to manage communication in airborne networks. The

[Development of a microenvironment test chamber for airborne microbe research].

PubMed

Zhan, Ningbo; Chen, Feng; Du, Yaohua; Cheng, Zhi; Li, Chenyu; Wu, Jinlong; Wu, Taihu

2017-10-01

One of the most important environmental cleanliness indicators is airborne microbe. However, the particularity of clean operating environment and controlled experimental environment often leads to the limitation of the airborne microbe research. This paper designed and implemented a microenvironment test chamber for airborne microbe research in normal test conditions. Numerical simulation by Fluent showed that airborne microbes were evenly dispersed in the upper part of test chamber, and had a bottom-up concentration growth distribution. According to the simulation results, the verification experiment was carried out by selecting 5 sampling points in different space positions in the test chamber. Experimental results showed that average particle concentrations of all sampling points reached 10 7 counts/m 3 after 5 minutes' distributing of Staphylococcus aureus , and all sampling points showed the accordant mapping of concentration distribution. The concentration of airborne microbe in the upper chamber was slightly higher than that in the middle chamber, and that was also slightly higher than that in the bottom chamber. It is consistent with the results of numerical simulation, and it proves that the system can be well used for airborne microbe research.

47 CFR 22.925 - Prohibition on airborne operation of cellular telephones.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Prohibition on airborne operation of cellular... CARRIER SERVICES PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES Cellular Radiotelephone Service § 22.925 Prohibition on airborne... any other type of aircraft must not be operated while such aircraft are airborne (not touching the...

Airborne Doppler Wind Lidar Post Data Processing Software DAPS-LV

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kavaya, Michael J. (Inventor); Beyon, Jeffrey Y. (Inventor); Koch, Grady J. (Inventor)

2015-01-01

Systems, methods, and devices of the present invention enable post processing of airborne Doppler wind LIDAR data. In an embodiment, airborne Doppler wind LIDAR data software written in LabVIEW may be provided and may run two versions of different airborne wind profiling algorithms. A first algorithm may be the Airborne Wind Profiling Algorithm for Doppler Wind LIDAR ("APOLO") using airborne wind LIDAR data from two orthogonal directions to estimate wind parameters, and a second algorithm may be a five direction based method using pseudo inverse functions to estimate wind parameters. The various embodiments may enable wind profiles to be compared using different algorithms, may enable wind profile data for long haul color displays to be generated, may display long haul color displays, and/or may enable archiving of data at user-selectable altitudes over a long observation period for data distribution and population.

Urban greenness influences airborne bacterial community composition.

PubMed

Mhuireach, Gwynne; Johnson, Bart R; Altrichter, Adam E; Ladau, Joshua; Meadow, James F; Pollard, Katherine S; Green, Jessica L

2016-11-15

Urban green space provides health benefits for city dwellers, and new evidence suggests that microorganisms associated with soil and vegetation could play a role. While airborne microorganisms are ubiquitous in urban areas, the influence of nearby vegetation on airborne microbial communities remains poorly understood. We examined airborne microbial communities in parks and parking lots in Eugene, Oregon, using high-throughput sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene on the Illumina MiSeq platform to identify bacterial taxa, and GIS to measure vegetation cover in buffer zones of different diameters. Our goal was to explore variation among highly vegetated (parks) versus non-vegetated (parking lots) urban environments. A secondary objective was to evaluate passive versus active collection methods for outdoor airborne microbial sampling. Airborne bacterial communities from five parks were different from those of five parking lots (p=0.023), although alpha diversity was similar. Direct gradient analysis showed that the proportion of vegetated area within a 50m radius of the sampling station explained 15% of the variation in bacterial community composition. A number of key taxa, including several Acidobacteriaceae were substantially more abundant in parks, while parking lots had higher relative abundance of Acetobacteraceae. Parks had greater beta diversity than parking lots, i.e. individual parks were characterized by unique bacterial signatures, whereas parking lot communities tended to be similar to each other. Although parks and parking lots were selected to form pairs of nearby sites, spatial proximity did not appear to affect compositional similarity. Our results also showed that passive and active collection methods gave comparable results, indicating the "settling dish" method is effective for outdoor airborne sampling. This work sets a foundation for understanding how urban vegetation may impact microbial communities, with potential implications for designing

Association Between Weather Variables, Airborne Inoculum Concentration, and Raspberry Fruit Rot Caused by Botrytis cinerea.

PubMed

Carisse, Odile; McNealis, Vanessa; Kriss, Alissa

2018-01-01

Botrytis fruit rot (BFR), one of the most important diseases of raspberry (Rubus spp.), is controlled primarily with fungicides. Despite the use of fungicides, crop losses due to BFR are high in most years. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between airborne inoculum, weather variables, and BFR in order to improve the management of the disease as well as harvest and storage decisions. Crop losses, measured as the percentage of diseased berries during the harvest period, were monitored in unsprayed field plots at four sites in three successive years, together with meteorological data and the number of conidia in the air. Based on windowpane analysis, there was no evidence of correlation between crop losses and temperature, vapor pressure deficit, wind, solar radiation, or probability of infection. There were significant correlations between crop losses and airborne inoculum and between crop losses and humidity-related variables, and the best window length was identified as 7 days. Using 7-day average airborne inoculum concentration combined with 7-day average relative humidity for periods ending 6 to 8 days before bloom, it was possible to accurately predict crop losses (R 2 of 0.86 to 0.89). These models could be used to assist with managing BFR, timing harvests, and optimizing storage duration in raspberry crops.

A resonance-free nano-film airborne ultrasound emitter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daschewski, Maxim; Harrer, Andrea; Prager, Jens; Kreutzbruck, Marc; Beck, Uwe; Lange, Thorid; Weise, Matthias

2013-01-01

In this contribution we present a novel thermo-acoustic approach for the generation of broad band airborne ultrasound and investigate the applicability of resonance-free thermo-acoustic emitters for very short high pressure airborne ultrasound pulses. We report on measurements of thermo-acoustic emitter consisting of a 30 nm thin metallic film on a usual soda-lime glass substrate, generating sound pressure values of more than 140 dB at 60 mm distance from the transducer and compare the results with conventional piezoelectric airborne ultrasound transducers. Our experimental investigations show that such thermo-acoustic devices can be used as broad band emitters using pulse excitation.

Airborne space laser communication system and experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiao-Ming; Zhang, Li-zhong; Meng, Li-Xin

2015-11-01

Airborne space laser communication is characterized by its high speed, anti-electromagnetic interference, security, easy to assign. It has broad application in the areas of integrated space-ground communication networking, military communication, anti-electromagnetic communication. This paper introduce the component and APT system of the airborne laser communication system design by Changchun university of science and technology base on characteristic of airborne laser communication and Y12 plan, especially introduce the high communication speed and long distance communication experiment of the system that among two Y12 plans. In the experiment got the aim that the max communication distance 144Km, error 10-6 2.5Gbps - 10-7 1.5Gbps capture probability 97%, average capture time 20s. The experiment proving the adaptability of the APT and the high speed long distance communication.

[Studies on the size distribution of airborne microbes at home in Beijing].

PubMed

Fang, Zhi-Guo; Sun, Ping; Ouyang, Zhi-Yun; Liu, Peng; Sun, Li; Wang, Xiao-Yong

2013-07-01

The effect of airborne microbes on human health not only depends on their compositions (genera and species), but also on their concentrations and sizes. Moreover, there are different mechanisms of airborne microbes of different sizes with different effects on human health. The size distributions and median diameters were investigated in detail with imitated six-stage Andersen sampler in 31 selected family homes with children in Beijing. Results showed that there was similar distribution characteristics of airborne microbes in different home environment, different season, different child's sex, and different apartment's architecture, but different distribution characteristics between airborne bacteria and fungi were observed in family homes in Beijing. In general, although airborne bacteria and fungi were plotted with normal logarithmic distribution, the particle percentage of airborne bacteria increased gradually from stage 1 (> 8.2 microm) to stage 5 (1.0-2.0 microm), and then decreased dramatically in stage 6 (< 1.0 microm), the percentage of airborne fungi increased gradually from stage 1 to stage 4 (2.0-3.5 microm), and then decreased dramatically from stage 4 to stage 6. The size distributions of dominant fungi were different in different fungal genera. Cladosporium, Penicillium and Aspergillus were recorded with normal logarithmic distribution, with the highest percentage detected in stage 4, and Alternaria were observed with skew distribution, with the highest percentage detected in stage 2 (5.0-10.4 microm). Finally, the median diameters of airborne bacteria were larger than those of airborne fungi, and the lowest median diameter of airborne bacteria and fungi was found in winter, while there were no significant variations of airborne bacterial and fungal median diameters in spring, summer and autumn in a year in this study.

Latest Advancement In Airborne Relative Gravity Instrumentation.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brady, N.

2011-12-01

Airborne gravity surveying has been performed with widely varying degrees of success since early experimentation with the Lacoste and Romberg dynamic meter in the 1950s. There are a number of different survey systems currently in operation including relative gravity meters and gradiometers. Airborne gravity is ideally suited to rapid, wide coverage surveying and is not significantly more expensive in more remote and inhospitable terrain which makes airborne measurements one of the few viable options available for cost effective exploration. As improved instrumentation has become available, scientific applications have also been able to take advantage for use in determining sub surface geologic structures, for example under ice sheets in Antarctica, and more recently direct measurement of the geoid to improve the vertical datum in the United States. In 2004, Lacoste and Romberg (now Micro-g Lacoste) decided to build on their success with the newly developed AirSea II dynamic meter and use that system as the basis for a dedicated airborne gravity instrument. Advances in electronics, timing and positioning technology created the opportunity to refine both the hardware and software, and to develop a truly turnkey system that would work well for users with little or no airborne gravity experience as well as those with more extensive experience. The resulting Turnkey Airborne Gravity System (TAGS) was successfully introduced in 2007 and has since been flown in applications from oil, gas and mineral exploration surveys to regional gravity mapping and geoid mapping. The system has been mounted in a variety of airborne platforms including depending on the application of interest. The development experience with the TAGS enabled Micro-g Lacoste to embark on a new project in 2010 to completely redesign the mechanical and electronic components of the system rather than continuing incremental upgrades. Building on the capabilities of the original TAGS, the objectives for the

NASA Langley Airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar Instrument Description

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harper, David B.; Cook, Anthony; Hostetler, Chris; Hair, John W.; Mack, Terry L.

2006-01-01

NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) recently developed the LaRC Airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) to make measurements of aerosol and cloud distribution and optical properties. The Airborne HSRL has undergone as series of test flights and was successfully deployed on the Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations (MILAGRO) field mission in March 2006 (see Hair et al. in these proceedings). This paper provides an overview of the design of the Airborne HSRL and descriptions of some key subsystems unique to this instrument.

Characteristics of airborne bacteria in Mumbai urban environment.

PubMed

Gangamma, S

2014-08-01

Components of biological origin constitute small but a significant proportion of the ambient airborne particulate matter (PM). However, their diversity and role in proinflammatory responses of PM are not well understood. The present study characterizes airborne bacterial species diversity in Mumbai City and elucidates the role of bacterial endotoxin in PM induced proinflammatory response in ex vivo. Airborne bacteria and endotoxin samples were collected during April-May 2010 in Mumbai using six stage microbial impactor and biosampler. The culturable bacterial species concentration was measured and factors influencing the composition were identified by principal component analysis (PCA). The biosampler samples were used to stimulate immune cells in whole blood assay. A total of 28 species belonging to 17 genera were identified. Gram positive and spore forming groups of bacteria dominated the airborne culturable bacterial concentration. The study indicated the dominance of spore forming and human or animal flora derived pathogenic/opportunistic bacteria in the ambient air environment. Pathogenic and opportunistic species of bacteria were also present in the samples. TNF-α induction by PM was reduced (35%) by polymyxin B pretreatment and this result was corroborated with the results of blocking endotoxin receptor cluster differentiation (CD14). The study highlights the importance of airborne biological particles and suggests need of further studies on biological characterization of ambient PM. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Carbon sources metabolic characteristics of airborne microbial communities in constructed wetlands].

PubMed

Song, Zhi-Wen; Wang, Lin; Xu, Ai-Ling; Wu, Deng-Deng; Xia, Yan

2015-02-01

Using BIOLOG-GN plates, this article describes the carbon sources metabolic characteristics of airborne microbial communities in a free surface-flow constructed wetland in different seasons and clarify the correlation between airborne microbial metabolic functions and environmental factors. The average well color development (AWCD), carbon metabolic profiles and McIntosh values of airborne microbial communities in different seasons were quite different. Analysis of the variations showed that AWCD in spring and summer differed significantly from that in autumn and winter (P < 0.01). In the same season, the degree of utilization of different types of carbon by airborne microbes was different. Summer had a significant difference from other seasons (P < 0.05). Dominant communities of airborne microbes in four seasons were carboxylic acids metabolic community, carbohydrates metabolic community, polymers metabolic community and carboxylic acids metabolic community respectively. Principal component analysis showed that the carbon metabolic characteristics of airborne microbial community in autumn were similar to those in winter but different from those in spring and summer. The characteristics of carbon metabolism revealed differences between summer and spring, autumn, or winter. These differences were mainly caused by amines or amides while the differences between spring and autumn or winter were mainly caused by carboxylic acids. Environmental factors, including changes in wind speed, temperature, and humidity acted to influence the carbon sources metabolic properties of airborne microbial community. The dominant environmental factors that acted to influence the carbon sources metabolic properties of airborne microbial community varied between different seasons.

Mineralogical, Chemical, and Optical Interrelationships of Airborne Mineral Dusts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engelbrecht, J. P.; Moosmuller, H.; Pincock, S. L.; Jayanty, R. K. M.; Casuccio, G.

2014-12-01

The purpose of the project was to provide information on the mineralogical, chemical and physical interrelationships of re-suspended mineral dust samples collected as grab samples from global dust sources. Surface soil samples were collected from about 65 desert sites, including the southwestern USA (12), Mali (3), Chad (3), Morocco (1), Canary Islands (8), Cape Verde (1), Djibouti (1), Afghanistan (3), Iraq (6), Kuwait (5), Qatar (1), UAE (1), Serbia (3), China (5), Namibia (3), Botswana (4), Australia (3), and Chile (1). The < 38 μm sieved fraction of each sample was re-suspended in an entrainment chamber, from which the airborne mineral dust could be monitored, sampled and analyzed. Instruments integrated into the entrainment facility included two PM10 and two PM2.5 filter samplers, a beta attenuation gauge for the continuous measurement of PM10 and PM2.5 particulate mass fractions, an aerodynamic particle size (APS) analyzer, and a three wavelength (405, 532, 781nm) photoacoustic resonator with integrating reciprocal nephelometer for monitoring absorption and scattering coefficients during the dust re-suspension process. Filter sample media included Teflon® membrane and quartz fiber filters for chemical analysis (71 species), and Nuclepore® filters for individual particle analysis by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The < 38 μm sieved fractions were also analyzed by X-ray diffraction for their mineral content while the > 38 μm, < 125 μm soil fractions were mineralogically characterized by optical microscopy. We will be presenting results on the optical measurements, also showing the relationship between single scattering albedo (SSA) at three different wavelengths, and chemical as well as mineralogical content and interdependencies of the entrained dust samples. Examples showing the relationships between the single scattering albedos of airborne dusts, and iron (Fe) in hematite, goethite, and clay minerals (montmorillonite, illite, palygorskite), will

Temporal variability of the bioaerosol background at a subway station: concentration level, size distribution, and diversity of airborne bacteria.

PubMed

Dybwad, Marius; Skogan, Gunnar; Blatny, Janet Martha

2014-01-01

Naturally occurring bioaerosol environments may present a challenge to biological detection-identification-monitoring (BIODIM) systems aiming at rapid and reliable warning of bioterrorism incidents. One way to improve the operational performance of BIODIM systems is to increase our understanding of relevant bioaerosol backgrounds. Subway stations are enclosed public environments which may be regarded as potential bioterrorism targets. This study provides novel information concerning the temporal variability of the concentration level, size distribution, and diversity of airborne bacteria in a Norwegian subway station. Three different air samplers were used during a 72-h sampling campaign in February 2011. The results suggested that the airborne bacterial environment was stable between days and seasons, while the intraday variability was found to be substantial, although often following a consistent diurnal pattern. The bacterial levels ranged from not detected to 10(3) CFU m(-3) and generally showed increased levels during the daytime compared to the nighttime levels, as well as during rush hours compared to non-rush hours. The airborne bacterial levels showed rapid temporal variation (up to 270-fold) on some occasions, both consistent and inconsistent with the diurnal profile. Airborne bacterium-containing particles were distributed between different sizes for particles of >1.1 μm, although ∼50% were between 1.1 and 3.3 μm. Anthropogenic activities (mainly passengers) were demonstrated as major sources of airborne bacteria and predominantly contributed 1.1- to 3.3-μm bacterium-containing particles. Our findings contribute to the development of realistic testing and evaluation schemes for BIODIM equipment by providing information that may be used to simulate operational bioaerosol backgrounds during controlled aerosol chamber-based challenge tests with biological threat agents.

Temporal Variability of the Bioaerosol Background at a Subway Station: Concentration Level, Size Distribution, and Diversity of Airborne Bacteria

PubMed Central

Dybwad, Marius; Skogan, Gunnar

2014-01-01

Naturally occurring bioaerosol environments may present a challenge to biological detection-identification-monitoring (BIODIM) systems aiming at rapid and reliable warning of bioterrorism incidents. One way to improve the operational performance of BIODIM systems is to increase our understanding of relevant bioaerosol backgrounds. Subway stations are enclosed public environments which may be regarded as potential bioterrorism targets. This study provides novel information concerning the temporal variability of the concentration level, size distribution, and diversity of airborne bacteria in a Norwegian subway station. Three different air samplers were used during a 72-h sampling campaign in February 2011. The results suggested that the airborne bacterial environment was stable between days and seasons, while the intraday variability was found to be substantial, although often following a consistent diurnal pattern. The bacterial levels ranged from not detected to 103 CFU m−3 and generally showed increased levels during the daytime compared to the nighttime levels, as well as during rush hours compared to non-rush hours. The airborne bacterial levels showed rapid temporal variation (up to 270-fold) on some occasions, both consistent and inconsistent with the diurnal profile. Airborne bacterium-containing particles were distributed between different sizes for particles of >1.1 μm, although ∼50% were between 1.1 and 3.3 μm. Anthropogenic activities (mainly passengers) were demonstrated as major sources of airborne bacteria and predominantly contributed 1.1- to 3.3-μm bacterium-containing particles. Our findings contribute to the development of realistic testing and evaluation schemes for BIODIM equipment by providing information that may be used to simulate operational bioaerosol backgrounds during controlled aerosol chamber-based challenge tests with biological threat agents. PMID:24162566

Survey of airborne pollen in Hubei province of China.

PubMed

Liu, Guang-hui; Zhu, Rong-fei; Zhang, Wei; Li, Wen-jing; Wang, Zhong-xi; Chen, Huan

2008-12-01

To study the genera and seasonal distribution of airborne pollen in Hubei province of China, and its relationship with pollinosis. From November 2003 to October 2004, an airborne pollen investigation was performed in 16 chosen areas in 12 cities of Hubei province using gravity sedimentation technique. Meanwhile, univalent skin prick tests of pollens were performed and the invasion season was studied on 2,300 patients with pollinosis. Among them, 352 cases underwent the airway responsiveness measurements, and the correlation between airway responsiveness and results of pollen count was analyzed. A total of 61 pollen genera were observed and 257,520 pollens were collected. The peak of airborne pollen distribution occurred in two seasons each year: spring (March and April) and autumn (from August to October). The attack of pollinosis corresponded to the peak of pollen distribution. There was a significantly negative relationship between the provocation dose causing a 20% decrease of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) from baseline and airborne pollen concentration (r= -0.6829, P < 0.05). This study provides useful information for airborne pollen epidemiology of Hubei province, and it provides important insights to clinical prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of pollen-related allergic diseases.

Investigation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Surface, Airborne, and Satellite on Local to Continental-Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leifer, I.; Tratt, D. M.; Egland, E. T.; Gerilowski, K.; Vigil, S. A.; Buchwitz, M.; Krings, T.; Bovensmann, H.; Krautwurst, S.; Burrows, J. P.

2013-12-01

In situ meteorological observations, including 10-m winds (U), in conjunction with greenhouse gas (GHG - methane, carbon dioxide, water vapor) measurements by continuous wave Cavity Enhanced Absorption Spectroscopy (CEAS) were conducted onboard two specialized platforms: MACLab (Mobile Atmospheric Composition Laboratory in a RV) and AMOG Surveyor (AutoMObile Greenhouse gas) - a converted commuter automobile. AMOG Surveyor data were collected for numerous southern California sources including megacity, geology, fossil fuel industrial, animal husbandry, and landfill operations. MACLab investigated similar sources along with wetlands on a transcontinental scale from California to Florida to Nebraska covering more than 15,000 km. Custom software allowing real-time, multi-parameter data visualization (GHGs, water vapor, temperature, U, etc.) improved plume characterization and was applied to large urban area and regional-scale sources. The capabilities demonstrated permit calculation of source emission strength, as well as enable documenting microclimate variability. GHG transect data were compared with airborne HyperSpectral Imaging data to understand temporal and spatial variability and to ground-truth emission strength derived from airborne imagery. These data also were used to validate satellite GHG products from SCIAMACHY (2003-2005) and GOSAT (2009-2013) that are currently being analyzed to identify significant decadal-scale changes in North American GHG emission patterns resulting from changes in anthropogenic and natural sources. These studies lay the foundation for the joint ESA/NASA COMEX campaign that will map GHG plumes by remote sensing and in situ measurements for a range of strong sources to derive emission strength through inverse plume modeling. COMEX is in support of the future GHG monitoring satellites, such as CarbonSat and HyspIRI. GHG transect data were compared with airborne HyperSpectral Imaging data to understand temporal and spatial variability

Lessons Learned from Radioactive Waste Storage and Disposal Facilities

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

Esh, David W.; Bradford, Anna H.

2008-01-15

The safety of radioactive waste disposal facilities and the decommissioning of complex sites may be predicated on the performance of engineered and natural barriers. For assessing the safety of a waste disposal facility or a decommissioned site, a performance assessment or similar analysis is often completed. The analysis is typically based on a site conceptual model that is developed from site characterization information, observations, and, in many cases, expert judgment. Because waste disposal facilities are sited, constructed, monitored, and maintained, a fair amount of data has been generated at a variety of sites in a variety of natural systems. Thismore » paper provides select examples of lessons learned from the observations developed from the monitoring of various radioactive waste facilities (storage and disposal), and discusses the implications for modeling of future waste disposal facilities that are yet to be constructed or for the development of dose assessments for the release of decommissioning sites. Monitoring has been and continues to be performed at a variety of different facilities for the disposal of radioactive waste. These include facilities for the disposal of commercial low-level waste (LLW), reprocessing wastes, and uranium mill tailings. Many of the lessons learned and problems encountered provide a unique opportunity to improve future designs of waste disposal facilities, to improve dose modeling for decommissioning sites, and to be proactive in identifying future problems. Typically, an initial conceptual model was developed and the siting and design of the disposal facility was based on the conceptual model. After facility construction and operation, monitoring data was collected and evaluated. In many cases the monitoring data did not comport with the original site conceptual model, leading to additional investigation and changes to the site conceptual model and modifications to the design of the facility. The following cases are

MEDUSA: an airborne multispectral oil spill detection and characterization system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, Peter; Hengstermann, Theo; Zielinski, Oliver

2000-12-01

MEDUSA is a sensor network, consisting of and effectively combining a variety of different remote sensing instruments. Installed in 1998 it is operationally used in a maritime surveillance aircraft maintained by the German Ministry of Transport, Building and Housing. On one hand routine oil pollution monitoring with remote sensing equipment like Side Looking Airborne Radar (SLAR), Infrared/Ultraviolet Line Scanner (IR/UV line scanner), Microwave Radiometer (MWR), Imaging Airborne Laserfluorosensor (IALFS) and Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) requires a complex network and communication structure to be operated by a single operator. On the other hand the operation of such a variety of sensors on board of one aircraft provides an excellent opportunity to establish new concepts of integrated sensor fusion and data evaluation. In this work a general survey of the German surveillance aircraft instrumentation is given and major features of the sensor package as well as advantages of the design and architecture are presented. Results from routine operation over North and Baltic Sea are shown to illustrate the successful application of MEDUSA in maritime patrol of oil slicks and polluters. Recently the combination of the different sensor results towards one multispectral information has met with increasing interest. Thus new application fields and parameter sets could be derived, like oceanography or river flood management. The basic concepts and first results in the fusion of sensoric information will conclude the paper.

TELAER: a multi-mode/multi-antenna interferometric airborne SAR system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perna, Stefano; Amaral, Tiago; Berardino, Paolo; Esposito, Carmen; Jackson, Giuseppe; Pauciullo, Antonio; Vaz Junior, Eurico; Wimmer, Christian; Lanari, Riccardo

2014-05-01

a degradation of the geometric resolution, which in this case becomes equal to 5m. Such an operational flexibility, added to the above discussed single-pass interferometric capability and to the intrinsic flexibility of airborne platforms, renders the TELAER airborne SAR system a powerful instrument for fast generation of high resolution Digital Elevation Models, even in natural disaster scenarios. Accordingly, this system can play today a key role not only for strictly scientific purposes, but also for the monitoring of natural hazards, especially if properly integrated with other remote sensing sensors. [1] S. Perna et al., "Capabilities of the TELAER airborne SAR system upgraded to the multi-antenna mode", In Proceedings IGARSS 2012 Symposium, Munich, 2012. [2] G. Franceschetti, and R.Lanari, Synthetic Aperture Radar Processing, CRC PRESS, New York, 1999.

An approach to evaluating reactive airborne wind shear systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gibson, Joseph P., Jr.

1992-01-01

An approach to evaluating reactive airborne windshear detection systems was developed to support a deployment study for future FAA ground-based windshear detection systems. The deployment study methodology assesses potential future safety enhancements beyond planned capabilities. The reactive airborne systems will be an integral part of planned windshear safety enhancements. The approach to evaluating reactive airborne systems involves separate analyses for both landing and take-off scenario. The analysis estimates the probability of effective warning considering several factors including NASA energy height loss characteristics, reactive alert timing, and a probability distribution for microburst strength.

Evaluation of Redoubt Volcano's sulfur dioxide emissions by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lopez, Taryn; Carn, Simon A.; Werner, Cynthia A.; Fee, David; Kelly, Peter; Doukas, Michael P.; Pfeffer, Melissa; Webley, Peter; Cahill, Catherine F.; Schneider, David

2013-01-01

The 2009 eruption of Redoubt Volcano, Alaska, provided a rare opportunity to compare satellite measurements of sulfur dioxide (SO2) by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) with airborne SO2 measurements by the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO). Herein we: (1) compare OMI and airborne SO2 column density values for Redoubt's tropospheric plume, (2) calculate daily SO2 masses from Mount Redoubt for the first three months of the eruption, (3) develop simple methods to convert daily measured SO2 masses into emission rates to allow satellite data to be directly integrated with the airborne SO2 emissions dataset, (4) calculate cumulative SO2 emissions from the eruption, and (5) evaluate OMI as a monitoring tool for high-latitude degassing volcanoes. A linear correlation (R2 ~ 0.75) is observed between OMI and airborne SO2 column densities. OMI daily SO2 masses for the sample period ranged from ~ 60.1 kt on 24 March to below detection limit, with an average daily SO2 mass of ~ 6.7 kt. The highest SO2 emissions were observed during the initial part of the explosive phase and the emissions exhibited an overall decreasing trend with time. OMI SO2 emission rates were derived using three methods and compared to airborne measurements. This comparison yields a linear correlation (R2 ~ 0.82) with OMI-derived emission rates consistently lower than airborne measurements. The comparison results suggest that OMI's detection limit for high latitude, springtime conditions varies from ~ 2000 to 4000 t/d. Cumulative SO2 masses calculated from daily OMI data for the sample period are estimated to range from 542 to 615 kt, with approximately half of this SO2 produced during the explosive phase of the eruption. These cumulative masses are similar in magnitude to those estimated for the 1989–90 Redoubt eruption. Strong correlations between daily OMI SO2 mass and both tephra mass and acoustic energy during the explosive phase of the eruption suggest that OMI data may

Airborne sound transmission loss characteristics of woodframe construction

Treesearch

Fred F. Rudder

1985-01-01

This report summarizes the available data on the airborne sound transmission loss properties of wood-frame construction and evaluates the methods for predicting the airborne sound transmission loss. The first part of the report comprises a summary of sound transmission loss data for wood-frame interior walls and floor-ceiling construction. Data bases describing the...

Airborne particles released by crushing CNT composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogura, I.; Okayama, C.; Kotake, M.; Ata, S.; Matsui, Y.; Gotoh, K.

2017-06-01

We investigated airborne particles released as a result of crushing carbon nanotube (CNT) composites using a laboratory scale crusher with rotor blades. For each crushing test, five pellets (approximately 0.1 g) of a polymer (polystyrene, polyamide, or polycarbonate) containing multiwall CNTs (Nanocyl NC7000 or CNano Flotube9000) or no CNTs were placed in the container of the crusher. The airborne particles released by the crushing of the samples were measured. The real-time aerosol measurements showed increases in the concentration of nanometer- and micrometer-sized particles, regardless of the sample type, even when CNT-free polymers were crushed. The masses of the airborne particles collected on filters were below the detection limit, which indicated that the mass ratios of the airborne particles to the crushed pellets were lower than 0.02%. In the electron microscopic analysis, particles with protruding CNTs were observed. However, free-standing CNTs were not found, except for a poorly dispersed CNT-polystyrene composite. This study demonstrated that the crushing test using a laboratory scale crusher is capable of evaluating the potential release of CNTs as a result of crushing CNT composites. The advantage of this method is that only a small amount of sample (several pieces of pellets) is required.

Hyperspectral and Radar Airborne Imagery over Controlled Release of Oil at Sea

PubMed Central

Angelliaume, Sébastien; Ceamanos, Xavier; Viallefont-Robinet, Françoise; Baqué, Rémi; Déliot, Philippe

2017-01-01

Remote sensing techniques are commonly used by Oil and Gas companies to monitor hydrocarbon on the ocean surface. The interest lies not only in exploration but also in the monitoring of the maritime environment. Occurrence of natural seeps on the sea surface is a key indicator of the presence of mature source rock in the subsurface. These natural seeps, as well as the oil slicks, are commonly detected using radar sensors but the addition of optical imagery can deliver extra information such as thickness and composition of the detected oil, which is critical for both exploration purposes and efficient cleanup operations. Today, state-of-the-art approaches combine multiple data collected by optical and radar sensors embedded on-board different airborne and spaceborne platforms, to ensure wide spatial coverage and high frequency revisit time. Multi-wavelength imaging system may create a breakthrough in remote sensing applications, but it requires adapted processing techniques that need to be developed. To explore performances offered by multi-wavelength radar and optical sensors for oil slick monitoring, remote sensing data have been collected by SETHI (Système Expérimental de Télédection Hyperfréquence Imageur), the airborne system developed by ONERA (the French Aerospace Lab), during an oil spill cleanup exercise carried out in 2015 in the North Sea, Europe. The uniqueness of this dataset lies in its high spatial resolution, low noise level and quasi-simultaneous acquisitions of different part of the EM spectrum. Specific processing techniques have been developed to extract meaningful information associated with oil-covered sea surface. Analysis of this unique and rich dataset demonstrates that remote sensing imagery, collected in both optical and microwave domains, allows estimating slick surface properties such as the age of the emulsion released at sea, the spatial abundance of oil and the relative concentration of hydrocarbons remaining on the sea surface

Airborne laser sensors and integrated systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabatini, Roberto; Richardson, Mark A.; Gardi, Alessandro; Ramasamy, Subramanian

2015-11-01

The underlying principles and technologies enabling the design and operation of airborne laser sensors are introduced and a detailed review of state-of-the-art avionic systems for civil and military applications is presented. Airborne lasers including Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), Laser Range Finders (LRF), and Laser Weapon Systems (LWS) are extensively used today and new promising technologies are being explored. Most laser systems are active devices that operate in a manner very similar to microwave radars but at much higher frequencies (e.g., LIDAR and LRF). Other devices (e.g., laser target designators and beam-riders) are used to precisely direct Laser Guided Weapons (LGW) against ground targets. The integration of both functions is often encountered in modern military avionics navigation-attack systems. The beneficial effects of airborne lasers including the use of smaller components and remarkable angular resolution have resulted in a host of manned and unmanned aircraft applications. On the other hand, laser sensors performance are much more sensitive to the vagaries of the atmosphere and are thus generally restricted to shorter ranges than microwave systems. Hence it is of paramount importance to analyse the performance of laser sensors and systems in various weather and environmental conditions. Additionally, it is important to define airborne laser safety criteria, since several systems currently in service operate in the near infrared with considerable risk for the naked human eye. Therefore, appropriate methods for predicting and evaluating the performance of infrared laser sensors/systems are presented, taking into account laser safety issues. For aircraft experimental activities with laser systems, it is essential to define test requirements taking into account the specific conditions for operational employment of the systems in the intended scenarios and to verify the performance in realistic environments at the test ranges. To support the

Monitoring and localization hydrocarbon and sulfur oxides emissions by SRS-lidar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhevlakov, A. P.; Konopelko, L. P.; Bespalov, V. G.; Elizarov, V. V.; Grishkanich, A. S.; Redka, D. N.; Bogoslovsky, S. A.; Il'inskiy, A. A.; Chubchenko, Y. K.

2017-10-01

We developed a Raman lidar with ultraspectral resolution for automatic airborne monitoring of pipeline leaks and for oil and gas exploration. Test flights indicate that a sensitivity of 6 ppm for methane and 2 ppm for hydrogen sulfide has been reached for leakage detection.

Apparatus and methods for monitoring the concentrations of hazardous airborne substances, especially lead

DOEpatents

Zaromb, Solomon

2004-07-13

Air is sampled at a rate in excess of 100 L/min, preferably at 200-300 L/min, so as to collect therefrom a substantial fraction, i.e., at least 20%, preferably 60-100%, of airborne particulates. A substance of interest (analyte), such as lead, is rapidly solubilized from the the collected particulates into a sample of liquid extractant, and the concentration of the analyte in the extractant sample is determined. The high-rate air sampling and particulate collection may be effected with a high-throughput filter cartridge or with a recently developed portable high-throughput liquid-absorption air sampler. Rapid solubilization of lead is achieved by a liquid extractant comprising 0.1-1 M of acetic acid or acetate, preferably at a pH of 5 or less and preferably with inclusion of 1-10% of hydrogen peroxide. Rapid determination of the lead content in the liquid extractant may be effected with a colorimetric or an electroanalytical analyzer.

UAVSAR: An Airborne Window on Earth Surface Deformation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hensley, Scott

2011-01-01

This study demonstrates that UAVSAR's precision autopilot and electronic steering have allowed for the reliable collection of airborne repeat pass radar interferometric data for deformation mapping. Deformation maps from temporal scales ranging from hours to months over a variety of signals of geophysical interest illustrate the utility of UAVSAR airborne repeat pass interferometry to these studies.

Current Measures on Radioactive Contamination in Japan: A Policy Situation Analysis

PubMed Central

Gilmour, Stuart; Miyagawa, Shoji; Kasuga, Fumiko; Shibuya, Kenji

2016-01-01

Background The Great East Japan Earthquake on 11th March 2011 and the subsequent Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster caused radioactive contamination in the surrounding environment. In the immediate aftermath of the accident the Government of Japan placed strict measures on radio-contamination of food, and enhanced radio-contamination monitoring activities. Japan is a pilot country in the WHO Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group (FERG), and through this initiative has an opportunity to report on policy affecting chemicals and toxins in the food distribution network. Nuclear accidents are extremely rare, and a policy situation analysis of the Japanese government’s response to the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident is a responsibility of Japanese scientists. This study aims to assess Japan government policies to reduce radio-contamination risk and to identify strategies to strengthen food policies to ensure the best possible response to possible future radiation accidents. Methods and Findings We conducted a hand search of all publicly available policy documents issued by the Cabinet Office, the Food Safety Commission, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW), the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery (MAFF) and prefectural governments concerning food safety standards and changes to radiation and contamination standards since March 11th, 2011. We extracted information on food shipment and sales restrictions, allowable radio-contamination limits, monitoring activities and monitoring results. The standard for allowable radioactive cesium (Cs-134 and Cs-137) of 100 Bq/Kg in general food, 50 Bq/Kg in infant formula and all milk products, and 10 Bq/Kg in drinking water was enforced from April 2012 under the Food Sanitation Law, although a provisional standard on radio-contamination had been applied since the nuclear accident. Restrictions on the commercial sale and distribution of specific meat, vegetable and fish products

[Remote sensing of atmospheric trace gas by airborne passive FTIR].

PubMed

Gao, Min-quang; Liu, Wen-qing; Zhang, Tian-shu; Liu, Jian-guo; Lu, Yi-huai; Wang, Ya-ping; Xu, Liang; Zhu, Jun; Chen, Jun

2006-12-01

The present article describes the details of aviatic measurement for remote sensing trace gases in atmosphere under various surface backgrounds with airborne passive FTIR. The passive down viewing and remote sensing technique used in the experiment is discussed. The method of acquiring atmospheric trace gases infrared characteristic spectra in complicated background and the algorithm of concentration retrieval are discussed. The concentrations of CO and N2O of boundary-layer atmosphere in experimental region below 1000 m are analyzed quantitatively. This measurement technique and the data analysis method, which does not require a previously measured background spectrum, allow fast and mobile remote detection and identification of atmosphere trace gas in large area, and also can be used for urgent monitoring of pollution accidental breakout.

Airborne Next: Rethinking Airborne Organization and Applying New Concepts

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-01

9 Kenneth Macksey, Guderian: Panzer General-revised EDITION (South Yorkshire, England: Greenhill Books, 2003), 1–20. 10 Dr. John Arquilla...Airborne Operations: Field Manual 90=26, 1–5. 14 The 1st Special Forces Regiment has five active Special Forces Groups (1st, 3rd, 5th , 7th, 10th...Oxford University Press, 1981). Headrick, in his book, describes the interplay between technology and imperialism. For the purposes of this research

EUFAR training opportunities to advance European airborne research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reusen, I.; Brenguier, J.-L.; Brown, P.; Wendish, M.

2009-04-01

EUFAR, EUropean Facilities for Airborne Research, is an FP7 project (http://www.eufar.net) funded by the European Commission with 33 partners that aims at providing and improving the access to European airborne facilities (i.e. aircraft, airborne instruments, data processing centres) for researchers in environmental and geo-sciences through Networking Activities, Transnational Access and Joint Research Activities. This paper reports on the training opportunities within EUFAR for European researchers. In EUFAR three types of training opportunities are offered: 1) Participate in training courses (ET-TC) 2) Join an existing field campaign (ET-EC) 3) Participate in the design of a new field campaign (ET-TA), in the frame of EUFAR Transnational Access and tutored by more experienced researchers. During the 4-year EUFAR project (2008-2012), 4 training courses covering the complete chain from acquisition to interpretation of airborne data and images will be organised during spring/summer for early-stage researchers as well as university lecturers (new in FP7 EUFAR) in airborne research. The training courses will have an equal focus on theory and practical training/demonstration and each training course will be accompanied by a "student" airborne field campaign. Participants will be trained by top-class scientists, aircraft and/or instrument operators and each participant will get the opportunity to design his/her own experiment and to participate to that flight experiment. Furthermore, researchers have the opportunity to join an existing field campaign and work with more experienced researchers, aircraft and/or instrument operators. The list of airborne field campaigns open to join and the eligibility criteria, can be consulted at the EUFAR website. Finally, researchers have the opportunity to participate in the design of a new field campaign in the frame of EUFAR Transnational Access (TA). TA provides access to either aircraft or instrumentation that are not otherwise

Summaries of the Sixth Annual JPL Airborne Earth Science Workshop. Volume 2; AIRSAR Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Yun-Jin (Editor)

1996-01-01

The Sixth Annual JPL Airborne Earth Science Workshop, held in Pasadena, California, on March 4-8, 1996, was divided into two smaller workshops:(1) The Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) workshop, and The Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR) workshop. This current paper, Volume 2 of the Summaries of the Sixth Annual JPL Airborne Earth Science Workshop, presents the summaries for The Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR) workshop.

A graph signal filtering-based approach for detection of different edge types on airborne lidar data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayram, Eda; Vural, Elif; Alatan, Aydin

2017-10-01

Airborne Laser Scanning is a well-known remote sensing technology, which provides a dense and highly accurate, yet unorganized point cloud of earth surface. During the last decade, extracting information from the data generated by airborne LiDAR systems has been addressed by many studies in geo-spatial analysis and urban monitoring applications. However, the processing of LiDAR point clouds is challenging due to their irregular structure and 3D geometry. In this study, we propose a novel framework for the detection of the boundaries of an object or scene captured by LiDAR. Our approach is motivated by edge detection techniques in vision research and it is established on graph signal filtering which is an exciting and promising field of signal processing for irregular data types. Due to the convenient applicability of graph signal processing tools on unstructured point clouds, we achieve the detection of the edge points directly on 3D data by using a graph representation that is constructed exclusively to answer the requirements of the application. Moreover, considering the elevation data as the (graph) signal, we leverage aerial characteristic of the airborne LiDAR data. The proposed method can be employed both for discovering the jump edges on a segmentation problem and for exploring the crease edges on a LiDAR object on a reconstruction/modeling problem, by only adjusting the filter characteristics.

An airborne intensive care facility (fixed wing).

PubMed

Gilligan, J E; Goon, P; Maughan, G; Griggs, W; Haslam, R; Scholten, A

1996-04-01

A fixed-wing aircraft (Beechcraft KingAir B200 C) fitted as an airborne intensive care facility is described. It completed 2000 missions from 1987-1992 for distances up to 1300 km. Features include: 1. Space for carriage of two stretchers, medical cabin crew of up to five persons and equipment and two-pilot operation if necessary. A third stretcher may be carried in emergencies. 2. Two CARDIOCAP (TM) fixed monitors for ECG, invasive and noninvasive pressures pulse oximetry and end-tidal C02 plus SIEMENS 630(TM)/PROPAQ(TM) compact monitors for the ground transport phase of missions, or the total duration. 3. A medical oxygen reservoir of 4650 litres sufficient for two patients on IPPV with FiO2 = 1.0 for a four-hour trip. The medical suction system is powered from the engine or a vacuum pump. 4. Other medical equipment and drugs in portable packs, for ground transport and resuscitation needs and for replenishment by nursing staff at the parent hospitals. 5. Stretchers compatible with helicopter and road ambulance vehicles used. 6. A stretcher loading device energized from the aircraft, operating through a wide (cargo) door. 7. Provision of 24Ov AC (alternating current) and 28v DC (direct current) electrical energy. 8. Pressurization and climate control. 9. Satisfactory aviation performance for conditions encountered, with single-pilot operation.

The alpine Swiss-French airborne gravity survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verdun, Jérôme; Klingelé, Emile E.; Bayer, Roger; Cocard, Marc; Geiger, Alain; Kahle, Hans-Gert

2003-01-01

In February 1998, a regional-scale, airborne gravity survey was carried out over the French Occidental Alps within the framework of the GéoFrance 3-D research program.The survey consisted of 18 NS and 16 EW oriented lines with a spacing of 10 and 20 km respectively, covering the whole of the Western French Alps (total area: 50 000 km2; total distance of lines flown: 10 000 km). The equipment was mounted in a medium-size aircraft (DeHavilland Twin Otter) flowing at a constant altitude of 5100 m a.s.l, and at a mean ground speed of about 280 km h-1. Gravity was measured using a LaCoste & Romberg relative, air/sea gravimeter (type SA) mounted on a laser gyro stabilized platform. Data from 5 GPS antennae located on fuselage and wings and 7 ground-based GPS reference stations were used to determine position and aircraft induced accelerations.The gravimeter passband was derived by comparing the vertical accelerations provided by the gravimeter with those estimated from the GPS positions. This comparison showed that the gravimeter is not sensitive to very short wavelength aircraft accelerations, and therefore a simplified formulation for computing airborne gravity measurements was developed. The intermediate and short wavelength, non-gravitational accelerations were eliminated by means of digital, exponential low-pass filters (cut-off wavelength: 16 km). An important issue in airborne gravimetry is the reliability of the airborne gravity surveys when compared to ground surveys. In our studied area, the differences between the airborne-acquired Bouguer anomaly and the ground upward-continued Bouguer anomaly of the Alps shows a good agreement: the rms of these differences is equal to 7.68 mGal for a spatial resolution of 8 km. However, in some areas with rugged topography, the amplitudes of those differences have a striking correlation with the topography. We then argue that the choice of an appropriate density (reduction by a factor of 10 per cent) for computing the

A Study of Reflected Sonic Booms Using Airborne Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kantor, Samuel R.; Cliatt, Larry J.

2017-01-01

In support of ongoing efforts to bring commercial supersonic flight to the public, the Sonic Booms in Atmospheric Turbulence (SonicBAT) flight test conducted at NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center. During this test, airborne sonic boom measurements were made using an instrumented TG-14 motor glider, called the Airborne Acoustic Measurement Platform (AAMP).During the flight program, the AAMP was consistently able to measure the sonic boom wave that was reflected off of the ground, in addition to the incident wave, resulting in the creation of a completely unique data set of airborne sonic boom reflection measurements.

Airborne Nanostructured Particles and Occupational Health

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maynard, Andrew D.; Kuempel, Eileen D.

2005-12-01

Nanotechnology is leading to the development in many field, of new materials and devices in many fields that demonstrate nanostructure-dependent properties. However, concern has been expressed that these same properties may present unique challenges to addressing potential health impact. Airborne particles associated with engineered nanomaterials are of particular concern, as they can readily enter the body through inhalation. Research into the potential occupational health risks associated with inhaling engineered nanostructured particles is just beginning. However, there is a large body of data on occupational and environmental aerosols, which is applicable to developing an initial assessment of potential risk and risk reduction strategies. Epidemiological and pathological studies of occupational and environmental exposures to airborne particles and fibers provide information on the aerosol-related lung diseases and conditions that have been observed in humans. Toxicological studies provide information on the specific disease mechanisms, dose-response relationships, and the particle characteristics that influence toxicity, including the size, surface area, chemistry or reactivity, solubility, and shape. Potential health risk will depend on the magnitude and nature of exposures to airborne nanostructured particles, and on the release, dispersion, transformation and control of materials in the workplace. Aerosol control methods have not been well-characterized for nanometer diameter particles, although theory and limited experimental data indicate that conventional ventilation, engineering control and filtration approaches should be applicable in many situations. Current information supports the development of preliminary guiding principles on working with engineered nanomaterials. However critical research questions remain to be answered before the potential health risk of airborne nanostructured particles in the workplace can be fully addressed.

Toolsets for Airborne Data (TAD): Enhanced Airborne Data Merging Functionality through Spatial and Temporal Subsetting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Early, A. B.; Chen, G.; Beach, A. L., III; Northup, E. A.

2016-12-01

NASA has conducted airborne tropospheric chemistry studies for over three decades. These field campaigns have generated a great wealth of observations, including a wide range of the trace gases and aerosol properties. The Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC) at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton Virginia originally developed the Toolsets for Airborne Data (TAD) web application in September 2013 to meet the user community needs for manipulating aircraft data for scientific research on climate change and air quality relevant issues. The analysis of airborne data typically requires data subsetting, which can be challenging and resource intensive for end users. In an effort to streamline this process, the TAD toolset enhancements will include new data subsetting features and updates to the current database model. These will include two subsetters: temporal and spatial, and vertical profile. The temporal and spatial subsetter will allow users to both focus on data from a specific location and/or time period. The vertical profile subsetter will retrieve data collected during an individual aircraft ascent or descent spiral. This effort will allow for the automation of the typically labor-intensive manual data subsetting process, which will provide users with data tailored to their specific research interests. The development of these enhancements will be discussed in this presentation.

Real-time trace ambient ammonia monitor for haze prevention

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishimura, Katsumi; Sakaguchi, Yuhei; Crosson, Eric; Wahl, Edward; Rella, Chris

2007-05-01

In photolithography, haze prevention is of critical importance to integrated circuit chip manufacturers. Numerous studies have established that the presence of ammonia in the photolithography tool can cause haze to form on optical surfaces resulting in permanent damage to costly deep ultra-violet optics. Ammonia is emitted into wafer fab air by various semiconductor processes including coating steps in the track and CMP. The workers in the clean room also emit a significant amount of ammonia. Chemical filters are typically used to remove airborne contamination from critical locations but their lifetime and coverage cannot offer complete protection. Therefore, constant or periodic monitoring of airborne ammonia at parts-per-trillion (ppt) levels is critical to insure the integrity of the lithography process. Real time monitoring can insure that an accidental ammonia release in the clean room is detected before any optics is damaged. We have developed a transportable, highly accurate, highly specific, real-time trace gas monitor that detects ammonia using Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy (CRDS). The trace gas monitor requires no calibration gas standards, and can measure ammonia with 200 ppt sensitivity in five minutes with little or no baseline drift. In addition, the high spectral resolution of CRDS makes the analyzer less susceptible to interference from other gases when compared to other detection methods. In this paper we describe the monitor, focus on its performance, discuss the results of a careful comparison with ion chromatography (IC), and present field data measured inside the aligner and the reticule stocker at a semiconductor fab.

Present and Future Airborne and Space-borne Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-02-01

Present and Future Airborne and Space-borne Systems Wolfgang Keydel Microwaves and Radar Institute German Aerospace Research Centre (DLR...airborne and space-borne SAR systems with polarimetric interferometry capability, their technological, system technical and application related...interferometry accuracies in the cm range have been obtained. In order to reach these values an exact system calibration is indispensable. The calibration of

Short-range airborne transmission of expiratory droplets between two people.

PubMed

Liu, L; Li, Y; Nielsen, P V; Wei, J; Jensen, R L

2017-03-01

The occurrence of close proximity infection for many respiratory diseases is often cited as evidence of large droplet and/or close contact transmission. We explored interpersonal exposure of exhaled droplets and droplet nuclei of two standing thermal manikins as affected by distance, humidity, ventilation, and breathing mode. Under the specific set of conditions studied, we found a substantial increase in airborne exposure to droplet nuclei exhaled by the source manikin when a susceptible manikin is within about 1.5 m of the source manikin, referred to as the proximity effect. The threshold distance of about 1.5 m distinguishes the two basic transmission processes of droplets and droplet nuclei, that is, short-range modes and the long-range airborne route. The short-range modes include both the conventional large droplet route and the newly defined short-range airborne transmission. We thus reveal that transmission occurring in close proximity to the source patient includes both droplet-borne (large droplet) and short-range airborne routes, in addition to the direct deposition of large droplets on other body surfaces. The mechanisms of the droplet-borne and short-range airborne routes are different; their effective control methods also differ. Neither the current droplet precautions nor dilution ventilation prevents short-range airborne transmission, so new control methods are needed. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Estimating the abundance of airborne pollen and fungal spores at variable elevations using an aircraft: how high can they fly?

PubMed

Damialis, Athanasios; Kaimakamis, Evangelos; Konoglou, Maria; Akritidis, Ioannis; Traidl-Hoffmann, Claudia; Gioulekas, Dimitrios

2017-03-16

Airborne pollen and fungal spores are monitored mainly in highly populated, urban environments, for allergy prevention purposes. However, their sources can frequently be located outside cities' fringes with more vegetation. So as to shed light to this paradox, we investigated the diversity and abundance of airborne pollen and fungal spores at various environmental regimes. We monitored pollen and spores using an aircraft and a car, at elevations from sea level to 2,000 m above ground, in the region of Thesssaloniki, Greece. We found a total of 24 pollen types and more than 15 spore types. Pollen and spores were detected throughout the elevational transect. Lower elevations exhibited higher pollen concentrations in only half of plant taxa and higher fungal spore concentrations in only Ustilago. Pinaceae and Quercus pollen were the most abundant recorded by airplane (>54% of the total). Poaceae pollen were the most abundant via car measurements (>77% of the total). Cladosporium and Alternaria spores were the most abundant in all cases (aircraft: >69% and >17%, car: >45% and >27%, respectively). We conclude that pollen and fungal spores can be diverse and abundant even outside the main source area, evidently because of long-distance transport incidents.

Estimating the abundance of airborne pollen and fungal spores at variable elevations using an aircraft: how high can they fly?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damialis, Athanasios; Kaimakamis, Evangelos; Konoglou, Maria; Akritidis, Ioannis; Traidl-Hoffmann, Claudia; Gioulekas, Dimitrios

2017-03-01

Airborne pollen and fungal spores are monitored mainly in highly populated, urban environments, for allergy prevention purposes. However, their sources can frequently be located outside cities’ fringes with more vegetation. So as to shed light to this paradox, we investigated the diversity and abundance of airborne pollen and fungal spores at various environmental regimes. We monitored pollen and spores using an aircraft and a car, at elevations from sea level to 2,000 m above ground, in the region of Thesssaloniki, Greece. We found a total of 24 pollen types and more than 15 spore types. Pollen and spores were detected throughout the elevational transect. Lower elevations exhibited higher pollen concentrations in only half of plant taxa and higher fungal spore concentrations in only Ustilago. Pinaceae and Quercus pollen were the most abundant recorded by airplane (>54% of the total). Poaceae pollen were the most abundant via car measurements (>77% of the total). Cladosporium and Alternaria spores were the most abundant in all cases (aircraft: >69% and >17%, car: >45% and >27%, respectively). We conclude that pollen and fungal spores can be diverse and abundant even outside the main source area, evidently because of long-distance transport incidents.

Factors contributing to airborne particle dispersal in the operating room.

PubMed

Noguchi, Chieko; Koseki, Hironobu; Horiuchi, Hidehiko; Yonekura, Akihiko; Tomita, Masato; Higuchi, Takashi; Sunagawa, Shinya; Osaki, Makoto

2017-07-06

Surgical-site infections due to intraoperative contamination are chiefly ascribable to airborne particles carrying microorganisms. The purpose of this study is to identify the actions that increase the number of airborne particles in the operating room. Two surgeons and two surgical nurses performed three patterns of physical movements to mimic intraoperative actions, such as preparing the instrument table, gowning and donning/doffing gloves, and preparing for total knee arthroplasty. The generation and behavior of airborne particles were filmed using a fine particle visualization system, and the number of airborne particles in 2.83 m 3 of air was counted using a laser particle counter. Each action was repeated five times, and the particle measurements were evaluated through one-way analysis of variance multiple comparison tests followed by Tukey-Kramer and Bonferroni-Dunn multiple comparison tests for post hoc analysis. Statistical significance was defined as a P value ≤ .01. A large number of airborne particles were observed while unfolding the surgical gown, removing gloves, and putting the arms through the sleeves of the gown. Although numerous airborne particles were observed while applying the stockinet and putting on large drapes for preparation of total knee arthroplasty, fewer particles (0.3-2.0 μm in size) were detected at the level of the operating table under laminar airflow compared to actions performed in a non-ventilated preoperative room (P < .01). The results of this study suggest that surgical staff should avoid unnecessary actions that produce a large number of airborne particles near a sterile area and that laminar airflow has the potential to reduce the incidence of bacterial contamination.

On-Orbit Calibration of a Multi-Spectral Satellite Satellite Sensor Using a High Altitude Airborne Imaging Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, R. O.; Shimada, M.

1996-01-01

Earth-looking satellites must be calibrated in order to quantitatively measure and monitor components of land, water and atmosphere of the Earth system. The inevitable change in performance due to the stress of satellite launch requires that the calibration of a satellite sensor be established and validated on-orbit. A new approach to on-orbit satellite sensor calibration has been developed using the flight of a high altitude calibrated airborne imaging spectrometer below a multi-spectral satellite sensor.

Airborne and Maritime/Fixed Station Joint Tactical Radio System (AMF JTRS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

Selected Acquisition Report (SAR) RCS: DD-A&T(Q&A)823-421 Airborne & Maritime/Fixed Station Joint Tactical Radio System (AMF JTRS) As of FY 2017...Information Program Name Airborne & Maritime/Fixed Station Joint Tactical Radio System (AMF JTRS) DoD Component Army Responsible Office References SAR...UNCLASSIFIED 5 Mission and Description Airborne & Maritime/Fixed Station Joint Tactical Radio System (AMF JTRS) products are software programmable

Scrap metals industry perspective on radioactive materials.

PubMed

Turner, Ray

2006-11-01

With more than 80 reported/confirmed accidental melts worldwide since 1983 and still counting, potential contamination by radioactive materials remains as a major concern among recycled scrap and steel companies. Some of these events were catastrophic and have cost the industry millions of dollars in business and, at the same time, resulted in declining consumer confidence. It is also known that more events with confirmed radioactive contamination have occurred that involve mining of old steel slag and skull dumps. Consequently, the steel industry has since undergone massive changes that incurred unprecedented expenses through the installation of radiation monitoring systems in hopes of preventing another accidental melt. Despite such extraordinary efforts, accidental melts continue to occur and plague the industry. One recent reported/confirmed event occurred in the Republic of China in 2004, causing the usual lengthy shutdown for expensive decontamination efforts before the steel mill could resume operations. With this perspective in mind, the metal industry has a long-standing opposition to the release of radioactive materials of any kind to commerce for fear of contamination and the potential consequences.

Analysis of Membrane Lipids of Airborne Micro-Organisms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

MacNaughton, Sarah

2006-01-01

A method of characterization of airborne micro-organisms in a given location involves (1) large-volume filtration of air onto glass-fiber filters; (2) accelerated extraction of membrane lipids of the collected micro-organisms by use of pressurized hot liquid; and (3) identification and quantitation of the lipids by use of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. This method is suitable for use in both outdoor and indoor environments; for example, it can be used to measure airborne microbial contamination in buildings ("sick-building syndrome"). The classical approach to analysis of airborne micro-organisms is based on the growth of cultureable micro-organisms and does not provide an account of viable but noncultureable micro-organisms, which typically amount to more than 90 percent of the micro-organisms present. In contrast, the present method provides an account of all micro-organisms, including cultureable, noncultureable, aerobic, and anaerobic ones. The analysis of lipids according to this method makes it possible to estimate the number of viable airborne micro-organisms present in the sampled air and to obtain a quantitative profile of the general types of micro-organisms present along with some information about their physiological statuses.

CLASS: Coherent Lidar Airborne Shear Sensor. Windshear avoidance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Targ, Russell

1991-01-01

The coherent lidar airborne shear sensor (CLASS) is an airborne CO2 lidar system being designed and developed by Lockheed Missiles and Space Company, Inc. (LMSC) under contract to NASA Langley Research Center. The goal of this program is to develop a system with a 2- to 4-kilometer range that will provide a warning time of 20 to 40 seconds, so that the pilot can avoid the hazards of low-altitude wind shear under all weather conditions. It is a predictive system which will warn the pilot about a hazard that the aircraft will experience at some later time. The ability of the system to provide predictive warnings of clear air turbulence will also be evaluated. A one-year flight evaluation program will measure the line-of-sight wind velocity from a wide variety of wind fields obtained by an airborne radar, an accelerometer-based reactive wind-sensing system, and a ground-based Doppler radar. The success of the airborne lidar system will be determined by its correlation with the windfield as indicated by the onboard reactive system, which indicates the winds actually experienced by the NASA Boeing 737 aircraft.

Lessons learned from case studies of inhalation exposures of workers to radioactive aerosols

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

Hoover, M.D.; Fencl, A.F.; Newton, G.J.

1995-12-01

Various Department of Energy requirements, rules, and orders mandate that lessons learned be identified, evaluated, shared, and incorporated into current practices. The recently issued, nonmandatory DOE standard for Development of DOE Lessons Learned Program states that a DOE-wide lessons learned program will {open_quotes}help to prevent recurrences of negative experiences, highlight best practices, and spotlight innovative ways to solve problems or perform work more safely, efficiently, and cost effectively.{close_quotes} Additional information about the lessons learned program is contained in the recently issued DOE handbook on Implementing U.S. Department of Energy Lessons Learned Programs and in October 1995 DOE SAfety Notice onmore » Lessons Learned Programs. This report summarizes work in progress at ITRI to identify lessons learned for worker exposures to radioactive aerosols, and describes how this work will be incorporated into the DOE lessons learned program, including a new technical guide for measuring, modeling, and mitigating airborne radioactive particles. Follow-on work is focusing on preparation of {open_quotes}lessons learned{close_quotes} training materials for facility designers, managers, health protection professionals, line supervisors, and workers.« less

Airborne tracking sunphotometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matsumoto, Tak; Russell, Philip; Mina, Cesar; Van Ark, William; Banta, Victor

1987-01-01

An airborne tracking sunphotometer, mounted on the outside top surface of an aircaft has been developed to provide unresricted viewing of the sun. This instrument will substantially increase the data that scientists can gather for atmospheric studies. The instrument has six wavelength channels and an automatic data gathering system. The instrument's optical features, tracking capability, mechanical features, and data gathering system are described.

Airborne Remote Sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

NASA imaging technology has provided the basis for a commercial agricultural reconnaissance service. AG-RECON furnishes information from airborne sensors, aerial photographs and satellite and ground databases to farmers, foresters, geologists, etc. This service produces color "maps" of Earth conditions, which enable clients to detect crop color changes or temperature changes that may indicate fire damage or pest stress problems.

Sensor System Performance Evaluation and Benefits from the NPOESS Airborne Sounder Testbed-Interferometer (NAST-I)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Larar, A.; Zhou, D.; Smith, W.

2009-01-01

Advanced satellite sensors are tasked with improving global-scale measurements of the Earth's atmosphere, clouds, and surface to enable enhancements in weather prediction, climate monitoring, and environmental change detection. Validation of the entire measurement system is crucial to achieving this goal and thus maximizing research and operational utility of resultant data. Field campaigns employing satellite under-flights with well-calibrated FTS sensors aboard high-altitude aircraft are an essential part of this validation task. The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Airborne Sounder Testbed-Interferometer (NAST-I) has been a fundamental contributor in this area by providing coincident high spectral/spatial resolution observations of infrared spectral radiances along with independently-retrieved geophysical products for comparison with like products from satellite sensors being validated. This paper focuses on some of the challenges associated with validating advanced atmospheric sounders and the benefits obtained from employing airborne interferometers such as the NAST-I. Select results from underflights of the Aqua Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS) and the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) obtained during recent field campaigns will be presented.

Evaluation of eelgrass beds mapping using a high-resolution airborne multispectral scanner

USGS Publications Warehouse

Su, H.; Karna, D.; Fraim, E.; Fitzgerald, M.; Dominguez, R.; Myers, J.S.; Coffland, B.; Handley, L.R.; Mace, T.

2006-01-01

Eelgrass (Zostera marina) can provide vital ecological functions in stabilizing sediments, influencing current dynamics, and contributing significant amounts of biomass to numerous food webs in coastal ecosystems. Mapping eelgrass beds is important for coastal water and nearshore estuarine monitoring, management, and planning. This study demonstrated the possible use of high spatial (approximately 5 m) and temporal (maximum low tide) resolution airborne multispectral scanner on mapping eelgrass beds in Northern Puget Sound, Washington. A combination of supervised and unsupervised classification approaches were performed on the multispectral scanner imagery. A normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) derived from the red and near-infrared bands and ancillary spatial information, were used to extract and mask eelgrass beds and other submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in the study area. We evaluated the resulting thematic map (geocoded, classified image) against a conventional aerial photograph interpretation using 260 point locations randomly stratified over five defined classes from the thematic map. We achieved an overall accuracy of 92 percent with 0.92 Kappa Coefficient in the study area. This study demonstrates that the airborne multispectral scanner can be useful for mapping eelgrass beds in a local or regional scale, especially in regions for which optical remote sensing from space is constrained by climatic and tidal conditions. ?? 2006 American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing.

Facility effluent monitoring plan for the plutonium uranium extraction facility

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

Wiegand, D.L.

A facility effluent monitoring plan is required by the US Department of Energy in DOE Order 5400.1 for any operations that involve hazardous materials and radioactive substances that could impact employee or public safety or the environment. This document is prepared using the specific guidelines identified in A Guide for Preparing Hanford Site Facility Effluent Monitoring Plans, WHC-EP-0438-01. This facility effluent monitoring plan assesses effluent monitoring systems and evaluates whether they are adequate to ensure the public health and safety as specified in applicable federal, state, and local requirements. This facility effluent monitoring plan shall ensure long-range integrity of themore » effluent monitoring systems by requiring an update whenever a new process or operation introduces new hazardous materials or significant radioactive materials. This document must be reviewed annually even if there are no operational changes, and it must be updated at a minimum of every three years.« less

Tracking of airborne radionuclides from the damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear reactors by European networks.

PubMed

Masson, O; Baeza, A; Bieringer, J; Brudecki, K; Bucci, S; Cappai, M; Carvalho, F P; Connan, O; Cosma, C; Dalheimer, A; Didier, D; Depuydt, G; De Geer, L E; De Vismes, A; Gini, L; Groppi, F; Gudnason, K; Gurriaran, R; Hainz, D; Halldórsson, Ó; Hammond, D; Hanley, O; Holeý, K; Homoki, Zs; Ioannidou, A; Isajenko, K; Jankovic, M; Katzlberger, C; Kettunen, M; Kierepko, R; Kontro, R; Kwakman, P J M; Lecomte, M; Leon Vintro, L; Leppänen, A-P; Lind, B; Lujaniene, G; Mc Ginnity, P; Mc Mahon, C; Malá, H; Manenti, S; Manolopoulou, M; Mattila, A; Mauring, A; Mietelski, J W; Møller, B; Nielsen, S P; Nikolic, J; Overwater, R M W; Pálsson, S E; Papastefanou, C; Penev, I; Pham, M K; Povinec, P P; Ramebäck, H; Reis, M C; Ringer, W; Rodriguez, A; Rulík, P; Saey, P R J; Samsonov, V; Schlosser, C; Sgorbati, G; Silobritiene, B V; Söderström, C; Sogni, R; Solier, L; Sonck, M; Steinhauser, G; Steinkopff, T; Steinmann, P; Stoulos, S; Sýkora, I; Todorovic, D; Tooloutalaie, N; Tositti, L; Tschiersch, J; Ugron, A; Vagena, E; Vargas, A; Wershofen, H; Zhukova, O

2011-09-15

Radioactive emissions into the atmosphere from the damaged reactors of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant (NPP) started on March 12th, 2011. Among the various radionuclides released, iodine-131 ((131)I) and cesium isotopes ((137)Cs and (134)Cs) were transported across the Pacific toward the North American continent and reached Europe despite dispersion and washout along the route of the contaminated air masses. In Europe, the first signs of the releases were detected 7 days later while the first peak of activity level was observed between March 28th and March 30th. Time variations over a 20-day period and spatial variations across more than 150 sampling locations in Europe made it possible to characterize the contaminated air masses. After the Chernobyl accident, only a few measurements of the gaseous (131)I fraction were conducted compared to the number of measurements for the particulate fraction. Several studies had already pointed out the importance of the gaseous (131)I and the large underestimation of the total (131)I airborne activity level, and subsequent calculations of inhalation dose, if neglected. The measurements made across Europe following the releases from the Fukushima NPP reactors have provided a significant amount of new data on the ratio of the gaseous (131)I fraction to total (131)I, both on a spatial scale and its temporal variation. It can be pointed out that during the Fukushima event, the (134)Cs to (137)Cs ratio proved to be different from that observed after the Chernobyl accident. The data set provided in this paper is the most comprehensive survey of the main relevant airborne radionuclides from the Fukushima reactors, measured across Europe. A rough estimate of the total (131)I inventory that has passed over Europe during this period was <1% of the released amount. According to the measurements, airborne activity levels remain of no concern for public health in Europe.

Airborne exposure and biological monitoring of bar and restaurant workers before and after the introduction of a smoking ban.

PubMed

Ellingsen, Dag G; Fladseth, Geir; Daae, Hanne L; Gjølstad, Merete; Kjaerheim, Kristina; Skogstad, Marit; Olsen, Raymond; Thorud, Syvert; Molander, Paal

2006-03-01

The aims were to assess the impact of a total smoking ban on the level of airborne contaminants and the urinary cotinine levels in the employees in bars and restaurants. In a follow up design, 13 bars and restaurants were visited before and after the implementation of a smoking ban. Ninety-three employees in the establishments were initially included into the study. The arithmetic mean concentration of nicotine and total dust declined from 28.3 microg m(-3) (range, 0.4-88.0) and 262 microg m(-3) (range, 52-662), respectively, to 0.6 microg m(-3) (range, not detected-3.7) and 77 microg m(-3) (range, not detected-261) after the smoking ban. The Pearson correlation coefficient between airborne nicotine and total dust was 0.86 (p < 0.001; n = 48). The post-shift geometric mean urinary cotinine concentration declined from 9.5 microg g(-1) creatinine (cr) (95% CI 6.5-13.7) to 1.4 microg g(-1) cr (95% CI 0.8-2.5) after the ban (p < 0.001) in 25 non-snuffing non-smokers. A reduction from 1444 microg g(-1) cr (95% CI 957-2180) to 688 microg g(-1) cr (95% CI 324-1458) was found (p < 0.05) in 29 non-snuffing smokers. The urinary cotinine levels increased from 11.7 microg g(-1) cr (95% CI 7.0-19.6) post-shift to 21.9 microg g(-1) cr (95% CI 13.3-36.3) (p < 0.01) in the next morning in 24 non-snuffing non-smokers before the smoking ban. A substantial reduction of airborne nicotine and total dust was observed after the introduction of a smoking ban in bars and restaurants. The urinary cotinine levels were reduced in non-smokers. The decline found in smokers may suggest a reduction in the amount of smoking after intervention. In non-smokers cotinine concentrations were higher based on urine sampled the morning after a shift than based on urine sampled immediately post-shift.

Data System for HS3 Airborne Field Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maskey, M.; Mceniry, M.; Berendes, T.; Bugbee, K.; Conover, H.; Ramachandran, R.

2014-12-01

Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3) is a NASA airborne field campaign aimed at better understanding the physical processes that control hurricane intensity change. HS3 will help answer questions related to the roles of environmental conditions and internal storm structures to storm intensification. Due to the nature of the questions that HS3 mission is addressing, it involves a variety of in-situ, satellite observations, airborne data, meteorological analyses, and simulation data. This variety of datasets presents numerous data management challenges for HS3. The methods used for airborne data management differ greatly from the methods used for space-borne data. In particular, metadata extraction, spatial and temporal indexing, and the large number of instruments and subsequent variables are a few of the data management challenges unique to airborne missions. A robust data system is required to successfully help HS3 scientist achieve their mission goals. Furthermore, the data system also needs to provide for data management that assists in broader use of HS3 data to enable future research activities. The Global Hydrology Resource Center (GHRC) is considering all these needs and designing a data system for HS3. Experience with past airborne field campaign puts GHRC in a good position to address HS3 needs. However, the scale of this mission along with science requirements separates HS3 from previous field campaigns. The HS3 data system will include automated services for geo-location, metadata extraction, discovery, and distribution for all HS3 data. To answer the science questions, the data system will include a visual data exploration tool that is fully integrated into the data catalog. The tool will allow visually augmenting airborne data with analyses and simulations. Satellite data will provide contextual information during such data explorations. All HS3 tools will be supported by an enterprise service architecture that will allow scaling, easy integration