HZEFRG1 - SEMIEMPIRICAL NUCLEAR FRAGMENTATION MODEL

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Townsend, L. W.

1994-01-01

The high charge and energy (HZE), Semiempirical Nuclear Fragmentation Model, HZEFRG1, was developed to provide a computationally efficient, user-friendly, physics-based program package for generating nuclear fragmentation databases. These databases can then be used in radiation transport applications such as space radiation shielding and dosimetry, cancer therapy with laboratory heavy ion beams, and simulation studies of detector design in nuclear physics experiments. The program provides individual element and isotope production cross sections for the breakup of high energy heavy ions by the combined nuclear and Coulomb fields of the interacting nuclei. The nuclear breakup contributions are estimated using an energy-dependent abrasion-ablation model of heavy ion fragmentation. The abrasion step involves removal of nucleons by direct knockout in the overlap region of the colliding nuclei. The abrasions are treated on a geometric basis and uniform spherical nuclear density distributions are assumed. Actual experimental nuclear radii obtained from tabulations of electron scattering data are incorporated. Nuclear transparency effects are included by using an energy-dependent, impact-parameter-dependent average transmission factor for the projectile and target nuclei, which accounts for the finite mean free path of nucleons in nuclear matter. The ablation step, as implemented by Bowman, Swiatecki, and Tsang (LBL report no. LBL-2908, July 1973), was treated as a single-nucleon emission for every 10 MeV of excitation energy. Fragmentation contributions from electromagnetic dissociation (EMD) processes, arising from the interacting Coulomb fields, are estimated by using the Weiszacker-Williams theory, extended to include electric dipole and electric quadrupole contributions to one-nucleon removal cross sections. HZEFRG1 consists of a main program, seven function subprograms, and thirteen subroutines. Each is fully commented and begins with a brief description of its functionality. The inputs, which are provided interactively by the user in response to on-screen questions, consist of the projectile kinetic energy in units of MeV/nucleon and the masses and charges of the projectile and target nuclei. With proper inputs, HZEFRG1 first calculates the EMD cross sections and then begins the calculations for nuclear fragmentation by searching through a specified number of isotopes for each charge number (Z) from Z=1 (hydrogen) to the charge of the incident fragmenting nucleus (Zp). After completing the nuclear fragmentation cross sections, HZEFRG1 sorts through the results and writes the sorted output to a file in descending order, based on the charge number of the fragmented nucleus. Details of the theory, extensive comparisons of its predictions with available experimental cross section data, and a complete description of the code implementing it are given in the program documentation. HZEFRG1 is written in ANSI FORTRAN 77 to be machine independent. It was originally developed on a DEC VAX series computer, and has been successfully implemented on a DECstation running RISC ULTRIX 4.3, a Sun4 series computer running SunOS 4.1, an HP 9000 series computer running HP-UX 8.0.1, a Cray Y-MP series computer running UNICOS, and IBM PC series computers running MS-DOS 3.3 and higher. HZEFRG1 requires 1Mb of RAM for execution. In addition, a FORTRAN 77 compiler is required to create an executable. A sample output run is included on the distribution medium for numerical comparison. The standard distribution medium for this program is a 3.5 inch 1.44Mb MS-DOS format diskette. Alternate distribution media and formats are available upon request. HZEFRG1 was completed in 1992.

gemcWeb: A Cloud Based Nuclear Physics Simulation Software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markelon, Sam

2017-09-01

gemcWeb allows users to run nuclear physics simulations from the web. Being completely device agnostic, scientists can run simulations from anywhere with an Internet connection. Having a full user system, gemcWeb allows users to revisit and revise their projects, and share configurations and results with collaborators. gemcWeb is based on simulation software gemc, which is based on standard GEant4. gemcWeb requires no C++, gemc, or GEant4 knowledge. Using a simple but powerful GUI allows users to configure their project from geometries and configurations stored on the deployment server. Simulations are then run on the server, with results being posted to the user, and then securely stored. Python based and open-source, the main version of gemcWeb is hosted internally at Jefferson National Labratory and used by the CLAS12 and Electron-Ion Collider Project groups. However, as the software is open-source, and hosted as a GitHub repository, an instance can be deployed on the open web, or any institution's intra-net. An instance can be configured to host experiments specific to an institution, and the code base can be modified by any individual or group. Special thanks to: Maurizio Ungaro, PhD., creator of gemc; Markus Diefenthaler, PhD., advisor; and Kyungseon Joo, PhD., advisor.

Nuclear Explosion and Infrasound Event Resources of the SMDC Monitoring Research Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

2008 Monitoring Research Review: Ground-Based Nuclear Explosion Monitoring Technologies 928 Figure 7. Dozens of detected infrasound signals from...investigate alternative detection schemes at the two infrasound arrays based on frequency-wavenumber (fk) processing and the F-statistic. The results of... infrasound signal - detection processing schemes. REFERENCES Bahavar, M., B. Barker, J. Bennett, R. Bowman, H. Israelsson, B. Kohl, Y-L. Kung, J. Murphy

NIR camera and spectrograph SWIMS for TAO 6.5m telescope: array control system and its performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terao, Yasunori; Motohara, Kentaro; Konishi, Masahiro; Takahashi, Hidenori; Kato, Natsuko M.; Kitagawa, Yutaro; Kobayakawa, Yutaka; Ohashi, Hirofumi; Tateuchi, Ken; Todo, Soya

2016-08-01

SWIMS (Simultaneous-color Wide-field Infrared Multi-object Spectrograph) is a near-infrared imager and multi-object spectrograph as one of the first generation instruments for the University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory (TAO) 6.5m telescope. In this paper, we describe an array control system of SWIMS and results of detector noise performance evaluation. SWIMS incorporates four (and eight in future) HAWAII-2RG focal plane arrays for detectors, each driven by readout electronics components: a SIDECAR ASIC and a JADE2 Card. The readout components are controlled by a HAWAII-2RG Testing Software running on a virtual Windows machine on a Linux PC called array control PC. All of those array control PCs are then supervised by a SWIMS control PC. We have developed an "array control software system", which runs on the array control PC to control the HAWAII-2RG Testing Software, and consists of a socket client and a dedicated server called device manager. The client runs on the SWIMS control PC, and the device manager runs on the array control PC. An exposure command, issued by the client on the SWIMS control PC, is sent to the multiple device managers on the array control PCs, and then multiple HAWAII-2RGs are driven simultaneously. Using this system, we evaluate readout noise performances of the detectors, both in a test dewar and in a SWIMS main dewar. In the test dewar, we confirm the readout noise to be 4.3 e- r.m.s. by 32 times multiple sampling when we operate only a single HAWAII-2RG, whereas in the case of simultaneous driving of two HAWAII-2RGs, we still obtain sufficiently low readout noise of 10 e- r.m.s. In the SWIMS main dewar, although there are some differences between the detectors, the readout noise is measured to be 4:1-4:6 e- r.m.s. with simultaneous driving by 64 times multiple sampling, which meets the requirement for background-limited observations in J band of 14 e- r.m.s..

A New Large-Well 1024x1024 Si:As Detector for the Mid-Infrared

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mainzer, Amanda K.; Hong, John H.; Stapelbroek, M. G.; Hogue, Henry; Molyneux, Dale; Ressler, Michael E.; Watkins, Ernie; Reekstin, John; Werner, Mike; Young, Erick

2005-01-01

We present a description of a new 1024x1024 Si:As array designed for ground-based use from 5 - 28 microns. With a maximum well depth of 5e6 electrons, this device brings large-format array technology to bear on ground-based mid-infrared programs, allowing entry to the mega-pixel realm previously only accessible to the near-IR. The multiplexer design features switchable gain, a 256x256 windowing mode for extremely bright sources, and it is two-edge buttable. The device is currently in its final design phase at DRS in Cypress, CA. We anticipate completion of the foundry run in October 2005. This new array will enable wide field, high angular resolution ground-based follow up of targets found by space-based missions such as the Spitzer Space Telescope and the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE).

rfpipe: Radio interferometric transient search pipeline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Law, Casey J.

2017-10-01

rfpipe supports Python-based analysis of radio interferometric data (especially from the Very Large Array) and searches for fast radio transients. This extends on the rtpipe library (ascl:1706.002) with new approaches to parallelization, acceleration, and more portable data products. rfpipe can run in standalone mode or be in a cluster environment.

Enhanced Component Performance Study: Motor-Driven Pumps 1998–2014

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

Schroeder, John Alton

2016-02-01

This report presents an enhanced performance evaluation of motor-driven pumps at U.S. commercial nuclear power plants. The data used in this study are based on the operating experience failure reports from fiscal year 1998 through 2014 for the component reliability as reported in the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) Consolidated Events Database (ICES). The motor-driven pump failure modes considered for standby systems are failure to start, failure to run less than or equal to one hour, and failure to run more than one hour; for normally running systems, the failure modes considered are failure to start and failure tomore » run. An eight hour unreliability estimate is also calculated and trended. The component reliability estimates and the reliability data are trended for the most recent 10-year period while yearly estimates for reliability are provided for the entire active period. Statistically significant increasing trends were identified in pump run hours per reactor year. Statistically significant decreasing trends were identified for standby systems industry-wide frequency of start demands, and run hours per reactor year for runs of less than or equal to one hour.« less

Commissioning of the UK NAtional Nuclear Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shearman, R.; Collins, S. M.; Lorusso, G.; Rudigier, M.; Judge, S. M.; Bell, S. J.; Podolyak, Zs.; Regan, P. H.

2017-11-01

The NAtional Nuclear Array (NANA) is a LaBr3(Ce)-based coincidence gamma-ray spectrometer which can be used to identify, and enhance with respect to the background, signature gamma-ray emissions associated with particular radionuclide decays from a complex multi-component spectrum. Gamma-ray energy coincidence measurements using the NANA have been made using a digital data acquisition system based on CAEN V1751C 1 GHz digitizers. The improved time resolution offered by LaBr3(Ce) crystals compared to similar-sized solid state detectors can provide narrow time-correlated, gamma-ray energy coincidence matrices that can be interrogated to select discrete gamma-ray emissions associated with particular radionuclide decays. This paper provides an overview of the operational characteristics of the NANA spectrometer, including energy resolution and full-energy peak efficiency parameters, and provides an example of double and triple gamma-ray coincidence gating on decays associated with the nuclear fuel waste product 134Cs. The full-energy peak efficiency response of the spectrometer is compared to Monte Carlo GEANT4 simulations.

Exome Array Analysis of Nuclear Lens Opacity.

PubMed

Loomis, Stephanie J; Klein, Alison P; Lee, Kristine E; Chen, Fei; Bomotti, Samantha; Truitt, Barbara; Iyengar, Sudha K; Klein, Ronald; Klein, Barbara E K; Duggal, Priya

2018-06-01

Nuclear cataract is the most common subtype of age-related cataract, the leading cause of blindness worldwide. It results from advanced nuclear sclerosis, or opacity in the center of the optic lens, and is affected by both genetic and environmental risk factors, including smoking. We sought to understand the genetic factors associated with nuclear sclerosis through interrogation of rare and low frequency coding variants using exome array data. We analyzed Illumina Human Exome Array data for 1,488 participants of European ancestry in the Beaver Dam Eye Study who were without cataract surgery for association with nuclear sclerosis grade, controlling for age and sex. We performed single-variant regression analysis for 32,138 variants with minor allele frequency (MAF) ≥0.003. In addition, gene-based analysis of 11,844 genes containing at least two variants with MAF < 0.05 was performed using a gene-based unified burden and non-burden sequence kernel association test (SKAT-O). Additionally, both single-variant and gene-based analyses were analyzed stratified by smoking status. No single-variant test was statistically significant after Bonferroni correction (p < 1.6 × 10 -6 ; top single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP): rs144458991, p = 2.83 × 10 -5 ). Gene-based tests were suggestively associated with the gene RNF149 overall (p = 8.29 × 10 -6 ) and among never smokers (N = 790, p = 2.67 × 10 -6 ). This study did not find a significant genetic association with nuclear sclerosis, the possible association with the RNF149 gene highlights a potential candidate gene for future studies that aim to understand the genetic architecture of nuclear sclerosis.

Rotatable Small Permanent Magnet Array for Ultra-Low Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Instrumentation: A Concept Study.

PubMed

Vogel, Michael W; Giorni, Andrea; Vegh, Viktor; Pellicer-Guridi, Ruben; Reutens, David C

2016-01-01

We studied the feasibility of generating the variable magnetic fields required for ultra-low field nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry with dynamically adjustable permanent magnets. Our motivation was to substitute traditional electromagnets by distributed permanent magnets, increasing system portability. The finite element method (COMSOL®) was employed for the numerical study of a small permanent magnet array to calculate achievable magnetic field strength, homogeneity, switching time and magnetic forces. A manually operated prototype was simulated and constructed to validate the numerical approach and to verify the generated magnetic field. A concentric small permanent magnet array can be used to generate strong sample pre-polarisation and variable measurement fields for ultra-low field relaxometry via simple prescribed magnet rotations. Using the array, it is possible to achieve a pre-polarisation field strength above 100 mT and variable measurement fields ranging from 20-50 μT with 200 ppm absolute field homogeneity within a field-of-view of 5 x 5 x 5 cubic centimetres. A dynamic small permanent magnet array can generate multiple highly homogeneous magnetic fields required in ultra-low field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) instruments. This design can significantly reduce the volume and energy requirements of traditional systems based on electromagnets, improving portability considerably.

Prediction of antenna array performance from subarray measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huisjen, M. A.

1978-01-01

Computer runs were used to determine the effect of mechanical distortions on array pattern performance. Subarray gain data, along with feed network insertion loss, and insertion phase data were combined with the analysis of Ruze on random errors to predict gain of a full array.

Initial Results from the Majorana Demonstrator

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

Elliott, S. R.; Abgrall, N.; Arnquist, I. J.

The Majorana Collaboration has assembled an array of high purity Ge detectors to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in 76Ge with the goal of establishing the required background and scalability of a Ge-based next-generation tonne-scale experiment. The Majorana Demonstrator consists of 44 kg of high-purity Ge (HPGe) detectors (30 kg enriched in 76Ge) with a low-noise p-type point contact (PPC) geometry. The detectors are split between two modules which are contained in a single lead and high-purity copper shield at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. Following a commissioning run that started in June 2015, the fullmore » detector array has been acquiring data since August 2016. We will discuss the status of the Majorana Demonstrator and initial results from the first physics run; including current background estimates, exotic low-energy physics searches, projections on the physics reach of the Demonstrator, and implications for a tonne-scale Ge based Neutrinoless double-beta decay search.« less

A user-friendly, menu-driven, language-free laser characteristics curves graphing program for desk-top IBM PC compatible computers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klutz, Glenn

1989-01-01

A facility was established that uses collected data and feeds it into mathematical models that generate improved data arrays by correcting for various losses, base line drift, and conversion to unity scaling. These developed data arrays have headers and other identifying information affixed and are subsequently stored in a Laser Materials and Characteristics data base which is accessible to various users. The two part data base: absorption - emission spectra and tabulated data, is developed around twelve laser models. The tabulated section of the data base is divided into several parts: crystalline, optical, mechanical, and thermal properties; aborption and emission spectra information; chemical name and formulas; and miscellaneous. A menu-driven, language-free graphing program will reduce and/or remove the requirement that users become competent FORTRAN programmers and the concomitant requirement that they also spend several days to a few weeks becoming conversant with the GEOGRAF library and sequence of calls and the continual refreshers of both. The work included becoming thoroughly conversant with or at least very familiar with GEOGRAF by GEOCOMP Corp. The development of the graphing program involved trial runs of the various callable library routines on dummy data in order to become familiar with actual implementation and sequencing. This was followed by trial runs with actual data base files and some additional data from current research that was not in the data base but currently needed graphs. After successful runs, with dummy and real data, using actual FORTRAN instructions steps were undertaken to develop the menu-driven language-free implementation of a program which would require the user only know how to use microcomputers. The user would simply be responding to items displayed on the video screen. To assist the user in arriving at the optimum values needed for a specific graph, a paper, and pencil check list was made available to use on the trial runs.

Endo-Fullerenes and Doped Diamond Nanocrystallite Based Solid-State Qubits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Seongjun; Srivastava, Deepak; Cho, K.

2001-01-01

This viewgraph presentation provides information on the use of endo-fullerenes and doped diamond nanocrystallites in the development of a solid state quantum computer. Arrays of qubits, which have 1/2 nuclear spin, are more easily fabricated than arrays of similar bare atoms. H-1 can be encapsulated in a C20D20 fullerene, while P-31 can be encapsulated in a diamond nanocrystallite.

The Design of Distributed Micro Grid Energy Storage System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Ya-feng; Wang, Yan-ping

2018-03-01

Distributed micro-grid runs in island mode, the energy storage system is the core to maintain the micro-grid stable operation. For the problems that it is poor to adjust at work and easy to cause the volatility of micro-grid caused by the existing energy storage structure of fixed connection. In this paper, an array type energy storage structure is proposed, and the array type energy storage system structure and working principle are analyzed. Finally, the array type energy storage structure model is established based on MATLAB, the simulation results show that the array type energy storage system has great flexibility, which can maximize the utilization of energy storage system, guarantee the reliable operation of distributed micro-grid and achieve the function of peak clipping and valley filling.

Development of a cell-based high throughput luciferase enzyme fragment complementation assay to identify nuclear-factor-e2-related transcription factor 2 activators.

PubMed

Xie, Wensheng; Pao, Christina; Graham, Taylor; Dul, Ed; Lu, Quinn; Sweitzer, Thomas D; Ames, Robert S; Li, Hu

2012-12-01

Nuclear-factor-E2-related transcription factor 2 (Nrf2) regulates a large panel of Phase II genes and plays an important role in cell survival. Nrf2 activation has been shown as preventing cigarette smoke-induced alveolar enlargement in mice. Therefore, activation of the Nrf2 protein by small-molecule activators represents an attractive therapeutic strategy that is used for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In this article, we describe a cell-based luciferase enzyme fragment complementation assay that identifies Nrf2 activators. This assay is based on the interaction of Nrf2 with its nuclear partner MafK or runt-related transcription factor 2 (RunX2) and is dependent on the reconstitution of a "split" luciferase. Firefly luciferase is split into two fragments, which are genetically fused to Nrf2 and MafK or RunX2, respectively. BacMam technology was used to deliver the fusion constructs into cells for expression of the tagged proteins. When the BacMam-transduced cells were treated with Nrf2 activators, the Nrf2 protein was stabilized and translocated into the nucleus where it interacted with MafK or RunX2. The interaction of Nrf2 and MafK or RunX2 brought together the two luciferase fragments that form an active luciferase. The assay was developed in a 384-well format and was optimized by titrating the BacMam concentration, transduction time, cell density, and fetal bovine serum concentration. It was further validated with known Nrf2 activators. Our data show that this assay is robust, sensitive, and amenable to high throughput screening of a large compound collection for the identification of novel Nrf2 activators.

Methods for performing fast discrete curvelet transforms of data

DOEpatents

Candes, Emmanuel; Donoho, David; Demanet, Laurent

2010-11-23

Fast digital implementations of the second generation curvelet transform for use in data processing are disclosed. One such digital transformation is based on unequally-spaced fast Fourier transforms (USFFT) while another is based on the wrapping of specially selected Fourier samples. Both digital transformations return a table of digital curvelet coefficients indexed by a scale parameter, an orientation parameter, and a spatial location parameter. Both implementations are fast in the sense that they run in about O(n.sup.2 log n) flops for n by n Cartesian arrays or about O(N log N) flops for Cartesian arrays of size N=n.sup.3; in addition, they are also invertible, with rapid inversion algorithms of about the same complexity.

Array Simulation at the Bearing Stake Sites

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-04-01

C) The array was generally towed at 300 m depth. Four depth sensors on the array gave depth and tilt. With the exception of Site 1B the array was...Site 2, weights were added to the array to overcome its apparent buoyancy. The depth sensors failed on this run and the actual *ilt is not known. Data...horizontal axis title, " Sensor Group Separation," refers to posicion along che array. It .s equivalent to our simulated receiver depth with shallower

The Advanced Gamma-ray Imaging System (AGIS): Topological Array Trigger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Andrew W.

2010-03-01

AGIS is a concept for the next-generation ground-based gamma-ray observatory. It will be an array of 36 imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs) sensitive in the energy range from 50 GeV to 200 TeV. The required improvements in sensitivity, angular resolution, and reliability of operation relative to the present generation instruments imposes demanding technological and cost requirements on the design of the telescopes and on the triggering and readout systems for AGIS. To maximize the capabilities of large arrays of IACTs with a low energy threshold, a wide field of view and a low background rate, a sophisticated array trigger is required. We outline the status of the development of a stereoscopic array trigger that calculates image parameters and correlates them across a subset of telescopes. Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) implement the real-time pattern recognition to suppress cosmic rays and night-sky background events. A proof of principle system is being developed to run at camera trigger rates up to 10MHz and array-level rates up to 10kHz.

Rotatable Small Permanent Magnet Array for Ultra-Low Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Instrumentation: A Concept Study

PubMed Central

Vegh, Viktor; Reutens, David C.

2016-01-01

Object We studied the feasibility of generating the variable magnetic fields required for ultra-low field nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry with dynamically adjustable permanent magnets. Our motivation was to substitute traditional electromagnets by distributed permanent magnets, increasing system portability. Materials and Methods The finite element method (COMSOL®) was employed for the numerical study of a small permanent magnet array to calculate achievable magnetic field strength, homogeneity, switching time and magnetic forces. A manually operated prototype was simulated and constructed to validate the numerical approach and to verify the generated magnetic field. Results A concentric small permanent magnet array can be used to generate strong sample pre-polarisation and variable measurement fields for ultra-low field relaxometry via simple prescribed magnet rotations. Using the array, it is possible to achieve a pre-polarisation field strength above 100 mT and variable measurement fields ranging from 20–50 μT with 200 ppm absolute field homogeneity within a field-of-view of 5 x 5 x 5 cubic centimetres. Conclusions A dynamic small permanent magnet array can generate multiple highly homogeneous magnetic fields required in ultra-low field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) instruments. This design can significantly reduce the volume and energy requirements of traditional systems based on electromagnets, improving portability considerably. PMID:27271886

Pasta nucleosynthesis: Molecular dynamics simulations of nuclear statistical equilibrium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caplan, M. E.; Schneider, A. S.; Horowitz, C. J.; Berry, D. K.

2015-06-01

Background: Exotic nonspherical nuclear pasta shapes are expected in nuclear matter at just below saturation density because of competition between short-range nuclear attraction and long-range Coulomb repulsion. Purpose: We explore the impact nuclear pasta may have on nucleosynthesis during neutron star mergers when cold dense nuclear matter is ejected and decompressed. Methods: We use a hybrid CPU/GPU molecular dynamics (MD) code to perform decompression simulations of cold dense matter with 51 200 and 409 600 nucleons from 0.080 fm-3 down to 0.00125 fm-3 . Simulations are run for proton fractions YP= 0.05, 0.10, 0.20, 0.30, and 0.40 at temperatures T = 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 MeV. The final composition of each simulation is obtained using a cluster algorithm and compared to a constant density run. Results: Size of nuclei in the final state of decompression runs are in good agreement with nuclear statistical equilibrium (NSE) models for temperatures of 1 MeV while constant density runs produce nuclei smaller than the ones obtained with NSE. Our MD simulations produces unphysical results with large rod-like nuclei in the final state of T =0.5 MeV runs. Conclusions: Our MD model is valid at higher densities than simple nuclear statistical equilibrium models and may help determine the initial temperatures and proton fractions of matter ejected in mergers.

DET/MPS - The GSFC Energy Balance Programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jagielski, J. M.

1994-01-01

Direct Energy Transfer (DET) and MultiMission Spacecraft Modular Power System (MPS) computer programs perform mathematical modeling and simulation to aid in design and analysis of DET and MPS spacecraft power system performance in order to determine energy balance of subsystem. DET spacecraft power system feeds output of solar photovoltaic array and nickel cadmium batteries directly to spacecraft bus. MPS system, Standard Power Regulator Unit (SPRU) utilized to operate array at array's peak power point. DET and MPS perform minute-by-minute simulation of performance of power system. Results of simulation focus mainly on output of solar array and characteristics of batteries. Both packages limited in terms of orbital mechanics, they have sufficient capability to calculate data on eclipses and performance of arrays for circular or near-circular orbits. DET and MPS written in FORTRAN-77 with some VAX FORTRAN-type extensions. Both available in three versions: GSC-13374, for DEC VAX-series computers running VMS. GSC-13443, for UNIX-based computers. GSC-13444, for Apple Macintosh computers.

New-style defect inspection system of film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Yan; Liu, Wenyao; Liu, Ming; Lee, Ronggang

2002-09-01

An inspection system has been developed for on-line detection of film defects, which bases on combination of photoelectric imaging and digital image processing. The system runs in high speed of maximum 60m/min. Moving film is illuminated by LED array which emits even infrared (peak wavelength λp=940nm), and infrared images are obtained with a high quality and high speed CCD camera. The application software based on Visual C++6.0 under Windows processes images in real time by means of such algorithms as median filter, edge detection and projection, etc. The system is made up of four modules, which are introduced in detail in the paper. On-line experiment results shows that the inspection system can recognize defects precisely in high speed and run reliably in practical application.

Smart-phone based computational microscopy using multi-frame contact imaging on a fiber-optic array.

PubMed

Navruz, Isa; Coskun, Ahmet F; Wong, Justin; Mohammad, Saqib; Tseng, Derek; Nagi, Richie; Phillips, Stephen; Ozcan, Aydogan

2013-10-21

We demonstrate a cellphone based contact microscopy platform, termed Contact Scope, which can image highly dense or connected samples in transmission mode. Weighing approximately 76 grams, this portable and compact microscope is installed on the existing camera unit of a cellphone using an opto-mechanical add-on, where planar samples of interest are placed in contact with the top facet of a tapered fiber-optic array. This glass-based tapered fiber array has ~9 fold higher density of fiber optic cables on its top facet compared to the bottom one and is illuminated by an incoherent light source, e.g., a simple light-emitting-diode (LED). The transmitted light pattern through the object is then sampled by this array of fiber optic cables, delivering a transmission image of the sample onto the other side of the taper, with ~3× magnification in each direction. This magnified image of the object, located at the bottom facet of the fiber array, is then projected onto the CMOS image sensor of the cellphone using two lenses. While keeping the sample and the cellphone camera at a fixed position, the fiber-optic array is then manually rotated with discrete angular increments of e.g., 1-2 degrees. At each angular position of the fiber-optic array, contact images are captured using the cellphone camera, creating a sequence of transmission images for the same sample. These multi-frame images are digitally fused together based on a shift-and-add algorithm through a custom-developed Android application running on the smart-phone, providing the final microscopic image of the sample, visualized through the screen of the phone. This final computation step improves the resolution and also removes spatial artefacts that arise due to non-uniform sampling of the transmission intensity at the fiber optic array surface. We validated the performance of this cellphone based Contact Scope by imaging resolution test charts and blood smears.

Smart-phone based computational microscopy using multi-frame contact imaging on a fiber-optic array

PubMed Central

Navruz, Isa; Coskun, Ahmet F.; Wong, Justin; Mohammad, Saqib; Tseng, Derek; Nagi, Richie; Phillips, Stephen; Ozcan, Aydogan

2013-01-01

We demonstrate a cellphone based contact microscopy platform, termed Contact Scope, which can image highly dense or connected samples in transmission mode. Weighing approximately 76 grams, this portable and compact microscope is installed on the existing camera unit of a cellphone using an opto-mechanical add-on, where planar samples of interest are placed in contact with the top facet of a tapered fiber-optic array. This glass-based tapered fiber array has ∼9 fold higher density of fiber optic cables on its top facet compared to the bottom one and is illuminated by an incoherent light source, e.g., a simple light-emitting-diode (LED). The transmitted light pattern through the object is then sampled by this array of fiber optic cables, delivering a transmission image of the sample onto the other side of the taper, with ∼3× magnification in each direction. This magnified image of the object, located at the bottom facet of the fiber array, is then projected onto the CMOS image sensor of the cellphone using two lenses. While keeping the sample and the cellphone camera at a fixed position, the fiber-optic array is then manually rotated with discrete angular increments of e.g., 1-2 degrees. At each angular position of the fiber-optic array, contact images are captured using the cellphone camera, creating a sequence of transmission images for the same sample. These multi-frame images are digitally fused together based on a shift-and-add algorithm through a custom-developed Android application running on the smart-phone, providing the final microscopic image of the sample, visualized through the screen of the phone. This final computation step improves the resolution and also gets rid of spatial artefacts that arise due to non-uniform sampling of the transmission intensity at the fiber optic array surface. We validated the performance of this cellphone based Contact Scope by imaging resolution test charts and blood smears. PMID:23939637

Development of the New DAQ System for the SD Array of TA×4 and TALE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, Yuichi; Sahara, Ryosuke; Konishi, Shogo; Goto, Takashi; Ogio, Shoichi

The data acquisition (DAQ) system for the surface detector (SD) arrays of TA×4 and TALE will be presented. Each SD records digital signals with 50 MHz FADCs and sends the data to a central communication center (of the "communication tower") via a wireless network system. The technique employed here is based on the currently-running DAQ system of the Telescope Array, and there are some improvements including i) replacement of a wireless LAN module with a custom protocol to another with TCP/IP, and ii) replacement of the "tower electronics" to a generic Linux board PC of Raspberry Pi Type II B. The details and performance of the new DAQ system are described below.

Vertical nanopillars for in situ probing of nuclear mechanics in adherent cells

PubMed Central

Hanson, Lindsey; Zhao, Wenting; Lou, Hsin-Ya; Lin, Ziliang Carter; Lee, Seok Woo; Chowdary, Praveen; Cui, Yi; Cui, Bianxiao

2016-01-01

The mechanical stability and deformability of the cell nucleus are crucial to many biological processes, including migration, proliferation and polarization. In vivo, the cell nucleus is frequently subjected to deformation on a variety of length and time scales, but current techniques for studying nuclear mechanics do not provide access to subnuclear deformation in live functioning cells. Here we introduce arrays of vertical nanopillars as a new method for the in situ study of nuclear deformability and the mechanical coupling between the cell membrane and the nucleus in live cells. Our measurements show that nanopillar-induced nuclear deformation is determined by nuclear stiffness, as well as opposing effects from actin and intermediate filaments. Furthermore, the depth, width and curvature of nuclear deformation can be controlled by varying the geometry of the nanopillar array. Overall, vertical nanopillar arrays constitute a novel approach for non-invasive, subcellular perturbation of nuclear mechanics and mechanotransduction in live cells. PMID:25984833

NuSTAR Inches Toward its Rocket

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-23

At Vandenberg Air Force Base processing facility in California, the separation ring on the aft end of NASA Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array NuSTAR, at right, inches its way toward the third stage of an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket.

A 24-GHz portable FMCW radar with continuous beam steering phased array (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Zhengyu; Li, Changzhi

2017-05-01

A portable 24-GHz frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar with continuous beam steering phased array is presented. This board-level integrated radar system consists of a phased array antenna, a radar transceiver and a baseband. The phased array used by the receiver is a 4-element linear array. The beam of the phased array can be continuously steered with a range of ±30° on the H-plane through an array of vector controllers. The vector controller is based on the concept of vector sum with binary-phase-shift attenuators. Each vector controller is capable of independently controlling the phase and the amplitude of each element of the linear array. The radar transceiver is based on the six-port technique. A free-running voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) is controlled by an analog "sawtooth" voltage generator to produce frequency-modulated chirp signal. This chirp signal is used as the transmitter signal, as well as the local oscillator (LO) signal to drive the six-port circuit. The transmitter antenna is a single patch antenna. In the baseband, the beat signal of the FMCW radar is detected by the six-port circuit and then processed by a laptop in real time. Experiments have been performed to reveal the capabilities of the proposed radar system for applications including indoor inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imaging, vital sign detection, and short-range navigation, etc. (This abstract is for the profiles session.)

Simulation of an array-based neural net model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnden, John A.

1987-01-01

Research in cognitive science suggests that much of cognition involves the rapid manipulation of complex data structures. However, it is very unclear how this could be realized in neural networks or connectionist systems. A core question is: how could the interconnectivity of items in an abstract-level data structure be neurally encoded? The answer appeals mainly to positional relationships between activity patterns within neural arrays, rather than directly to neural connections in the traditional way. The new method was initially devised to account for abstract symbolic data structures, but it also supports cognitively useful spatial analogue, image-like representations. As the neural model is based on massive, uniform, parallel computations over 2D arrays, the massively parallel processor is a convenient tool for simulation work, although there are complications in using the machine to the fullest advantage. An MPP Pascal simulation program for a small pilot version of the model is running.

ISRU Reactant, Fuel Cell Based Power Plant for Robotic and Human Mobile Exploration Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baird, Russell S.; Sanders, Gerald; Simon, Thomas; McCurdy, Kerri

2003-01-01

Three basic power generation system concepts are generally considered for lander, rover, and Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) assistant applications for robotic and human Moon and Mars exploration missions. The most common power system considered is the solar array and battery system. While relatively simple and successful, solar array/battery systems have some serious limitations for mobile applications. For typical rover applications, these limitations include relatively low total energy storage capabilities, daylight only operating times (6 to 8 hours on Mars), relatively short operating lives depending on the operating environment, and rover/lander size and surface use constraints. Radioisotope power systems are being reconsidered for long-range science missions. Unfortunately, the high cost, political controversy, and launch difficulties that are associated with nuclear-based power systems suggests that the use of radioisotope powered landers, rovers, and EVA assistants will be limited. The third power system concept now being considered are fuel cell based systems. Fuel cell power systems overcome many of the performance and surface exploration limitations of solar array/battery power systems and the prohibitive cost and other difficulties associated with nuclear power systems for mobile applications. In an effort to better understand the capabilities and limitations of fuel cell power systems for Moon and Mars exploration applications, NASA is investigating the use of in-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) produced reactant, fuel cell based power plants to power robotic outpost rovers, science equipment, and future human spacecraft, surface-excursion rovers, and EVA assistant rovers. This paper will briefly compare the capabilities and limitations of fuel cell power systems relative to solar array/battery and nuclear systems, discuss the unique and enhanced missions that fuel cell power systems enable, and discuss the common technology and system attributes possible for robotic and human exploration to maximize scientific return and minimize cost and risk to both. Progress made to date at the Johnson Space Center on an ISRU producible reactant, Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell based power plant project to demonstrate the concept in conjunction with rover applications will be presented in detail.

ISRU Reactant, Fuel Cell Based Power Plant for Robotic and Human Mobile Exploration Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baird, Russell S.; Sanders, Gerald; Simon, Thomas; McCurdy, Kerri

2003-01-01

Three basic power generation system concepts are generally considered for lander, rover, and Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) assistant applications for robotic and human Moon and Mars exploration missions. The most common power system considered is the solar array and battery system. While relatively simple and successful, solar array/battery systems have some serious limitations for mobile applications. For typical rover applications, these limitations include relatively low total energy storage capabilities, daylight only operating times (6 to 8 hours on Mars), relatively short operating lives depending on the operating environment, and rover/lander size and surface use constraints. Radioisotope power systems are being reconsidered for long-range science missions. Unfortunately, the high cost, political controversy, and launch difficulties that are associated with nuclear-based power systems suggests that the use of radioisotope powered landers, rovers, and EVA assistants will be limited. The third power system concept now being considered are fuel cell based systems. Fuel cell power systems overcome many of the performance and surface exploration limitations of solar array/battery power systems and the prohibitive cost and other difficulties associated with nuclear power systems for mobile applications. In an effort to better understand the capabilities and limitations of fuel cell power systems for Moon and Mars exploration applications. NASA is investigating the use of In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) produced reactant, fuel cell based power plants to power robotic outpost rovers, science equipment, and future human spacecraft, surface-excursion rovers, and EVA assistant rovers. This paper will briefly compare the capabilities and limitations of fuel cell power systems relative to solar array/battery and nuclear systems, discuss the unique and enhanced missions that fuel cell power systems enable, and discuss the common technology and system attributes possible for robotic and human exploration to maximize scientific return and minimize cost and risk to both. Progress made to date at the Johnson Space Center on an ISRU producible reactant. Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell based power plant project for use in the first demonstration of this concept in conjunction with rover applications will be presented in detail.

Nuclear resonant scattering measurements on (57)Fe by multichannel scaling with a 64-pixel silicon avalanche photodiode linear-array detector.

PubMed

Kishimoto, S; Mitsui, T; Haruki, R; Yoda, Y; Taniguchi, T; Shimazaki, S; Ikeno, M; Saito, M; Tanaka, M

2014-11-01

We developed a silicon avalanche photodiode (Si-APD) linear-array detector for use in nuclear resonant scattering experiments using synchrotron X-rays. The Si-APD linear array consists of 64 pixels (pixel size: 100 × 200 μm(2)) with a pixel pitch of 150 μm and depletion depth of 10 μm. An ultrafast frontend circuit allows the X-ray detector to obtain a high output rate of >10(7) cps per pixel. High-performance integrated circuits achieve multichannel scaling over 1024 continuous time bins with a 1 ns resolution for each pixel without dead time. The multichannel scaling method enabled us to record a time spectrum of the 14.4 keV nuclear radiation at each pixel with a time resolution of 1.4 ns (FWHM). This method was successfully applied to nuclear forward scattering and nuclear small-angle scattering on (57)Fe.

Milliarcsecond Astronomy with the CHARA Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaefer, Gail; ten Brummelaar, Theo; Gies, Douglas; Jones, Jeremy; Farrington, Christopher

2018-01-01

The Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy offers 50 nights per year of open access time at the CHARA Array. The Array consists of six telescopes linked together as an interferometer, providing sub-milliarcsecond resolution in the optical and near-infrared. The Array enables a variety of scientific studies, including measuring stellar angular diameters, imaging stellar shapes and surface features, mapping the orbits of close binary companions, and resolving circumstellar environments. The open access time is part of an NSF/MSIP funded program to open the CHARA Array to the broader astronomical community. As part of the program, we will build a searchable database for the CHARA data archive and run a series of one-day community workshops at different locations across the country to expand the user base for stellar interferometry and encourage new scientific investigations with the CHARA Array.

Radiation tolerant compact image sensor using CdTe photodiode and field emitter array (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masuzawa, Tomoaki; Neo, Yoichiro; Mimura, Hidenori; Okamoto, Tamotsu; Nagao, Masayoshi; Akiyoshi, Masafumi; Sato, Nobuhiro; Takagi, Ikuji; Tsuji, Hiroshi; Gotoh, Yasuhito

2016-10-01

A growing demand on incident detection is recognized since the Great East Japan Earthquake and successive accidents in Fukushima nuclear power plant in 2011. Radiation tolerant image sensors are powerful tools to collect crucial information at initial stages of such incidents. However, semiconductor based image sensors such as CMOS and CCD have limited tolerance to radiation exposure. Image sensors used in nuclear facilities are conventional vacuum tubes using thermal cathodes, which have large size and high power consumption. In this study, we propose a compact image sensor composed of a CdTe-based photodiode and a matrix-driven Spindt-type electron beam source called field emitter array (FEA). A basic principle of FEA-based image sensors is similar to conventional Vidicon type camera tubes, but its electron source is replaced from a thermal cathode to FEA. The use of a field emitter as an electron source should enable significant size reduction while maintaining high radiation tolerance. Current researches on radiation tolerant FEAs and development of CdTe based photoconductive films will be presented.

The experimental set-up of the RIB in-flight facility EXOTIC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierroutsakou, D.; Boiano, A.; Boiano, C.; Di Meo, P.; La Commara, M.; Manea, C.; Mazzocco, M.; Nicoletto, M.; Parascandolo, C.; Signorini, C.; Soramel, F.; Strano, E.; Toniolo, N.; Torresi, D.; Tortone, G.; Anastasio, A.; Bettini, M.; Cassese, C.; Castellani, L.; Corti, D.; Costa, L.; De Fazio, B.; Galet, G.; Glodariu, T.; Grebosz, J.; Guglielmetti, A.; Molini, P.; Pontoriere, G.; Rocco, R.; Romoli, M.; Roscilli, L.; Sandoli, M.; Stroe, L.; Tessaro, M.; Zatti, P. G.

2016-10-01

We describe the experimental set-up of the Radioactive Ion Beam (RIB) in-flight facility EXOTIC consisting of: (a) two position-sensitive Parallel Plate Avalanche Counters (PPACs), dedicated to the event-by-event tracking of the produced RIBs and to time of flight measurements and (b) the new high-granularity compact telescope array EXPADES (EXotic PArticle DEtection System), designed for nuclear physics and nuclear astrophysics experiments employing low-energy light RIBs. EXPADES consists of eight ΔE -Eres telescopes arranged in a cylindrical configuration around the target. Each telescope is made up of two Double Sided Silicon Strip Detectors (DSSSDs) with a thickness of 40/60 μm and 300 μm for the ΔE and Eres layer, respectively. Additionally, eight ionization chambers were constructed to be used as an alternative ΔE stage or, in conjunction with the entire DSSSD array, to build up more complex triple telescopes. New low-noise multi-channel charge-sensitive preamplifiers and spectroscopy amplifiers, associated with constant fraction discriminators, peak-and-hold and Time to Amplitude Converter circuits were developed for the electronic readout of the ΔE stage. Application Specific Integrated Circuit-based electronics was employed for the treatment of the Eres signals. An 8-channel, 12-bit multi-sampling 50 MHz Analog to Digital Converter, a Trigger Supervisor Board for handling the trigger signals of the whole experimental set-up and an ad hoc data acquisition system were also developed. The performance of the PPACs, EXPADES and of the associated electronics was obtained offline with standard α calibration sources and in-beam by measuring the scattering process for the systems 17O+58Ni and 17O+208Pb at incident energies around their respective Coulomb barriers and, successively, during the first experimental runs with the RIBs of the EXOTIC facility.

Hexagonal Uniformly Redundant Arrays (HURAs) for scintillator based coded aperture neutron imaging

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

Gamage, K.A.A.; Zhou, Q.

2015-07-01

A series of Monte Carlo simulations have been conducted, making use of the EJ-426 neutron scintillator detector, to investigate the potential of using hexagonal uniformly redundant arrays (HURAs) for scintillator based coded aperture neutron imaging. This type of scintillator material has a low sensitivity to gamma rays, therefore, is of particular use in a system with a source that emits both neutrons and gamma rays. The simulations used an AmBe source, neutron images have been produced using different coded-aperture materials (boron- 10, cadmium-113 and gadolinium-157) and location error has also been estimated. In each case the neutron image clearly showsmore » the location of the source with a relatively small location error. Neutron images with high resolution can be easily used to identify and locate nuclear materials precisely in nuclear security and nuclear decommissioning applications. (authors)« less

Adaptive DFT-based Interferometer Fringe Tracking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Edward; Pedretti, Ettore; Bregman, Jesse; Mah, Robert W.; Traub, Wesley A.

2004-01-01

An automatic interferometer fringe tracking system has been developed, implemented, and tested at the Infrared Optical Telescope Array (IOTA) observatory at Mt. Hopkins, Arizona. The system can minimize the optical path differences (OPDs) for all three baselines of the Michelson stellar interferometer at IOTA. Based on sliding window discrete Fourier transform (DFT) calculations that were optimized for computational efficiency and robustness to atmospheric disturbances, the algorithm has also been tested extensively on off-line data. Implemented in ANSI C on the 266 MHz PowerPC processor running the VxWorks real-time operating system, the algorithm runs in approximately 2.0 milliseconds per scan (including all three interferograms), using the science camera and piezo scanners to measure and correct the OPDs. The adaptive DFT-based tracking algorithm should be applicable to other systems where there is a need to detect or track a signal with an approximately constant-frequency carrier pulse.

PACER -- A fast running computer code for the calculation of short-term containment/confinement loads following coolant boundary failure. Volume 2: User information

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

Sienicki, J.J.

A fast running and simple computer code has been developed to calculate pressure loadings inside light water reactor containments/confinements under loss-of-coolant accident conditions. PACER was originally developed to calculate containment/confinement pressure and temperature time histories for loss-of-coolant accidents in Soviet-designed VVER reactors and is relevant to the activities of the US International Nuclear Safety Center. The code employs a multicompartment representation of the containment volume and is focused upon application to early time containment phenomena during and immediately following blowdown. PACER has been developed for FORTRAN 77 and earlier versions of FORTRAN. The code has been successfully compiled and executedmore » on SUN SPARC and Hewlett-Packard HP-735 workstations provided that appropriate compiler options are specified. The code incorporates both capabilities built around a hardwired default generic VVER-440 Model V230 design as well as fairly general user-defined input. However, array dimensions are hardwired and must be changed by modifying the source code if the number of compartments/cells differs from the default number of nine. Detailed input instructions are provided as well as a description of outputs. Input files and selected output are presented for two sample problems run on both HP-735 and SUN SPARC workstations.« less

Single laser beam of spatial coherence from an array of GaAs lasers - Free-running mode

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Philipp-Rutz, E. M.

1975-01-01

Spatially coherent radiation from a monolithic array of three GaAs lasers in a free-running mode is reported. The lasers, with their mirror faces antireflection coated, are operated in an external optical cavity built of spherical lenses and plane mirrors. The spatially coherent-beam formation makes use of the Fourier-transformation property of the internal lenses. Transverse mode control is accomplished by a spatial filter. The optical cavity is similar to that used for the phase-controlled mode of spatially coherent-beam formation; only the spatial filters are different. In the far field (when restored by an external lens), the intensities of the lasers in the array are concentrated in a single laser beam of spatial coherence, without any grating lobes. The far-field distribution of the laser array in the free-running mode differs significantly from the interference pattern of the phase-controlled mode. The modulation characteristics of the optical waveforms of the two modes are also quite different because modulation is related to the interaction of the spatial filter with the longitudinal modes of the laser array within the optical cavity. The modulation of the optical waveform of the free-running mode is nonperiodic, confirming that the fluctuations of the optical fields of the lasers are random.

A distributed monitoring system for photovoltaic arrays based on a two-level wireless sensor network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, F. P.; Chen, Z. C.; Zhou, H. F.; Wu, L. J.; Lin, P. J.; Cheng, S. Y.; Li, Y. F.

2017-11-01

In this paper, a distributed on-line monitoring system based on a two-level wireless sensor network (WSN) is proposed for real time status monitoring of photovoltaic (PV) arrays to support the fine management and maintenance of PV power plants. The system includes the sensing nodes installed on PV modules (PVM), sensing and routing nodes installed on combiner boxes of PV sub-arrays (PVA), a sink node and a data management centre (DMC) running on a host computer. The first level WSN is implemented by the low-cost wireless transceiver nRF24L01, and it is used to achieve single hop communication between the PVM nodes and their corresponding PVA nodes. The second level WSN is realized by the CC2530 based ZigBee network for multi-hop communication among PVA nodes and the sink node. The PVM nodes are used to monitor the PVM working voltage and backplane temperature, and they send the acquired data to their PVA node via the nRF24L01 based first level WSN. The PVA nodes are used to monitor the array voltage, PV string current and environment irradiance, and they send the acquired and received data to the DMC via the ZigBee based second level WSN. The DMC is designed using the MATLAB GUIDE and MySQL database. Laboratory experiment results show that the system can effectively acquire, display, store and manage the operating and environment parameters of PVA in real time.

Detection and Identification of Small Seismic Events Following the 3 September 2017 UNT Around North Korean Nuclear Test Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, W. Y.; Richards, P. G.

2017-12-01

At least four small seismic events were detected around the North Korean nuclear test site following the 3 September 2017 underground nuclear test. The magnitude of these shocks range from 2.6 to 3.5. Based on their proximity to the September 3 UNT, these shocks may be considered as aftershocks of the UNT. We assess the best method to classify these small events based on spectral amplitude ratios of regional P and S wave from the shocks. None of these shocks are classified as explosion-like based on P/S spectral amplitude ratios. We examine additional possible small seismic events around the North Korean test site by using seismic data from stations in southern Korea and northeastern China including IMS seismic arrays, GSN stations, and regional network stations in the region.

Identifying the impact of G-quadruplexes on Affymetrix 3' arrays using cloud computing.

PubMed

Memon, Farhat N; Owen, Anne M; Sanchez-Graillet, Olivia; Upton, Graham J G; Harrison, Andrew P

2010-01-15

A tetramer quadruplex structure is formed by four parallel strands of DNA/ RNA containing runs of guanine. These quadruplexes are able to form because guanine can Hoogsteen hydrogen bond to other guanines, and a tetrad of guanines can form a stable arrangement. Recently we have discovered that probes on Affymetrix GeneChips that contain runs of guanine do not measure gene expression reliably. We associate this finding with the likelihood that quadruplexes are forming on the surface of GeneChips. In order to cope with the rapidly expanding size of GeneChip array datasets in the public domain, we are exploring the use of cloud computing to replicate our experiments on 3' arrays to look at the effect of the location of G-spots (runs of guanines). Cloud computing is a recently introduced high-performance solution that takes advantage of the computational infrastructure of large organisations such as Amazon and Google. We expect that cloud computing will become widely adopted because it enables bioinformaticians to avoid capital expenditure on expensive computing resources and to only pay a cloud computing provider for what is used. Moreover, as well as financial efficiency, cloud computing is an ecologically-friendly technology, it enables efficient data-sharing and we expect it to be faster for development purposes. Here we propose the advantageous use of cloud computing to perform a large data-mining analysis of public domain 3' arrays.

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

Markidis, S.; Rizwan, U.

The use of virtual nuclear control room can be an effective and powerful tool for training personnel working in the nuclear power plants. Operators could experience and simulate the functioning of the plant, even in critical situations, without being in a real power plant or running any risk. 3D models can be exported to Virtual Reality formats and then displayed in the Virtual Reality environment providing an immersive 3D experience. However, two major limitations of this approach are that 3D models exhibit static textures, and they are not fully interactive and therefore cannot be used effectively in training personnel. Inmore » this paper we first describe a possible solution for embedding the output of a computer application in a 3D virtual scene, coupling real-world applications and VR systems. The VR system reported here grabs the output of an application running on an X server; creates a texture with the output and then displays it on a screen or a wall in the virtual reality environment. We then propose a simple model for providing interaction between the user in the VR system and the running simulator. This approach is based on the use of internet-based application that can be commanded by a laptop or tablet-pc added to the virtual environment. (authors)« less

Muon–hadron detector of the carpet-2 array

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

Dzhappuev, D. D.; Kudzhaev, A. U., E-mail: kudjaev@mail.ru; Klimenko, N. F.

The 1-GeV muon–hadron detector of the Carpet-2 multipurpose shower array at the Baksan Neutrino Observatory, Institute for Nuclear Research, Russian Academy of Sciences (INR, Moscow, Russia) is able to record simultaneously muons and hadrons. The procedure developed for this device makes it possible to separate the muon and hadron components to a high degree of precision. The spatial and energy features of the muon and hadron extensive-air-shower components are presented. Experimental data from the Carpet-2 array are contrasted against data from the EAS-TOP and KASCADE arrays and against the results of the calculations based on the CORSIKA (GHEISHA + QGSJET01)more » code package and performed for primary protons and iron nuclei.« less

Broadband hybrid electromagnetic and piezoelectric energy harvesting from ambient vibrations and pneumatic vortices induced by running subway trains.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-05-01

The airfoil-based electromagnetic energy harvester containing parallel array motion between moving coil and : trajectory matching multi-pole magnets was investigated. The magnets were aligned in an alternatively : magnetized formation of 6 magnets to...

Leadership Class Configuration Interaction Code - Status and Opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vary, James

2011-10-01

With support from SciDAC-UNEDF (www.unedf.org) nuclear theorists have developed and are continuously improving a Leadership Class Configuration Interaction Code (LCCI) for forefront nuclear structure calculations. The aim of this project is to make state-of-the-art nuclear structure tools available to the entire community of researchers including graduate students. The project includes codes such as NuShellX, MFDn and BIGSTICK that run a range of computers from laptops to leadership class supercomputers. Codes, scripts, test cases and documentation have been assembled, are under continuous development and are scheduled for release to the entire research community in November 2011. A covering script that accesses the appropriate code and supporting files is under development. In addition, a Data Base Management System (DBMS) that records key information from large production runs and archived results of those runs has been developed (http://nuclear.physics.iastate.edu/info/) and will be released. Following an outline of the project, the code structure, capabilities, the DBMS and current efforts, I will suggest a path forward that would benefit greatly from a significant partnership between researchers who use the codes, code developers and the National Nuclear Data efforts. This research is supported in part by DOE under grant DE-FG02-87ER40371 and grant DE-FC02-09ER41582 (SciDAC-UNEDF).

Evaluation and Numerical Simulation of Tsunami for Coastal Nuclear Power Plants of India

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

Sharma, Pavan K.; Singh, R.K.; Ghosh, A.K.

2006-07-01

Recent tsunami generated on December 26, 2004 due to Sumatra earthquake of magnitude 9.3 resulted in inundation at the various coastal sites of India. The site selection and design of Indian nuclear power plants demand the evaluation of run up and the structural barriers for the coastal plants: Besides it is also desirable to evaluate the early warning system for tsunami-genic earthquakes. The tsunamis originate from submarine faults, underwater volcanic activities, sub-aerial landslides impinging on the sea and submarine landslides. In case of a submarine earthquake-induced tsunami the wave is generated in the fluid domain due to displacement of themore » seabed. There are three phases of tsunami: generation, propagation, and run-up. Reactor Safety Division (RSD) of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Trombay has initiated computational simulation for all the three phases of tsunami source generation, its propagation and finally run up evaluation for the protection of public life, property and various industrial infrastructures located on the coastal regions of India. These studies could be effectively utilized for design and implementation of early warning system for coastal region of the country apart from catering to the needs of Indian nuclear installations. This paper presents some results of tsunami waves based on different analytical/numerical approaches with shallow water wave theory. (authors)« less

Strengthening safety compliance in nuclear power operations: a role-based approach.

PubMed

Martínez-Córcoles, Mario; Gracia, Francisco J; Tomás, Inés; Peiró, José M

2014-07-01

Safety compliance is of paramount importance in guaranteeing the safe running of nuclear power plants. However, it depends mostly on procedures that do not always involve the safest outcomes. This article introduces an empirical model based on the organizational role theory to analyze the influence of legitimate sources of expectations (procedures formalization and leadership) on workers' compliance behaviors. The sample was composed of 495 employees from two Spanish nuclear power plants. Structural equation analysis showed that, in spite of some problematic effects of proceduralization (such as role conflict and role ambiguity), procedure formalization along with an empowering leadership style lead to safety compliance by clarifying a worker's role in safety. Implications of these findings for safety research are outlined, as well as their practical implications. © 2014 Society for Risk Analysis.

Research on Wide-field Imaging Technologies for Low-frequency Radio Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lao, B. Q.; An, T.; Chen, X.; Wu, X. C.; Lu, Y.

2017-09-01

Wide-field imaging of low-frequency radio telescopes are subject to a number of difficult problems. One particularly pernicious problem is the non-coplanar baseline effect. It will lead to distortion of the final image when the phase of w direction called w-term is ignored. The image degradation effects are amplified for telescopes with the wide field of view. This paper summarizes and analyzes several w-term correction methods and their technical principles. Their advantages and disadvantages have been analyzed after comparing their computational cost and computational complexity. We conduct simulations with two of these methods, faceting and w-projection, based on the configuration of the first-phase Square Kilometre Array (SKA) low frequency array. The resulted images are also compared with the two-dimensional Fourier transform method. The results show that image quality and correctness derived from both faceting and w-projection are better than the two-dimensional Fourier transform method in wide-field imaging. The image quality and run time affected by the number of facets and w steps have been evaluated. The results indicate that the number of facets and w steps must be reasonable. Finally, we analyze the effect of data size on the run time of faceting and w-projection. The results show that faceting and w-projection need to be optimized before the massive amounts of data processing. The research of the present paper initiates the analysis of wide-field imaging techniques and their application in the existing and future low-frequency array, and fosters the application and promotion to much broader fields.

The effect of transverse flow on the nuclear modification factor at RHIC and LHC

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

Betz, Barbara; Gyulassy, Miklos

2016-01-22

We determine the nuclear modification factor at RHIC and LHC energies using a generic jet-energy loss model that is expanded by an additional flow factor accounting for the impact of transverse flow. We consider a pQCD-based ansatz with and without jet-energy loss fluctuations that is coupled to a state-of-the-art hydrodynamic prescription and includes a running coupling effect. We show that the nuclear modification factor is a rather insensitive quantity that is barely affected by the flow dynamics of the medium created in a heavy-ion collision.

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

Fernandes, Ana; Pereira, Rita C.; Sousa, Jorge

The Instituto de Plasmas e Fusao Nuclear (IPFN) has developed dedicated re-configurable modules based on field programmable gate array (FPGA) devices for several nuclear fusion machines worldwide. Moreover, new Advanced Telecommunication Computing Architecture (ATCA) based modules developed by IPFN are already included in the ITER catalogue. One of the requirements for re-configurable modules operating in future nuclear environments including ITER is the remote update capability. Accordingly, this work presents an alternative method for FPGA remote programing to be implemented in new ATCA based re-configurable modules. FPGAs are volatile devices and their programming code is usually stored in dedicated flash memoriesmore » for properly configuration during module power-on. The presented method is capable to store new FPGA codes in Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) flash memories using the PCIexpress (PCIe) network established on the ATCA back-plane, linking data acquisition endpoints and the data switch blades. The method is based on the Xilinx Quick Boot application note, adapted to PCIe protocol and ATCA based modules. (authors)« less

Automatic identification of cochlear implant electrode arrays for post-operative assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noble, Jack H.; Schuman, Theodore A.; Wright, Charles G.; Labadie, Robert F.; Dawant, Benoit M.

2011-03-01

Cochlear implantation is a procedure performed to treat profound hearing loss. Accurately determining the postoperative position of the implant in vivo would permit studying the correlations between implant position and hearing restoration. To solve this problem, we present an approach based on parametric Gradient Vector Flow snakes to segment the electrode array in post-operative CT. By combining this with existing methods for localizing intra-cochlear anatomy, we have developed a system that permits accurate assessment of the implant position in vivo. The system is validated using a set of seven temporal bone specimens. The algorithms were run on pre- and post-operative CTs of the specimens, and the results were compared to histological images. It was found that the position of the arrays observed in the histological images is in excellent agreement with the position of their automatically generated 3D reconstructions in the CT scans.

Kinetic inductance detectors for millimeter and submillimeter astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boudou, Nicolas; Benoit, Alain; Bourrion, Olivier; Calvo, Martino; Désert, François-Xavier; Macias-Perez, Juan; Monfardini, Alessandro; Roesch, Markus

2012-01-01

We present recent developments in Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KID) for large arrays of detectors. The main application is ground-based millimeter wave astronomy. We focus in particular, as a case study, on our own experiment: NIKA (Néel IRAM KID Arrays). NIKA is today the best in-the-field experiment using KID-based instruments, and consists of a dual-band imaging system designed for the IRAM 30 meter telescope at Pico Veleta. We describe in this article, after a general context introduction, the KID working principle and the readout electronics, crucial to take advantage of the intrinsic KID multiplexability. We conclude with a small subset of the astronomical sources observed simultaneously at 2 mm and 1.4 mm by NIKA during the last run, held in October 2010.

Adaptive DIT-Based Fringe Tracking and Prediction at IOTA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Edward; Pedretti, Ettore; Bregman, Jesse; Mah, Robert W.; Traub, Wesley A.

2004-01-01

An automatic fringe tracking system has been developed and implemented at the Infrared Optical Telescope Array (IOTA). In testing during May 2002, the system successfully minimized the optical path differences (OPDs) for all three baselines at IOTA. Based on sliding window discrete Fourier transform (DFT) calculations that were optimized for computational efficiency and robustness to atmospheric disturbances, the algorithm has also been tested extensively on off-line data. Implemented in ANSI C on the 266 MHZ PowerPC processor running the VxWorks real-time operating system, the algorithm runs in approximately 2.0 milliseconds per scan (including all three interferograms), using the science camera and piezo scanners to measure and correct the OPDs. Preliminary analysis on an extension of this algorithm indicates a potential for predictive tracking, although at present, real-time implementation of this extension would require significantly more computational capacity.

New Focal Plane Array Controller for the Instruments of the Subaru Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakaya, Hidehiko; Komiyama, Yutaka; Miyazaki, Satoshi; Yamashita, Takuya; Yagi, Masafumi; Sekiguchi, Maki

2006-03-01

We have developed a next-generation data acquisition system, MESSIA5 (Modularized Extensible System for Image Acquisition), which comprises the digital part of a focal plane array controller. The new data acquisition system was constructed based on a 64 bit, 66 MHz PCI (peripheral component interconnect) bus architecture and runs on an x86 CPU computer with (non-real-time) Linux. The system, including the CPU board, is placed at the telescope focus, and standard gigabit Ethernet is adopted for the data transfer, as opposed to a dedicated fiber link. During the summer of 2002, we installed the new system for the first time on the Subaru prime-focus camera Suprime-Cam and successfully improved the observing performance.

Cross section measurements at LANSCE for defense, science and applications

DOE PAGES

Nelson, Ronald O.; Schwengner, R.; Zuber, K.

2015-05-28

The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) has three neutron sources that are used for nuclear science measurements. These sources are driven by an 800 MeV proton linear accelerator and cover an energy range from sub-thermal to hundreds of MeV. Research at the facilities is performed under the auspices of a US DOE user program under which research proposals are rated for merit by a program advisory committee and are scheduled based on merit and availability of beam time. A wide variety of instruments is operated at the neutron flight paths at LANSCE including neutron detector arrays, gamma-ray detector arrays,more » fission fragment detectors, and charged particle detectors. These instruments provide nuclear data for multiple uses that range from increasing knowledge in fundamental science to satisfying data needs for diverse applications such as nuclear energy, global security, and industrial applications. In addition, highlights of recent research related to cross sections measurements are presented, and future research initiatives are discussed.« less

A 400 KHz line rate 2048-pixel stitched SWIR linear array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anchlia, Ankur; Vinella, Rosa M.; Gielen, Daphne; Wouters, Kristof; Vervenne, Vincent; Hooylaerts, Peter; Deroo, Pieter; Ruythooren, Wouter; De Gaspari, Danny; Das, Jo; Merken, Patrick

2016-05-01

Xenics has developed a family of stitched SWIR long linear arrays that operate up to 400 KHz of line rate. These arrays serve medical and industrial applications that require high line rates as well as space applications that require long linear arrays. The arrays are based on a modular ROIC design concept: modules of 512 pixels are stitched during fabrication to achieve 512, 1024 and 2048 pixel arrays. Each 512-pixel module has its own on-chip digital sequencer, analog readout chain and 4 output buffers. This modular concept enables a long array to run at a high line rates irrespective of the array length, which limits the line rate in a traditional linear array. The ROIC is flip-chipped with InGaAs detector arrays. The FPA has a pixel pitch of 12.5μm and has two pixel flavors: square (12.5μm) and rectangular (250μm). The frontend circuit is based on Capacitive Trans-impedance Amplifier (CTIA) to attain stable detector bias, and good linearity and signal integrity, especially at high speeds. The CTIA has an input auto-zero mechanism that allows to have low detector bias (<20mV). An on-chip Correlated Double Sample (CDS) facilitates removal of CTIA KTC and 1/f noise, and other offsets, achieving low noise performance. There are five gain modes in the FPA giving the full well range from 85Ke- to 40Me-. The measured input referred noise is 35e-rms in the highest gain mode. The FPA operates in Integrate While Read mode and, at a master clock rate of 60MHz and a minimum integration time of 1.4μs, achieves the highest line rate of 400 KHz. In this paper, design details and measurements results are presented in order to demonstrate the array performance.

Study of a new design of p-N semiconductor detector array for nuclear medicine imaging by monte carlo simulation codes.

PubMed

Hajizadeh-Safar, M; Ghorbani, M; Khoshkharam, S; Ashrafi, Z

2014-07-01

Gamma camera is an important apparatus in nuclear medicine imaging. Its detection part is consists of a scintillation detector with a heavy collimator. Substitution of semiconductor detectors instead of scintillator in these cameras has been effectively studied. In this study, it is aimed to introduce a new design of P-N semiconductor detector array for nuclear medicine imaging. A P-N semiconductor detector composed of N-SnO2 :F, and P-NiO:Li, has been introduced through simulating with MCNPX monte carlo codes. Its sensitivity with different factors such as thickness, dimension, and direction of emission photons were investigated. It is then used to configure a new design of an array in one-dimension and study its spatial resolution for nuclear medicine imaging. One-dimension array with 39 detectors was simulated to measure a predefined linear distribution of Tc(99_m) activity and its spatial resolution. The activity distribution was calculated from detector responses through mathematical linear optimization using LINPROG code on MATLAB software. Three different configurations of one-dimension detector array, horizontal, vertical one sided, and vertical double-sided were simulated. In all of these configurations, the energy windows of the photopeak were ± 1%. The results show that the detector response increases with an increase of dimension and thickness of the detector with the highest sensitivity for emission photons 15-30° above the surface. Horizontal configuration array of detectors is not suitable for imaging of line activity sources. The measured activity distribution with vertical configuration array, double-side detectors, has no similarity with emission sources and hence is not suitable for imaging purposes. Measured activity distribution using vertical configuration array, single side detectors has a good similarity with sources. Therefore, it could be introduced as a suitable configuration for nuclear medicine imaging. It has been shown that using semiconductor P-N detectors such as P-NiO:Li, N-SnO2 :F for gamma detection could be possibly applicable for design of a one dimension array configuration with suitable spatial resolution of 2.7 mm for nuclear medicine imaging.

Results of GEANT simulations and comparison with first experiments at DANCE.

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

Reifarth, R.; Bredeweg, T. A.; Browne, J. C.

2003-07-29

This report describes intensive Monte Carlo simulations carried out to be compared with the results of the first run cycle with DANCE (Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiments). The experimental results were gained during the commissioning phase 2002/2003 with only a part of the array. Based on the results of these simulations the most important items to be improved before the next experiments will be addressed.

DET/MPS - THE GSFC ENERGY BALANCE PROGRAM, DIRECT ENERGY TRANSFER/MULTIMISSION SPACECRAFT MODULAR POWER SYSTEM (DEC VAX VMS VERSION)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jagielski, J. M.

1994-01-01

The DET/MPS programs model and simulate the Direct Energy Transfer and Multimission Spacecraft Modular Power System in order to aid both in design and in analysis of orbital energy balance. Typically, the DET power system has the solar array directly to the spacecraft bus, and the central building block of MPS is the Standard Power Regulator Unit. DET/MPS allows a minute-by-minute simulation of the power system's performance as it responds to various orbital parameters, focusing its output on solar array output and battery characteristics. While this package is limited in terms of orbital mechanics, it is sufficient to calculate eclipse and solar array data for circular or non-circular orbits. DET/MPS can be adjusted to run one or sequential orbits up to about one week, simulated time. These programs have been used on a variety of Goddard Space Flight Center spacecraft projects. DET/MPS is written in FORTRAN 77 with some VAX-type extensions. Any FORTRAN 77 compiler that includes VAX extensions should be able to compile and run the program with little or no modifications. The compiler must at least support free-form (or tab-delineated) source format and 'do do-while end-do' control structures. DET/MPS is available for three platforms: GSC-13374, for DEC VAX series computers running VMS, is available in DEC VAX Backup format on a 9-track 1600 BPI tape (standard distribution) or TK50 tape cartridge; GSC-13443, for UNIX-based computers, is available on a .25 inch streaming magnetic tape cartridge in UNIX tar format; and GSC-13444, for Macintosh computers running AU/X with either the NKR FORTRAN or AbSoft MacFORTRAN II compilers, is available on a 3.5 inch 800K Macintosh format diskette. Source code and test data are supplied. The UNIX version of DET requires 90K of main memory for execution. DET/MPS was developed in 1990. A/UX and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. VMS, DEC VAX and TK50 are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T Bell Laboratories.

DET/MPS - THE GSFC ENERGY BALANCE PROGRAM, DIRECT ENERGY TRANSFER/MULTIMISSION SPACECRAFT MODULAR POWER SYSTEM (UNIX VERSION)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jagielski, J. M.

1994-01-01

The DET/MPS programs model and simulate the Direct Energy Transfer and Multimission Spacecraft Modular Power System in order to aid both in design and in analysis of orbital energy balance. Typically, the DET power system has the solar array directly to the spacecraft bus, and the central building block of MPS is the Standard Power Regulator Unit. DET/MPS allows a minute-by-minute simulation of the power system's performance as it responds to various orbital parameters, focusing its output on solar array output and battery characteristics. While this package is limited in terms of orbital mechanics, it is sufficient to calculate eclipse and solar array data for circular or non-circular orbits. DET/MPS can be adjusted to run one or sequential orbits up to about one week, simulated time. These programs have been used on a variety of Goddard Space Flight Center spacecraft projects. DET/MPS is written in FORTRAN 77 with some VAX-type extensions. Any FORTRAN 77 compiler that includes VAX extensions should be able to compile and run the program with little or no modifications. The compiler must at least support free-form (or tab-delineated) source format and 'do do-while end-do' control structures. DET/MPS is available for three platforms: GSC-13374, for DEC VAX series computers running VMS, is available in DEC VAX Backup format on a 9-track 1600 BPI tape (standard distribution) or TK50 tape cartridge; GSC-13443, for UNIX-based computers, is available on a .25 inch streaming magnetic tape cartridge in UNIX tar format; and GSC-13444, for Macintosh computers running AU/X with either the NKR FORTRAN or AbSoft MacFORTRAN II compilers, is available on a 3.5 inch 800K Macintosh format diskette. Source code and test data are supplied. The UNIX version of DET requires 90K of main memory for execution. DET/MPS was developed in 1990. A/UX and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. VMS, DEC VAX and TK50 are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T Bell Laboratories.

DET/MPS - THE GSFC ENERGY BALANCE PROGRAM, DIRECT ENERGY TRANSFER/MULTIMISSION SPACECRAFT MODULAR POWER SYSTEM (MACINTOSH A/UX VERSION)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jagielski, J. M.

1994-01-01

The DET/MPS programs model and simulate the Direct Energy Transfer and Multimission Spacecraft Modular Power System in order to aid both in design and in analysis of orbital energy balance. Typically, the DET power system has the solar array directly to the spacecraft bus, and the central building block of MPS is the Standard Power Regulator Unit. DET/MPS allows a minute-by-minute simulation of the power system's performance as it responds to various orbital parameters, focusing its output on solar array output and battery characteristics. While this package is limited in terms of orbital mechanics, it is sufficient to calculate eclipse and solar array data for circular or non-circular orbits. DET/MPS can be adjusted to run one or sequential orbits up to about one week, simulated time. These programs have been used on a variety of Goddard Space Flight Center spacecraft projects. DET/MPS is written in FORTRAN 77 with some VAX-type extensions. Any FORTRAN 77 compiler that includes VAX extensions should be able to compile and run the program with little or no modifications. The compiler must at least support free-form (or tab-delineated) source format and 'do do-while end-do' control structures. DET/MPS is available for three platforms: GSC-13374, for DEC VAX series computers running VMS, is available in DEC VAX Backup format on a 9-track 1600 BPI tape (standard distribution) or TK50 tape cartridge; GSC-13443, for UNIX-based computers, is available on a .25 inch streaming magnetic tape cartridge in UNIX tar format; and GSC-13444, for Macintosh computers running AU/X with either the NKR FORTRAN or AbSoft MacFORTRAN II compilers, is available on a 3.5 inch 800K Macintosh format diskette. Source code and test data are supplied. The UNIX version of DET requires 90K of main memory for execution. DET/MPS was developed in 1990. A/UX and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. VMS, DEC VAX and TK50 are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T Bell Laboratories.

Direction of Arrival Estimation for MIMO Radar via Unitary Nuclear Norm Minimization

PubMed Central

Wang, Xianpeng; Huang, Mengxing; Wu, Xiaoqin; Bi, Guoan

2017-01-01

In this paper, we consider the direction of arrival (DOA) estimation issue of noncircular (NC) source in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar and propose a novel unitary nuclear norm minimization (UNNM) algorithm. In the proposed method, the noncircular properties of signals are used to double the virtual array aperture, and the real-valued data are obtained by utilizing unitary transformation. Then a real-valued block sparse model is established based on a novel over-complete dictionary, and a UNNM algorithm is formulated for recovering the block-sparse matrix. In addition, the real-valued NC-MUSIC spectrum is used to design a weight matrix for reweighting the nuclear norm minimization to achieve the enhanced sparsity of solutions. Finally, the DOA is estimated by searching the non-zero blocks of the recovered matrix. Because of using the noncircular properties of signals to extend the virtual array aperture and an additional real structure to suppress the noise, the proposed method provides better performance compared with the conventional sparse recovery based algorithms. Furthermore, the proposed method can handle the case of underdetermined DOA estimation. Simulation results show the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed method. PMID:28441770

Development of a General-Purpose Analysis System Based on a Programmable Fluid Processor Final Report CRADA No. TC-2027-01

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

McConaghy, C. F.; Gascoyne, P. R.

The purpose ofthis project was to develop a general-purpose analysis system based on a programmable fluid processor (PFP). The PFP is an array of electrodes surrounded by fluid reservoirs and injectors. Injected droplets of various reagents are manjpulated and combined on the array by Dielectrophoretic (DEP) forces. The goal was to create a small handheld device that could accomplish the tasks currently undertaken by much larger, time consuming, manual manipulation in the lab. The entire effo1t was funded by DARPA under the Bio-Flips program. MD Anderson Cancer Center was the PI for the DARPA effort. The Bio-Flips program was amore » 3- year program that ran from September 2000 to September 2003. The CRADA was somewhat behind the Bi-Flips program running from June 2001 to June 2004 with a no cost extension to September 2004.« less

Space station systems analysis study. Part 3: Documentation. Volume 7: SCB alternate EPS evaluation, task 10

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Power levels up to 100 kWe average were baselined for the electrical power system of the space construction base, a long-duration manned facility capable of supporting manufacturing and large scale construction projects in space. Alternatives to the solar array battery systems discussed include: (1) solar concentrator/brayton; (2) solar concentrator/thermionic; (3) isotope/brayton; (4) nuclear/brayton; (5) nuclear thermoelectric; and (6) nuclear thermionic.

Integrated Chassis Control of Active Front Steering and Yaw Stability Control Based on Improved Inverse Nyquist Array Method

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

An integrated chassis control (ICC) system with active front steering (AFS) and yaw stability control (YSC) is introduced in this paper. The proposed ICC algorithm uses the improved Inverse Nyquist Array (INA) method based on a 2-degree-of-freedom (DOF) planar vehicle reference model to decouple the plant dynamics under different frequency bands, and the change of velocity and cornering stiffness were considered to calculate the analytical solution in the precompensator design so that the INA based algorithm runs well and fast on the nonlinear vehicle system. The stability of the system is guaranteed by dynamic compensator together with a proposed PI feedback controller. After the response analysis of the system on frequency domain and time domain, simulations under step steering maneuver were carried out using a 2-DOF vehicle model and a 14-DOF vehicle model by Matlab/Simulink. The results show that the system is decoupled and the vehicle handling and stability performance are significantly improved by the proposed method. PMID:24782676

Integrated chassis control of active front steering and yaw stability control based on improved inverse nyquist array method.

PubMed

Zhu, Bing; Chen, Yizhou; Zhao, Jian

2014-01-01

An integrated chassis control (ICC) system with active front steering (AFS) and yaw stability control (YSC) is introduced in this paper. The proposed ICC algorithm uses the improved Inverse Nyquist Array (INA) method based on a 2-degree-of-freedom (DOF) planar vehicle reference model to decouple the plant dynamics under different frequency bands, and the change of velocity and cornering stiffness were considered to calculate the analytical solution in the precompensator design so that the INA based algorithm runs well and fast on the nonlinear vehicle system. The stability of the system is guaranteed by dynamic compensator together with a proposed PI feedback controller. After the response analysis of the system on frequency domain and time domain, simulations under step steering maneuver were carried out using a 2-DOF vehicle model and a 14-DOF vehicle model by Matlab/Simulink. The results show that the system is decoupled and the vehicle handling and stability performance are significantly improved by the proposed method.

Approximate Evaluation of Acoustical Focal Beams by Phased Array Probes for Austenitic Weld Inspections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kono, Naoyuki; Miki, Masahiro; Nakamura, Motoyuki; Ehara, Kazuya

2007-03-01

Phased array techniques are capable of the sensitive detection and precise sizing of flaws or cracks in components of nuclear power plants by using arbitrary focal beams with various depths, positions and angles. Aquantitative investigation of these focal beams is essential for the optimization of array probes, especially for austenitic weld inspection, in order to improve the detectability, sizing accuracy, and signal-to-noise ratio using these beams. In the present work, focal beams generated by phased array probes are calculated based on the Fresnel-Kirchhoff diffraction integral (FKDI) method, and an approximation formula between the actual focal depth and optical focal depth is proposed as an extension of the theory for conventional spherically focusing probes. The validity of the approximation formula for the array probes is confirmed by a comparison with simulation data using the FKDI method, and the experimental data.

An analysis of the impact of LHC Run I proton-lead data on nuclear parton densities.

PubMed

Armesto, Néstor; Paukkunen, Hannu; Penín, José Manuel; Salgado, Carlos A; Zurita, Pía

2016-01-01

We report on an analysis of the impact of available experimental data on hard processes in proton-lead collisions during Run I at the large hadron collider on nuclear modifications of parton distribution functions. Our analysis is restricted to the EPS09 and DSSZ global fits. The measurements that we consider comprise production of massive gauge bosons, jets, charged hadrons and pions. This is the first time a study of nuclear PDFs includes this number of different observables. The goal of the paper is twofold: (i) checking the description of the data by nPDFs, as well as the relevance of these nuclear effects, in a quantitative manner; (ii) testing the constraining power of these data in eventual global fits, for which we use the Bayesian reweighting technique. We find an overall good, even too good, description of the data, indicating that more constraining power would require a better control over the systematic uncertainties and/or the proper proton-proton reference from LHC Run II. Some of the observables, however, show sizeable tension with specific choices of proton and nuclear PDFs. We also comment on the corresponding improvements as regards the theoretical treatment.

Automation and integration of multiplexed on-line sample preparation with capillary electrophoresis for DNA sequencing

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

Tan, H.

1999-03-31

The purpose of this research is to develop a multiplexed sample processing system in conjunction with multiplexed capillary electrophoresis for high-throughput DNA sequencing. The concept from DNA template to called bases was first demonstrated with a manually operated single capillary system. Later, an automated microfluidic system with 8 channels based on the same principle was successfully constructed. The instrument automatically processes 8 templates through reaction, purification, denaturation, pre-concentration, injection, separation and detection in a parallel fashion. A multiplexed freeze/thaw switching principle and a distribution network were implemented to manage flow direction and sample transportation. Dye-labeled terminator cycle-sequencing reactions are performedmore » in an 8-capillary array in a hot air thermal cycler. Subsequently, the sequencing ladders are directly loaded into a corresponding size-exclusion chromatographic column operated at {approximately} 60 C for purification. On-line denaturation and stacking injection for capillary electrophoresis is simultaneously accomplished at a cross assembly set at {approximately} 70 C. Not only the separation capillary array but also the reaction capillary array and purification columns can be regenerated after every run. DNA sequencing data from this system allow base calling up to 460 bases with accuracy of 98%.« less

Fuel bundle design for enhanced usage of plutonium fuel

DOEpatents

Reese, Anthony P.; Stachowski, Russell E.

1995-01-01

A nuclear fuel bundle includes a square array of fuel rods each having a concentration of enriched uranium and plutonium. Each rod of an interior array of the rods also has a concentration of gadolinium. The interior array of rods is surrounded by an exterior array of rods void of gadolinium. By this design, usage of plutonium in the nuclear reactor is enhanced.

Fuel bundle design for enhanced usage of plutonium fuel

DOEpatents

Reese, A.P.; Stachowski, R.E.

1995-08-08

A nuclear fuel bundle includes a square array of fuel rods each having a concentration of enriched uranium and plutonium. Each rod of an interior array of the rods also has a concentration of gadolinium. The interior array of rods is surrounded by an exterior array of rods void of gadolinium. By this design, usage of plutonium in the nuclear reactor is enhanced. 10 figs.

ROBucket: A low cost operant chamber based on the Arduino microcontroller.

PubMed

Devarakonda, Kavya; Nguyen, Katrina P; Kravitz, Alexxai V

2016-06-01

The operant conditioning chamber is a cornerstone of animal behavioral research. Operant boxes are used to assess learning and motivational behavior in animals, particularly for food and drug reinforcers. However, commercial operant chambers cost several thousands of dollars. We have constructed the Rodent Operant Bucket (ROBucket), an inexpensive and easily assembled open-source operant chamber based on the Arduino microcontroller platform, which can be used to train mice to respond for sucrose solution or other liquid reinforcers. The apparatus contains two nose pokes, a drinking well, and a solenoid-controlled liquid delivery system. ROBucket can run fixed ratio and progressive ratio training schedules, and can be programmed to run more complicated behavioral paradigms. Additional features such as motion sensing and video tracking can be added to the operant chamber through the array of widely available Arduino-compatible sensors. The design files and programming code are open source and available online for others to use.

Transition to Complicated Behavior in Infinite Dimensional Dynamical Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-03-01

solitons in nonlinear refractive periodic media," Phys. Lett. A. 141 37 (1989). A.3. Dynamics of Free-Running and Injection- Locked Laser Diode Arrays...Fibers * Dynamics of Free-Running and Injection- Locked Laser Diode Arrays I Diffraction/Diffusion Mediated Instabilities in Self-focusing/Defocusing...optics, the interplay between the coherence of solitons and the scattering (Anderson localization) effects of randomness, and the value in looking at

Inside NuSTAR Nose Cone

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-03-02

A spacecraft technician is performing closeout work inside the fairing that will be installed around NASA Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array NuSTAR spacecraft in a processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

A Multidisciplinary Approach to High Throughput Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Pourmodheji, Hossein; Ghafar-Zadeh, Ebrahim; Magierowski, Sebastian

2016-01-01

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is a non-contact, powerful structure-elucidation technique for biochemical analysis. NMR spectroscopy is used extensively in a variety of life science applications including drug discovery. However, existing NMR technology is limited in that it cannot run a large number of experiments simultaneously in one unit. Recent advances in micro-fabrication technologies have attracted the attention of researchers to overcome these limitations and significantly accelerate the drug discovery process by developing the next generation of high-throughput NMR spectrometers using Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS). In this paper, we examine this paradigm shift and explore new design strategies for the development of the next generation of high-throughput NMR spectrometers using CMOS technology. A CMOS NMR system consists of an array of high sensitivity micro-coils integrated with interfacing radio-frequency circuits on the same chip. Herein, we first discuss the key challenges and recent advances in the field of CMOS NMR technology, and then a new design strategy is put forward for the design and implementation of highly sensitive and high-throughput CMOS NMR spectrometers. We thereafter discuss the functionality and applicability of the proposed techniques by demonstrating the results. For microelectronic researchers starting to work in the field of CMOS NMR technology, this paper serves as a tutorial with comprehensive review of state-of-the-art technologies and their performance levels. Based on these levels, the CMOS NMR approach offers unique advantages for high resolution, time-sensitive and high-throughput bimolecular analysis required in a variety of life science applications including drug discovery. PMID:27294925

The NIKA2 Large Field-of-View Millimeter Continuum Camera for the 30-M IRAM Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monfardini, Alessandro

2018-01-01

We have constructed and deployed a multi-thousands pixels dual-band (150 and 260 GHz, respectively 2mm and 1.15mm wavelengths) camera to image an instantaneous field-of-view of 6.5arc-min and configurable to map the linear polarization at 260GHz. We are providing a detailed description of this instrument, named NIKA2 (New IRAM KID Arrays 2), in particular focusing on the cryogenics, the optics, the focal plane arrays based on Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KID) and the readout electronics. We are presenting the performance measured on the sky during the commissioning runs that took place between October 2015 and April 2017 at the 30-meter IRAM (Institute of Millimetric Radio Astronomy) telescope at Pico Veleta, and preliminary science-grade results.

Fabrication and Characterization of the US Army Research Laboratory Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Substrates

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-04

gap spacing.92,93 By running current through an EBL-fabricated gap array, it has been shown to be possible to impact atomic positions within a...Spectra were collected and the instrument was run using Wire 2.0 software operating on a dedicated computer. 2.5 Data Analysis Data analysis...accomplished using the Unaxis VLR 700 Etch PM3-Dieclectric etch. For this step it is important to first run the process on a dummy wafer to

Geotechnical studies relevant to the containment of underground nuclear explosions at the Nevada Test Site

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

Heuze, F.E.

1982-05-01

The Department of Energy and the Department of Defense are actively pursuing a program of nuclear weapons testing by underground explosions at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Over the past 11 years, scores of tests have been conducted and the safety record is very good. In the short run, emphasis is put on preventing the release of radioactive materials into the atmosphere. In the long run, the subsidence and collapse of the ground above the nuclear cavities also are matters of interest. Currently, estimation of containment is based mostly on empiricism derived from extensive experience and on a combination ofmore » physical/mechanical testing and numerical modeling. When measured directly, the mechanical material properties are obtained from short-term laboratory tests on small, conventional samples. This practice does not determine the large effects of scale and time on measured stiffnesses and strengths of geological materials. Because of the limited data base of properties and in situ conditions, the input to otherwise fairly sophisticated computer programs is subject to several simplifying assumptions; some of them can have a nonconservative impact on the calculated results. As for the long-term, subsidence and collapse phenomena simply have not been studied to any significant degree. This report examines the geomechanical aspects of procedures currently used to estimate containment of undergroung explosions at NTS. Based on this examination, it is concluded that state-of-the-art geological engineering practice in the areas of field testing, large scale laboratory measurements, and numerical modeling can be drawn upon to complement the current approach.« less

Volumetric Real-Time Imaging Using a CMUT Ring Array

PubMed Central

Choe, Jung Woo; Oralkan, Ömer; Nikoozadeh, Amin; Gencel, Mustafa; Stephens, Douglas N.; O’Donnell, Matthew; Sahn, David J.; Khuri-Yakub, Butrus T.

2012-01-01

A ring array provides a very suitable geometry for forward-looking volumetric intracardiac and intravascular ultrasound imaging. We fabricated an annular 64-element capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) array featuring a 10-MHz operating frequency and a 1.27-mm outer radius. A custom software suite was developed to run on a PC-based imaging system for real-time imaging using this device. This paper presents simulated and experimental imaging results for the described CMUT ring array. Three different imaging methods—flash, classic phased array (CPA), and synthetic phased array (SPA)—were used in the study. For SPA imaging, two techniques to improve the image quality—Hadamard coding and aperture weighting—were also applied. The results show that SPA with Hadamard coding and aperture weighting is a good option for ring-array imaging. Compared with CPA, it achieves better image resolution and comparable signal-to-noise ratio at a much faster image acquisition rate. Using this method, a fast frame rate of up to 463 volumes per second is achievable if limited only by the ultrasound time of flight; with the described system we reconstructed three cross-sectional images in real-time at 10 frames per second, which was limited by the computation time in synthetic beamforming. PMID:22718870

Volumetric real-time imaging using a CMUT ring array.

PubMed

Choe, Jung Woo; Oralkan, Ömer; Nikoozadeh, Amin; Gencel, Mustafa; Stephens, Douglas N; O'Donnell, Matthew; Sahn, David J; Khuri-Yakub, Butrus T

2012-06-01

A ring array provides a very suitable geometry for forward-looking volumetric intracardiac and intravascular ultrasound imaging. We fabricated an annular 64-element capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) array featuring a 10-MHz operating frequency and a 1.27-mm outer radius. A custom software suite was developed to run on a PC-based imaging system for real-time imaging using this device. This paper presents simulated and experimental imaging results for the described CMUT ring array. Three different imaging methods--flash, classic phased array (CPA), and synthetic phased array (SPA)--were used in the study. For SPA imaging, two techniques to improve the image quality--Hadamard coding and aperture weighting--were also applied. The results show that SPA with Hadamard coding and aperture weighting is a good option for ring-array imaging. Compared with CPA, it achieves better image resolution and comparable signal-to-noise ratio at a much faster image acquisition rate. Using this method, a fast frame rate of up to 463 volumes per second is achievable if limited only by the ultrasound time of flight; with the described system we reconstructed three cross-sectional images in real-time at 10 frames per second, which was limited by the computation time in synthetic beamforming.

ZEPLIN-III direct dark matter search : final results and measurements in support of next generation instruments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reichhart, Lea

2013-12-01

Astrophysical observations give convincing evidence for a vast non-baryonic component, the so-called dark matter, accounting for over 20% of the overall content of our Universe. Direct dark matter search experiments explore the possibility of interactions of these dark matter particles with ordinary baryonic matter via elastic scattering resulting in single nuclear recoils. The ZEPLIN-III detector operated on the basis of a dualphase (liquid/gas) xenon target, recording events in two separate response channels { scintillation and ionisation. These allow discrimination between electron recoils (from background radiation) and the signal expected from Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP) elastic scatters. Following a productive first exposure, the detector was upgraded with a new array of ultra-low background photomultiplier tubes, reducing the electron recoil background by over an order of magnitude. A second major upgrade to the detector was the incorporation of a tonne-scale active veto detector system, surrounding the WIMP target. Calibration and science data taken in coincidence with ZEPLIN-III showed rejection of up to 30% of the dominant electron recoil background and over 60% of neutron induced nuclear recoils. Data taking for the second science run finished in May 2011 with a total accrued raw fiducial exposure of 1,344 kg days. With this extensive data set, from over 300 days of run time, a limit on the spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross-section of 4.8 10-8 pb near 50 GeV/c2 WIMP mass with 90% confidence was set. This result combined with the first science run of ZEPLIN-III excludes the scalar cross-section above 3.9 10-8 pb. Studying the background data taken by the veto detector allowed a calculation of the neutron yield induced by high energy cosmic-ray muons in lead of (5.8 0.2) 10-3 neutrons/muon/(g/cm2) for a mean muon energy of 260 GeV. Measurements of this kind are of great importance for large scale direct dark matter search experiments and future rare event searches in general. Finally, this work includes a comprehensive measurement of the energy dependent quenching factor for low energy nuclear recoils in a plastic scintillator, such as from the ZEPLIN-III veto detector, increasing accuracy for future simulation packages featuring large scale plastic scintillator detector systems.

SeeGH--a software tool for visualization of whole genome array comparative genomic hybridization data.

PubMed

Chi, Bryan; DeLeeuw, Ronald J; Coe, Bradley P; MacAulay, Calum; Lam, Wan L

2004-02-09

Array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) is a technique which detects copy number differences in DNA segments. Complete sequencing of the human genome and the development of an array representing a tiling set of tens of thousands of DNA segments spanning the entire human genome has made high resolution copy number analysis throughout the genome possible. Since array CGH provides signal ratio for each DNA segment, visualization would require the reassembly of individual data points into chromosome profiles. We have developed a visualization tool for displaying whole genome array CGH data in the context of chromosomal location. SeeGH is an application that translates spot signal ratio data from array CGH experiments to displays of high resolution chromosome profiles. Data is imported from a simple tab delimited text file obtained from standard microarray image analysis software. SeeGH processes the signal ratio data and graphically displays it in a conventional CGH karyotype diagram with the added features of magnification and DNA segment annotation. In this process, SeeGH imports the data into a database, calculates the average ratio and standard deviation for each replicate spot, and links them to chromosome regions for graphical display. Once the data is displayed, users have the option of hiding or flagging DNA segments based on user defined criteria, and retrieve annotation information such as clone name, NCBI sequence accession number, ratio, base pair position on the chromosome, and standard deviation. SeeGH represents a novel software tool used to view and analyze array CGH data. The software gives users the ability to view the data in an overall genomic view as well as magnify specific chromosomal regions facilitating the precise localization of genetic alterations. SeeGH is easily installed and runs on Microsoft Windows 2000 or later environments.

A surface code quantum computer in silicon

PubMed Central

Hill, Charles D.; Peretz, Eldad; Hile, Samuel J.; House, Matthew G.; Fuechsle, Martin; Rogge, Sven; Simmons, Michelle Y.; Hollenberg, Lloyd C. L.

2015-01-01

The exceptionally long quantum coherence times of phosphorus donor nuclear spin qubits in silicon, coupled with the proven scalability of silicon-based nano-electronics, make them attractive candidates for large-scale quantum computing. However, the high threshold of topological quantum error correction can only be captured in a two-dimensional array of qubits operating synchronously and in parallel—posing formidable fabrication and control challenges. We present an architecture that addresses these problems through a novel shared-control paradigm that is particularly suited to the natural uniformity of the phosphorus donor nuclear spin qubit states and electronic confinement. The architecture comprises a two-dimensional lattice of donor qubits sandwiched between two vertically separated control layers forming a mutually perpendicular crisscross gate array. Shared-control lines facilitate loading/unloading of single electrons to specific donors, thereby activating multiple qubits in parallel across the array on which the required operations for surface code quantum error correction are carried out by global spin control. The complexities of independent qubit control, wave function engineering, and ad hoc quantum interconnects are explicitly avoided. With many of the basic elements of fabrication and control based on demonstrated techniques and with simulated quantum operation below the surface code error threshold, the architecture represents a new pathway for large-scale quantum information processing in silicon and potentially in other qubit systems where uniformity can be exploited. PMID:26601310

A surface code quantum computer in silicon.

PubMed

Hill, Charles D; Peretz, Eldad; Hile, Samuel J; House, Matthew G; Fuechsle, Martin; Rogge, Sven; Simmons, Michelle Y; Hollenberg, Lloyd C L

2015-10-01

The exceptionally long quantum coherence times of phosphorus donor nuclear spin qubits in silicon, coupled with the proven scalability of silicon-based nano-electronics, make them attractive candidates for large-scale quantum computing. However, the high threshold of topological quantum error correction can only be captured in a two-dimensional array of qubits operating synchronously and in parallel-posing formidable fabrication and control challenges. We present an architecture that addresses these problems through a novel shared-control paradigm that is particularly suited to the natural uniformity of the phosphorus donor nuclear spin qubit states and electronic confinement. The architecture comprises a two-dimensional lattice of donor qubits sandwiched between two vertically separated control layers forming a mutually perpendicular crisscross gate array. Shared-control lines facilitate loading/unloading of single electrons to specific donors, thereby activating multiple qubits in parallel across the array on which the required operations for surface code quantum error correction are carried out by global spin control. The complexities of independent qubit control, wave function engineering, and ad hoc quantum interconnects are explicitly avoided. With many of the basic elements of fabrication and control based on demonstrated techniques and with simulated quantum operation below the surface code error threshold, the architecture represents a new pathway for large-scale quantum information processing in silicon and potentially in other qubit systems where uniformity can be exploited.

NUREBASE: database of nuclear hormone receptors.

PubMed

Duarte, Jorge; Perrière, Guy; Laudet, Vincent; Robinson-Rechavi, Marc

2002-01-01

Nuclear hormone receptors are an abundant class of ligand activated transcriptional regulators, found in varying numbers in all animals. Based on our experience of managing the official nomenclature of nuclear receptors, we have developed NUREBASE, a database containing protein and DNA sequences, reviewed protein alignments and phylogenies, taxonomy and annotations for all nuclear receptors. The reviewed NUREBASE is completed by NUREBASE_DAILY, automatically updated every 24 h. Both databases are organized under a client/server architecture, with a client written in Java which runs on any platform. This client, named FamFetch, integrates a graphical interface allowing selection of families, and manipulation of phylogenies and alignments. NUREBASE sequence data is also accessible through a World Wide Web server, allowing complex queries. All information on accessing and installing NUREBASE may be found at http://www.ens-lyon.fr/LBMC/laudet/nurebase.html.

Infrasound analysis of I18DK, northwest Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evers, L. G.; Weemstra, C.

2010-12-01

Within the scope of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), four methods are used to verify the treaty. One of these methods is based on the detection of infrasound waves generated by a nuclear explosion. Seismological, hydroacoustical and radionuclide measurements are also applied. The International Monitoring System (IMS) will consist of 60 infrasound stations of which 35 stations are currently operational. Data obtained from an infrasound station situated on the northwestern shoreline of Greenland is analyzed. This station is operated by Denmark and labeled as I18DK. I18DK is situated in an area which receives an ever increasing attention from a geophysical perspective. I18DK has continuously been operational from April 2003 and onwards. The IMS station is an infrasound array with an aperture of about 1200 meters, where air-pressure fluctuations are recorded by eight microbarometers at a sample-rate of 20 Hz. The infrasonic recordings are filtered between 0.1 & 1.0 and 1.0 & 6.0 Hz. The slowness grid is searched for two different configurations in the higher frequency band. Once using all 8 stations and once only taking into account the 5 center stations. Several different source types are known to generate infrasound, for example, calving of icebergs and glaciers, explosions, earthquakes, oceanic wave-wave interaction, volcanic eruptions and aurora. The challenge is to distinguish between these different source types and use the outcome of the array analysis to better understand these phenomena. The rate of occurrence of icequakes, the calving of glaciers and the variation in extent of the sea ice in this area is of interest in relation to global warming. The processing results of the 1 to 6 Hz band seem to show dominating back-azimuths related to these sources. The glaciers south of I18DK produce significant infrasound during summer time. As well, a direct link can be found between the number of warm days in a year and the number of infrasound detections from a north-northeast direction. These signals seem to be generated by run- off of water from the local ice cap north of I18DK.

An update on the Array Induction Imager Tool (AIT) in the Gulf of Thailand

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

Berger, P.; Ferment, D.

The Array Induction Imager Tool (AIT) arrived in the Gulf of Thailand in June 1992, and has since performed almost 10 jobs in a large variety of conditions. The equipment has proved very reliable, and the quality of the data has been excellent. The primary purpose of running the AIT in the Gulf of Thailand wells has been to provide accurate resistivity data to minimize the error when establishing hydrocarbon reserves. Indeed, the tool is bringing about a revolution of information evaluation in thinly bedded or deeply invaded zones, where oil companies are seeing significant increases in reserves based purelymore » on the changeover to AIT data. Important though this is, the benefits of the service are not just limited to improving the Rt value. Images of the radial resistivity profile are also giving a unique insight into the three dimensional geology surrounding the well bore, and the dynamics of filtrate movement through the more permeable sections. In every case where it has been run, the AIT provided the user with a clearer (and often more profitable) understanding of the reservoir than that obtained with conventional resistivity measurements.« less

Conceptual design of the AGATA 1 π array at GANIL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clément, E.; Michelagnoli, C.; de France, G.; Li, H. J.; Lemasson, A.; Barthe Dejean, C.; Beuzard, M.; Bougault, P.; Cacitti, J.; Foucher, J.-L.; Fremont, G.; Gangnant, P.; Goupil, J.; Houarner, C.; Jean, M.; Lefevre, A.; Legeard, L.; Legruel, F.; Maugeais, C.; Ménager, L.; Ménard, N.; Munoz, H.; Ozille, M.; Raine, B.; Ropert, J. A.; Saillant, F.; Spitaels, C.; Tripon, M.; Vallerand, Ph.; Voltolini, G.; Korten, W.; Salsac, M.-D.; Theisen, Ch.; Zielińska, M.; Joannem, T.; Karolak, M.; Kebbiri, M.; Lotode, A.; Touzery, R.; Walter, Ch.; Korichi, A.; Ljungvall, J.; Lopez-Martens, A.; Ralet, D.; Dosme, N.; Grave, X.; Karkour, N.; Lafay, X.; Legay, E.; Kojouharov, I.; Domingo-Pardo, C.; Gadea, A.; Pérez-Vidal, R. M.; Civera, J. V.; Birkenbach, B.; Eberth, J.; Hess, H.; Lewandowski, L.; Reiter, P.; Nannini, A.; De Angelis, G.; Jaworski, G.; John, P.; Napoli, D. R.; Valiente-Dobón, J. J.; Barrientos, D.; Bortolato, D.; Benzoni, G.; Bracco, A.; Brambilla, S.; Camera, F.; Crespi, F. C. L.; Leoni, S.; Million, B.; Pullia, A.; Wieland, O.; Bazzacco, D.; Lenzi, S. M.; Lunardi, S.; Menegazzo, R.; Mengoni, D.; Recchia, F.; Bellato, M.; Isocrate, R.; Egea Canet, F. J.; Didierjean, F.; Duchêne, G.; Baumann, R.; Brucker, M.; Dangelser, E.; Filliger, M.; Friedmann, H.; Gaudiot, G.; Grapton, J.-N.; Kocher, H.; Mathieu, C.; Sigward, M.-H.; Thomas, D.; Veeramootoo, S.; Dudouet, J.; Stézowski, O.; Aufranc, C.; Aubert, Y.; Labiche, M.; Simpson, J.; Burrows, I.; Coleman-Smith, P. J.; Grant, A.; Lazarus, I. H.; Morrall, P. S.; Pucknell, V. F. E.; Boston, A.; Judson, D. S.; Lalović, N.; Nyberg, J.; Collado, J.; González, V.; Kuti, I.; Nyakó, B. M.; Maj, A.; Rudigier, M.

2017-05-01

The Advanced GAmma Tracking Array (AGATA) has been installed at the GANIL facility, Caen-France. This set-up exploits the stable and radioactive heavy-ions beams delivered by the cyclotron accelerator complex of GANIL. Additionally, it benefits from a large palette of ancillary detectors and spectrometers to address in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy of exotic nuclei. The set-up has been designed to couple AGATA with a magnetic spectrometer, charged-particle and neutron detectors, scintillators for the detection of high-energy γ rays and other devices such as a plunger to measure nuclear lifetimes. In this paper, the design and the mechanical characteristics of the set-up are described. Based on simulations, expected performances of the AGATA 1 π array are presented.

Application of Reconfigurable Computing Technology to Multi-KiloHertz Micro-Laser Altimeter (MMLA) Data Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, Wesley; Dabney, Philip; Hicks, Edward; Pinchinat, Maxime; Day, John H. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The Multi-KiloHertz Micro-Laser Altimeter (MMLA) is an aircraft based instrument developed by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center with several potential spaceflight applications. This presentation describes how reconfigurable computing technology was employed to perform MMLA signal extraction in real-time under realistic operating constraints. The MMLA is a "single-photon-counting" airborne laser altimeter that is used to measure land surface features such as topography and vegetation canopy height. This instrument has to date flown a number of times aboard the NASA P3 aircraft acquiring data at a number of sites in the Mid-Atlantic region. This instrument pulses a relatively low-powered laser at a very high rate (10 kHz) and then measures the time-of-flight of discrete returns from the target surface. The instrument then bins these measurements into a two-dimensional array (vertical height vs. horizontal ground track) and selects the most likely signal path through the array. Return data that does not correspond to the selected signal path are classified as noise returns and are then discarded. The MMLA signal extraction algorithm is very compute intensive in that a score must be computed for every possible path through the two dimensional array in order to select the most likely signal path. Given a typical array size with 50 x 6, up to 33 arrays must be processed per second. And for each of these arrays, roughly 12,000 individual paths must be scored. Furthermore, the number of paths increases exponentially with the horizontal size of the array, and linearly with the vertical size. Yet, increasing the horizontal and vertical sizes of the array offer science advantages such as improved range, resolution, and noise rejection. Due to the volume of return data and the compute intensive signal extraction algorithm, the existing PC-based MMLA data system has been unable to perform signal extraction in real-time unless the array is limited in size to one column, This limits the ability of the MMLA to operate in environments with sparse signal returns and a high number of noise return. However, under an IR&D project, an FPGA-based, reconfigurable computing data system has been developed that has been demonstrated to perform real-time signal extraction under realistic operating constraints. This reconfigurable data system is based on the commercially available Firebird Board from Annapolis Microsystems. This PCI board consists of a Xilinx Virtex 2000E FPGA along with 36 MB of SRAM arranged in five separately addressable banks. This board is housed in a rackmount PC with dual 850MHz Pentium processors running the Windows 2000 operating system. This data system performs all signal extraction in hardware on the Firebird, but also runs the existing "software based" signal extraction in tandem for comparison purposes. Using a relatively small amount of the Virtex XCV2000E resources, the reconfigurable data system has demonstrated to improve performance improvement over the existing software based data system by an order of magnitude. Performance could be further improved by employing parallelism. Ground testing and a preliminary engineering test flight aboard the NASA P3 has been performed, during which the reconfigurable data system has been demonstrated to match the results of the existing data system.

Free-running ADC- and FPGA-based signal processing method for brain PET using GAPD arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Wei; Choi, Yong; Hong, Key Jo; Kang, Jihoon; Jung, Jin Ho; Huh, Youn Suk; Lim, Hyun Keong; Kim, Sang Su; Kim, Byung-Tae; Chung, Yonghyun

2012-02-01

Currently, for most photomultiplier tube (PMT)-based PET systems, constant fraction discriminators (CFD) and time to digital converters (TDC) have been employed to detect gamma ray signal arrival time, whereas anger logic circuits and peak detection analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) have been implemented to acquire position and energy information of detected events. As compared to PMT the Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes (GAPDs) have a variety of advantages, such as compactness, low bias voltage requirement and MRI compatibility. Furthermore, the individual read-out method using a GAPD array coupled 1:1 with an array scintillator can provide better image uniformity than can be achieved using PMT and anger logic circuits. Recently, a brain PET using 72 GAPD arrays (4×4 array, pixel size: 3 mm×3 mm) coupled 1:1 with LYSO scintillators (4×4 array, pixel size: 3 mm×3 mm×20 mm) has been developed for simultaneous PET/MRI imaging in our laboratory. Eighteen 64:1 position decoder circuits (PDCs) were used to reduce GAPD channel number and three off-the-shelf free-running ADC and field programmable gate array (FPGA) combined data acquisition (DAQ) cards were used for data acquisition and processing. In this study, a free-running ADC- and FPGA-based signal processing method was developed for the detection of gamma ray signal arrival time, energy and position information all together for each GAPD channel. For the method developed herein, three DAQ cards continuously acquired 18 channels of pre-amplified analog gamma ray signals and 108-bit digital addresses from 18 PDCs. In the FPGA, the digitized gamma ray pulses and digital addresses were processed to generate data packages containing pulse arrival time, baseline value, energy value and GAPD channel ID. Finally, these data packages were saved to a 128 Mbyte on-board synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM) and then transferred to a host computer for coincidence sorting and image reconstruction. In order to evaluate the functionality of the developed signal processing method, energy and timing resolutions for brain PET were measured via the placement of a 6 μCi 22Na point source at the center of the PET scanner. Furthermore the PET image of the hot rod phantom (rod diameter: from 2.5 mm to 6.5 mm) with activity of 1 mCi was simulated, and then image acquisition experiment was performed using the brain PET. Measured average energy resolution for 1152 GAPD channels and system timing resolution were 19.5% (FWHM%) and 2.7 ns (FWHM), respectively. With regard to the acquisition of the hot rod phantom image, rods could be resolved down to a diameter of 2.5 mm, which was similar to simulated results. The experimental results demonstrated that the signal processing method developed herein was successfully implemented for brain PET. This reduced the complexity, cost and developing duration for PET system relative to normal PET electronics, and it will obviously be useful for the development of high-performance investigational PET systems.

Design Optimization of a Magnetically Levitated Electromagnetic Vibration Energy Harvester for Body Motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pancharoen, K.; Zhu, D.; Beeby, S. P.

2016-11-01

This paper presents a magnetically levitated electromagnetic vibration energy harvester based on magnet arrays. It has a nonlinear response that extends the operating bandwidth and enhances the power output of the harvesting device. The harvester is designed to be embedded in a hip prosthesis and harvest energy from low frequency movements (< 5 Hz) associated with human motion. The design optimization is performed using Comsol simulation considering the constraints on size of the harvester and low operating frequency. The output voltage across the optimal load 3.5kΩ generated from hip movement is 0.137 Volts during walking and 0.38 Volts during running. The power output harvested from hip movement during walking and running is 5.35 μW and 41.36 μW respectively..

Final Steps in Mating NuSTAR to its Rocket

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-23

Inside an environmental enclosure at Vandenberg Air Force Base processing facility in California, technicians complete the final steps in mating NASA Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array NuSTAR and its Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket.

Nuclear reactor power for a space-based radar. SP-100 project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bloomfield, Harvey; Heller, Jack; Jaffe, Leonard; Beatty, Richard; Bhandari, Pradeep; Chow, Edwin; Deininger, William; Ewell, Richard; Fujita, Toshio; Grossman, Merlin

1986-01-01

A space-based radar mission and spacecraft, using a 300 kWe nuclear reactor power system, has been examined, with emphasis on aspects affecting the power system. The radar antenna is a horizontal planar array, 32 X 64 m. The orbit is at 61 deg, 1088 km. The mass of the antenna with support structure is 42,000 kg; of the nuclear reactor power system, 8,300 kg; of the whole spacecraft about 51,000 kg, necessitating multiple launches and orbital assembly. The assembly orbit is at 57 deg, 400 km, high enough to provide the orbital lifetime needed for orbital assembly. The selected scenario uses six Shuttle launches to bring the spacecraft and a Centaur G upper-stage vehicle to assembly orbit. After assembly, the Centaur places the spacecraft in operational orbit, where it is deployed on radio command, the power system started, and the spacecraft becomes operational. Electric propulsion is an alternative and allows deployment in assembly orbit, but introduces a question of nuclear safety.

Results from a search for the 0νββ-decay of Te130

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnaboldi, C.; Artusa, D. R.; Avignone, F. T., III; Balata, M.; Bandac, I.; Barucci, M.; Beeman, J. W.; Bellini, F.; Brofferio, C.; Bucci, C.; Capelli, S.; Carbone, L.; Cebrian, S.; Clemenza, M.; Cremonesi, O.; Creswick, R. J.; de Waard, A.; di Domizio, S.; Dolinski, M. J.; Farach, H. A.; Fiorini, E.; Frossati, G.; Giachero, A.; Giuliani, A.; Gorla, P.; Guardincerri, E.; Gutierrez, T. D.; Haller, E. E.; Maruyama, R. H.; McDonald, R. J.; Nisi, S.; Nones, C.; Norman, E. B.; Nucciotti, A.; Olivieri, E.; Pallavicini, M.; Palmieri, E.; Pasca, E.; Pavan, M.; Pedretti, M.; Pessina, G.; Pirro, S.; Previtali, E.; Risegari, L.; Rosenfeld, C.; Sangiorgio, S.; Sisti, M.; Smith, A. R.; Torres, L.; Ventura, G.; Vignati, M.

2008-09-01

A detailed description of the CUORICINO Te130 neutrinoless double-beta (0νββ) decay experiment is given and recent results are reported. CUORICINO is an array of 62 tellurium oxide (TeO2) bolometers with an active mass of 40.7 kg. It is cooled to ~8-10 mK by a dilution refrigerator shielded from environmental radioactivity and energetic neutrons. It is running in the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) in Assergi, Italy. These data represent an exposure of 11.83 kg yr or 91 mole-years of Te130. No evidence for 0νββ-decay was observed and a limit of T1/20ν(130Te)⩾3.0×1024y (90% CL) is set. This corresponds to an upper limit on the effective mass, , between 0.19 and 0.68 eV when analyzed with the many published nuclear structure calculations. In the context of these nuclear models, the values fall within the range corresponding to the claim of evidence of 0νββ-decay by H. V. Klapdor-Kleingrothaus The experiment continues to acquire data.

IDSAC-IUCAA digital sampler array controller

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chattopadhyay, Sabyasachi; Chordia, Pravin; Ramaprakash, A. N.; Burse, Mahesh P.; Joshi, Bhushan; Chillal, Kalpesh

2016-07-01

In order to run the large format detector arrays and mosaics that are required by most astronomical instruments, readout electronic controllers are required which can process multiple CCD outputs simultaneously at high speeds and low noise levels. These CCD controllers need to be modular and configurable, should be able to run multiple detector types to cater to a wide variety of requirements. IUCAA Digital Sampler Array Controller (IDSAC), is a generic CCD Controller based on a fully scalable architecture which is adequately flexible and powerful enough to control a wide variety of detectors used in ground based astronomy. The controller has a modular backplane architecture that consists of Single Board Controller Cards (SBCs) and can control up to 5 CCDs (mosaic or independent). Each Single Board Controller (SBC) has all the resources to a run Single large format CCD having up to four outputs. All SBCs are identical and are easily interchangeable without needing any reconfiguration. A four channel video processor on each SBC can process up to four output CCDs with or without dummy outputs at 0.5 Megapixels/Sec/Channel with 16 bit resolution. Each SBC has a USB 2.0 interface which can be connected to a host computer via optional USB to Fibre converters. The SBC uses a reconfigurable hardware (FPGA) as a Master Controller. IDSAC offers Digital Correlated Double Sampling (DCDS) to eliminate thermal kTC noise. CDS performed in Digital domain (DCDS) has several advantages over its analog counterpart, such as - less electronics, faster readout and easier post processing. It is also flexible with sampling rate and pixel throughput while maintaining the core circuit topology intact. Noise characterization of the IDSAC CDS signal chain has been performed by analytical modelling and practical measurements. Various types of noise such as white, pink, power supply, bias etc. has been considered while creating an analytical noise model tool to predict noise of a controller system like IDSAC. Several tests are performed to measure the actual noise of IDSAC. The theoretical calculation matches very well with practical measurements within 10% accuracy.

Device for Detection of Explosives, Nuclear and Other Hazardous Materials in Luggage and Cargo Containers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuznetsov, Andrey; Evsenin, Alexey; Gorshkov, Igor; Osetrov, Oleg; Vakhtin, Dmitry

2009-12-01

Device for detection of explosives, radioactive and heavily shielded nuclear materials in luggage and cargo containers based on Nanosecond Neutron Analysis/Associated Particles Technique (NNA/APT) is under construction. Detection module consists of a small neutron generator with built-in position-sensitive detector of associated alpha-particles, and several scintillator-based gamma-ray detectors. Explosives and other hazardous chemicals are detected by analyzing secondary high-energy gamma-rays from reactions of fast neutrons with materials inside a container. The same gamma-ray detectors are used to detect unshielded radioactive and nuclear materials. An array of several neutron detectors is used to detect fast neutrons from induced fission of nuclear materials. Coincidence and timing analysis allows one to discriminate between fission neutrons and scattered probing neutrons. Mathematical modeling by MCNP5 and MCNP-PoliMi codes was used to estimate the sensitivity of the device and its optimal configuration. Comparison of the features of three gamma detector types—based on BGO, NaI and LaBr3 crystals is presented.

Two Dimensional Movement Patterns of Juvenile Winter Run and Late Fall Run Chinook Salmon at the Fremont Weir, Sacramento River, CA

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-07-01

ER D C/ EL T R- 17 -1 0 Two-Dimensional Movement Patterns of Juvenile Winter- Run and Late-Fall- Run Chinook Salmon at the Fremont Weir...default. ERDC/EL TR-17-10 July 2017 Two-Dimensional Movement Patterns of Juvenile Winter- Run and Late-Fall- Run Chinook Salmon at the Fremont Weir...Sacramento River, smaller winter- run Chinook and larger late-fall- run Chinook salmon were tagged and released into a 2D telemetry array dur- ing the

Z-Pinch Fusion Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miernik, Janie

2011-01-01

Fusion-based nuclear propulsion has the potential to enable fast interplanetary transportation. Shorter trips are better for humans in the harmful radiation environment of deep space. Nuclear propulsion and power plants can enable high Ispand payload mass fractions because they require less fuel mass. Fusion energy research has characterized the Z-Pinch dense plasma focus method. (1) Lightning is form of pinched plasma electrical discharge phenomena. (2) Wire array Z-Pinch experiments are commonly studied and nuclear power plant configurations have been proposed. (3) Used in the field of Nuclear Weapons Effects (NWE) testing in the defense industry, nuclear weapon x-rays are simulated through Z-Pinch phenomena.

Impact of genetic strain on body fat loss, food consumption, metabolism, ventilation, and motor activity in free running female rats

EPA Science Inventory

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) based body composition analysis is an idea means of assessing changes in relative proportions of fat, lean, and fluid in rodents non­ invasively. While the data are not as accurate as convent ional chemical analysis, the systems allow one to follo...

First limits on WIMP nuclear recoil signals in ZEPLIN-II: A two-phase xenon detector for dark matter detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alner, G. J.; Araújo, H. M.; Bewick, A.; Bungau, C.; Camanzi, B.; Carson, M. J.; Cashmore, R. J.; Chagani, H.; Chepel, V.; Cline, D.; Davidge, D.; Davies, J. C.; Daw, E.; Dawson, J.; Durkin, T.; Edwards, B.; Gamble, T.; Gao, J.; Ghag, C.; Howard, A. S.; Jones, W. G.; Joshi, M.; Korolkova, E. V.; Kudryavtsev, V. A.; Lawson, T.; Lebedenko, V. N.; Lewin, J. D.; Lightfoot, P.; Lindote, A.; Liubarsky, I.; Lopes, M. I.; Lüscher, R.; Majewski, P.; Mavrokoridis, K.; McMillan, J. E.; Morgan, B.; Muna, D.; Murphy, A. St. J.; Neves, F.; Nicklin, G. G.; Ooi, W.; Paling, S. M.; Pinto da Cunha, J.; Plank, S. J. S.; Preece, R. M.; Quenby, J. J.; Robinson, M.; Salinas, G.; Sergiampietri, F.; Silva, C.; Solovov, V. N.; Smith, N. J. T.; Smith, P. F.; Spooner, N. J. C.; Sumner, T. J.; Thorne, C.; Tovey, D. R.; Tziaferi, E.; Walker, R. J.; Wang, H.; White, J. T.; Wolfs, F. L. H.

2007-11-01

Results are presented from the first underground data run of ZEPLIN-II, a 31 kg two-phase xenon detector developed to observe nuclear recoils from hypothetical weakly interacting massive dark matter particles. Discrimination between nuclear recoils and background electron recoils is afforded by recording both the scintillation and ionisation signals generated within the liquid xenon, with the ratio of these signals being different for the two classes of event. This ratio is calibrated for different incident species using an AmBe neutron source and 60Co γ-ray sources. From our first 31 live days of running ZEPLIN-II, the total exposure following the application of fiducial and stability cuts was 225 kg × days. A background population of radon progeny events was observed in this run, arising from radon emission in the gas purification getters, due to radon daughter ion decays on the surfaces of the walls of the chamber. An acceptance window, defined by the neutron calibration data, of 50% nuclear recoil acceptance between 5 keV ee and 20 keV ee, had an observed count of 29 events, with a summed expectation of 28.6 ± 4.3 γ-ray and radon progeny induced background events. These figures provide a 90% c.l. upper limit to the number of nuclear recoils of 10.4 events in this acceptance window, which converts to a WIMP-nucleon spin-independent cross-section with a minimum of 6.6 × 10 -7 pb following the inclusion of an energy-dependent, calibrated, efficiency. A second run is currently underway in which the radon progeny will be eliminated, thereby removing the background population, with a projected sensitivity of 2 × 10 -7 pb for similar exposures as the first run.

Low-Noise Free-Running High-Rate Photon-Counting for Space Communication and Ranging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lu, Wei; Krainak, Michael A.; Yang, Guangning; Sun, Xiaoli; Merritt, Scott

2016-01-01

We present performance data for low-noise free-running high-rate photon counting method for space optical communication and ranging. NASA GSFC is testing the performance of two types of novel photon-counting detectors 1) a 2x8 mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe) avalanche array made by DRS Inc., and a 2) a commercial 2880-element silicon avalanche photodiode (APD) array. We successfully measured real-time communication performance using both the 2 detected-photon threshold and logic AND-gate coincidence methods. Use of these methods allows mitigation of dark count, after-pulsing and background noise effects without using other method of Time Gating The HgCdTe APD array routinely demonstrated very high photon detection efficiencies ((is) greater than 50%) at near infrared wavelength. The commercial silicon APD array exhibited a fast output with rise times of 300 ps and pulse widths of 600 ps. On-chip individually filtered signals from the entire array were multiplexed onto a single fast output. NASA GSFC has tested both detectors for their potential application for space communications and ranging. We developed and compare their performances using both the 2 detected photon threshold and coincidence methods.

Low-Noise Free-Running High-Rate Photon-Counting for Space Communication and Ranging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lu, Wei; Krainak, Michael A.; Yang, Guan; Sun, Xiaoli; Merritt, Scott

2016-01-01

We present performance data for low-noise free-running high-rate photon counting method for space optical communication and ranging. NASA GSFC is testing the performance of two types of novel photon-counting detectors 1) a 2x8 mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe) avalanche array made by DRS Inc., and a 2) a commercial 2880-element silicon avalanche photodiode (APD) array. We successfully measured real-time communication performance using both the 2 detected-photon threshold and logic AND-gate coincidence methods. Use of these methods allows mitigation of dark count, after-pulsing and background noise effects without using other method of Time Gating The HgCdTe APD array routinely demonstrated very high photon detection efficiencies (50) at near infrared wavelength. The commercial silicon APD array exhibited a fast output with rise times of 300 ps and pulse widths of 600 ps. On-chip individually filtered signals from the entire array were multiplexed onto a single fast output. NASA GSFC has tested both detectors for their potential application for space communications and ranging. We developed and compare their performances using both the 2 detected photon threshold and coincidence methods.

The elemental move characteristic of nickel-based alloy in molten salt corrosion by using nuclear microprobe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Qiantao; Liu, Ke; Gao, Jie; Li, Xiaolin; Shen, Hao; Li, Yan

2017-08-01

Nickel-based alloys as candidate materials for Thorium Molten Salt Reactor (TMSR), need to be used under high temperature in molten salt environment. In order to ensure the safety of the reactor running, it is necessary to study the elemental move characteristic of nickel-based alloys in the high temperature molten salts. In this work, the scanning nuclear microprobe at Fudan University was applied to study the elemental move. The Nickel-based alloy samples were corroded by molten salt at different temperatures. The element concentrations in the Nickel-based alloys samples were determined by the scanning nuclear microprobe. Micro-PIXE results showed that the element concentrations changed from the interior to the exterior of the alloy samples after the corrosion.

A Compton suppressed detector multiplicity trigger based digital DAQ for gamma-ray spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, S.; Samanta, S.; Banik, R.; Bhattacharjee, R.; Basu, K.; Raut, R.; Ghugre, S. S.; Sinha, A. K.; Bhattacharya, S.; Imran, S.; Mukherjee, G.; Bhattacharyya, S.; Goswami, A.; Palit, R.; Tan, H.

2018-06-01

The development of a digitizer based pulse processing and data acquisition system for γ-ray spectroscopy with large detector arrays is presented. The system is based on 250 MHz 12-bit digitizers, and is triggered by a user chosen multiplicity of Compton suppressed detectors. The logic for trigger generation is similar to the one practised for analog (NIM/CAMAC) pulse processing electronics, while retaining the fast processing merits of the digitizer system. Codes for reduction of data acquired from the system have also been developed. The system has been tested with offline studies using radioactive sources as well as in the in-beam experiments with an array of Compton suppressed Clover detectors. The results obtained therefrom validate its use in spectroscopic efforts for nuclear structure investigations.

Monitoring of atmospheric nuclear explosions with infrasonic microphone arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Charles R.

2002-11-01

A review is given of the various United States programs for the infrasonic monitoring of atmospheric nuclear explosions from their inception in 1946 to their termination in 1975. The US Atomic Energy Detection System (USAEDS) monitored all nuclear weapons tests that were conducted by the Soviet Union, France, China, and the US with arrays of sensitive microbarographs in a worldwide network of infrasonic stations. A discussion of the source mechanism for the creation and subsequent propagation around the globe of long wavelength infrasound from explosions (volcanic and nuclear) is given to show the efficacy of infrasonic monitoring for the detection of atmospheric nuclear weapons tests. The equipment that was used for infrasound detection, the design of the sensor arrays, and the data processing techniques that were used by USAEDS are all discussed.

Position sensitive detection of nuclear radiation mediated by non equilibrium phonons at low temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pröbst, F.; Peterreins, Th.; Feilitzsch, F. v.; Kraus, H.

1990-03-01

Many experiments in nuclear and particle physics would benefit from the development of a device capable of detecting non-ionizing events with a low energy threshold. In this context, we report on experimental tests of a detector based on the registration of nonequilibrium phonons. The device is composed of a silicon single crystal (size: 20×10×3 mm 3) and of an array of superconducting tunnel junctions evaporated onto the surface of the crystal. The junctions serve as sensors for phonons created by absorption of nuclear radiation in the crystal. We show how pulse height analysis and the investigation of time differences between correlated pulses in different junctions can be used to obtain information about the point of absorption.

Development of a Three Dimensional Perfectly Matched Layer for Transient Elasto-Dynamic Analyses

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

MacLean [Ref. 47] intro- duced a small tracked vehicle with dual inertial mass shakers mounted on top as a mobile source. It excited Rayleigh waves, but...routine initializes and set default values for; * the aplication parameters * the material data base parameters * the entries to appear on the...Underground seismic array experiments. National In- stitute of Nuclear Physics, 2005. [47] D. J. MacLean. Mobile source development for seismic-sonar based

WebArray: an online platform for microarray data analysis

PubMed Central

Xia, Xiaoqin; McClelland, Michael; Wang, Yipeng

2005-01-01

Background Many cutting-edge microarray analysis tools and algorithms, including commonly used limma and affy packages in Bioconductor, need sophisticated knowledge of mathematics, statistics and computer skills for implementation. Commercially available software can provide a user-friendly interface at considerable cost. To facilitate the use of these tools for microarray data analysis on an open platform we developed an online microarray data analysis platform, WebArray, for bench biologists to utilize these tools to explore data from single/dual color microarray experiments. Results The currently implemented functions were based on limma and affy package from Bioconductor, the spacings LOESS histogram (SPLOSH) method, PCA-assisted normalization method and genome mapping method. WebArray incorporates these packages and provides a user-friendly interface for accessing a wide range of key functions of limma and others, such as spot quality weight, background correction, graphical plotting, normalization, linear modeling, empirical bayes statistical analysis, false discovery rate (FDR) estimation, chromosomal mapping for genome comparison. Conclusion WebArray offers a convenient platform for bench biologists to access several cutting-edge microarray data analysis tools. The website is freely available at . It runs on a Linux server with Apache and MySQL. PMID:16371165

Detection of Nuclear Explosions Using Infrasound Techniques

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

signal correlation between array elements in these arrays can seriously limit the reliable detection of infrasound generated ...goals of this investigation are to identify problems with the detection of explosion- generated infrasonic signals at stations in the global infrasound ...restricted to a thermospheric waveguide. The second part is focused on the limitations imposed on array detection of explosion- generated infrasound

Natural convection heat transfer for a staggered array of heated, horizontal cylinders within a rectangular enclosure

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

Triplett, C.E.

1996-12-01

This thesis presents the results of an experimental investigation of natural convection heat transfer in a staggered array of heated cylinders, oriented horizontally within a rectangular enclosure. The main purpose of this research was to extend the knowledge of heat transfer within enclosed bundles of spent nuclear fuel rods sealed within a shipping or storage container. This research extends Canaan`s investigation of an aligned array of heated cylinders that thermally simulated a boiling water reactor (BWR) spent fuel assembly sealed within a shipping or storage cask. The results are presented in terms of piecewise Nusselt-Rayleigh number correlations of the formmore » Nu = C(Ra){sup n}, where C and n are constants. Correlations are presented both for individual rods within the array and for the array as a whole. The correlations are based only on the convective component of the heat transfer. The radiative component was calculated with a finite-element code that used measured surface temperatures, rod array geometry, and measured surface emissivities as inputs. The correlation results are compared to Canaan`s aligned array results and to other studies of natural convection in horizontal tube arrays.« less

Velocity Model Using the Large-N Seismic Array from the Source Physics Experiment (SPE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, T.; Snelson, C. M.

2016-12-01

The Source Physics Experiment (SPE) is a multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary project that consists of a series of chemical explosions conducted at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The goal of SPE is to understand the complicated effect of geological structures on seismic wave propagation and source energy partitioning, develop and validate physics-based modeling, and ultimately better monitor low-yield nuclear explosions. A Large-N seismic array was deployed at the SPE site to image the full 3D wavefield from the most recent SPE-5 explosion on April 26, 2016. The Large-N seismic array consists of 996 geophones (half three-component and half vertical-component sensors), and operated for one month, recording the SPE-5 shot, ambient noise, and additional controlled-sources (a large hammer). This study uses Large-N array recordings of the SPE-5 chemical explosion to develop high resolution images of local geologic structures. We analyze different phases of recorded seismic data and construct a velocity model based on arrival times. The results of this study will be incorporated into the large modeling and simulation efforts as ground-truth further validating the models.

Uniting of NuSTAR Spacecraft and Rocket

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-23

Inside an environmental enclosure at Vandenberg Air Force Base processing facility in California, solar panels line the sides of NASA Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array NuSTAR, which was just joined to the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket.

Static Corrections to Improve Seismic Monitoring of the North Korean Nuclear Test Site with Regional Arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilkins, N.; Wookey, J. M.; Selby, N. D.

2017-12-01

Seismology is an important part of the International Monitoring System (IMS) installed to detect, identify, and locate nuclear detonations in breach of the Comprehensive nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) prior to and after its entry into force. Seismic arrays in particular provide not only a means of detecting and locating underground nuclear explosions, but in discriminating them from naturally occurring earthquakes of similar magnitude. One potential discriminant is the amplitude ratio of high frequency (> 2 Hz) P waves to S waves (P/S) measured at regional distances (3 - 17 °). Accurate measurement of such discriminants, and the ability to detect low-magnitude seismicity from a suspicious event relies on high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) data. A correction to the slowness vector of the incident seismic wavefield, and static corrections applied to the waveforms recorded at each receiver within the array can be shown to improve the SNR. We apply codes we have developed to calculate slowness-azimuth station corrections (SASCs) and static corrections to the arrival time and amplitude of the seismic waveform to seismic arrays regional to the DPRK nuclear test site at Punggye-ri, North Korea. We use the F-statistic to demonstrate the SNR improvement to data from the nuclear tests and other seismic events in the vicinity of the test site. We also make new measurements of P/S with the corrected waveforms and compare these with existing measurements.

Nuclear shell model code CRUNCHER

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

Resler, D.A.; Grimes, S.M.

1988-05-01

A new nuclear shell model code CRUNCHER, patterned after the code VLADIMIR, has been developed. While CRUNCHER and VLADIMIR employ the techniques of an uncoupled basis and the Lanczos process, improvements in the new code allow it to handle much larger problems than the previous code and to perform them more efficiently. Tests involving a moderately sized calculation indicate that CRUNCHER running on a SUN 3/260 workstation requires approximately one-half the central processing unit (CPU) time required by VLADIMIR running on a CRAY-1 supercomputer.

Phospholipid Regulation of the Nuclear Receptor Superfamily

PubMed Central

Crowder, Mark K.; Seacrist, Corey D.; Blind, Raymond D.

2016-01-01

Nuclear receptors are ligand-activated transcription factors whose diverse biological functions are classically regulated by cholesterol-based small molecules. Over the past few decades, a growing body of evidence has demonstrated that phospholipids and other similar amphipathic molecules can also specifically bind and functionally regulate the activity of certain nuclear receptors, suggesting a critical role for these non-cholesterol-based molecules in transcriptional regulation. Phosphatidylcholines, phosphoinositides and sphingolipids are a few of the many phospholipid like molecules shown to quite specifically regulate nuclear receptors in mouse models, cell lines and in vitro. More recent evidence has also shown that certain nuclear receptors can “present” a bound phospholipid headgroup to key lipid signaling enzymes, which can then modify the phospholipid headgroup with very unique kinetic properties. Here, we review the broad array of phospholipid / nuclear receptor interactions, from the perspective of the chemical nature of the phospholipid, and the cellular abundance of the phospholipid. We also view the data in the light of well established paradigms for phospholipid mediated transcriptional regulation, as well as newer models of how phospholipids might effect transcription in the acute regulation of complex nuclear signaling pathways. Thus, this review provides novel insight into the new, non-membrane associated roles nuclear phospholipids play in regulating complex nuclear events, centered on the nuclear receptor superfamily of transcription factors. PMID:27838257

Noise test system of rotating machinery in nuclear power station based on microphone array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Xincai; Guan, Jishi; Qi, Liangcai

2017-12-01

Rotating machinery plays an important role in all walks of life. Once the equipment fails, equipment maintenance and shutdown will cause great social harm and economic losses. Equipment safety operations at nuclear power stations have always been of top priority. It is prone to noise when the equipment is out of order or aging. Failure to find or develop equipment at the initial stage of equipment failure or ageing will pose a serious threat to the safety of the plant’s equipment. In this paper, sound imaging diagnosis technology is applied as a supplementary method to the condition monitoring and diagnosis system of rotating machinery in nuclear power stations. It provides a powerful guarantee for the condition monitoring and fault diagnosis of rotating machinery in nuclear power stations.

A front-end electronic system for large arrays of bolometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnaboldi, C.; Carniti, P.; Cassina, L.; Gotti, C.; Liu, X.; Maino, M.; Pessina, G.; Rosenfeld, C.; Zhu, B. X.

2018-02-01

CUORE is an array of thermal calorimeters composed of 988 crystals held at about 10 mK, whose absorbed energy is read out with semiconductor thermistors. The composition of the crystal is TeO2, and the aim is the study of the double beta decay of 130Te on very long and stable runs. CUPID-0 is an array of 26 Zn82Se crystals with double thermistor readout to study the double beta decay of 82Se. In the present paper, we present an overview of the entire front-end electronic readout chain, from the preamplifier to the anti-aliasing filter. This overview includes motivations, design strategies, circuit implementation and performance results of the electronic system, including other auxiliary yet important elements like power supplies and the slow control communication system. The stringent requirements of stability on the very long experimental runs that are foreseen during CUORE and CUPID-0 operation, are achieved thanks to novel solutions of the front-end preamplifier and of the detector bias circuit setup.

Flexible corner cube retroreflector array for temperature and strain sensing† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c7ra13284k

PubMed Central

Khalid, Muhammad Waqas; Ahmed, Rajib; Yetisen, Ali K.

2018-01-01

Optical sensors for detecting temperature and strain play a crucial role in the analysis of environmental conditions and real-time remote sensing. However, the development of a single optical device that can sense temperature and strain simultaneously remains a challenge. Here, a flexible corner cube retroreflector (CCR) array based on passive dual optical sensing (temperature and strain) is demonstrated. A mechanical embossing process was utilised to replicate a three-dimensional (3D) CCR array in a soft flexible polymer film. The fabricated flexible CCR array samples were experimentally characterised through reflection measurements followed by computational modelling. As fabricated samples were illuminated with a monochromatic laser beam (635, 532, and 450 nm), a triangular shape reflection was obtained at the far-field. The fabricated flexible CCR array samples tuned retroreflected light based on external stimuli (temperature and strain as an applied force). For strain and temperature sensing, an applied force and temperature, in the form of weight suspension, and heat flow was applied to alter the replicated CCR surface structure, which in turn changed its optical response. Directional reflection from the heated flexible CCR array surface was also measured with tilt angle variation (max. up to 10°). Soft polymer CCRs may have potential in remote sensing applications, including measuring the temperature in space and in nuclear power stations. PMID:29568510

Search in 8 TeV proton-proton collisions with the MoEDAL monopole-trapping test array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinfold, J.; Soluk, R.; Lacarrère, D.; Katre, A.; Mermod, P.; Bendtz, K.; Milstead, D.

2014-06-01

The magnetic monopole appears in theories of spontaneous gauge symmetry breaking and its existence would explain the quantisation of electric charge. MoEDAL is the latest approved LHC experiment, designed to search directly for monopoles produced in high-energy collisions. It has now taken data for the first time. The MoEDAL detectors are based on two complementary techniques: nuclear-track detectors are sensitive to the high-ionisation signature expected from a monopole, and the magnetic monopole trapper (MMT) relies on the stopping and trapping of monopoles inside an aluminium array which is then analysed with a superconducting magnetometer. The first results obtained with the MoEDAL MMT test array deployed in 2012 are presented. This experiment probes monopoles carrying a multiple of the fundamental unit magnetic charge for the first time at the LHC.

The status and initial results of the Majorana demonstrator experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guiseppe, V. E.; Abgrall, N.; Alvis, S. I.; Arnquist, I. J.; Avignone, F. T.; Barabash, A. S.; Barton, C. J.; Bertrand, F. E.; Bode, T.; Bradley, A. W.; Brudanin, V.; Busch, M.; Buuck, M.; Caldwell, T. S.; Chan, Y.-D.; Christofferson, C. D.; Chu, P.-H.; Cuesta, C.; Detwiler, J. A.; Dunagan, C.; Efremenko, Yu.; Ejiri, H.; Elliott, S. R.; Gilliss, T.; Giovanetti, G. K.; Green, M. P.; Gruszko, J.; Guinn, I. S.; Haufe, C. R.; Hehn, L.; Henning, R.; Hoppe, E. W.; Howe, M. A.; Keeter, K. J.; Kidd, M. F.; Konovalov, S. I.; Kouzes, R. T.; Lopez, A. M.; Martin, R. D.; Massarczyk, R.; Meijer, S. J.; Mertens, S.; Myslik, J.; O'Shaughnessy, C.; Othman, G.; Poon, A. W. P.; Radford, D. C.; Rager, J.; Reine, A. L.; Rielage, K.; Robertson, R. G. H.; Rouf, N. W.; Shanks, B.; Shirchenko, M.; Suriano, A. M.; Tedeschi, D.; Trimble, J. E.; Varner, R. L.; Vasilyev, S.; Vetter, K.; Vorren, K.; White, B. R.; Wilkerson, J. F.; Wiseman, C.; Xu, W.; Yakushev, E.; Yu, C.-H.; Yumatov, V.; Zhitnikov, I.; Zhu, B. X.

2017-10-01

Neutrinoless double-beta decay searches play a major role in determining the nature of neutrinos, the existence of a lepton violating process, and the effective Majorana neutrino mass. The Majorana Collaboration assembled an array of high purity Ge detectors to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in 76Ge. The Majorana Demonstrator is comprised of 44.1 kg (29.7 kg enriched in 76Ge) of Ge detectors divided between two modules contained in a low-background shield at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota, USA. The initial goals of the Demonstrator are to establish the required background and scalability of a Ge-based next-generation ton-scale experiment. Following a commissioning run that started in 2015, the first detector module started low-background data production in early 2016. The second detector module was added in August 2016 to begin operation of the entire array. We discuss results of the initial physics runs, as well as the status and physics reach of the full Majorana Demonstrator experiment.

KSC-2012-1360

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-16

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- NuSTAR’s X-ray telescope is visible during the solar array deployment test at Vandenberg Air Force Base's processing facility in California. The Pegasus will launch NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array NuSTAR into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy x-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2012-1358

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-16

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- As a technician monitors the solar array deployment test at Vandenberg Air Force Base's processing facility in California, NuSTAR’s X-ray telescope is visible. The Pegasus will launch NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array NuSTAR into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy x-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2012-1359

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-16

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- As a technician monitors the solar array deployment test at Vandenberg Air Force Base's processing facility in California, NuSTAR’s X-ray telescope is visible. The Pegasus will launch NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array NuSTAR into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy x-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

An Evaluation of North Korea’s Nuclear Test by Belbasi Nuclear Tests Monitoring Center-KOERI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Necmioglu, O.; Meral Ozel, N.; Semin, K.

2009-12-01

Bogazici University and Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute (KOERI) is acting as the Turkish National Data Center (NDC) and responsible for the operation of the International Monitoring System (IMS) Primary Seismic Station (PS-43) under Belbasi Nuclear Tests Monitoring Center for the verification of compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) since February 2000. The NDC is responsible for operating two arrays which are part of the IMS, as well as for transmitting data from these stations to the International Data Centre (IDC) in Vienna. The Belbasi array was established in 1951, as a four-element (Benioff 1051) seismic array as part of the United States Atomic Energy Detection System (USAEDS). Turkish General Staff (TGS) and U.S. Air Force Technical Application Center (AFTAC) under the Defense and Economic Cooperation Agreement (DECA) jointly operated this short period array. The station was upgraded and several seismometers were added to array during 1951 and 1994 and the station code was changed from BSRS (Belbasi Seismic Research Station) to BRTR-PS43 later on. PS-43 is composed of two sub-arrays (Ankara and Keskin): the medium-period array with a ~40 km radius located in Ankara and the short-period array with a ~3 km radius located in Keskin. Each array has a broadband element located at the middle of the circular geometry. Short period instruments are installed at depth 30 meters from the surface while medium and broadband instruments are installed at depth 60 meters from surface. On 25 May 2009, The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) claimed that it had conducted a nuclear test. Corresponding seismic event was recorded by IMS and IDC released first automatic estimation of time (00:54:43 GMT), location (41.2896°N and 129.0480°E) and the magnitude (4.52 mb) of the event in less than two hours time (USGS: 00:54:43 GMT; 41.306°N, 129.029°E; 4.7 mb) During our preliminary analysis of the 25th May 2009 DPRK event, we saw a very clear P arrival at 01:05:47 (GMT) at BRTR SP array. The result of the f-k analysis performed in Geotool software, installed at NDC facilities in 2008 and is in full use currently, was also indicating that the arrival belongs to the DPRK event. When comparing our f-k results (calculated at 1-2 Hz) with IDC-REB, however, we have noticed that our calculation and therefore corresponding residuals (calculated with reference to REB residuals) are much better in comparison to REB. The reasons of this ambiguity have been explored and for the first time a comprehensive seismological analysis of a Nuclear Test has been conducted in Turkey. CTBT has an important role for the implementation of the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and it is a key element for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament. In this study, we would like to reflect the technical and scientific aspects of the 25 May 2009 DPRK event analysis, together with our involvement in CTBT(O) affairs, which we believe it brings new dimensions to Turkey especially in the area of Geophysics.

Instrument Performance of GISMO, a 2 Millimeter TES Bolometer Camera used at the IRAM 30 m Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Staguhn, Johannes

2008-01-01

In November of 2007 we demonstrated a monolithic Backshort-Under-Grid (BUG) 8x16 array in the field using our 2 mm wavelength imager GISMO (Goddard IRAM Superconducting 2 Millimeter Observer) at the IRAM 30 m telescope in Spain for astronomical observations. The 2 mm spectral range provides a unique terrestrial window enabling ground-based observations of the earliest active dusty galaxies in the universe and thereby allowing a better constraint on the star formation rate in these objects. The optical design incorporates a 100 mm diameter silicon lens cooled to 4 K, which provides the required fast beam yielding 0.9 lambda/D pixels. With this spatial sampling, GISMO will be very efficient at detecting sources serendipitously in large sky surveys, while the capability for diffraction limited imaging is preserved. The camera provides significantly greater detection sensitivity and mapping speed at this wavelength than has previously been possible. The instrument will fill in the spectral energy distribution of high redshift galaxies at the Rayleigh-Jeans part of the dust emission spectrum, even at the highest redshifts. Here1 will we present early results from our observing run with the first fielded BUG bolometer array. We have developed key technologies to enable highly versatile, kilopixel, infrared through millimeter wavelength bolometer arrays. The Backshort-Under-Grid (BUG) array consists of three components: 1) a transition-edge-sensor (TES) based bolometer array with background-limited sensitivity and high filling factor, 2) a quarter-wave reflective backshort grid providing high optical efficiency, and 3) a superconducting bump-bonded large format Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) multiplexer readout. The array is described in more detail elsewhere (Allen et al., this conference). In November of 2007 we demonstrated a monolithic 8x 16 array with 2 mm-pitch detectors in the field using our 2 mm wavelength imager GISMO (Goddard IRAM Superconducting 2 Millimeter Observer) at the IRAM 30 m telescope in Spain for astronomical observations. The 2 mm spectral range provides a unique terrestrial window enabling ground-based observations of the earliest active dusty galaxies in the universe and thereby allowing a better constraint on the star formation rate in these objects. The optical design incorporates a 100 mm diameter silicon lens cooled to 4 K, which provides the required fast beam yielding 0.9 lambda1D pixels. With this spatial sampling, GISMO will be very efficient at detecting sources serendipitously in large sky surveys, while the capability for diffraction limited imaging is preserved. The camera provides significantly greater detection sensitivity and mapping speed at this wavelength than has previously been possible. The instrument will fill in the spectral energy distribution of high redshift galaxies at the Rayleigh-Jeans part of the dust emission spectrum, even at the highest redshifts. Here I will we present early results from our observing run with the first fielded BUG bolometer array.

Modeling and Simulation of Ceramic Arrays to Improve Ballistic Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-01

30cal AP M2 Projectile, 762x39 PS Projectile, SPH , Aluminum 5083, SiC, DoP Expeminets, AutoDyn Sin 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: UU a. REPORT b...projectile and are modeled using SPH elements in AutoDyn □ Center strike model validation runs with SiC tiles are conducted based on the DOP...Smoothed-particle hydrodynamics ( SPH ) used for all parts, SPH Size = 0.2 3 SiC and SiC 2 are identical in properties and dimensions

Linac based photofission inspection system employing novel detection concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevenson, John; Gozani, Tsahi; Elsalim, Mashal; Condron, Cathie; Brown, Craig

2011-10-01

Rapiscan Systems is developing a LINAC based cargo inspection system for detection of special nuclear material (SNM) in cargo containers. The system, called Photofission Based Alarm Resolution (PBAR) is being developed under a DHD/DNDO Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) program. The PBAR system is based on the Rapiscan Eagle P9000 X-ray system, which is a portal system with a commercial 9 MeV LINAC X-ray source. For the purposes of the DNDO ATD program, a conveyor system was installed in the portal to allow scanning and precise positioning of 20 ft ISO cargo containers. The system uses a two step inspection process. In the first step, the basic scan, the container is quickly and completely inspected using two independent radiography arrays: the conventional primary array with high spatial resolution and a lower resolution spectroscopic array employing the novel Z-Spec method. The primary array uses cadmium tungstate (CdWO 4) detectors with conventional current mode readouts using photodiodes. The Z-Spec array uses small plastic scintillators capable of performing very fast (up to 10 8 cps) gamma-ray spectroscopy. The two radiography arrays are used to locate high-Z objects in the image such as lead, tungsten, uranium, which could be potential shielding materials as well as SNM itself. In the current system, the Z-Spec works by measuring the energy spectrum of transmitted X-rays. For high-Z materials the higher end of the energy spectrum is more attenuated than for low-Z materials and thus has a lower mean energy and a narrower width than low- and medium-Z materials. The second step in the inspection process is the direct scan or alarm clearing scan. In this step, areas of the container image, which were identified as high Z, are re-inspected. This is done by precisely repositioning the container to the location of the high-Z object and performing a stationary irradiation of the area with X-ray beam. Since there are a large number of photons in the 9 MV Bremsstrahlung spectrum above the photofission "threshold" of about 6 MeV, the X-ray beam induces numerous fissions if nuclear material is present. The PBAR system looks for the two most prolific fission signatures to confirm the presence of special nuclear materials (SNM). These are prompt neutrons and delayed gamma rays. The PBAR system uses arrays of two types of fast and highly efficient gamma ray detectors: plastic and fluorocarbon scintillators. The latter serves as a detector of fission prompt neutrons using the novel threshold activation detector (TAD) concept as well as a very efficient delayed gamma ray detector. The major advantage of TAD for detecting the prompt neutrons is its insensitivity to the intense source related backgrounds. The current status of the system and experimental results will be shown and discussed.

Fabrication and testing of a 4-node micro-pocket fission detector array for the Kansas State University TRIGA Mk. II research nuclear reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reichenberger, Michael A.; Nichols, Daniel M.; Stevenson, Sarah R.; Swope, Tanner M.; Hilger, Caden W.; Unruh, Troy C.; McGregor, Douglas S.; Roberts, Jeremy A.

2017-08-01

Advancements in nuclear reactor core modeling and computational capability have encouraged further development of in-core neutron sensors. Micro-Pocket Fission Detectors (MPFDs) have been fabricated and tested previously, but successful testing of these prior detectors was limited to single-node operation with specialized designs. Described in this work is a modular, four-node MPFD array fabricated and tested at Kansas State University (KSU). The four sensor nodes were equally spaced to span the length of the fuel-region of the KSU TRIGA Mk. II research nuclear reactor core. The encapsulated array was filled with argon gas, serving as an ionization medium in the small cavities of the MPFDs. The unified design improved device ruggedness and simplified construction over previous designs. A 0.315-in. (8-mm) penetration in the upper grid plate of the KSU TRIGA Mk. II research nuclear reactor was used to deploy the array between fuel elements in the core. The MPFD array was coupled to an electronic support system which has been developed to support pulse-mode operation. Neutron-induced pulses were observed on all four sensor channels. Stable device operation was confirmed by testing under steady-state reactor conditions. Each of the four sensors in the array responded to changes in reactor power between 10 kWth and full power (750 kWth). Reactor power transients were observed in real-time including positive transients with periods of 5, 15, and 30 s. Finally, manual reactor power oscillations were observed in real-time.

Adaptive DFT-Based Interferometer Fringe Tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Edward; Pedretti, Ettore; Bregman, Jesse; Mah, Robert W.; Traub, Wesley A.

An automatic interferometer fringe tracking system has been developed, implemented, and tested at the Infrared Optical Telescope Array (IOTA) Observatory at Mount Hopkins, Arizona. The system can minimize the optical path differences (OPDs) for all three baselines of the Michelson stellar interferometer at IOTA. Based on sliding window discrete Fourier-transform (DFT) calculations that were optimized for computational efficiency and robustness to atmospheric disturbances, the algorithm has also been tested extensively on offline data. Implemented in ANSI C on the 266 MHz PowerPC processor running the VxWorks real-time operating system, the algorithm runs in approximately 2.0 milliseconds per scan (including all three interferograms), using the science camera and piezo scanners to measure and correct the OPDs. The adaptive DFT-based tracking algorithm should be applicable to other systems where there is a need to detect or track a signal with an approximately constant-frequency carrier pulse. One example of such an application might be to the field of thin-film measurement by ellipsometry, using a broadband light source and a Fourier-transform spectrometer to detect the resulting fringe patterns.

Adaptive DFT-Based Interferometer Fringe Tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Edward; Pedretti, Ettore; Bregman, Jesse; Mah, Robert W.; Traub, Wesley A.

2005-12-01

An automatic interferometer fringe tracking system has been developed, implemented, and tested at the Infrared Optical Telescope Array (IOTA) Observatory at Mount Hopkins, Arizona. The system can minimize the optical path differences (OPDs) for all three baselines of the Michelson stellar interferometer at IOTA. Based on sliding window discrete Fourier-transform (DFT) calculations that were optimized for computational efficiency and robustness to atmospheric disturbances, the algorithm has also been tested extensively on offline data. Implemented in ANSI C on the 266 MHz PowerPC processor running the VxWorks real-time operating system, the algorithm runs in approximately [InlineEquation not available: see fulltext.] milliseconds per scan (including all three interferograms), using the science camera and piezo scanners to measure and correct the OPDs. The adaptive DFT-based tracking algorithm should be applicable to other systems where there is a need to detect or track a signal with an approximately constant-frequency carrier pulse. One example of such an application might be to the field of thin-film measurement by ellipsometry, using a broadband light source and a Fourier-transform spectrometer to detect the resulting fringe patterns.

Resource Efficient Hardware Architecture for Fast Computation of Running Max/Min Filters

PubMed Central

Torres-Huitzil, Cesar

2013-01-01

Running max/min filters on rectangular kernels are widely used in many digital signal and image processing applications. Filtering with a k × k kernel requires of k 2 − 1 comparisons per sample for a direct implementation; thus, performance scales expensively with the kernel size k. Faster computations can be achieved by kernel decomposition and using constant time one-dimensional algorithms on custom hardware. This paper presents a hardware architecture for real-time computation of running max/min filters based on the van Herk/Gil-Werman (HGW) algorithm. The proposed architecture design uses less computation and memory resources than previously reported architectures when targeted to Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) devices. Implementation results show that the architecture is able to compute max/min filters, on 1024 × 1024 images with up to 255 × 255 kernels, in around 8.4 milliseconds, 120 frames per second, at a clock frequency of 250 MHz. The implementation is highly scalable for the kernel size with good performance/area tradeoff suitable for embedded applications. The applicability of the architecture is shown for local adaptive image thresholding. PMID:24288456

Operate a Nuclear Power Plant.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frimpter, Bonnie J.; And Others

1983-01-01

Describes classroom use of a computer program originally published in Creative Computing magazine. "The Nuclear Power Plant" (runs on Apple II with 48K memory) simulates the operating of a nuclear generating station, requiring students to make decisions as they assume the task of managing the plant. (JN)

Contextual classification on a CDC Flexible Processor system. [for photomapped remote sensing data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, B. W.; Siegel, H. J.; Swain, P. H.

1981-01-01

A potential hardware organization for the Flexible Processor Array is presented. An algorithm that implements a contextual classifier for remote sensing data analysis is given, along with uniprocessor classification algorithms. The Flexible Processor algorithm is provided, as are simulated timings for contextual classifiers run on the Flexible Processor Array and another system. The timings are analyzed for context neighborhoods of sizes three and nine.

Research on pressure control of pressurizer in pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Ling; Yang, Xuhong; Liu, Gang; Ye, Jianhua; Qian, Hong; Xue, Yang

2010-07-01

Pressurizer is one of the most important components in the nuclear reactor system. Its function is to keep the pressure of the primary circuit. It can prevent shutdown of the system from the reactor accident under the normal transient state while keeping the setting value in the normal run-time. This paper is mainly research on the pressure system which is running in the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant. A conventional PID controller and a fuzzy controller are designed through analyzing the dynamic characteristics and calculating the transfer function. Then a fuzzy PID controller is designed by analyzing the results of two controllers. The fuzzy PID controller achieves the optimal control system finally.

Sparse interferometric millimeter-wave array for centimeter-level 100-m standoff imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suen, Jonathan Y.; Lubin, Philip M.; Solomon, Steven L.; Ginn, Robert P.

2013-05-01

We present work on the development of a long range standoff concealed weapons detection system capable of imaging under very heavy clothing at distances exceeding 100 m with a cm resolution. The system is based off a combination of phased array technologies used in radio astronomy and SAR radar by using a coherent, multi-frequency reconstruction algorithm which can run at up to 1000 Hz frame rates and high SNR with a multi-tone transceiver. We show the flexible design space of our system as well as algorithm development, predicted system performance and impairments, and simulated reconstructed images. The system can be used for a variety of purposes including portal applications, crowd scanning and tactical situations. Additional uses include seeing through dust and fog.

Sensitivity analysis of the add-on price estimate for the silicon web growth process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mokashi, A. R.

1981-01-01

The web growth process, a silicon-sheet technology option, developed for the flat plate solar array (FSA) project, was examined. Base case data for the technical and cost parameters for the technical and commercial readiness phase of the FSA project are projected. The process add on price, using the base case data for cost parameters such as equipment, space, direct labor, materials and utilities, and the production parameters such as growth rate and run length, using a computer program developed specifically to do the sensitivity analysis with improved price estimation are analyzed. Silicon price, sheet thickness and cell efficiency are also discussed.

A Multiprocessor SoC Architecture with Efficient Communication Infrastructure and Advanced Compiler Support for Easy Application Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urfianto, Mohammad Zalfany; Isshiki, Tsuyoshi; Khan, Arif Ullah; Li, Dongju; Kunieda, Hiroaki

This paper presentss a Multiprocessor System-on-Chips (MPSoC) architecture used as an execution platform for the new C-language based MPSoC design framework we are currently developing. The MPSoC architecture is based on an existing SoC platform with a commercial RISC core acting as the host CPU. We extend the existing SoC with a multiprocessor-array block that is used as the main engine to run parallel applications modeled in our design framework. Utilizing several optimizations provided by our compiler, an efficient inter-communication between processing elements with minimum overhead is implemented. A host-interface is designed to integrate the existing RISC core to the multiprocessor-array. The experimental results show that an efficacious integration is achieved, proving that the designed communication module can be used to efficiently incorporate off-the-shelf processors as a processing element for MPSoC architectures designed using our framework.

Design of a neural network simulator on a transputer array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcintire, Gary; Villarreal, James; Baffes, Paul; Rua, Monica

1987-01-01

A brief summary of neural networks is presented which concentrates on the design constraints imposed. Major design issues are discussed together with analysis methods and the chosen solutions. Although the system will be capable of running on most transputer architectures, it currently is being implemented on a 40-transputer system connected to a toroidal architecture. Predictions show a performance level equivalent to that of a highly optimized simulator running on the SX-2 supercomputer.

Characterization and Performance Evaluation of an HPXe Detector for Nuclear Explosion Monitoring Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-01

performance of the detector, and to compare the performance with sodium iodide and germanium detectors. Monte Carlo ( MCNP ) simulation was used to...aluminum ~50% more efficient), and to estimate optimum shield dimensions for an HPXe based nuclear explosion monitor. MCNP modeling was also used to...detector were calculated with MCNP by using input activity levels as measured in routine NEM runs at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL

A 400 KHz line rate 2048 pixel modular SWIR linear array for earth observation applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anchlia, Ankur; Vinella, Rosa M.; Wouters, Kristof; Gielen, Daphne; Hooylaerts, Peter; Deroo, Pieter; Ruythooren, Wouter; van der Zanden, Koen; Vermeiren, Jan; Merken, Patrick

2015-10-01

In this paper, we report about a family of linear imaging FPAs sensitive in the [0.9 - 1.7um] band, developed for high speed applications such as LIDAR, wavelength references and OCT analyzers and also for earth observation applications. Fast linear FPAs can also be used in a wide variety of terrestrial applications, including high speed sorting, electro- and photo-luminesce and medical applications. The arrays are based on a modular ROIC design concept: modules of 512 pixels are stitched during fabrication to achieve 512, 1024 and 2048 pixel arrays. In principle, this concept can be extended to any multiple of 512 pixels, the limiting factor being the pixel yield of long InGaAs arrays and the CTE differences in the hybrid setup. Each 512-pixel module has its own on-chip digital sequencer, analog readout chain and 4 output buffers. This modular concept enables a long-linear array to run at a high line rate of 400 KHz irrespective of the array length, which limits the line rate in a traditional linear array. The pixel has a pitch of 12.5um. The detector frontend is based on CTIA (Capacitor Trans-impedance Amplifier), having 5 selectable integration capacitors giving full well from 62x103e- (gain0) to 40x106e- (gain4). An auto-zero circuit limits the detector bias non-uniformity to 5-10mV across broad intensity levels, limiting the input referred dark signal noise to 20e-rms for Tint=3ms at room temperature. An on-chip CDS that follows the CTIA facilitates removal of Reset/KTC noise, CTIA offsets and most of the 1/f noise. The measured noise of the ROIC is 35e-rms in gain0. At a master clock rate of 60MHz and a minimum integration time of 1.4us, the FPAs reach the highest line rate of 400 KHz.

Powering the Nuclear Navy (U.S. Department of Energy)

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

None

Secretary Perry toured the USS Harry Truman with Admiral Caldwell. The Truman is powered by the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Propulsion Program. These ships can run 25 years with a single nuclear-powered reactor. Secretary Perry was briefed on the importance of nuclear propulsion to the carrier’s capabilities. The Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program provides power plants that ensure safety, reliability, and extended deployment capacity.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy-Based Identification of Yeast.

PubMed

Himmelreich, Uwe; Sorrell, Tania C; Daniel, Heide-Marie

2017-01-01

Rapid and robust high-throughput identification of environmental, industrial, or clinical yeast isolates is important whenever relatively large numbers of samples need to be processed in a cost-efficient way. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy generates complex data based on metabolite profiles, chemical composition and possibly on medium consumption, which can not only be used for the assessment of metabolic pathways but also for accurate identification of yeast down to the subspecies level. Initial results on NMR based yeast identification where comparable with conventional and DNA-based identification. Potential advantages of NMR spectroscopy in mycological laboratories include not only accurate identification but also the potential of automated sample delivery, automated analysis using computer-based methods, rapid turnaround time, high throughput, and low running costs.We describe here the sample preparation, data acquisition and analysis for NMR-based yeast identification. In addition, a roadmap for the development of classification strategies is given that will result in the acquisition of a database and analysis algorithms for yeast identification in different environments.

ETHERNET BASED EMBEDDED SYSTEM FOR FEL DIAGNOSTICS AND CONTROLS

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

Jianxun Yan; Daniel Sexton; Steven Moore

2006-10-24

An Ethernet based embedded system has been developed to upgrade the Beam Viewer and Beam Position Monitor (BPM) systems within the free-electron laser (FEL) project at Jefferson Lab. The embedded microcontroller was mounted on the front-end I/O cards with software packages such as Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) and Real Time Executive for Multiprocessor System (RTEMS) running as an Input/Output Controller (IOC). By cross compiling with the EPICS, the RTEMS kernel, IOC device supports, and databases all of these can be downloaded into the microcontroller. The first version of the BPM electronics based on the embedded controller wasmore » built and is currently running in our FEL system. The new version of BPM that will use a Single Board IOC (SBIOC), which integrates with an Field Programming Gate Array (FPGA) and a ColdFire embedded microcontroller, is presently under development. The new system has the features of a low cost IOC, an open source real-time operating system, plug&play-like ease of installation and flexibility, and provides a much more localized solution.« less

Development of a Medium Density Combined-Species SNP Array for Pacific and European Oysters (Crassostrea gigas and Ostrea edulis).

PubMed

Gutierrez, Alejandro P; Turner, Frances; Gharbi, Karim; Talbot, Richard; Lowe, Natalie R; Peñaloza, Carolina; McCullough, Mark; Prodöhl, Paulo A; Bean, Tim P; Houston, Ross D

2017-07-05

SNP arrays are enabling tools for high-resolution studies of the genetic basis of complex traits in farmed and wild animals. Oysters are of critical importance in many regions from both an ecological and economic perspective, and oyster aquaculture forms a key component of global food security. The aim of our study was to design a combined-species, medium density SNP array for Pacific oyster ( Crassostrea gigas ) and European flat oyster ( Ostrea edulis ), and to test the performance of this array on farmed and wild populations from multiple locations, with a focus on European populations. SNP discovery was carried out by whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of pooled genomic DNA samples from eight C. gigas populations, and restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-Seq) of 11 geographically diverse O. edulis populations. Nearly 12 million candidate SNPs were discovered and filtered based on several criteria, including preference for SNPs segregating in multiple populations and SNPs with monomorphic flanking regions. An Affymetrix Axiom Custom Array was created and tested on a diverse set of samples ( n = 219) showing ∼27 K high quality SNPs for C. gigas and ∼11 K high quality SNPs for O. edulis segregating in these populations. A high proportion of SNPs were segregating in each of the populations, and the array was used to detect population structure and levels of linkage disequilibrium (LD). Further testing of the array on three C. gigas nuclear families ( n = 165) revealed that the array can be used to clearly distinguish between both families based on identity-by-state (IBS) clustering parental assignment software. This medium density, combined-species array will be publicly available through Affymetrix, and will be applied for genome-wide association and evolutionary genetic studies, and for genomic selection in oyster breeding programs. Copyright © 2017 Gutierrez et al.

Scanning moiré and spatial-offset phase-stepping for surface inspection of structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoneyama, S.; Morimoto, Y.; Fujigaki, M.; Ikeda, Y.

2005-06-01

In order to develop a high-speed and accurate surface inspection system of structures such as tunnels, a new surface profile measurement method using linear array sensors is studied. The sinusoidal grating is projected on a structure surface. Then, the deformed grating is scanned by linear array sensors that move together with the grating projector. The phase of the grating is analyzed by a spatial offset phase-stepping method to perform accurate measurement. The surface profile measurements of the wall with bricks and the concrete surface of a structure are demonstrated using the proposed method. The change of geometry or fabric of structures and the defects on structure surfaces can be detected by the proposed method. It is expected that the surface profile inspection system of tunnels measuring from a running train can be constructed based on the proposed method.

An acceleration framework for synthetic aperture radar algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Youngsoo; Gloster, Clay S.; Alexander, Winser E.

2017-04-01

Algorithms for radar signal processing, such as Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) are computationally intensive and require considerable execution time on a general purpose processor. Reconfigurable logic can be used to off-load the primary computational kernel onto a custom computing machine in order to reduce execution time by an order of magnitude as compared to kernel execution on a general purpose processor. Specifically, Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) can be used to accelerate these kernels using hardware-based custom logic implementations. In this paper, we demonstrate a framework for algorithm acceleration. We used SAR as a case study to illustrate the potential for algorithm acceleration offered by FPGAs. Initially, we profiled the SAR algorithm and implemented a homomorphic filter using a hardware implementation of the natural logarithm. Experimental results show a linear speedup by adding reasonably small processing elements in Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) as opposed to using a software implementation running on a typical general purpose processor.

Regional Seismic Arrays and Nuclear Test Ban Verification

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

estimation has been difficult to automate, at least for regional and teleseismic signals. A neural network approach might be applicable here. The data must...use of trained neural networks . Of the 95 events examined, 66 were selected for the classification study based on high signal-to-noise ratio and...the International Joint Conference on Neural Networks , Washington, D.C., June, 1989. Menke, W. Geophysical Data Analysis : Discrete Inverse Theory

Model-based assessment of a Northwestern Tropical Pacific moored array to monitor intraseasonal variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Danian; Zhu, Jiang; Shu, Yeqiang; Wang, Dongxiao; Wang, Weiqiang; Cai, Shuqun

2018-06-01

The Northwestern Tropical Pacific Ocean (NWTPO) moorings observing system, including 15 moorings, was established in 2013 to provide velocity profile data. Observing system simulation experiments (OSSEs) were carried out to assess the ability of the observation system to monitor intraseasonal variability in a pilot study, where ideal "mooring-observed" velocity was assimilated using Ensemble Optimal Interpolation (EnOI) based on the Regional Oceanic Modeling System (ROMS). Because errors between the control and "nature" runs have a mesoscale structure, a random ensemble derived from 20-90-day bandpass-filtered nine-year model outputs is proved to be more appropriate for the NWTPO mooring array assimilation than a random ensemble derived from a 30-day running mean. The simulation of the intraseasonal currents in the North Equatorial Current (NEC), North Equatorial Countercurrent (NECC), and Equatorial Undercurrent (EUC) areas can be improved by assimilating velocity profiles using a 20-90-day bandpass-filtered ensemble. The root mean square errors (RMSEs) of the intraseasonal zonal (U) and meridional velocity (V) above 500 m depth within the study area (between 0°N-18°N and 122°E-147°E) were reduced by 15.4% and 16.9%, respectively. Improvements in the downstream area of the NEC moorings transect were optimum where the RMSEs of the intraseasonal velocities above 500 m were reduced by more than 30%. Assimilating velocity profiles can have a positive impact on the simulation and forecast of thermohaline structure and sea level anomalies in the ocean.

Integrated Microfluidic Devices for Automated Microarray-Based Gene Expression and Genotyping Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Robin H.; Lodes, Mike; Fuji, H. Sho; Danley, David; McShea, Andrew

Microarray assays typically involve multistage sample processing and fluidic handling, which are generally labor-intensive and time-consuming. Automation of these processes would improve robustness, reduce run-to-run and operator-to-operator variation, and reduce costs. In this chapter, a fully integrated and self-contained microfluidic biochip device that has been developed to automate the fluidic handling steps for microarray-based gene expression or genotyping analysis is presented. The device consists of a semiconductor-based CustomArray® chip with 12,000 features and a microfluidic cartridge. The CustomArray was manufactured using a semiconductor-based in situ synthesis technology. The micro-fluidic cartridge consists of microfluidic pumps, mixers, valves, fluid channels, and reagent storage chambers. Microarray hybridization and subsequent fluidic handling and reactions (including a number of washing and labeling steps) were performed in this fully automated and miniature device before fluorescent image scanning of the microarray chip. Electrochemical micropumps were integrated in the cartridge to provide pumping of liquid solutions. A micromixing technique based on gas bubbling generated by electrochemical micropumps was developed. Low-cost check valves were implemented in the cartridge to prevent cross-talk of the stored reagents. Gene expression study of the human leukemia cell line (K562) and genotyping detection and sequencing of influenza A subtypes have been demonstrated using this integrated biochip platform. For gene expression assays, the microfluidic CustomArray device detected sample RNAs with a concentration as low as 0.375 pM. Detection was quantitative over more than three orders of magnitude. Experiment also showed that chip-to-chip variability was low indicating that the integrated microfluidic devices eliminate manual fluidic handling steps that can be a significant source of variability in genomic analysis. The genotyping results showed that the device identified influenza A hemagglutinin and neuraminidase subtypes and sequenced portions of both genes, demonstrating the potential of integrated microfluidic and microarray technology for multiple virus detection. The device provides a cost-effective solution to eliminate labor-intensive and time-consuming fluidic handling steps and allows microarray-based DNA analysis in a rapid and automated fashion.

Automated Array Assembly, Phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carbajal, B. G.

1979-01-01

The Automated Array Assembly Task, Phase 2 of the Low Cost Silicon Solar Array Project is a process development task. The contract provides for the fabrication of modules from large area tandem junction cells (TJC). During this quarter, effort was focused on the design of a large area, approximately 36 sq cm, TJC and process verification runs. The large area TJC design was optimized for minimum I squared R power losses. In the TJM activity, the cell-module interfaces were defined, module substrates were formed and heat treated and clad metal interconnect strips were fabricated.

A New Partial Reconfiguration-Based Fault-Injection System to Evaluate SEU Effects in SRAM-Based FPGAs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sterpone, L.; Violante, M.

2007-08-01

Modern SRAM-based field programmable gate array (FPGA) devices offer high capability in implementing complex system. Unfortunately, SRAM-based FPGAs are extremely sensitive to single event upsets (SEUs) induced by radiation particles. In order to successfully deploy safety- or mission-critical applications, designer need to validate the correctness of the obtained designs. In this paper we describe a system based on partial-reconfiguration for running fault-injection experiments within the configuration memory of SRAM-based FPGAs. The proposed fault-injection system uses the internal configuration capabilities that modern FPGAs offer in order to inject SEU within the configuration memory. Detailed experimental results show that the technique is orders of magnitude faster than previously proposed ones.

Accurate Detection of Dysmorphic Nuclei Using Dynamic Programming and Supervised Classification.

PubMed

Verschuuren, Marlies; De Vylder, Jonas; Catrysse, Hannes; Robijns, Joke; Philips, Wilfried; De Vos, Winnok H

2017-01-01

A vast array of pathologies is typified by the presence of nuclei with an abnormal morphology. Dysmorphic nuclear phenotypes feature dramatic size changes or foldings, but also entail much subtler deviations such as nuclear protrusions called blebs. Due to their unpredictable size, shape and intensity, dysmorphic nuclei are often not accurately detected in standard image analysis routines. To enable accurate detection of dysmorphic nuclei in confocal and widefield fluorescence microscopy images, we have developed an automated segmentation algorithm, called Blebbed Nuclei Detector (BleND), which relies on two-pass thresholding for initial nuclear contour detection, and an optimal path finding algorithm, based on dynamic programming, for refining these contours. Using a robust error metric, we show that our method matches manual segmentation in terms of precision and outperforms state-of-the-art nuclear segmentation methods. Its high performance allowed for building and integrating a robust classifier that recognizes dysmorphic nuclei with an accuracy above 95%. The combined segmentation-classification routine is bound to facilitate nucleus-based diagnostics and enable real-time recognition of dysmorphic nuclei in intelligent microscopy workflows.

Accurate Detection of Dysmorphic Nuclei Using Dynamic Programming and Supervised Classification

PubMed Central

Verschuuren, Marlies; De Vylder, Jonas; Catrysse, Hannes; Robijns, Joke; Philips, Wilfried

2017-01-01

A vast array of pathologies is typified by the presence of nuclei with an abnormal morphology. Dysmorphic nuclear phenotypes feature dramatic size changes or foldings, but also entail much subtler deviations such as nuclear protrusions called blebs. Due to their unpredictable size, shape and intensity, dysmorphic nuclei are often not accurately detected in standard image analysis routines. To enable accurate detection of dysmorphic nuclei in confocal and widefield fluorescence microscopy images, we have developed an automated segmentation algorithm, called Blebbed Nuclei Detector (BleND), which relies on two-pass thresholding for initial nuclear contour detection, and an optimal path finding algorithm, based on dynamic programming, for refining these contours. Using a robust error metric, we show that our method matches manual segmentation in terms of precision and outperforms state-of-the-art nuclear segmentation methods. Its high performance allowed for building and integrating a robust classifier that recognizes dysmorphic nuclei with an accuracy above 95%. The combined segmentation-classification routine is bound to facilitate nucleus-based diagnostics and enable real-time recognition of dysmorphic nuclei in intelligent microscopy workflows. PMID:28125723

Reliability of hybrid photovoltaic DC micro-grid systems for emergency shelters and other applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhere, Neelkanth G.; Schleith, Susan

2014-10-01

Improvement of energy efficiency in the SunSmart Schools Emergency Shelters requires new methods for optimizing the energy consumption within the shelters. One major limitation in current systems is the requirement of converting direct current (DC) power generated from the PV array into alternating current (AC) power which is distributed throughout the shelters. Oftentimes, this AC power is then converted back to DC to run certain appliances throughout the shelters resulting in a significant waste of energy due to DC to AC and then again AC to DC conversion. This paper seeks to extract the maximum value out of PV systems by directly powering essential load components within the shelters that already run on DC power without the use of an inverter and above all to make the system reliable and durable. Furthermore, additional DC applications such as LED lighting, televisions, computers and fans operated with DC brushless motors will be installed as replacements to traditional devices in order to improve efficiency and reduce energy consumption. Cost of energy storage technologies continue to decline as new technologies scale up and new incentives are put in place. This will provide a cost effective way to stabilize the energy generation of a PV system as well as to provide continuous energy during night hours. It is planned to develop a pilot program of an integrated system that can provide uninterrupted DC power to essential base load appliances (heating, cooling, lighting, etc.) at the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) command center for disaster management. PV arrays are proposed to be installed on energy efficient test houses at FSEC as well as at private homes having PV arrays where the owners volunteer to participate in the program. It is also planned to monitor the performance of the PV arrays and functioning of the appliances with the aim to improve their reliability and durability. After a successful demonstration of the hybrid DC microgrid based emergency shelter together with the monitoring system, it is planned to replicate it at other schools in Florida and elsewhere to provide continuous power for essential applications, maximizing the value of PV generation systems.

Navy Nuclear-Powered Surface Ships: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-03

the use of nuclear power to a wider array of Navy surface ships, including the Navy’s planned CG(X) cruiser. Section 1012 of the FY2008 Defense...wider array of Navy surface ships, starting with the Navy’s planned CG(X) cruiser. Section 1012 of the FY2008 Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 4986...CG(X) Cruiser Program: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress, by Ronald O’Rourke. 8 For more on the Navy’s 313-ship plan , see CRS

Develop an piezoelectric sensing based on SHM system for nuclear dry storage system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Linlin; Lin, Bin; Sun, Xiaoyi; Howden, Stephen; Yu, Lingyu

2016-04-01

In US, there are over 1482 dry cask storage system (DCSS) in use storing 57,807 fuel assemblies. Monitoring is necessary to determine and predict the degradation state of the systems and structures. Therefore, nondestructive monitoring is in urgent need and must be integrated into the fuel cycle to quantify the "state of health" for the safe operation of nuclear power plants (NPP) and radioactive waste storage systems (RWSS). Innovative approaches are desired to evaluate the degradation and damage of used fuel containers under extended storage. Structural health monitoring (SHM) is an emerging technology that uses in-situ sensory system to perform rapid nondestructive detection of structural damage as well as long-term integrity monitoring. It has been extensively studied in aerospace engineering over the past two decades. This paper presents the development of a SHM and damage detection methodology based on piezoelectric sensors technologies for steel canisters in nuclear dry cask storage system. Durability and survivability of piezoelectric sensors under temperature influence are first investigated in this work by evaluating sensor capacitance and electromechanical admittance. Toward damage detection, the PES are configured in pitch catch setup to transmit and receive guided waves in plate-like structures. When the inspected structure has damage such as a surface defect, the incident guided waves will be reflected or scattered resulting in changes in the wave measurements. Sparse array algorithm is developed and implemented using multiple sensors to image the structure. The sparse array algorithm is also evaluated at elevated temperature.

Analysis of the initiation of nuclear pore assembly by ectopically targeting nucleoporins to chromatin

PubMed Central

Schwartz, Michal; Travesa, Anna; Martell, Steven W; Forbes, Douglass J

2015-01-01

Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) form the gateway to the nucleus, mediating virtually all nucleocytoplasmic trafficking. Assembly of a nuclear pore complex requires the organization of many soluble sub-complexes into a final massive structure embedded in the nuclear envelope. By use of a LacI/LacO reporter system, we were able to assess nucleoporin (Nup) interactions, show that they occur with a high level of specificity, and identify nucleoporins sufficient for initiation of the complex process of NPC assembly in vivo. Eleven nucleoporins from different sub-complexes were fused to LacI-CFP and transfected separately into a human cell line containing a stably integrated LacO DNA array. The LacI-Nup fusion proteins, which bound to the array, were examined for their ability to recruit endogenous nucleoporins to the intranuclear LacO site. Many could recruit nucleoporins of the same sub-complex and a number could also recruit other sub-complexes. Strikingly, Nup133 and Nup107 of the Nup107/160 subcomplex and Nup153 and Nup50 of the nuclear pore basket recruited a near full complement of nucleoporins to the LacO array. Furthermore, Nup133 and Nup153 efficiently targeted the LacO array to the nuclear periphery. Our data support a hierarchical, seeded assembly pathway and identify Nup133 and Nup153 as effective “seeds” for NPC assembly. In addition, we show that this system can be applied to functional studies of individual nucleoporin domains as well as to specific nucleoporin disease mutations. We find that the R391H cardiac arrhythmia/sudden death mutation of Nup155 prevents both its subcomplex assembly and nuclear rim targeting of the LacO array. PMID:25602437

Parallelization and automatic data distribution for nuclear reactor simulations

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

Liebrock, L.M.

1997-07-01

Detailed attempts at realistic nuclear reactor simulations currently take many times real time to execute on high performance workstations. Even the fastest sequential machine can not run these simulations fast enough to ensure that the best corrective measure is used during a nuclear accident to prevent a minor malfunction from becoming a major catastrophe. Since sequential computers have nearly reached the speed of light barrier, these simulations will have to be run in parallel to make significant improvements in speed. In physical reactor plants, parallelism abounds. Fluids flow, controls change, and reactions occur in parallel with only adjacent components directlymore » affecting each other. These do not occur in the sequentialized manner, with global instantaneous effects, that is often used in simulators. Development of parallel algorithms that more closely approximate the real-world operation of a reactor may, in addition to speeding up the simulations, actually improve the accuracy and reliability of the predictions generated. Three types of parallel architecture (shared memory machines, distributed memory multicomputers, and distributed networks) are briefly reviewed as targets for parallelization of nuclear reactor simulation. Various parallelization models (loop-based model, shared memory model, functional model, data parallel model, and a combined functional and data parallel model) are discussed along with their advantages and disadvantages for nuclear reactor simulation. A variety of tools are introduced for each of the models. Emphasis is placed on the data parallel model as the primary focus for two-phase flow simulation. Tools to support data parallel programming for multiple component applications and special parallelization considerations are also discussed.« less

Remote monitoring of the Gravelly Run thermal plume at Hopewell and the thermal plume at the Surry Nuclear Power Plant on the James River

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Talay, T. A.; Sykes, K. W.; Kuo, C. Y.

1979-01-01

On May 17, 1977, a remote sensing experiment was conducted on the James River, Virginia, whereby thermal spectrometer and near-infrared photography data of thermal discharges at Hopewell and the Surry nuclear power plant were obtained by an aircraft for one tidal cycle. These data were used in subsequent investigations into the near field discharge trajectories. For the Gravelly Run thermal plume at Hopewell, several empirical expressions for the plume centerline were evaluated by comparisons of the computed trajectories and those observed in the remote sensing images.

A simple procedure for γ- γ lifetime measurements using multi-element fast-timing arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Régis, J.-M.; Dannhoff, M.; Jolie, J.

2018-07-01

The lifetimes of nuclear excited states are important observables in nuclear physics. Their precise measurement is of key importance for developing and testing nuclear models as they are directly linked with the quantum nature of the nuclear system. The γ- γ timing technique represents a direct lifetime determination by means of time-difference measurements between the γ rays which directly feed and decay from a nuclear excited state. Using arrays of very-fast scintillator detectors, picosecond-sensitive time-difference measurements can be performed. We propose to construct a symmetric energy-energy-time cube as is usually done to perform γ- γ coincidence analyses and lifetime determination with high-resolution germanium detectors. By construction, a symmetric mean time-walk characteristics is obtained, that can be precisely determined and used as a single time correction for all the data independently of the detectors. We present the results of timing characteristics measurements of an array with six LaBr3(Ce) detectors, as obtained using a 152Eu point γ-ray source. Compared with a single detector pair, the time resolution of the symmetrised time-difference spectra of the array is nearly unaffected.

An introduction to using the FORTRAN programs provided with Computational Nuclear Physics 1 Nuclear Structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boytos, Matthew A.; Norbury, John W.

1992-01-01

The authors of this paper have provided a set of ready-to-run FORTRAN programs that should be useful in the field of theoretical nuclear physics. The purpose of this document is to provide a simple synopsis of the programs and their use. A separate section is devoted to each program set and includes: abstract; files; compiling, linking, and running; obtaining results; and a tutorial.

Dynamically Alterable Arrays of Polymorphic Data Types

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

James, Mark

2006-01-01

An application library package was developed that represents data packets for Deep Space Network (DSN) message packets as dynamically alterable arrays composed of arbitrary polymorphic data types. The software was to address a limitation of the present state of the practice for having an array directly composed of a single monomorphic data type. This is a severe limitation when one is dealing with science data in that the types of objects one is dealing with are typically not known in advance and, therefore, are dynamic in nature. The unique feature of this approach is that it enables one to define at run-time the dynamic shape of the matrix with the ability to store polymorphic data types in each of its indices. Existing languages such as C and C++ have the restriction that the shape of the array must be known in advance and each of its elements be a monomorphic data type that is strictly defined at compile-time. This program can be executed on a variety of platforms. It can be distributed in either source code or binary code form. It must be run in conjunction with any one of a number of Lisp compilers that are available commercially or as shareware.

Sub-nanosecond clock synchronization and trigger management in the nuclear physics experiment AGATA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellato, M.; Bortolato, D.; Chavas, J.; Isocrate, R.; Rampazzo, G.; Triossi, A.; Bazzacco, D.; Mengoni, D.; Recchia, F.

2013-07-01

The new-generation spectrometer AGATA, the Advanced GAmma Tracking Array, requires sub-nanosecond clock synchronization among readout and front-end electronics modules that may lie hundred meters apart. We call GTS (Global Trigger and Synchronization System) the infrastructure responsible for precise clock synchronization and for the trigger management of AGATA. It is made of a central trigger processor and nodes, connected in a tree structure by means of optical fibers operated at 2Gb/s. The GTS tree handles the synchronization and the trigger data flow, whereas the trigger processor analyses and eventually validates the trigger primitives centrally. Sub-nanosecond synchronization is achieved by measuring two different types of round-trip times and by automatically correcting for phase-shift differences. For a tree of depth two, the peak-to-peak clock jitter at each leaf is 70 ps; the mean phase difference is 180 ps, while the standard deviation over such phase difference, namely the phase equalization repeatability, is 20 ps. The GTS system has run flawlessly for the two-year long AGATA campaign, held at the INFN Legnaro National Laboratories, Italy, where five triple clusters of the AGATA sub-array were coupled with a variety of ancillary detectors.

Container for reprocessing and permanent storage of spent nuclear fuel assemblies

DOEpatents

Forsberg, Charles W.

1992-01-01

A single canister process container for reprocessing and permanent storage of spent nuclear fuel assemblies comprising zirconium-based cladding and fuel, which process container comprises a collapsible container, having side walls that are made of a high temperature alloy and an array of collapsible support means wherein the container is capable of withstanding temperature necessary to oxidize the zirconium-based cladding and having sufficient ductility to maintain integrity when collapsed under pressure. The support means is also capable of maintaining their integrity at temperature necessary to oxide the zirconium-based cladding. The process container also has means to introduce and remove fluids to and from the container.

TFSSRA - THICK FREQUENCY SELECTIVE SURFACE WITH RECTANGULAR APERTURES

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, J. C.

1994-01-01

Thick Frequency Selective Surface with Rectangular Apertures (TFSSRA) was developed to calculate the scattering parameters for a thick frequency selective surface with rectangular apertures on a skew grid at oblique angle of incidence. The method of moments is used to transform the integral equation into a matrix equation suitable for evaluation on a digital computer. TFSSRA predicts the reflection and transmission characteristics of a thick frequency selective surface for both TE and TM orthogonal linearly polarized plane waves. A model of a half-space infinite array is used in the analysis. A complete set of basis functions with unknown coefficients is developed for the waveguide region (waveguide modes) and for the free space region (Floquet modes) in order to represent the electromagnetic fields. To ensure the convergence of the solutions, the number of waveguide modes is adjustable. The method of moments is used to compute the unknown mode coefficients. Then, the scattering matrix of the half-space infinite array is calculated. Next, the reference plane of the scattering matrix is moved half a plate thickness in the negative z-direction, and a frequency selective surface of finite thickness is synthesized by positioning two plates of half-thickness back-to-back. The total scattering matrix is obtained by cascading the scattering matrices of the two half-space infinite arrays. TFSSRA is written in FORTRAN 77 with single precision. It has been successfully implemented on a Sun4 series computer running SunOS, an IBM PC compatible running MS-DOS, and a CRAY series computer running UNICOS, and should run on other systems with slight modifications. Double precision is recommended for running on a PC if many modes are used or if high accuracy is required. This package requires the LINPACK math library, which is included. TFSSRA requires 1Mb of RAM for execution. The standard distribution medium for this program is one 5.25 inch 360K MS-DOS format diskette. It is also available on a .25 inch streaming magnetic tape cartridge (Sun QIC-24) in UNIX tar format. This program was developed in 1992 and is a copyrighted work with all copyright vested in NASA.

Pipeline Processing with an Iterative, Context-based Detection Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-19

stripping the incoming data stream of repeating and irrelevant signals prior to running primary detectors , adaptive beamforming and matched field processing...framework, pattern detectors , correlation detectors , subspace detectors , matched field detectors , nuclear explosion monitoring 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION...10 5. Teleseismic paths from earthquakes in

Fabrication and Testing of a Modular Micro-Pocket Fission Detector Instrumentation System for Test Nuclear Reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reichenberger, Michael A.; Nichols, Daniel M.; Stevenson, Sarah R.; Swope, Tanner M.; Hilger, Caden W.; Roberts, Jeremy A.; Unruh, Troy C.; McGregor, Douglas S.

2018-01-01

Advancements in nuclear reactor core modeling and computational capability have encouraged further development of in-core neutron sensors. Measurement of the neutron-flux distribution within the reactor core provides a more complete understanding of the operating conditions in the reactor than typical ex-core sensors. Micro-Pocket Fission Detectors have been developed and tested previously but have been limited to single-node operation and have utilized highly specialized designs. The development of a widely deployable, multi-node Micro-Pocket Fission Detector assembly will enhance nuclear research capabilities. A modular, four-node Micro-Pocket Fission Detector array was designed, fabricated, and tested at Kansas State University. The array was constructed from materials that do not significantly perturb the neutron flux in the reactor core. All four sensor nodes were equally spaced axially in the array to span the fuel-region of the reactor core. The array was filled with neon gas, serving as an ionization medium in the small cavities of the Micro-Pocket Fission Detectors. The modular design of the instrument facilitates the testing and deployment of numerous sensor arrays. The unified design drastically improved device ruggedness and simplified construction from previous designs. Five 8-mm penetrations in the upper grid plate of the Kansas State University TRIGA Mk. II research nuclear reactor were utilized to deploy the array between fuel elements in the core. The Micro-Pocket Fission Detector array was coupled to an electronic support system which has been specially developed to support pulse-mode operation. The Micro-Pocket Fission Detector array composed of four sensors was used to monitor local neutron flux at a constant reactor power of 100 kWth at different axial locations simultaneously. The array was positioned at five different radial locations within the core to emulate the deployment of multiple arrays and develop a 2-dimensional measurement of neutron flux in the reactor core.

Solar array maximum power tracking with closed-loop control of a 30-centimeter ion thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gruber, R. P.

1977-01-01

A new solar array/ion thruster system control concept has been developed and demonstrated. An ion thruster beam load is used to automatically and continuously operate an unregulated solar array at its maximum power point independent of variations in solar array voltage and current. Preliminary tests were run which verified that this method of control can be implemented with a few, physically small, signal level components dissipating less than two watts.

Semantically Aware Foundation Environment (SAFE) for Clean-Slate Design of Resilient, Adaptive Secure Hosts (CRASH)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-01

system consists of a high-fidelity hardware simulation using field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), with a set of runtime services (ConcreteWare...perimeter protection, patch, and pray” is not aligned with the threat. Programmers will not bail us out of this situation (by writing defect free code...hosted on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), with a set of runtime services (concreteware) running on the hardware. Secure applications can be

Liver phantom for quality control and training in nuclear medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lima Ferreira, Fernanda Carla; Souza, Divanizia do Nascimento

2011-10-01

In nuclear medicine, liver scintigraphy aims to verify organ function based on the radionuclide concentration in the liver and bile flow and is also used to detect tumors. Therefore it is necessary to perform quality control tests in the gamma camera before running the exam to prevent false results. Quality control tests of the gamma camera should thus be performed before running the exam to prevent false results. Such tests generally use radioactive material inside phantoms for evaluation of gamma camera parameters in quality control procedures. Phantoms can also be useful for training doctors and technicians in nuclear medicine procedures. The phantom proposed here has artifacts that simulate nodules; it may take on different quantities, locations and sizes and it may also be mounted without the introduction of nodules. Thus, its images may show hot or cold nodules or no nodules. The phantom consists of acrylic plates hollowed out in the centre, with the geometry of an adult liver. Images for analyses of simulated liver scintigraphy were obtained with the detector device at 5 cm from the anterior surface of the phantom. These simulations showed that this object is suitable for quality control in nuclear medicine because it was possible to visualize artifacts larger than 7.9 mm using a 256×256 matrix and 1000 kcpm. The phantom constructed in this work will also be useful for training practitioners and technicians in order to prevent patients from repeat testing caused by error during examinations.

Cluster Computing For Real Time Seismic Array Analysis.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martini, M.; Giudicepietro, F.

A seismic array is an instrument composed by a dense distribution of seismic sen- sors that allow to measure the directional properties of the wavefield (slowness or wavenumber vector) radiated by a seismic source. Over the last years arrays have been widely used in different fields of seismological researches. In particular they are applied in the investigation of seismic sources on volcanoes where they can be suc- cessfully used for studying the volcanic microtremor and long period events which are critical for getting information on the volcanic systems evolution. For this reason arrays could be usefully employed for the volcanoes monitoring, however the huge amount of data produced by this type of instruments and the processing techniques which are quite time consuming limited their potentiality for this application. In order to favor a direct application of arrays techniques to continuous volcano monitoring we designed and built a small PC cluster able to near real time computing the kinematics properties of the wavefield (slowness or wavenumber vector) produced by local seis- mic source. The cluster is composed of 8 Intel Pentium-III bi-processors PC working at 550 MHz, and has 4 Gigabytes of RAM memory. It runs under Linux operating system. The developed analysis software package is based on the Multiple SIgnal Classification (MUSIC) algorithm and is written in Fortran. The message-passing part is based upon the LAM programming environment package, an open-source imple- mentation of the Message Passing Interface (MPI). The developed software system includes modules devote to receiving date by internet and graphical applications for the continuous displaying of the processing results. The system has been tested with a data set collected during a seismic experiment conducted on Etna in 1999 when two dense seismic arrays have been deployed on the northeast and the southeast flanks of this volcano. A real time continuous acquisition system has been simulated by a pro- gram which reads data from disk files and send them to a remote host by using the Internet protocols.

Status of nuclear PDFs after the first LHC p-Pb run

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paukkunen, Hannu

2017-11-01

In this talk, I overview the recent progress on the global analysis of nuclear parton distribution functions (nuclear PDFs). After first introducing the contemporary fits, the analysis procedures are quickly recalled and the ambiguities in the use of experimental data outlined. Various nuclear-PDF parametrizations are compared and the main differences explained. The effects of nuclear PDFs in the LHC p-Pb hard-process observables are discussed and some future prospects sketched.

Recent enhancements of the PMCC infrasound signal detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brachet, N.; Mialle, P.; Matoza, R. S.; Le Pichon, A.; Cansi, Y.; Ceranna, L.

2010-12-01

The Progressive Multi-Channel Correlation (PMCC) is an antenna technique that is commonly being used by the scientific community for detecting coherent signals recorded on infrasound arrays. The PMCC detector, originally developed by CEA/DASE (Cansi, 1995), was installed in 2004 in the operational environment of the International Data Centre (IDC) of the Comprehensive nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) in Vienna. During the last 5 years, several changes have been made by the IDC to enhance the PMCC source code and parameter configuration, and the detector has exhibited good performance in terms of detection sensitivity and robustness. Recent studies performed at the CEA/DASE have shown that the IDC version (DFX/Geotool-PMCC) and the DASE version (WinPMCC) of PMCC software benefit from the implementation of the adaptive processing window duration and a log-spaced frequency bands. This tested configuration enables better detection and characterization of all received signals in their wave-front parameter space (e.g., frequency-azimuth space, frequency-trace-velocity space). A new release of the WinPMCC software - running under Windows or Linux operating systems - including a fully configurable filtering and detection parameters is now available upon request. We present the results of a statistical analysis on 10 years of infrasound data recorded at the IMS stations IS26, Germany and IS22, New Caledonia. A comparison is made between the automatic detections produced by the IDC, and the reprocessed detections using the optimized filtering and detection configuration parameters. Work is also underway at the CEA/DASE to determine more rigorously the azimuth and speed uncertainties. The current algorithm estimates the uncertainties based on statistical analysis of the distribution of PMCC detection pixels in the azimuth-speed space. The new code that is being considered performs the calculation of infrasound measurement errors as a function of physical parameters, i.e. dependant on the array geometry and the wave properties.

The Analysis of North Korea's Nuclear Tests by Turkish National Data Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semin, K.; Meral Ozel, N.; Destici, T. C.; Necmioglu, O.; Kocak, S.

2013-12-01

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) announced the conduct of a third underground nuclear test on 12 February 2013 in the northeastern part of the country as the previous tests that were conducted in 2009 and 2006. The latest nuclear test is the best detected nuclear event by the global seismic networks. The magnitude estimates show that each new test increased in size when compared with the previous one. As Turkish NDC (National Data Center), we have analyzed the 2013 and 2009 nuclear tests using seismic data from International Monitoring System (IMS) stations through the International Data Center (IDC) located in Vienna. Discrimination analysis was performed based on mb:Ms magnitude ratio and spectral analysis. We have also applied array based waveform cross-correlation to show the similarity of the nuclear tests and precise arrival time measurements for relative location estimates and basic infrasound analysis using two IMS infrasound stations for the 2013 event. Seismic analysis were performed using softwares such as Geotool, EP (Event processor from Norsar) and Seismic Analysis Code (SAC) and the infrasound data were analyzed by using PMCC from CEA-France. The IMS network is operating under the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO). The CTBTO verification system is under continuous development, also making use of the state of the art technologies and methodologies.

Search for Magnetic Monopoles with the MoEDAL Forward Trapping Detector in 13 TeV Proton-Proton Collisions at the LHC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acharya, B.; Alexandre, J.; Baines, S.; Benes, P.; Bergmann, B.; Bernabéu, J.; Branzas, H.; Campbell, M.; Caramete, L.; Cecchini, S.; de Montigny, M.; De Roeck, A.; Ellis, J. R.; Fairbairn, M.; Felea, D.; Flores, J.; Frank, M.; Frekers, D.; Garcia, C.; Hirt, A. M.; Janecek, J.; Kalliokoski, M.; Katre, A.; Kim, D.-W.; Kinoshita, K.; Korzenev, A.; Lacarrère, D. H.; Lee, S. C.; Leroy, C.; Lionti, A.; Mamuzic, J.; Margiotta, A.; Mauri, N.; Mavromatos, N. E.; Mermod, P.; Mitsou, V. A.; Orava, R.; Parker, B.; Pasqualini, L.; Patrizii, L.; Pǎvǎlaş, G. E.; Pinfold, J. L.; Popa, V.; Pozzato, M.; Pospisil, S.; Rajantie, A.; Ruiz de Austri, R.; Sahnoun, Z.; Sakellariadou, M.; Sarkar, S.; Semenoff, G.; Shaa, A.; Sirri, G.; Sliwa, K.; Soluk, R.; Spurio, M.; Srivastava, Y. N.; Suk, M.; Swain, J.; Tenti, M.; Togo, V.; Tuszyński, J. A.; Vento, V.; Vives, O.; Vykydal, Z.; Whyntie, T.; Widom, A.; Willems, G.; Yoon, J. H.; Zgura, I. S.; MoEDAL Collaboration

2017-02-01

MoEDAL is designed to identify new physics in the form of long-lived highly ionizing particles produced in high-energy LHC collisions. Its arrays of plastic nuclear-track detectors and aluminium trapping volumes provide two independent passive detection techniques. We present here the results of a first search for magnetic monopole production in 13 TeV proton-proton collisions using the trapping technique, extending a previous publication with 8 TeV data during LHC Run 1. A total of 222 kg of MoEDAL trapping detector samples was exposed in the forward region and analyzed by searching for induced persistent currents after passage through a superconducting magnetometer. Magnetic charges exceeding half the Dirac charge are excluded in all samples and limits are placed for the first time on the production of magnetic monopoles in 13 TeV p p collisions. The search probes mass ranges previously inaccessible to collider experiments for up to five times the Dirac charge.

A Cryogenic Target for Compton Scattering Experiments at HI γS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kendellen, David; Ahmed, Mohammad; Weller, Henry; Feldman, Gerald

2015-04-01

We have designed, constructed, and tested a cryogenic target for use at the High Intensity γ-ray Source (HI γS). The target is able to liquefy helium (LHe), hydrogen (LH2), and deuterium (LD2). It precools room-temperature gas in two stages with a Gifford-McMahon cryocooler. The precooled gas condenses onto a series of copper fins and drips down to fill a 0.25 L Kapton target cell. The cryotarget will be used to measure nuclear and nucleon electromagnetic polarizabilities. The electromagnetic polarizabilities of the nucleons, α and β, will be probed by scattering a γ-ray beam on unpolarized LD2 and LH2 targets. Scattered photons will be detected by the HI γS NaI Detector Array (HINDA). We have tested the target with LHe at 3 K and are preparing for LD2 testing and production running. Work supported by US Department of Energy Contracts DE-FG02-97ER41033, DE-FG02-06ER41422, and DE-SCOO0536.

Initial Results from the Majorana Demonstrator

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

Elliott, S. R.; Abgrall, N.; Arnquist, I. J.

Neutrinoless double-beta decay searches seek to determine the nature of neutrinos, the existence of a lepton violating process, and the eective Majorana neutrino mass. The Majorana Collaboration is assembling an array of high purity Ge detectors to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in 76Ge. The Majorana Demonstrator is composed of 44.8 kg (29.7 kg enriched in 76Ge) of Ge detectors in total, split between two modules contained in a low background shield at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. The initial goals of the Demonstrator are to establish the required background and scalability of a Ge-based, next-generation,more » tonne-scale experiment. Following a commissioning run that began in 2015, the rst detector module started physics data production in early 2016. We will discuss initial results of the Module 1 commissioning and rst physics run, as well as the status and potential physics reach of the full Majorana Demonstrator experiment. The collaboration plans to complete the assembly of the second detector module by mid-2016 to begin full data production with the entire array.« less

Initial Results from the Majorana Demonstrator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elliott, S. R.; Abgrall, N.; Arnquist, I. J.; Avignone, F. T., III.; Barabash, A. S.; Bertrand, F. E.; Bradley, A. W.; Brudanin, V.; Busch, M.; Buuck, M.; Caldwell, T. S.; Chan, Y.-D.; Christofferson, C. D.; Chu, P.-H.; Cuesta, C.; Detwiler, J. A.; Dunagan, C.; Efremenko, Yu.; Ejiri, H.; Fullmer, A.; Galindo-Uribarri, A.; Gilliss, T.; Giovanetti, G. K.; Green, M. P.; Gruszko, J.; Guinn, I. S.; Guiseppe, V. E.; Henning, R.; Hoppe, E. W.; Howe, M. A.; Jasinski, B. R.; Keeter, K. J.; Kidd, M. F.; Konovalov, S. I.; Kouzes, R. T.; Leon, J.; Lopez, A. M.; MacMullin, J.; Martin, R. D.; Massarczyk, R.; Meijer, S. J.; Mertens, S.; Orrell, J. L.; O'Shaughnessy, C.; Poon, A. W. P.; Radford, D. C.; Rager, J.; Rielage, K.; Robertson, R. G. H.; Romero-Romero, E.; Shanks, B.; Shirchenko, M.; Suriano, A. M.; Tedeschi, D.; Trimble, J. E.; Varner, R. L.; Vasilyev, S.; Vetter, K.; Vorren, K.; White, B. R.; Wilkerson, J. F.; Wiseman, C.; Xu, W.; Yakushev, E.; Yu, C.-H.; Yumatov, V.; Zhitnikov, I.

2017-09-01

Neutrinoless double-beta decay searches seek to determine the nature of neutrinos, the existence of a lepton violating process, and the effective Majorana neutrino mass. The Majorana Collaboration is assembling an array of high purity Ge detectors to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in 76Ge. The Majorana Demonstrator is composed of 44.8 kg (29.7 kg enriched in 76Ge) of Ge detectors in total, split between two modules contained in a low background shield at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. The initial goals of the Demonstrator are to establish the required background and scalability of a Ge-based, next-generation, tonne-scale experiment. Following a commissioning run that began in 2015, the first detector module started physics data production in early 2016. We will discuss initial results of the Module 1 commissioning and first physics run, as well as the status and potential physics reach of the full Majorana Demonstrator experiment. The collaboration plans to complete the assembly of the second detector module by mid-2016 to begin full data production with the entire array.

CAKE: the coincidence array for K600 experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adsley, P.; Neveling, R.; Papka, P.; Dyers, Z.; Brümmer, J. W.; Diget, C. Aa.; Hubbard, N. J.; Li, K. C. W.; Long, A.; Marin-Lambarri, D. J.; Pellegri, L.; Pesudo, V.; Pool, L. C.; Smit, F. D.; Triambak, S.

2017-02-01

The combination of a magnetic spectrometer and ancillary detectors such as silicon detectors is a powerful tool for the study of nuclear reactions and nuclear structure. This paper discusses the recently commissioned silicon array called the "CAKE" which is designed for use with the K600 magnetic spectrometer at iThemba LABS.

A DUAL-BAND MILLIMETER-WAVE KINETIC INDUCTANCE CAMERA FOR THE IRAM 30 m TELESCOPE

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

Monfardini, A.; Benoit, A.; Bideaud, A.

The Neel IRAM KIDs Array (NIKA) is a fully integrated measurement system based on kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs) currently being developed for millimeter wave astronomy. The instrument includes dual-band optics allowing simultaneous imaging at 150 GHz and 220 GHz. The imaging sensors consist of two spatially separated arrays of KIDs. The first array, mounted on the 150 GHz branch, is composed of 144 lumped-element KIDs. The second array (220 GHz) consists of 256 antenna-coupled KIDs. Each of the arrays is sensitive to a single polarization; the band splitting is achieved by using a grid polarizer. The optics and sensors aremore » mounted in a custom dilution cryostat, with an operating temperature of {approx}70 mK. Electronic readout is realized using frequency multiplexing and a transmission line geometry consisting of a coaxial cable connected in series with the sensor array and a low-noise 4 K amplifier. The dual-band NIKA was successfully tested in 2010 October at the Institute for Millimetric Radio Astronomy (IRAM) 30 m telescope at Pico Veleta, Spain, performing in-line with laboratory predictions. An optical NEP was then calculated to be around 2 x 10{sup -16} W Hz{sup -1/2} (at 1 Hz) while under a background loading of approximately 4 pW pixel{sup -1}. This improvement in comparison with a preliminary run (2009) verifies that NIKA is approaching the target sensitivity for photon-noise limited ground-based detectors. Taking advantage of the larger arrays and increased sensitivity, a number of scientifically relevant faint and extended objects were then imaged including the Galactic Center SgrB2 (FIR1), the radio galaxy Cygnus A, and the NGC1068 Seyfert galaxy. These targets were all observed simultaneously in the 150 GHz and 220 GHz atmospheric windows.« less

Gamma ray energy tracking in GRETINA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, I. Y.

2011-10-01

The next generation of stable and exotic beam accelerators will provide physics opportunities to study nuclei farther away from the line of stability. However, these experiments will be more demanding on instrumentation performance. These come from the lower production rate for more exotic beams, worse beam impurities, and large beam velocity from the fragmentation and inverse reactions. Gamma-ray spectroscopy will be one of the most effective tools to study exotic nuclei. However, to fully exploit the physics reach provided by these new facilities, better gamma-ray detector will be needed. In the last 10 years, a new concept, gamma-ray energy tracking array, was developed. Tracking arrays will increase the detection sensitivity by factors of several hundred compared to current arrays used in nuclear physics research. Particularly, the capability of reconstructing the position of the interaction with millimeters resolution is needed to correct the Doppler broadening of gamma rays emitted from high velocity nuclei. GRETINA is a gamma-ray tracking array which uses 28 Ge crystals, each with 36 segments, to cover ¼ of the 4 π of the 4 π solid angle. The gamma ray tracking technique requires detailed pulse shape information from each of the segments. These pulses are digitized using 14-bit 100 MHz flash ADCs, and digital signal analysis algorithms implemented in the on-board FPGAs provides energy, time and selection of pulse traces. A digital trigger system, provided flexible trigger functions including a fast trigger output, and also allows complicated trigger decisions to be made up to 20 microseconds. Further analyzed, carried out in a computer cluster, determine the energy, time, and three-dimensional positions of all gamma-ray interactions in the array. This information is then utilized, together with the characteristics of Compton scattering and pair-production processes, to track the scattering sequences of the gamma rays. GRETINA construction is completed in March 2011, and extensive engineering runs were carried out using radioactive sources, and beams from the 88-Inch Cyclotron at LBNL. The data obtained will be used to optimize its performance. Then the first scientific campaign will start in March 2012 at NSCL MSU.

Improved semi-conductor laser device, operating, at room temperature, with an array of three lasers in the spatially coherent, free running mode

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rutz, E. M.

1975-01-01

The peak pulse power was increased by operating an array of three homostructure Ga As lasers in the laser device. A spatial filter in the laser device selects the spatially coherent, free running, mode. The optical peak power is 5 watts, which is three times the peak power of a single laser in the array. The far-field distribution of the three laser array is a single Gaussian beam of spatial coherence without sidelobes or grating lobes. The length of the optical pulses of spatial coherence was increased to 200 ns by improved heat transfer from the p-n junctions of the lasers to the metal housing of the pulse transformer, and by doubling the core area and increasing the turns of the primary windings of the pulse transformer. The mechanical stability of the laser device was improved and the transition from mechanical alignment to electro-mechanical alignment control, was facilitated.

Real-time plasma control based on the ISTTOK tomography diagnostica)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carvalho, P. J.; Carvalho, B. B.; Neto, A.; Coelho, R.; Fernandes, H.; Sousa, J.; Varandas, C.; Chávez-Alarcón, E.; Herrera-Velázquez, J. J. E.

2008-10-01

The presently available processing power in generic processing units (GPUs) combined with state-of-the-art programmable logic devices benefits the implementation of complex, real-time driven, data processing algorithms for plasma diagnostics. A tomographic reconstruction diagnostic has been developed for the ISTTOK tokamak, based on three linear pinhole cameras each with ten lines of sight. The plasma emissivity in a poloidal cross section is computed locally on a submillisecond time scale, using a Fourier-Bessel algorithm, allowing the use of the output signals for active plasma position control. The data acquisition and reconstruction (DAR) system is based on ATCA technology and consists of one acquisition board with integrated field programmable gate array (FPGA) capabilities and a dual-core Pentium module running real-time application interface (RTAI) Linux. In this paper, the DAR real-time firmware/software implementation is presented, based on (i) front-end digital processing in the FPGA; (ii) a device driver specially developed for the board which enables streaming data acquisition to the host GPU; and (iii) a fast reconstruction algorithm running in Linux RTAI. This system behaves as a module of the central ISTTOK control and data acquisition system (FIRESIGNAL). Preliminary results of the above experimental setup are presented and a performance benchmarking against the magnetic coil diagnostic is shown.

A Compact VLSI System for Bio-Inspired Visual Motion Estimation.

PubMed

Shi, Cong; Luo, Gang

2018-04-01

This paper proposes a bio-inspired visual motion estimation algorithm based on motion energy, along with its compact very-large-scale integration (VLSI) architecture using low-cost embedded systems. The algorithm mimics motion perception functions of retina, V1, and MT neurons in a primate visual system. It involves operations of ternary edge extraction, spatiotemporal filtering, motion energy extraction, and velocity integration. Moreover, we propose the concept of confidence map to indicate the reliability of estimation results on each probing location. Our algorithm involves only additions and multiplications during runtime, which is suitable for low-cost hardware implementation. The proposed VLSI architecture employs multiple (frame, pixel, and operation) levels of pipeline and massively parallel processing arrays to boost the system performance. The array unit circuits are optimized to minimize hardware resource consumption. We have prototyped the proposed architecture on a low-cost field-programmable gate array platform (Zynq 7020) running at 53-MHz clock frequency. It achieved 30-frame/s real-time performance for velocity estimation on 160 × 120 probing locations. A comprehensive evaluation experiment showed that the estimated velocity by our prototype has relatively small errors (average endpoint error < 0.5 pixel and angular error < 10°) for most motion cases.

Phased-Array Monolithic PEM for FT Spectrometry With Applications in Explosive Detection and CB Defense

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

manufacturing variability and thermal effects can be easi- ly compensated for electronically during operation by adjusting PZT amplitudes and phases... thermal and optical processes in the PEM bar and PZT array. An interface between COMSOL and the Trilinos solvers running in parallel on the cluster was...contaminants of low vapor pressure and/or low intrinsic fluorescence. Thermal luminescence (TL) is a technology aimed at solving the standoff

Implications from Meteoric and Volcanic Infrasound Measured in the Netherlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evers, L.

2003-12-01

Infrasound observations started in the Netherlands in 1986. Since then, several array configurations and instruments have been developed, tested and made operational. Currently, three infrasound arrays are continuously measuring infrasound with in-house developed microbarometers. The array apertures vary from 30 to 1500 meters and the number of instruments from 6 to 16 microbarometers. The inter-array distance ranges from 50 up to 150 km. This dense network of infrasound arrays is used to distinguish between earthquakes and sources in the atmosphere. Sonic booms, for example, can be experienced in the same manner as small (gas induced) earthquakes. Furthermore, Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) related research is done. Meteors are one of the few natural impulsive sources generating energy in kT TNT equivalent range. Therefore, the study of meteors is essential to the CTBT where infrasound is applied as monitoring technique. Studies of meteors in the Netherlands have shown the capability of infrasound to trace a meteor through the stratosphere. The propagation of infrasound is in first order dependent on the wind and temperature structure of the atmosphere. The meteor's path could be reconstructed by using ECMWF atmospheric models for wind and temperature. The results were compared to visual observations, confirming the location, direction and reported origin time. The accuracy of the localization mainly depends on the applied atmospheric model and array resolution. Successfully applying infrasound depends on the array configuration that should be based on the -frequency depend- spatial coherence of the signals of interest. The array aperture and inter-element distance will play a decisive role in detecting low signal-to-noise ratios. This is shown by results from studies on volcanic infrasound from Mt. Etna (Italy) detected in the Netherlands. Sub-array processing on the 16 element array revealed an increased detectability of infrasound for small aperture, 800 m, arrays, compared to large aperture, 1500 m, arrays.

Low carbon and clean energy scenarios for India: Analysis of targets approach

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

Shukla, Priyadarshi R.; Chaturvedi, Vaibhav

2012-12-01

Low carbon energy technologies are gaining increasing importance in India for reducing emissions as well as diversifying its energy supply mix. The present paper presents and analyses a targeted approach for pushing solar, wind and nuclear technologies in the Indian energy market. Targets for these technologies have been constructed on the basis of Indian government documents, policy announcements and expert opinion. Different targets have been set for the reference scenario and the carbon price scenario. In the reference scenario it is found that in the long run all solar, wind and nuclear will achieve their targets without any subsidy push.more » In the short run however, nuclear and solar energy require significant subsidy push. Nuclear energy requires a much higher subsidy allocation as compared to solar because the targets assumed are also higher for nuclear energy. Under a carbon price scenario, the carbon price drives the penetration of these technologies significantly. Still subsidy is required especially in the short run when the carbon price is low. It is also found that pushing solar, wind and nuclear technologies might lead to decrease in share of CCS under the price scenario and biomass under both BAU and price scenario, which implies that one set of low carbon technologies is substituted by other set of low carbon technologies. Thus the objective of emission mitigation might not be achieved due to this substitution. Moreover sensitivity on nuclear energy cost was done to represent risk mitigation for this technology and it was found that higher cost can significantly decrease the share of this technology under both the BAU and carbon price scenario.« less

Processing And Display Of Medical Three Dimensional Arrays Of Numerical Data Using Octree Encoding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amans, Jean-Louis; Darier, Pierre

1986-05-01

imaging modalities such as X-Ray computerized Tomography (CT), Nuclear Medecine and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance can produce three-dimensional (3-D) arrays of numerical data of medical object internal structures. The analysis of 3-D data by synthetic generation of realistic images is an important area of computer graphics and imaging.

Search for a massive short-lived axion in nuclear transitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatzikoutelis, Athanasios

Recent reports of the possible existence of an Axion with mass = 9.5 MeV and lifetime less than 10-14 sec do not contradict any negative results of the 20-year long search. The present work aims at confirming or disproving these reports. An Axion may compete with M1 nuclear transitions and decay into a e+-e- pair, producing events with high angle separation, thus being detectable in the presence of internal pair conversion which favors small separation angles. In the present experiment the M1 transitions from two discrete states in 12C were produced using a (d,n) reaction. A hermetic array of plastic scintillator detectors for e+-e- pairs from nuclear transitions was upgraded to 65 elements covering 50% of 4pi. A target chamber made of carbon fiber/epoxy resin, with wall thickness 0.8 mm, was introduced which absorbs only 172. 2 keV of the kinetic energy of minimum ionizing e+/e-. A neutron detector with total efficiency of 3% was constructed to measure the time of flight of neutrons. The detectors and chamber were installed on the beam line of the Stony Brook heavy ion LINAC. A test run was conducted using the reaction 11B(p,e+e-)12C (Ep = 7.2 MeV) to populate the Giant Dipole Resonance of 12C. The observation of the IPC from the 22.6-MeV E1 transition to the ground state of 12C established the pair-energy line-shape and produced an absolute pairenergy calibration. The angular correlation distribution of the pairs was found to be in agreement with the Born and point nucleus approximation of E1 angular correlations. A data run with the stripping reaction 11B(d,n)12C* (Ed = 7.2 MeV) populated the (Ipi,T) = (1+,1) 15.11-MeV and the (1 +,0) 12.7-MeV states of 12C. Detected pair events without neutron coincidence required showed a clear and strong peak of the 15.11 MeV to ground state transition. Analysis of these data agreed with angular correlations of M1 internal pair conversion. These did not support the earlier work and showed no evidence of an Axion emitted in the transition. A second test with neutron coincidence required, demonstrated that the full experiment is working as designed. However, for the kinematically complete experiment including neutron coincidence the rate of good events was found to be only 4--6 events/hr. A statistically decisive test will take data runs of about six months.

Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Yunjin; Willis, Jason; Dodd, Suzanne; Harrison, Fiona; Forster, Karl; Craig, William; Bester, Manfred; Oberg, David

2013-01-01

The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) is a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Small Explorer mission that carried the first focusing hard X-ray (6-79 keV) telescope into orbit. It was launched on a Pegasus rocket into a low-inclination Earth orbit on June 13, 2012, from Reagan Test Site, Kwajalein Atoll. NuSTAR will carry out a two-year primary science mission. The NuSTAR observatory is composed of the X-ray instrument and the spacecraft. The NuSTAR spacecraft is three-axis stabilized with a single articulating solar array based on Orbital Sciences Corporation's LEOStar-2 design. The NuSTAR science instrument consists of two co-aligned grazing incidence optics focusing on to two shielded solid state CdZnTe pixel detectors. The instrument was launched in a compact, stowed configuration, and after launch, a 10-meter mast was deployed to achieve a focal length of 10.15 m. The NuSTAR instrument provides sub-arcminute imaging with excellent spectral resolution over a 12-arcminute field of view. The NuSTAR observatory will be operated out of the Mission Operations Center (MOC) at UC Berkeley. Most science targets will be viewed for a week or more. The science data will be transferred from the UC Berkeley MOC to a Science Operations Center (SOC) located at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). In this paper, we will describe the mission architecture, the technical challenges during the development phase, and the post-launch activities.

Container for reprocessing and permanent storage of spent nuclear fuel assemblies

DOEpatents

Forsberg, C.W.

1992-03-24

A single canister process container is described for reprocessing and permanent storage of spent nuclear fuel assemblies comprising zirconium-based cladding and fuel, which process container comprises a collapsible container, having side walls that are made of a high temperature alloy and an array of collapsible support means wherein the container is capable of withstanding temperature necessary to oxidize the zirconium-based cladding and having sufficient ductility to maintain integrity when collapsed under pressure. The support means is also capable of maintaining its integrity at a temperature necessary to oxidize the zirconium-based cladding. The process container also has means to introduce and remove fluids to and from the container. 10 figs.

Optical Demonstration of a Medical Imaging System with an EMCCD-Sensor Array for Use in a High Resolution Dynamic X-ray Imager

PubMed Central

Qu, Bin; Huang, Ying; Wang, Weiyuan; Sharma, Prateek; Kuhls-Gilcrist, Andrew T.; Cartwright, Alexander N.; Titus, Albert H.; Bednarek, Daniel R.; Rudin, Stephen

2011-01-01

Use of an extensible array of Electron Multiplying CCDs (EMCCDs) in medical x-ray imager applications was demonstrated for the first time. The large variable electronic-gain (up to 2000) and small pixel size of EMCCDs provide effective suppression of readout noise compared to signal, as well as high resolution, enabling the development of an x-ray detector with far superior performance compared to conventional x-ray image intensifiers and flat panel detectors. We are developing arrays of EMCCDs to overcome their limited field of view (FOV). In this work we report on an array of two EMCCD sensors running simultaneously at a high frame rate and optically focused on a mammogram film showing calcified ducts. The work was conducted on an optical table with a pulsed LED bar used to provide a uniform diffuse light onto the film to simulate x-ray projection images. The system can be selected to run at up to 17.5 frames per second or even higher frame rate with binning. Integration time for the sensors can be adjusted from 1 ms to 1000 ms. Twelve-bit correlated double sampling AD converters were used to digitize the images, which were acquired by a National Instruments dual-channel Camera Link PC board in real time. A user-friendly interface was programmed using LabVIEW to save and display 2K × 1K pixel matrix digital images. The demonstration tiles a 2 × 1 array to acquire increased-FOV stationary images taken at different gains and fluoroscopic-like videos recorded by scanning the mammogram simultaneously with both sensors. The results show high resolution and high dynamic range images stitched together with minimal adjustments needed. The EMCCD array design allows for expansion to an M×N array for arbitrarily larger FOV, yet with high resolution and large dynamic range maintained. PMID:23505330

Slicing of silicon into sheet material: Silicon sheet growth development for the large area silicon sheet task of the Low Cost Silicon Solar Array project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fleming, J. R.

1978-01-01

The limits of blade tolerance were defined. The standard blades are T-2 thickness tolerance. Good results were obtained by using a slurry fluid consisting of mineral oil and a lubricity additive. Adjustments of the formulation and fine tuning of the cutting process with the new fluid are necessary. Test results and consultation indicate that the blade breakage encountered with water based slurries is unavoidable. Two full capacity (974 wafer) runs were made on the large prototype saw. Both runs resulted in extremely low yield. However, the reasons for the low yield were lack of proper technique rather than problems with machine function. The test on the effect of amount of material etched off of an as-sawn wafer on solar cell efficiency were completed. The results agree with previous work at JPL in that the minimum material removed per side that gives maximum efficiency is on the order of 10 microns.

Planetary and Deep Space Requirements for Photovoltaic Solar Arrray

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bankston, C.; Bennett, R.; Stella, P.

1995-01-01

Most spacecraft are powered by nuclear sources. Now, on smaller, low-cost missions, photovoltaic arrays are being planned. Because they may be exposed to high temperatures and radiation when exploring the inner planets, cell materials and array structures must be able to perform at high incidence angles.

Linking empowering leadership to safety participation in nuclear power plants: a structural equation model.

PubMed

Martínez-Córcoles, Mario; Schöbel, Markus; Gracia, Francisco J; Tomás, Inés; Peiró, José M

2012-07-01

Safety participation is of paramount importance in guaranteeing the safe running of nuclear power plants. The present study examined the effects of empowering leadership on safety participation. Based on a sample of 495 employees from two Spanish nuclear power plants, structural equation modeling showed that empowering leadership has a significant relationship with safety participation, which is mediated by collaborative team learning. In addition, the results revealed that the relationship between empowering leadership and collaborative learning is partially mediated by the promotion of dialogue and open communication. The implications of these findings for safety research and their practical applications are outlined. An empowering leadership style enhances workers' safety performance, particularly safety participation behaviors. Safety participation is recommended to detect possible rule inconsistencies or misunderstood procedures and make workers aware of critical safety information and issues. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Latest Results from the Focal L-Band Array for the Green Bank Telescope (FLAG), the World's (Current) Most Sensitive Phased Array Feed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pingel, Nickolas; Pisano, D. J.

2018-01-01

Phased Array Feeds (PAFs) represent the next revolution in radio astronomy instrumentation. I will present results from the latest commissioning run from the Focal L-Band Array for the Green Bank telescope (FLAG), which holds the current world record for PAF sensitivity. Since we are able to operate at system temperatures comparable with the traditional GBT single pixel L-Band feed, the increase in the field-of-view provided by the beamforming capabilities of PAFs results in a dramatic (a factor of 5) increase in survey speeds. In particular, FLAG can probe similar neutral hydrogen column density regimes over a 4 sq. deg region in 24.6 minutes as opposed to 4.1 hours in an equivalent single pixel map (excluding observing overhead). In addition to comparisons between data taken with FLAG and the single-pixel L-Band feed, I will also discuss the technical aspects of the observing procedure, data reduction, and the transition path for FLAG from an instrument that is principle-investigator run to one that is general use. These FLAG results provide a very encouraging outlook on how the GBT will continue to compete with current and planned radio telescope facilities.

The Kepler DB: a database management system for arrays, sparse arrays, and binary data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCauliff, Sean; Cote, Miles T.; Girouard, Forrest R.; Middour, Christopher; Klaus, Todd C.; Wohler, Bill

2010-07-01

The Kepler Science Operations Center stores pixel values on approximately six million pixels collected every 30 minutes, as well as data products that are generated as a result of running the Kepler science processing pipeline. The Kepler Database management system (Kepler DB)was created to act as the repository of this information. After one year of flight usage, Kepler DB is managing 3 TiB of data and is expected to grow to over 10 TiB over the course of the mission. Kepler DB is a non-relational, transactional database where data are represented as one-dimensional arrays, sparse arrays or binary large objects. We will discuss Kepler DB's APIs, implementation, usage and deployment at the Kepler Science Operations Center.

The Kepler DB, a Database Management System for Arrays, Sparse Arrays and Binary Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCauliff, Sean; Cote, Miles T.; Girouard, Forrest R.; Middour, Christopher; Klaus, Todd C.; Wohler, Bill

2010-01-01

The Kepler Science Operations Center stores pixel values on approximately six million pixels collected every 30-minutes, as well as data products that are generated as a result of running the Kepler science processing pipeline. The Kepler Database (Kepler DB) management system was created to act as the repository of this information. After one year of ight usage, Kepler DB is managing 3 TiB of data and is expected to grow to over 10 TiB over the course of the mission. Kepler DB is a non-relational, transactional database where data are represented as one dimensional arrays, sparse arrays or binary large objects. We will discuss Kepler DB's APIs, implementation, usage and deployment at the Kepler Science Operations Center.

Temperature uniformity in the CERN CLOUD chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dias, António; Ehrhart, Sebastian; Vogel, Alexander; Williamson, Christina; Almeida, João; Kirkby, Jasper; Mathot, Serge; Mumford, Samuel; Onnela, Antti

2017-12-01

The CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) experiment at CERN (European Council for Nuclear Research) investigates the nucleation and growth of aerosol particles under atmospheric conditions and their activation into cloud droplets. A key feature of the CLOUD experiment is precise control of the experimental parameters. Temperature uniformity and stability in the chamber are important since many of the processes under study are sensitive to temperature and also to contaminants that can be released from the stainless steel walls by upward temperature fluctuations. The air enclosed within the 26 m3 CLOUD chamber is equipped with several arrays (strings) of high precision, fast-response thermometers to measure its temperature. Here we present a study of the air temperature uniformity inside the CLOUD chamber under various experimental conditions. Measurements were performed under calibration conditions and run conditions, which are distinguished by the flow rate of fresh air and trace gases entering the chamber at 20 and up to 210 L min-1, respectively. During steady-state calibration runs between -70 and +20 °C, the air temperature uniformity is better than ±0.06 °C in the radial direction and ±0.1 °C in the vertical direction. Larger non-uniformities are present during experimental runs, depending on the temperature control of the make-up air and trace gases (since some trace gases require elevated temperatures until injection into the chamber). The temperature stability is ±0.04 °C over periods of several hours during either calibration or steady-state run conditions. During rapid adiabatic expansions to activate cloud droplets and ice particles, the chamber walls are up to 10 °C warmer than the enclosed air. This results in temperature differences of ±1.5 °C in the vertical direction and ±1 °C in the horizontal direction, while the air returns to its equilibrium temperature with a time constant of about 200 s.

Position-sensitive coincidence detection of nuclear reaction products at the Prague Van-de-Graaff accelerator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Granja, Carlos; Kraus, Vaclav; Pugatch, Valery; Kohout, Zdenek

2017-06-01

In low-energy nuclear reactions of astrophysical interest or fusion studies the spatial- and time-correlated detection of two and more reaction products can be a valuable tool in studies of reaction mechanisms, resolving reaction channels and measuring angular distributions of reaction products. For this purpose we constructed a configurable array of position-sensitive detectors based on the hybrid semiconductor pixel detector Timepix. Additional analog-signal electronics provide self-trigger together with extended multi-device control and synchronized readout electronics by a customized control and coincidence unit. The instrumentation, developed and used for detection of fission fragments in spontaneous and neutron induced fission as well as in charged particle detection in neutron induced reactions, is being implemented for low-energy light-ion induced nuclear reactions. Application and demonstration of the technique with two Timepix detectors on p+p elastic scattering at the Van-de-Graaff (VdG) accelerator in Prague is given.

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

Kishimoto, S., E-mail: syunji.kishimoto@kek.jp; Haruki, R.; Mitsui, T.

We developed a silicon avalanche photodiode (Si-APD) linear-array detector for use in nuclear resonant scattering experiments using synchrotron X-rays. The Si-APD linear array consists of 64 pixels (pixel size: 100 × 200 μm{sup 2}) with a pixel pitch of 150 μm and depletion depth of 10 μm. An ultrafast frontend circuit allows the X-ray detector to obtain a high output rate of >10{sup 7} cps per pixel. High-performance integrated circuits achieve multichannel scaling over 1024 continuous time bins with a 1 ns resolution for each pixel without dead time. The multichannel scaling method enabled us to record a time spectrummore » of the 14.4 keV nuclear radiation at each pixel with a time resolution of 1.4 ns (FWHM). This method was successfully applied to nuclear forward scattering and nuclear small-angle scattering on {sup 57}Fe.« less

Neural network-based system for pattern recognition through a fiber optic bundle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gamo-Aranda, Javier; Rodriguez-Horche, Paloma; Merchan-Palacios, Miguel; Rosales-Herrera, Pablo; Rodriguez, M.

2001-04-01

A neural network based system to identify images transmitted through a Coherent Fiber-optic Bundle (CFB) is presented. Patterns are generated in a computer, displayed on a Spatial Light Modulator, imaged onto the input face of the CFB, and recovered optically by a CCD sensor array for further processing. Input and output optical subsystems were designed and used to that end. The recognition step of the transmitted patterns is made by a powerful, widely-used, neural network simulator running on the control PC. A complete PC-based interface was developed to control the different tasks involved in the system. An optical analysis of the system capabilities was carried out prior to performing the recognition step. Several neural network topologies were tested, and the corresponding numerical results are also presented and discussed.

Design of DSP-based high-power digital solar array simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yang; Liu, Zhilong; Tong, Weichao; Feng, Jian; Ji, Yibo

2013-12-01

To satisfy rigid performance specifications, a feedback control was presented for zoom optical lens plants. With the increasing of global energy consumption, research of the photovoltaic(PV) systems get more and more attention. Research of the digital high-power solar array simulator provides technical support for high-power grid-connected PV systems research.This paper introduces a design scheme of the high-power digital solar array simulator based on TMS320F28335. A DC-DC full-bridge topology was used in the system's main circuit. The switching frequency of IGBT is 25kHz.Maximum output voltage is 900V. Maximum output current is 20A. Simulator can be pre-stored solar panel IV curves.The curve is composed of 128 discrete points .When the system was running, the main circuit voltage and current values was feedback to the DSP by the voltage and current sensors in real-time. Through incremental PI,DSP control the simulator in the closed-loop control system. Experimental data show that Simulator output voltage and current follow a preset solar panels IV curve. In connection with the formation of high-power inverter, the system becomes gridconnected PV system. The inverter can find the simulator's maximum power point and the output power can be stabilized at the maximum power point (MPP).

Generating unstructured nuclear reactor core meshes in parallel

DOE PAGES

Jain, Rajeev; Tautges, Timothy J.

2014-10-24

Recent advances in supercomputers and parallel solver techniques have enabled users to run large simulations problems using millions of processors. Techniques for multiphysics nuclear reactor core simulations are under active development in several countries. Most of these techniques require large unstructured meshes that can be hard to generate in a standalone desktop computers because of high memory requirements, limited processing power, and other complexities. We have previously reported on a hierarchical lattice-based approach for generating reactor core meshes. Here, we describe efforts to exploit coarse-grained parallelism during reactor assembly and reactor core mesh generation processes. We highlight several reactor coremore » examples including a very high temperature reactor, a full-core model of the Korean MONJU reactor, a ¼ pressurized water reactor core, the fast reactor Experimental Breeder Reactor-II core with a XX09 assembly, and an advanced breeder test reactor core. The times required to generate large mesh models, along with speedups obtained from running these problems in parallel, are reported. A graphical user interface to the tools described here has also been developed.« less

Optical Control of a Nuclear Spin in Diamond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levonian, David; Goldman, Michael; Degreve, Kristiaan; Choi, Soonwon; Markham, Matthew; Twitchen, Daniel; Lukin, Mikhail

2017-04-01

The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond has emerged as a promising candidate for quantum information and quantum communication applications. The NV center's potential as a quantum register is due to the long coherence time of its spin-triplet electronic ground state, the optical addressability of its electronic transitions, and the presence of nearby ancillary nuclear spins. The NV center's electronic spin and nearby nuclear spins are most commonly manipulated using applied microwave and RF fields, but this approach would be difficult to scale up for use with an array of NV-based quantum registers. In this context, all-optical manipulation would be more scalable, technically simpler, and potentially faster. Although all-optical control of the electronic spin has been demonstrated, it is an outstanding problem for the nuclear spins. Here, we use an optical Raman scheme to implement nuclear spin-specific control of the electronic spin and coherent control of the 14N nuclear spin.

Nondestructive testing of moisture separator reheater tubing system using Hall sensor array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le, Minhhuy; Kim, Jungmin; Kim, Jisoo; Do, Hwa Sik; Lee, Jinyi

2018-01-01

This paper presents a nondestructive testing system for inspecting the moisture separator reheater (MSR) tubing system in a nuclear power plant. The technique is based on partial saturation eddy current testing in which a Hall sensor array is used to measure the radial component of the electromagnetic field distributed in the tubes. A finned MRS tube of ferritic stainless steel (SS439) with artificial, flat-bottom hole-type defects was used in the experiments. The results show that the proposed system has potential applications in the MSR system or ferromagnetic material tubes in general, which could detect the artificial defects of about 20% of the wall thickness (0.24 mm). Furthermore, the defect volume could be quantitatively evaluated.

Structure-seeking multilinear methods for the analysis of fMRI data.

PubMed

Andersen, Anders H; Rayens, William S

2004-06-01

In comprehensive fMRI studies of brain function, the data structures often contain higher-order ways such as trial, task condition, subject, and group in addition to the intrinsic dimensions of time and space. While multivariate bilinear methods such as principal component analysis (PCA) have been used successfully for extracting information about spatial and temporal features in data from a single fMRI run, the need to unfold higher-order data sets into bilinear arrays has led to decompositions that are nonunique and to the loss of multiway linkages and interactions present in the data. These additional dimensions or ways can be retained in multilinear models to produce structures that are unique and which admit interpretations that are neurophysiologically meaningful. Multiway analysis of fMRI data from multiple runs of a bilateral finger-tapping paradigm was performed using the parallel factor (PARAFAC) model. A trilinear model was fitted to a data cube of dimensions voxels by time by run. Similarly, a quadrilinear model was fitted to a higher-way structure of dimensions voxels by time by trial by run. The spatial and temporal response components were extracted and validated by comparison to results from traditional SVD/PCA analyses based on scenarios of unfolding into lower-order bilinear structures.

The short-run impact of gas prices on toll road use.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-10-01

"One of the primary functions of transportation planning is to predict future travel : behavior. Using estimated travel patterns, planners can then help decision makers : select the array of projects that will best suit the needs of their community. ...

The IMPACT Common Module - A Low Cost, Reconfigurable Building Block for Next Generation Phased Arrays

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-31

The SiGe receiver has two stages of programmable RF filtering and one stage of IF filtering. Each filter can be tuned in center frequency and...distribution unlimited. transmit, with an IF to RF upconversion chain that is split to programmable phase shifters and VGAs at each output port. Figure 2...These are optimized to run on medium grade Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), such as the Altera Arria 10, and represent a few of the many

Functional specifications for a radioactive waste decision support system

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

Westrom, G.B.; Kurrasch, E.R.; Carlton, R.E.

1989-09-01

It is generally recognized that decisions relative to the treatment, handling, transportation and disposal of low-level wastes produced in nuclear power plants involve a complex array of many inter-related elements or considerations. Complex decision processes can be aided through the use of computer-based expert systems which are based on the knowledge of experts and the inferencing of that knowledge to provide advice to an end-user. To determine the feasibility of developing and applying an expert system in nuclear plant low level waste operations, a Functional Specification for a Radwaste Decision Support System (RDSS) was developed. All areas of radwaste management,more » from the point of waste generation to the disposition of the waste in the final disposal location were considered for inclusion within the scope of the RDSS. 27 figs., 8 tabs.« less

Operation in the turbulent jet field of a linear array of multiple rectangular jets using a two-dimensional jet (Variation of mean velocity field)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujita, Shigetaka; Harima, Takashi

2016-03-01

The mean flowfield of a linear array of multiple rectangular jets run through transversely with a two-dimensional jet, has been investigated, experimentally. The object of this experiment is to operate both the velocity scale and the length scale of the multiple rectangular jets using a two-dimensional jet. The reason of the adoption of this nozzle exit shape was caused by the reports of authors in which the cruciform nozzle promoted the inward secondary flows strongly on both the two jet axes. Aspect ratio of the rectangular nozzle used in this experiment was 12.5. Reynolds number based on the nozzle width d and the exit mean velocity Ue (≅ 39 m / s) was kept constant 25000. Longitudinal mean velocity was measured using an X-array Hot-Wire Probe (lh = 3.1 μm in diameter, dh = 0.6 mm effective length : dh / lh = 194) operated by the linearized constant temperature anemometers (DANTEC), and the spanwise and the lateral mean velocities were measured using a yaw meter. The signals from the anemometers were passed through the low-pass filters and sampled using A.D. converter. The processing of the signals was made by a personal computer. Acquisition time of the signals was usually 60 seconds. From this experiment, it was revealed that the magnitude of the inward secondary flows on both the y and z axes in the upstream region of the present jet was promoted by a two-dimensional jet which run through transversely perpendicular to the multiple rectangular jets, therefore the potential core length on the x axis of the present jet extended 2.3 times longer than that of the multiple rectangular jets, and the half-velocity width on the rectangular jet axis of the present jet was suppressed 41% shorter compared with that of the multiple rectangular jets.

Streamlined calibrations of the ATLAS precision muon chambers for initial LHC running

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amram, N.; Ball, R.; Benhammou, Y.; Ben Moshe, M.; Dai, T.; Diehl, E. B.; Dubbert, J.; Etzion, E.; Ferretti, C.; Gregory, J.; Haider, S.; Hindes, J.; Levin, D. S.; Manilow, E.; Thun, R.; Wilson, A.; Weaverdyck, C.; Wu, Y.; Yang, H.; Zhou, B.; Zimmermann, S.

2012-04-01

The ATLAS Muon Spectrometer is designed to measure the momentum of muons with a resolution of dp/p=3% at 100 GeV and 10% at 1 TeV. For this task, the spectrometer employs 355,000 Monitored Drift Tubes (MDTs) arrayed in 1200 chambers. Calibration (RT) functions convert drift time measurements into tube-centered impact parameters for track segment reconstruction. RT functions depend on MDT environmental parameters and so must be appropriately calibrated for local chamber conditions. We report on the creation and application of a gas monitor system based calibration program for muon track reconstruction in the LHC startup phase.

Study of a 3×3 module array of the ECAL0 calorimeter with an electron beam at the ELSA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dziewiecki, M.; Anfimov, N.; Anosov, V.; Barth, J.; Chalyshev, V.; Chirikov-Zorin, I.; Elsner, D.; Frolov, V.; Frommberger, F.; Guskov, A.; Klein, F.; Krumshteyn, Z.; Kurjata, R.; Marzec, J.; Nagaytsev, A.; Olchevski, A.; Orlov, I.; Rybnikov, A.; Rychter, A.; Selyunin, A.; Zaremba, K.; Ziembicki, M.

2015-02-01

ECAL0 is a new electromagnetic calorimeter designed for studying generalized parton distributions at the COMPASS II experiment at CERN. It will be located next to the target and will cover larger photon angles (up to 30 degrees). It is a modular high-granularity Shashlyk device with total number of individual channels of approx. 1700 and readout based on wavelength shifting fibers and micropixel avalanche photodiodes. Characterization of the calorimeter includes tests of particular sub-components, tests of complete modules and module arrays, as well as a pilot run of a fully-functional, quarter-size prototype in the COMPASS experiment. The main goals of the tests on low-intensity electron beam at the ELSA accelerator in Bonn were: to provide energy calibration using electrons, to measure angular response of the calorimeter and to perform an energy scan to cross-check previously collected data. A dedicated measurement setup was prepared for the tests, including a 3x3 array of the ECAL0 modules, a scintillating-fibre hodoscope and a remotely-controlled motorized movable platform. The measurements were performed using three electron energies: 3.2 GeV, 1.6 GeV and 0.8 GeV. They include a calibration of the whole detector array with a straight beam and multiple angular scans.

Parametric Criticality Safety Calculations for Arrays of TRU Waste Containers

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

Gough, Sean T.

The Nuclear Criticality Safety Division (NCSD) has performed criticality safety calculations for finite and infinite arrays of transuranic (TRU) waste containers. The results of these analyses may be applied in any technical area onsite (e.g., TA-54, TA-55, etc.), as long as the assumptions herein are met. These calculations are designed to update the existing reference calculations for waste arrays documented in Reference 1, in order to meet current guidance on calculational methodology.

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

Lourdais, J.P.

The second Maxi-Marathon for the defense of the environment organized by the World Council of Nuclear Workers will take place on May 9 and 10, 1997 between Paris and Brussels. this second running, the runners will hand over to Jacques Santer, President of the European Commission, a manifesto reminding the European Union of the advantages of nuclear energy.

Comparison of Measured Dark Current Distributions with Calculated Damage Energy Distributions in HgCdTe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshall, C. J.; Marshall, P. W.; Howe, C. L.; Reed, R. A.; Weller, R. A.; Mendenhall, M.; Waczynski, A.; Ladbury, R.; Jordan, T. M.

2007-01-01

This paper presents a combined Monte Carlo and analytic approach to the calculation of the pixel-to-pixel distribution of proton-induced damage in a HgCdTe sensor array and compares the results to measured dark current distributions after damage by 63 MeV protons. The moments of the Coulombic, nuclear elastic and nuclear inelastic damage distributions were extracted from Monte Carlo simulations and combined to form a damage distribution using the analytic techniques first described in [1]. The calculations show that the high energy recoils from the nuclear inelastic reactions (calculated using the Monte Carlo code MCNPX [2]) produce a pronounced skewing of the damage energy distribution. While the nuclear elastic component (also calculated using the MCNPX) contributes only a small fraction of the total nonionizing damage energy, its inclusion in the shape of the damage across the array is significant. The Coulombic contribution was calculated using MRED [3-5], a Geant4 [4,6] application. The comparison with the dark current distribution strongly suggests that mechanisms which are not linearly correlated with nonionizing damage produced according to collision kinematics are responsible for the observed dark current increases. This has important implications for the process of predicting the on-orbit dark current response of the HgCdTe sensor array.

Investigation of Wave Energy Converter Effects on the Nearshore Environment: A Month-Long Study in Monterey Bay CA.

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

Roberts, Jesse D.; Chang, Grace; Magalen, Jason

2014-09-01

A modified version of an indust ry standard wave modeling tool, SNL - SWAN, was used to perform model simulations for hourly initial wave conditio ns measured during the month of October 2009. The model was run with an array of 50 wave energy converters (WECs) and compared with model runs without WECs. Maximum changes in H s were found in the lee of the WEC array along the angles of incident wave dire ction and minimal changes were found along the western side of the model domain due to wave shadowing by land. The largest wave height reductions occurredmore » during observed typhoon conditions and resulted in 14% decreases in H s along the Santa Cruz shoreline . Shoreline reductions in H s were 5% during s outh swell wave conditions and negligible during average monthly wave conditions.« less

The hyperion particle-γ detector array

DOE PAGES

Hughes, R. O.; Burke, J. T.; Casperson, R. J.; ...

2017-03-08

Hyperion is a new high-efficiency charged-particle γ-ray detector array which consists of a segmented silicon telescope for charged-particle detection and up to fourteen high-purity germanium clover detectors for the detection of coincident γ rays. The array will be used in nuclear physics measurements and Stockpile Stewardship studies and replaces the STARLiTeR array. In conclusion, this article discusses the features of the array and presents data collected with the array in the commissioning experiment.

A hierarchy of ocean biogeochemical comprehensiveness for Earth System Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunne, J. P.

2016-12-01

As Earth System Models mature towards more quantitative explanations of ocean carbon cycle interactions and are applied to an increasingly diverse array of living marine resource communities, the draw towards biogeochemical and ecological comprehensiveness intensifies. However, this draw to comprehensiveness must also be balanced with the added cost of handling additional tracers. One way that GFDL has addressed this constraint is by developing a series of biogeochemical modules based on the 30 tracer TOPAZ formulation used in GFDL's CMIP5 contribution in both simplifying the biogeochemistry down to the 6 tracer BLING formulation and 3 tracer mini-BLING formulation, and in the other direction improving on ecosystem comprehensiveness with the 33 tracer COBALT formulation. We discuss the comparative advantages and disadvantages along this continuum of complexity in terms of both biogeochemical and ecological fidelity and applicability. We also discuss a related approach to separate out other modules for ideal age, 14C, CFCs, SF6, Argon and other tracer suites, allowing use to run an array of experimental designs to suite different needs.

Development of Suitable Technologies for Heterodyne W-Band Focal-Plane Arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mena, Patricio; Reyes, N.; Jarufe, C.; Barrueto, I.; Molina, R.; Monasterio, D.; Bronfman, L.

2018-01-01

We present the ongoing efforts at University of Chile to develop technologies for heterodyne focal-plane arrays. We have focused in W band covering four areas of study. 1. OPTICAL SYSTEMS: We have studied the possibility of using multi-pixel receivers at ALMA-type antennas. We designed an array of 7 pixels (extensible to 19) that fits into an ALMA cartridge. The design includes a set of mirrors and a fly-eye lens that allows the system to fit on the available space. For the feed, we have studied smooth-wall horns and Vivaldi antennas. 2. COMPACT OMTS: We have been working on turnstile-type OMTs fabricated in platelets that permit integration of several OMTs in the same block. 3. LOW NOISE AMPLIFIERS: We are working on a hybrid concept that uses a single transistor mounted before a commercial MMIC. We have measured noise temperatures lower than 50 K. The aim is to produce compact blocks suitable for integration. 4. DOWNCONVERTING MIXERS: We have designed biased sub-harmonic mixers based on Schottky diodes using MMIC technology and to be fabricated in a commercial run. We expect conversion losses below 15 dB. Mixers and LNA will be packaged in a single block using a 2SB scheme.

Systolic array IC for genetic computation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, D.

1991-01-01

Measuring similarities between large sequences of genetic information is a formidable task requiring enormous amounts of computer time. Geneticists claim that nearly two months of CRAY-2 time are required to run a single comparison of the known database against the new bases that will be found this year, and more than a CRAY-2 year for next year's genetic discoveries, and so on. The DNA IC, designed at HP-ICBD in cooperation with the California Institute of Technology and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is being implemented in order to move the task of genetic comparison onto workstations and personal computers, while vastly improving performance. The chip is a systolic (pumped) array comprised of 16 processors, control logic, and global RAM, totaling 400,000 FETS. At 12 MHz, each chip performs 2.7 billion 16 bit operations per second. Using 35 of these chips in series on one PC board (performing nearly 100 billion operations per second), a sequence of 560 bases can be compared against the eventual total genome of 3 billion bases, in minutes--on a personal computer. While the designed purpose of the DNA chip is for genetic research, other disciplines requiring similarity measurements between strings of 7 bit encoded data could make use of this chip as well. Cryptography and speech recognition are two examples. A mix of full custom design and standard cells, in CMOS34, were used to achieve these goals. Innovative test methods were developed to enhance controllability and observability in the array. This paper describes these techniques as well as the chip's functionality. This chip was designed in the 1989-90 timeframe.

Synchronized operation by field programmable gate array based signal controller for the Thomson scattering diagnostic system in KSTAR.

PubMed

Lee, W R; Kim, H S; Park, M K; Lee, J H; Kim, K H

2012-09-01

The Thomson scattering diagnostic system is successfully installed in the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) facility. We got the electron temperature and electron density data for the first time in 2011, 4th campaign using a field programmable gate array (FPGA) based signal control board. It operates as a signal generator, a detector, a controller, and a time measuring device. This board produces two configurable trigger pulses to operate Nd:YAG laser system and receives a laser beam detection signal from a photodiode detector. It allows a trigger pulse to be delivered to a time delay module to make a scattered signal measurement, measuring an asynchronous time value between the KSTAR timing board and the laser system injection signal. All functions are controlled by the embedded processor running on operating system within a single FPGA. It provides Ethernet communication interface and is configured with standard middleware to integrate with KSTAR. This controller has operated for two experimental campaigns including commissioning and performed the reconfiguration of logic designs to accommodate varying experimental situation without hardware rebuilding.

Rapid ISS Power Availability Simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Downing, Nicholas

2011-01-01

The ISS (International Space Station) Power Resource Officers (PROs) needed a tool to automate the calculation of thousands of ISS power availability simulations used to generate power constraint matrices. Each matrix contains 864 cells, and each cell represents a single power simulation that must be run. The tools available to the flight controllers were very operator intensive and not conducive to rapidly running the thousands of simulations necessary to generate the power constraint data. SOLAR is a Java-based tool that leverages commercial-off-the-shelf software (Satellite Toolkit) and an existing in-house ISS EPS model (SPEED) to rapidly perform thousands of power availability simulations. SOLAR has a very modular architecture and consists of a series of plug-ins that are loosely coupled. The modular architecture of the software allows for the easy replacement of the ISS power system model simulator, re-use of the Satellite Toolkit integration code, and separation of the user interface from the core logic. Satellite Toolkit (STK) is used to generate ISS eclipse and insulation times, solar beta angle, position of the solar arrays over time, and the amount of shadowing on the solar arrays, which is then provided to SPEED to calculate power generation forecasts. The power planning turn-around time is reduced from three months to two weeks (83-percent decrease) using SOLAR, and the amount of PRO power planning support effort is reduced by an estimated 30 percent.

Experience from the construction and operation of the STAR PXL detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greiner, L.; Anderssen, E. C.; Contin, G.; Schambach, J.; Silber, J.; Stezelberger, T.; Sun, X.; Szelezniak, M.; Vu, C.; Wieman, H. H.; Woodmansee, S.

2015-04-01

A new silicon based vertex detector called the Heavy Flavor Tracker (HFT) was installed at the Soleniodal Tracker At RHIC (STAR) experiment for the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) 2014 heavy ion run to improve the vertex resolution and extend the measurement capabilities of STAR in the heavy flavor domain. The HFT consists of four concentric cylinders around the STAR interaction point composed of three different silicon detector technologies based on strips, pads and for the first time in an accelerator experiment CMOS monolithic active pixels (MAPS) . The two innermost layers at a radius of 2.8 cm and 8 cm from the beam line are constructed with 400 high resolution MAPS sensors arranged in 10-sensor ladders mounted on 10 thin carbon fiber sectors giving a total silicon area of 0.16 m2. Each sensor consists of a pixel array of nearly 1 million pixels with a pitch of 20.7 μm with column-level discriminators, zero-suppression circuitry and output buffer memory integrated into one silicon die with a sensitive area of ~ 3.8 cm2. The pixel (PXL) detector has a low power dissipation of 170 mW/cm2, which allows air cooling. This results in a global material budget of 0.5% radiation length per layer for detector used in this run. A novel mechanical approach to detector insertion allows for the installation and integration of the pixel sub detector within a 12 hour period during an on-going STAR run. The detector specifications, experience from the construction and operation, lessons learned and initial measurements of the PXL performance in the 200 GeV Au-Au run will be presented.

ELM - A SIMPLE TOOL FOR THERMAL-HYDRAULIC ANALYSIS OF SOLID-CORE NUCLEAR ROCKET FUEL ELEMENTS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walton, J. T.

1994-01-01

ELM is a simple computational tool for modeling the steady-state thermal-hydraulics of propellant flow through fuel element coolant channels in nuclear thermal rockets. Written for the nuclear propulsion project of the Space Exploration Initiative, ELM evaluates the various heat transfer coefficient and friction factor correlations available for turbulent pipe flow with heat addition. In the past, these correlations were found in different reactor analysis codes, but now comparisons are possible within one program. The logic of ELM is based on the one-dimensional conservation of energy in combination with Newton's Law of Cooling to determine the bulk flow temperature and the wall temperature across a control volume. Since the control volume is an incremental length of tube, the corresponding pressure drop is determined by application of the Law of Conservation of Momentum. The size, speed, and accuracy of ELM make it a simple tool for use in fuel element parametric studies. ELM is a machine independent program written in FORTRAN 77. It has been successfully compiled on an IBM PC compatible running MS-DOS using Lahey FORTRAN 77, a DEC VAX series computer running VMS, and a Sun4 series computer running SunOS UNIX. ELM requires 565K of RAM under SunOS 4.1, 360K of RAM under VMS 5.4, and 406K of RAM under MS-DOS. Because this program is machine independent, no executable is provided on the distribution media. The standard distribution medium for ELM is one 5.25 inch 360K MS-DOS format diskette. ELM was developed in 1991. DEC, VAX, and VMS are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. Sun4 and SunOS are trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. IBM PC is a registered trademark of International Business Machines. MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Armored umbilical apparatus for towing a marine seismic air gun sub array

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

Burrage, E.C.

1985-06-25

An armored umbilical and termination housing is disclosed for towing a sub-array of seismic air guns used in marine seismic surveying comprising a single air hose for supplying all the high pressure air to the individual air guns surrounded by all the electrical control cables needed to operate the air guns in the sub-array. Protective coatings are applied around the electrical control cables and stress members for carrying the load of towing the sub-array are incorporated within the umbilical. A termination housing is provided on the end of the umbilical for terminating the single air hose and all the electricalmore » control lines to common connectors so that individual electrical control lines and air hoses can run from the termination housing to each individual air gun in the sub-array. Air shut off valves are provided so that the high pressure air can be shut off to the individual air guns within the sub-array remotely from the survey vessel.« less

Automatic Parallelization of Numerical Python Applications using the Global Arrays Toolkit

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

Daily, Jeffrey A.; Lewis, Robert R.

2011-11-30

Global Arrays is a software system from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory that enables an efficient, portable, and parallel shared-memory programming interface to manipulate distributed dense arrays. The NumPy module is the de facto standard for numerical calculation in the Python programming language, a language whose use is growing rapidly in the scientific and engineering communities. NumPy provides a powerful N-dimensional array class as well as other scientific computing capabilities. However, like the majority of the core Python modules, NumPy is inherently serial. Using a combination of Global Arrays and NumPy, we have reimplemented NumPy as a distributed drop-in replacement calledmore » Global Arrays in NumPy (GAiN). Serial NumPy applications can become parallel, scalable GAiN applications with only minor source code changes. Scalability studies of several different GAiN applications will be presented showing the utility of developing serial NumPy codes which can later run on more capable clusters or supercomputers.« less

Customizable PCR-microplate array for differential identification of multiple pathogens

PubMed Central

Woubit, Abdela; Yehualaeshet, Teshome; Roberts, Sherrelle; Graham, Martha; Kim, Moonil; Samuel, Temesgen

2014-01-01

Customizable PCR-microplate arrays were developed for the rapid identification of Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis, Salmonella Typhi, Shigella dysenteriae, Yersinia pestis, Vibrio cholerae Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Saintpaul, Francisella tularensis subsp. novicida, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Previously, we identified highly specific primers targeting each of the pathogens above. Here, we report the development of customizable PCR-microplate arrays for simultaneous identification of the pathogens using the primers. A mixed aliquot of genomic DNA from 38 different strains was used to validate three PCR-microplate array formats. Identical PCR conditions were used to run all the samples on the three formats. Results show specific amplifications on all the three custom plates. In a preliminary test to evaluate the sensitivity of these assays in laboratory-inoculated samples, detection limits as low as 9 cfu/g/ml S. Typhimurium were obtained from beef hot dog, and 78 cfu/ml from milk. Such microplate arrays could serve as valuable tools for initial identification or secondary confirmation of these pathogens. PMID:24215700

The Effects of Heterogeneities on Seismic Wave Propagation in the Climax Stock

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

Hagan Webb, C., Snelson, C. M., White, R., Emmitt, R., Barker, D., Abbott, R., Bonal, N.

2011-12-01

The Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty requires the ability to detect low-yield (less than 150kton) nuclear events. This kind of monitoring can only be done seismically on a regional scale (within 2000km). At this level, it is difficult to distinguish between low-yield nuclear events and non-nuclear events of similar magnitude. In order to confidently identify a nuclear event, a more detailed understanding of nuclear seismic sources is needed. In particular, it is important to know the effects of local geology on the seismic signal. This study focuses on P-wave velocity in heterogeneous granitoid. The Source Physics Experiment (SPE) is currently performingmore » low-yield tests with chemical explosives at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The exact test site was chosen to be in the Climax Stock, a cretaceous granodiorite and quartz-monzonite pluton located in Area 15 of the NNSS. It has been used in the past for the Hard Hat and Pile Driver nuclear tests, which provided legacy data that can be used to simulate wave propagation. The Climax Stock was originally chosen as the site of the SPE partly because of its assumed homogeneity. It has since been discovered that the area of the stock where the SPE tests are being performed contains a perched water table. In addition, the stock is known to contain an extensive network of faults, joints, and fractures, but the exact effect of these structural features on seismic wave velocity is not fully understood. The SPE tests are designed to seismically capture the explosion phenomena from the near- to the far-field transition of the seismic waveform. In the first SPE experiment, 100kg of chemical explosives were set off at a depth of 55m. The blast was recorded with an array of sensors and diagnostics, including accelerometers, geophones, rotational sensors, short-period and broadband seismic sensors, Continuous Reflectometry for Radius vs. Time Experiment, Time of Arrival, Velocity of Detonation, and infrasound sensors. The focus of this study is two-fold: (1) the geophone array that was focused over the SPE shot and (2) a high-resolution seismic profile that was recently acquired at the field site. The geophone array was placed radially around the SPE shot in five directions with 100m spacing and out to a distance of 2 km. The high-resolution profile was about 475m in length with station and shot spacing of 5m using a 7000lb mini-vibe as a source. In both data sets, the first arrivals will be used to develop velocity models. For the geophone array, 1-D P-wave velocity models will be developed to determine an average apparent velocity of the Climax Stock. The high-resolution data will be used to develop a 2-D P-wave velocity model along the seismic profile. This is in an effort to elucidate the water table in more detail and provide additional information on the near-surface structure. These results will be used in the overall modeling effort to fully characterize the test bed and develop a physics-based model to simulate seismic energy from the SPE events.« less

Thermal and flow analysis of the Fluor Daniel, Inc., Nuclear Material Storage Facility renovation design (initial 30% effort of Title 1)

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

Steinke, R.G.; Mueller, C.; Knight, T.D.

1998-03-01

The computational fluid dynamics code CFX4.2 was used to evaluate steady-state thermal-hydraulic conditions in the Fluor Daniel, Inc., Nuclear Material Storage Facility renovation design (initial 30% of Title 1). Thirteen facility cases were evaluated with varying temperature dependence, drywell-array heat-source magnitude and distribution, location of the inlet tower, and no-flow curtains in the drywell-array vault. Four cases of a detailed model of the inlet-tower top fixture were evaluated to show the effect of the canopy-cruciform fixture design on the air pressure and flow distributions.

Solid state neutron detector array

DOEpatents

Seidel, John G.; Ruddy, Frank H.; Brandt, Charles D.; Dulloo, Abdul R.; Lott, Randy G.; Sirianni, Ernest; Wilson, Randall O.

1999-01-01

A neutron detector array is capable of measuring a wide range of neutron fluxes. The array includes multiple semiconductor neutron detectors. Each detector has a semiconductor active region that is resistant to radiation damage. In one embodiment, the array preferably has a relatively small size, making it possible to place the array in confined locations. The ability of the array to detect a wide range of neutron fluxes is highly advantageous for many applications such as detecting neutron flux during start up, ramp up and full power of nuclear reactors.

Method and infrastructure for cycle-reproducible simulation on large scale digital circuits on a coordinated set of field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)

DOEpatents

Asaad, Sameh W; Bellofatto, Ralph E; Brezzo, Bernard; Haymes, Charles L; Kapur, Mohit; Parker, Benjamin D; Roewer, Thomas; Tierno, Jose A

2014-01-28

A plurality of target field programmable gate arrays are interconnected in accordance with a connection topology and map portions of a target system. A control module is coupled to the plurality of target field programmable gate arrays. A balanced clock distribution network is configured to distribute a reference clock signal, and a balanced reset distribution network is coupled to the control module and configured to distribute a reset signal to the plurality of target field programmable gate arrays. The control module and the balanced reset distribution network are cooperatively configured to initiate and control a simulation of the target system with the plurality of target field programmable gate arrays. A plurality of local clock control state machines reside in the target field programmable gate arrays. The local clock state machines are configured to generate a set of synchronized free-running and stoppable clocks to maintain cycle-accurate and cycle-reproducible execution of the simulation of the target system. A method is also provided.

Performance and field tests of a handheld Compton camera using 3-D position-sensitive scintillators coupled to multi-pixel photon counter arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kishimoto, A.; Kataoka, J.; Nishiyama, T.; Fujita, T.; Takeuchi, K.; Okochi, H.; Ogata, H.; Kuroshima, H.; Ohsuka, S.; Nakamura, S.; Hirayanagi, M.; Adachi, S.; Uchiyama, T.; Suzuki, H.

2014-11-01

After the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, radiation decontamination has become particularly urgent. To help identify radiation hotspots and ensure effective decontamination operation, we have developed a novel Compton camera based on Ce-doped Gd3Al2Ga3O12 scintillators and multi-pixel photon counter (MPPC) arrays. Even though its sensitivity is several times better than that of other cameras being tested in Fukushima, we introduce a depth-of-interaction (DOI) method to further improve the angular resolution. For gamma rays, the DOI information, in addition to 2-D position, is obtained by measuring the pulse-height ratio of the MPPC arrays coupled to ends of the scintillator. We present the detailed performance and results of various field tests conducted in Fukushima with the prototype 2-D and DOI Compton cameras. Moreover, we demonstrate stereo measurement of gamma rays that enables measurement of not only direction but also approximate distance to radioactive hotspots.

Automated flaw detection scheme for cast austenitic stainless steel weld specimens using Hilbert-Huang transform of ultrasonic phased array data

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

Khan, Tariq; Majumdar, Shantanu; Udpa, Lalita

2012-05-17

The objective of this work is to develop processing algorithms to detect and localize flaws using ultrasonic phased-array data. Data was collected on cast austenitic stainless stell (CASS) weld specimens onloan from the U.S. nuclear power industry' Pressurized Walter Reactor Owners Group (PWROG) traveling specimen set. Each specimen consists of a centrifugally cast stainless stell (CCSS) pipe section welded to a statically cst(SCSS) or wrought (WRSS) section. The paper presents a novel automated flaw detection and localization scheme using low frequency ultrasonic phased array inspection singals from the weld and heat affected zone of the based materials. The major stepsmore » of the overall scheme are preprocessing and region of interest (ROI) detection followed by the Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) of A-scans in the detected ROIs. HHT offers time-frequency-energy distribution for each ROI. The Accumulation of energy in a particular frequency band is used as a classification feature for the particular ROI.« less

Retention in porous layer pillar array planar separation platforms

DOE PAGES

Lincoln, Danielle R.; Lavrik, Nickolay V.; Kravchenko, Ivan I.; ...

2016-08-11

Here, this work presents the retention capabilities and surface area enhancement of highly ordered, high-aspect-ratio, open-platform, two-dimensional (2D) pillar arrays when coated with a thin layer of porous silicon oxide (PSO). Photolithographically prepared pillar arrays were coated with 50–250 nm of PSO via plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and then functionalized with either octadecyltrichlorosilane or n-butyldimethylchlorosilane. Theoretical calculations indicate that a 50 nm layer of PSO increases the surface area of a pillar nearly 120-fold. Retention capabilities were tested by observing capillary-action-driven development under various conditions, as well as by running one-dimensional separations on varying thicknesses of PSO. Increasing the thicknessmore » of PSO on an array clearly resulted in greater retention of the analyte(s) in question in both experiments. In culmination, a two-dimensional separation of fluorescently derivatized amines was performed to further demonstrate the capabilities of these fabricated platforms.« less

IOTA: the array controller for a gigapixel OTCCD camera for Pan-STARRS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onaka, Peter; Tonry, John; Luppino, Gerard; Lockhart, Charles; Lee, Aaron; Ching, Gregory; Isani, Sidik; Uyeshiro, Robin

2004-09-01

The PanSTARRS project has undertaken an ambitious effort to develop a completely new array controller architecture that is fundamentally driven by the large 1gigapixel, low noise, high speed OTCCD mosaic requirements as well as the size, power and weight restrictions of the PanSTARRS telescope. The result is a very small form factor next generation controller scalar building block with 1 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces that will be assembled into a system that will readout 512 outputs at ~1 Megapixel sample rates on each output. The paper will also discuss critical technology and fabrication techniques such as greater than 1MHz analog to digital converters (ADCs), multiple fast sampling and digital calculation of multiple correlated samples (DMCS), ball grid array (BGA) packaged circuits, LINUX running on embedded field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) with hard core microprocessors for the prototype currently being developed.

Retention in porous layer pillar array planar separation platforms

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

Lincoln, Danielle R.; Lavrik, Nickolay V.; Kravchenko, Ivan I.

Here, this work presents the retention capabilities and surface area enhancement of highly ordered, high-aspect-ratio, open-platform, two-dimensional (2D) pillar arrays when coated with a thin layer of porous silicon oxide (PSO). Photolithographically prepared pillar arrays were coated with 50–250 nm of PSO via plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and then functionalized with either octadecyltrichlorosilane or n-butyldimethylchlorosilane. Theoretical calculations indicate that a 50 nm layer of PSO increases the surface area of a pillar nearly 120-fold. Retention capabilities were tested by observing capillary-action-driven development under various conditions, as well as by running one-dimensional separations on varying thicknesses of PSO. Increasing the thicknessmore » of PSO on an array clearly resulted in greater retention of the analyte(s) in question in both experiments. In culmination, a two-dimensional separation of fluorescently derivatized amines was performed to further demonstrate the capabilities of these fabricated platforms.« less

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

Hughes, R. O.; Burke, J. T.; Casperson, R. J.

Hyperion is a new high-efficiency charged-particle γ-ray detector array which consists of a segmented silicon telescope for charged-particle detection and up to fourteen high-purity germanium clover detectors for the detection of coincident γ rays. The array will be used in nuclear physics measurements and Stockpile Stewardship studies and replaces the STARLiTeR array. In conclusion, this article discusses the features of the array and presents data collected with the array in the commissioning experiment.

Selecting sequence variants to improve genomic predictions for dairy cattle

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Millions of genetic variants have been identified by population-scale sequencing projects, but subsets are needed for routine genomic predictions or to include on genotyping arrays. Methods of selecting sequence variants were compared using both simulated sequence genotypes and actual data from run ...

Trade Studies for a Manned High-Power Nuclear Electric Propulsion Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

SanSoucie, Michael; Hull, Patrick V.; Irwin, Ryan W.; TInker, Michael L.; Patton, Bruce W.

2005-01-01

Nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) vehicles will be needed for future manned missions to Mars and beyond. Candidate vehicles must be identified through trade studies for further detailed design from a large array of possibilities. Genetic algorithms have proven their utility in conceptual design studies by effectively searching a large design space to pinpoint unique optimal designs. This research combines analysis codes for NEP subsystems with genetic algorithm-based optimization. Trade studies for a NEP reference mission to the asteroids were conducted to identify important trends, and to determine the effects of various technologies and subsystems on vehicle performance. It was found that the electric thruster type and thruster performance have a major impact on the achievable system performance, and that significant effort in thruster research and development is merited.

Comparison of modeled and experimental PV array temperature profiles for accurate interpretation of module performance and degradation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elwood, Teri; Simmons-Potter, Kelly

2017-08-01

Quantification of the effect of temperature on photovoltaic (PV) module efficiency is vital to the correct interpretation of PV module performance under varied environmental conditions. However, previous work has demonstrated that PV module arrays in the field are subject to significant location-based temperature variations associated with, for example, local heating/cooling and array edge effects. Such thermal non-uniformity can potentially lead to under-prediction or over-prediction of PV array performance due to an incorrect interpretation of individual module temperature de-rating. In the current work, a simulated method for modeling the thermal profile of an extended PV array has been investigated through extensive computational modeling utilizing ANSYS, a high-performance computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software tool. Using the local wind speed as an input, simulations were run to determine the velocity at particular points along modular strings corresponding to the locations of temperature sensors along strings in the field. The point velocities were utilized along with laminar flow theories in order to calculate Nusselt's number for each point. These calculations produced a heat flux profile which, when combined with local thermal and solar radiation profiles, were used as inputs in an ANSYS Thermal Transient model that generated a solar string operating temperature profile. A comparison of the data collected during field testing, and the data fabricated by ANSYS simulations, will be discussed in order to authenticate the accuracy of the model.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratory Nuclear Accident Dosimetry Support of IER 252 and the Dose Characterization of the Flattop Reactor at the DAF

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

Hickman, D. P.; Jeffers, K. L.; Radev, R. P.

In support of IER 252 “Characterization of the Flattop Reactor at the NCERC”, LLNL performed ROSPEC measurements of the neutron spectrum and deployed 129 Personnel Nuclear Accident Dosimeters (PNAD) to establish the need for height corrections and verification of neutron spectrum evaluation of the fluences and dose. A very limited number of heights (typically only one or two heights) can be measured using neutron spectrometers, therefore it was important to determine if any height correction would be needed in future intercomparisons and studies. Specific measurement positions around the Flatttop reactor are provided in Figure 1. Table 1 provides run andmore » position information for LLNL measurements. The LLNL ROSPEC (R2) was used for run numbers 1 – 7, and vi. PNADs were positioned on trees during run numbers 9, 11, and 13.« less

Radiation characteristics of Al wire arrays on Z*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coverdale, C. A.; Ampleford, D. J.; Jones, B.; Cuneo, M. E.; Hansen, S.; Jennings, C. A.; Moore, N.; Jones, S. C.; Deeney, C.

2011-10-01

Analysis of mixed material nested wire array experiments at Z have shown that the inner wire array dominates the hottest regions of the stagnated z pinch. In those experiments, substantial free-bound continuum radiation was observed when Al was fielded on the inner wire array. Experiments with Al (5% Mg) on both wire arrays have also been fielded, with variations in the free-bound continuum observed. These variations appear to be tied to the initial mass and diameter of the wire array. The results presented here will investigate the trends in the measured emission (Al and Mg K-shell and free-bound continuum) and will compare the measured output to more recent Al wire array experimental results on the refurbished Z accelerator. *Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000. +current address: NNSA/DOE Headquarters, Washington D.C.

Modelling of nuclear power plant decommissioning financing.

PubMed

Bemš, J; Knápek, J; Králík, T; Hejhal, M; Kubančák, J; Vašíček, J

2015-06-01

Costs related to the decommissioning of nuclear power plants create a significant financial burden for nuclear power plant operators. This article discusses the various methodologies employed by selected European countries for financing of the liabilities related to the nuclear power plant decommissioning. The article also presents methodology of allocation of future decommissioning costs to the running costs of nuclear power plant in the form of fee imposed on each megawatt hour generated. The application of the methodology is presented in the form of a case study on a new nuclear power plant with installed capacity 1000 MW. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Multi-threaded Event Processing with DANA

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

David Lawrence; Elliott Wolin

2007-05-14

The C++ data analysis framework DANA has been written to support the next generation of Nuclear Physics experiments at Jefferson Lab commensurate with the anticipated 12GeV upgrade. The DANA framework was designed to allow multi-threaded event processing with a minimal impact on developers of reconstruction software. This document describes how DANA implements multi-threaded event processing and compares it to simply running multiple instances of a program. Also presented are relative reconstruction rates for Pentium4, Xeon, and Opteron based machines.

Search for Magnetic Monopoles with the MoEDAL Forward Trapping Detector in 13 TeV Proton-Proton Collisions at the LHC.

PubMed

Acharya, B; Alexandre, J; Baines, S; Benes, P; Bergmann, B; Bernabéu, J; Branzas, H; Campbell, M; Caramete, L; Cecchini, S; de Montigny, M; De Roeck, A; Ellis, J R; Fairbairn, M; Felea, D; Flores, J; Frank, M; Frekers, D; Garcia, C; Hirt, A M; Janecek, J; Kalliokoski, M; Katre, A; Kim, D-W; Kinoshita, K; Korzenev, A; Lacarrère, D H; Lee, S C; Leroy, C; Lionti, A; Mamuzic, J; Margiotta, A; Mauri, N; Mavromatos, N E; Mermod, P; Mitsou, V A; Orava, R; Parker, B; Pasqualini, L; Patrizii, L; Păvălaş, G E; Pinfold, J L; Popa, V; Pozzato, M; Pospisil, S; Rajantie, A; Ruiz de Austri, R; Sahnoun, Z; Sakellariadou, M; Sarkar, S; Semenoff, G; Shaa, A; Sirri, G; Sliwa, K; Soluk, R; Spurio, M; Srivastava, Y N; Suk, M; Swain, J; Tenti, M; Togo, V; Tuszyński, J A; Vento, V; Vives, O; Vykydal, Z; Whyntie, T; Widom, A; Willems, G; Yoon, J H; Zgura, I S

2017-02-10

MoEDAL is designed to identify new physics in the form of long-lived highly ionizing particles produced in high-energy LHC collisions. Its arrays of plastic nuclear-track detectors and aluminium trapping volumes provide two independent passive detection techniques. We present here the results of a first search for magnetic monopole production in 13 TeV proton-proton collisions using the trapping technique, extending a previous publication with 8 TeV data during LHC Run 1. A total of 222 kg of MoEDAL trapping detector samples was exposed in the forward region and analyzed by searching for induced persistent currents after passage through a superconducting magnetometer. Magnetic charges exceeding half the Dirac charge are excluded in all samples and limits are placed for the first time on the production of magnetic monopoles in 13 TeV pp collisions. The search probes mass ranges previously inaccessible to collider experiments for up to five times the Dirac charge.

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

Orozco, Luis A

This is a report of the construction of a Francium Trapping Facility (FTF) at the Isotope Separator and Accelerator (ISAC) of TRIUMF in Vancouver, Canada, where the Francium Parity Non Conservation (FrPNC) international collaboration has its home. This facility will be used to study fundamental symmetries with high-resolution atomic spectroscopy. The primary scientific objective of the program is a measurement of the anapole moment of francium in a chain of isotopes by observing the parity violation induced by the weak interaction. The anapole moment of francium and associated signal are expected to be ten times larger than in cesium, themore » only element in which an anapole moment has been observed. The measurement will provide crucial information for better understanding weak hadronic interactions in the context of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). The methodology combines nuclear and particle physics techniques for the production of francium with precision measurements based on laser cooling and trapping and microwave spectroscopy. The program builds on an initial series of atomic spectroscopy measurements of the nuclear structure of francium, based on isotope shifts and hyperfine anomalies, before conducting the anapole moment measurements, these measurements performed during commissioning runs help understand the atomic and nuclear structure of Fr.« less

A digital-receiver for the MurchisonWidefield Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prabu, Thiagaraj; Srivani, K. S.; Roshi, D. Anish; Kamini, P. A.; Madhavi, S.; Emrich, David; Crosse, Brian; Williams, Andrew J.; Waterson, Mark; Deshpande, Avinash A.; Shankar, N. Udaya; Subrahmanyan, Ravi; Briggs, Frank H.; Goeke, Robert F.; Tingay, Steven J.; Johnston-Hollitt, Melanie; R, Gopalakrishna M.; Morgan, Edward H.; Pathikulangara, Joseph; Bunton, John D.; Hampson, Grant; Williams, Christopher; Ord, Stephen M.; Wayth, Randall B.; Kumar, Deepak; Morales, Miguel F.; deSouza, Ludi; Kratzenberg, Eric; Pallot, D.; McWhirter, Russell; Hazelton, Bryna J.; Arcus, Wayne; Barnes, David G.; Bernardi, Gianni; Booler, T.; Bowman, Judd D.; Cappallo, Roger J.; Corey, Brian E.; Greenhill, Lincoln J.; Herne, David; Hewitt, Jacqueline N.; Kaplan, David L.; Kasper, Justin C.; Kincaid, Barton B.; Koenig, Ronald; Lonsdale, Colin J.; Lynch, Mervyn J.; Mitchell, Daniel A.; Oberoi, Divya; Remillard, Ronald A.; Rogers, Alan E.; Salah, Joseph E.; Sault, Robert J.; Stevens, Jamie B.; Tremblay, S.; Webster, Rachel L.; Whitney, Alan R.; Wyithe, Stuart B.

2015-03-01

An FPGA-based digital-receiver has been developed for a low-frequency imaging radio interferometer, the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA). The MWA, located at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO) in Western Australia, consists of 128 dual-polarized aperture-array elements (tiles) operating between 80 and 300 MHz, with a total processed bandwidth of 30.72 MHz for each polarization. Radio-frequency signals from the tiles are amplified and band limited using analog signal conditioning units; sampled and channelized by digital-receivers. The signals from eight tiles are processed by a single digital-receiver, thus requiring 16 digital-receivers for the MWA. The main function of the digital-receivers is to digitize the broad-band signals from each tile, channelize them to form the sky-band, and transport it through optical fibers to a centrally located correlator for further processing. The digital-receiver firmware also implements functions to measure the signal power, perform power equalization across the band, detect interference-like events, and invoke diagnostic modes. The digital-receiver is controlled by high-level programs running on a single-board-computer. This paper presents the digital-receiver design, implementation, current status, and plans for future enhancements.

Rectangle Surface Coil Array in a Grid Arrangement for Resonance Imaging

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-13

switchable array, RF magnetic field, NQR , MRI, NMR, tuning, decoupling I. INTRODUCTION ESONANCE imaging can be accomplished using Nuclear Magnetic...Resonance (NMR) or Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance ( NQR ) techniques. REF [1] and [6] explain the differences between NMR and NQR . What NMR and NQR ...of resonance NQR frequency of 28.1MHz. The matching and tuning is explain in detail in the next section of this paper. Rectangle Surface Coil

Graphical Environment Tools for Application to Gamma-Ray Energy Tracking Arrays

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

Todd, Richard A.; Radford, David C.

2013-12-30

Highly segmented, position-sensitive germanium detector systems are being developed for nuclear physics research where traditional electronic signal processing with mixed analog and digital function blocks would be enormously complex and costly. Future systems will be constructed using pipelined processing of high-speed digitized signals as is done in the telecommunications industry. Techniques which provide rapid algorithm and system development for future systems are desirable. This project has used digital signal processing concepts and existing graphical system design tools to develop a set of re-usable modular functions and libraries targeted for the nuclear physics community. Researchers working with complex nuclear detector arraysmore » such as the Gamma-Ray Energy Tracking Array (GRETA) have been able to construct advanced data processing algorithms for implementation in field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) through application of these library functions using intuitive graphical interfaces.« less

Field programmable gate arrays-based number plate binarization and adjustment for automatic number plate recognition systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhai, Xiaojun; Bensaali, Faycal; Sotudeh, Reza

2013-01-01

Number plate (NP) binarization and adjustment are important preprocessing stages in automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems and are used to link the number plate localization (NPL) and character segmentation stages. Successfully linking these two stages will improve the performance of the entire ANPR system. We present two optimized low-complexity NP binarization and adjustment algorithms. Efficient area/speed architectures based on the proposed algorithms are also presented and have been successfully implemented and tested using the Mentor Graphics RC240 FPGA development board, which together require only 9% of the available on-chip resources of a Virtex-4 FPGA, run with a maximum frequency of 95.8 MHz and are capable of processing one image in 0.07 to 0.17 ms.

Adaptive Proactive Inhibitory Control for Embedded Real-Time Applications

PubMed Central

Yang, Shufan; McGinnity, T. Martin; Wong-Lin, KongFatt

2012-01-01

Psychologists have studied the inhibitory control of voluntary movement for many years. In particular, the countermanding of an impending action has been extensively studied. In this work, we propose a neural mechanism for adaptive inhibitory control in a firing-rate type model based on current findings in animal electrophysiological and human psychophysical experiments. We then implement this model on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) prototyping system, using dedicated real-time hardware circuitry. Our results show that the FPGA-based implementation can run in real-time while achieving behavioral performance qualitatively suggestive of the animal experiments. Implementing such biological inhibitory control in an embedded device can lead to the development of control systems that may be used in more realistic cognitive robotics or in neural prosthetic systems aiding human movement control. PMID:22701420

Multi-mode sensor processing on a dynamically reconfigurable massively parallel processor array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Paul; Butts, Mike; Budlong, Brad; Wasson, Paul

2008-04-01

This paper introduces a novel computing architecture that can be reconfigured in real time to adapt on demand to multi-mode sensor platforms' dynamic computational and functional requirements. This 1 teraOPS reconfigurable Massively Parallel Processor Array (MPPA) has 336 32-bit processors. The programmable 32-bit communication fabric provides streamlined inter-processor connections with deterministically high performance. Software programmability, scalability, ease of use, and fast reconfiguration time (ranging from microseconds to milliseconds) are the most significant advantages over FPGAs and DSPs. This paper introduces the MPPA architecture, its programming model, and methods of reconfigurability. An MPPA platform for reconfigurable computing is based on a structural object programming model. Objects are software programs running concurrently on hundreds of 32-bit RISC processors and memories. They exchange data and control through a network of self-synchronizing channels. A common application design pattern on this platform, called a work farm, is a parallel set of worker objects, with one input and one output stream. Statically configured work farms with homogeneous and heterogeneous sets of workers have been used in video compression and decompression, network processing, and graphics applications.

A new modeling strategy for third-order fast high-performance liquid chromatographic data with fluorescence detection. Quantitation of fluoroquinolones in water samples.

PubMed

Alcaráz, Mirta R; Bortolato, Santiago A; Goicoechea, Héctor C; Olivieri, Alejandro C

2015-03-01

Matrix augmentation is regularly employed in extended multivariate curve resolution-alternating least-squares (MCR-ALS), as applied to analytical calibration based on second- and third-order data. However, this highly useful concept has almost no correspondence in parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) of third-order data. In the present work, we propose a strategy to process third-order chromatographic data with matrix fluorescence detection, based on an Augmented PARAFAC model. The latter involves decomposition of a three-way data array augmented along the elution time mode with data for the calibration samples and for each of the test samples. A set of excitation-emission fluorescence matrices, measured at different chromatographic elution times for drinking water samples, containing three fluoroquinolones and uncalibrated interferences, were evaluated using this approach. Augmented PARAFAC exploits the second-order advantage, even in the presence of significant changes in chromatographic profiles from run to run. The obtained relative errors of prediction were ca. 10 % for ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and danofloxacin, with a significant enhancement in analytical figures of merit in comparison with previous reports. The results are compared with those furnished by MCR-ALS.

Cold nuclear matter effects on J/ψ and Y production in p + Pb collisions at 5 TeV and Pb + Pb collisions at 5.1 TeV

DOE PAGES

Vogt, R.

2016-10-05

We make a systematic study of the modifications of and production in p+Pb collisions atmore » $$\\sqrt{s}$$$_ {NN}$$ = 5 TeV at the LHC. Here, we compare the uncertainties in the EPS09 shadowing parameterization to the calculated mass and scale uncertainties obtained employing the EPS09 NLO central set. We study the dependence of the results on the proton parton density and the choice of the nuclear modifications. We check whether the results obtained are consistent at leading and next-to-leading order. The calculations are compared to the available ALICE and LHCb data on the nuclear modification factors, R pA (y) and R pA (p T) , as well as the forward-backward asymmetries, R FB (y) and R FB (p T) . Finally, we make predictions for the next Pb+Pb run at $$\\sqrt{s}$$$_ {NN}$$ = 5.1 TeV in Run 2 of the LHC.« less

Japan’s Nuclear Future: Policy Debate, Prospects, and U.S. Interests

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-09

raised in particular over the construction of an industrial- scale reprocessing facility in Japan,. Additionally, fast breeder reactors also produce more...Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories. 10 A fast breeder reactor is a fast neutron reactor that produces more plutonium than it consumes, which can...Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited (JNFL) has built and is currently running active testing on a large - scale commercial reprocessing plant at Rokkasho-mura

The influence of EI-21 redox ion-exchange resins on the secondary-coolant circuit water chemistry of vehicular nuclear power installations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moskvin, L. N.; Rakov, V. T.

2015-06-01

The results obtained from testing the secondary-coolant circuit water chemistry of full-scale land-based prototype bench models of vehicular nuclear power installations equipped with water-cooled water-moderated and liquid-metal reactor plants are presented. The influence of copper-containing redox ionexchange resins intended for chemically deoxygenating steam condensate on the working fluid circulation loop's water chemistry is determined. The influence of redox ion-exchange resins on the water chemistry is evaluated by generalizing an array of data obtained in the course of extended monitoring using the methods relating to physicochemical analysis of the quality of condensate-feedwater path media and the methods relating to metallographic analysis of the state of a faulty steam generator's tube system surfaces. The deoxygenating effectiveness of the normal state turbine condensate vacuum deaeration system is experimentally determined. The refusal from applying redox ion-exchange resins in the condensate polishing ion-exchange filters is formulated based on the obtained data on the adverse effect of copper-containing redox ionexchange resins on the condensate-feedwater path water chemistry and based on the data testifying a sufficient effect from using the normal state turbine condensate vacuum deaeration system. Data on long-term operation of the prototype bench model of a vehicular nuclear power installation without subjecting the turbine condensate to chemical deoxygenation are presented.

Infrasound Observation of the Apparent North Korean Nuclear Test of 25 May 2009

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeon, J.; Che, I.; Kim, T.; Lee, H.

2009-12-01

On 25 May 2009, a seismic event (mb 4.6) was recorded from a source in northeastern North Korea, close to the location of a previous seismic event on 9 October 2006. Both events have been declared to be nuclear tests. Five seismo-acoustic arrays in South Korea recorded epicentral infrasonic signals for the more recent test following the strong seismic waves from the explosion. This study describes the characteristics of the nuclear test-generated infrasound signals observed at infrasound arrays located from 304 to 528 km from the source. The signals were characterized by stratospheric returns with amplitudes from 0.16 to 0.35 microbar and dominant frequencies between 1.0 and 4.3 Hz. Celerities determined for the arrivals suggest that most of the infrasonic energy travelled as a stratospheric phase. The inferred infrasonic location was offset about 15.7 km from the reference seismic location. On the basis of observed amplitudes of the stratospheric phases and corrections based on prevailing winds, the epicentral infrasonic energy was estimated to be equivalent to that expected from about 2.2 ton surface detonation of conventional explosives. We conclude that this small energy estimate is related to the partitioning of the contained explosive energy resulting from the interaction of strong ground motion at the surface with the atmosphere rather than the direct transfer of explosion energy to the air. This relatively small energy ratio between the infrasonic energy and the seismic energy could be used to distinguish the event from a common surface explosion.

User's guide to the Octopus computer network (the SHOC manual)

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

Schneider, C.; Thompson, D.; Whitten, G.

1977-07-18

This guide explains how to enter, run, and debug programs on the Octopus network. It briefly describes the network's operation, and directs the reader to other documents for further information. It stresses those service programs that will be most useful in the long run; ''quick'' methods that have little flexibility are not discussed. The Octopus timesharing network gives the user access to four CDC 7600 computers, two CDC STAR computers, and a broad array of peripheral equipment, from any of 800 or so remote terminals. 16 figures, 7 tables.

User's guide to the Octopus computer network (the SHOC manual)

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

Schneider, C.; Thompson, D.; Whitten, G.

1976-10-07

This guide explains how to enter, run, and debug programs on the Octopus network. It briefly describes the network's operation, and directs the reader to other documents for further information. It stresses those service programs that will be most useful in the long run; ''quick'' methods that have little flexibility are not discussed. The Octopus timesharing network gives the user access to four CDC 7600 computers, two CDC STAR computers, and a broad array of peripheral equipment, from any of 800 or so remote terminals. 8 figures, 4 tables.

User's guide to the Octopus computer network (the SHOC manual)

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

Schneider, C.; Thompson, D.; Whitten, G.

1975-06-02

This guide explains how to enter, run, and debug programs on the Octopus network. It briefly describes the network's operation, and directs the reader to other documents for further information. It stresses those service programs that will be most useful in the long run; ''quick'' methods that have little flexibility are not discussed. The Octopus timesharing network gives the user access to four CDC 7600 computers and a broad array of peripheral equipment, from any of 800 remote terminals. Octopus will soon include the Laboratory's STAR-100 computers. 9 figures, 5 tables. (auth)

Modeling and Simulation of Ceramic Arrays to Improve Ballaistic Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-11-01

2219 , 2000 Tile gap is found to increase the DoP as compared to One Tile tiles The next step will be run simulations on narrower and wider gap sizes...experiments described in reference - ARL-TR- 2219 , 2000 □ Tile gap is found to increase the DoP as compared to One Tile tiles □ The next step will be run...L| Al m ^ s\\cr V^ 1 v^ □ Smoothed-particle hydrodynamics (SPH) used for all parts □ SPH size = 0.40-mm, totaling 278k

Three- α particle correlations in quasi-projectile decay in 12C + 24Mg collisions at 35A MeV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quattrocchi, L.; Acosta, L.; Amorini, F.; Anzalone, A.; Auditore, L.; Berceanu, I.; Cardella, G.; Chbihi, A.; De Filippo, E.; De Luca, S.; Dell'Aquila, D.; Francalanza, L.; Gnoffo, B.; Grzeszczuk, A.; Lanzalone, G.; Lombardo, I.; Martel, I.; Martorana, N. S.; Minniti, T.; Norella, S.; Pagano, A.; Pagano, E. V.; Papa, M.; Pirrone, S.; Politi, G.; Porto, F.; Rizzo, F.; Rosato, E.; Russotto, P.; Trifirò, A.; Trimarchi, M.; Verde, G.; Veselsky, M.; Vigilante, M.

2017-11-01

Two and multi particle correlations have been studied in peripheral 12C + 24Mg collisions at 35A MeV with CHIMERA 4 π multi detector, in order to explore resonances produced in light nuclei. Correlations techniques have become a tool to explore nuclear structure properties but also to evaluate the competition between simultaneous and sequential channels in decay of light isotopes. The exploration of features such as branching ratios with respect to different decay channels (sequential vs. simultaneous) could provide information on in-medium effects on nuclear structure properties, an important perspective for research on the nuclear interaction. The performed experiment is preliminary to further studies to be performed by coupling of CHIMERA to FARCOS (Femtoscope ARray for COrrelations and Spectroscopy, FARCOS TDR available at https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5CgGWz8LpOOc3pGTWdOcDBoWFE) array devoted to measurements of two and multi particle correlations with high energy and angular resolutions.

Quantum Well and Quantum Dot Modeling for Advanced Infrared Detectors and Focal Plane Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ting, David; Gunapala, S. D.; Bandara, S. V.; Hill, C. J.

2006-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the modeling of Quantum Well Infrared Detectors (QWIP) and Quantum Dot Infrared Detectors (QDIP) in the development of Focal Plane Arrays (FPA). The QWIP Detector being developed is a dual band detector. It is capable of running on two bands Long-Wave Infrared (LWIR) and Medium Wavelength Infrared (MWIR). The same large-format dual-band FPA technology can be applied to Quantum Dot Infrared Photodetector (QDIP) with no modification, once QDIP exceeds QWIP in single device performance. Details of the devices are reviewed.

Lessons Learned in Over a Decade of Technical Support for U.S. Nuclear Cyber Security Programmes

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

Glantz, Clifford S.; Landine, Guy P.; Craig, Philip A.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL) nuclear cyber security team has been providing technical support to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) since 2002. This team has provided cyber security technical experties in conducting cyber security inspections, developing of regulatory rules and guidance, reviewing facility cyber security plans, developing inspection guidance, and developing and teaching NRC inspectors how to conduct cyber security assessments. The extensive experience the PNNL team has gathered has allowed them to compile a lenghty list of recommendations on how to improve cyber security programs and conduct assessments. A selected set of recommendations are presented, including the needmore » to: integrate an array of defenisve strategies into a facility’s cyber security program, coordinate physical and cyber security activities, train phycial security forces to resist a cyber-enabled physical attack, improve estimates of the consequences of a cyber attack, properly resource cyber security assessments, appropropriately account for insider threats, routinely monitor security devices for potential attacks, supplement compliance-based requirements with risk-based decision making, and introduce the concept of resilience into cyber security programs.« less

Ultrasonic fingerprinting by phased array transducer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sednev, D.; Kataeva, O.; Abramets, V.; Pushenko, P.; Tverdokhlebova, T.

2016-06-01

Increasing quantity of spent nuclear fuel that must be under national and international control requires a novel approach to safeguard techniques and equipment. One of the proposed approaches is utilize intrinsic features of casks with spent fuel. In this article an application of a phased array ultrasonic method is considered. This study describes an experimental results on ultrasonic fingerprinting of austenitic steel seam weld.

Analysis of the economics of photovoltaic-diesel-battery energy systems for remote applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brainard, W. A.

1983-01-01

Computer simulations were conducted to analyze the performance and operating cost of a photovoltaic energy source combined with a diesel generator system and battery storage. The simulations were based on the load demand profiles used for the design of an all photovoltaic energy system installed in the remote Papago Indian Village of Schuchuli, Arizona. Twenty year simulations were run using solar insolation data from Phoenix SOLMET tapes. Total energy produced, energy consumed, operation and maintenance costs were calculated. The life cycle and levelized energy costs were determined for a variety of system configurations (i.e., varying amounts of photovoltaic array and battery storage).

UW VLSI chip tester

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKenzie, Neil

1989-12-01

We present a design for a low-cost, functional VLSI chip tester. It is based on the Apple MacIntosh II personal computer. It tests chips that have up to 128 pins. All pin drivers of the tester are bidirectional; each pin is programmed independently as an input or an output. The tester can test both static and dynamic chips. Rudimentary speed testing is provided. Chips are tested by executing C programs written by the user. A software library is provided for program development. Tests run under both the Mac Operating System and A/UX. The design is implemented using Xilinx Logic Cell Arrays. Price/performance tradeoffs are discussed.

Massive formation of square array junctions dramatically alters cell shape but does not cause lens opacity in the cav1-KO mice.

PubMed

Biswas, Sondip K; Brako, Lawrence; Lo, Woo-Kuen

2014-08-01

The wavy square array junctions are composed of truncated aquaporin-0 (AQP0) proteins typically distributed in the deep cortical and nuclear fibers in wild-type lenses. These junctions may help maintain the narrowed extracellular spaces between fiber cells to minimize light scattering. Herein, we investigate the impact of the cell shape changes, due to abnormal formation of extensive square array junctions, on the lens opacification in the caveolin-1 knockout mice. The cav1-KO and wild-type mice at age 1-22 months were used. By light microscopy examinations, cav1-KO lenses at age 1-18 months were transparent in both cortical and nuclear regions, whereas some lenses older than 18 months old exhibited nuclear cataracts. Scanning EM consistently observed the massive formation of ridge-and-valley membrane surfaces in young fibers at approximately 150 μm deep in all cav1-KO lenses studied. In contrast, the typical ridge-and-valleys were only seen in mature fibers deeper than 400 μm in wild-type lenses. The resulting extensive ridge-and-valleys dramatically altered the overall cell shape in cav1-KO lenses. Remarkably, despite dramatic shape changes, these deformed fiber cells remained intact and made close contact with their neighboring cells. By freeze-fracture TEM, ridge-and-valleys exhibited the typical orthogonal arrangement of 6.6 nm square array intramembrane particles and displayed the narrowed extracellular spaces. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that AQP0 C-terminus labeling was significantly decreased in outer cortical fibers in cav1-KO lenses. However, freeze-fracture immunogold labeling showed that the AQP0 C-terminus antibody was sparsely distributed on the wavy square array junctions, suggesting that the cleavage of AQP0 C-termini might not yet be complete. The cav1-KO lenses with nuclear cataracts showed complete cellular breakdown and large globule formation in the lens nucleus. This study suggests that despite dramatic cell shape changes, the massive formation of wavy square array junctions in intact fibers may provide additional adhesive support for maintaining the narrowed extracellular spaces that are crucial for the transparency of cav1-KO lenses. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Initial Results: An Ultra-Low-Background Germanium Crystal Array

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

data (focused on γ -γ coincidence signatures) (Smith et al., 2004) and the Multi- Isotope Coincidence Analysis code (MICA) (Warren et al., 2006). The...The follow-on “CASCADES” project aims to develop a multicoincidence data- analysis package and make robust fission-product demonstration measurements...sensitivity. This effort is focused on improving gamma analysis capabilities for nuclear detonation detection (NDD) applications, e.g., nuclear treaty

The AGATA Campaign at GANIL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lenzi, Silvia M.; Clement, Emmanuel

2018-02-01

The Advanced Gamma Tracking Array, AGATA, is presently in its construction phase in which the European γ-spectroscopy research community is involved since several years. This powerful HPGe array offers unique possibilities for the study of rare phenomena in nuclei by detailed gamma-ray spectroscopy. The physics campaign in GANIL foresees different setups, with AGATA coupled to different spectrometers, to study nuclear structure properties of nuclei all across the nuclear chart, from light nuclei to very heavy species, using stable and radioactive beams. After a brief description of the AGATA concept, some recent results are presented together with the very interesting opportunities for nuclear structure research in the forthcoming years with AGATA at GANIL.

Pipeline Processing With an Iterative, Context-Based Detection Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-19

pattern detectors , correlation detectors , subspace detectors , matched field detectors , nuclear explosion monitoring 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17...38 13. 3 days of SPAO-BHZ data which is dominated by signals from nearby icequakes. .... 39 14. (Top) 94 detections produced by detector ...92532 and (bottom) 148 detections from detector 92541 produced during the first run of the framework. .................................. 40 15. The 49

Boundary-layer transition and global skin friction measurement with an oil-fringe imaging technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Monson, Daryl J.; Mateer, George G.; Menter, Florian R.

1993-01-01

A new oil-fringe imaging system skin friction (FISF) technique to measure skin friction on wind tunnel models is presented. In the method used to demonstrate the technique, lines of oil are applied on surfaces that connect the intended sets of measurement points, and then a wind tunnel is run so that the oil thins and forms interference fringes that are spaced in proportion to local skin friction. After a run the fringe spacings are imaged with a CCD-array digital camera and measured on a computer. Skin friction and transition measurements on a two-dimensional wing are presented and compared with computational predictions.

Structure of a Yeast Dyn2-Nup159 Complex and Molecular Basis for Dynein Light Chain-Nuclear Pore Interaction*

PubMed Central

Romes, Erin M.; Tripathy, Ashutosh; Slep, Kevin C.

2012-01-01

The nuclear pore complex gates nucleocytoplasmic transport through a massive, eight-fold symmetric channel capped by a nucleoplasmic basket and structurally unique, cytoplasmic fibrils whose tentacles bind and regulate asymmetric traffic. The conserved Nup82 complex, composed of Nsp1, Nup82, and Nup159, forms the unique cytoplasmic fibrils that regulate mRNA nuclear export. Although the nuclear pore complex plays a fundamental, conserved role in nuclear trafficking, structural information about the cytoplasmic fibrils is limited. Here, we investigate the structural and biochemical interactions between Saccharomyces cerevisiae Nup159 and the nucleoporin, Dyn2. We find that Dyn2 is predominantly a homodimer and binds arrayed sites on Nup159, promoting the Nup159 parallel homodimerization. We present the first structure of Dyn2, determined at 1.85 Å resolution, complexed with a Nup159 target peptide. Dyn2 resembles homologous metazoan dynein light chains, forming homodimeric composite substrate binding sites that engage two independent 10-residue target motifs, imparting a β-strand structure to each peptide via antiparallel extension of the Dyn2 core β-sandwich. Dyn2 recognizes a highly conserved QT motif while allowing sequence plasticity in the flanking residues of the peptide. Isothermal titration calorimetric analysis of the comparative binding of Dyn2 to two Nup159 target sites shows similar affinities (18 and 13 μm), but divergent thermal binding modes. Dyn2 homodimers are arrayed in the crystal lattice, likely mimicking the arrayed architecture of Dyn2 on the Nup159 multivalent binding sites. Crystallographic interdimer interactions potentially reflect a cooperative basis for Dyn2-Nup159 complex formation. Our data highlight the determinants that mediate oligomerization of the Nup82 complex and promote a directed, elongated cytoplasmic fibril architecture. PMID:22411995

Analysis and simulation tools for solar array power systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pongratananukul, Nattorn

This dissertation presents simulation tools developed specifically for the design of solar array power systems. Contributions are made in several aspects of the system design phases, including solar source modeling, system simulation, and controller verification. A tool to automate the study of solar array configurations using general purpose circuit simulators has been developed based on the modeling of individual solar cells. Hierarchical structure of solar cell elements, including semiconductor properties, allows simulation of electrical properties as well as the evaluation of the impact of environmental conditions. A second developed tool provides a co-simulation platform with the capability to verify the performance of an actual digital controller implemented in programmable hardware such as a DSP processor, while the entire solar array including the DC-DC power converter is modeled in software algorithms running on a computer. This "virtual plant" allows developing and debugging code for the digital controller, and also to improve the control algorithm. One important task in solar arrays is to track the maximum power point on the array in order to maximize the power that can be delivered. Digital controllers implemented with programmable processors are particularly attractive for this task because sophisticated tracking algorithms can be implemented and revised when needed to optimize their performance. The proposed co-simulation tools are thus very valuable in developing and optimizing the control algorithm, before the system is built. Examples that demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodologies are presented. The proposed simulation tools are also valuable in the design of multi-channel arrays. In the specific system that we have designed and tested, the control algorithm is implemented on a single digital signal processor. In each of the channels the maximum power point is tracked individually. In the prototype we built, off-the-shelf commercial DC-DC converters were utilized. At the end, the overall performance of the entire system was evaluated using solar array simulators capable of simulating various I-V characteristics, and also by using an electronic load. Experimental results are presented.

Solid state neutron detector array

DOEpatents

Seidel, J.G.; Ruddy, F.H.; Brandt, C.D.; Dulloo, A.R.; Lott, R.G.; Sirianni, E.; Wilson, R.O.

1999-08-17

A neutron detector array is capable of measuring a wide range of neutron fluxes. The array includes multiple semiconductor neutron detectors. Each detector has a semiconductor active region that is resistant to radiation damage. In one embodiment, the array preferably has a relatively small size, making it possible to place the array in confined locations. The ability of the array to detect a wide range of neutron fluxes is highly advantageous for many applications such as detecting neutron flux during start up, ramp up and full power of nuclear reactors. 7 figs.

Reactor physics teaching and research in the Swiss nuclear engineering master

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

Chawla, R.; Paul Scherrer Inst., CH-5232 Villigen PSI

Since 2008, a Master of Science program in Nuclear Engineering (NE) has been running in Switzerland, thanks to the combined efforts of the country's key players in nuclear teaching and research, viz. the Swiss Federal Inst.s of Technology at Lausanne (EPFL) and at Zurich (ETHZ), the Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI) at Villigen and the Swiss Nuclear Utilities (Swissnuclear). The present paper, while outlining the academic program as a whole, lays emphasis on the reactor physics teaching and research training accorded to the students in the framework of the developed curriculum. (authors)

Listening to sounds from an exploding meteor and oceanic waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evers, L. G.; Haak, H. W.

Low frequency sound (infrasound) measurements have been selected within the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) as a technique to detect and identify possible nuclear explosions. The Seismology Division of the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) operates since 1999 an experimental infrasound array of 16 micro-barometers. Here we show the rare detection and identification of an exploding meteor above Northern Germany on November 8th, 1999 with data from the Deelen Infrasound Array (DIA). At the same time, sound was radiated from the Atlantic Ocean, South of Iceland, due to the atmospheric coupling of standing ocean waves, called microbaroms. Occurring with only 0.04 Hz difference in dominant frequency, DIA proved to be able to discriminate between the physically different sources of infrasound through its unique lay-out and instruments. The explosive power of the meteor being 1.5 kT TNT is in the range of nuclear explosions and therefore relevant to the CTBT.

Measuring and Specifying Combinatorial Coverage of Test Input Configurations

PubMed Central

Kuhn, D. Richard; Kacker, Raghu N.; Lei, Yu

2015-01-01

A key issue in testing is how many tests are needed for a required level of coverage or fault detection. Estimates are often based on error rates in initial testing, or on code coverage. For example, tests may be run until a desired level of statement or branch coverage is achieved. Combinatorial methods present an opportunity for a different approach to estimating required test set size, using characteristics of the test set. This paper describes methods for estimating the coverage of, and ability to detect, t-way interaction faults of a test set based on a covering array. We also develop a connection between (static) combinatorial coverage and (dynamic) code coverage, such that if a specific condition is satisfied, 100% branch coverage is assured. Using these results, we propose practical recommendations for using combinatorial coverage in specifying test requirements. PMID:28133442

Research to Practical Use: On-The-Ground Successes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Exotic and Invasive Weeds Research Unit services a large area that runs from southern Nevada up to the Oregon border, and from northeastern California to the Utah Border. In this vast array of landscapes are a variety of stakeholders...

Pedagogical Techniques Employed by the Television Show "MythBusters"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zavrel, Erik

2016-01-01

"MythBusters," the long-running though recently discontinued Discovery Channel science entertainment television program, has proven itself to be far more than just a highly rated show. While its focus is on entertainment, the show employs an array of pedagogical techniques to communicate scientific concepts to its audience. These…

Temperature-Adaptive Circuits on Reconfigurable Analog Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoica, Adrian; Zebulum, Ricardo S.; Keymeulen, Didier; Ramesham, Rajeshuni; Neff, Joseph; Katkoori, Srinivas

2006-01-01

Demonstration of a self-reconfigurable Integrated Circuit (IC) that would operate under extreme temperature (-180 C and 120 C) and radiation (300krad), without the protection of thermal controls and radiation shields. Self-Reconfigurable Electronics platform: a) Evolutionary Processor (EP) to run reconfiguration mechanism; b) Reconfigurable chip (FPGA, FPAA, etc).

Past and future detector arrays for complete event reconstruction in heavy-ion reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardella, G.; Acosta, L.; Auditore, L.; Boiano, C.; Castoldi, A.; D'Andrea, M.; De Filippo, E.; Dell'Aquila, D.; De Luca, S.; Fichera, F.; Giudice, N.; Gnoffo, B.; Grimaldi, A.; Guazzoni, C.; Lanzalone, G.; Librizzi, F.; Lombardo, I.; Maiolino, C.; Maffesanti, S.; Martorana, N. S.; Norella, S.; Pagano, A.; Pagano, E. V.; Papa, M.; Parsani, T.; Passaro, G.; Pirrone, S.; Politi, G.; Previdi, F.; Quattrocchi, L.; Rizzo, F.; Russotto, P.; Saccà, G.; Salemi, G.; Sciliberto, D.; Trifirò, A.; Trimarchi, M.; Vigilante, M.

2017-11-01

Complex and more and more complete detector arrays have been developed in the last two decades, or are in advanced design stage, in different laboratories. Such arrays are necessary to fully characterize nuclear reactions induced by stable and exotic beams. The need for contemporary detection of charged particles, and/or γ -rays, and/or neutrons, has been stressed in many fields of nuclear structure and reaction dynamics, with particular attention to the improvement of both high angular and energy resolution. Some examples of detection systems adapted to various energy ranges is discussed. Emphasis is given to the possible update of relatively old 4π detectors with new electronics and new detection methods.

NDE of copper canisters for long-term storage of spent nuclear fuel from the Swedish nuclear power plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stepinski, Tadeusz

2003-07-01

Sweden has been intensively developing methods for long term storage of spent fuel from the nuclear power plants for twenty-five years. A dedicated research program has been initiated and conducted by the Swedish company SKB (Swedish Nuclear Fuels and Waste Management Co.). After the interim storage SKB plans to encapsulate spent nuclear fuel in copper canisters that will be placed at a deep repository located in bedrock. The canisters filled with fuel rods will be sealed by an electron beam weld. This paper presents three complementary NDE techniques used for assessing the sealing weld in copper canisters, radiography, ultrasound, and eddy current. A powerful X-ray source and a digital detector are used for the radiography. An ultrasonic array system consisting of a phased ultrasonic array and a multi-channel electronics is used for the ultrasonic examination. The array system enables electronic focusing and rapid electronic scanning eliminating the use of a complicated mechanical scanner. A specially designed eddy current probe capable of detecting small voids at the depth up to 4 mm in copper is used for the eddy current inspection. Presently, all the NDE techniques are verified in SKB's Canister Laboratory where full scale canisters are welded and examined.

The Data Acquisition System of the Stockholm Educational Air Shower Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofverberg, P.; Johansson, H.; Pearce, M.; Rydstrom, S.; Wikstrom, C.

2005-12-01

The Stockholm Educational Air Shower Array (SEASA) project is deploying an array of plastic scintillator detector stations on school roofs in the Stockholm area. Signals from GPS satellites are used to time synchronise signals from the widely separated detector stations, allowing cosmic ray air showers to be identified and studied. A low-cost and highly scalable data acquisition system has been produced using embedded Linux processors which communicate station data to a central server running a MySQL database. Air shower data can be visualised in real-time using a Java-applet client. It is also possible to query the database and manage detector stations from the client. In this paper, the design and performance of the system are described

Comparison of two methods for measuring γ-H2AX nuclear fluorescence as a marker of DNA damage in cultured human cells: applications for microbeam radiation therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, D.; Andrais, B.; Mirzayans, R.; Siegbahn, E. A.; Fallone, B. G.; Warkentin, B.

2013-06-01

Microbeam radiation therapy (MRT) delivers single fractions of very high doses of synchrotron x-rays using arrays of microbeams. In animal experiments, MRT has achieved higher tumour control and less normal tissue toxicity compared to single-fraction broad beam irradiations of much lower dose. The mechanism behind the normal tissue sparing of MRT has yet to be fully explained. An accurate method for evaluating DNA damage, such as the γ-H2AX immunofluorescence assay, will be important for understanding the role of cellular communication in the radiobiological response of normal and cancerous cell types to MRT. We compare two methods of quantifying γ-H2AX nuclear fluorescence for uniformly irradiated cell cultures: manual counting of γ-H2AX foci by eye, and an automated, MATLAB-based fluorescence intensity measurement. We also demonstrate the automated analysis of cell cultures irradiated with an array of microbeams. In addition to offering a relatively high dynamic range of γ-H2AX signal versus irradiation dose ( > 10 Gy), our automated method provides speed, robustness, and objectivity when examining a series of images. Our in-house analysis facilitates the automated extraction of the spatial distribution of the γ-H2AX intensity with respect to the microbeam array — for example, the intensities in the peak (high dose area) and valley (area between two microbeams) regions. The automated analysis is particularly beneficial when processing a large number of samples, as is needed to systematically study the relationship between the numerous dosimetric and geometric parameters involved with MRT (e.g., microbeam width, microbeam spacing, microbeam array dimensions, peak dose, valley dose, and geometric arrangement of multiple arrays) and the resulting DNA damage.

Evolution and seismology of Procyon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guenther, D. B.; Demarque, P.

1993-01-01

We have calculated an array of stellar models for Procyon A that are based on the best physics available to us, including the latest opacities and nuclear cross sections. The array of models spans the error space centered on Procyon's mass, chemical composition, effective temperature, and luminosity. We find that with OPAL opacities no convective overshoot is needed at the edge of the convective core to match Procyon's position in the H-R diagram. We discuss the discrepancy between the astrophysical mass and the astrometric mass, which is reduced by the more up-to-date physics in the models, and describe how oscillation data can be used to distinguish among the possible models and help resolve the discrepancy. We have calculated oscillation frequencies for the l = 0, 1, 2, and 3 p-modes and oscillation periods for the l = 1, 2, and 3 g-modes for several of these models.

One-dimensional ferromagnetic array compound [Co3(SBA)2(OH)2(H2O)2]n, (SBA = 4-sulfobenzoate)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Honda, Zentaro; Nomoto, Naoyuki; Fujihara, Takashi; Hagiwara, Masayuki; Kida, Takanori; Sawada, Yuya; Fukuda, Takeshi; Kamata, Norihiko

2018-06-01

We report on the syntheses, crystal structure, and magnetic properties of the transition metal coordination polymer [Co3(SBA)2(OH)2(H2O)2]n, (SBA = 4-sulfobenzoate) in which CoO6 octahedra are linked through their edges, forming one-dimensional (1D) Co(II) arrays running along the crystal a-axis. These arrays are further perpendicularly bridged by SBA ligand to construct a three-dimensional framework. Its magnetic properties have been investigated, and ferromagnetic interactions within the arrays have been found. From heat capacity measurements, we have found that this compound exhibits a three-dimensional ferromagnetic phase transition at TC = 1.54 K, and the specific heat just above TC shows a Schottky anomaly which originates from an energy gap caused by uniaxial magnetic anisotropy. These results suggest that [Co3(SBA)2(OH)2(H2O)2]n consists of weakly coupled 1D ferromagnetic Ising arrays.

(3) He Spin Filter for Neutrons.

PubMed

Batz, M; Baeßler, S; Heil, W; Otten, E W; Rudersdorf, D; Schmiedeskamp, J; Sobolev, Y; Wolf, M

2005-01-01

The strongly spin-dependent absorption of neutrons in nuclear spin-polarized (3)He opens up the possibility of polarizing neutrons from reactors and spallation sources over the full kinematical range of cold, thermal and hot neutrons. This paper gives a report on the neutron spin filter (NSF) development program at Mainz. The polarization technique is based on direct optical pumping of metastable (3)He atoms combined with a polarization preserving mechanical compression of the gas up to a pressure of several bar, necessary to run a NSF. The concept of a remote type of operation using detachable NSF cells is presented which requires long nuclear spin relaxation times of order 100 hours. A short survey of their use under experimental conditions, e.g. large solid-angle polarization analysis, is given. In neutron particle physics NSFs are used in precision measurements to test fundamental symmetry concepts.

Scintillating fiber-based photon beam profiler for the Jefferson Lab tagged photon beam line

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

Zorn, C.; Barbosa, F.J.; Freyberger, A.

2000-10-01

A scintillating fiber hodoscope has been built for use as a photon beam profiler in the bremsstrahlung tagged photon beam in Hall B of the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab). The device consists of a linear array of 64 2-2 mm2 scintillating fibers glued to a corresponding set of light guide fibers. Both fiber types use double-clad technology for maximum intensity. The light guide fibers are gently bent into a square array of holes and air-gap coupled to four compact position-sensitive photomultipliers (16 channel Hamamatsu R5900-M16). Custom electronics amplifies and converts the analog outputs to ECL pulses whichmore » are counted by VME-based scalars. The device consisting of the fibers, photomultipliers, and electronics is sealed within a light-tight aluminum box. Two modules make up a beam imaging 2-D system. The system has been tested successfully during an experimental run« less

Quantitative measurement of pass-by noise radiated by vehicles running at high speeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Diange; Wang, Ziteng; Li, Bing; Luo, Yugong; Lian, Xiaomin

2011-03-01

It has been a challenge in the past to accurately locate and quantify the pass-by noise source radiated by the running vehicles. A system composed of a microphone array is developed in our current work to do this work. An acoustic-holography method for moving sound sources is designed to handle the Doppler effect effectively in the time domain. The effective sound pressure distribution is reconstructed on the surface of a running vehicle. The method has achieved a high calculation efficiency and is able to quantitatively measure the sound pressure at the sound source and identify the location of the main sound source. The method is also validated by the simulation experiments and the measurement tests with known moving speakers. Finally, the engine noise, tire noise, exhaust noise and wind noise of the vehicle running at different speeds are successfully identified by this method.

DANCE : a 4[pi] barium fluoride detector for measuring neutron capture on unstable nuclei /.

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

Ullmann, J. L.; Haight, Robert C.; Hunt, L. F.

2002-01-01

Measurements of neutron capture on unstable nuclei are important for studies of s-process nucleosynthesis, nuclear waste transmutation, and stewardship science. A 160-element, 4{pi} barium fluoride detector array, and associated neutron flight path, is being constructed to make capture measurements at the moderated neutron spallation source at LANSCE. Measurements can be made on as little as 1 mg of sample material over energies from near thermal to near 100 keV. The design of the DANCE array is described and neutron flux measurements from flight path commissioning are shown. The array is expected to be complete by the end of 2002.

Nuclear Science Symposium, 23rd, Scintillation and Semiconductor Counter Symposium, 15th, and Nuclear Power Systems Symposium, 8th, New Orleans, La., October 20-22, 1976, Proceedings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wagner, L. J.

1977-01-01

The volume includes papers on semiconductor radiation detectors of various types, components of radiation detection and dosimetric systems, digital and microprocessor equipment in nuclear industry and science, and a wide variety of applications of nuclear radiation detectors. Semiconductor detectors of X-rays, gamma radiation, heavy ions, neutrons, and other nuclear particles, plastic scintillator arrays, drift chambers, spark wire chambers, and radiation dosimeter systems are reported on. Digital and analog conversion systems, digital data and control systems, microprocessors, and their uses in scientific research and nuclear power plants are discussed. Large-area imaging and biomedical nucleonic instrumentation, nuclear power plant safeguards, reactor instrumentation, nuclear power plant instrumentation, space instrumentation, and environmental instrumentation are dealt with. Individual items are announced in this issue.

Transcriptional Control by PARP-1: Chromatin Modulation, Enhancer-binding, Coregulation, and Insulation

PubMed Central

Kraus, W. Lee

2008-01-01

Summary The regulation of gene expression requires a wide array of protein factors that can modulate chromatin structure, act at enhancers, function as transcriptional coregulators, or regulate insulator function. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1), an abundant and ubiquitous nuclear enzyme that catalyzes the NAD+-dependent addition of ADP-ribose polymers on a variety of nuclear proteins, has been implicated in all of these functions. Recent biochemical, genomic, proteomic, and cell-based studies have highlighted the role of PARP-1 in each of these processes and provided new insights about the molecular mechanisms governing PARP-1-dependent regulation of gene expression. In addition, these studies have demonstrated how PARP-1 functions as an integral part of cellular signaling pathways that culminate in gene regulatory outcomes. PMID:18450439

Customizable PCR-microplate array for differential identification of multiple pathogens.

PubMed

Woubit, Abdela; Yehualaeshet, Teshome; Roberts, Sherrelle; Graham, Martha; Kim, Moonil; Samuel, Temesgen

2013-11-01

Customizable PCR-microplate arrays were developed for the rapid identification of Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Saintpaul, Salmonella Typhi, Shigella dysenteriae, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis, Francisella tularensis subsp. novicida, Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Yersinia pestis, and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Previously, we identified highly specific primers targeting each of these pathogens. Here, we report the development of customizable PCR-microplate arrays for simultaneous identification of the pathogens using the primers identified. A mixed aliquot of genomic DNA from 38 strains was used to validate three PCR-microplate array formats. Identical PCR conditions were used to run all the samples on the three formats. Specific amplifications were obtained on all three custom plates. In preliminary tests performed to evaluate the sensitivity of these assays in samples inoculated in the laboratory with Salmonella Typhimurium, amplifications were obtained from 1 g of beef hot dog inoculated at as low as 9 CFU/ml or from milk inoculated at as low as 78 CFU/ml. Such microplate arrays could be valuable tools for initial identification or secondary confirmation of contamination by these pathogens.

Calibration of a Fusion Experiment to Investigate the Nuclear Caloric Curve

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keeler, Ashleigh

2017-09-01

In order to investigate the nuclear equation of state (EoS), the relation between two thermodynamic quantities can be examined. The correlation between the temperature and excitation energy of a nucleus, also known as the caloric curve, has been previously observed in peripheral heavy-ion collisions to exhibit a dependence on the neutron-proton asymmetry. To further investigate this result, fusion reactions (78Kr + 12C and 86Kr + 12C) were measured; the beam energy was varied in the range 15-35 MeV/u in order to vary the excitation energy. The light charged particles (LCPs) evaporated from the compound nucleus were measured in the Si-CsI(TI)/PD detector array FAUST (Forward Array Using Silicon Technology). The LCPs carry information about the temperature. The calibration of FAUST will be described in this presentation. The silicon detectors have resistive surfaces in perpendicular directions to allow position measurement of the LCP's to better than 200 um. The resistive nature requires a position-dependent correction to the energy calibration to take full advantage of the energy resolution. The momentum is calculated from the energy of these particles, and their position on the detectors. A parameterized formula based on the Bethe-Bloch equation was used to straighten the particle identification (PID) lines measured with the dE-E technique. The energy calibration of the CsI detectors is based on the silicon detector energy calibration and the PID. A precision slotted mask enables the relative positions of the detectors to be determined. DOE Grant: DE-FG02-93ER40773 and REU Grant: PHY - 1659847.

3D reconstruction of nuclear reactions using GEM TPC with planar readout

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

Bihałowicz, Jan Stefan

2015-02-24

The research program of the Extreme Light Infrastructure – Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) laboratory under construction in Magurele, Romania facilities the need of developing a gaseous active-target detector providing 3D reconstruction of charged products of nuclear reactions induced by gamma beam. The monoenergetic, high-energy (E{sub γ} > 19 MeV) gamma beam of intensity 10{sup 13}γ/s allows studying nuclear reactions in astrophysics. A Time Projection Chamber with crossed strip readout (eTPC) is proposed as one of the imaging detectors. The special feature of the readout electrode structure is a 2D reconstruction based on the information read out simultaneously from three arrays ofmore » strips that form virtual pixels. It is expected to reach similar spatial resolution as for pixel readout at largely reduced cost of electronics. The paper presents the current progress and first results of the small scale prototype TPC which is a one of implementation steps towards eTPC detector proposed in the Technical Design Report of Charged Particles Detection at ELI-NP.« less

An EDMD mutation in C. elegans lamin blocks muscle-specific gene relocation and compromises muscle integrity.

PubMed

Mattout, Anna; Pike, Brietta L; Towbin, Benjamin D; Bank, Erin M; Gonzalez-Sandoval, Adriana; Stadler, Michael B; Meister, Peter; Gruenbaum, Yosef; Gasser, Susan M

2011-10-11

In worms, as in other organisms, many tissue-specific promoters are sequestered at the nuclear periphery when repressed and shift inward when activated. It has remained unresolved, however, whether the association of facultative heterochromatin with the nuclear periphery, or its release, has functional relevance for cell or tissue integrity. Using ablation of the unique lamin gene in C. elegans, we show that lamin is necessary for the perinuclear positioning of heterochromatin. We then express at low levels in otherwise wild-type worms a lamin carrying a point mutation, Y59C, which in humans is linked to an autosomal-dominant form of Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy. Using embryos and differentiated tissues, we track the subnuclear position of integrated heterochromatic arrays and their expression. In LMN-1 Y59C-expressing worms, we see abnormal retention at the nuclear envelope of a gene array bearing a muscle-specific promoter. This correlates with impaired activation of the array-borne myo-3 promoter and altered expression of a number of muscle-specific genes. However, an equivalent array carrying the intestine-specific pha-4 promoter is expressed normally and shifts inward when activated in gut cells of LMN-1 Y59C worms. Remarkably, adult LMN-1 Y59C animals have selectively perturbed body muscle ultrastructure and reduced muscle function. Lamin helps sequester heterochromatin at the nuclear envelope, and wild-type lamin permits promoter release following tissue-specific activation. A disease-linked point mutation in lamin impairs muscle-specific reorganization of a heterochromatic array during tissue-specific promoter activation in a dominant manner. This dominance and the correlated muscle dysfunction in LMN-1 Y59C worms phenocopies Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of the radiation environment for a large-area interim spent-nuclear-fuel storage facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fortkamp, Jonathan C.

Current needs in the nuclear industry and movements in the political arena indicate that authorization may soon be given for development of a federal interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel. The initial stages of the design work have already begun within the Department of Energy and are being reviewed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This dissertation addresses the radiation environment around an interim spent nuclear fuel storage facility. Specifically the dissertation characterizes the radiation dose rates around the facility based on a design basis source term, evaluates the changes in dose due to varying cask spacing configurations, and uses these results to define some applicable health physics principles for the storage facility. Results indicate that dose rates from the facility are due primarily from photons from the spent fuel and Co-60 activation in the fuel assemblies. In the modeled cask system, skyshine was a significant contribution to dose rates at distances from the cask array, but this contribution can be reduced with an alternate cask venting system. With the application of appropriate health physics principles, occupation doses can be easily maintained far below regulatory limits and maintained ALARA.

Advanced gecko-foot-mimetic dry adhesives based on carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Hu, Shihao; Xia, Zhenhai; Dai, Liming

2013-01-21

Geckos can run freely on vertical walls and even ceilings. Recent studies have discovered that gecko's extraordinary climbing ability comes from a remarkable design of nature with nanoscale beta-keratin elastic hairs on their feet and toes, which collectively generate sufficiently strong van der Waals force to hold the animal onto an opposing surface while at the same time disengaging at will. Vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VA-CNT) arrays, resembling gecko's adhesive foot hairs with additional superior mechanical, chemical and electrical properties, have been demonstrated to be a promising candidate for advanced fibrillar dry adhesives. The VA-CNT arrays with tailor-made hierarchical structures can be patterned and/or transferred onto various flexible substrates, including responsive polymers. This, together with recent advances in nanofabrication techniques, could offer 'smart' dry adhesives for various potential applications, even where traditional adhesives cannot be used. A detailed understanding of the underlying mechanisms governing the material properties and adhesion performances is critical to the design and fabrication of gecko inspired CNT dry adhesives of practical significance. In this feature article, we present an overview of recent progress in both fundamental and applied frontiers for the development of CNT-based adhesives by summarizing important studies in this exciting field, including our own work.

Advanced gecko-foot-mimetic dry adhesives based on carbon nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Shihao; Xia, Zhenhai; Dai, Liming

2012-12-01

Geckos can run freely on vertical walls and even ceilings. Recent studies have discovered that gecko's extraordinary climbing ability comes from a remarkable design of nature with nanoscale beta-keratin elastic hairs on their feet and toes, which collectively generate sufficiently strong van der Waals force to hold the animal onto an opposing surface while at the same time disengaging at will. Vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VA-CNT) arrays, resembling gecko's adhesive foot hairs with additional superior mechanical, chemical and electrical properties, have been demonstrated to be a promising candidate for advanced fibrillar dry adhesives. The VA-CNT arrays with tailor-made hierarchical structures can be patterned and/or transferred onto various flexible substrates, including responsive polymers. This, together with recent advances in nanofabrication techniques, could offer `smart' dry adhesives for various potential applications, even where traditional adhesives cannot be used. A detailed understanding of the underlying mechanisms governing the material properties and adhesion performances is critical to the design and fabrication of gecko inspired CNT dry adhesives of practical significance. In this feature article, we present an overview of recent progress in both fundamental and applied frontiers for the development of CNT-based adhesives by summarizing important studies in this exciting field, including our own work.

RELAP5-3D Resolution of Known Restart/Backup Issues

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

Mesina, George L.; Anderson, Nolan A.

2014-12-01

The state-of-the-art nuclear reactor system safety analysis computer program developed at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), RELAP5-3D, continues to adapt to changes in computer hardware and software and to develop to meet the ever-expanding needs of the nuclear industry. To continue at the forefront, code testing must evolve with both code and industry developments, and it must work correctly. To best ensure this, the processes of Software Verification and Validation (V&V) are applied. Verification compares coding against its documented algorithms and equations and compares its calculations against analytical solutions and the method of manufactured solutions. A form of this, sequentialmore » verification, checks code specifications against coding only when originally written then applies regression testing which compares code calculations between consecutive updates or versions on a set of test cases to check that the performance does not change. A sequential verification testing system was specially constructed for RELAP5-3D to both detect errors with extreme accuracy and cover all nuclear-plant-relevant code features. Detection is provided through a “verification file” that records double precision sums of key variables. Coverage is provided by a test suite of input decks that exercise code features and capabilities necessary to model a nuclear power plant. A matrix of test features and short-running cases that exercise them is presented. This testing system is used to test base cases (called null testing) as well as restart and backup cases. It can test RELAP5-3D performance in both standalone and coupled (through PVM to other codes) runs. Application of verification testing revealed numerous restart and backup issues in both standalone and couple modes. This document reports the resolution of these issues.« less

DALiuGE: A graph execution framework for harnessing the astronomical data deluge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, C.; Tobar, R.; Vinsen, K.; Wicenec, A.; Pallot, D.; Lao, B.; Wang, R.; An, T.; Boulton, M.; Cooper, I.; Dodson, R.; Dolensky, M.; Mei, Y.; Wang, F.

2017-07-01

The Data Activated Liu Graph Engine - DALiuGE- is an execution framework for processing large astronomical datasets at a scale required by the Square Kilometre Array Phase 1 (SKA1). It includes an interface for expressing complex data reduction pipelines consisting of both datasets and algorithmic components and an implementation run-time to execute such pipelines on distributed resources. By mapping the logical view of a pipeline to its physical realisation, DALiuGE separates the concerns of multiple stakeholders, allowing them to collectively optimise large-scale data processing solutions in a coherent manner. The execution in DALiuGE is data-activated, where each individual data item autonomously triggers the processing on itself. Such decentralisation also makes the execution framework very scalable and flexible, supporting pipeline sizes ranging from less than ten tasks running on a laptop to tens of millions of concurrent tasks on the second fastest supercomputer in the world. DALiuGE has been used in production for reducing interferometry datasets from the Karl E. Jansky Very Large Array and the Mingantu Ultrawide Spectral Radioheliograph; and is being developed as the execution framework prototype for the Science Data Processor (SDP) consortium of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope. This paper presents a technical overview of DALiuGE and discusses case studies from the CHILES and MUSER projects that use DALiuGE to execute production pipelines. In a companion paper, we provide in-depth analysis of DALiuGE's scalability to very large numbers of tasks on two supercomputing facilities.

Post seismic deformation associated with the 1992 Mω=7.3 Landers earthquake, southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Savage, J.C.; Svarc, J.L.

1997-01-01

Following the 1992 Mω=7.3 Landers earthquake, a linear array of 10 geodetic monuments at roughly 5-km spacing was established across the Emerson fault segment of the Landers rupture. The array trends perpendicular to the local strike of the fault segment and extends about 30 km on either side of it. The array was surveyed by Global Positioning System 0.034, 0.048, 0.381, 1.27, 1.88, 2.60, and 3.42 years after the Landers earthquake to measure both the spatial and temporal character of the postearthquake relaxation. The temporal behavior is described roughly by a short-term (decay time 84±23 days) exponential relaxation superimposed upon an apparently linear trend. Because the linear trend represents motions much more rapid than the observed preseismic motions, we attribute that trend to a slower (decay time greater than 5 years) postseismic relaxation, the curvature of which cannot be resolved in the short run (3.4 years) of postseismic data. About 100 mm of right-lateral displacement and 50 mm of fault-normal displacement accumulated across the geodetic array in the 3.4-year interval covered by the postseismic surveys. Those displacements are attributed to postseismic, right-lateral slip in the depth interval 10 to 30 km on the downward extension of the rupture trace. The right-lateral slip amounted to about 1 m directly beneath the geodetic array, and the fault-normal displacement is apparently primarily a consequence of the curvature of the rupture. These conclusions are based upon dislocation models fit to the observed deformation. However, no dislocation model was found with rms residuals as small as the expected observational error.

Implementation of the direct S ( α , β ) method in the KENO Monte Carlo code

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

Hart, Shane W. D.; Maldonado, G. Ivan

The Monte Carlo code KENO contains thermal scattering data for a wide variety of thermal moderators. These data are processed from Evaluated Nuclear Data Files (ENDF) by AMPX and stored as double differential probability distribution functions. The method examined in this study uses S(α,β) probability distribution functions derived from the ENDF data files directly instead of being converted to double differential cross sections. This allows the size of the cross section data on the disk to be reduced substantially amount. KENO has also been updated to allow interpolation in temperature on these data so that problems can be run atmore » any temperature. Results are shown for several simplified problems for a variety of moderators. In addition, benchmark models based on the KRITZ reactor in Sweden were run, and the results are compared with the previous versions of KENO without the direct S(α,β) method. Results from the direct S(α,β) method compare favorably with the original results obtained using the double differential cross sections. Finally, sampling the data increases the run-time of the Monte Carlo calculation, but memory usage is decreased substantially.« less

Implementation of the direct S ( α , β ) method in the KENO Monte Carlo code

DOE PAGES

Hart, Shane W. D.; Maldonado, G. Ivan

2016-11-25

The Monte Carlo code KENO contains thermal scattering data for a wide variety of thermal moderators. These data are processed from Evaluated Nuclear Data Files (ENDF) by AMPX and stored as double differential probability distribution functions. The method examined in this study uses S(α,β) probability distribution functions derived from the ENDF data files directly instead of being converted to double differential cross sections. This allows the size of the cross section data on the disk to be reduced substantially amount. KENO has also been updated to allow interpolation in temperature on these data so that problems can be run atmore » any temperature. Results are shown for several simplified problems for a variety of moderators. In addition, benchmark models based on the KRITZ reactor in Sweden were run, and the results are compared with the previous versions of KENO without the direct S(α,β) method. Results from the direct S(α,β) method compare favorably with the original results obtained using the double differential cross sections. Finally, sampling the data increases the run-time of the Monte Carlo calculation, but memory usage is decreased substantially.« less

An Agile Beam Transmit Array Using Coupled Oscillator Phase Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pogorzelski, Ronald S.; Scaramastra, Rocco P.; Huang, John; Beckon, Robert J.; Petree, Steve M.; Chavez, Cosme

1993-01-01

A few years ago York and colleagues suggested that injection locking of voltage controlled oscillators could be used to implement beam steering in a phased array [I]. The scheme makes use of the fact that when an oscillator is injection locked to an external signal, the phase difference between the output of the oscillator and the injection signal is governed by the difference between the injection frequency and the free running frequency of the oscillator (the frequency to which the oscillator is tuned). Thus, if voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs) are used, this phase difference is controlled by an applied voltage. Now, if a set of such oscillators are coupled to nearest neighbors, they can be made to mutually injection lock and oscillate as an ensemble. If they are all tuned to the same frequency, they will all oscillate in phase. Thus, if the outputs are connected to radiating elements forming a linear array, the antenna will radiate normal to the line of elements. Scanning is accomplished by antisymmetrically detuning the end oscillators in the array by application of a pair of appropriate voltages to their tuning ports. This results in a linear phase progression across the array which is just the phasing required to scan the beam. The scan angle is determined by the degree of detuning. We have constructed a seven element one dimensional agile beam array at S-band based on the above principle. Although, a few such arrays have been built in the past, this array possesses two unique features. First, the VCO MMICs have buffer amplifiers which isolate the output from the tuning circuit, and second, the oscillators are weakly coupled to each other at their resonant circuits rather than their outputs. This results in a convenient isolation between the oscillator array design and the radiating aperture design. An important parameter in the design is the so called coupling phase which determines the phase shift of the signals passing from one oscillator to its neighbors. Using this array, we have been able to verify the theoretical predictions concerning the effect of this phase on both the locking range and ensemble frequency of the array. However, the scan range achieved fell somewhat short of the theoretical value because of the amplitude variation of the oscillator outputs with tuning.

Definition of Exclusion Zones Using Seismic Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartal, Y.; Villagran, M.; Ben Horin, Y.; Leonard, G.; Joswig, M.

- In verifying compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), there is a motivation to be effective, efficient and economical and to prevent abuse of the right to conduct an On-site Inspection (OSI) in the territory of a challenged State Party. In particular, it is in the interest of a State Party to avoid irrelevant search in specific areas. In this study we propose several techniques to determine `exclusion zones', which are defined as areas where an event could not have possibly occurred. All techniques are based on simple ideas of arrival time differences between seismic stations and thus are less prone to modeling errors compared to standard event location methods. The techniques proposed are: angular sector exclusion based on a tripartite micro array, half-space exclusion based on a station pair, and closed area exclusion based on circumferential networks.

Thermal Analysis Methods for Aerobraking Heating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Amundsen, Ruth M.; Gasbarre, Joseph F.; Dec, John A.

2005-01-01

As NASA begins exploration of other planets, a method of non-propulsively slowing vehicles at the planet, aerobraking, may become a valuable technique for managing vehicle design mass and propellant. An example of this is Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), which will launch in late 2005 and reach Mars in March of 2006. In order to save propellant, MRO will use aerobraking to modify the initial orbit at Mars. The spacecraft will dip into the atmosphere briefly on each orbit, and during the drag pass, the atmospheric drag on the spacecraft will slow it, thus lowering the orbit apoapsis. The largest area on the spacecraft, and that most affected by the heat generated during the aerobraking process, is the solar arrays. A thermal analysis of the solar arrays was conducted at NASA Langley, to simulate their performance throughout the entire roughly 6-month period of aerobraking. Several interesting methods were used to make this analysis more rapid and robust. Two separate models were built for this analysis, one in Thermal Desktop for radiation and orbital heating analysis, and one in MSC.Patran for thermal analysis. The results from the radiation model were mapped in an automated fashion to the Patran thermal model that was used to analyze the thermal behavior during the drag pass. A high degree of automation in file manipulation as well as other methods for reducing run time were employed, since toward the end of the aerobraking period the orbit period is short, and in order to support flight operations the runs must be computed rapidly. All heating within the Patran Thermal model was combined in one section of logic, such that data mapped from the radiation model and aeroheating model, as well as skin temperature effects on the aeroheating and surface radiation, could be incorporated easily. This approach calculates the aeroheating at any given node, based on its position and temperature as well as the density and velocity at that trajectory point. Run times on several different processors, computer hard drives, and operating systems (Windows versus Linux) were evaluated.

Comparison of Measured Leakage Current Distributions with Calculated Damage Energy Distributions in HgCdTe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshall, C. J.; Ladbury, R.; Marshall, P. W.; Reed, R. A.; Howe, C.; Weller, B.; Mendenhall, M.; Waczynski, A.; Jordan, T. M.; Fodness, B.

2006-01-01

This paper presents a combined Monte Carlo and analytic approach to the calculation of the pixel-to-pixel distribution of proton-induced damage in a HgCdTe sensor array and compares the results to measured dark current distributions after damage by 63 MeV protons. The moments of the Coulombic, nuclear elastic and nuclear inelastic damage distribution were extracted from Monte Carlo simulations and combined to form a damage distribution using the analytic techniques first described in [I]. The calculations show that the high energy recoils from the nuclear inelastic reactions (calculated using the Monte Car10 code MCNPX [2]) produce a pronounced skewing of the damage energy distribution. The nuclear elastic component (also calculated using the MCNPX) has a negligible effect on the shape of the damage distribution. The Coulombic contribution was calculated using MRED [3,4], a Geant4 [4,5] application. The comparison with the dark current distribution strongly suggests that mechanisms which are not linearly correlated with nonionizing damage produced according to collision kinematics are responsible for the observed dark current increases. This has important implications for the process of predicting the on-orbit dark current response of the HgCdTe sensor array.

VPython: Writing Real-time 3D Physics Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chabay, Ruth

2001-06-01

VPython (http://cil.andrew.cmu.edu/projects/visual) combines the Python programming language with an innovative 3D graphics module called Visual, developed by David Scherer. Designed to make 3D physics simulations accessible to novice programmers, VPython allows the programmer to write a purely computational program without any graphics code, and produces an interactive realtime 3D graphical display. In a program 3D objects are created and their positions modified by computational algorithms. Running in a separate thread, the Visual module monitors the positions of these objects and renders them many times per second. Using the mouse, one can zoom and rotate to navigate through the scene. After one hour of instruction, students in an introductory physics course at Carnegie Mellon University, including those who have never programmed before, write programs in VPython to model the behavior of physical systems and to visualize fields in 3D. The Numeric array processing module allows the construction of more sophisticated simulations and models as well. VPython is free and open source. The Visual module is based on OpenGL, and runs on Windows, Linux, and Macintosh.

Parallel algorithms for mapping pipelined and parallel computations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nicol, David M.

1988-01-01

Many computational problems in image processing, signal processing, and scientific computing are naturally structured for either pipelined or parallel computation. When mapping such problems onto a parallel architecture it is often necessary to aggregate an obvious problem decomposition. Even in this context the general mapping problem is known to be computationally intractable, but recent advances have been made in identifying classes of problems and architectures for which optimal solutions can be found in polynomial time. Among these, the mapping of pipelined or parallel computations onto linear array, shared memory, and host-satellite systems figures prominently. This paper extends that work first by showing how to improve existing serial mapping algorithms. These improvements have significantly lower time and space complexities: in one case a published O(nm sup 3) time algorithm for mapping m modules onto n processors is reduced to an O(nm log m) time complexity, and its space requirements reduced from O(nm sup 2) to O(m). Run time complexity is further reduced with parallel mapping algorithms based on these improvements, which run on the architecture for which they create the mappings.

Quantitation of heteroplasmy of mtDNA sequence variants identified in a population of AD patients and controls by array-based resequencing.

PubMed

Coon, Keith D; Valla, Jon; Szelinger, Szabolics; Schneider, Lonnie E; Niedzielko, Tracy L; Brown, Kevin M; Pearson, John V; Halperin, Rebecca; Dunckley, Travis; Papassotiropoulos, Andreas; Caselli, Richard J; Reiman, Eric M; Stephan, Dietrich A

2006-08-01

The role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been well documented. Though evidence for the role of mitochondria in AD seems incontrovertible, the impact of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations in AD etiology remains controversial. Though mutations in mitochondrially encoded genes have repeatedly been implicated in the pathogenesis of AD, many of these studies have been plagued by lack of replication as well as potential contamination of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial pseudogenes. To assess the role of mtDNA mutations in the pathogenesis of AD, while avoiding the pitfalls of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial pseudogenes encountered in previous investigations and showcasing the benefits of a novel resequencing technology, we sequenced the entire coding region (15,452 bp) of mtDNA from 19 extremely well-characterized AD patients and 18 age-matched, unaffected controls utilizing a new, reliable, high-throughput array-based resequencing technique, the Human MitoChip. High-throughput, array-based DNA resequencing of the entire mtDNA coding region from platelets of 37 subjects revealed the presence of 208 loci displaying a total of 917 sequence variants. There were no statistically significant differences in overall mutational burden between cases and controls, however, 265 independent sites of statistically significant change between cases and controls were identified. Changed sites were found in genes associated with complexes I (30.2%), III (3.0%), IV (33.2%), and V (9.1%) as well as tRNA (10.6%) and rRNA (14.0%). Despite their statistical significance, the subtle nature of the observed changes makes it difficult to determine whether they represent true functional variants involved in AD etiology or merely naturally occurring dissimilarity. Regardless, this study demonstrates the tremendous value of this novel mtDNA resequencing platform, which avoids the pitfalls of erroneously amplifying nuclear-encoded mtDNA pseudogenes, and our proposed analysis paradigm, which utilizes the availability of raw signal intensity values for each of the four potential alleles to facilitate quantitative estimates of mtDNA heteroplasmy. This information provides a potential new target for burgeoning diagnostics and therapeutics that could truly assist those suffering from this devastating disorder.

Studies of Polar Current Systems Using the IMS Scandinavian Magnetometer Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Untiedt, J.; Baumjohann, W.

1993-09-01

As a contribution to the International Magnetospheric Study (IMS, 1976 1979) a two-dimensional array of 42 temporary magnetometer stations was run in Scandinavia, supplementary to the permanent observatories and concentrated in the northern part of the region. This effort aimed at the time-dependent (periods above about 100 s) determination of the two-dimensional structure of substorm-related magnetic fields at the Earth's surface with highest reasonable spatial resolution (about 100 km, corresponding to the height of the ionosphere) near the footpoints of field-aligned electric currents that couple the disturbed magnetosphere to the ionosphere at auroral latitudes. It has been of particular advantage for cooperative studies that not only simultaneous data were available from all-sky cameras, riometers, balloons, rockets, and satellites, but also from the STARE radar facility yielding colocated two-dimensional ionospheric electric field distributions. In many cases it therefore was possible to infer the three-dimensional regional structure of substorm-related ionospheric current systems. The first part of this review outlines the basic relationships and methods that have been used or have been developed for such studies. The second short part presents typical equivalent current patterns observed by the magnetometer array in the course of substorms. Finally we review main results of studies that have been based on the magnetometer array observations and on additional data, omitting studies on geomagnetic pulsations. These studies contributed to a clarification of the nature of auroral electrojets including the Harang discontinuity and of ionospheric current systems related to auroral features such as the break-up at midnight, the westward traveling surge, eastward drifting omega bands, and spirals.

An Introduction to MAMA (Meta-Analysis of MicroArray data) System.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhe; Fenstermacher, David

2005-01-01

Analyzing microarray data across multiple experiments has been proven advantageous. To support this kind of analysis, we are developing a software system called MAMA (Meta-Analysis of MicroArray data). MAMA utilizes a client-server architecture with a relational database on the server-side for the storage of microarray datasets collected from various resources. The client-side is an application running on the end user's computer that allows the user to manipulate microarray data and analytical results locally. MAMA implementation will integrate several analytical methods, including meta-analysis within an open-source framework offering other developers the flexibility to plug in additional statistical algorithms.

Distributed memory compiler design for sparse problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, Janet; Saltz, Joel; Berryman, Harry; Hiranandani, Seema

1991-01-01

A compiler and runtime support mechanism is described and demonstrated. The methods presented are capable of solving a wide range of sparse and unstructured problems in scientific computing. The compiler takes as input a FORTRAN 77 program enhanced with specifications for distributing data, and the compiler outputs a message passing program that runs on a distributed memory computer. The runtime support for this compiler is a library of primitives designed to efficiently support irregular patterns of distributed array accesses and irregular distributed array partitions. A variety of Intel iPSC/860 performance results obtained through the use of this compiler are presented.

DESIGN OF A PATTERN RECOGNITION DIGITAL COMPUTER WITH APPLICATION TO THE AUTOMATIC SCANNING OF BUBBLE CHAMBER NEGATIVES

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

McCormick, B.H.; Narasimhan, R.

1963-01-01

The overall computer system contains three main parts: an input device, a pattern recognition unit (PRU), and a control computer. The bubble chamber picture is divided into a grid of st run. Concent 1-mm squares on the film. It is then processed in parallel in a two-dimensional array of 1024 identical processing modules (stalactites) of the PRU. The array can function as a two- dimensional shift register in which results of successive shifting operations can be accumulated. The pattern recognition process is generally controlled by a conventional arithmetic computer. (A.G.W.)

Detection of explosives, shielded nuclear materials and other hazardous substances in cargo containers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuznetsov, Andrey; Evsenin, Alexey; Vakhtin, Dmitry; Gorshkov, Igor; Osetrov, Oleg; Kalinin, Valery

2006-05-01

Nanosecond Neutron Analysis / Associated Particles Technique (NNA/APT) has been used to create devices for detection of explosives, radioactive and heavily shielded nuclear materials in cargo containers. Explosives and other hazardous materials are detected by analyzing secondary high-energy gamma-rays form reactions of fast neutrons with the materials inside the container. Depending on the dimensions of the inspected containers, the detecting system consists of one or several detection modules, each of which contains a small neutron generator with built-in position sensitive detector of associated alpha-particles and several scintillator-based gamma-ray detectors. The same gamma-ray detectors are used to detect unshielded radioactive and nuclear materials. Array of several detectors of fast neutrons is used to detect neutrons from spontaneous and induced fission of nuclear materials. These neutrons can penetrate thick layers of lead shielding, which can be used to conceal gamma-radioactivity from nuclear materials. Coincidence and timing analysis allows one to discriminate between fission neutrons and scattered probing neutrons. Mathematical modeling by MCNP5 code was used to estimate the sensitivity of the device and its optimal configuration. Capability of the device to detect 1 kg of explosive imitator inside container filled with suitcases and other baggage items has been confirmed experimentally. First experiments with heavily shielded nuclear materials have been carried out.

Lifetime measurements in A˜100 nuclei using LaBr3(Ce) arrays.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruce, A. M.

2018-05-01

The region of the nuclear chart around neutron-rich A˜100 nuclei is one where prolate and oblate nuclear shapes are predicted to be in close competition. An indirect measurement of the shape of the nucleus can be obtained from measuring level lifetimes which relate, via transition rates, to β2 deformation. In order to make measurements of level lifetimes in the sub nanosecond range an array of 36 LaBr3(Ce) detectors has been constructed for use at the FAIR facility in Darmstadt, Germany. This presentation will give an overview of the array and examples of its use in commissioning experiments at the RIKEN Nishina Center in Japan and the Argonne National Laboratory in the USA.

Observational artifacts of Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array: ghost rays and stray light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madsen, Kristin K.; Christensen, Finn E.; Craig, William W.; Forster, Karl W.; Grefenstette, Brian W.; Harrison, Fiona A.; Miyasaka, Hiromasa; Rana, Vikram

2017-10-01

The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) launched in June 2012, flies two conical approximation Wolter-I mirrors at the end of a 10.15-m mast. The optics are coated with multilayers of Pt/C and W/Si that operate from 3 to 80 keV. Since the optical path is not shrouded, aperture stops are used to limit the field of view (FoV) from background and sources outside the FoV. However, there is still a sliver of sky (˜1.0 deg to 4.0 deg) where photons may bypass the optics altogether and fall directly on the detector array. We term these photons stray light. Additionally, there are also photons that do not undergo the focused double reflections in the optics, and we term these ghost rays. We present detailed analysis and characterization of these two components and discuss how they impact observations. Finally, we discuss how they could have been prevented and should be in future observatories.

Validation of MCNP: SPERT-D and BORAX-V fuel

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

Crawford, C.; Palmer, B.

1992-11-01

This report discusses critical experiments involving SPERT-D{sup 1,2} fuel elements and BORAX-V{sup 3-8} fuel which have been modeled and calculations performed with MCNP. MCNP is a Monte Carlo based transport code. For this study continuous-energy nuclear data from the ENDF/B-V cross section library was used. The SPERT-D experiments consisted of various arrays of fuel elements moderated and reflected with either water or a uranyl nitrate solution. Some SPERT-D experiments used cadmium as a fixed neutron poison, while others were poisoned with various concentrations of boron in the moderating/reflecting solution. ne BORAX-V experiments were arrays of either boiling fuel rod assembliesmore » or superheater assemblies, both types of arrays were moderated and reflected with water. In one boiling fuel experiment, two fuel rods were replaced with borated stainless steel poison rods.« less

Validation of MCNP: SPERT-D and BORAX-V fuel

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

Crawford, C.; Palmer, B.

1992-11-01

This report discusses critical experiments involving SPERT-D[sup 1,2] fuel elements and BORAX-V[sup 3-8] fuel which have been modeled and calculations performed with MCNP. MCNP is a Monte Carlo based transport code. For this study continuous-energy nuclear data from the ENDF/B-V cross section library was used. The SPERT-D experiments consisted of various arrays of fuel elements moderated and reflected with either water or a uranyl nitrate solution. Some SPERT-D experiments used cadmium as a fixed neutron poison, while others were poisoned with various concentrations of boron in the moderating/reflecting solution. ne BORAX-V experiments were arrays of either boiling fuel rod assembliesmore » or superheater assemblies, both types of arrays were moderated and reflected with water. In one boiling fuel experiment, two fuel rods were replaced with borated stainless steel poison rods.« less

Benchmarking GNU Radio Kernels and Multi-Processor Scheduling

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-14

AMD E350 APU , comparable to Atom • ARM Cortex A8 running on a Gumstix Overo on an Ettus USRP E110 The general testing procedure consists of • Build...Intel Atom, and the AMD E350 APU . 3.2 Multi-Processor Scheduling Figure 1: GFLOPs per second through an FFT array on an Intel i7. Example output from

Calcine Waste Storage at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center

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

Staiger, Merle Daniel; M. C. Swenson

2005-01-01

This report documents an inventory of calcined waste produced at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center during the period from December 1963 to May 2000. The report was prepared based on calciner runs, operation of the calcined solids storage facilities, and miscellaneous operational information that establishes the range of chemical compositions of calcined waste stored at Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center. The report will be used to support obtaining permits for the calcined solids storage facilities, possible treatment of the calcined waste at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, and to ship the waste to an off-sitemore » facility including a geologic repository. The information in this report was compiled from calciner operating data, waste solution analyses and volumes calcined, calciner operating schedules, calcine temperature monitoring records, and facility design of the calcined solids storage facilities. A compact disk copy of this report is provided to facilitate future data manipulations and analysis.« less

Spaceborne Processor Array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chow, Edward T.; Schatzel, Donald V.; Whitaker, William D.; Sterling, Thomas

2008-01-01

A Spaceborne Processor Array in Multifunctional Structure (SPAMS) can lower the total mass of the electronic and structural overhead of spacecraft, resulting in reduced launch costs, while increasing the science return through dynamic onboard computing. SPAMS integrates the multifunctional structure (MFS) and the Gilgamesh Memory, Intelligence, and Network Device (MIND) multi-core in-memory computer architecture into a single-system super-architecture. This transforms every inch of a spacecraft into a sharable, interconnected, smart computing element to increase computing performance while simultaneously reducing mass. The MIND in-memory architecture provides a foundation for high-performance, low-power, and fault-tolerant computing. The MIND chip has an internal structure that includes memory, processing, and communication functionality. The Gilgamesh is a scalable system comprising multiple MIND chips interconnected to operate as a single, tightly coupled, parallel computer. The array of MIND components shares a global, virtual name space for program variables and tasks that are allocated at run time to the distributed physical memory and processing resources. Individual processor- memory nodes can be activated or powered down at run time to provide active power management and to configure around faults. A SPAMS system is comprised of a distributed Gilgamesh array built into MFS, interfaces into instrument and communication subsystems, a mass storage interface, and a radiation-hardened flight computer.

Fast Neutron Emission Tomography of Used Nuclear Fuel Assemblies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hausladen, Paul; Iyengar, Anagha; Fabris, Lorenzo; Yang, Jinan; Hu, Jianwei; Blackston, Matthew

2017-09-01

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is developing a new capability to perform passive fast neutron emission tomography of spent nuclear fuel assemblies for the purpose of verifying their integrity for international safeguards applications. Most of the world's plutonium is contained in spent nuclear fuel, so it is desirable to detect the diversion of irradiated fuel rods from an assembly prior to its transfer to ``difficult to access'' storage, such as a dry cask or permanent repository, where re-verification is practically impossible. Nuclear fuel assemblies typically consist of an array of fuel rods that, depending on exposure in the reactor and consequent ingrowth of 244Cm, are spontaneous sources of as many as 109 neutrons s-1. Neutron emission tomography uses collimation to isolate neutron activity along ``lines of response'' through the assembly and, by combining many collimated views through the object, mathematically extracts the neutron emission from each fuel rod. This technique, by combining the use of fast neutrons -which can penetrate the entire fuel assembly -and computed tomography, is capable of detecting vacancies or substitutions of individual fuel rods. This paper will report on the physics design and component testing of the imaging system. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development within the National Nuclear Security Administration, under Contract Number DE-AC05-00OR22725.

Paternal sperm DNA methylation associated with early signs of autism risk in an autism-enriched cohort.

PubMed

Feinberg, Jason I; Bakulski, Kelly M; Jaffe, Andrew E; Tryggvadottir, Rakel; Brown, Shannon C; Goldman, Lynn R; Croen, Lisa A; Hertz-Picciotto, Irva; Newschaffer, Craig J; Fallin, M Daniele; Feinberg, Andrew P

2015-08-01

Epigenetic mechanisms such as altered DNA methylation have been suggested to play a role in autism, beginning with the classical association of Prader-Willi syndrome, an imprinting disorder, with autistic features. Here we tested for the relationship of paternal sperm DNA methylation with autism risk in offspring, examining an enriched-risk cohort of fathers of autistic children. We examined genome-wide DNA methylation (DNAm) in paternal semen biosamples obtained from an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) enriched-risk pregnancy cohort, the Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI) cohort, to estimate associations between sperm DNAm and prospective ASD development, using a 12-month ASD symptoms assessment, the Autism Observation Scale for Infants (AOSI). We analysed methylation data from 44 sperm samples run on the CHARM 3.0 array, which contains over 4 million probes (over 7 million CpG sites), including 30 samples also run on the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 (450K) BeadChip platform (∼485 000 CpG sites). We also examined associated regions in an independent sample of post-mortem human brain ASD and control samples for which Illumina 450K DNA methylation data were available. Using region-based statistical approaches, we identified 193 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in paternal sperm with a family-wise empirical P-value [family-wise error rate (FWER)] <0.05 associated with performance on the Autism Observational Scale for Infants (AOSI) at 12 months of age in offspring. The DMRs clustered near genes involved in developmental processes, including many genes in the SNORD family, within the Prader-Willi syndrome gene cluster. These results were consistent among the 75 probes on the Illumina 450K array that cover AOSI-associated DMRs from CHARM. Further, 18 of 75 (24%) 450K array probes showed consistent differences in the cerebellums of autistic individuals compared with controls. These data suggest that epigenetic differences in paternal sperm may contribute to autism risk in offspring, and provide evidence that directionally consistent, potentially related epigenetic mechanisms may be operating in the cerebellum of individuals with autism. © The Author 2015; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

Asymmetric radiation of seismic waves from an atoll: nuclear tests in French Polynesia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weber, Michael J.; Wicks, Charles W.; Krüger, Frank; Jahnke, Gunnar; Schlittenhardt, Jörg

1998-01-01

Seismic records of nuclear tests detonated in the Mururoa Atoll in French Polynesia show large unpredicted arrivals 2.2 and 4.5 seconds (X1 and X2) after the P-wave at the Australian Warramunga Array. These arrivals are not observed at the Canadian Yellowknife Array. X1 and X2 are also absent on Warramunga Array recordings of tests carried out at the Fangataufa Atoll situated 40 km SSE of Mururoa. Array analysis shows that X1 and X2 are produced within the source area. The layered crustal structure of the atoll, significant local inhomogeneities, and focusing effects due to the elongated shape and the steep flanks of the Mururoa Atoll are most likely responsible for X1 and X2. The form of Mururoa (28 × 10 km) and its East-West orientation is due to its location on the Austral Fracture Zone (AFZ). The Fangataufa Atoll on the other hand is almost circular (10 km diameter) and is unaffected by the dynamics along the AFZ. Our observations demonstrate that complicated structures in the source area can significantly alter the wave field at teleseismic distances and produce a large magnitude (mb) bias. A better understanding of the exact cause of these unusual seismic observations will only become possible, if the coordinates of the tests and information on the detailed 3-D structure of the atolls are released.

Gamma neutron assay method and apparatus

DOEpatents

Cole, J.D.; Aryaeinejad, R.; Greenwood, R.C.

1995-01-03

The gamma neutron assay technique is an alternative method to standard safeguards techniques for the identification and assaying of special nuclear materials in a field or laboratory environment, as a tool for dismantlement and destruction of nuclear weapons, and to determine the isotopic ratios for a blend-down program on uranium. It is capable of determining the isotopic ratios of fissionable material from the spontaneous or induced fission of a sample to within approximately 0.5%. This is based upon the prompt coincidence relationships that occur in the fission process and the proton conservation and quasi-conservation of nuclear mass (A) that exists between the two fission fragments. The system is used in both passive (without an external neutron source) and active (with an external neutron source) mode. The apparatus consists of an array of neutron and gamma-ray detectors electronically connected to determine coincident events. The method can also be used to assay radioactive waste which contains fissile material, even in the presence of a high background radiation field. 7 figures.

Gamma neutron assay method and apparatus

DOEpatents

Cole, Jerald D.; Aryaeinejad, Rahmat; Greenwood, Reginald C.

1995-01-01

The gamma neutron assay technique is an alternative method to standard safeguards techniques for the identification and assaying of special nuclear materials in a field or laboratory environment, as a tool for dismantlement and destruction of nuclear weapons, and to determine the isotopic ratios for a blend-down program on uranium. It is capable of determining the isotopic ratios of fissionable material from the spontaneous or induced fission of a sample to within approximately 0.5%. This is based upon the prompt coincidence relationships that occur in the fission process and the proton conservation and quasi-conservation of nuclear mass (A) that exists between the two fission fragments. The system is used in both passive (without an external neutron source and active (with an external neutron source) mode. The apparatus consists of an array of neutron and gamma-ray detectors electronically connected to determine coincident events. The method can also be used to assay radioactive waste which contains fissile material, even in the presence of a high background radiation field.

Modeling Array Stations in SIG-VISA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, N.; Moore, D.; Russell, S.

2013-12-01

We add support for array stations to SIG-VISA, a system for nuclear monitoring using probabilistic inference on seismic signals. Array stations comprise a large portion of the IMS network; they can provide increased sensitivity and more accurate directional information compared to single-component stations. Our existing model assumed that signals were independent at each station, which is false when lots of stations are close together, as in an array. The new model removes that assumption by jointly modeling signals across array elements. This is done by extending our existing Gaussian process (GP) regression models, also known as kriging, from a 3-dimensional single-component space of events to a 6-dimensional space of station-event pairs. For each array and each event attribute (including coda decay, coda height, amplitude transfer and travel time), we model the joint distribution across array elements using a Gaussian process that learns the correlation lengthscale across the array, thereby incorporating information of array stations into the probabilistic inference framework. To evaluate the effectiveness of our model, we perform ';probabilistic beamforming' on new events using our GP model, i.e., we compute the event azimuth having highest posterior probability under the model, conditioned on the signals at array elements. We compare the results from our probabilistic inference model to the beamforming currently performed by IMS station processing.

The charge pump PLL clock generator designed for the 1.56 ns bin size time-to-digital converter pixel array of the Timepix3 readout ASIC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Y.; Brezina, C.; Desch, K.; Poikela, T.; Llopart, X.; Campbell, M.; Massimiliano, D.; Gromov, V.; Kluit, R.; van Beauzekom, M.; Zappon, F.; Zivkovic, V.

2014-01-01

Timepix3 is a newly developed pixel readout chip which is expected to be operated in a wide range of gaseous and silicon detectors. It is made of 256 × 256 pixels organized in a square pixel-array with 55 μm pitch. Oscillators running at 640 MHz are distributed across the pixel-array and allow for a highly accurate measurement of the arrival time of a hit. This paper concentrates on a low-jitter phase locked loop (PLL) that is located in the chip periphery. This PLL provides a control voltage which regulates the actual frequency of the individual oscillators, allowing for compensation of process, voltage, and temperature variations.

A 500 megabyte/second disk array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruwart, Thomas M.; Okeefe, Matthew T.

1994-01-01

Applications at the Army High Performance Computing Research Center's (AHPCRC) Graphic and Visualization Laboratory (GVL) at the University of Minnesota require a tremendous amount of I/O bandwidth and this appetite for data is growing. Silicon Graphics workstations are used to perform the post-processing, visualization, and animation of multi-terabyte size datasets produced by scientific simulations performed of AHPCRC supercomputers. The M.A.X. (Maximum Achievable Xfer) was designed to find the maximum achievable I/O performance of the Silicon Graphics CHALLENGE/Onyx-class machines that run these applications. Running a fully configured Onyx machine with 12-150MHz R4400 processors, 512MB of 8-way interleaved memory, 31 fast/wide SCSI-2 channel each with a Ciprico disk array controller we were able to achieve a maximum sustained transfer rate of 509.8 megabytes per second. However, after analyzing the results it became clear that the true maximum transfer rate is somewhat beyond this figure and we will need to do further testing with more disk array controllers in order to find the true maximum.

Ultra-Compact Transputer-Based Controller for High-Level, Multi-Axis Coordination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zenowich, Brian; Crowell, Adam; Townsend, William T.

2013-01-01

The design of machines that rely on arrays of servomotors such as robotic arms, orbital platforms, and combinations of both, imposes a heavy computational burden to coordinate their actions to perform coherent tasks. For example, the robotic equivalent of a person tracing a straight line in space requires enormously complex kinematics calculations, and complexity increases with the number of servo nodes. A new high-level architecture for coordinated servo-machine control enables a practical, distributed transputer alternative to conventional central processor electronics. The solution is inherently scalable, dramatically reduces bulkiness and number of conductor runs throughout the machine, requires only a fraction of the power, and is designed for cooling in a vacuum.

Hybrid CMOS/Molecular Integrated Circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stan, M. R.; Rose, G. S.; Ziegler, M. M.

CMOS silicon technologies are likely to run out of steam in the next 10-15 years despite revolutionary advances in the past few decades. Molecular and other nanoscale technologies show significant promise but it is unlikely that they will completely replace CMOS, at least in the near term. This chapter explores opportunities for using CMOS and nanotechnology to enhance and complement each other in hybrid circuits. As an example of such a hybrid CMOS/nano system, a nanoscale programmable logic array (PLA) based on majority logic is described along with its supplemental CMOS circuitry. It is believed that such systems will be able to sustain the historical advances in the semiconductor industry while addressing manufacturability, yield, power, cost, and performance challenges.

Renewables cannot be stored economically on a well-run power system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swift-Hook, Donald

2017-11-01

Economic storage on a power system must rely on arbitrage, buying electrical power when it is cheap and selling when it is dear. In practice, this means a store must buy power at night and sell it during the day. There is no solar power at night [by definition], so solar power cannot be stored economically on a well-run power system. Also renewables [and nuclear] are installed commercially to save fuel but fuel costs the same at night as it does during the day, so there is no arbitrage on fuel-saving to justify storage. Pumped water storage has always been widely used on power systems and is still the only method that is economic today, although many others have been tried, including fuels cells, compressed air and batteries. Devices for power correction and balancing [e.g. capacitor banks and batteries] may physically involve the storage of energy [just as a mobile phone does] but it is misleading to describe them as methods of power system storage, [just as it would be misleading to call a School bus a fuel transportation system, even though it does transport fuel]. When a power system has different sorts of plant generating - coal, gas, nuclear, wind etc - any power being put into storage is from the plant that would need to be switched off [because less power was needed] if storage ceased [e.g. because the store became full or failed]. On a well-run power system, that always has the highest fuel/running cost, but the wind blows free and has zero fuel/running cost, so wind is never [normally] stored unless there is no other plant on line i.e. wind power is the last to be stored.

Enhanced Telecom Emission from Single Group-IV Quantum Dots by Precise CMOS-Compatible Positioning in Photonic Crystal Cavities.

PubMed

Schatzl, Magdalena; Hackl, Florian; Glaser, Martin; Rauter, Patrick; Brehm, Moritz; Spindlberger, Lukas; Simbula, Angelica; Galli, Matteo; Fromherz, Thomas; Schäffler, Friedrich

2017-03-15

Efficient coupling to integrated high-quality-factor cavities is crucial for the employment of germanium quantum dot (QD) emitters in future monolithic silicon-based optoelectronic platforms. We report on strongly enhanced emission from single Ge QDs into L3 photonic crystal resonator (PCR) modes based on precise positioning of these dots at the maximum of the respective mode field energy density. Perfect site control of Ge QDs grown on prepatterned silicon-on-insulator substrates was exploited to fabricate in one processing run almost 300 PCRs containing single QDs in systematically varying positions within the cavities. Extensive photoluminescence studies on this cavity chip enable a direct evaluation of the position-dependent coupling efficiency between single dots and selected cavity modes. The experimental results demonstrate the great potential of the approach allowing CMOS-compatible parallel fabrication of arrays of spatially matched dot/cavity systems for group-IV-based data transfer or quantum optical systems in the telecom regime.

Enhanced Telecom Emission from Single Group-IV Quantum Dots by Precise CMOS-Compatible Positioning in Photonic Crystal Cavities

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Efficient coupling to integrated high-quality-factor cavities is crucial for the employment of germanium quantum dot (QD) emitters in future monolithic silicon-based optoelectronic platforms. We report on strongly enhanced emission from single Ge QDs into L3 photonic crystal resonator (PCR) modes based on precise positioning of these dots at the maximum of the respective mode field energy density. Perfect site control of Ge QDs grown on prepatterned silicon-on-insulator substrates was exploited to fabricate in one processing run almost 300 PCRs containing single QDs in systematically varying positions within the cavities. Extensive photoluminescence studies on this cavity chip enable a direct evaluation of the position-dependent coupling efficiency between single dots and selected cavity modes. The experimental results demonstrate the great potential of the approach allowing CMOS-compatible parallel fabrication of arrays of spatially matched dot/cavity systems for group-IV-based data transfer or quantum optical systems in the telecom regime. PMID:28345012

University of Washington/ Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center Tidal Current Technology Test Protocol, Instrumentation, Design Code, and Oceanographic Modeling Collaboration: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-11-452

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

Driscoll, Frederick R.

The University of Washington (UW) - Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center (UW-NNMREC) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will collaborate to advance research and development (R&D) of Marine Hydrokinetic (MHK) renewable energy technology, specifically renewable energy captured from ocean tidal currents. UW-NNMREC is endeavoring to establish infrastructure, capabilities and tools to support in-water testing of marine energy technology. NREL is leveraging its experience and capabilities in field testing of wind systems to develop protocols and instrumentation to advance field testing of MHK systems. Under this work, UW-NNMREC and NREL will work together to develop a common instrumentation systemmore » and testing methodologies, standards and protocols. UW-NNMREC is also establishing simulation capabilities for MHK turbine and turbine arrays. NREL has extensive experience in wind turbine array modeling and is developing several computer based numerical simulation capabilities for MHK systems. Under this CRADA, UW-NNMREC and NREL will work together to augment single device and array modeling codes. As part of this effort UW NNMREC will also work with NREL to run simulations on NREL's high performance computer system.« less

Tactile surface classification for limbed robots using a pressure sensitive robot skin.

PubMed

Shill, Jacob J; Collins, Emmanuel G; Coyle, Eric; Clark, Jonathan

2015-02-02

This paper describes an approach to terrain identification based on pressure images generated through direct surface contact using a robot skin constructed around a high-resolution pressure sensing array. Terrain signatures for classification are formulated from the magnitude frequency responses of the pressure images. The initial experimental results for statically obtained images show that the approach yields classification accuracies [Formula: see text]. The methodology is extended to accommodate the dynamic pressure images anticipated when a robot is walking or running. Experiments with a one-legged hopping robot yield similar identification accuracies [Formula: see text]. In addition, the accuracies are independent with respect to changing robot dynamics (i.e., when using different leg gaits). The paper further shows that the high-resolution capabilities of the sensor enables similarly textured surfaces to be distinguished. A correcting filter is developed to accommodate for failures or faults that inevitably occur within the sensing array with continued use. Experimental results show using the correcting filter can extend the effective operational lifespan of a high-resolution sensing array over 6x in the presence of sensor damage. The results presented suggest this methodology can be extended to autonomous field robots, providing a robot with crucial information about the environment that can be used to aid stable and efficient mobility over rough and varying terrains.

SAD-Based Stereo Matching Using FPGAs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ambrosch, Kristian; Humenberger, Martin; Kubinger, Wilfried; Steininger, Andreas

In this chapter we present a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) based stereo matching architecture. This architecture uses the sum of absolute differences (SAD) algorithm and is targeted at automotive and robotics applications. The disparity maps are calculated using 450×375 input images and a disparity range of up to 150 pixels. We discuss two different implementation approaches for the SAD and analyze their resource usage. Furthermore, block sizes ranging from 3×3 up to 11×11 and their impact on the consumed logic elements as well as on the disparity map quality are discussed. The stereo matching architecture enables a frame rate of up to 600 fps by calculating the data in a highly parallel and pipelined fashion. This way, a software solution optimized by using Intel's Open Source Computer Vision Library running on an Intel Pentium 4 with 3 GHz clock frequency is outperformed by a factor of 400.

Large-scale image-based profiling of single-cell phenotypes in arrayed CRISPR-Cas9 gene perturbation screens.

PubMed

de Groot, Reinoud; Lüthi, Joel; Lindsay, Helen; Holtackers, René; Pelkmans, Lucas

2018-01-23

High-content imaging using automated microscopy and computer vision allows multivariate profiling of single-cell phenotypes. Here, we present methods for the application of the CISPR-Cas9 system in large-scale, image-based, gene perturbation experiments. We show that CRISPR-Cas9-mediated gene perturbation can be achieved in human tissue culture cells in a timeframe that is compatible with image-based phenotyping. We developed a pipeline to construct a large-scale arrayed library of 2,281 sequence-verified CRISPR-Cas9 targeting plasmids and profiled this library for genes affecting cellular morphology and the subcellular localization of components of the nuclear pore complex (NPC). We conceived a machine-learning method that harnesses genetic heterogeneity to score gene perturbations and identify phenotypically perturbed cells for in-depth characterization of gene perturbation effects. This approach enables genome-scale image-based multivariate gene perturbation profiling using CRISPR-Cas9. © 2018 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.

CuOF: an electrical to optical interface for the upgrade of the CMS muon Drift Tubes system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dattola, D.; De Remigis, P.; Maselli, S.; Mazza, G.; Rotondo, F.; Wheadon, R.

2013-02-01

The upgrade of the Drift Tube system of the CMS experiment foresee the relocation of the electronics actually sitting on the racks beside the magnet from the cavern to the counting room. It is thus required to convert the signals from electrical to optical, for a total number of 3500 channels that run at up to 480 Mb/s. A Copper to Optical Fiber board is currently under design. The board is divided into a mother board, which hosts the slow control system based on Field Programmable Gate Array, and four mezzanine cards, each with 8 conversion channels. A prototype of the mezzanine board has been designed and tested under irradiation.

Nuclear modification factor RCP for φ meson production in d+Au collisions at √SNN=200 GeV measured by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Lei

2009-10-01

In d+Au collisions, vector mesons produced in hard scattering are sensitive to various nuclear effects such as parton shadowing/saturation in the small x region (forward rapidity) leading to suppression, and antishadowing (large x region, backward rapidity) or the Cronin effect which both can produce enhancement. Since approaches such as the Color Glass Condensate (CGC) and pQCD-based Glauber-Eikonal models do not agree on the nature of these nuclear effects on particle production at large rapidity, it is essential that they be tested with experimental data in this kinematic regime. Knowledge of the difference between the forward and backward rapidity regions, in d+Au collisions, could also be used to separate the initial-state nuclear wave function modifications and final state in-medium effects in Au+Au collisions. In addition, the relative ratio for the production of ρ, φ and φ can provide information on the production mechanisms of light vector mesons. The PHENIX collaboration at RHIC has recently collected data in d+Au collisions at √s=200 GeV during the 2008 run. The latest work on the RCP measurements of φ, through the di-muon decays at forward and backward rapidities (1.2<η<2.2), will be discussed.

OpenMSI Arrayed Analysis Toolkit: Analyzing Spatially Defined Samples Using Mass Spectrometry Imaging

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

de Raad, Markus; de Rond, Tristan; Rübel, Oliver

Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) has primarily been applied in localizing biomolecules within biological matrices. Although well-suited, the application of MSI for comparing thousands of spatially defined spotted samples has been limited. One reason for this is a lack of suitable and accessible data processing tools for the analysis of large arrayed MSI sample sets. In this paper, the OpenMSI Arrayed Analysis Toolkit (OMAAT) is a software package that addresses the challenges of analyzing spatially defined samples in MSI data sets. OMAAT is written in Python and is integrated with OpenMSI (http://openmsi.nersc.gov), a platform for storing, sharing, and analyzing MSI data.more » By using a web-based python notebook (Jupyter), OMAAT is accessible to anyone without programming experience yet allows experienced users to leverage all features. OMAAT was evaluated by analyzing an MSI data set of a high-throughput glycoside hydrolase activity screen comprising 384 samples arrayed onto a NIMS surface at a 450 μm spacing, decreasing analysis time >100-fold while maintaining robust spot-finding. The utility of OMAAT was demonstrated for screening metabolic activities of different sized soil particles, including hydrolysis of sugars, revealing a pattern of size dependent activities. Finally, these results introduce OMAAT as an effective toolkit for analyzing spatially defined samples in MSI. OMAAT runs on all major operating systems, and the source code can be obtained from the following GitHub repository: https://github.com/biorack/omaat.« less

Modeling and Implementing a Digitally Embedded Maximum Power Point Tracking Algorithm and a Series-Loaded Resonant DC-DC Converter to Integrate a Photovoltaic Array with a Micro-Grid

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

These renewable energy sources can include solar, wind, geothermal , biomass, hydroelectric, and nuclear. Of these sources, photovoltaic (PV) arrays...renewable energy source [1]. These renewable energy sources can include solar, wind, geothermal , biomass, hydroelectric, and nuclear. Of these sources...26, May 2011. [6] H. G. Xu, J. P. He, Y. Qin, and Y. H. Li, “Energy management and control strategy for DC micro-grid in data center,” China

3He Spin Filter for Neutrons

PubMed Central

Batz, M.; Baeßler, S.; Heil, W.; Otten, E. W.; Rudersdorf, D.; Schmiedeskamp, J.; Sobolev, Y.; Wolf, M.

2005-01-01

The strongly spin-dependent absorption of neutrons in nuclear spin-polarized 3He opens up the possibility of polarizing neutrons from reactors and spallation sources over the full kinematical range of cold, thermal and hot neutrons. This paper gives a report on the neutron spin filter (NSF) development program at Mainz. The polarization technique is based on direct optical pumping of metastable 3He atoms combined with a polarization preserving mechanical compression of the gas up to a pressure of several bar, necessary to run a NSF. The concept of a remote type of operation using detachable NSF cells is presented which requires long nuclear spin relaxation times of order 100 hours. A short survey of their use under experimental conditions, e.g. large solid-angle polarization analysis, is given. In neutron particle physics NSFs are used in precision measurements to test fundamental symmetry concepts. PMID:27308139

Implementation of Microcalorimeter Array Technology for Safeguards of Nuclear Material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kossmann, Shannon; Mateju, Klara; Koehler, Katrina; Croce, Mark

2018-03-01

Safeguards of nuclear materials depend on both destructive and nondestructive assay (DA and NDA, respectively). Ultra-high-resolution microcalorimeter gamma spectroscopy has the potential to substantially reduce the performance gap between NDA and DA methods in determination of plutonium isotopic composition. This paper details the setup of a cryostat and microwave readout system for microcalorimeter gamma spectroscopy, the functionality of which has been successfully demonstrated.

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

Benahmed, A.; Elkarch, H.

This new portable radiological environmental monitor consists of 2 main components, Gamma ionization chamber and a FPGA-based electronic enclosure linked to convivial software for treatment and analyzing. The HPIC ion chamber is the heart of this radiation measurement system and is running in range from 0 to 100 mR/h, so that the sensitivity at the output is 20 mV/μR/h, with a nearly flat energy response from 0,07 to 10 MEV. This paper presents a contribution for developing a new nuclear measurement data acquisition system based on Cyclone III FPGA Starter Kit ALTERA, and a user-friendly software to run real-time controlmore » and data processing. It was developed to substitute the older radiation monitor RSS-112 PIC installed in CNESTEN's Laboratory in order to improve some of its functionalities related to acquisition time and data memory capacity. As for the associated acquisition software, it was conceived under the virtual LabView platform from National Instrument, and offers a variety of system setup for radiation environmental monitoring. It gives choice to display both the statistical data and the dose rate. Statistical data shows a summary of current data, current time/date and dose integrator values, and the dose rate displays the current dose rate in large numbers for viewing from a distance as well as the date and time. The prototype version of this new instrument and its data processing software has been successfully tested and validated for viewing and monitoring the environmental radiation of Moroccan nuclear center. (authors)« less

The interface of an array of five capillaries with an array of one-nanoliter wells for high-resolution electrophoretic analysis as an approach to high-throughput chemical cytometry

PubMed Central

Boardman, Anna; McQuaide, Sarah C.; Zhu, Cuiru; Whitmore, Colin; Lidstrom, Mary E.; Dovichi, Norman J.

2009-01-01

We report a system that allows the simultaneous aspiration of one or more cells into each of five capillaries for electrophoresis analysis. A glass wafer was etched to create an array of 1 nL wells. The glass was treated with poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) to control cell adherence. A suspension of formalin-fixed cells was placed on the surface, and cells were allowed to settle. The concentration of cells and the settling time were chosen so that there was, on average, one cell per well. Next, an array of five capillaries was placed so that the tip of each capillary was in contact with a single well. A pulse of vacuum was applied to the distal end of the capillaries to aspirate the content of each well into a capillary. Next, the tips of the capillaries were placed in running buffer and potential was applied. The cells lysed upon contact with the running buffer, and fluorescent components were detected at the distal end of the capillaries by laser-induced fluorescence. The electrophoretic separation efficiency was outstanding, generating over 750,000 theoretical plates (1,800,000 plates/meter). In this example, AtT-20 cells were used that had been treated with TMR-GM1. The cells were allowed to metabolize this substrate into a series of products before the cells were fixed. The number of cells found in each well was estimated visually under the microscope and was described by a Poisson distribution with mean of 0.95 cells/well. This system provides an approach to high-throughput chemical cytometry. PMID:18717573

Quantum-state-selective decay spectroscopy of 213Ra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorenz, Ch.; Sarmiento, L. G.; Rudolph, D.; Ward, D. E.; Block, M.; Heßberger, F. P.; Ackermann, D.; Andersson, L.-L.; Cortés, M. L.; Droese, C.; Dworschak, M.; Eibach, M.; Forsberg, U.; Golubev, P.; Hoischen, R.; Kojouharov, I.; Khuyagbaatar, J.; Nesterenko, D.; Ragnarsson, I.; Schaffner, H.; Schweikhard, L.; Stolze, S.; Wenzl, J.

2017-09-01

An experimental scheme combining the mass resolving power of a Penning trap with contemporary decay spectroscopy has been established at GSI Darmstadt. The Universal Linear Accelerator (UNILAC) at GSI Darmstadt provided a 48Ca beam impinging on a thin 170Er target foil. Subsequent to velocity filtering of reaction products in the Separator for Heavy Ion reaction Products (SHIP), the nuclear ground state of the 5 n evaporation channel 213Ra was mass-selected in SHIPTRAP, and the 213Ra ions were finally transferred into an array of silicon strip detectors surrounded by large composite germanium detectors. Based on comprehensive geant4 simulations and supported by theoretical calculations, the spectroscopic results call for a revision of the decay path of 213Ra, thereby exemplifying the potential of a combination of a mass-selective Penning trap device with a dedicated nuclear decay station and contemporary geant4 simulations.

Copper vertical micro dendrite fin arrays and their superior boiling heat transfer capability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ya-Qiao; Lyu, Shu-Shen; Luo, Jia-Li; Luo, Zhi-Yong; Fu, Yuan-Xiang; Heng, Yi; Zhang, Jian-Hui; Mo, Dong-Chuan

2017-11-01

Micro pin fin arrays have been widely used in electronic cooling, micro reactors, catalyst support, and wettability modification and so on, and a facile way to produce better micro pin fin arrays is demanded. Herein, a simple electrochemical method has been developed to fabricate copper vertical micro dendrite fin arrays (Cu-VMDFA) with controllable shapes, number density and height. High copper sulphate concentration is one key point to make the dendrite stand vertically. Besides, the applied current should rise at an appropriate rate to ensure the copper dendrite can grow vertically on its own. The Cu-VMDFA can significantly enhance the heat transfer coefficient by approximately twice compared to the plain copper surface. The Cu-VMDFA may be widely used in boiling heat transfer areas such as nuclear power plants, electronic cooling, heat exchangers, and so on.

Design and characterization of a real time particle radiography system based on scintillating optical fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longhitano, F.; Lo Presti, D.; Bonanno, D. L.; Bongiovanni, D. G.; Leonora, E.; Randazzo, N.; Reito, S.; Sipala, V.; Gallo, G.

2017-02-01

The fabrication and characterization of a charged particle imaging system composed of a tracker and a residual range detector (RRD) is described. The tracker is composed of four layers of scintillating fibers (SciFi), 500 μm side square section, arranged to form two planes orthogonal to each other. The fibers are coupled to two Multi-Pixel Photon Counter (MPPC) arrays by means of a channel reduction system patented by the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) (Presti, 2015) [1]. Sixty parallel layers of the same fibers used in the tracker compose the RRD. The various layers are optically coupled to a MPPC array by means of wavelength shifting (WLS) fibers. The sensitive area of the two detectors is 9×9 cm2. The results of the measurements, acquired by the prototypes with CATANA (Cirrone, 2008) [2] proton beam, and a comparison with the simulations of the detectors are presented.

Reliable InP-based Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Gary M.; McIntosh, K. Alex; Donnelly, Joseph P.; Funk, Joseph E.; Mahoney, Leonard J.; Verghese, Simon

2009-05-01

Arrays as large as 256 x 64 of single-photon counting avalanche photodiodes have been developed for defense applications in free-space communication and laser radar. Focal plane arrays (FPAs) sensitive to both 1.06 and 1.55 μm wavelength have been fabricated for these applications. At 240 K and 4 V overbias, the dark count rate (DCR) of 15 μm diameter devices is typically 250 Hz for 1.06 μm sensitive APDs and 1 kHz for 1.55 μm APDs. Photon detection efficiencies (PDE) at 4 V overbias are about 45% for both types of APDs. Accounting for microlens losses, the full FPA has a PDE of 30%. The reset time needed for a pixel to avoid afterpulsing at 240 K is about 3-4 μsec. These devices have been used by system groups at Lincoln Laboratory and other defense contractors for building operational systems. For these fielded systems the device reliability is a strong concern. Individual APDs as well as full arrays have been run for over 1000 hrs of accelerated testing to verify their stability. The reliability of these GM-APDs is shown to be under 10 FITs at operating temperatures of 250 K, which also corresponds to an MTTF of 17,100 yrs.

Cloud Computing for Complex Performance Codes.

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

Appel, Gordon John; Hadgu, Teklu; Klein, Brandon Thorin

This report describes the use of cloud computing services for running complex public domain performance assessment problems. The work consisted of two phases: Phase 1 was to demonstrate complex codes, on several differently configured servers, could run and compute trivial small scale problems in a commercial cloud infrastructure. Phase 2 focused on proving non-trivial large scale problems could be computed in the commercial cloud environment. The cloud computing effort was successfully applied using codes of interest to the geohydrology and nuclear waste disposal modeling community.

Hyperloops, Nuclear Spacecraft, and the New York City Subway

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Granade, Stephen

2014-03-01

Frustrated by the speed and high cost-per-mile of the California High-Speed Rail project linking Los Angeles with San Francisco, Elon Musk proposed the Hyperloop: a high-speed train running in a sealed, partially-evacuated tube. Musk released a white paper that described the technology and concluded that the Hyperloop could be built for less than a tenth of a cost of the California High-Speed Rail. Musk's white paper focused heavily on the scientific and technical questions that must be answered, but public transportation is a domain at the intersection of science and society. Public transportation infrastructure is shaped as much by the pressures of government and citizens as by the technology behind the transportation. Tube-based transport like the Hyperloop has been proposed before, but has never gone further than words on a page. Why? Historical examples like the development of the New York City subway and the proposed nuclear-powered Orion spacecraft shed light on the societal barriers that new transportation must overcome, and help illuminate why technology-based answers are not a full response to transportation questions.

Towards a supported common NEAMS software stack

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

Cormac Garvey

2012-04-01

The NEAMS IPSC's are developing multidimensional, multiphysics, multiscale simulation codes based on first principles that will be capable of predicting all aspects of current and future nuclear reactor systems. These new breeds of simulation codes will include rigorous verification, validation and uncertainty quantification checks to quantify the accuracy and quality of the simulation results. The resulting NEAMS IPSC simulation codes will be an invaluable tool in designing the next generation of Nuclear Reactors and also contribute to a more speedy process in the acquisition of licenses from the NRC for new Reactor designs. Due to the high resolution of themore » models, the complexity of the physics and the added computational resources to quantify the accuracy/quality of the results, the NEAMS IPSC codes will require large HPC resources to carry out the production simulation runs.« less

Using Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing in Lieu of Radiography for Acceptance of Carbon Steel Piping Welds

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

Moran, Traci L.; Anderson, Michael T.; Cinson, Anthony D.

2014-08-01

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is conducting studies for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to assess the capability, effectiveness, and reliability of ultrasonic testing (UT) as a replacement method for radiographic testing (RT) for volumetric examination of nuclear power plant (NPP) components. This particular study focused on evaluating the use of UT on carbon steel plate welds. Welding fabrication flaws included a combination of planar and volumetric types, e.g., incomplete fusion, lack of penetration, cracks, porosity, and slag inclusions. The examinations were conducted using phased-array (PA) UT techniques applied primarily for detection and flaw type characterization. This papermore » will discuss the results of using UT in lieu of RT for detection and classification of fabrication flaws in carbon steel plate welds.« less

Multi-state trajectory approach to non-adiabatic dynamics: General formalism and the active state trajectory approximation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Guohua

2017-07-01

A general theoretical framework is derived for the recently developed multi-state trajectory (MST) approach from the time dependent Schrödinger equation, resulting in equations of motion for coupled nuclear-electronic dynamics equivalent to Hamilton dynamics or Heisenberg equation based on a new multistate Meyer-Miller (MM) model. The derived MST formalism incorporates both diabatic and adiabatic representations as limiting cases and reduces to Ehrenfest or Born-Oppenheimer dynamics in the mean-field or the single-state limits, respectively. In the general multistate formalism, nuclear dynamics is represented in terms of a set of individual state-specific trajectories, while in the active state trajectory (AST) approximation, only one single nuclear trajectory on the active state is propagated with its augmented images running on all other states. The AST approximation combines the advantages of consistent nuclear-coupled electronic dynamics in the MM model and the single nuclear trajectory in the trajectory surface hopping (TSH) treatment and therefore may provide a potential alternative to both Ehrenfest and TSH methods. The resulting algorithm features in a consistent description of coupled electronic-nuclear dynamics and excellent numerical stability. The implementation of the MST approach to several benchmark systems involving multiple nonadiabatic transitions and conical intersection shows reasonably good agreement with exact quantum calculations, and the results in both representations are similar in accuracy. The AST treatment also reproduces the exact results reasonably, sometimes even quantitatively well, with a better performance in the adiabatic representation.

Deterring Nuclear Proliferation: The Importance of IAEA Safeguards: A TEXTBOOK

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

Rosenthal, M.D.; Fishbone, L.G.; Gallini, L.

2012-03-13

Nuclear terrorism and nuclear proliferation are among the most pressing challenges to international peace and security that we face today. Iran and Syria remain in non-compliance with the safeguards requirements of the NPT, and the nuclear ambitions of North Korea remain unchecked. Despite these challenges, the NPT remains a cornerstone of the nuclear non-proliferation regime, and the safeguards implemented by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) under the NPT play a critical role in deterring nuclear proliferation.How do they work? Where did they come from? And what is their future? This book answers these questions. Anyone studying the field ofmore » nuclear non-proliferation will benefit from reading this book, and for anyone entering the field, the book will enable them to get a running start. Part I describes the foundations of the international safeguards system: its origins in the 1930s - when new discoveries in physics made it clear immediately that nuclear energy held both peril and promise - through the entry into force in 1970 of the NPT, which codified the role of IAEA safeguards as a means to verify states NPT commitments not to acquire nuclear weapons. Part II describes the NPT safeguards system, which is based on a model safeguards agreement developed specifically for the NPT, The Structure and Content of Agreements between the Agency and States required in connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which has been published by the IAEA as INFCIRC/153. Part III describes events, especially in South Africa, the DPRK, and Iraq in the early 1990s, that triggered a transformation in the way in which safeguards were conceptualized and implemented.« less

A LabVIEW®-based software for the control of the AUTORAD platform: a fully automated multisequential flow injection analysis Lab-on-Valve (MSFIA-LOV) system for radiochemical analysis.

PubMed

Barbesi, Donato; Vicente Vilas, Víctor; Millet, Sylvain; Sandow, Miguel; Colle, Jean-Yves; Aldave de Las Heras, Laura

2017-01-01

A LabVIEW ® -based software for the control of the fully automated multi-sequential flow injection analysis Lab-on-Valve (MSFIA-LOV) platform AutoRAD performing radiochemical analysis is described. The analytical platform interfaces an Arduino ® -based device triggering multiple detectors providing a flexible and fit for purpose choice of detection systems. The different analytical devices are interfaced to the PC running LabVIEW ® VI software using USB and RS232 interfaces, both for sending commands and receiving confirmation or error responses. The AUTORAD platform has been successfully applied for the chemical separation and determination of Sr, an important fission product pertinent to nuclear waste.

A novel isoflavone profiling method based on UPLC-PDA-ESI-MS.

PubMed

Zhang, Shuang; Zheng, Zong-Ping; Zeng, Mao-Mao; He, Zhi-Yong; Tao, Guan-Jun; Qin, Fang; Chen, Jie

2017-03-15

A novel non-targeted isoflavone profiling method was developed using the diagnostic fragment-ion-based extension strategy, based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with photo-diode array detector and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (UPLC-PDA-ESI-MS). 16 types of isoflavones were obtained in positive mode, but only 12 were obtained in negative mode due to the absence of precursor ions. Malonyldaidzin and malonylgenistin glycosylated at the 4'-O position or malonylated at the 4″-O position of glucose were indicated by their retention behavior and fragmentation pattern. Three possible quantification methods in one run based on UPLC-PDA and UPLC-ESI-MS were validated and compared, suggesting that methods based on UPLC-ESI-MS possess remarkable selectivity and sensitivity. Impermissible quantitative deviations induced by the linearity calibration with 400-fold dynamic range was observed for the first time and was recalibrated with a 20-fold dynamic range. These results suggest that isoflavones and their stereoisomers can be simultaneously determined by positive-ion UPLC-ESI-MS in soymilk. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

SciSpark: Highly Interactive and Scalable Model Evaluation and Climate Metrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, B. D.; Palamuttam, R. S.; Mogrovejo, R. M.; Whitehall, K. D.; Mattmann, C. A.; Verma, R.; Waliser, D. E.; Lee, H.

2015-12-01

Remote sensing data and climate model output are multi-dimensional arrays of massive sizes locked away in heterogeneous file formats (HDF5/4, NetCDF 3/4) and metadata models (HDF-EOS, CF) making it difficult to perform multi-stage, iterative science processing since each stage requires writing and reading data to and from disk. We are developing a lightning fast Big Data technology called SciSpark based on ApacheTM Spark under a NASA AIST grant (PI Mattmann). Spark implements the map-reduce paradigm for parallel computing on a cluster, but emphasizes in-memory computation, "spilling" to disk only as needed, and so outperforms the disk-based ApacheTM Hadoop by 100x in memory and by 10x on disk. SciSpark will enable scalable model evaluation by executing large-scale comparisons of A-Train satellite observations to model grids on a cluster of 10 to 1000 compute nodes. This 2nd generation capability for NASA's Regional Climate Model Evaluation System (RCMES) will compute simple climate metrics at interactive speeds, and extend to quite sophisticated iterative algorithms such as machine-learning based clustering of temperature PDFs, and even graph-based algorithms for searching for Mesocale Convective Complexes. We have implemented a parallel data ingest capability in which the user specifies desired variables (arrays) as several time-sorted lists of URL's (i.e. using OPeNDAP model.nc?varname, or local files). The specified variables are partitioned by time/space and then each Spark node pulls its bundle of arrays into memory to begin a computation pipeline. We also investigated the performance of several N-dim. array libraries (scala breeze, java jblas & netlib-java, and ND4J). We are currently developing science codes using ND4J and studying memory behavior on the JVM. On the pyspark side, many of our science codes already use the numpy and SciPy ecosystems. The talk will cover: the architecture of SciSpark, the design of the scientific RDD (sRDD) data structure, our efforts to integrate climate science algorithms in Python and Scala, parallel ingest and partitioning of A-Train satellite observations from HDF files and model grids from netCDF files, first parallel runs to compute comparison statistics and PDF's, and first metrics quantifying parallel speedups and memory & disk usage.

Multi-terabyte EIDE disk arrays running Linux RAID5

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

Sanders, D.A.; Cremaldi, L.M.; Eschenburg, V.

2004-11-01

High-energy physics experiments are currently recording large amounts of data and in a few years will be recording prodigious quantities of data. New methods must be developed to handle this data and make analysis at universities possible. Grid Computing is one method; however, the data must be cached at the various Grid nodes. We examine some storage techniques that exploit recent developments in commodity hardware. Disk arrays using RAID level 5 (RAID-5) include both parity and striping. The striping improves access speed. The parity protects data in the event of a single disk failure, but not in the case ofmore » multiple disk failures. We report on tests of dual-processor Linux Software RAID-5 arrays and Hardware RAID-5 arrays using a 12-disk 3ware controller, in conjunction with 250 and 300 GB disks, for use in offline high-energy physics data analysis. The price of IDE disks is now less than $1/GB. These RAID-5 disk arrays can be scaled to sizes affordable to small institutions and used when fast random access at low cost is important.« less

Iowa State University – Final Report for SciDAC3/NUCLEI

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

Vary, James P

The Iowa State University (ISU) contributions to the NUCLEI project are focused on developing, implementing and running an efficient and scalable configuration interaction code (Many-Fermion Dynamics – nuclear or MFDn) for leadership class supercomputers addressing forefront research problems in low-energy nuclear physics. We investigate nuclear structure and reactions with realistic nucleon-nucleon (NN) and three-nucleon (3N) interactions. We select a few highlights from our work that has produced a total of more than 82 refereed publications and more than 109 invited talks under SciDAC3/NUCLEI.

Development of burnup dependent fuel rod model in COBRA-TF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yilmaz, Mine Ozdemir

The purpose of this research was to develop a burnup dependent fuel thermal conductivity model within Pennsylvania State University, Reactor Dynamics and Fuel Management Group (RDFMG) version of the subchannel thermal-hydraulics code COBRA-TF (CTF). The model takes into account first, the degradation of fuel thermal conductivity with high burnup; and second, the fuel thermal conductivity dependence on the Gadolinium content for both UO2 and MOX fuel rods. The modified Nuclear Fuel Industries (NFI) model for UO2 fuel rods and Duriez/Modified NFI Model for MOX fuel rods were incorporated into CTF and fuel centerline predictions were compared against Halden experimental test data and FRAPCON-3.4 predictions to validate the burnup dependent fuel thermal conductivity model in CTF. Experimental test cases from Halden reactor fuel rods for UO2 fuel rods at Beginning of Life (BOL), through lifetime without Gd2O3 and through lifetime with Gd 2O3 and a MOX fuel rod were simulated with CTF. Since test fuel rod and FRAPCON-3.4 results were based on single rod measurements, CTF was run for a single fuel rod surrounded with a single channel configuration. Input decks for CTF were developed for one fuel rod located at the center of a subchannel (rod-centered subchannel approach). Fuel centerline temperatures predicted by CTF were compared against the measurements from Halden experimental test data and the predictions from FRAPCON-3.4. After implementing the new fuel thermal conductivity model in CTF and validating the model with experimental data, CTF model was applied to steady state and transient calculations. 4x4 PWR fuel bundle configuration from Purdue MOX benchmark was used to apply the new model for steady state and transient calculations. First, one of each high burnup UO2 and MOX fuel rods from 4x4 matrix were selected to carry out single fuel rod calculations and fuel centerline temperatures predicted by CTF/TORT-TD were compared against CTF /TORT-TD /FRAPTRAN predictions. After confirming that the new fuel thermal conductivity model in CTF worked and provided consistent results with FRAPTRAN predictions for a single fuel rod configuration, the same type of analysis was carried out for a bigger system which is the 4x4 PWR bundle consisting of 15 fuel pins and one control guide tube. Steady- state calculations at Hot Full Power (HFP) conditions for control guide tube out (unrodded) were performed using the 4x4 PWR array with CTF/TORT-TD coupled code system. Fuel centerline, surface and average temperatures predicted by CTF/TORT-TD with and without the new fuel thermal conductivity model were compared against CTF/TORT-TD/FRAPTRAN predictions to demonstrate the improvement in fuel centerline predictions when new model was used. In addition to that constant and CTF dynamic gap conductance model were used with the new thermal conductivity model to show the performance of the CTF dynamic gap conductance model and its impact on fuel centerline and surface temperatures. Finally, a Rod Ejection Accident (REA) scenario using the same 4x4 PWR array was run both at Hot Zero Power (HZP) and Hot Full Power (HFP) condition, starting at a position where half of the control rod is inserted. This scenario was run using CTF/TORT-TD coupled code system with and without the new fuel thermal conductivity model. The purpose of this transient analysis was to show the impact of thermal conductivity degradation (TCD) on feedback effects, specifically Doppler Reactivity Coefficient (DRC) and, eventually, total core reactivity.

A blueprint for computational analysis of acoustical scattering from orchestral panel arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burns, Thomas

2005-09-01

Orchestral panel arrays have been a topic of interest to acousticians, and it is reasonable to expect optimal design criteria to result from a combination of musician surveys, on-stage empirical data, and computational modeling of various configurations. Preparing a musicians survey to identify specific mechanisms of perception and sound quality is best suited for a clinically experienced hearing scientist. Measuring acoustical scattering from a panel array and discerning the effects from various boundaries is best suited for the experienced researcher in engineering acoustics. Analyzing a numerical model of the panel arrays is best suited for the tools typically used in computational engineering analysis. Toward this end, a streamlined process will be described using PROENGINEER to define a panel array geometry in 3-D, a commercial mesher to numerically discretize this geometry, SYSNOISE to solve the associated boundary element integral equations, and MATLAB to visualize the results. The model was run (background priority) on an SGI Altix (Linux) server with 12 CPUs, 24 Gbytes of RAM, and 1 Tbyte of disk space. These computational resources are available to research teams interested in this topic and willing to write and pursue grants.

Characterizing noise in the global nuclear weapon monitoring system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, Colin

2013-03-01

Under the auspices of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, a worldwide monitoring system designed to detect the illegal testing of nuclear weaponry has been under construction since 1999. The International Monitoring System is composed of a range of sensors, including detectors for hydroacoustic and seismic signals, and when completed, will include 60 infrasound measurement arrays set to detect low-frequency sound waves produced by an atmospheric nuclear detonation.

A Real-Time System for Lane Detection Based on FPGA and DSP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Jing; Li, Shutao; Sun, Bin

2016-12-01

This paper presents a real-time lane detection system including edge detection and improved Hough Transform based lane detection algorithm and its hardware implementation with field programmable gate array (FPGA) and digital signal processor (DSP). Firstly, gradient amplitude and direction information are combined to extract lane edge information. Then, the information is used to determine the region of interest. Finally, the lanes are extracted by using improved Hough Transform. The image processing module of the system consists of FPGA and DSP. Particularly, the algorithms implemented in FPGA are working in pipeline and processing in parallel so that the system can run in real-time. In addition, DSP realizes lane line extraction and display function with an improved Hough Transform. The experimental results show that the proposed system is able to detect lanes under different road situations efficiently and effectively.

oneChannelGUI: a graphical interface to Bioconductor tools, designed for life scientists who are not familiar with R language.

PubMed

Sanges, Remo; Cordero, Francesca; Calogero, Raffaele A

2007-12-15

OneChannelGUI is an add-on Bioconductor package providing a new set of functions extending the capability of the affylmGUI package. This library provides a graphical interface (GUI) for Bioconductor libraries to be used for quality control, normalization, filtering, statistical validation and data mining for single channel microarrays. Affymetrix 3' expression (IVT) arrays as well as the new whole transcript expression arrays, i.e. gene/exon 1.0 ST, are actually implemented. oneChannelGUI is available for most platforms on which R runs, i.e. Windows and Unix-like machines. http://www.bioconductor.org/packages/2.0/bioc/html/oneChannelGUI.html

Modeling needs for very large systems.

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

Stein, Joshua S.

2010-10-01

Most system performance models assume a point measurement for irradiance and that, except for the impact of shading from nearby obstacles, incident irradiance is uniform across the array. Module temperature is also assumed to be uniform across the array. For small arrays and hourly-averaged simulations, this may be a reasonable assumption. Stein is conducting research to characterize variability in large systems and to develop models that can better accommodate large system factors. In large, multi-MW arrays, passing clouds may block sunlight from a portion of the array but never affect another portion. Figure 22 shows that two irradiance measurements atmore » opposite ends of a multi-MW PV plant appear to have similar irradiance (left), but in fact the irradiance is not always the same (right). Module temperature may also vary across the array, with modules on the edges being cooler because they have greater wind exposure. Large arrays will also have long wire runs and will be subject to associated losses. Soiling patterns may also vary, with modules closer to the source of soiling, such as an agricultural field, receiving more dust load. One of the primary concerns associated with this effort is how to work with integrators to gain access to better and more comprehensive data for model development and validation.« less

Decay of 34Mg

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaney, Donlad; Benjamin Luna Collaboration

2017-09-01

One of concepts of modern physics that is not understood is the strong nuclear force. One manifestation of this is our lack of understanding of so-called `islands of inversion', which are groups of nuclides which have deformed ground states. It is known that 34Mg is included in this island, and that its decay (34Al) has a mixed ground state configuration. By studying their decays we hoped to discover definitive information about the branching ratios and the half lives of 34Mg and 34Al. In order to accomplish these goals, we studied the gamma radiation from the decays of 34Mg and 34Al. A Magnesium beam was implanted into a strip of mylar tape and transported to the center of an array of scintillators and germanium detectors, which has allowed us to determine the half-lives for the decays, and the branching ratios for the beta decay. My work on this project began with writing scripts to draw histograms with the data, and using those histograms to gather information that would allow me to gate our data on any number of variables and pieces of information. By cutting out bad portions of our data collection runs and gating on the coincidence of beta decays and other gamma rays, I was able to cut out a significant amount background radiation from our data.

Heat dissipating nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Hunsbedt, A.; Lazarus, J.D.

1985-11-21

Disclosed is a nuclear reactor containment adapted to retain and cool core debris in the unlikely event of a core meltdown and subsequent breach in the reactor vessel. The reactor vessel is seated in a cavity which has a thick metal sidewall that is integral with a thick metal basemat at the bottom of the cavity. The basemat extends beyond the perimeter of the cavity sidewall. Underneath the basemat is a porous bed with water pipes and steam pipes running into it. Water is introduced into the bed and converted into steam which is vented to the atmosphere. A plurality of metal pilings in the form of H-beams extend from the metal base plate downwardly and outwardly into the earth.

Heat dissipating nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Hunsbedt, Anstein; Lazarus, Jonathan D.

1987-01-01

Disclosed is a nuclear reactor containment adapted to retain and cool core debris in the unlikely event of a core meltdown and subsequent breach in the reactor vessel. The reactor vessel is seated in a cavity which has a thick metal sidewall that is integral with a thick metal basemat at the bottom of the cavity. The basemat extends beyond the perimeter of the cavity sidewall. Underneath the basemat is a porous bed with water pipes and steam pipes running into it. Water is introduced into the bed and converted into steam which is vented to the atmosphere. A plurality of metal pilings in the form of H-beams extends from the metal base plate downwardly and outwardly into the earth.

Optimization of transition edge sensor arrays for cosmic microwave background observations with the south pole telescope

DOE PAGES

Ding, Junjia; Ade, P. A. R.; Anderson, A. J.; ...

2016-12-15

In this study, we describe the optimization of transition-edge-sensor (TES) detector arrays for the thirdgeneration camera for the South PoleTelescope.The camera,which contains ~16 000 detectors, will make high-angular-resolution maps of the temperature and polarization of the cosmic microwave background. Our key results are scatter in the transition temperature of Ti/Au TESs is reduced by fabricating the TESs on a thin Ti(5 nm)/Au(5 nm) buffer layer and the thermal conductivity of the legs that support our detector islands is dominated by the SiOx dielectric in the microstrip transmission lines that run along

The Microwave SQUID Multiplexer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mates, John Arthur Benson

2011-12-01

This thesis describes a multiplexer of Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices (SQUIDs) with low-noise, ultra-low power dissipation, and great scalability. The multiplexer circuit measures the magnetic flux in a large number of unshunted rf SQUIDs by coupling each SQUID to a superconducting microwave resonator tuned to a unique resonance frequency and driving the resonators from a common feedline. A superposition of microwave tones measures each SQUID simultaneously using only two coaxial cables between the cryogenic device and room temperature. This multiplexer will enable the instrumentation of arrays with hundreds of thousands of low-temperature detectors for new applications in cosmology, materials analysis, and nuclear non-proliferation. The driving application of the Microwave SQUID Multiplexer is the readout of large arrays of superconducting transition-edge sensors, by some figures of merit the most sensitive detectors of electromagnetic signals over a span of more than nine orders of magnitude in energy, from 40 GHz microwaves to 200 keV gamma rays. Modern transition-edge sensors have noise-equivalent power as low as 10-20 W / Hz1/2 and energy resolution as good as 2 eV at 6 keV. These per-pixel sensitivities approach theoretical limits set by the underlying signals, motivating a rapid increase in pixel count to access new science. Compelling applications, like the non-destructive assay of nuclear material for treaty verification or the search for primordial gravity waves from inflation use arrays of these detectors to increase collection area or tile a focal plane. We developed three generations of SQUID multiplexers, optimizing the first for flux noise 0.17 muPhi0 / Hz1/2, the second for input current noise 19 pA / Hz1/2, and the last for practical multiplexing of large arrays of cosmic microwave background polarimeters based on transition-edge sensors. Using the last design we demonstrated multiplexed readout of prototype polarimeters with the performance required for the future development of a large-scale astronomical instrument.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Electromagnetic follow-up with LIGO/Virgo (Singer+, 2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singer, L. P.; Price, L. R.; Farr, B.; Urban, A. L.; Pankow, C.; Vitale, S.; Veitch, J.; Farr, W. M.; Hanna, C.; Cannon, K.; Downes, T.; Graff, P.; Haster, C.-J.; Mandel, I.; Sidery, T.; Vecchio, A.

2017-05-01

Aasi et al. (2013, arXiv:1304.0670) outline five observing scenarios representing the evolving configuration and capability of the Advanced GW detector array, from the first observing run in 2015, to achieving final design sensitivity in 2019, to adding a fourth detector at design sensitivity by 2022. In this study, we focus on the first two epochs. The first, in 2015, is envisioned as a three-month science run. LIGO Hanford (H) and LIGO Livingston (L) Observatories are operating with an averaged (1.4, 1.4) Mȯ BNS range between 40 and 80 Mpc. The second, in 2016-2017, is a six-month run with H and L operating between 80 and 120 Mpc and the addition of Advanced Virgo (V) with a range between 20 and 60 Mpc. (4 data files).

SPIRE Data Evaluation and Nuclear IR Fluorescence Processes.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-11-30

so that all isotopes can be dealt with in a single run rather than a number of separate runs. At lower altitudes the radiance calculation needs to be...approximation can be inferred from the work of Neuendorffer (1982) on developing an analytic expression for the absorption of a single non-overlapping line...personnel by using prominent atmospheric infrared features such as the OH maximum, the HNO3 maximum, the CO3 4.3 um knee, etc. The azimuth however

STRS Compliant FPGA Waveform Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nappier, Jennifer; Downey, Joseph; Mortensen, Dale

2008-01-01

The Space Telecommunications Radio System (STRS) Architecture Standard describes a standard for NASA space software defined radios (SDRs). It provides a common framework that can be used to develop and operate a space SDR in a reconfigurable and reprogrammable manner. One goal of the STRS Architecture is to promote waveform reuse among multiple software defined radios. Many space domain waveforms are designed to run in the special signal processing (SSP) hardware. However, the STRS Architecture is currently incomplete in defining a standard for designing waveforms in the SSP hardware. Therefore, the STRS Architecture needs to be extended to encompass waveform development in the SSP hardware. The extension of STRS to the SSP hardware will promote easier waveform reconfiguration and reuse. A transmit waveform for space applications was developed to determine ways to extend the STRS Architecture to a field programmable gate array (FPGA). These extensions include a standard hardware abstraction layer for FPGAs and a standard interface between waveform functions running inside a FPGA. A FPGA-based transmit waveform implementation of the proposed standard interfaces on a laboratory breadboard SDR will be discussed.

A personal computer-based nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Job, Constantin; Pearson, Robert M.; Brown, Michael F.

1994-11-01

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy using personal computer-based hardware has the potential of enabling the application of NMR methods to fields where conventional state of the art equipment is either impractical or too costly. With such a strategy for data acquisition and processing, disciplines including civil engineering, agriculture, geology, archaeology, and others have the possibility of utilizing magnetic resonance techniques within the laboratory or conducting applications directly in the field. Another aspect is the possibility of utilizing existing NMR magnets which may be in good condition but unused because of outdated or nonrepairable electronics. Moreover, NMR applications based on personal computer technology may open up teaching possibilities at the college or even secondary school level. The goal of developing such a personal computer (PC)-based NMR standard is facilitated by existing technologies including logic cell arrays, direct digital frequency synthesis, use of PC-based electrical engineering software tools to fabricate electronic circuits, and the use of permanent magnets based on neodymium-iron-boron alloy. Utilizing such an approach, we have been able to place essentially an entire NMR spectrometer console on two printed circuit boards, with the exception of the receiver and radio frequency power amplifier. Future upgrades to include the deuterium lock and the decoupler unit are readily envisioned. The continued development of such PC-based NMR spectrometers is expected to benefit from the fast growing, practical, and low cost personal computer market.

KSC-2012-3123

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- On the runway at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Orbital Sciences L-1011 carrier aircraft is readied for flight. Once the Pegasus XL rocket with NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array NuSTAR spacecraft is attached, the L-1011 will fly to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll. The Pegasus will launch NuSTAR into space where the high-energy x-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2012-3124

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- On the runway at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Orbital Sciences L-1011 carrier aircraft is readied for flight. Once the Pegasus XL rocket with NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array NuSTAR spacecraft is attached, the L-1011 will fly to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll. The Pegasus will launch NuSTAR into space where the high-energy x-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2010-5271

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-09-16

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the second stage of the Pegasus XL rocket, left, that will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) to orbit is moved onto a jackable rail for processing in Building 1555. On the right is the rocket's third stage. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be shipped to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site located at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. Photo credit: NASA/Dan Liberotti, VAFB

KSC-2011-4528

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-06-09

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, Orbital Sciences Corp. technicians weigh stage 3 of the Pegasus XL rocket motor that will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences' L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site located at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2011-4527

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-06-09

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, Orbital Sciences Corp. technicians prepare to weigh stage 3 of the Pegasus XL rocket motor that will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences' L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site located at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

Patch Network for Power Allocation and Distribution in Smart Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Golembiewski, Walter T.

2000-01-01

The power allocation and distribution (PAD) circuitry is capable of allocating and distributing a single or multiple sources of power over multi-elements of a power user grid system. The purpose of this invention is to allocate and distribute power that is collected by individual patch rectennas to a region of specific power-user devices, such as actuators. The patch rectenna converts microwave power into DC power. Then this DC power is used to drive actuator devices. However, the power from patch rectennas is not sufficient to drive actuators unless all the collected power is effectively used to drive another group by allocation and distribution. The power allocation and distribution (PAD) circuitry solves the shortfall of power for devices in a large array. The PAD concept is based on the networked power control in which power collected over the whole array of rectennas is allocated to a sub domain where a group of devices is required to be activated for operation. Then the allocated power is distributed to individual element of power-devices in the sub domain according to a selected run-mode.

Possible Circuit Architectures for Molecular Nanoelectronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Likharev, Konstantin

2003-03-01

Chemically-directed self-assembly of molecular devices is apparently the only feasible way to continue the fast progress of microelectronics after its Moore-Laws-based development runs into the wall of physical and economic limitations [1]. The architectures of VLSI circuits using such devices should be substantially fault-tolerant and accommodate other their features including low transconductance. The most significant feature of all promising suggested architectures is the hybridization of three technologies: advanced CMOS, simple nanowire arrays, and molecular devices self-assembling on these wires. Molecular memory arrays may have a simple structure, and their simple prototypes have already been implemented experimentally [2]. In contrast, the logic circuit development is just starting. I will describe a family of neuromorphic networks based on so-called CrossNet arrays [3] that look promising for advanced information processing, starting from fast image recognition and beyond. This architecture may combine very high density (above 10^12 functions per cm^2) and relatively high speed (100-ns-scale latency of cell-to-cell communications) at acceptable power consumption. In future, these features may allow to put an artificial analog of the human cerebral cortex, capable of processing information and (hopefully) self-evolution at 4 to 5 orders of magnitude faster than its biological prototype, on a 20x20 cm^2 silicon wafer. [1] K. Likharev, "Electronics Below 20-nm", see http://rsfq1.physics.sunysb.edu/ likharev/nano/ForMorkoc.pdf. [2] See, e.g, http://nanotechweb.org/articles/news/1/9/8/1. [3] O. Turel and K. Likharev, Int. J. of Circuit Theory and Applications 31, No.1 (2003); see http://rsfq1.physics.sunysb.edu/ likharev/nano/Preprint070102.pdf.

A CAMAC-VME-Macintosh data acquisition system for nuclear experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anzalone, A.; Giustolisi, F.

1989-10-01

A multiprocessor system for data acquisition and analysis in low-energy nuclear physics has been realized. The system is built around CAMAC, the VMEbus, and the Macintosh PC. Multiprocessor software has been developed, using RTF, MACsys, and CERN cross-software. The execution of several programs that run on several VME CPUs and on an external PC is coordinated by a mailbox protocol. No operating system is used on the VME CPUs. The hardware, software, and system performance are described.

Low-cost solar array project: Four absolute cavity radiometer (pyrheliometer) intercomparisons at New River, Arizona: Radiometer standards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estey, R. S.; Seaman, C. H.

1981-01-01

Four detailed intercomparisons were made for a number of models of cavity-type self-calibrating radiometers (pyrheliometers). Each intercomparison consisted of simultaneous readings of pyrheliometers at 30-second intervals in runs of 10 minutes, with at least 15 runs per intercomparison. Twenty-seven instruments were in at least one intercomparison, and five were in all four. Summarized results and all raw data are provided from the intercomparisons.

Response surface method in geotechnical/structural analysis, phase 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, F. S.

1981-02-01

In the response surface approach, an approximating function is fit to a long running computer code based on a limited number of code calculations. The approximating function, called the response surface, is then used to replace the code in subsequent repetitive computations required in a statistical analysis. The procedure of the response surface development and feasibility of the method are shown using a sample problem in slop stability which is based on data from centrifuge experiments of model soil slopes and involves five random soil parameters. It is shown that a response surface can be constructed based on as few as four code calculations and that the response surface is computationally extremely efficient compared to the code calculation. Potential applications of this research include probabilistic analysis of dynamic, complex, nonlinear soil/structure systems such as slope stability, liquefaction, and nuclear reactor safety.

Optimizing the Timing Resolution for the NEXT Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engelhardt, A.; Shadrick, S.; Rajabali, M.; Schmitt, K.; Grzywacz, R.

2016-09-01

In nuclear physics studies there are very few detectors capable of measuring neutron energies in the 0.1-10 MeV energy range with a reasonable resolution. The VANDLE array is the premier detector array for these measurements, yet VANDLE is limited by the its thickness (2.9 cm minimum).The Neutron dEtector with Tracking (NEXT) array would be capable of surpassing the limitations caused by the large size of VANDLE bars. A proposed configuration of each neutron detector consists of ten 3-mm thick plastic scintillators with two or more silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) attached at each end. To achieve the desired energy resolution for neutron energy measurements through time of flight, the timing resolution between these SiPMs needs to be below 200 ps. A SiPM was placed on each end of a plastic scintillator inside a light-tight electrical box along with a 137Cs source. An analog circuit was designed in order to measure the timing difference between the two SiPMs. Different configurations of SiPM sizes, scintillator sizes, and wrappings were tested in order to determine the configuration that yields the best timing resolution. Details of the testing procedures and results will be presented. Research Supported by the National Nuclear Security Administration.

Simulation of sparse matrix array designs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boehm, Rainer; Heckel, Thomas

2018-04-01

Matrix phased array probes are becoming more prominently used in industrial applications. The main drawbacks, using probes incorporating a very large number of transducer elements, are needed for an appropriate cabling and an ultrasonic device offering many parallel channels. Matrix arrays designed for extended functionality feature at least 64 or more elements. Typical arrangements are square matrices, e.g., 8 by 8 or 11 by 11 or rectangular matrixes, e.g., 8 by 16 or 10 by 12 to fit a 128-channel phased array system. In some phased array systems, the number of simultaneous active elements is limited to a certain number, e.g., 32 or 64. Those setups do not allow running the probe with all elements active, which may cause a significant change in the directivity pattern of the resulting sound beam. When only a subset of elements can be used during a single acquisition, different strategies may be applied to collect enough data for rebuilding the missing information from the echo signal. Omission of certain elements may be one approach, overlay of subsequent shots with different active areas may be another one. This paper presents the influence of a decreased number of active elements on the sound field and their distribution on the array. Solutions using subsets with different element activity patterns on matrix arrays and their advantages and disadvantages concerning the sound field are evaluated using semi-analytical simulation tools. Sound field criteria are discussed, which are significant for non-destructive testing results and for the system setup.

Reliability assessment of MVP-BURN and JENDL-4.0 related to nuclear transmutation of light platinum group elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terashima, Atsunori; Nilsson, Mikael; Ozawa, Masaki; Chiba, Satoshi

2017-09-01

The Aprés ORIENT research program, as a concept of advanced nuclear fuel cycle, was initiated in FY2011 aiming at creating stable, highly-valuable elements by nuclear transmutation from ↓ssion products. In order to simulate creation of such elements by (n, γ) reaction succeeded by β- decay in reactors, a continuous-energy Monte Carlo burnup calculation code MVP-BURN was employed. Then, it is one of the most important tasks to con↓rm the reliability of MVP-BURN code and evaluated neutron cross section library. In this study, both an experiment of neutron activation analysis in TRIGA Mark I reactor at University of California, Irvine and the corresponding burnup calculation using MVP-BURN code were performed for validation of the simulation on transmutation of light platinum group elements. Especially, some neutron capture reactions such as 102Ru(n, γ)103Ru, 104Ru(n, γ)105Ru, and 108Pd(n, γ)109Pd were dealt with in this study. From a comparison between the calculation (C) and the experiment (E) about 102Ru(n, γ)103Ru, the deviation (C/E-1) was signi↓cantly large. Then, it is strongly suspected that not MVP-BURN code but the neutron capture cross section of 102Ru belonging to JENDL-4.0 used in this simulation have made the big di↑erence as (C/E-1) >20%.

1987 Nuclear Science Symposium, 34th, and 1987 Symposium on Nuclear Power Systems, 19th, San Francisco, CA, Oct. 21-23, 1987, Proceedings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Armantrout, Guy A.

1988-02-01

The present conference consideres topics in radiation detectors, advanced electronic circuits, data acquisition systems, radiation detector systems, high-energy and nuclear physics radiation detection, spaceborne instrumentation, health physics and environmental radiation detection, nuclear medicine, nuclear well logging, and nuclear reactor instrumentation. Attention is given to the response of scintillators to heavy ions, phonon-mediated particle detection, ballistic deficits in pulse-shaping amplifiers, fast analog ICs for particle physics, logic cell arrays, the CERN host interface, high performance data buses, a novel scintillating glass for high-energy physics applications, background events in microchannel plates, a tritium accelerator mass spectrometer, a novel positron tomograph, advancements in PET, cylindrical positron tomography, nuclear techniques in subsurface geology, REE borehole neutron activation, and a continuous tritium monitor for aqueous process streams.

Characterization of 3×3×10 cm3 CsI Crystals for Nuclear Physics Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sweany, Sean; Lynch, William; Tsang, Betty; Chajecki, Zbigniew; Brown, Kyle; Morfouace, Pierre; Kuan, Zhu; Crosby, Jacob; Anderson, Corinne; Kodali, Suhas

2017-09-01

The symmetry energy portion of the nuclear equation of state is currently poorly constrained in asymmetric nuclear matter. The momentum dependence of the symmetry energy potential causes a reduction in the nucleon masses causing a splitting between the neutron and proton effective masses. From transport simulations, n/p spectral ratios are shown to be a good observable for studying this effective mass splitting. Arrays of silicon strip detectors backed by scintillator crystals are an effective way of detecting and identifying charged particles over a large range of angles. Recently the HiRA group at the NSCL has finished updating of the HiRA array with 10 cm CsI crystals, HiRA10. The longer CsI crystals allow for higher energy particles to be measured. The doping gradient of thallium along with side and surface treatment of CsI can cause nonuniformity in light output of the crystals, therefore the crystals must characterized before use. For characterization, the crystals were scanned using a collimated Am241 source in a grid pattern of 64 points per crystal. The design of HiRA10 as well as the results of the tests for crystal uniformity will be presented in this talk. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. PHY 1565546.

Two Dimensional Viscoelastic Stress Analysis of a Prototypical JIMO Turbine Wheel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gayda, John; Gabb, Timothy

2005-01-01

The designers of the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) are investigating the potential of nuclear powered-electric propulsion technology to provide deep space propulsion. In one design scenario a closed-Brayton-cycle power converter is used to convert thermal energy from a nuclear reactor to electrical power for the spacecraft utilizing an inert gas as the working fluid to run a turboalternator as described in L.S. Mason, "A Power Conversion for the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter," Journal of Propulsion and Power, vol. 20, no. 5, pp. 902-910. A key component in the turboalternator is the radial flow turbine wheel which may be fabricated from a cast superalloy. This turbine wheel is envisioned to run continuously over the life of the mission, which is anticipated to be about ten years. This scenario places unusual material requirements on the turbine wheel. Unlike the case of terrestrial turbine engines, fatigue, associated with start-up and shut-down of the engine, foreign-object damage, and corrosion issues are insignificant and thus creep issues become dominate. The purpose of this paper is to present estimates for creep growth of a prototypical JIMO turbine wheel over a ten year life. Since an actual design and bill of materials does not exist, the results presented in this paper are based on preliminary concepts which are likely to evolve over time. For this reason, as well as computational efficiency, a simplified 2-D, in lieu of a 3-D, viscoelastic, finite element model of a prototypical turbine wheel will be utilized employing material properties for the cast superalloy MAR-M247. The creep data employed in this analysis are based on preliminary data being generated at NASA Glenn Research Center.

A simple hand‐held magnet array for efficient and reproducible SABRE hyperpolarisation using manual sample shaking

PubMed Central

Richardson, Peter M.; Jackson, Scott; Parrott, Andrew J.; Nordon, Alison; Duckett, Simon B.

2018-01-01

Signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) is a hyperpolarisation technique that catalytically transfers nuclear polarisation from parahydrogen, the singlet nuclear isomer of H2, to a substrate in solution. The SABRE exchange reaction is carried out in a polarisation transfer field (PTF) of tens of gauss before transfer to a stronger magnetic field for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) detection. In the simplest implementation, polarisation transfer is achieved by shaking the sample in the stray field of a superconducting NMR magnet. Although convenient, this method suffers from limited reproducibility and cannot be used with NMR spectrometers that do not have appreciable stray fields, such as benchtop instruments. Here, we use a simple hand‐held permanent magnet array to provide the necessary PTF during sample shaking. We find that the use of this array provides a 25% increase in SABRE enhancement over the stray field approach, while also providing improved reproducibility. Arrays with a range of PTFs were tested, and the PTF‐dependent SABRE enhancements were found to be in excellent agreement with comparable experiments carried out using an automated flow system where an electromagnet is used to generate the PTF. We anticipate that this approach will improve the efficiency and reproducibility of SABRE experiments carried out using manual shaking and will be particularly useful for benchtop NMR, where a suitable stray field is not readily accessible. The ability to construct arrays with a range of PTFs will also enable the rapid optimisation of SABRE enhancement as function of PTF for new substrate and catalyst systems. PMID:29193324

Design of a Nested Eight-Channel Sodium and Four-Channel Proton Coil for 7 Tesla Knee Imaging

PubMed Central

Brown, Ryan; Madelin, Guillaume; Lattanzi, Riccardo; Chang, Gregory; Regatte, Ravinder R.; Sodickson, Daniel K.; Wiggins, Graham C.

2012-01-01

The critical design aim for a dual-tuned sodium/proton coil is to maximize sodium sensitivity and transmit field (B1+) homogeneity while simultaneously providing adequate proton sensitivity and homogeneity. While most dual-frequency coils utilize lossy high-impedance trap circuits or PIN diodes to allow dual-resonance, we explored a nested-coil design for sodium/proton knee imaging at 7T. A stand-alone eight-channel sodium receive array was implemented without standard dual-resonance circuitry to provide improved sodium signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) over a volume coil. A detunable sodium birdcage was added for homogeneous sodium excitation and a four-channel proton transmit-receive array was added to provide anatomical reference imaging and B0 shimming capability. Both modules were implemented with minimal disturbance to the eight-channel sodium array by managing their respective resonances and geometrical arrangement. In vivo sodium SNR was 1.2 to 1.7 times greater in the developed eight-channel array than in a mono-nuclear sodium birdcage coil, while the developed four-channel proton array provided SNR similar to that of a commercial mono-nuclear proton birdcage coil. PMID:22887123

Hall Thruster Plume Measurements On-Board the Russian Express Satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manzella, David; Jankovsky, Robert; Elliott, Frederick; Mikellides, Ioannis; Jongeward, Gary; Allen, Doug

2001-01-01

The operation of North-South and East-West station-keeping Hall thruster propulsion systems on-board two Russian Express-A geosynchronous communication satellites were investigated through a collaborative effort with the manufacturer of the spacecraft. Over 435 firings of 16 different thrusters with a cumulative run time of over 550 hr were reported with no thruster failures. Momentum transfer due to plume impingement was evaluated based on reductions in the effective thrust of the SPT-100 thrusters and induced disturbance torques determined based on attitude control system data and range data. Hall thruster plasma plume effects on the transmission of C-band and Ku-band communication signals were shown to be negligible. On-orbit ion current density measurements were made and subsequently compared to predictions and ground test data. Ion energy, total pressure, and electric field strength measurements were also measured on-orbit. The effect of Hall thruster operation on solar array performance over several months was investigated. A subset of these data is presented.

Beginning the Journey to the Launch Pad

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-01-25

NASA Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, mission is lowered into its shipping container at Orbital Sciences Corporation in Dulles, Va. It is scheduled to launch from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands on March 14, 2012.

Status of the Neutron Capture Measurement on 237Np with the DANCE Array at LANSCE

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

Esch, E.-I.; Bond, E.M.; Bredeweg, T. A.

2005-05-24

Neptunium-237 is a major constituent of spent nuclear fuel. Estimates place the amount of 237Np bound for the Yucca Mountain high-level waste repository at 40 metric tons. The Department of Energy's Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative program is evaluating methods for transmuting the actinide waste that will be generated by future operation of commercial nuclear power plants. The critical parameter that defines the transmutation efficiency of actinide isotopes is the neutron fission-to-capture ratio for the particular isotope in a given neutron spectrum. The calculation of transmutation efficiency therefore requires accurate fission and capture cross sections. Current 237Np evaluations available for transmutermore » system studies show significant discrepancies in both the fission and capture cross sections in the energy regions of interest. Herein we report on 237Np (n,{gamma}) measurements using the recently commissioned DANCE array.« less

Usage of the Upgraded Vassilissa Separator for Synthesis of Super-Heavy Elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeremin, A. V.; Malyshev, O. N.; Popeko, A. G.; Sagaidak, R. N.; Chepigin, V. I.; Kabachenko, A. P.; Belozerov, A. V.; Chelnokov, M. L.; Gorshkov, V. A.; Svirikhin, A. I.; Korotkov, S. P.; Rohach, J.; Brida, I.; Berek, G.

2002-12-01

Electrostatic separator VASSILISSA is used for exploring complete fussion nuclear reactions. The magnetic analyzer, based on D37 dipole magnet, was installed after the second triplet of quadrupole lenses of the separator for the mass identification of evaporation residues. Mass identification is an powerful tool for identification of recoil atoms of super-heavy elements. The new detection system consisting of the time-of-fiight system and 32-strips position-sensitive detector array was installed in the focal plane of the separator. The mass resolution of the separator after upgrade was found to be about 2.5 %.

Microseismic Monitoring of the Mounds Drill Cuttings Injection Tests

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

Branagan, P.T.; Mahrer, K.D.; Moschovidis, Z.A.

This paper describes the microseismic mapping of repeated injections of drill cuttings into two separate formations at a test site near Mounds, OK. Injections were performed in sandstone and shale formations at depths of 830 and 595 m, respectively. Typical injection disposal was simulated using multiple small-volume injections over a three-day period, with long shut-in periods interspersed between the injections. Microseismic monitoring was achieved using a 5-level array of wireline-run, triaxial- accelerometer receivers in a monitor well 76 m from the disposed well. Results of the mapped microseismic locations showed that the disposal domti W= generally aligns with the majormore » horizontal stress with some variations in azimuth and that wide variations in height and length growth occurred with continued injections. These experiments show that the cuttings injection process cm be adequately monitored from a downhole, wireline-run receiver array, thus providing process control and environmental assurance.« less

The Mercury Laser System: An Average power, gas-cooled, Yb:S-FAP based system with frequency conversion and wavefront correction

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

Bibeau, C; Bayramian, A; Armstrong, P

We report on the operation of the Mercury laser with fourteen 4 x 6 cm{sup 2} Yb:S-FAP amplifier slabs pumped by eight 100 kW peak power diode arrays. The system was continuously run at 55 J and 10 Hz for several hours, (2 x 10{sup 5} cumulative shots) with over 80% of the energy in a 6 times diffraction limited spot at 1.047 um. Improved optical quality was achieved in Yb:S-FAP amplifiers with magneto-rheological finishing, a deterministic polishing method. In addition, average power frequency conversion employing YCOB was demonstrated at 50% conversion efficiency or 22.6 J at 10 Hz.

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Infrared Spectroscopy as Combined In- Situ Probes of Electrochemical Adlayer Structure: Cyanide on PT(111)

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-02-01

electrochemically etched in near- saturated CaC1 2 and coated with a thermosetting plastic[13]. The quasi-reference electrode was a gold wire. The Pt(lll...annealing procedure, display arrays of small (ca 3-5 nm) terrace domains, these being separated from each other by monoatomic steps running in various

Large-scale detection of repetitions

PubMed Central

Smyth, W. F.

2014-01-01

Combinatorics on words began more than a century ago with a demonstration that an infinitely long string with no repetitions could be constructed on an alphabet of only three letters. Computing all the repetitions (such as ⋯TTT⋯ or ⋯CGACGA⋯ ) in a given string x of length n is one of the oldest and most important problems of computational stringology, requiring time in the worst case. About a dozen years ago, it was discovered that repetitions can be computed as a by-product of the Θ(n)-time computation of all the maximal periodicities or runs in x. However, even though the computation is linear, it is also brute force: global data structures, such as the suffix array, the longest common prefix array and the Lempel–Ziv factorization, need to be computed in a preprocessing phase. Furthermore, all of this effort is required despite the fact that the expected number of runs in a string is generally a small fraction of the string length. In this paper, I explore the possibility that repetitions (perhaps also other regularities in strings) can be computed in a manner commensurate with the size of the output. PMID:24751872

ISS Solar Array Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, James P.; Martin, Keith D.; Thomas, Justin R.; Caro, Samuel

2010-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) Solar Array Management (SAM) software toolset provides the capabilities necessary to operate a spacecraft with complex solar array constraints. It monitors spacecraft telemetry and provides interpretations of solar array constraint data in an intuitive manner. The toolset provides extensive situational awareness to ensure mission success by analyzing power generation needs, array motion constraints, and structural loading situations. The software suite consists of several components including samCS (constraint set selector), samShadyTimers (array shadowing timers), samWin (visualization GUI), samLock (array motion constraint computation), and samJet (attitude control system configuration selector). It provides high availability and uptime for extended and continuous mission support. It is able to support two-degrees-of-freedom (DOF) array positioning and supports up to ten simultaneous constraints with intuitive 1D and 2D decision support visualizations of constraint data. Display synchronization is enabled across a networked control center and multiple methods for constraint data interpolation are supported. Use of this software toolset increases flight safety, reduces mission support effort, optimizes solar array operation for achieving mission goals, and has run for weeks at a time without issues. The SAM toolset is currently used in ISS real-time mission operations.

Taking the CCDs to the ultimate performance for low threshold experiments

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

Haro, Miguel; Moroni, Guillermo; Tiffenberg, Javier

2016-11-14

Scientific grade CCDs show atractive capabilities for the detection of particles with small energy deposition in matter. Their very low threshold of approximately 40 eV and their good spatial reconstruction of the event are key properties for currently running experiments: CONNIE and DAMIC. Both experiments can benefit from any increase of the detection efficiency of nuclear recoils at low energy. In this work we present two different approaches to increase this efficiency by increasing the SNR of events. The first one is based on the reduction of the readout noise of the device, which is the main contribution of uncertaintymore » to the signal measurement. New studies on the electronic noise from the integrated output amplifier and the readout electronics will be presented together with result of a new configuration showing a lower limit on the readout noise which can be implemented on the current setup of the CCD based experiments. A second approach to increase the SNR of events at low energy that will be presented is the studies of the spatial conformation of nuclear recoil events at different depth in the active volume by studies of new effects that differ from expected models based on not interacting diffusion model of electrons in the semiconductor.« less

Nuclear Science Symposium, 31st and Symposium on Nuclear Power Systems, 16th, Orlando, FL, October 31-November 2, 1984, Proceedings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biggerstaff, J. A. (Editor)

1985-01-01

Topics related to physics instrumentation are discussed, taking into account cryostat and electronic development associated with multidetector spectrometer systems, the influence of materials and counting-rate effects on He-3 neutron spectrometry, a data acquisition system for time-resolved muscle experiments, and a sensitive null detector for precise measurements of integral linearity. Other subjects explored are concerned with space instrumentation, computer applications, detectors, instrumentation for high energy physics, instrumentation for nuclear medicine, environmental monitoring and health physics instrumentation, nuclear safeguards and reactor instrumentation, and a 1984 symposium on nuclear power systems. Attention is given to the application of multiprocessors to scientific problems, a large-scale computer facility for computational aerodynamics, a single-board 32-bit computer for the Fastbus, the integration of detector arrays and readout electronics on a single chip, and three-dimensional Monte Carlo simulation of the electron avalanche in a proportional counter.

SevenOperators, a Mathematica script for harmonic oscillator nuclear matrix elements arising in semileptonic electroweak interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haxton, Wick; Lunardini, Cecilia

2008-09-01

Semi-leptonic electroweak interactions in nuclei—such as β decay, μ capture, charged- and neutral-current neutrino reactions, and electron scattering—are described by a set of multipole operators carrying definite parity and angular momentum, obtained by projection from the underlying nuclear charge and three-current operators. If these nuclear operators are approximated by their one-body forms and expanded in the nucleon velocity through order |p→|/M, where p→ and M are the nucleon momentum and mass, a set of seven multipole operators is obtained. Nuclear structure calculations are often performed in a basis of Slater determinants formed from harmonic oscillator orbitals, a choice that allows translational invariance to be preserved. Harmonic-oscillator single-particle matrix elements of the multipole operators can be evaluated analytically and expressed in terms of finite polynomials in q, where q is the magnitude of the three-momentum transfer. While results for such matrix elements are available in tabular form, with certain restriction on quantum numbers, the task of determining the analytic form of a response function can still be quite tedious, requiring the folding of the tabulated matrix elements with the nuclear density matrix, and subsequent algebra to evaluate products of operators. Here we provide a Mathematica script for generating these matrix elements, which will allow users to carry out all such calculations by symbolic manipulation. This will eliminate the errors that may accompany hand calculations and speed the calculation of electroweak nuclear cross sections and rates. We illustrate the use of the new script by calculating the cross sections for charged- and neutral-current neutrino scattering in 12C. Program summaryProgram title: SevenOperators Catalogue identifier: AEAY_v1_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEAY_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: Standard CPC licence, http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/licence.html No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 2227 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 19 382 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: Mathematica Computer: Any computer running Mathematica; tested on Mac OS X PowerPC (32-bit) running Mathematica 6.0.0 Operating system: Any running Mathematica RAM: Memory requirements determined by Mathematica; 512 MB or greater RAM and hard drive space of at least 3.0 GB recommended Classification: 17.16, 17.19 Nature of problem: Algebraic evaluation of harmonic oscillator nuclear matrix elements for the one-body multipole operators governing semi-leptonic weak interactions, such as charged- or neutral-current neutrino scattering off nuclei. Solution method: Mathematica evaluation of associated angular momentum algebra and spherical Bessel function radial integrals. Running time: Depends on the complexity of the one-body density matrix employed, but times of a few seconds are typical.

Do photovoltaics have a future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, B. F.

1979-01-01

There is major concern as to the economic practicality of widespread terrestrial use because of the high cost of the photovoltaic arrays themselves. Based on their high efficiency, photovoltaic collectors should be one of the cheapest forms of energy generators known. Present photovoltaic panels are violating the trend of lower costs with increasing efficiency due to their reliance on expensive materials. A medium technology solution should provide electricity competitive with the existing medium to high technology energy generators such as oil, coal, gas, and nuclear fission thermal plants. Programs to reduce the cost of silicon and develop reliable thin film materials have a realistic chance of producing cost effective photovoltaic panels.

Making the optimal decision in selecting protective clothing

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

Price, J. Mark

2007-07-01

Protective Clothing plays a major role in the decommissioning and operation of nuclear facilities. Literally thousands of employee dress-outs occur over the life of a decommissioning project and during outages at operational plants. In order to make the optimal decision on which type of protective clothing is best suited for the decommissioning or maintenance and repair work on radioactive systems, a number of interrelating factors must be considered, including - Protection; - Personnel Contamination; - Cost; - Radwaste; - Comfort; - Convenience; - Logistics/Rad Material Considerations; - Reject Rate of Laundered Clothing; - Durability; - Security; - Personnel Safety includingmore » Heat Stress; - Disposition of Gloves and Booties. In addition, over the last several years there has been a trend of nuclear power plants either running trials or switching to Single Use Protective Clothing (SUPC) from traditional protective clothing. In some cases, after trial usage of SUPC, plants have chosen not to switch. In other cases after switching to SUPC for a period of time, some plants have chosen to switch back to laundering. Based on these observations, this paper reviews the 'real' drivers, issues, and interrelating factors regarding the selection and use of protective clothing throughout the nuclear industry. (authors)« less

Depth determination and source characteristics of the North Korean Nuclear Tests (2006, 2009, 2013 and 2016) using local and teleseismic arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, S. G.

2016-12-01

Depth determination and source characteristics of the North Korea Nuclear tests (2006, 2009, 2013 and 2016) using seismic arrays with azimuthal optium coverage So Gu Kim1,*, Yefim Gitterman2, Václav Vavryčuk3 and Seoung-kyu Lee1 1Korea Seismological Institute, Goyang 10332, Republic of Korea 2Seismology Division, Geophysical Institute of Israel, P.O.B. 182, Lod 71100, Israel 3Institute of Geophysics, Academy of Sciences, Prague 14100, Czech Republic Abstract The source depths for the North Korean nuclear tests (2006, 2009, 2013 and 2016) were determined using depth phases (pP, sP, pPn and sPn) and Rayleigh wave spectra from local and global arrays. The emplacement depths were estimated at 2.21, 2.10, 2.10 and 2.08 km for the 2006, 2009. 2013 and 2016 nuclear tests respectively. It was also found that the mechanism of the 2006 test generated roughly a reverse faulting accompanying mostly Rayleigh waves, whereas the 2009 and 2013 tests were an oblique-reverse faulting generating SH and Love waves as well as Rayleigh waves. The generation of SH and Love waves for the 2009 and 2013 nuclear tests was attributed to not only release of tectonic stress but also other factors such as relaxation of cavity fractures, source configuration and source mechanism. We infer that the 2009, 2013 and 2016 tests must have well contained nuclear debris through long winding horizontal drifts in the light of the absence of radioisotopes to the atmosphere compared with 2006 test which may have been conducted in the vertical shift as a vertically distributed source. ______________________________________________ *Corresponding author: So Gu Kim (sogukim@hanmail.net)

FPGA Acceleration of the phylogenetic likelihood function for Bayesian MCMC inference methods.

PubMed

Zierke, Stephanie; Bakos, Jason D

2010-04-12

Likelihood (ML)-based phylogenetic inference has become a popular method for estimating the evolutionary relationships among species based on genomic sequence data. This method is used in applications such as RAxML, GARLI, MrBayes, PAML, and PAUP. The Phylogenetic Likelihood Function (PLF) is an important kernel computation for this method. The PLF consists of a loop with no conditional behavior or dependencies between iterations. As such it contains a high potential for exploiting parallelism using micro-architectural techniques. In this paper, we describe a technique for mapping the PLF and supporting logic onto a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)-based co-processor. By leveraging the FPGA's on-chip DSP modules and the high-bandwidth local memory attached to the FPGA, the resultant co-processor can accelerate ML-based methods and outperform state-of-the-art multi-core processors. We use the MrBayes 3 tool as a framework for designing our co-processor. For large datasets, we estimate that our accelerated MrBayes, if run on a current-generation FPGA, achieves a 10x speedup relative to software running on a state-of-the-art server-class microprocessor. The FPGA-based implementation achieves its performance by deeply pipelining the likelihood computations, performing multiple floating-point operations in parallel, and through a natural log approximation that is chosen specifically to leverage a deeply pipelined custom architecture. Heterogeneous computing, which combines general-purpose processors with special-purpose co-processors such as FPGAs and GPUs, is a promising approach for high-performance phylogeny inference as shown by the growing body of literature in this field. FPGAs in particular are well-suited for this task because of their low power consumption as compared to many-core processors and Graphics Processor Units (GPUs).

Concurrent array-based queue

DOEpatents

Heidelberger, Philip; Steinmacher-Burow, Burkhard

2015-01-06

According to one embodiment, a method for implementing an array-based queue in memory of a memory system that includes a controller includes configuring, in the memory, metadata of the array-based queue. The configuring comprises defining, in metadata, an array start location in the memory for the array-based queue, defining, in the metadata, an array size for the array-based queue, defining, in the metadata, a queue top for the array-based queue and defining, in the metadata, a queue bottom for the array-based queue. The method also includes the controller serving a request for an operation on the queue, the request providing the location in the memory of the metadata of the queue.

Mikhnevo: from seismic station no. 1 to a modern geophysical observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adushkin, V. V.; Ovchinnikov, V. M.; Sanina, I. A.; Riznichenko, O. Yu.

2016-01-01

The Mikhnevo seismic station was founded in accordance with directive no. 1134 RS of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union of February 6, 1954. The station, installed south of Moscow, began its operations on monitoring nuclear tests in the United States and England in 1954. For dozens of years this station was the leading experimental base for elaborating new technical solutions and methods for monitoring nuclear explosions, equipped with modern seismological instruments. At present, the focus of activities has been moved from military applications to fundamental geophysical research. The station preserves its leading position in seismological observations due to the development of national high-performance digital instruments and creation of the small-aperture seismic array, the only one in the central part of European Russia, which is capable of recording weak seismic events with M L ≥ 1.5 within a distance of 100 km.

Neutronics Analysis of SMART Small Modular Reactor using SRAC 2006 Code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramdhani, Rahmi N.; Prastyo, Puguh A.; Waris, Abdul; Widayani; Kurniadi, Rizal

2017-07-01

Small modular reactors (SMRs) are part of a new generation of nuclear reactor being developed worldwide. One of the advantages of SMR is the flexibility to adopt the advanced design concepts and technology. SMART (System integrated Modular Advanced ReacTor) is a small sized integral type PWR with a thermal power of 330 MW that has been developed by KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute). SMART core consists of 57 fuel assemblies which are based on the well proven 17×17 array that has been used in Korean commercial PWRs. SMART is soluble boron free, and the high initial reactivity is mainly controlled by burnable absorbers. The goal of this study is to perform neutronics evaluation of SMART core with UO2 as main fuel. Neutronics calculation was performed by using PIJ and CITATION modules of SRAC 2006 code with JENDL 3.3 as nuclear data library.

Notch filtering the nuclear environment of a spin qubit.

PubMed

Malinowski, Filip K; Martins, Frederico; Nissen, Peter D; Barnes, Edwin; Cywiński, Łukasz; Rudner, Mark S; Fallahi, Saeed; Gardner, Geoffrey C; Manfra, Michael J; Marcus, Charles M; Kuemmeth, Ferdinand

2017-01-01

Electron spins in gate-defined quantum dots provide a promising platform for quantum computation. In particular, spin-based quantum computing in gallium arsenide takes advantage of the high quality of semiconducting materials, reliability in fabricating arrays of quantum dots and accurate qubit operations. However, the effective magnetic noise arising from the hyperfine interaction with uncontrolled nuclear spins in the host lattice constitutes a major source of decoherence. Low-frequency nuclear noise, responsible for fast (10 ns) inhomogeneous dephasing, can be removed by echo techniques. High-frequency nuclear noise, recently studied via echo revivals, occurs in narrow-frequency bands related to differences in Larmor precession of the three isotopes 69 Ga, 71 Ga and 75 As (refs 15,16,17). Here, we show that both low- and high-frequency nuclear noise can be filtered by appropriate dynamical decoupling sequences, resulting in a substantial enhancement of spin qubit coherence times. Using nuclear notch filtering, we demonstrate a spin coherence time (T 2 ) of 0.87 ms, five orders of magnitude longer than typical exchange gate times, and exceeding the longest coherence times reported to date in Si/SiGe gate-defined quantum dots.

Highlight on the dynamic organization of the nucleus.

PubMed

Thorpe, Stephen D; Charpentier, Myriam

2017-01-02

The last decade has seen rapid advances in our understanding of the proteins of the nuclear envelope, which have multiple roles including positioning the nucleus, maintaining its structural organization, and in events ranging from mitosis and meiosis to chromatin positioning and gene expression. Diverse new and stimulating results relating to nuclear organization and genome function from across kingdoms were presented in a session stream entitled "Dynamic Organization of the Nucleus" at this year's Society of Experimental Biology (SEB) meeting in Brighton, UK (July 2016). This was the first session stream run by the Nuclear Dynamics Special Interest Group, which was organized by David Evans, Katja Graumann (both Oxford Brookes University, UK) and Iris Meier (Ohio State University, USA). The session featured presentations on areas relating to nuclear organization across kingdoms including the nuclear envelope, chromatin organization, and genome function.

The Yale plunger device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooper, J. R.; Krücken, R.; Beausang, C. W.; Casten, R. F.; Cata-Danil, G.; Liu, B.; Novak, J. R.; Zamfir, N. V.; Dewald, A.; Peusquens, R.; Tiesler, H.; von Brentano, P.; Barton, C.

1998-04-01

A new plunger device for lifetime experiments using the recoil distance method (RDM) is currently being constructed at Yale. This apparatus will be used for precision lifetime measurements on excited nuclear levels with lifetimes in the picosecond range. The new Yale plunger is designed for coincidence measurements with all major Ge arrays including Gammasphere. At Yale the plunger will be used in conjunction with the new YRAST Ball array (Yale Rochester Array for SpecTroscopy), as well as a variety of auxiliary detectors. It follows the new Cologne plunger in its layout and will employ a new LabView based control system for measurement and stabilization of the target to stopper foil distance. Such a feedback system is crucial for the planned precision lifetime measurements as well as for the measurement of very short level lifetimes around 1 ps. The conceptual design of the plunger as well as the new feedback system will be presented and the planned physics program will be discussed. This work is supported by DOE grant number DE-FG02-91ER40609

Electron microscopy of intermediate filaments: teaming up with atomic force and confocal laser scanning microscopy.

PubMed

Kreplak, Laurent; Richter, Karsten; Aebi, Ueli; Herrmann, Harald

2008-01-01

Intermediate filaments (IFs) were originally discovered and defined by electron microscopy in myoblasts. In the following it was demonstrated and confirmed that they constitute, in addition to microtubules and microfilaments, a third independent, general filament system in the cytoplasm of most metazoan cells. In contrast to the other two systems, IFs are present in cells in two principally distinct cytoskeletal forms: (i) extended and free-running filament arrays in the cytoplasm that are integrated into the cytoskeleton by associated proteins of the plakin type; and (ii) a membrane- and chromatin-bound thin 'lamina' of a more or less regular network of interconnected filaments made from nuclear IF proteins, the lamins, which differ in several important structural aspects from cytoplasmic IF proteins. In man, more than 65 genes code for distinct IF proteins that are expressed during embryogenesis in various routes of differentiation in a tightly controlled manner. IF proteins exhibit rather limited sequence identity implying that the different types of IFs have distinct biochemical properties. Hence, to characterize the structural properties of the various IFs, in vitro assembly regimes have been developed in combination with different visualization methods such as transmission electron microscopy of fixed and negatively stained samples as well as methods that do not use staining such as scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and cryoelectron microscopy as well as atomic force microscopy. Moreover, with the generation of both IF-type specific antibodies and chimeras of fluorescent proteins and IF proteins, it has become possible to investigate the subcellular organization of IFs by correlative fluorescence and electron microscopic methods. The combination of these powerful methods should help to further develop our understanding of nuclear architecture, in particular how nuclear subcompartments are organized and in which way lamins are involved.

Mismatch and G-Stack Modulated Probe Signals on SNP Microarrays

PubMed Central

Binder, Hans; Fasold, Mario; Glomb, Torsten

2009-01-01

Background Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays are important tools widely used for genotyping and copy number estimation. This technology utilizes the specific affinity of fragmented DNA for binding to surface-attached oligonucleotide DNA probes. We analyze the variability of the probe signals of Affymetrix GeneChip SNP arrays as a function of the probe sequence to identify relevant sequence motifs which potentially cause systematic biases of genotyping and copy number estimates. Methodology/Principal Findings The probe design of GeneChip SNP arrays enables us to disentangle different sources of intensity modulations such as the number of mismatches per duplex, matched and mismatched base pairings including nearest and next-nearest neighbors and their position along the probe sequence. The effect of probe sequence was estimated in terms of triple-motifs with central matches and mismatches which include all 256 combinations of possible base pairings. The probe/target interactions on the chip can be decomposed into nearest neighbor contributions which correlate well with free energy terms of DNA/DNA-interactions in solution. The effect of mismatches is about twice as large as that of canonical pairings. Runs of guanines (G) and the particular type of mismatched pairings formed in cross-allelic probe/target duplexes constitute sources of systematic biases of the probe signals with consequences for genotyping and copy number estimates. The poly-G effect seems to be related to the crowded arrangement of probes which facilitates complex formation of neighboring probes with at minimum three adjacent G's in their sequence. Conclusions The applied method of “triple-averaging” represents a model-free approach to estimate the mean intensity contributions of different sequence motifs which can be applied in calibration algorithms to correct signal values for sequence effects. Rules for appropriate sequence corrections are suggested. PMID:19924253

ARNICA: the Arcetri Observatory NICMOS3 imaging camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lisi, Franco; Baffa, Carlo; Hunt, Leslie K.

1993-10-01

ARNICA (ARcetri Near Infrared CAmera) is the imaging camera for the near infrared bands between 1.0 and 2.5 micrometers that Arcetri Observatory has designed and built as a general facility for the TIRGO telescope (1.5 m diameter, f/20) located at Gornergrat (Switzerland). The scale is 1' per pixel, with sky coverage of more than 4' X 4' on the NICMOS 3 (256 X 256 pixels, 40 micrometers side) detector array. The optical path is compact enough to be enclosed in a 25.4 cm diameter dewar; the working temperature is 76 K. The camera is remotely controlled by a 486 PC, connected to the array control electronics via a fiber-optics link. A C-language package, running under MS-DOS on the 486 PC, acquires and stores the frames, and controls the timing of the array. We give an estimate of performance, in terms of sensitivity with an assigned observing time, along with some details on the main parameters of the NICMOS 3 detector.

Guidelines for developing vectorizable computer programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miner, E. W.

1982-01-01

Some fundamental principles for developing computer programs which are compatible with array-oriented computers are presented. The emphasis is on basic techniques for structuring computer codes which are applicable in FORTRAN and do not require a special programming language or exact a significant penalty on a scalar computer. Researchers who are using numerical techniques to solve problems in engineering can apply these basic principles and thus develop transportable computer programs (in FORTRAN) which contain much vectorizable code. The vector architecture of the ASC is discussed so that the requirements of array processing can be better appreciated. The "vectorization" of a finite-difference viscous shock-layer code is used as an example to illustrate the benefits and some of the difficulties involved. Increases in computing speed with vectorization are illustrated with results from the viscous shock-layer code and from a finite-element shock tube code. The applicability of these principles was substantiated through running programs on other computers with array-associated computing characteristics, such as the Hewlett-Packard (H-P) 1000-F.

The novel implicit LU-SGS parallel iterative method based on the diffusion equation of a nuclear reactor on a GPU cluster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jilin; Sha, Chaoqun; Wu, Yusen; Wan, Jian; Zhou, Li; Ren, Yongjian; Si, Huayou; Yin, Yuyu; Jing, Ya

2017-02-01

GPU not only is used in the field of graphic technology but also has been widely used in areas needing a large number of numerical calculations. In the energy industry, because of low carbon, high energy density, high duration and other characteristics, the development of nuclear energy cannot easily be replaced by other energy sources. Management of core fuel is one of the major areas of concern in a nuclear power plant, and it is directly related to the economic benefits and cost of nuclear power. The large-scale reactor core expansion equation is large and complicated, so the calculation of the diffusion equation is crucial in the core fuel management process. In this paper, we use CUDA programming technology on a GPU cluster to run the LU-SGS parallel iterative calculation against the background of the diffusion equation of the reactor. We divide one-dimensional and two-dimensional mesh into a plurality of domains, with each domain evenly distributed on the GPU blocks. A parallel collision scheme is put forward that defines the virtual boundary of the grid exchange information and data transmission by non-stop collision. Compared with the serial program, the experiment shows that GPU greatly improves the efficiency of program execution and verifies that GPU is playing a much more important role in the field of numerical calculations.

Plantar pressure measurements and running-related injury: A systematic review of methods and possible associations.

PubMed

Mann, Robert; Malisoux, Laurent; Urhausen, Axel; Meijer, Kenneth; Theisen, Daniel

2016-06-01

Pressure-sensitive measuring devices have been identified as appropriate tools for measuring an array of parameters during running. It is unclear which biomechanical characteristics relate to running-related injury (RRI) and which data-processing techniques are most promising to detect this relationship. This systematic review aims to identify pertinent methodologies and characteristics measured using plantar pressure devices, and to summarise their associations with RRI. PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, ScienceDirect and Scopus were searched up until March 2015. Retrospective and prospective, biomechanical studies on running using any kind of pressure-sensitive device with RRI as an outcome were included. All studies involving regular or recreational runners were considered. The study quality was assessed and the measured parameters were summarised. One low quality, two moderate quality and five high quality studies were included. Five different subdivisions of plantar area were identified, as well as five instants and four phases of measurement during foot-ground contact. Overall many parameters were collated and subdivided as plantar pressure and force, plantar pressure and force location, contact area, timing and stride parameters. Differences between the injured and control group were found for mediolateral and anteroposterior displacement of force, contact area, velocity of force displacement, relative force-time integral, mediolateral force ratio, time to peak force and inter-stride correlative patterns. However, no consistent results were found between studies and no biomechanical risk patterns were apparent. Additionally, conflicting findings were reported for peak force in three studies. Based on these observations, we provide suggestions for improved methodology measurement of pertinent parameters for future studies. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Flexible Base Electrode Array for Intraspinal Microstimulation

PubMed Central

Khaled, I.; Elmallah, S.; Cheng, C.; Moussa, W.A.; Mushahwar, V.K.; Elias, A.L.

2013-01-01

In this paper, we report the development of a flexible base array of penetrating electrodes which can be used to interface with the spinal cord. A customizable and feasible fabrication protocol is described. The flexible base arrays were fabricated and implanted into surrogate cords which were elongated by 12%. The resulting strains were optically measured across the cord and compared to those associated with two types of electrodes arrays (one without a base and one with a rigid base connecting the electrodes). The deformation behavior of cords implanted with the flexible base arrays resembled the behavior of cords implanted with individual microwires that were not connected through a base. The results of the strain test were used to validate a 2D finite element model. The validated model was used to assess the stresses induced by the electrodes of the 3 types of arrays on the cord, and to examine how various design parameters (thickness, base modulus, etc.) impact the mechanical behavior of the electrode array. Rigid base arrays induced higher stresses on the cord than the flexible base arrays which in turn imposed higher stresses than the individual microwire implants. The developed flexible base array showed improvement over the rigid base array; however, its stiffness needs to be further reduced to emulate the mechanical behavior of individual microwire arrays without a base. PMID:23744656

Whole-genome sequence-based genomic prediction in laying chickens with different genomic relationship matrices to account for genetic architecture.

PubMed

Ni, Guiyan; Cavero, David; Fangmann, Anna; Erbe, Malena; Simianer, Henner

2017-01-16

With the availability of next-generation sequencing technologies, genomic prediction based on whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data is now feasible in animal breeding schemes and was expected to lead to higher predictive ability, since such data may contain all genomic variants including causal mutations. Our objective was to compare prediction ability with high-density (HD) array data and WGS data in a commercial brown layer line with genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) models using various approaches to weight single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). A total of 892 chickens from a commercial brown layer line were genotyped with 336 K segregating SNPs (array data) that included 157 K genic SNPs (i.e. SNPs in or around a gene). For these individuals, genome-wide sequence information was imputed based on data from re-sequencing runs of 25 individuals, leading to 5.2 million (M) imputed SNPs (WGS data), including 2.6 M genic SNPs. De-regressed proofs (DRP) for eggshell strength, feed intake and laying rate were used as quasi-phenotypic data in genomic prediction analyses. Four weighting factors for building a trait-specific genomic relationship matrix were investigated: identical weights, -(log 10 P) from genome-wide association study results, squares of SNP effects from random regression BLUP, and variable selection based weights (known as BLUP|GA). Predictive ability was measured as the correlation between DRP and direct genomic breeding values in five replications of a fivefold cross-validation. Averaged over the three traits, the highest predictive ability (0.366 ± 0.075) was obtained when only genic SNPs from WGS data were used. Predictive abilities with genic SNPs and all SNPs from HD array data were 0.361 ± 0.072 and 0.353 ± 0.074, respectively. Prediction with -(log 10 P) or squares of SNP effects as weighting factors for building a genomic relationship matrix or BLUP|GA did not increase accuracy, compared to that with identical weights, regardless of the SNP set used. Our results show that little or no benefit was gained when using all imputed WGS data to perform genomic prediction compared to using HD array data regardless of the weighting factors tested. However, using only genic SNPs from WGS data had a positive effect on prediction ability.

A scintillator geometry suitable for very small PET gantries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalez, A. J.; Gonzalez-Montoro, A.; Aguilar, A.; Cañizares, G.; Martí, R.; Iranzo, S.; Lamprou, E.; Sanchez, S.; Sanchez, F.; Benlloch, J. M.

2017-12-01

In this work we are describing a novel approach to the scintillator crystal configuration as used in nuclear medicine imaging. Our design is related to the coupling in one PET module of the two separate crystal configurations used so far there: monolithic and crystal arrays. The particular design we have studied is based on a two-layer scintillator approach (hybrid) composed of a monolithic LYSO crystal (5-6 mm thickness) and a LYSO crystal array with 4-5 mm height (0.8 and 1 mm pixels). We show here the detector block performance, in terms of spatial, energy and DOI information, to be used as a module in the design of PET scanners. The design we propose allows one to achieve accurate three-dimensional spatial resolution (including DOI information) while assuring high detection efficiency at reasonable cost. Moreover, the proposed design improves the spatial response uniformity across the whole detector module, and especially at the edge region. The crystal arrays are mounted in the front and were well resolved. The monolithic crystal inserted between crystal array and the photosensor, provided measured FWHM resolution as good as 1.5-1.7 mm including the 1 mm source size. The monolithic block achieved a DOI resolution (FWHM) nearing 3 mm. We compared these results with an approach in which we use a single monolithic block with total volume equals to the hybrid approach. In general, comparable performances were obtained.

Using open hole and cased-hole resistivity logs to monitor gas hydrate dissociation during a thermal test in the mallik 5L-38 research well, Mackenzie Delta, Canada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, B.I.; Collett, T.S.; Lewis, R.E.; Dubourg, I.

2008-01-01

Gas hydrates, which are naturally occurring ice-like combinations of gas and water, have the potential to provide vast amounts of natural gas from the world's oceans and polar regions. However, producing gas economically from hydrates entails major technical challenges. Proposed recovery methods such as dissociating or melting gas hydrates by heating or depressurization are currently being tested. One such test was conducted in northern Canada by the partners in the Mallik 2002 Gas Hydrate Production Research Well Program. This paper describes how resistivity logs were used to determine the size of the annular region of gas hydrate dissociation that occurred around the wellbore during the thermal test in the Mallik 5L-38 well. An open-hole logging suite, run prior to the thermal test, included array induction, array laterolog, nuclear magnetic resonance and 1.1-GHz electromagnetic propagation logs. The reservoir saturation tool was run both before and after the thermal test to monitor formation changes. A cased-hole formation resistivity log was run after the test.Baseline resistivity values in each formation layer (Rt) were established from the deep laterolog data. The resistivity in the region of gas hydrate dissociation near the wellbore (Rxo) was determined from electromagnetic propagation and reservoir saturation tool measurements. The radius of hydrate dissociation as a function of depth was then determined by means of iterative forward modeling of cased-hole formation resistivity tool response. The solution was obtained by varying the modeled dissociation radius until the modeled log overlaid the field log. Pretest gas hydrate production computer simulations had predicted that dissociation would take place at a uniform radius over the 13-ft test interval. However, the post-test resistivity modeling showed that this was not the case. The resistivity-derived dissociation radius was greatest near the outlet of the pipe that circulated hot water in the wellbore, where the highest temperatures were recorded. The radius was smallest near the center of the test interval, where a conglomerate section with low values of porosity and permeability inhibited dissociation. The free gas volume calculated from the resistivity-derived dissociation radii yielded a value within 20 per cent of surface gauge measurements. These results show that the inversion of resistivity measurements holds promise for use in future gas hydrate monitoring. ?? 2008 Society of Petrophysicists and Well Log Analysts. All rights reserved.

Ethical dilemmas of nuclear deterrence

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

Russett, B.M.

An analysis of the May 1983 Pastoral Letter on War and Peace of the US Catholic Bishops examines their ethical arguments, which were critical of accepted policy while failing to change the underlying principles of acceptable deterrence and a just war. The author concludes that there is no easy solution to the problem of nuclear deterrence because there is no way to bridge the extremes of war-winning counterforce and possession without use. The Bishops' central problem was deterrence of attack on US allies or neutrals, but he finds merit in their positions that deterrence need not rely on nuclear threatsmore » and that new ways of thinking are needed for the long run. 20 references. (DCK)« less

Simulating ecological changes caused by marine energy devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuchert, Pia; Elsaesser, Bjoern; Pritchard, Daniel; Kregting, Louise

2015-04-01

Marine renewable energy from wave and tidal technology has the potential to contribute significantly globally to energy security for future generations. However common to both tidal and wave energy extraction systems is concern regarding the potential environmental consequences of the deployment of the technology as environmental and ecological effects are so far poorly understood. Ecological surveys and studies to investigate the environmental impacts are time consuming and costly and are generally reactive; a more efficient approach is to develop 2 and 3D linked hydrodynamic-ecological modelling which has the potential to be proactive and to allow forecasting of the effects of array installation. The objective of the study was to explore tools which can help model and evaluate possible far- and near field changes in the environment and ecosystem caused by the introduction of arrays of marine energy devices. Using the commercial software, MIKE by DHI, we can predict and model possible changes in the ecosystem. MIKE21 and ECOLab modelling software provide the opportunity to couple high level hydrodynamic models with process based ecological models and/or agent based models (ABM). The flow solutions of the model were determined in an idealised tidal basin with the dimensions similar to that of Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland, a body of water renowned for the location of the first grid-connected tidal turbine, SeaGen. In the first instance a simple process oriented ecological NPZD model was developed which are used to model marine and freshwater systems describing four state variables, Nutrient, Phytoplankton, Zooplankton and Detritus. The ecological model was run and evaluated under two hydrodynamic scenarios of the idealised basin. This included no tidal turbines (control) and an array of 55 turbines, an extreme scenario. Whilst an array of turbines has an effect on the hydrodynamics of the Lough, it is unlikely to see an extreme effect on the NPZD model. Further assessment on primary productivity and filter feeders is currently being implemented to assess impacts on these biological systems. Using MIKE software opens up many further possibilities to allow insights into the impacts of marine energy devices on the ecosystem.

Heat transfer in laminar flow along circular rods in infinite square arrays

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

Kim, J.H.; Li, W.H.

1988-02-01

The need to understand heat transfer characteristics over rods or tube bundles often arises in the design of compact heat exchangers and safety analysis of nuclear reactors. In particular, the fuel bundles of typical light water nuclear reactors are composed of a large number of circular rods arranged in square array pattern. The purpose of the present study is to analyze heat transfer characteristics of flow in such a multirod geometric configuration. The analysis given here will follow as closely as possible the method of Sparrow et al. who analyzed a similar problem for circular cylinders arranged in an equilateralmore » triangular array. The following major assumptions are made in the present analysis: (1) Flow is fully developed laminar flow paralleled to the axis of rods. (2) The axial profile of the surface heat flux to the fluid is uniform.(3) Thermodynamic properties are assumed constant.« less

Detector Array Performance Estimates for Nuclear Resonance Fluorescence Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Micah; Hall, J. M.; McNabb, D. P.

2012-10-01

There are a myriad of explorative efforts underway at several institutions to determine the feasibility of using photonuclear reactions to detect and assay materials of varying complexity and compositions. One photonuclear process that is being explored for several applications is nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF). NRF is interesting because the resonant lines are unique to each isotope and the widths are sufficiently narrow and the level densities are sufficiently low so as to not cause interference. Therefore, NRF provides a means to isoptically map containers and materials. The choice of detector array is determined by the application and the source. We will present results from a variety of application studies of an assortment of detector arrays that may be useful. Our results stem from simulation and modeling exercises and benchmarking measurements. We will discuss the data requirements from basic scientific research that enables these application studies. We will discuss our results and the future outlook of this technology.

Thermal design, rating and second law analysis of shell and tube condensers based on Taguchi optimization for waste heat recovery based thermal desalination plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandrakanth, Balaji; Venkatesan, G; Prakash Kumar, L. S. S; Jalihal, Purnima; Iniyan, S

2018-03-01

The present work discusses the design and selection of a shell and tube condenser used in Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD). To optimize the key geometrical and process parameters of the condenser with multiple parameters and levels, a design of an experiment approach using Taguchi method was chosen. An orthogonal array (OA) of 25 designs was selected for this study. The condenser was designed, analysed using HTRI software and the heat transfer area with respective tube side pressure drop were computed using the same, as these two objective functions determine the capital and running cost of the condenser. There was a complex trade off between the heat transfer area and pressure drop in the analysis, however second law analysis was worked out for determining the optimal heat transfer area vs pressure drop for condensing the required heat load.

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

Gardner, Shea; Slezak, Tom

With the flood of whole genome finished and draft microbial sequences, we need faster, more scalable bioinformatics tools for sequence comparison. An algorithm is described to find single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in whole genome data. It scales to hundreds of bacterial or viral genomes, and can be used for finished and/or draft genomes available as unassembled contigs. The method is fast to compute, finding SNPs and building a SNP phylogeny in seconds to hours. We use it to identify thousands of putative SNPs from all publicly available Filoviridae, Poxviridae, foot-and-mouth disease virus, Bacillus, and Escherichia coli genomes and plasmids. Themore » SNP-based trees that result are consistent with known taxonomy and trees determined in other studies. The approach we describe can handle as input hundreds of gigabases of sequence in a single run. The algorithm is based on k-mer analysis using a suffix array, so we call it saSNP.« less

A distributed, graphical user interface based, computer control system for atomic physics experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keshet, Aviv; Ketterle, Wolfgang

2013-01-01

Atomic physics experiments often require a complex sequence of precisely timed computer controlled events. This paper describes a distributed graphical user interface-based control system designed with such experiments in mind, which makes use of off-the-shelf output hardware from National Instruments. The software makes use of a client-server separation between a user interface for sequence design and a set of output hardware servers. Output hardware servers are designed to use standard National Instruments output cards, but the client-server nature should allow this to be extended to other output hardware. Output sequences running on multiple servers and output cards can be synchronized using a shared clock. By using a field programmable gate array-generated variable frequency clock, redundant buffers can be dramatically shortened, and a time resolution of 100 ns achieved over effectively arbitrary sequence lengths.

A distributed, graphical user interface based, computer control system for atomic physics experiments.

PubMed

Keshet, Aviv; Ketterle, Wolfgang

2013-01-01

Atomic physics experiments often require a complex sequence of precisely timed computer controlled events. This paper describes a distributed graphical user interface-based control system designed with such experiments in mind, which makes use of off-the-shelf output hardware from National Instruments. The software makes use of a client-server separation between a user interface for sequence design and a set of output hardware servers. Output hardware servers are designed to use standard National Instruments output cards, but the client-server nature should allow this to be extended to other output hardware. Output sequences running on multiple servers and output cards can be synchronized using a shared clock. By using a field programmable gate array-generated variable frequency clock, redundant buffers can be dramatically shortened, and a time resolution of 100 ns achieved over effectively arbitrary sequence lengths.

2011 Computation Directorate Annual Report

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

Crawford, D L

2012-04-11

From its founding in 1952 until today, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has made significant strategic investments to develop high performance computing (HPC) and its application to national security and basic science. Now, 60 years later, the Computation Directorate and its myriad resources and capabilities have become a key enabler for LLNL programs and an integral part of the effort to support our nation's nuclear deterrent and, more broadly, national security. In addition, the technological innovation HPC makes possible is seen as vital to the nation's economic vitality. LLNL, along with other national laboratories, is working to make supercomputing capabilitiesmore » and expertise available to industry to boost the nation's global competitiveness. LLNL is on the brink of an exciting milestone with the 2012 deployment of Sequoia, the National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA's) 20-petaFLOP/s resource that will apply uncertainty quantification to weapons science. Sequoia will bring LLNL's total computing power to more than 23 petaFLOP/s-all brought to bear on basic science and national security needs. The computing systems at LLNL provide game-changing capabilities. Sequoia and other next-generation platforms will enable predictive simulation in the coming decade and leverage industry trends, such as massively parallel and multicore processors, to run petascale applications. Efficient petascale computing necessitates refining accuracy in materials property data, improving models for known physical processes, identifying and then modeling for missing physics, quantifying uncertainty, and enhancing the performance of complex models and algorithms in macroscale simulation codes. Nearly 15 years ago, NNSA's Accelerated Strategic Computing Initiative (ASCI), now called the Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) Program, was the critical element needed to shift from test-based confidence to science-based confidence. Specifically, ASCI/ASC accelerated the development of simulation capabilities necessary to ensure confidence in the nuclear stockpile-far exceeding what might have been achieved in the absence of a focused initiative. While stockpile stewardship research pushed LLNL scientists to develop new computer codes, better simulation methods, and improved visualization technologies, this work also stimulated the exploration of HPC applications beyond the standard sponsor base. As LLNL advances to a petascale platform and pursues exascale computing (1,000 times faster than Sequoia), ASC will be paramount to achieving predictive simulation and uncertainty quantification. Predictive simulation and quantifying the uncertainty of numerical predictions where little-to-no data exists demands exascale computing and represents an expanding area of scientific research important not only to nuclear weapons, but to nuclear attribution, nuclear reactor design, and understanding global climate issues, among other fields. Aside from these lofty goals and challenges, computing at LLNL is anything but 'business as usual.' International competition in supercomputing is nothing new, but the HPC community is now operating in an expanded, more aggressive climate of global competitiveness. More countries understand how science and technology research and development are inextricably linked to economic prosperity, and they are aggressively pursuing ways to integrate HPC technologies into their native industrial and consumer products. In the interest of the nation's economic security and the science and technology that underpins it, LLNL is expanding its portfolio and forging new collaborations. We must ensure that HPC remains an asymmetric engine of innovation for the Laboratory and for the U.S. and, in doing so, protect our research and development dynamism and the prosperity it makes possible. One untapped area of opportunity LLNL is pursuing is to help U.S. industry understand how supercomputing can benefit their business. Industrial investment in HPC applications has historically been limited by the prohibitive cost of entry, the inaccessibility of software to run the powerful systems, and the years it takes to grow the expertise to develop codes and run them in an optimal way. LLNL is helping industry better compete in the global market place by providing access to some of the world's most powerful computing systems, the tools to run them, and the experts who are adept at using them. Our scientists are collaborating side by side with industrial partners to develop solutions to some of industry's toughest problems. The goal of the Livermore Valley Open Campus High Performance Computing Innovation Center is to allow American industry the opportunity to harness the power of supercomputing by leveraging the scientific and computational expertise at LLNL in order to gain a competitive advantage in the global economy.« less

A C++11 implementation of arbitrary-rank tensors for high-performance computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aragón, Alejandro M.

2014-06-01

This article discusses an efficient implementation of tensors of arbitrary rank by using some of the idioms introduced by the recently published C++ ISO Standard (C++11). With the aims at providing a basic building block for high-performance computing, a single Array class template is carefully crafted, from which vectors, matrices, and even higher-order tensors can be created. An expression template facility is also built around the array class template to provide convenient mathematical syntax. As a result, by using templates, an extra high-level layer is added to the C++ language when dealing with algebraic objects and their operations, without compromising performance. The implementation is tested running on both CPU and GPU.

A C++11 implementation of arbitrary-rank tensors for high-performance computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aragón, Alejandro M.

2014-11-01

This article discusses an efficient implementation of tensors of arbitrary rank by using some of the idioms introduced by the recently published C++ ISO Standard (C++11). With the aims at providing a basic building block for high-performance computing, a single Array class template is carefully crafted, from which vectors, matrices, and even higher-order tensors can be created. An expression template facility is also built around the array class template to provide convenient mathematical syntax. As a result, by using templates, an extra high-level layer is added to the C++ language when dealing with algebraic objects and their operations, without compromising performance. The implementation is tested running on both CPU and GPU.

Tomographic and analog 3-D simulations using NORA. [Non-Overlapping Redundant Image Array formed by multiple pinholes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yin, L. I.; Trombka, J. I.; Bielefeld, M. J.; Seltzer, S. M.

1984-01-01

The results of two computer simulations demonstrate the feasibility of using the nonoverlapping redundant array (NORA) to form three-dimensional images of objects with X-rays. Pinholes admit the X-rays to nonoverlapping points on a detector. The object is reconstructed in the analog mode by optical correlation and in the digital mode by tomographic computations. Trials were run with a stick-figure pyramid and extended objects with out-of-focus backgrounds. Substitution of spherical optical lenses for the pinholes increased the light transmission sufficiently that objects could be easily viewed in a dark room. Out-of-focus aberrations in tomographic reconstruction could be eliminated using Chang's (1976) algorithm.

Longitudinal Laminar Flow Between Cylinders Arranged in Regular Array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sparrow, E. M.; Loeffler, A. L., Jr.

1959-01-01

The increasing complexity of heat transfer and process situations which involve fluid flow has demanded the frequent use of flow passages of unusual geometrical configuration. The present investigation is concerned with one such novel configuration, namely the longitudinal flow between solid cylindrical rods which are arranged in regular array. A schematic diagram of the situation under study. The rods may be located either in triangular or square array. The flow will be taken to be laminar and fully developed. The aim of this analysis is to determine the pressure drop, shear stress, and velocity-distribution characteristics of the system. The starting point of this study is the basic law of momentum conservation. The resulting differential equation has been solved in an approximate, but almost exact, manner by the use of truncated trigonometric series. Results are obtained over a wide range of porosity values for both the triangular and square arrays. Heat transfer has not been considered. The configuration under investigation has potential application in compact heat exchangers for nuclear reactors and other situations. Further the results should also be of interest in the theory of flow through unconsolidated porous beds (ia, 9a). The only related analytical work known to the authors is that of Emersleben (S), who considered only the square array. His rather involved solution, based on complex zeta functions, appears to be valid only at high porosities. Experiments covering a porosity range of 0.093 to 0.984 have been made by Sullivan (4) using parallel-oriented fibers, most of the tests being for fibers in random array. These previous investigations will be compared with the present theory in a later section.

LOITA: Lunar Optical/Infrared Telescope Array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

LOITA (Lunar Optical/Infrared Telescope Array) is a lunar-based interferometer composed of 18 alt-azimuth telescopes arranged in a circular geometry. This geometry results in excellent uv coverage and allows baselines up to 5 km long. The angular resolution will be 25 micro-arcsec at 500 nm and the main spectral range of the array will be 200 to 1100 nm. For infrared planet detection, the spectral range may be extended to nearly 10 mu m. The telescope mirrors have a Cassegrain configuration using a 1.75 m diameter primary mirror and a 0.24 m diameter secondary mirror. A three-stage (coarse, intermediate, and fine) optical delay system, controlled by laser metrology, is used to equalize path lengths from different telescopes to within a few wavelengths. All instruments and the fine delay system are located within the instrument room. Upon exiting the fine delay system, all beams enter the beam combiner and are then directed to the various scientific instruments and detectors. The array instrumentation will consist of CCD detectors optimized for both the visible and infrared as well as specially designed cameras and spectrographs. For direct planet detection, a beam combiner employing achromatic nulling interferometry will be used to reduce star light (by several orders of magnitude) while passing the planet light. A single telescope will be capable of autonomous operation. This telescope will be equipped with four instruments: wide field and planetary camera, faint object camera, high resolution spectrograph, and faint object spectrograph. These instruments will be housed beneath the telescope. The array pointing and control system is designed to meet the fine pointing requirement of one micro-arcsec stability and to allow precise tracking of celestial objects for up to 12 days. During the lunar night, the optics and the detectors will be passively cooled to 70-80 K temperature. To maintain a continuous communication with the earth a relay satellite placed at the L4 libration point will be used in conjunction with the Advanced Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (ATDRSS). Electrical power of about 10 kW will be supplied by a nuclear reactor based on the SP-100 technology. LOITA will be constructed in three phases of six telescopes each. The total mass of the first operational phase is estimated at 58,820 kg. The cost of the fully operational first phase of the observatory is estimated at $8.9 billion. LOITA's primary objectives will be to detect and characterize planets around nearby stars (up to ten parsec away), study physics of collapsed stellar objects, solar/stellar surface features and the processes in nuclear regions of galaxies and quasars. An interferometric array such as LOITA will be capable of achieving resolutions three orders of magnitude greater than Hubble's design goal. LOITA will also be able to maintain higher signal to noise ratios than are currently attainable due to long observation times available on the moon.

The nuclear weapons inheritance project: student-to-student dialogues and interactive peer education in disarmament activism.

PubMed

Buhmann, Caecilie Böck

2007-01-01

The Nuclear Weapons Inheritance Project is a student run and student initiated project founded in 2001 with the purpose of increasing awareness of health effects of nuclear policies and empowering university students to take action in a local and international context. The project uses dialogues to discuss nuclear disarmament with university students and a method of interactive peer education to train new trainers. The project has met more than 1500 students in nuclear weapon states in dialogue and trained about 400 students from all over the world. This article describes the methods and results of the project and discuss how the experience of the project can be used in other projects seeking to increase awareness of a topic and to initiate action on social injustice.

International Monitoring System Correlation Detection at the North Korean Nuclear Test Site at Punggye-ri with Insights from the Source Physics Experiment

DOE PAGES

Ford, Sean R.; Walter, William R.

2015-05-06

Seismic waveform correlation offers the prospect of greatly reducing event detection thresholds when compared with more conventional processing methods. Correlation is applicable for seismic events that in some sense repeat, that is they have very similar waveforms. A number of recent studies have shown that correlated seismic signals may form a significant fraction of seismicity at regional distances. For the particular case of multiple nuclear explosions at the same test site, regional distance correlation also allows very precise relative location measurements and could offer the potential to lower thresholds when multiple events exist. Using the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) Internationalmore » Monitoring System (IMS) seismic array at Matsushiro, Japan (MJAR), Gibbons and Ringdal (2012) were able to create a multichannel correlation detector with a very low false alarm rate and a threshold below magnitude 3.0. They did this using the 2006 or 2009 Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) nuclear explosion as a template to search through a data stream from the same station to find a match via waveform correlation. In this paper, we extend the work of Gibbons and Ringdal (2012) and measure the correlation detection threshold at several other IMS arrays. We use this to address three main points. First, we show the IMS array station at Mina, Nevada (NVAR), which is closest to the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), is able to detect a chemical explosion that is well under 1 ton with the right template. Second, we examine the two IMS arrays closest to the North Korean (DPRK) test site (at Ussuriysk, Russian Federation [USRK] and Wonju, Republic of Korea [KSRS]) to show that similarly low thresholds are possible when the right templates exist. We also extend the work of Schaff et al. (2012) and measure the correlation detection threshold at the nearest Global Seismic Network (GSN) three-component station (MDJ) at Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang Province, China, from the New China Digital Seismograph Network (IC). To conclude, we use these results to explore the recent claim by Zhang and Wen (2015) that the DPRK conducted “…a low-yield nuclear test…” on 12 May 2010.« less

Identification of transcribed sequences in Arabidopsis thaliana by using high-resolution genome tiling arrays

PubMed Central

Stolc, Viktor; Samanta, Manoj Pratim; Tongprasit, Waraporn; Sethi, Himanshu; Liang, Shoudan; Nelson, David C.; Hegeman, Adrian; Nelson, Clark; Rancour, David; Bednarek, Sebastian; Ulrich, Eldon L.; Zhao, Qin; Wrobel, Russell L.; Newman, Craig S.; Fox, Brian G.; Phillips, George N.; Markley, John L.; Sussman, Michael R.

2005-01-01

Using a maskless photolithography method, we produced DNA oligonucleotide microarrays with probe sequences tiled throughout the genome of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. RNA expression was determined for the complete nuclear, mitochondrial, and chloroplast genomes by tiling 5 million 36-mer probes. These probes were hybridized to labeled mRNA isolated from liquid grown T87 cells, an undifferentiated Arabidopsis cell culture line. Transcripts were detected from at least 60% of the nearly 26,330 annotated genes, which included 151 predicted genes that were not identified previously by a similar genome-wide hybridization study on four different cell lines. In comparison with previously published results with 25-mer tiling arrays produced by chromium masking-based photolithography technique, 36-mer oligonucleotide probes were found to be more useful in identifying intron–exon boundaries. Using two-dimensional HPLC tandem mass spectrometry, a small-scale proteomic analysis was performed with the same cells. A large amount of strongly hybridizing RNA was found in regions “antisense” to known genes. Similarity of antisense activities between the 25-mer and 36-mer data sets suggests that it is a reproducible and inherent property of the experiments. Transcription activities were also detected for many of the intergenic regions and the small RNAs, including tRNA, small nuclear RNA, small nucleolar RNA, and microRNA. Expression of tRNAs correlates with genome-wide amino acid usage. PMID:15755812

Identification of transcribed sequences in Arabidopsis thaliana by using high-resolution genome tiling arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stolc, Viktor; Samanta, Manoj Pratim; Tongprasit, Waraporn; Sethi, Himanshu; Liang, Shoudan; Nelson, David C.; Hegeman, Adrian; Nelson, Clark; Rancour, David; Bednarek, Sebastian;

64-element photodiode array for scintillation detection of x-rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wegrzecki, Maciej; Wolski, Dariusz; Bar, Jan; Budzyński, Tadeusz; Chłopik, Arkadiusz; Grabiec, Piotr; Kłos, Helena; Panas, Andrzej; Piotrowski, Tadeusz; Słysz, Wojciech; Stolarski, Maciej; Szmigiel, Dariusz; Wegrzecka, Iwona; Zaborowski, Michał

2014-08-01

The paper presents the design, technology and parameters of a new, silicon 64-element linear photodiode array developed at the Institute of Electron Technology (ITE) for the detection of scintillations emitted by CsI scintillators (λ≈550 nm). The arrays are used in a device for examining the content of containers at border crossings under development at the National Centre for Nuclear Research. Two arrays connected with a scintillator block (128 CsI scintillators) form a 128-channel detection module. The array consists of 64 epiplanar photodiode structures (5.1 × 7.2 mm) and a 5.3 mm module. p+-ν-n+ photodiode structures are optimised for the detection of radiation of λ≈ 550 nm wavelength with no voltage applied (photovoltaic mode). The structures are mounted on an epoxy-glass laminate substrate, copper-clad on both sides, on which connections with a common anode and separate cathode leads are located. The photosensitive surface of photodiodes is covered with a special silicone gel, which protects photodiodes against the mechanical impact of scintillators

A simple hand-held magnet array for efficient and reproducible SABRE hyperpolarisation using manual sample shaking.

PubMed

Richardson, Peter M; Jackson, Scott; Parrott, Andrew J; Nordon, Alison; Duckett, Simon B; Halse, Meghan E

2018-07-01

Signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) is a hyperpolarisation technique that catalytically transfers nuclear polarisation from parahydrogen, the singlet nuclear isomer of H 2 , to a substrate in solution. The SABRE exchange reaction is carried out in a polarisation transfer field (PTF) of tens of gauss before transfer to a stronger magnetic field for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) detection. In the simplest implementation, polarisation transfer is achieved by shaking the sample in the stray field of a superconducting NMR magnet. Although convenient, this method suffers from limited reproducibility and cannot be used with NMR spectrometers that do not have appreciable stray fields, such as benchtop instruments. Here, we use a simple hand-held permanent magnet array to provide the necessary PTF during sample shaking. We find that the use of this array provides a 25% increase in SABRE enhancement over the stray field approach, while also providing improved reproducibility. Arrays with a range of PTFs were tested, and the PTF-dependent SABRE enhancements were found to be in excellent agreement with comparable experiments carried out using an automated flow system where an electromagnet is used to generate the PTF. We anticipate that this approach will improve the efficiency and reproducibility of SABRE experiments carried out using manual shaking and will be particularly useful for benchtop NMR, where a suitable stray field is not readily accessible. The ability to construct arrays with a range of PTFs will also enable the rapid optimisation of SABRE enhancement as function of PTF for new substrate and catalyst systems. © 2017 The Authors Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Study on quantitative detection technology of special position defects in heat transfer tubes of nuclear power plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qi, Pan; Cui, Hongyan; Shao, Wenbin; Feng, Meiming; Liao, Shusheng

2018-04-01

This study was conducted analyzing eddy current signals from a rotary probe and an array probe to detect artificial cracks and flat bottom holes (FBH) located in selected positions in a steam generator heat transfer tube of a nuclear power plant. In particular, the study examined the expanded transition section, and the detection sensitivity and the variation characteristics of the unilateral signal to provide guidance for in-service inspections.

KSC-2011-7872

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-11-16

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Inside a Pegasus booster processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, all three fins on the aft end of the Pegasus XL rocket's first stage have been installed. The Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus rocket will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy x-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2011-6952

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-13

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – In a clean room at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians prepare to do a fillet and wing fit check on the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus rocket will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2011-6956

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-13

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – In a clean room at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians perform a fillet and wing fit check on the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus rocket will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2011-7029

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-16

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – In a clean room at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians prepare to complete a second fillet and wing fit check on the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus rocket will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2011-7871

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-11-16

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Inside a Pegasus booster processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, all three fins on the aft end of the Pegasus XL rocket's first stage have been installed. The Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus rocket will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy x-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2011-7032

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-16

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – In a clean room at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians complete a second fillet and wing fit check on the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus rocket will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2011-6958

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-13

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – In a clean room at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians perform a fillet and wing fit check on the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus rocket will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2011-7033

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-16

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – In a clean room at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians complete a second fillet and wing fit check on the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus rocket will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2011-6955

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-13

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – In a clean room at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians prepare to do a fillet and wing fit check on the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus rocket will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2011-7034

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-16

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – In a clean room at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians complete a second fillet and wing fit check on the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus rocket will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2011-6954

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-13

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – In a clean room at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians prepare to do a fillet and wing fit check on the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus rocket will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2011-7030

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-16

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – In a clean room at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians prepare to complete a second fillet and wing fit check on the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus rocket will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2011-6957

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-13

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – In a clean room at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians perform a fillet and wing fit check on the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus rocket will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2011-7031

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-16

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – In a clean room at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians complete a second fillet and wing fit check on the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus rocket will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2011-7028

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-16

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – In a clean room at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians prepare to complete a second fillet and wing fit check on the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus rocket will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2011-5942

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-07-21

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The wing of the Pegasus XL launch vehicle awaits processing in a clean room at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus rocket will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences' L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2011-5940

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-07-21

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The wing of the Pegasus XL launch vehicle arrives at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus rocket is being processed to launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences' L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2011-5941

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-07-21

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Orbital Sciences Corp. workers uncrate the wing of the Pegasus XL launch vehicle at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Orbital's Pegasus rocket is being processed to launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences' L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2012-1211

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-01-31

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In Orbital Sciences' Pegasus processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base's in California, the Pegasus XL rocket is readied for flight. The Pegasus will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy x-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

A Deuterated Neutron Detector Array For Nuclear (Astro)Physics Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almaraz-Calderon, Sergio; Asher, B. W.; Barber, P.; Hanselman, K.; Perello, J. F.

2016-09-01

The properties of neutron-rich nuclei are at the forefront of research in nuclear structure, nuclear reactions and nuclear astrophysics. The advent of intense rare isotope beams (RIBs) has opened a new door for studies of systems with very short half-lives and possible fascinating properties. Neutron spectroscopic techniques become increasingly relevant when these neutron rich nuclei are used in a variety of experiments. At Florida State University, we are developing a neutron detector array that will allow us to perform high-resolution neutron spectroscopic studies with stable and radioactive beams. The neutron detection system consists of 16 deuterated organic liquid scintillation detectors with fast response and pulse-shape discrimination capabilities. In addition to these properties, there is the potential to use the structure in the pulse-height spectra to extract the energy of the neutrons and thus produce directly excitation spectra. This type of detector uses deuterated benzene (C6D6) as the liquid scintillation medium. The asymmetric nature of the scattering between a neutron and a deuterium in the center of mass produces a pulse-height spectrum from the deuterated scintillator which contains useful information on the initial energy of the neutron. Work supported in part by the State of Florida and NSF Grant No. 1401574.

Study on Influence of Tube Arrays on Fluid Elastic Instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishihara, Kunihiko; Kitayama, Gen

The tube bank is used in boilers, heat exchangers in power plants and steam generators in nuclear plants. These tubes sometimes vibrate violently and come to the fatigue failure due to the flow induced vibration which is caused by the cross flow. This phenomenon is that the large vibrations arise at the critical flow velocity and it is called fluid elastic instability. However the relation between the onset velocity of fluid elastic instability and the tube array's geometry has not been clarified sufficiently. There is a few reference related to the relation between the pitch to diameter ratio and the onset velocity even in the lattice arrays. In this paper, the influence of tube arrays on fluid elastic instability is examined by experiments. As a result, it is clarified that the tube vibrations become large as T/D increases and L/D decreases, and the tube vibrations strongly depend on the dynamic characteristics of tubes such as the natural frequency and the damping ability.

Acoustic environmental accuracy requirements for response determination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pettitt, M. R.

1983-01-01

A general purpose computer program was developed for the prediction of vehicle interior noise. This program, named VIN, has both modal and statistical energy analysis capabilities for structural/acoustic interaction analysis. The analytic models and their computer implementation were verified through simple test cases with well-defined experimental results. The model was also applied in a space shuttle payload bay launch acoustics prediction study. The computer program processes large and small problems with equal efficiency because all arrays are dynamically sized by program input variables at run time. A data base is built and easily accessed for design studies. The data base significantly reduces the computational costs of such studies by allowing the reuse of the still-valid calculated parameters of previous iterations.

Big data challenges for large radio arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, D. L.; Wagstaff, K.; Thompson, D. R.; D'Addario, L.; Navarro, R.; Mattmann, C.; Majid, W.; Lazio, J.; Preston, J.; Rebbapragada, U.

2012-03-01

Future large radio astronomy arrays, particularly the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), will be able to generate data at rates far higher than can be analyzed or stored affordably with current practices. This is, by definition, a "big data" problem, and requires an end-to-end solution if future radio arrays are to reach their full scientific potential. Similar data processing, transport, storage, and management challenges face next-generation facilities in many other fields. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is developing technologies to address big data issues, with an emphasis in three areas: 1) Lower-power digital processing architectures to make highvolume data generation operationally affordable, 2) Date-adaptive machine learning algorithms for real-time analysis (or "data triage") of large data volumes, and 3) Scalable data archive systems that allow efficient data mining and remote user code to run locally where the data are stored.

System Design for a Nuclear Electric Spacecraft Utilizing Out-of-core Thermionic Conversion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estabrook, W. C.; Phillips, W. M.; Hsieh, T.

1976-01-01

Basic guidelines are presented for a nuclear space power system which utilizes heat pipes to transport thermal power from a fast nuclear reactor to an out of core thermionic converter array. Design parameters are discussed for the nuclear reactor, heat pipes, thermionic converters, shields (neutron and gamma), waste heat rejection systems, and the electrical bus bar-cable system required to transport the high current/low voltage power to the processing equipment. Dimensions are compatible with shuttle payload bay constraints.

Public Communication of Technical Issues in Today's Changing Visual Language - 12436

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

Hermann, Laura

2012-07-01

Communication regarding the management of radioactive materials is a well-established challenge. Residents and consumers have suspected for years that companies and governments place short-term economic concerns ahead of health and safety. This skepticism is compounded with increased attention to safety issues at nuclear power plants everywhere after Fukushima. Nonetheless, today's environment presents unexpected opportunities to transform public fear into teachable moments that bring knowledge and facts to discussions on nuclear energy. In the weeks following Japan's crisis, the lack of reliable information on radiation levels saw citizens taking to the streets with dosimeters and Geiger counters in crowd-sourced radiation monitoringmore » efforts. Efforts, based mainly online, represent a growing set of examples of how internet and cell-phone technology are being put to use in emergency situations. The maps, graphs and tables created to meet public interest also exemplify some of the psychological priorities of audiences and present learning tools that can improve future education efforts in non-emergency situations. Industry outreach efforts often consist of technical details and quantitative data that are difficult for lay audiences to interpret. The intense attention to nuclear energy issues since last March has produced a wide array of visual samples. Citizen monitors, news organizations, government agencies and others have displayed quantitative information in innovative ways. Their efforts offer new perspective on what charts, maps and info graphics do - or need to do - to illustrate requirements, record assessments and promote understanding of nuclear-waste issues. Surveying the best examples, nuclear communicators can improve their offerings of easy-to-use, evidence-based visuals to inform stakeholders. Familiar to most communications professionals in the nuclear industry, risk communication is a science-based approach with over three decades of research evidence informing the discipline. Risk communication principles address the fact that often perception is reality. Scientific evidence for decision making must be approached differently in situations where stakeholders have high levels of concern and low levels of trust. Visual communications must take this into account to be successful. (author)« less

Leveraging FPGAs for Accelerating Short Read Alignment.

PubMed

Arram, James; Kaplan, Thomas; Luk, Wayne; Jiang, Peiyong

2017-01-01

One of the key challenges facing genomics today is how to efficiently analyze the massive amounts of data produced by next-generation sequencing platforms. With general-purpose computing systems struggling to address this challenge, specialized processors such as the Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) are receiving growing interest. The means by which to leverage this technology for accelerating genomic data analysis is however largely unexplored. In this paper, we present a runtime reconfigurable architecture for accelerating short read alignment using FPGAs. This architecture exploits the reconfigurability of FPGAs to allow the development of fast yet flexible alignment designs. We apply this architecture to develop an alignment design which supports exact and approximate alignment with up to two mismatches. Our design is based on the FM-index, with optimizations to improve the alignment performance. In particular, the n-step FM-index, index oversampling, a seed-and-compare stage, and bi-directional backtracking are included. Our design is implemented and evaluated on a 1U Maxeler MPC-X2000 dataflow node with eight Altera Stratix-V FPGAs. Measurements show that our design is 28 times faster than Bowtie2 running with 16 threads on dual Intel Xeon E5-2640 CPUs, and nine times faster than Soap3-dp running on an NVIDIA Tesla C2070 GPU.

Generalized enhanced suffix array construction in external memory.

PubMed

Louza, Felipe A; Telles, Guilherme P; Hoffmann, Steve; Ciferri, Cristina D A

2017-01-01

Suffix arrays, augmented by additional data structures, allow solving efficiently many string processing problems. The external memory construction of the generalized suffix array for a string collection is a fundamental task when the size of the input collection or the data structure exceeds the available internal memory. In this article we present and analyze [Formula: see text] [introduced in CPM (External memory generalized suffix and [Formula: see text] arrays construction. In: Proceedings of CPM. pp 201-10, 2013)], the first external memory algorithm to construct generalized suffix arrays augmented with the longest common prefix array for a string collection. Our algorithm relies on a combination of buffers, induced sorting and a heap to avoid direct string comparisons. We performed experiments that covered different aspects of our algorithm, including running time, efficiency, external memory access, internal phases and the influence of different optimization strategies. On real datasets of size up to 24 GB and using 2 GB of internal memory, [Formula: see text] showed a competitive performance when compared to [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], which are efficient algorithms for a single string according to the related literature. We also show the effect of disk caching managed by the operating system on our algorithm. The proposed algorithm was validated through performance tests using real datasets from different domains, in various combinations, and showed a competitive performance. Our algorithm can also construct the generalized Burrows-Wheeler transform of a string collection with no additional cost except by the output time.