Twin-belt continuous caster with containment and cooling of the exiting cast product for enabling high-speed casting of molten-center product

DOEpatents

Dykes, Charles D.; Daniel, Sabah S.; Wood, J. F. Barry

1990-02-20

In continuously casting molten metal into cast product by a twin-belt machine, it is desirable to achieve dramatic increases in speed (linear feet per minute) at which cast product exits the machine, particularly in installations where steel cast product is intended to feed a downstream regular rolling mill (as distinct from a planetary mill) operating in tandem with the twin-belt caster. Such high-speed casting produces product with a relatively thin shell and molten interior, and the shell tends to bulge outwardly due to metallostatic head pressure of the molten center. A number of cooperative features enable high-speed, twin-belt casting: (1) Each casting belt is slidably supported adjacent to the caster exit pulley for bulge control and enhanced cooling of cast product. (2) Lateral skew steering of each belt provides an effective increase in moving mold length plus a continuity of heat transfer not obtained with prior art belt steering apparatus. (3) The exiting slab is contained and supported downstream from the casting machine to prevent bulging of the shell of the cast product, and (4) spray cooling is incorporated in the exit containment apparatus for secondary cooling of cast product.

Research on Power Loss of Continuously Variable Transmission Based on Driving Cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Bing; Zhou, Yunshan; Cao, Chenglong; Li, Quan; Zhang, Feitie

2018-01-01

In order to further enhance the fuel economy of vehicles with continuously variable transmission (CVT), a CVT power loss model under dynamic condition is established based on the power loss model of each transmission component and the vehicle dynamic model. With driving cycles 10-15, NEDC and US06 as input, the distribution of CVT power loss and the influence of the main losses to vehicle fuel economy are analysed. The results show that the variation loss, oil pump loss and torque converter loss are the main losses of CVT power loss under driving cycles, and the metal belt and oil pump have relatively larger fuel saving potential. At low speed reducing the pump loss is more effective to fuel saving, while at high speed reducing the variation loss is more effective.

2010 safety belt usage survey in Kentucky.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-07-01

The objective of this study was to establish 2010 safety belt and child safety seat usage rates in Kentucky. The 2010 survey continues to document the results after enactment of the original "second enforcement" statewide mandatory safety belt law in...

2009 safety belt usage survey in Kentucky.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-07-01

The objective of this study was to establish 2009 safety belt and child safety seat usage rates in Kentucky. The 2009 survey continues to document the results after enactment of original "secondary enforcement" statewide mandatory safety belt law in ...

2002 safety belt usage survey in Kentucky.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-07-01

The objective of this study was to establish 2002 safety belt and child safety seat usage rates in Kentucky. The 2002 survey continues to document the results after enactment of original "secondary enforcement" statewide mandatory safety belt law in ...

2007 safety belt usage survey in Kentucky.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-08-01

The objective of this study was to establish 2007 safety belt and child safety seat usage rates in Kentucky. The 2007 survey continues to document the results after enactment of the initial "second enforcement" statewide mandatory safety belt law in ...

2001 safety belt usage survey in Kentucky.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-08-01

The objective of this study was to establish 2001 safety belt and child safety seat usage rates in Kentucky. The 2001 survey continues to document the results after enactment of original "secondary enforcement" statewide mandatory safety belt law in ...

2006 safety belt usage survey in Kentucky.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-08-01

The objective of this study was to establish 2006 safety belt and child safety seat usage rates in Kentucky. The 2006 survey continues to document the results after enactment of the initial "second enforcement" statewide mandatory safety belt law in ...

2008 safety belt usage survey in Kentucky.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-08-01

The objective of this study was to establish 2008 safety belt and child safety seat usage rates in Kentucky. The 2008 survey continues to document the results after enactment of the initial "second enforcement" statewide mandatory safety belt law in ...

2005 safety belt usage survey in Kentucky.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-08-01

The objective of this study was to establish 2005 safety belt and child safety seat usage rates in Kentucky. The 2005 survey continues to document the results after enactment of the initial "second enforcement" statewide mandatory safety belt law in ...

76 FR 53648 - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards: Occupant Crash Protection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-29

... when the continuous motion of spooling the belt out is stopped. From that point, the seat belt cannot... reaction to LATCH found that drivers who preferred installing a CRS with seat belt as opposed to LATCH...

Grinding Glass Disks On A Belt Sander

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyons, James J., III

1995-01-01

Small machine attached to table-top belt sander makes possible to use belt sander to grind glass disk quickly to specified diameter within tolerance of about plus or minus 0.002 in. Intended to be used in place of production-shop glass grinder. Held on driveshaft by vacuum, glass disk rotated while periphery ground by continuous sanding belt.

Adaptive control of dynamic balance in human gait on a split-belt treadmill.

PubMed

Buurke, Tom J W; Lamoth, Claudine J C; Vervoort, Danique; van der Woude, Lucas H V; den Otter, Rob

2018-05-17

Human bipedal gait is inherently unstable and staying upright requires adaptive control of dynamic balance. Little is known about adaptive control of dynamic balance in reaction to long-term, continuous perturbations. We examined how dynamic balance control adapts to a continuous perturbation in gait, by letting people walk faster with one leg than the other on a treadmill with two belts (i.e. split-belt walking). In addition, we assessed whether changes in mediolateral dynamic balance control coincide with changes in energy use during split-belt adaptation. In nine minutes of split-belt gait, mediolateral margins of stability and mediolateral foot roll-off changed during adaptation to the imposed gait asymmetry, especially on the fast side, and returned to baseline during washout. Interestingly, no changes in mediolateral foot placement (i.e. step width) were found during split-belt adaptation. Furthermore, the initial margin of stability and subsequent mediolateral foot roll-off were strongly coupled to maintain mediolateral dynamic balance throughout the gait cycle. Consistent with previous results net metabolic power was reduced during split-belt adaptation, but changes in mediolateral dynamic balance control were not correlated with the reduction of net metabolic power during split-belt adaptation. Overall, this study has shown that a complementary mechanism of relative foot positioning and mediolateral foot roll-off adapts to continuously imposed gait asymmetry to maintain dynamic balance in human bipedal gait. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Effectiveness of child safety seats vs seat belts in reducing risk for death in children in passenger vehicle crashes.

PubMed

Elliott, Michael R; Kallan, Michael J; Durbin, Dennis R; Winston, Flaura K

2006-06-01

To provide an estimate of benefit, if any, of child restraint systems over seat belts alone for children aged from 2 through 6 years. Cohort study. A sample of children in US passenger vehicle crashes was obtained from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration by combining cases involving a fatality from the US Department of Transportation Fatality Analysis Reporting System with a probability sample of cases without a fatality from the National Automotive Sampling System. Children in tow-away [corrected] crashes occurring between 1998 and 2003. Use of child restraint systems (rear-facing and forward-facing car seats, and shield and belt-positioning booster seats) vs seat belts. Potentially confounding variables included seating position, vehicle type, model year, driver and passenger ages, and driver survival status. Death of child passengers from injuries incurred during the crash. Compared with seat belts, child restraints, when not seriously misused (eg, unattached restraint, child restraint system harness not used, 2 children restrained with 1 seat belt) were associated with a 28% reduction in risk for death (relative risk, 0.72; 95% confidence interval, 0.54-0.97) in children aged 2 through 6 years after adjusting for seating position, vehicle type, model year, driver and passenger ages, and driver survival status. When including cases of serious misuse, the effectiveness estimate was slightly lower (21%) (relative risk, 0.79; 95% confidence interval, 0.59-1.05). Based on these findings as well as previous epidemiological and biomechanical evidence for child restraint system effectiveness in reducing nonfatal injury risk, efforts should continue to promote use of child restraint systems through improved laws and with education and disbursement programs.

A joint econometric analysis of seat belt use and crash-related injury severity.

PubMed

Eluru, Naveen; Bhat, Chandra R

2007-09-01

This paper formulates a comprehensive econometric structure that recognizes two important issues in crash-related injury severity analysis. First, the impact of a factor on injury severity may be moderated by various observed and unobserved variables specific to an individual or to a crash. Second, seat belt use is likely to be endogenous to injury severity. That is, it is possible that intrinsically unsafe drivers do not wear seat belts and are the ones likely to be involved in high injury severity crashes because of their unsafe driving habits. The preceding issues are considered in the current research effort through the development of a comprehensive model of seat belt use and injury severity that takes the form of a joint correlated random coefficients binary-ordered response system. To our knowledge, this is the first instance of such a model formulation and application not only in the safety analysis literature, but in the econometrics literature in general. The empirical analysis is based on the 2003 General Estimates System (GES) data base. Several types of variables are considered to explain seat belt use and injury severity levels, including driver characteristics, vehicle characteristics, roadway design attributes, environmental factors, and crash characteristics. The results, in addition to confirming the effects of various explanatory variables, also highlight the importance of (a) considering the moderating effects of unobserved individual/crash-related factors on the determinants of injury severity and (b) seat belt use endogeneity. From a policy standpoint, the results suggest that seat belt non-users, when apprehended in the act, should perhaps be subjected to both a fine (to increase the chances that they wear seat belts) as well as mandatory enrollment in a defensive driving course (to attempt to change their aggressive driving behaviors).

Explaining state-to-state differences in seat belt use : an analysis of socio-demographic variables.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-02-01

"Despite the extensive evidence about the benefits of seat belt use, there is a great deal of variation in use within the US. For example, the national average for seat belt use in 2009 was 84 percent while the state-level averages ranged from 68 per...

2001 Safety belt usage survey in Kentucky

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-08-01

The objective of this study was to establish 2001 safety belt and child safety seat usage rates in Kentucky. The 2001 survey continues to document the results after enactment of a statewide mandatory safety belt law in 1994. It also documented the lo...

2002 safety belt usage survey in Kentucky

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-07-01

The objective of this study was to establish 2002 safety belt and child safety seat usage rates in Kentucky. The 2002 survey continues to document the results after enactment of a statewide mandatory safety belt law in 1994. Data were collected at 20...

2000 Safety belt usage survey in Kentucky

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-08-01

The objective of this study was to establish 2000 safety belt and child safety seat usage rates in Kentucky. The 2000 survey continues to document the results after enactment of a statewide mandatory safety belt law in 1994. Data were collected at 20...

Reducing The Risk Of Fires In Conveyor Transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheremushkina, M. S.; Poddubniy, D. A.

2017-01-01

The paper deals with the actual problem of increasing the safety of operation of belt conveyors in mines. Was developed the control algorithm that meets the technical requirements of the mine belt conveyors, reduces the risk of fires of conveyors belt, and enables energy and resource savings taking into account random sort of traffic. The most effective method of decision such tasks is the construction of control systems with the use of variable speed drives for asynchronous motors. Was designed the mathematical model of the system "variable speed multiengine drive - conveyor - control system of conveyors", that takes into account the dynamic processes occurring in the elements of the transport system, provides an assessment of the energy efficiency of application the developed algorithms, which allows to reduce the dynamic overload in the belt to (15-20)%.

Constraints on deformation of the Southern Andes since the Cretaceous from anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maffione, Marco; Hernandez-Moreno, Catalina; Ghiglione, Matias C.; Speranza, Fabio; van Hinsbergen, Douwe J. J.; Lodolo, Emanuele

2015-12-01

The southernmost segment of the Andean Cordillera underwent a complex deformation history characterized by alternation of contractional, extensional, and strike-slip tectonics. Key elements of southern Andean deformation that remain poorly constrained, include the origin of the orogenic bend known as the Patagonian Orocline (here renamed as Patagonian Arc), and the exhumation mechanism of an upper amphibolite facies metamorphic complex currently exposed in Cordillera Darwin. Here, we present results of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) from 22 sites in Upper Cretaceous to upper Eocene sedimentary rocks within the internal structural domain of the Magallanes fold-and-thrust belt in Tierra del Fuego (Argentina). AMS parameters from most sites reveal a weak tectonic overprint of the original magnetic fabric, which was likely acquired upon layer-parallel shortening soon after sedimentation. Magnetic lineation from 17 sites is interpreted to have formed during compressive tectonic phases associated to a continuous N-S contraction. Our data, combined with the existing AMS database from adjacent areas, show that the Early Cretaceous-late Oligocene tectonic phases in the Southern Andes yielded continuous contraction, variable from E-W in the Patagonian Andes to N-S in the Fuegian Andes, which defined a radial strain field. A direct implication is that the exhumation of the Cordillera Darwin metamorphic complex occurred under compressive, rather than extensional or strike-slip tectonics, as alternatively proposed. If we agree with recent works considering the curved Magallanes fold-and-thrust belt as a primary arc (i.e., no relative vertical-axis rotation of the limbs occurs during its formation), then other mechanisms different from oroclinal bending should be invoked to explain the documented radial strain field. We tentatively propose a kinematic model in which reactivation of variably oriented Jurassic faults at the South American continental margin controlled the Late Cretaceous to Cenozoic evolution of the Magallanes fold-and-thrust belt, yielding the observed deformation pattern.

Direct measurement of skin friction with a new instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vakili, A. D.; Wu, J. M.

1986-01-01

The design and performance of a small belt-type skin-friction gage to measure wall shear-stress coefficients in wind-tunnel testing are described, summarizing the report of Vakili and Wu (1982). The sensor employs a flexible belt of variable surface characteristics; this belt, wrapped tightly around two cylinders mounted on frictionless flexures, is equipped with strain gages to estimate the deflection of the belt by the flow. An alternative approach uses IR illumination, optical fibers, and a photosensitive transistor, permitting direct measurement of the belt deflection. Drawings, diagrams, and graphs of sample data are provided.

46 CFR 169.825 - Wearing of safety belts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Wearing of safety belts. 169.825 Section 169.825 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) NAUTICAL SCHOOLS SAILING SCHOOL VESSELS Operations § 169.825 Wearing of safety belts. The master of each vessel shall ensure that each person wears...

46 CFR 169.825 - Wearing of safety belts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Wearing of safety belts. 169.825 Section 169.825 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) NAUTICAL SCHOOLS SAILING SCHOOL VESSELS Operations § 169.825 Wearing of safety belts. The master of each vessel shall ensure that each person wears...

77 FR 31067 - Cleveland Commercial Railroad Company, LLC-Continuance in Control Exemption-Cleveland Harbor Belt...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-24

... becoming a Class III rail carrier. CCR has established CHB as a limited liability company and has the... Commercial Railroad Company, LLC--Continuance in Control Exemption--Cleveland Harbor Belt Railroad Cleveland Commercial Railroad Company, LLC (CCR), a Class III rail carrier, has filed a verified notice of exemption...

Assessment of continuous gas resources in the Phosphoria Formation of the Wyoming Thrust Belt Province, Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah, 2017

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schenk, Christopher J.; Mercier, Tracey J.; Tennyson, Marilyn E.; Woodall, Cheryl A.; Finn, Thomas M.; Pitman, Janet K.; Gaswirth, Stephanie B.; Marra, Kristen R.; Le, Phuong A.; Klett, Timothy R.; Leathers-Miller, Heidi M.

2018-04-13

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean undiscovered, technically recoverable resources of 198 billion cubic feet of continuous gas in the Phosphoria Formation of the Wyoming Thrust Belt Province, Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah.

Pelvic Belt Effects on Health Outcomes and Functional Parameters of Patients with Sacroiliac Joint Pain

PubMed Central

Hammer, Niels; Möbius, Robert; Schleifenbaum, Stefan; Hammer, Karl-Heinz; Klima, Stefan; Lange, Justin S.; Soisson, Odette; Winkler, Dirk; Milani, Thomas L.

2015-01-01

Introduction The sacroiliac joint (SIJ) is a common source of low back pain. However, clinical and functional signs and symptoms correlating with SIJ pain are widely unknown. Pelvic belts are routinely applied to treat SIJ pain but without sound evidence of their pain-relieving effects. This case-control study compares clinical and functional data of SIJ patients and healthy control subjects and evaluates belt effects on SIJ pain. Methods 17 SIJ patients and 17 healthy controls were included in this prospective study. The short-form 36 survey and the numerical rating scale were used to characterize health-related quality of life in patients in a six-week follow-up and the pain-reducing effects of pelvic belts. Electromyography data were obtained from the gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, rectus femoris and medial vastus. Alterations of muscle activity, variability and gait patterns were compared in patients and controls along with the belts’ effects in a dynamic setting when walking. Results Significant improvements were observed in the short-form 36 survey of the SIJ patients, especially in the physical health subscores. Minor declines were also observed in the numerical rating scale on pain. Belt-related changes of muscle activity and variability were similar in patients and controls with one exception: the rectus femoris activity decreased significantly in patients with belt application when walking. Further belt effects include improved cadence and gait velocity in patients and controls. Conclusions Pelvic belts improve health-related quality of life and are potentially attributed to decreased SIJ-related pain. Belt effects include decreased rectus femoris activity in patients and improved postural steadiness during locomotion. Pelvic belts may therefore be considered as a cost-effective and low-risk treatment of SIJ pain. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02027038 PMID:26305790

Toroidal core winder

DOEpatents

Potthoff, Clifford M.

1978-01-01

The disclosure is directed to an apparatus for placing wire windings on a toroidal body, such as a transformer core, having an orifice in its center. The apparatus comprises a wire storage spool, a wire loop holding continuous belt maintained in a C-shaped loop by a belt supporting structure and provision for turning the belt to place and tighten loops of wire on a toroidal body, which is disposed within the gap of the C-shaped belt loop.

Differentiating submarine channel-related thin-bedded turbidite facies: Outcrop examples from the Rosario Formation, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansen, Larissa; Callow, Richard; Kane, Ian; Kneller, Ben

2017-08-01

Thin-bedded turbidites deposited by sediment gravity flows that spill from submarine channels often contain significant volumes of sand in laterally continuous beds. These can make up over 50% of the channel-belt fill volume, and can thus form commercially important hydrocarbon reservoirs. Thin-bedded turbidites can be deposited in environments that include levees and depositional terraces, which are distinguished on the basis of their external morphology and internal architecture. Levees have a distinctive wedge shaped morphology, thinning away from the channel, and confine both channels (internal levees) and channel-belts (external levees). Terraces are flat-lying features that are elevated above the active channel within a broad channel-belt. Despite the ubiquity of terraces and levees in modern submarine channel systems, the recognition of these environments in outcrop and in the subsurface is challenging. In this outcrop study of the Upper Cretaceous Rosario Formation (Baja California, Mexico), lateral transects based on multiple logged sections of thin-bedded turbidites reveal systematic differences in sandstone layer thicknesses, sandstone proportion, palaeocurrents, sedimentary structures and ichnology between channel-belt and external levee thin-bedded turbidites. Depositional terrace deposits have a larger standard deviation in sandstone layer thicknesses than external levees because they are topographically lower, and experience a wider range of turbidity current sizes overspilling from different parts of the channel-belt. The thickness of sandstone layers within external levees decreases away from the channel-belt while those in depositional terraces are less laterally variable. Depositional terrace environments of the channel-belt are characterized by high bioturbation intensities, and contain distinctive trace fossil assemblages, often dominated by ichnofabrics of the echinoid trace fossil Scolicia. These assemblages contrast with the lower bioturbation intensities that are recorded from external levee environments where Scolicia is typically absent. Multiple blocks of external levee material are observed in the depositional terrace area where the proximal part of the external levee has collapsed into the channel-belt; their presence characterizes the channel-belt boundary zone. The development of recognition criteria for different types of channel-related thin-bedded turbidites is critical for the interpretation of sedimentary environments both at outcrop and in the subsurface, which can reduce uncertainty during hydrocarbon field appraisal and development.

Personal continuous air monitor

DOEpatents

Morgan, Ronald G.; Salazar, Samuel A.

2000-01-01

A personal continuous air monitor capable of giving immediate warning of the presence of radioactivity has a filter/detector head to be worn in the breathing zone of a user, containing a filter mounted adjacent to radiation detectors, and a preamplifier. The filter/detector head is connected to a belt pack to be worn at the waist or on the back of a user. The belt pack contains a signal processor, batteries, a multichannel analyzer, a logic circuit, and an alarm. An air pump also is provided in the belt pack for pulling air through the filter/detector head by way of an air tube.

Impact injuries in pregnancy. I, Experimental studies.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1968-03-01

Eleven pregnant baboons were subjected to experimental impacts. Variables included 20-, 33-, and 40-G levels of decelerative forces; forward and rearward facing seats; lap belt and lap belt plus shoulder harness restraint; and seat pans tilted 20 deg...

29 CFR 1926.959 - Lineman's body belts, safety straps, and lanyards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND HEALTH REGULATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION Power Transmission and Distribution § 1926.959 Lineman's body belts, safety straps, and lanyards. (a) General...

29 CFR 1926.959 - Lineman's body belts, safety straps, and lanyards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND HEALTH REGULATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION Power Transmission and Distribution § 1926.959 Lineman's body belts, safety straps, and lanyards. (a) General...

29 CFR 1926.959 - Lineman's body belts, safety straps, and lanyards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND HEALTH REGULATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION Power Transmission and Distribution § 1926.959 Lineman's body belts, safety straps, and lanyards. (a) General...

29 CFR 1926.959 - Lineman's body belts, safety straps, and lanyards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND HEALTH REGULATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION Power Transmission and Distribution § 1926.959 Lineman's body belts, safety straps, and lanyards. (a) General...

NW-SE Pliocene-Quaternary extension in the Apan-Acoculco region, eastern Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Palomo, Armando; Macías, José Luis; Jiménez, Adrián; Tolson, Gustavo; Mena, Manuel; Sánchez-Núñez, Juan Manuel; Arce, José Luis; Layer, Paul W.; Santoyo, Miguel Ángel; Lermo-Samaniego, Javier

2018-01-01

The Apan-Acoculco area is located in the eastern portion of the Mexico basin and the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. The area is transected by right-stepping variably dipping NE-SW normal faults. The Apan-Tlaloc Fault System is a major discontinuity that divides the region into two contrasting areas with different structural and volcanic styles. a) The western area is characterized by a horst-graben geometry with widespread Quaternary monogenetic volcanism and scattered outcrops of Miocene and Pliocene rocks. b) The eastern area is dominated by tilted horsts with a domino-like geometry with widespread Miocene and Pliocene rocks, scattered Quaternary monogenetic volcanoes and the Acoculco Caldera. Gravity data suggest that this structural geometry continues into the Mesozoic limestones. Normal faulting was active since the Pliocene with three stages of extension. One of them, an intense dilatational event began during late Pliocene and continues nowadays, contemporaneously with the emplacement of the Apan-Tezontepec Volcanic Field and the Acoculco caldera. Statistical analysis of cone elongation, cone instability, and the kinematic analysis of faults attest for a NW50°SE ± 7° extensional regime in the Apan-Acoculco area. The activity in some portions of the Apan-Tlaloc Fault System continues today as indicated by earthquake swarms recorded in 1992 and 1996, that disrupted late Holocene paleosols, and Holocene volcanism.

Laterally bendable belt conveyor

DOEpatents

Peterson, William J.

1985-01-01

An endless, laterally flexible and bendable belt conveyor particularly adapted for coal mining applications in facilitating the transport of the extracted coal up- or downslope and around corners in a continuous manner is disclosed. The conveying means includes a flat rubber belt reinforced along the middle portion thereof along which the major portion of the belt tension is directed so as to cause rotation of the tubular shaped belt when trammed around lateral turns thus preventing excessive belt bulging distortion between adjacent belt supports which would inhibit belt transport. Pretension induced into the fabric reinforced flat rubber belt by conventional belt take-up means supports the load conveyed when the belt conveyor is making lateral turns. The carrying and return portions of the belt are supported and formed into a tubular shape by a plurality of shapers positioned along its length. Each shaper is supported from above by a monorail and includes clusters of idler rollers which support the belt. Additional cluster rollers in each shaper permit the belt supporting roller clusters to rotate in response to the belt's operating tension imposed upon the cluster rollers by induced lateral belt friction forces. The freely rotating roller clusters thus permit the belt to twist on lateral curves without damage to itself while precluding escape of the conveyed material by effectively enclosing it in the tube-shaped, inner belt transport length.

Coordinative structuring of gait kinematics during adaptation to variable and asymmetric split-belt treadmill walking - A principal component analysis approach.

PubMed

Hinkel-Lipsker, Jacob W; Hahn, Michael E

2018-06-01

Gait adaptation is a task that requires fine-tuned coordination of all degrees of freedom in the lower limbs by the central nervous system. However, when individuals change their gait it is unknown how this coordination is organized, and how it can be influenced by contextual interference during practice. Such knowledge could provide information about measurement of gait adaptation during rehabilitation. Able-bodied individuals completed an acute bout of asymmetric split-belt treadmill walking, where one limb was driven at a constant velocity and the other according to one of three designed practice paradigms: serial practice, where the variable limb belt velocity increased over time; random blocked practice, where every 20 strides the variable limb belt velocity changed randomly; random practice, where every stride the variable limb belt velocity changed randomly. On the second day, subjects completed one of two different transfer tests; one with a belt asymmetry close to that experienced on the acquisition day (transfer 1; 1.5:1), and one with a greater asymmetry (transfer 2; 2:1) . To reduce this inherently high-dimensional dataset, principal component analyses were used for kinematic data collected throughout the acquisition and transfer phases; resulting in extraction of the first two principal components (PCs). For acquisition, PC1 and PC2 were related to sagittal and frontal plane control. For transfer 1, PC1 and PC2 were related to frontal plane control of the base of support and whole-body center of mass. For transfer 2, PC1 did not have any variables with high enough coefficients deemed to be relevant, and PC2 was related to sagittal plane control. Observations of principal component scores indicate that variance structuring differs among practice groups during acquisition and transfer 1, but not transfer 2. These results demonstrate the main kinematic coordinative structures that exist during gait adaptation, and that control of sagittal plane and frontal plane motion are perhaps a trade-off during acquisition of a novel asymmetric gait pattern. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing the Time Variability of Jupiter's Tropospheric Properties from 1996 to 2011

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orton, G. S.; Fletcher, L. N.; Yanamandra-Fisher, P. A.; Simon-Miller, A. A.; Greco, J.; Wakefield, L.

2012-01-01

We acquired and analyzed mid-infrared images of Jupiter's disk at selected wavelengths from NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) from 1996 to 2011, including a period of large-scale changes of cloud color and albedo. We derived the 100-300 mbar temperature structure, together with tracers of vertical motion: the thickness of a 600- mbar cloud layer, the 300-mbar abundance of the condensable gas NH3, and the 400- mbar para- vs. ortho-H2 ratio. The biggest visual change was detected in the normally dark South Equatorial Belt (SEB) that 'faded' to a light color in 2010, during which both cloud thickness and NH3 abundance rose; both returned to their pre-fade levels in 2011, as the SEB regained its normal dark color. The cloud thickness in Jupiter's North Temperate Belt (NTB) increased in 2002, coincident with its visible brightening, and its NH3 abundance spiked in 2002-2003. Jupiter's Equatorial Zone (EZ), a region marked by more subtle but widespread color and albedo change, showed high cloud thickness variability between 2007 and 2009. In Jupiter's North Equatorial Belt (NEB), the cloud thickened in 2005, then slowly decreased to a minimum value in 2010-2011. No temperature variations were associated with any of these changes, but we discovered temperature oscillations of approx.2-4 K in all regions, with 4- or 8-year periods and phasing that was dissimilar in the different regions. There was also no detectable change in the para- vs. ortho-H2 ratio over time, leading to the possibility that it is driven from much deeper atmospheric levels and may be time-invariant. Our future work will continue to survey the variability of these properties through the Juno mission, which arrives at Jupiter in 2016, and to connect these observations with those made using raster-scanned images from 1980 to 1993 (Orton et al. 1996 Science 265, 625).

Biomechanical considerations for abdominal loading by seat belt pretensioners.

PubMed

Rouhana, Stephen W; El-Jawahri, Raed E; Laituri, Tony R

2010-11-01

While seat belts are the most effective safety technology in vehicles today, there are continual efforts in the industry to improve their ability to reduce the risk of injury. In this paper, seat belt pretensioners and current trends towards more powerful systems were reviewed and analyzed. These more powerful systems may be, among other things, systems that develop higher belt forces, systems that remove slack from belt webbing at higher retraction speeds, or both. The analysis started with validation of the Ford Human Body Finite Element Model for use in evaluation of abdominal belt loading by pretensioners. The model was then used to show that those studies, done with lap-only belts, can be used to establish injury metrics for tests done with lap-shoulder belts. Then, previously-performed PMHS studies were used to develop AIS 2+ and AIS 3+ injury risk curves for abdominal interaction with seat belts via logistic regression and reliability analysis with interval censoring. Finally, some considerations were developed for a possible laboratory test to evaluate higher-powered pretensioners.

Design study of steel V-Belt CVT for electric vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swain, J. C.; Klausing, T. A.; Wilcox, J. P.

1980-01-01

A continuously variable transmission (CVT) design layout was completed. The intended application was for coupling the flywheel to the driveline of a flywheel battery hybrid electric vehicle. The requirements were that the CVT accommodate flywheel speeds from 14,000 to 28,000 rpm and driveline speeds of 850 to 5000 rpm without slipping. Below 850 rpm a slipping clutch was used between the CVT and the driveline. The CVT was required to accommodate 330 ft-lb maximum torque and 100 hp maximum transient. The weighted average power was 22 hp, the maximum allowable full range shift time was 2 seconds and the required lift was 2600 hours. The resulting design utilized two steel V-belts in series to accommodate the required wide speed ratio. The size of the CVT, including the slipping clutch, was 20.6 inches long, 9.8 inches high and 13.8 inches wide. The estimated weight was 155 lb. An overall potential efficiency of 95 percent was projected for the average power condition.

Clear-Water Contraction Scour at Selected Bridge Sites in the Black Prairie Belt of the Coastal Plain in Alabama, 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, K.G.; Hedgecock, T.S.

2008-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Alabama Department of Transportation, made observations of clear-water contraction scour at 25 bridge sites in the Black Prairie Belt of the Coastal Plain of Alabama. These bridge sites consisted of 54 hydraulic structures, of which 37 have measurable scour holes. Observed scour depths ranged from 1.4 to 10.4 feet. Theoretical clear-water contraction-scour depths were computed for each bridge and compared with observed scour. This comparison showed that theoretical scour depths, in general, exceeded the observed scour depths by about 475 percent. Variables determined to be important in developing scour in laboratory studies along with several other hydraulic variables were investigated to understand their influence within the Alabama field data. The strongest explanatory variables for clear-water contraction scour were channel-contraction ratio and velocity index. Envelope curves were developed relating both of these explanatory variables to observed scour. These envelope curves provide useful tools for assessing reasonable ranges of scour depth in the Black Prairie Belt of Alabama.

Condition-Based Conveyor Belt Replacement Strategy in Lignite Mines with Random Belt Deterioration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blazej, Ryszard; Jurdziak, Leszek

2017-12-01

In Polish lignite surface mines, condition-based belt replacement strategies are applied in order to assure profitable refurbishment of worn out belts performed by external firms specializing in belt maintenance. In two of three lignite mines, staff asses belt condition subjectively during visual inspections. Only one mine applies specialized diagnostic device (HRDS) allowing objective magnetic evaluation of belt core condition in order to choose the most profitable moment for the dismantling of worn out belt segments from conveyors and sending them to the maintenance firm which provides their refurbishment. This article describes the advantages of a new diagnostic device called DiagBelt. It was developed at the Faculty of Geoengineering, Mining and Geology, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology. Economic gains from its application are calculated for the lignite mine and for the belt maintenance firm, taking into account random life (durability) of new and reconditioned belts (after the 1st and the 2nd refurbishment). Recursive calculations for following years allow the estimation of the length and costs of replaced, reconditioned and purchased belts on an annual basis, while the use of the Monte Carlo method allows the estimation of their variability caused by random deterioration of belts. Savings are obtained due to better selection of moments (times) for the replacement of belt segments and die to the possibility to qualify worn out belts for refurbishment without the need to remove their covers. In effect, increased belt durability and lowered share of waste belts (which were not qualified for reconditioning) create savings which can quickly cover expenditures on new diagnostic tools and regular belt inspections in the mine.

REGIONALIZATION OF THE WESTERN CORN BELT PLAINS ECOREGION

EPA Science Inventory

As part of a larger effort to study the fate and transport of agrichemicals in the midwestern United States, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency commissioned a study of spatial variability within the Western Corn Belt Plains ecoregion. he objective of this study was to syste...

Preliminary analysis of a downsized advanced gas-turbine engine in a subcompact car

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klann, J. L.; Johnsen, R. L.

1982-01-01

Relative fuel economy advantages exist for a ceramic turbine engine when it is downsized for a small car were investigated. A 75 kW (100 hp) single shaft engine under development was analytically downsized to 37 kW (50 hp) and analyzed with a metal belt continuously variable transmission in a synthesized car. With gasoline, a 25% advantage was calculated over that of a current spark ignition engine, scaled to the same power, using the same transmission and car. With diesel fuel, a 21% advantage was calculated over that of a similar diesel engine vehicle.

Seat belts are more effective than airbags in reducing thoracic aortic injury in frontal motor vehicle crashes.

PubMed

Brasel, Karen J; Quickel, Robert; Yoganandan, Narayan; Weigelt, John A

2002-08-01

Airbags reduce the probability of death in frontal collisions, but the effect is small compared with seat belts. Little is known about the influence of seat belts and airbags on the incidence of thoracic aortic injury (TAI). The National Automotive Sampling System database was queried for the years 1993 to 1998 to determine the impact of seat belts and airbags on the incidence of TAI in survivors of frontal motor vehicle crashes. Proportions were compared using the two-sample Z test. Seat belts prevent TAI regardless of airbag deployment. The effect of airbags is limited to those wearing seat belts. In frontal collisions without seat belt use, airbag deployment does not alter TAI incidence. Seat belts are considerably more effective in preventing TAI than airbags after frontal motor vehicle crashes. Prevention efforts should continue to emphasize the use of active restraints. Restraint use should be considered a risk factor in evaluating patients for potential TAI.

Radiation Belt Storm Probes: Resolving Fundamental Physics with Practical Consequences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ukhorskiy, Aleksandr Y.; Mauk, Barry H.; Fox, Nicola J.; Sibeck, David G.; Grebowsky, Joseph M.

2011-01-01

The fundamental processes that energize, transport, and cause the loss of charged particles operate throughout the universe at locations as diverse as magnetized planets, the solar wind, our Sun, and other stars. The same processes operate within our immediate environment, the Earth's radiation belts. The Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) mission will provide coordinated two-spacecraft observations to obtain understanding of these fundamental processes controlling the dynamic variability of the near-Earth radiation environment. In this paper we discuss some of the profound mysteries of the radiation belt physics that will be addressed by RBSP and briefly describe the mission and its goals.

Identifying Opportunities to Decrease Vehicle Occupant Fatalities : Traffic Tech

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-09-01

Seat belt use in the United States increased steadily in the last decade, but significant variability exists across the States. In 2014, State seat belt use ranged from a low of 68.9 percent to a high of 97.8 percent. Although higher use rates are ge...

Size and Albedo of Kuiper Belt Object 55636 from a Stellar Occultation

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

Santa Barbara, California 93117, USA. 10University of Hawai’i, Hilo , Hawai’i 96720-4091, USA. 11Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution...Jewitt, D. Hawaii Kuiper belt variability project: an update. Earth Moon Planets 92, 207–219 (2003). 11. Grundy, W., Noll, K. & Stephens, D

2014 safety belt usage survey in Kentucky.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-08-01

The objective of the survey summarized in this report was to establish a statewide safety belt usage rate in Kentucky for 2014. This rate can be compared to those determined from previous surveys. The 2014 statewide survey continues to document the i...

49 CFR 392.16 - Use of seat belts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY REGULATIONS DRIVING OF COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES Driving of Commercial Motor Vehicles § 392.16 Use of seat belts. A commercial motor vehicle which...

Extreme enhancements and depletions of relativistic electrons in Earth's radiation belts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner, D. L.; Claudepierre, S. G.; O'Brien, T. P., III; Fennell, J. F.; Blake, J. B.; Baker, D. N.; Jaynes, A. N.; Morley, S.; Geoffrey, R.

2015-12-01

Earth's electron radiation belts consist of toroidal zones in near-Earth space characterized by intense levels of relativistic electrons with distinct energy-dependent boundaries. It has been known for decades that the outer electron radiation belt is highly variable, with electron intensities varying by orders of magnitude on timescales ranging from minutes to years. Now, we are gaining much insight into the nature of this extreme variability thanks to the unprecedented number of observatories capable of measuring radiation belt electrons, the most recent of which is NASA's Van Allen Probes mission. In this presentation, we analyze and review several of the most extreme events observed in Earth's outer radiation belt. We begin with very sudden and strong enhancements of the outer radiation belt that can result in several orders of magnitude enhancements of electron intensities up to several MeV that sometimes occur in less than one day. We compare and contrast two of the most extreme cases of sudden and strong enhancements from the Van Allen Probes era, 08-09 October 2012 and 17-18 March 2015, and review evidence of the dominant acceleration mechanism in each event. Sudden enhancements of the radiation belts can also occur from injections by interplanetary shocks impacting the magnetosphere, such as occurred on 24 March 1991. We compare shock characteristics from previous injection events to those from the Van Allen Probes era to investigate why none of the interplanetary shocks since September 2012 have caused MeV electron injections into the slot region and inner radiation belt, which has surprisingly been devoid of measurable quantities of >~1 MeV electrons throughout the Van Allen Probes era. Our last topic concerns loss processes. We discuss drastic loss events, known as "flux dropouts", and present evidence that these loss events can eliminate the vast majority of relativistic electrons in the outer radiation belt on time scales of only a few hours. We finish with cases of prolonged outer belt depletions, such as occurred throughout most of 2009 and in September 2014, and discuss how these can result from flux dropout events combined with a subsequent lack of any source of new relativistic electrons.

A comparison of muscle activation between back squats and belt squats.

PubMed

Evans, Thomas W; McLester, Cherilyn N; Howard, Jonathan H; McLester, John R; Calloway, Jimmy P

2017-06-08

A machine belt squat is a piece of equipment designed to allow the performance of squats while loading weight on the lifter's hips using a belt. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if belt squats differ from back squats in activation of the primary movers, and to determine the predictive capabilities of back squat load, training status, and anthropometric data on belt squat load. Thirty-one participants (16 males and 15 females) completed anthropometric measurements, a demographic questionnaire, a familiarization visit, and two testing visits, completing a 5 repetition maximum test for back squat and belt squat. Surface electromyography was used to measure muscle activation for the left and right vastus medialis (VMO), vastus lateralis (VLO), rectus femoris (RF), and gluteus maximus (GM). Comparison of muscle activation between the two exercises showed significant differences in the left GM (back squat: 0.84 ± 0.45, belt squat: 0.69 ± 0.22, p=0.015) and right GM (back squat: 0.86 ± 0.45, belt squat: 0.71 ± 0.29, p=0.004). Regression analysis computed significant prediction equations for belt squat load for general population, males, females, and advanced lifters. Overall, results indicate that belt squats may significantly differ in GM activation from back squats. Back squat load, as well as other variables, may be effective in accurately estimating appropriate belt squat load. These findings may help to more appropriately program for training with machine belt squats as a back squat alternative.

The Late Paleozoic magmatic evolution of the Aqishan-Yamansu belt, Eastern Tianshan: Constraints from geochronology, geochemistry and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopes of igneous rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Liandang; Chen, Huayong; Zhang, Li; Zhang, Weifeng; Yang, Juntao; Yan, Xuelu

2018-03-01

The Aqishan-Yamansu belt in the Eastern Tianshan (Xinjiang, NW China) is an important mineralization belt. The belt mainly comprises Carboniferous volcanic, volcaniclastic and clastic rocks, and hosts many intermediate-felsic intrusions and Fe (-Cu) deposits. The biotite diorite, felsic brecciated tuff, granodiorite and syenite from the western Aqishan-Yamansu belt are newly zircon U-Pb dated to be 316.7 ± 1.4 Ma, 315.6 ± 2.6 Ma, 305.8 ± 1.9 Ma and 252.5 ± 1.4 Ma, respectively. The mafic rocks (mafic brecciated tuff and diabase porphyry) are tholeiitic to calc-alkaline series, LILE-rich (e.g., Rb, Ba and Pb), HFSE-depleted (e.g., Nb and Ta), and have high Mg#(44-60), Nb/Ta (15.0-20.0), Ba/La (>30) and Ba/Nb (>57) values/ratios, and low Th/Yb ratios (<1), probably originating from mantle wedge metasomatized by slab-derived fluids. The intermediate-felsic igneous rocks are LILE-rich, HFSE-depleted, with high Sr and Y contents showing typical of normal arc magma affinity. Moreover, the depleted εHf(t) (>2.10) and positive εNd(t) (>5.7), combined with variable Nb/Ta ratios (9.52-21.4), Y/Nb ratios (1.47-39.7) and Pb isotopes (206Pb/204Pb = 16.225-17.640, 207Pb/204Pb = 15.454-15.520, 208Pb/204Pb = 37.097-38.025) suggest that these rocks were magma mixing products between juvenile crustal-derived magmas and minor mantle-derived magmas. Combined published works with our new ages, geochemical and isotopic data, we propose that the Aqishan-Yamansu belt was an Early Carboniferous fore-arc basin during the southward subduction of the Kangguer oceanic slab beneath the Yili-Central Tianshan block. With the continuing southward subduction, the Aqishan-Yamansu fore-arc basin initiated to close, which generated the mafic and intensive intermediate-felsic magmatism associated with regional Fe (-Cu) mineralization.

33 CFR 142.42 - Safety belts and lifelines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Safety belts and lifelines. 142.42 Section 142.42 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF ACTIVITIES WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH Personal Protective Equipment...

33 CFR 142.42 - Safety belts and lifelines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Safety belts and lifelines. 142.42 Section 142.42 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF ACTIVITIES WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH Personal Protective Equipment...

Exploiting Continuous Scanning Laser Doppler Vibrometry in timing belt dynamic characterisation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiariotti, P.; Martarelli, M.; Castellini, P.

2017-03-01

Dynamic behaviour of timing belts has always interested the engineering community over the years. Nowadays, there are several numerical methods to predict the dynamics of these systems. However, the tuning of such models by experimental approaches still represents an issue: an accurate characterisation does require a measurement in operating conditions since the belt mounting condition might severely affect its dynamic behaviour. Moreover, since the belt is constantly moving during running conditions, non-contact measurement methods are needed. Laser Doppler Vibrometry (LDV) and imaging techniques do represent valid candidates for this purpose. This paper aims at describing the use of Continuous Scanning LDV (CSLDV) as a tool for the dynamic characterisation of timing belts in IC (Internal Combustion) engines (cylinder head). The high-spatial resolution data that can be collected in short testing time makes CSLDV highly suitable for such application. The measurement on a moving surface, however, represents a challenge for CSLDV. The paper discusses how the belt in-plane speed influences CSLDV signal and how an order-based multi-harmonic excitation might affect the recovery of Operational Deflection Shapes in a CSLDV test. A comparison with a standard Discrete Scanning LDV measurement is also given in order to show that a CSLDV test, if well designed, can indeed provide the same amount of information in a drastically reduced amount of time.

Seat-belt wearing and driving behavior: an instrumented-vehicle study.

PubMed

Janssen, W

1994-04-01

Less-than-expected fatality reductions after seat-belt legislation has been introduced in a jurisdiction may be explained in terms of selective recruitment of parts of the driving population and/or behavioral adaptation by beginning belt users. The present investigation has compared the relative merits of these two hypotheses at the level of individual driver behavior. In the initial study the driving behavior of groups of habitual wearers and nonwearers of the belt was compared. Nonwearers made two trips, one with the belt on and one without the belt. Habitual wearers drove belted only. The main part of the experiment was a 105 km freeway route. Two additional tasks of a somewhat more critical nature, a double lane-change manoeuvre and the performance of a braking manoeuvre in front of a fixed obstacle, were performed after the freeway trips. Factor analysis on 39 variables describing driving behavior on the road and during the additional tasks resulted in five factors. One of these, the factor describing the distribution of driving speed on the freeway, differentiated between nonwearers and wearers (thus yielding support for the selective recruitment hypothesis) as well as between wearing and not wearing the belt by the same drivers (thus yielding support for the behavioral adaptation hypothesis). In the follow-up study the original wearers and nonwearers were assigned to one of four experimental treatments: (i) the promise by the experimenter of a considerable incentive for not having a culpable motor vehicle accident over a period of a year. Half the habitual wearer subjects were assigned to this condition. The expectation was that this group would become more careful in their driving; (ii) a control group, consisting of the remaining habitual wearers; (iii) the agreement between the experimenter and the subject that the latter would buckle up in everyday driving for the year to come--half the habitual nonwearer subjects were assigned to this condition; (iv) a control group to the previous treatment, consisting of the remaining habitual nonwearers. All subjects returned for repeat measurements, consisting of the freeway trips plus additional tasks, three times over the next year. The main result was that beginning wearers (group iii) showed signs of continuing behavioral adaptation, in the form of increased speed and increased propensity for close following, as well as several minor effects. The "incentive" group (group i), however, did not change driving behavior in the expected sense, i.e. in the safe direction.

Monitoring Crop Productivity over the U.S. Corn Belt using an Improved Light Use Efficiency Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, X.; Xiao, X.; Zhang, Y.; Qin, Y.; Doughty, R.

2017-12-01

Large-scale monitoring of crop yield is of great significance for forecasting food production and prices and ensuring food security. Satellite data that provide temporally and spatially continuous information that by themselves or in combination with other data or models, raises possibilities to monitor and understand agricultural productivity regionally. In this study, we first used an improved light use efficiency model-Vegetation Photosynthesis Model (VPM) to simulate the gross primary production (GPP). Model evaluation showed that the simulated GPP (GPPVPM) could well captured the spatio-temporal variation of GPP derived from FLUXNET sites. Then we applied the GPPVPM to further monitor crop productivity for corn and soybean over the U.S. Corn Belt and benchmarked with county-level crop yield statistics. We found VPM-based approach provides pretty good estimates (R2 = 0.88, slope = 1.03). We further showed the impacts of climate extremes on the crop productivity and carbon use efficiency. The study indicates the great potential of VPM in estimating crop yield and in understanding of crop yield responses to climate variability and change.

Modelling and control algorithms of the cross conveyors line with multiengine variable speed drives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheremushkina, M. S.; Baburin, S. V.

2017-02-01

The paper deals with the actual problem of developing the control algorithm that meets the technical requirements of the mine belt conveyors, and enables energy and resource savings taking into account a random sort of traffic. The most effective method of solution of these tasks is the construction of control systems with the use of variable speed drives for asynchronous motors. The authors designed the mathematical model of the system ‘variable speed multiengine drive - conveyor - control system of conveyors’ that takes into account the dynamic processes occurring in the elements of the transport system, provides an assessment of the energy efficiency of application the developed algorithms, which allows one to reduce the dynamic overload in the belt to 15-20%.

The Outer Solar System Origins Survey: cold classicals beyond the 2:1 resonance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bannister, Michele T.; Kavelaars, J. J.; Gladman, Brett; Petit, Jean-Marc; Gwyn, Stephen; Volk, Kathryn; Chen, Ying-Tung; Alexandersen, Mike

2015-11-01

With the 85 characterised discoveries from the first quarter of the ongoing Outer Solar System Origins Survey (OSSOS) with MegaPrime on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, we find that the CFEPS L7 model of Petit et al. 2011 remains an accurate parameterization of the classical Kuiper belt's orbital structure, and the population estimate for the main belt remains unchanged (for 39 AU < a < 47 AU). We independently confirm the existence of substructure within the main classical Kuiper belt. The semi-major axis distribution of the stirred component of the cold classicals must contain a clumped ‘kernel’.We detect an extension of the cold classical Kuiper belt that continues at least several AU beyond the 2:1 mean motion resonance with Neptune. This extension would have strong cosmogonic implications for the origin of the classical belt's orbital substructure.We will discuss how the 140 new objects we discovered in the second quarter of OSSOS place further constraints on cold classicals beyond the 2:1 resonance. Our 16-18 month observational arcs and improved astrometric technique continue to achieve extremely high-quality measurements of TNO orbits: fractional semimajor axis uncertainties of our discoveries are consistently in the range 0.01-0.1%, allowing rapid orbital classification.

Experimental and numerical study of heat transfer through a synchronous belt transmission type AT10.

PubMed

Merghache, Sidi Mohammed; Ghernaout, Mohamed El Amine

2017-12-25

In most industrial applications, the re-use of belts in power transmissions continues to increase and invade the market especially in automobiles where various types of belts are used. For this purpose, the belt manufacturers are aware of the importance and the valuable advantages of this transmission member and put all their efforts to develop and improve its geometrical and mechanical characteristics in order to achieve an optimal service life. Indeed, this article is devoted to an experimental and numerical thermal study of a toothed belt transmission type AT10. The tests were carried out on an original derrick of test for the purpose of measuring belt and pulley temperatures, detector devices and data acquisitions will also be described. Further, we have developed a model that calculates the heat flux through our pulley-belt transmission. The results will be synthesized to make a comparison between two thermal fluxes. The first is determined from our mathematical model and the second is calculated using the thermal simulation of this belt pulley transmission. Finally, a discussion of the results, which will allow us to fully understand this thermal phenomenon.

A Computerized Tomography Study of Vocal Tract Setting in Hyperfunctional Dysphonia and in Belting.

PubMed

Saldias, Marcelo; Guzman, Marco; Miranda, Gonzalo; Laukkanen, Anne-Maria

2018-04-03

Vocal tract setting in hyperfunctional patients is characterized by a high larynx and narrowing of the epilaryngeal and pharyngeal region. Similar observations have been made for various singing styles, eg, belting. The voice quality in belting has been described to be loud, speech like, and high pitched. It is also often described as sounding "pressed" or "tense". The above mentioned has led to the hypothesis that belting may be strenuous to the vocal folds. However, singers and teachers of belting do not regard belting as particularly strenuous. This study investigates possible similarities and differences between hyperfunctional voice production and belting. This study concerns vocal tract setting. Four male patients with hyperfunctional dysphonia and one male contemporary commercial music singer were registered with computerized tomography while phonating on [a:] in their habitual speaking pitch. Additionally, the singer used the pitch G4 in belting. The scannings were studied in sagittal and transversal dimensions by measuring lengths, widths, and areas. Various similarities were found between belting and hyperfunction: high vertical larynx position, small hypopharyngeal width, and epilaryngeal outlet. On the other hand, belting differed from dysphonia (in addition to higher pitch) by a wider lip and jaw opening, and larger volumes of the oral cavity. Belting takes advantage of "megaphone shape" of the vocal tract. Future studies should focus on modeling and simulation to address sound energy transfer. Also, they should consider aerodynamic variables and vocal fold vibration to evaluate the "price of decibels" in these phonation types. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Effects of safety belt laws on safety belt use by American High School Seniors, 1986-2000.

PubMed

O'Malley, Patrick M; Wagenaar, Alexander C

2004-01-01

This manuscript evaluates the effects of enactment of state laws that required safety belt use in various U.S. states between 1986 and 2000. Safety belt use was assessed using nationally representative cross-sectional samples of high school seniors; evaluation of the effects of laws used data from over 2,000 high school seniors before and about 3,300 after the laws took effect in 20 states. Belt use was found to increase significantly between 1986 and 2000, and the laws contributed significantly to that increase. Increases were similar for students differing by gender, race/ethnicity, parent education, grades, truancy, evenings out per week, miles driven per week, and an index of illicit drug use. The data show that although the laws have increased belt use, use is not universal and continued efforts are needed. This study shows that many teenagers fail to use belts when there is a secondary use law; an implication is that primary laws would be more efficacious in increasing use among this vulnerable population.

East Europe Report, Economic and Industrial Affairs.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-05-10

Women’s wear, girls ’ wear, men’s wear, uni- forms /continued on following page/ 21 Combine Established Employees VEB’s in the Combined...and handles for purses and luggage Stockings,socks, panty - hose, women’s and children’s slips Belt bands,conveyer belts,textile filters of manmade

Perceived risk and other predictors and correlates of teenagers' safety belt use during the first year of licensure.

PubMed

Ouimet, Marie Claude; Morton, Bruce G Simons; Noelcke, Elizabeth A; Williams, Allan F; Leaf, William A; Preusser, David F; Hartos, Jessica L

2008-03-01

Teenagers have the lowest rate of safety belt use and the highest crash rate compared to other age groups. Past studies on teenagers' belt use have mostly been cross-sectional. The first goals of this study were to examine, at licensure, teenagers' and parents' perceptions of risk of crash/injury for newly licensed teenagers when driving unbelted and teenagers' perceived and parents' intended consequences for safety belt rule violations. In addition, the comparability of these variables to other risky driving behaviors was explored. The second goal was to evaluate the importance of these variables in the prediction of teenagers' belt use during the first year of licensure, relative to other factors related to belt use, including demographics and substance use. More than 2,000 parent-teenager dyads were interviewed by telephone, parents at permit and licensure and teenagers at permit, licensure, and 3, 6, and 12 months after licensure. Approximately a third of the teenagers reported at least once at 3, 6, or 12 months post-licensure not always using their safety belt in the past week. At licensure, participants' perceived risk of safety belt non-use was high and ranked among the behaviors most related to crash/injury for newly licensed teenagers, behind driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Parent-imposed consequences for safety belt rule violations were not as highly rated as parent-imposed consequences for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Sequential logistic regression modeled the relationship between safety belt use and perceived risk and consequences of non-use, as well as other prospective predictors assessed at permit and licensure, and driving correlates measured after licensure. Teenagers' extreme perceived risk and parents' intended sure consequences for non-use were significant prospective predictors of regular use during the first year of licensure. Other significant predictors and correlates were race (White), high school grade average of "A," not smoking cigarettes, driving a passenger vehicle, and never receiving a traffic citation or engaging in risky driving behaviors, including driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and running a red light. While the effect size was small for perceived risk of non-use, it is a modifiable factor and focused intervention contrived to enhance perceived risk could increase teenagers' belt use. Perceived risk is discussed as a target for intervention in relation to the Protection Motivation Theory. This theory appears helpful in guiding future research into the modifiable factors studied here as well as other factors, including perceived rewards and costs associated with non-use.

A continuous-discrete approach for evaluation of natural frequencies and mode shapes of high-rise buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malekinejad, Mohsen; Rahgozar, Reza; Malekinejad, Ali; Rahgozar, Peyman

2016-09-01

In this paper, a continuous-discrete approach based on the concept of lumped mass and equivalent continuous approach is proposed for free vibration analysis of combined system of framed tube, shear core and outrigger-belt truss in high-rise buildings. This system is treated as a continuous system (i.e., discrete beams and columns are replaced with equivalent continuous membranes) and a discrete system (or lumped mass system) at different stages of dynamic analysis. The structure is discretized at each floor of the building as a series of lumped masses placed at the center of shear core. Each mass has two transitional degrees of freedom (lateral and axial( and one rotational. The effect of shear core and outrigger-belt truss on framed tube system is modeled as a rotational spring placed at the location of outrigger-belt truss system along structure's height. By solving the resulting eigen problem, natural frequencies and mode-shapes are obtained. Numerical examples are presented to show acceptable accuracy of the procedure in estimating the fundamental frequencies and corresponding mode shapes of the combined system as compared to finite element analysis of the complete structure. The simplified proposed method is much faster and should be more suitable for rapid interactive design.

Risk of thoracic injury from direct steering wheel impact in frontal crashes.

PubMed

Chen, Rong; Gabler, Hampton C

2014-06-01

The combination of airbag and seat belt is considered to be the most effective vehicle safety system. However, despite the widespread availability of airbags and a belt use rate of more than 85%, US drivers involved in crashes continue to be at risk of serious thoracic injury. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of steering wheel deformation on driver injury risk in frontal automobile crash. The analysis is based on cases extracted from the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System database for case years 1993 to 2011. The approach was to compare the adjusted odds of frontal crash injury experienced by drivers in vehicles with and without steering wheel deformation. Among frontal crash cases with belted drivers, observable steering wheel deformation occurred in less than 4% of all cases but accounted for 30% of belted drivers with serious (Abbreviated Injury Scale [AIS] score, 3+) thoracic injuries. Similarly, steering wheel deformation occurred in approximately 13% of unbelted drivers but accounted for 60% of unbelted drivers with serious thoracic injuries. Belted drivers in frontal crashes with steering wheel deformation were found to have two times greater odds of serious thoracic injury. Unbelted drivers were found to have four times greater odds of serious thoracic injury in crashes with steering wheel deformation. In frontal crashes, steering wheel deformation was more likely to occur in unbelted drivers than belted drivers, as well as higher severity crashes and with heavier drivers. The results of the present study show that airbag deployment and seat belt restraint do not completely eliminate the possibility of steering wheel contact. Even with the most advanced restraint systems, there remains an opportunity for further reduction in thoracic injury by continued enhancement to the seat belt and airbag systems. Furthermore, the results showed that steering wheel deformation is an indicator of potential serious thoracic injury and can be useful to prehospital personnel in improving the diagnosis of serious injuries. Prognostic study, level III.

Evaluation of Criteria for the Detection of Fires in Underground Conveyor Belt Haulageways.

PubMed

Litton, Charles D; Perera, Inoka Eranda

2012-07-01

Large-scale experiments were conducted in an above-ground gallery to simulate typical fires that develop along conveyor belt transport systems within underground coal mines. In the experiments, electrical strip heaters, imbedded ~5 cm below the top surface of a large mass of coal rubble, were used to ignite the coal, producing an open flame. The flaming coal mass subsequently ignited 1.83-meter-wide conveyor belts located approximately 0.30 m above the coal surface. Gas samples were drawn through an averaging probe located approximately 20 m downstream of the coal for continuous measurement of CO, CO 2 , and O 2 as the fire progressed through the stages of smoldering coal, flaming coal, and flaming conveyor belt. Also located approximately 20 m from the fire origin and approximately 0.5 m below the roof of the gallery were two commercially available smoke detectors, a light obscuration meter, and a sampling probe for measurement of total mass concentration of smoke particles. Located upstream of the fire origin and also along the wall of the gallery at approximately 14 m and 5 m upstream were two video cameras capable of both smoke and flame detection. During the experiments, alarm times of the smoke detectors and video cameras were measured while the smoke obscuration and total smoke mass were continually measured. Twelve large-scale experiments were conducted using three different types of fire-resistant conveyor belts and four air velocities for each belt. The air velocities spanned the range from 1.0 m/s to 6.9 m/s. The results of these experiments are compared to previous large-scale results obtained using a smaller fire gallery and much narrower (1.07-m) conveyor belts to determine if the fire detection criteria previously developed (1) remained valid for the wider conveyor belts. Although some differences between these and the previous experiments did occur, the results, in general, compare very favorably. Differences are duly noted and their impact on fire detection discussed.

Biomechanics of 4-point seat belt systems in frontal impacts.

PubMed

Rouhana, Stephen W; Bedewi, Paul G; Kankanala, Sundeep V; Prasad, Priya; Zwolinski, Joseph J; Meduvsky, Alex G; Rupp, Jonathan D; Jeffreys, Thomas A; Schneider, Lawrence W

2003-01-01

The biomechanical behavior of 4-point seat belt systems was investigated through MADYMO modeling, dummy tests and post mortem human subject tests. This study was conducted to assess the effect of 4-point seat belts on the risk of thoracic injury in frontal impacts, to evaluate the ability to prevent submarining under the lap belt using 4-point seat belts, and to examine whether 4-point belts may induce injuries not typically observed with 3-point seat belts. The performance of two types of 4-point seat belts was compared with that of a pretensioned, load-limited, 3-point seat belt. A 3-point belt with an extra shoulder belt that "crisscrossed" the chest (X4) appeared to add constraint to the torso and increased chest deflection and injury risk. Harness style shoulder belts (V4) loaded the body in a different biomechanical manner than 3-point and X4 belts. The V4 belt appeared to shift load to the clavicles and pelvis and to reduce traction of the shoulder belt across the chest, resulting in a reduction in chest deflection by a factor of two. This is associated with a 5 to 500-fold reduction in thoracic injury risk, depending on whether one assumes 4-point belts apply concentrated or distributed load. In four of six post mortem human subjects restrained by V4 belts during 40 km/h sled tests, chest compression was zero or negative and rib fractures were nearly eliminated. Submarining was not observed in any test with post mortem human subjects. Though lumbar, sacral and pelvic injuries were noted, they are believed to be due to the artificial restraint environment (no knee bolsters, instrument panels, steering systems or airbags). While they show significant potential to reduce thoracic injury risk, there are still many issues to be resolved before 4-point belts can be considered for production vehicles. These issues include, among others, potential effects on hard and soft neck tissues, of interaction with inboard shoulder belts in farside impacts and potential effects on the fetus of latch/buckle junctions at the centerline of pregnant occupants. Work continues at Ford Motor Company to resolve these issues.

The Belt voice: Acoustical measurements and esthetic correlates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bounous, Barry Urban

This dissertation explores the esthetic attributes of the Belt voice through spectral acoustical analysis. The process of understanding the nature and safe practice of Belt is just beginning, whereas the understanding of classical singing is well established. The unique nature of the Belt sound provides difficulties for voice teachers attempting to evaluate the quality and appropriateness of a particular sound or performance. This study attempts to provide answers to the question "does Belt conform to a set of measurable esthetic standards?" In answering this question, this paper expands on a previous study of the esthetic attributes of the classical baritone voice (see "Vocal Beauty", NATS Journal 51,1) which also drew some tentative conclusions about the Belt voice but which had an inadequate sample pool of subjects from which to draw. Further, this study demonstrates that it is possible to scientifically investigate the realm of musical esthetics in the singing voice. It is possible to go beyond the "a trained voice compared to an untrained voice" paradigm when evaluating quantitative vocal parameters and actually investigate what truly beautiful voices do. There are functions of sound energy (measured in dB) transference which may affect the nervous system in predictable ways and which can be measured and associated with esthetics. This study does not show consistency in measurements for absolute beauty (taste) even among belt teachers and researchers but does show some markers with varying degrees of importance which may point to a difference between our cognitive learned response to singing and our emotional, more visceral response to sounds. The markers which are significant in determining vocal beauty are: (1) Vibrancy-Characteristics of vibrato including speed, width, and consistency (low variability). (2) Spectral makeup-Ratio of partial strength above the fundamental to the fundamental. (3) Activity of the voice-The quantity of energy being produced. (4) Consistency of the voice-How low is the variability in the energy patterns of the voice.

Barriers to implementing climate resilient agricultural strategies: The case of crop diversification in the U.S. Corn Belt

Treesearch

Gabrielle E. Roesch-McNally; J.G. Arbuckle; John C. Tyndall

2018-01-01

Cropping system diversity can help build greater agroecosystem resilience by suppressing insect, weed, and disease pressures while also mitigating effects of extreme and more variable weather. Despite the potential benefits of cropping systems diversity, few farmers in the US Corn Belt use diverse rotations. This study examines factors that may influence farmers’...

Determination of Sources of Escherichia coli on Beef by Multiple-Locus Variable-Number Tandem Repeat Analysis.

PubMed

Yang, Xianqin; Tran, Frances; Youssef, Mohamed K; Gill, Colin O

2015-07-01

The possible origin of Escherichia coli found on cuts and trimmings in the breaking facility of a beef packing plant was examined using multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis. Coliforms and E. coli were enumerated in samples obtained from 160 carcasses that would enter the breaking facility when work commenced and after each of the three production breaks throughout the day, from the conveyor belt before work and after each break, and from cuts and trimmings when work commenced and after each break. Most samples yielded no E. coli, irrespective of the surface types. E. coli was recovered from 7 (<5%) carcasses, at numbers mostly ≤1.0 log CFU/160,000 cm(2). The log total numbers of E. coli recovered from the conveyor belt, cuts, and trimmings were mostly between 1 and 2 log CFU/80,000 cm(2). A total of 554 E. coli isolates were recovered. Multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis of 327 selected isolates identified 80 distinct genotypes, with 37 (46%) each containing one isolate. However, 28% of the isolates were of genotypes that were recovered from more than one sampling day. Of the 80 genotypes, 65 and 2% were found in one or all four sampling periods throughout the day. However, they represented 23 and 14% of the isolates, respectively. Of the genotypes identified for each surface type, at least one contained ≥9 isolates. No unique genotypes were associated with carcasses, but 10, 17, and 19 were uniquely associated with cuts, trimmings, and the belt, respectively. Of the isolates recovered from cuts, 49, 3, and 19% were of genotypes that were found among isolates recovered from the belt, carcasses, or both the belt and carcasses, respectively. A similar composition was found for isolates recovered from trimmings. These findings show that the E. coli found on cuts and trimmings at this beef packing plant mainly originated from the conveyor belt and that small number of E. coli strains survived the daily cleaning and sanitation process, thus persisting in the plant.

A method for automated control of belt velocity changes with an instrumented treadmill.

PubMed

Hinkel-Lipsker, Jacob W; Hahn, Michael E

2016-01-04

Increased practice difficulty during asymmetrical split-belt treadmill rehabilitation has been shown to improve gait outcomes during retention and transfer tests. However, research in this area has been limited by manual treadmill operation. In the case of variable practice, which requires stride-by-stride changes to treadmill belt velocities, the treadmill control must be automated. This paper presents a method for automation of asymmetrical split-belt treadmill walking, and evaluates how well this method performs with regards to timing of gait events. One participant walked asymmetrically for 100 strides, where the non-dominant limb was driven at their self-selected walking speed, while the other limb was driven randomly on a stride-by-stride basis. In the control loop, the key factors to insure that the treadmill belt had accelerated to its new velocity safely during the swing phase were the sampling rate of the A/D converter, processing time within the controller software, and acceleration of the treadmill belt. The combination of these three factors resulted in a total control loop time during each swing phase that satisfied these requirements with a factor of safety that was greater than 4. Further, a polynomial fit indicated that belt acceleration was the largest contributor to changes in this total time. This approach appears to be safe and reliable for stride-by-stride adjustment of treadmill belt speed, making it suitable for future asymmetrical split-belt walking studies. Further, it can be incorporated into virtual reality rehabilitation paradigms that utilize split-belt treadmill walking. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Asian monsoon's role in atmospheric heat transport responses to orbital and millennial-scale climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGee, D.; Green, B.; Donohoe, A.; Marshall, J.

2015-12-01

Recent studies have provided a framework for understanding the zonal-mean position of the tropical rain belt by documenting relationships between rain belt latitude and atmospheric heat transport across the equator (Donohoe et al., 2013). Modern seasonal and interannual variability in globally-averaged rain belt position (often referred to as 'ITCZ position') reflects the interhemispheric heat balance, with the rain belt's displacement toward the warmer hemisphere directly proportional to atmospheric heat transport into the cooler hemisphere. Model simulations suggest that rain belt shifts are likely to have obeyed the same relationship with interhemispheric heat transport in response to past changes in orbital parameters, ice sheets, and ocean circulation. This relationship implies that even small (±1 degree) shifts in the mean rain belt require large changes in hemispheric heat budgets, placing tight bounds on mean rain belt shifts in past climates. This work has primarily viewed tropical circulation in two dimensions, as a pair of zonal-mean Hadley cells on either side of the rain belt that are displaced north and south by perturbations in hemispheric energy budgets, causing the atmosphere to transport heat into the cooler hemisphere. Here we attempt to move beyond this zonal-mean perspective, motivated by arguments that the Asian monsoon system, rather than the zonal-mean circulation, plays the dominant role in annual-mean heat transport into the southern hemisphere in the modern climate (Heaviside and Czaja, 2012; Marshall et al., 2014). We explore a range of climate change experiments, including simulations of North Atlantic cooling and mid-Holocene climate, to test whether changes in interhemispheric atmospheric heat transport are primarily driven by the mean Hadley circulation, the Asian monsoon system, or other regional-scale atmospheric circulation changes. The scalings that this work identifies between Asian monsoon changes and atmospheric heat transport help to provide quantitative insights into Asian monsoon variability in past climates. References cited: Donohoe, A. et al., (2013) Journal of Climate 26, 3597-3618. Heaviside, C. and Czaja, A. (2012) Quart. J. Royal Met. Soc. 139, 2181-2189. Marshall, J. et al., (2014) Climate Dynamics 42, 1967-1979.

Method for determining molten metal pool level in twin-belt continuous casting machines

DOEpatents

Kaiser, Timothy D.; Daniel, Sabah S.; Dykes, Charles D.

1989-03-21

A method for determining level of molten metal in the input of a continuous metal casting machine having at least one endless, flexible, revolving casting belt with a surface which engages the molten metal to be cast and a reverse, cooled surface along which is directed high velocity liquid coolant includes the steps of predetermining the desired range of positions of the molten metal pool and positioning at least seven heat-sensing transducers in bearing contact with the moving reverse belt surface and spaced in upstream-downstream relationship relative to belt travel spanning the desired pool levels. A predetermined temperature threshold is set, somewhat above coolant temperature and the output signals of the transducer sensors are scanned regarding their output signals indicative of temperatures of the moving reverse belt surface. Position of the molten pool is determined using temperature interpolation between any successive pair of upstream-downstream spaced sensors, which follows confirmation that two succeeding downstream sensors are at temperature levels exceeding threshold temperature. The method accordingly provides high resolution for determining pool position, and verifies the determined position by utilizing full-strength signals from two succeeding downstream sensors. In addition, dual sensors are used at each position spanning the desired range of molten metal pool levels to provide redundancy, wherein only the higher temperature of each pair of sensors at a station is utilized.

Biomechanical considerations for assessing interactions of children and small occupants with inflatable seat belts.

PubMed

Rouhana, Stephen W; Sundararajan, Srinivasan; Board, Derek; Prasad, Priya; Rupp, Jonathan D; Miller, Carl S; Jeffreys, Thomas A; Schneider, Lawrence W

2013-11-01

NHTSA estimates that more than half of the lives saved (168,524) in car crashes between 1960 and 2002 were due to the use of seat belts. Nevertheless, while seat belts are vital to occupant crash protection, safety researchers continue efforts to further enhance the capability of seat belts in reducing injury and fatality risk in automotive crashes. Examples of seat belt design concepts that have been investigated by researchers include inflatable, 4-point, and reverse geometry seat belts. In 2011, Ford Motor Company introduced the first rear seat inflatable seat belts into production vehicles. A series of tests with child and small female-sized Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATD) and small, elderly female Post Mortem Human Subjects (PMHS) was performed to evaluate interactions of prototype inflatable seat belts with the chest, upper torso, head and neck of children and small occupants, from infants to young adolescents. Tests simulating a 6-year-old child asleep in a booster seat, with its head lying directly on its shoulder on top of the inflatable seat belt, were considered by engineering judgment, to represent a worst case scenario for interaction of an inflating seat belt with the head and neck of a child and/or small occupant. All evaluations resulted in ATD responses below Injury Assessment Reference Values reported by Mertz et al. (2003). In addition, the tests of the PMHS subjects resulted in no injuries from interaction of the inflating seat belt with the heads, necks, and chests of the subjects. Given the results from the ATD and PMHS tests, it was concluded that the injury risk to children and small occupants from deployment of inflatable seat belt systems is low.

The thrust belt in Southwest Montana and east-central Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ruppel, Edward T.; Lopez, David A.

1984-01-01

The leading edge of the Cordilleran fold and thrust in southwest Montana appears to be a continuation of the edge of the Wyoming thrust belt, projected northward beneath the Snake River Plain. Trces of the thrust faults that form the leading edge of the thrust belts are mostly concealed, but stratigraphic and structural evidence suggests that the belt enters Montana near the middle of the Centennial Mountains, continues west along the Red Rock River valley, and swings north into the Highland Mountains near Butte. The thrust belt in southwest Montana and east-central Idaho includes at least two major plates -- the Medicine Lodge and Grasshopper thrust plates -- each of which contains a distinctive sequence of rocks, different in facies and structural style from those of the cratonic region east of the thrust belt. The thrust plates are characterized by persuasive, open to tight and locally overturned folds, and imbricate thrust faults, structural styles unusual in Phanerozoic cratonic rocks. The basal decollement zones of the plates are composed of intensely sheared, crushed, brecciated, and mylonitized rocks, the decollement at the base of the Medicine Lodge plate is as much as 300 meters thick. The Medicine Lodge and Grasshopper thrust plates are fringed on the east by a 10- to 50-kilometer-wide zone of tightly folded rocks cut by imbricate thrust fauls, a zone that forms the eastern margin of the thrust belt in southwest Montana. The frontal fold and thrust zone includes rocks that are similar to those of the craton, even though they differ in details of thickness, composition, or stratigraphic sequence. The zone is interpreted to be one of terminal folding and thrusting in cratonic rocks overridden by the major thrust plates from farther west. The cratonic rocks were drape-folded over rising basement blocks that formed a foreland bulge in front of the thrust belt. The basement blocks are bounded by steep faults of Proterozoic ancestry, which also moved as tear faults during thrusting, and seem to have controlled the curving patterns of salients and reentrants at the leading edge of the thrust belt. Radiometric and stratiographic evidence shows that the thrust belt was in its present position by about 75 million year go.

Association between exposure/non-exposure to the mandatory seat belt law with regards to compliance in vehicle accident victims--a hospital review.

PubMed

Williams, E W; Reid, M; Lindo, J L M; Williams-Johnson, J; French, S; Singh, P; McDonald, A H

2007-06-01

Injuries sustained in motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) are a major challenge to the Jamaican healthcare system. In November 1999, Jamaica enacted legislation to make seat belt usage in motor vehicles compulsory. The effect of this policy change on seat belt usage is unclear. This study therefore sought to determine the prevalence of seat belt usage and to determine the association between exposure/non-exposure to the mandatory seat belt law and seat belt use in subjects who presented to the Accident and Emergency Department (A&E) of the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) as a result of motor vehicle accidents. Subjects were recruited from June to November 2003, post-seat belt law (POBL) period, and May to October 1999, pre-seat belt law (PRBL) period. Data collected included demographic variables, seat belt use and position of the occupants in the vehicle. Of the 277 patients who were eligible for inclusion, data were complete in 258 subjects, 87 in the PRBL period and 171 in the POBL period. The prevalence of seat belt use was 47% (PRBL) and 63% (POBL) respectively. There was no significant gender difference at each period. The odds of wearing seat belt in the rear of a motor vehicle were significantly lower than that of a driver (Table 3, OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.07, 0.48). Adjusting for age, gender and position in vehicle exposure, there was about 100% increase in the odds of seat belt use during the post seat belt law era (OR = 2.09, 95% CI 1.21, 3.61). It is concluded from this hospital-based study that the mandatory seat belt law legislature was associated with increased seat belt use in motor vehicle accident victims. However, current data from the Road Traffic Agency indicate that there is still an alarming number of fatalities. This clearly suggests that additional public health measures are needed to address the epidemic of motor vehicle trauma in Jamaica.

Stacking and metamorphism of continuous segments of subducted lithosphere in a high-pressure wedge: The example of Alpine Corsica (France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vitale Brovarone, Alberto; Beyssac, Olivier; Malavieille, Jacques; Molli, Giancarlo; Beltrando, Marco; Compagnoni, Roberto

2013-01-01

Alpine Corsica consists of a stack of variably metamorphosed units of continental and Tethys-derived rocks. It represents an excellent example of high-pressure (HP) orogenic belt, such as the Western Alps, exposed over a small and accessible area. Compared to the Western Alps, the geology of Alpine Corsica is poorly unraveled. During the 1970s-80s, based on either lithostratigraphic or metamorphic field observations, various classifications of the belt have been proposed, but these classifications have been rarely matched together. Furthermore, through time, the internal complexity of large domains has been progressively left aside in the frame of large-scale geodynamic reconstructions. As a consequence, major open questions on the internal structure of the belt have remained unsolved. Apart from a few local studies, Alpine Corsica has not benefited of modern developments in petrology and basin research. This feature results in several uncertainties when combining lithostratigraphic and metamorphic patterns and, consequently, in the definition of an exhaustive architecture of the belt. In this paper we provide a review on the geology of Alpine Corsica, paying particular attention to the available lithostratigraphic and metamorphic classifications of the metamorphic terranes. These data are completed by a new and exhaustive metamorphic dataset obtained by means of thermometry based on Raman Spectroscopy of Carbonaceous Material (RSCM). This technique provides reliable insights on the peak temperature of the metamorphic history for CM-bearing metasediments. A detailed metamorphic characterization of metasediments, which have been previously largely ignored due to retrogression or to the lack of diagnostic mineralogy, is thus obtained and fruitfully coupled with the available lithostratigraphic data. Nine main tectono-metamorphic units are defined, from subgreenschist (ca. 280-300 °C) to the lawsonite-eclogite-facies (ca. 500-550 °C) condition. These units are homogeneous in metamorphism, laterally continuous and have characteristic lithostratigraphic features. This study also suggests a direct link between the pre-orogenic extensional setting and the present-day compressional structure of Alpine Corsica, indicating that large sections of subducted lithosphere were subducted and exhumed as coherent domains. These features provide important insight on the mechanism of stacking and exhumation of HP rocks, and make Alpine Corsica a unique reference for mountain-building processes in Tethyan-type orogens.

The Santa Cruz - Tarija Province of Central South America: Los Monos - Machareti(!) Petroleum System

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindquist, Sandra J.

1999-01-01

The Los Monos - Machareti(!) total petroleum system is in the Santa Cruz - Tarija Province of Bolivia, Argentina and Paraguay. Province history is that of a Paleozoic, intracratonic, siliciclastic rift basin that evolved into a Miocene (Andean) foreland fold and thrust belt. Existing fields are typified by alternating reservoir and seal rocks in post-Ordovician sandstones and shales on anticlines. Thick Devonian and Silurian shale source rocks, depositionally and erosionally confined to this province, at a minimum have generated 4.1 BBOE known ultimate recoverable reserves (as of 1995, 77% gas, 15% condensate, 8% oil) into dominantly Carboniferous reservoirs with average 20% porosity and 156 md permeability. Major detachment surfaces within the source rocks contributed to the thin-skinned and laterally continuous nature of the deformation. Tertiary foreland burial adequate for significant source maturation coincided with the formation of compressional traps. Further hydrocarbon discovery in the fold and thrust belt is expected. In the foreland basin, higher thermal gradients and variable burial history - combined with the presence of unconformity and onlap wedges - create potential there for stratigraphic traps and pre-Andean, block-fault and forced-fold traps.

The Surface Composition of Large Kuiper Belt Object 2007 OR10

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, M. E.; Burgasser, A. J.; Fraser, W. C.

2011-09-01

We present photometry and spectra of the large Kuiper belt object 2007 OR10. The data show significant near-infrared absorption features due to water ice. While most objects in the Kuiper belt with water ice absorption this prominent have the optically neutral colors of water ice, 2007 OR10 is among the reddest Kuiper belt objects known. One other large Kuiper belt object—Quaoar—has similar red coloring and water ice absorption, and it is hypothesized that the red coloration of this object is due to irradiation of the small amounts of methane able to be retained on Quaoar. 2007 OR10, though warmer than Quaoar, is in a similar volatile retention regime because it is sufficiently larger that its stronger gravity can still retain methane. We propose, therefore, that the red coloration on 2007 OR10 is also caused by the retention of small amounts of methane. Positive detection of methane on 2007 OR10 will require spectra with higher signal to noise. Models for volatile retention on Kuiper belt objects appear to continue to do an excellent job reproducing all of the available observations.

Compliance with Seat Belt Use in Makurdi, Nigeria: An Observational Study

PubMed Central

Popoola, SO; Oluwadiya, KS; Kortor, JN; Denen-Akaa, P; Onyemaechi, NOC

2013-01-01

Background: Seat belts are designed to reduce injuries due to road crash among vehicle occupants. Aims: This study aims to determine the availability of seat belt in vehicles and compliance with seat belt use among vehicle occupants. Materials and methods: This was a 24-h direct observational study of seat belt usage among vehicle occupants in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. By direct surveillance and using a datasheet, we observed 500 vehicles and their occupants for seat belt availability and compliance with its use. Chi-square test was used for test of significance between variables. Results: Twenty-five (5.0%) of the observed 500 vehicles had no seat belt at all. Overall, compliance was 277/486 (57.0%). Use of seat belt was highest in the afternoon with 124/194 (64.4%), followed by 111/188 (59.0%) in the morning and 42/95 (44.2%) at night. Compliance was highest among car occupants [209/308 (67.9%)] and private vehicles, and lowest among commercial vehicle occupants. Compliance among female drivers was 77.1% compared with 51.4% among male drivers. Among drivers, the mean age of seat belt users was 38.4 (7.7) years, which was significantly younger than the 41.3 (8.7) years mean age of non-users. Similar figures were obtained among other vehicle occupants. Conclusions: Compared with previous studies, seat belt usage has improved among Nigerian road users, but there is still room for improvement, especially early in the mornings and at nights. Since these were times when law enforcement agencies were not likely to be on the roads, we advocate for improved coverage by enforcement agents to enforce better compliance. PMID:24116327

Klippen Belt, Flysch Belt and Inner Western Carpathian Paleogene Basin Relations in the Northern Slovakia by Magnetotelluric Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majcin, Dušan; Bezák, Vladimír; Klanica, Radek; Vozár, Ján; Pek, Josef; Bilčík, Dušan; Telecký, Josef

2018-05-01

The paper presents the interpretation of magnetotelluric measurements along the SW-NE profile near Stará Ľubovňa (Northern Slovakia). The profile passes through the Outer Carpathian Flysch Belt, Klippen Belt and ends in the Inner Western Carpathians Paleogene NW from Ružbachy horst structure. The interpretation of the older measurements from profile Mt4 was utilized and, moreover, the 3-D geoelectrical model of studied region was constructed. The magnetotelluric data interpretations verified the northern inclination of Flysch belt structures and their smaller thickness out of Klippen Belt in direction to the Carpathian electrical conductivity zone axis. We consider this as a consequence of the flower structure—more precisely the southern branch of the suture zone related to mentioned conductivity zone. Northerly from this zone the thickness of the Outer Carpathian Flysch Belt increases and the structures have inclination to the south, i.e. to the subduction zone. The contact of Flysch Belt with Klippen Belt has a fault character and it is subvertical, slightly inclined to the North. The southern boundary between Klippen Belt and Inner Western Carpathians has also fault character and is very steep. We detect the continuation of the Ružbachy horst to the NE in the basement of Inner Western Carpathian Paleogene. The structural discordance between this horst and Klippen Belt direction is a result of younger tectonic processes. According to our results the depth distribution of the pre-Tertiary basement below the Inner Western Carpathian units is non-uniform; the basement is broken to a number of partial blocks—horsts and grabens.

Improving seat belt use among teen drivers: findings from a service-learning approach.

PubMed

Goldzweig, Irwin A; Levine, Robert S; Schlundt, David; Bradley, Richard; Jones, Gennifer D; Zoorob, Roger J; Ekundayo, O James

2013-10-01

Low seat belt use and higher crash rates contribute to persistence of motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of teenage death. Service-learning has been identified as an important component of public health interventions to improve health behavior. A service-learning intervention was conducted in eleven selected high schools across the United States in the 2011-2012 school year. Direct morning and afternoon observations of seat belt use were used to obtain baseline observations during the fall semester and post-intervention observations in the spring. The Mann-Whitney U test for 2 independent samples was used to evaluate if the intervention was associated with a statistically significant change in seat belt use. We identified factors associated with seat belt use post-intervention using multivariable logistic regression. Overall seat belt use rate increased by 12.8%, from 70.4% at baseline to 83.2% post-intervention (p<0.0001). A statistically significant increase in seat belt use was noted among white, black, and Hispanic teen drivers. However, black and Hispanic drivers were still less likely to use seat belts while driving compared to white drivers. Female drivers and drivers who had passengers in their vehicle had increased odds of seat belt use. A high school service-learning intervention was associated with improved seat belt use regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender, but did not eliminate disparities adversely affecting minority youth. Continuous incorporation of service-learning in high school curricula could benefit quality improvement evaluations aimed at disparities elimination and might improve the safety behavior of emerging youth cohorts. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Formation of fold and thrust belts on Venus due to horizontal shortening of a laterally heterogeneous lithosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zuber, M. T.; Parmentier, E. M.; Neumann, G. A.

1994-01-01

An outstanding question relevant to understanding the tectonics of Venus is the mechanism of formation of fold and thrust belts, such as the mountain belts that surround Lakshmi Planum in western Ishtar Terra. These structures are typically long (hundreds of km) and narrow (many tens of km), and are often located at the margins of relatively high (km-scale) topographic rises. Previous studies have attempted to explain fold and thrust belts in various areas of Venus in the context of viscous and brittle wedge theory. However, while wedge theory can explain the change in elevation from the rise to the adjacent lowland, it fails to account for a fundamental aspect of the deformation, i.e., the topographic high at the edge of the rise. In this study we quantitatively explore the hypothesis that fold and thrust belt morphology on Venus can alternatively be explained by horizontal shortening of a lithosphere that is laterally heterogeneous, due either to a change in thickness of the lithosphere or the crust. Lateral heterogeneities in lithosphere structure may arise in response to thermal thinning or extensive faulting, while variations in crustal thickness may arise due to either spatially variable melting of mantle material or by horizontal shortening of the crust. In a variable thickness lithosphere or crust that is horizontally shortened, deformation will tend to localize in the vicinity of thickness heterogeneity, resulting in a higher component of dynamic topography there as compared to elsewhere in the shortening lithosphere. This mechanism may thus provide a simple explanation for the topographic high at the edge of the rise.

Formation of fold and thrust belts on Venus due to horizontal shortening of a laterally heterogeneous lithosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuber, M. T.; Parmentier, E. M.; Neumann, G. A.

1994-03-01

An outstanding question relevant to understanding the tectonics of Venus is the mechanism of formation of fold and thrust belts, such as the mountain belts that surround Lakshmi Planum in western Ishtar Terra. These structures are typically long (hundreds of km) and narrow (many tens of km), and are often located at the margins of relatively high (km-scale) topographic rises. Previous studies have attempted to explain fold and thrust belts in various areas of Venus in the context of viscous and brittle wedge theory. However, while wedge theory can explain the change in elevation from the rise to the adjacent lowland, it fails to account for a fundamental aspect of the deformation, i.e., the topographic high at the edge of the rise. In this study we quantitatively explore the hypothesis that fold and thrust belt morphology on Venus can alternatively be explained by horizontal shortening of a lithosphere that is laterally heterogeneous, due either to a change in thickness of the lithosphere or the crust. Lateral heterogeneities in lithosphere structure may arise in response to thermal thinning or extensive faulting, while variations in crustal thickness may arise due to either spatially variable melting of mantle material or by horizontal shortening of the crust. In a variable thickness lithosphere or crust that is horizontally shortened, deformation will tend to localize in the vicinity of thickness heterogeneity, resulting in a higher component of dynamic topography there as compared to elsewhere in the shortening lithosphere. This mechanism may thus provide a simple explanation for the topographic high at the edge of the rise.

Structure, metamorphism, and geochronology of the Cosmos Hills and Ruby Ridge, Brooks Range schist belt, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Christiansen, Peter B.; Snee, Lawrence W.

1994-01-01

The boundary of the internal zones of the Brooks Range orogenic belt (the schist belt) is a fault contact that dips toward the hinterland (the Yukon-Koyukuk province). This fault, here referred to as the Cosmos Hills fault zone, juxtaposes oceanic rocks and unmetamorphosed sedimentary rocks structurally above blueschist-to-greenschist facies metamorphic rocks of the schist belt. Near the fault contact, schist belt rocks are increasingly affected by a prominent, subhorizontal transposition foliation that is locally mylonitic in the fault zone. Structural and petrologic observations combined with 40Ar/39Ar incremental-release geochronology give evidence for a polyphase metamorphic and deformational history beginning in the Middle Jurassic and continuing until the Late Cretaceous. Our 40Ar/39Ar cooling age for Jurassic metamorphism is consistent with stratigraphic and other evidence for the onset of Brooks Range orogenesis. Jurassic metamorphism is nearly everywhere overprinted by a regional greenschist-facies event dated at 130–125 Ma. Near the contact with the Cosmos Hills fault zone, the schist belt is increasingly affected by a younger greenschist metamorphism that is texturally related to a prominent foliation that folds and transposes an older fabric. The 40Ar/39Ar results on phengite and fuchsite that define this younger fabric give recrystallization ages ranging from 103 to less than 90 Ma. We conclude that metamorphism that formed the transposition fabric peaked around 100 Ma and may have continued until well after 90 Ma. This age for greenschist metamorphism is broadly synchronous with the depositional age of locally derived, shallow-marine clastic sedimentary strata in the hanging wall of the fault zone and thus substantiates the interpretation that the fault zone accommodated extension in the Late Cretaceous. This extension unroofed and exhumed the schist belt during relative subsidence of the Yukon-Koyukuk province.

Moon-based visibility analysis for the observation of “The Belt and Road”

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

REN, Yuanzhen; GUO, Huadong; LIU, Guang; YE, Hanlin; DING, Yixing; RUAN, Zhixing; LV, Mingyang

2016-11-01

Aiming at promoting the economic prosperity and regional economic cooperation, the “Silk Road Economic Belt” and the “21st Century Maritime Silk Road” (hereinafter referred to as the Belt and Road) was raised. To get a better understanding of “the Belt and Road” whole region, considering the large-scale characteristic, the Moon platform is a good choice. In this paper, the ephemeris is taken as data source and the positions and attitudes of Sun, Earth and Moon are obtained based on the reference systems transformation. Then we construct a simplified observation model and calculate the spatial and angular visibility of the Moon platform for “the Belt and Road” region. It turns out that Moon-based observation of this region shows a good performance of spatial visibility and variable angular visibility, indicating the Moon being a new potential platform for large-scale Earth observation.

Do seat belts and air bags reduce mortality and injury severity after car accidents?

PubMed

Cummins, Justin S; Koval, Kenneth J; Cantu, Robert V; Spratt, Kevin F

2011-03-01

We studied National Trauma Data Bank data to determine the effectiveness of car safety devices in reducing mortality and injury severity in 184,992 patients between 1988 and 2004. Safety device variables were seat belt used plus air bag deployed; only seat belt used; only air bag deployed; and, as explicitly coded, no device used. Overall mortality was 4.17%. Compared with the no-device group, the seat-belt-plus-air-bag group had a 67% reduction in mortality (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.33; 99% confidence interval [CI], 0.28-0.39), the seatbelt- only group had a 51% mortality reduction (AOR, 0.49; 99% CI, 0.45-0.52), and the air-bag-only group had a 32% mortality reduction (AOR, 0.68, 99% CI, 0.57-0.80). Injury Severity Scores showed a similar pattern.

Evaluation of Criteria for the Detection of Fires in Underground Conveyor Belt Haulageways

PubMed Central

Litton, Charles D.; Perera, Inoka Eranda

2015-01-01

Large-scale experiments were conducted in an above-ground gallery to simulate typical fires that develop along conveyor belt transport systems within underground coal mines. In the experiments, electrical strip heaters, imbedded ~5 cm below the top surface of a large mass of coal rubble, were used to ignite the coal, producing an open flame. The flaming coal mass subsequently ignited 1.83-meter-wide conveyor belts located approximately 0.30 m above the coal surface. Gas samples were drawn through an averaging probe located approximately 20 m downstream of the coal for continuous measurement of CO, CO2, and O2 as the fire progressed through the stages of smoldering coal, flaming coal, and flaming conveyor belt. Also located approximately 20 m from the fire origin and approximately 0.5 m below the roof of the gallery were two commercially available smoke detectors, a light obscuration meter, and a sampling probe for measurement of total mass concentration of smoke particles. Located upstream of the fire origin and also along the wall of the gallery at approximately 14 m and 5 m upstream were two video cameras capable of both smoke and flame detection. During the experiments, alarm times of the smoke detectors and video cameras were measured while the smoke obscuration and total smoke mass were continually measured. Twelve large-scale experiments were conducted using three different types of fire-resistant conveyor belts and four air velocities for each belt. The air velocities spanned the range from 1.0 m/s to 6.9 m/s. The results of these experiments are compared to previous large-scale results obtained using a smaller fire gallery and much narrower (1.07-m) conveyor belts to determine if the fire detection criteria previously developed (1) remained valid for the wider conveyor belts. Although some differences between these and the previous experiments did occur, the results, in general, compare very favorably. Differences are duly noted and their impact on fire detection discussed. PMID:26566298

Spatial and temporal relations between coronae and extensional belts, northern Lada Terra, Venus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baer, G.; Schubert, G.; Bindschadler, D. L.; Stofan, E. R.

1994-04-01

Preliminary studies of the distribution of coronae and volcanic rises on Venus show that many of these features tend to cluster along zones of rifting and extension. The plains north of Lada Terra are crossed by two such extensional belts. Each belt is composed of grabens, ridges, faults, volcanic flows, coronae and coronalike features. The longer and more prominent belt is the NW trending Alpha-Lada extensional belt, which is over 6000 km long and 50-200 km wide, and includes the coronae Eve, Tamfana, Carpo, Selu, Derceto, Otygen, and an unnamed corona south of Otygen. The second belt is the NNE trending Derceto-Quetzalpetlatl extensional belt, which is about 2000 km long and in places over 300 km wide, and includes the coronae Sarpanitum, Eithinoha, and Quetzalpetlatl. The two belts intersect at the 1600 x 600 km wide Derceto volcanic plateau. It is apparent that deformation along the two belts overlapped in time, though deformation along the Alpha-Lada extensional belt probably continued after the deformation along the Derceto-Quetzalpetlatl extensional belt terminated. In certain areas, volcanism originated in grabens within the extensional belts, whereas in other areas, such as in Eve, Selu, Derceto, and Quetzalpetlatl, volcanism originated in the coronae and flowed into the lower parts of the extensional belts. Regional extension has affected the evolution of all the coronae at some stage of their development. Regional deformation occurred before the initiation of Derceto and Eithinoha of their development. Regional deformation occurred before the initiation of Derceto and Eithinoha and after the initiation of Carpo, Tamfana, Otygen, and Sarpanitum. It is thus unlikely that coronae formation along the belts is solely a consequence of the regional extension, and it is also unlikely that regional extension has been caused solely by the coronae. No corona along the belts was formed subsequent to the cessation of the regional extension. We therefore suggest that the regional extension and the coronae are interrelated. Some of the coronae may have determined the location of the surface expression of the regional extension, whereas the locations of other coronae may have been influenced by the concentration of regional extensional stresses.

[Optimization of vacuum belt drying process of Gardeniae Fructus in Reduning injection by Box-Behnken design-response surface methodology].

PubMed

Huang, Dao-sheng; Shi, Wei; Han, Lei; Sun, Ke; Chen, Guang-bo; Wu Jian-xiong; Xu, Gui-hong; Bi, Yu-an; Wang, Zhen-zhong; Xiao, Wei

2015-06-01

To optimize the belt drying process conditions optimization of Gardeniae Fructus extract from Reduning injection by Box-Behnken design-response surface methodology, on the basis of single factor experiment, a three-factor and three-level Box-Behnken experimental design was employed to optimize the drying technology of Gardeniae Fructus extract from Reduning injection. With drying temperature, drying time, feeding speed as independent variables and the content of geniposide as dependent variable, the experimental data were fitted to a second order polynomial equation, establishing the mathematical relationship between the content of geniposide and respective variables. With the experimental data analyzed by Design-Expert 8. 0. 6, the optimal drying parameter was as follows: the drying temperature was 98.5 degrees C , the drying time was 89 min, the feeding speed was 99.8 r x min(-1). Three verification experiments were taked under this technology and the measured average content of geniposide was 564. 108 mg x g(-1), which was close to the model prediction: 563. 307 mg x g(-1). According to the verification test, the Gardeniae Fructus belt drying process is steady and feasible. So single factor experiments combined with response surface method (RSM) could be used to optimize the drying technology of Reduning injection Gardenia extract.

A Maximum Likelihood Ensemble Data Assimilation Method Tailored to the Inner Radiation Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guild, T. B.; O'Brien, T. P., III; Mazur, J. E.

2014-12-01

The Earth's radiation belts are composed of energetic protons and electrons whose fluxes span many orders of magnitude, whose distributions are log-normal, and where data-model differences can be large and also log-normal. This physical system thus challenges standard data assimilation methods relying on underlying assumptions of Gaussian distributions of measurements and data-model differences, where innovations to the model are small. We have therefore developed a data assimilation method tailored to these properties of the inner radiation belt, analogous to the ensemble Kalman filter but for the unique cases of non-Gaussian model and measurement errors, and non-linear model and measurement distributions. We apply this method to the inner radiation belt proton populations, using the SIZM inner belt model [Selesnick et al., 2007] and SAMPEX/PET and HEO proton observations to select the most likely ensemble members contributing to the state of the inner belt. We will describe the algorithm, the method of generating ensemble members, our choice of minimizing the difference between instrument counts not phase space densities, and demonstrate the method with our reanalysis of the inner radiation belt throughout solar cycle 23. We will report on progress to continue our assimilation into solar cycle 24 using the Van Allen Probes/RPS observations.

Using a Split-belt Treadmill to Evaluate Generalization of Human Locomotor Adaptation.

PubMed

Vasudevan, Erin V L; Hamzey, Rami J; Kirk, Eileen M

2017-08-23

Understanding the mechanisms underlying locomotor learning helps researchers and clinicians optimize gait retraining as part of motor rehabilitation. However, studying human locomotor learning can be challenging. During infancy and childhood, the neuromuscular system is quite immature, and it is unlikely that locomotor learning during early stages of development is governed by the same mechanisms as in adulthood. By the time humans reach maturity, they are so proficient at walking that it is difficult to come up with a sufficiently novel task to study de novo locomotor learning. The split-belt treadmill, which has two belts that can drive each leg at a different speed, enables the study of both short- (i.e., immediate) and long-term (i.e., over minutes-days; a form of motor learning) gait modifications in response to a novel change in the walking environment. Individuals can easily be screened for previous exposure to the split-belt treadmill, thus ensuring that all experimental participants have no (or equivalent) prior experience. This paper describes a typical split-belt treadmill adaptation protocol that incorporates testing methods to quantify locomotor learning and generalization of this learning to other walking contexts. A discussion of important considerations for designing split-belt treadmill experiments follows, including factors like treadmill belt speeds, rest breaks, and distractors. Additionally, potential but understudied confounding variables (e.g., arm movements, prior experience) are considered in the discussion.

Combined Global MHD and Test-Particle Simulation of a Radiation Belt Storm: Comparing Depletion, Recovery and Enhancement with in Situ Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sorathia, K.; Ukhorskiy, A. Y.; Merkin, V. G.; Wiltberger, M. J.; Lyon, J.; Claudepierre, S. G.; Fennell, J. F.

2017-12-01

During geomagnetic storms the intensities of radiation belt electrons exhibit dramatic variability. In the main phase electron intensities exhibit deep depletion over a broad region of the outer belt. The intensities then increase during the recovery phase, often to levels that significantly exceed their pre-storm values. In this study we analyze the depletion, recovery and enhancement of radiation belt intensities during the 2013 St. Patrick's geomagnetic storm. We simulate the dynamics of high-energy electrons using our newly-developed test-particle radiation belt model (CHIMP) based on a hybrid guiding-center/Lorentz integrator and electromagnetic fields derived from high-resolution global MHD (LFM) simulations. Our approach differs from previous work in that we use MHD flow information to identify and seed test-particles into regions of strong convection in the magnetotail. We address two science questions: 1) what are the relative roles of magnetopause losses, transport-driven atmospheric precipitation, and adiabatic cooling in the radiation belt depletion during the storm main phase? and 2) to what extent can enhanced convection/mesoscale injections account for the radiation belt buildup during the recovery phase? Our analysis is based on long-term model simulation and the comparison of our model results with electron intensity measurements from the MAGEIS experiment of the Van Allen Probes mission.

Optical Images of an Exosolar Planet 25 Light-Years from Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clampin, Mark

2008-01-01

Fomalhaut is a bright star 7.7 parsec (25 light year) from Earth that harbors a belt of cold dust with a structure consistent with gravitational sculpting by an orbiting planet. Here, we present optical observations of an exoplanet candidate. Fomalhaut b. In the plane of the belt, Fomalhaut b lies approximately 119 astronomical units (AU) from the star, and within 18 All of the dust belt. We detect counterclockwise orbital motion using Hubble Space Telescope observations separated by 1.73 years. Dynamical models of the interaction between the planet and the belt indicate that the planet's mass is at most three times that of Jupiter for the belt to avoid gravitational disruption. The flux detected at 0.8 micron flux is also consistent with that of a planet with mass a few limes that of Jupiter. The brightness at 0.6 microns and the lack of detection at longer wavelengths suggest that the detected flux may include starlight reflected off a circumplanetary disk, with dimension comparable to the orbits of the Galilean satellites. We also observed variability of unknown origin at 0.6 microns.

Optical Images of an Exosolar Planet 25 Light Years from Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalas, Paul; Graham, James R.; Chiang, Eugene; Fitzgerald, Michael P.; Clampin, Mark; Kite, Edwin S.; Stapelfeldt, Karl; Marois, Christian; Krist, John

2008-01-01

Fomalhaut is a bright star 7.7 parsecs (25 light years) from Earth that harbors a belt of cold dust with a structure consistent with gravitational sculpting by an orbiting planet. Here, we present optical observations of an exoplanet candidate, Fomalhaut b. In the plane of the belt, Fomalhaut b lies approximately 119 astronomical units (AU) from the star and 18 AU from the dust belt, matching predictions. We detect counterclockwise orbital motion using Hubble Space Telescope observations separated by 1.73 years. Dynamical models of the interaction between the planet and the belt indicate that the planet's mass is at most three times that of Jupiter for the belt to avoid gravitational disruption. The flux detected at 0.8 m is also consistent with that of a planet with mass no greater than a few times that of Jupiter. The brightness at 0.6 micron and the lack of detection at longer wavelengths suggest that the detected flux may include starlight reflected off a circumplanetary disk, with dimension comparable to the orbits of the Galilean satellites. We also observed variability of unknown origin at 0.6 micron.

Modelling the Deformation Front of a Fold-Thrust Belt: the Effect of an Upper Detachment Horizon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burberry, C. M.; Koyi, H.; Nilfouroushan, F.; Cosgrove, J. W.

2008-12-01

Structures found at the deformation fronts of fold-thrust belts are variable in type, geometry and spatial organisation, as can be demonstrated from comparisons between structures in the Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt, Iran and the Sawtooth Range, Montana. A range of influencing factors has been suggested to account for this variation, including the mechanical properties and distribution of any detachment horizons within the cover rock succession. A series of analogue models was designed to test this hypothesis, under conditions scaled to represent the Sawtooth Range, Montana. A brittle sand pack, containing an upper ductile layer with variable geometry, was shortened above a ductile base and the evolution of the deformation front was monitored throughout the deformation using a high-accuracy laser scanner. In none of the experiments did the upper detachment horizon cover the entire model. In experiments where it pinched out perpendicular to the shortening direction, a triangle zone was formed when the deformation front reached the pinch out. This situation is analogous to the Teton Canyon region structures in the Sawtooth Range, Montana, where the Cretaceous Colorado Shale unit pinches out at the deformation front, favouring the development of a triangle zone in this region. When the pinch out was oblique to the shortening direction, a more complex series of structures was formed. However, when shortening stopped before the detachment pinch out was reached, the deformation front structures were foreland-propagating and no triangle zone was observed. This situation is analogous to foreland-propagating thrust structures developed at the deformation front in the Swift Dam region of the Sawtooth Range, Montana and to the development of fault-bend folds at the deformation front of the Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt, Iran. We suggest that the presence of a suitable intermediate detachment horizon within a sediment pile can be invoked as a valid explanation for the development of varied deformation front structures in fold-thrust belts. Specifically, the spatial extent of the upper detachment horizon with respect to the spatial extent of the deformed region is a key influence on the development of deformation front structures. However, we acknowledge that factors such as basement structure and variable sedimentation within the foreland basin may also be key influences on deformation front structures in other fold-thrust belts.

Interface for liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer

DOEpatents

Andresen, B.D.; Fought, E.R.

1989-09-19

A moving belt interface is described for real-time, high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC)/mass spectrometer (MS) analysis which strips away the HPLC solvent as it emerges from the end of the HPLC column and leaves a residue suitable for mass-spectral analysis. The interface includes a portable, stand-alone apparatus having a plural stage vacuum station, a continuous ribbon or belt, a drive train magnetically coupled to an external drive motor, a calibrated HPLC delivery system, a heated probe tip and means located adjacent the probe tip for direct ionization of the residue on the belt. The interface is also capable of being readily adapted to fit any mass spectrometer. 8 figs.

Interface for liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer

DOEpatents

Andresen, Brian D.; Fought, Eric R.

1989-01-01

A moving belt interface for real-time, high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC)/mass spectrometer (MS) analysis which strips away the HPLC solvent as it emerges from the end of the HPLC column and leaves a residue suitable for mass-spectral analysis. The interface includes a portable, stand-alone apparatus having a plural stage vacuum station, a continuous ribbon or belt, a drive train magnetically coupled to an external drive motor, a calibrated HPLC delivery system, a heated probe tip and means located adjacent the probe tip for direct ionization of the residue on the belt. The interface is also capable of being readily adapted to fit any mass spectrometer.

Statistical analysis of corn yields responding to climate variability at various spatio-temporal resolutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, H.; Lin, T.

2017-12-01

Rain-fed corn production systems are subject to sub-seasonal variations of precipitation and temperature during the growing season. As each growth phase has varied inherent physiological process, plants necessitate different optimal environmental conditions during each phase. However, this temporal heterogeneity towards climate variability alongside the lifecycle of crops is often simplified and fixed as constant responses in large scale statistical modeling analysis. To capture the time-variant growing requirements in large scale statistical analysis, we develop and compare statistical models at various spatial and temporal resolutions to quantify the relationship between corn yield and weather factors for 12 corn belt states from 1981 to 2016. The study compares three spatial resolutions (county, agricultural district, and state scale) and three temporal resolutions (crop growth phase, monthly, and growing season) to characterize the effects of spatial and temporal variability. Our results show that the agricultural district model together with growth phase resolution can explain 52% variations of corn yield caused by temperature and precipitation variability. It provides a practical model structure balancing the overfitting problem in county specific model and weak explanation power in state specific model. In US corn belt, precipitation has positive impact on corn yield in growing season except for vegetative stage while extreme heat attains highest sensitivity from silking to dough phase. The results show the northern counties in corn belt area are less interfered by extreme heat but are more vulnerable to water deficiency.

The use of generalized estimating equations in the analysis of motor vehicle crash data.

PubMed

Hutchings, Caroline B; Knight, Stacey; Reading, James C

2003-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if it is necessary to use generalized estimating equations (GEEs) in the analysis of seat belt effectiveness in preventing injuries in motor vehicle crashes. The 1992 Utah crash dataset was used, excluding crash participants where seat belt use was not appropriate (n=93,633). The model used in the 1996 Report to Congress [Report to congress on benefits of safety belts and motorcycle helmets, based on data from the Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System (CODES). National Center for Statistics and Analysis, NHTSA, Washington, DC, February 1996] was analyzed for all occupants with logistic regression, one level of nesting (occupants within crashes), and two levels of nesting (occupants within vehicles within crashes) to compare the use of GEEs with logistic regression. When using one level of nesting compared to logistic regression, 13 of 16 variance estimates changed more than 10%, and eight of 16 parameter estimates changed more than 10%. In addition, three of the independent variables changed from significant to insignificant (alpha=0.05). With the use of two levels of nesting, two of 16 variance estimates and three of 16 parameter estimates changed more than 10% from the variance and parameter estimates in one level of nesting. One of the independent variables changed from insignificant to significant (alpha=0.05) in the two levels of nesting model; therefore, only two of the independent variables changed from significant to insignificant when the logistic regression model was compared to the two levels of nesting model. The odds ratio of seat belt effectiveness in preventing injuries was 12% lower when a one-level nested model was used. Based on these results, we stress the need to use a nested model and GEEs when analyzing motor vehicle crash data.

A case of hemothorax following seat-belt injury with a bulla in the apex of the lung: a subtype of spontaneous hemopneumothorax.

PubMed

Kinoshita, Haruyuki; Akiyama, Naoko; Murao, Masaki; Yamauchi, Yosuke; Nakamura, Teruya; Sekiya, Naosumi; Toyota, Naoyuki; Miyagatani, Yasusuke

2015-05-01

We experienced a case of a subtype of spontaneous hemopneumothorax caused by external forces associated with a seat-belt injury. A female aged 39 years sustained a minor collision with an oncoming car while she was driving. Although pneumothorax was not detected, hemothorax and bleeding from the area surrounding the subclavian artery were observed on contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography (CT). After confirming continuous bleeding into the thoracic cavity after superselective arterial embolization, we performed emergency open surgery. We found a bulla in the apex of the lung, and the thoracic stump of the bulla was considered the source of bleeding. In this case, the direct cause of hemothorax was considered to be the external force associated with the seat-belt injury. When a bulla in the apex of the lung and continuous bleeding are both observed on CT, spontaneous hemopneumothorax should be suspected, necessitating open chest surgery in cases where pneumothorax is not observed.

Angle stations in or for endless conveyor belts

DOEpatents

Steel, Alan

1987-04-07

In an angle station for an endless conveyor belt, there are presented to each incoming run of the belt stationary curved guide members (18, 19) of the shape of a major segment of a right-circular cylinder and having in the part-cylindrical portion (16 or 17) thereof rectangular openings (15) arranged in parallel and helical paths and through which project small freely-rotatable rollers (14), the continuously-changing segments of the curved surfaces of which projecting through said openings (15) are in attitude to change the direction of travel of the belt (13) through 90.degree. during passage of the belt about the part-cylindrical portion (16 or 17) of the guide member (18 or 19). The rectangular openings (15) are arranged with their longer edges lengthwise of the diagonals representing the mean of the helix but with those of a plurality of the rows nearest to each end of the part-cylindrical portion (16 or 17) slightly out of axial symmetry with said diagonals, being slightly inclined in a direction about the intersections (40) of the diagonals of the main portion of the openings, to provide a "toe-in" attitude in relation to the line of run of the endless conveyor belt.

10 Years of Student Questions about the Radiation Belts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gross, N. A.; Hughes, W. J.; Wiltberger, M. J.

2016-12-01

The NSF funded CISM Space Weather Summer School is targeted to graduate students just starting in space physics and provides a comprehensive conceptual background to the field. Insights from this summer school can provide valuable information to graduate instructors and graduate student mentors. During the school, students are invited to submit questions at the end of the lecture component each day. The lecturers then take the time to respond to these questions. We have collected over 3000 student questions over the last 10 years. The radiation belts, solar energetic particles, and the operational impacts of high energy particles are among the topics covered during the summer school, and these topics consistently generate a share of the questions following those lectures. The collection includes questions about: the structure and variability of the radiation belts, the distinction between solar energetic particles (SEPs) and the radiation belts, the distinction between the ring current and the radiation belts, the impact radiation belt particles and SEPs have on the magnetosphere, the risks high energy particles pose to spacecraft and humans, their impact on operations, regulations for human exposure, and others. The presentation will catalog the questions asked by students and provide insight into students prior conceptions and misunderstandings about this topic. We hope this work informs instructors who teach these topics.

49 CFR 585.22 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Purpose. 585.22 Section 585.22 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PHASE-IN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Rear Inboard Lap/Shoulder Belt Phase...

49 CFR 585.22 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Purpose. 585.22 Section 585.22 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PHASE-IN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Rear Inboard Lap/Shoulder Belt Phase...

49 CFR 585.22 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Purpose. 585.22 Section 585.22 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PHASE-IN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Rear Inboard Lap/Shoulder Belt Phase...

49 CFR 585.25 - Records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Records. 585.25 Section 585.25 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PHASE-IN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Rear Inboard Lap/Shoulder Belt Phase...

49 CFR 585.22 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Purpose. 585.22 Section 585.22 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PHASE-IN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Rear Inboard Lap/Shoulder Belt Phase...

49 CFR 585.22 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Purpose. 585.22 Section 585.22 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PHASE-IN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Rear Inboard Lap/Shoulder Belt Phase...

Trace element and Sm Nd systematics of volcanic and intrusive rocks from the 3 Ga Lumby Lake Greenstone belt, Superior Province: evidence for Archean plume arc interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hollings, Pete; Wyman, Derek

1999-02-01

The metavolcanic Lumby Lake belt comprises mafic tholeiites intercalated with thin felsic pyroclastic units. Al-undepleted komatiites are present towards the top of the stratigraphy. Identification of Al-depleted pyroclastic komatiites associated with chemical and siliciclastic sedimentary rocks indicates the upper portion of the 3 Ga Lumby Lake stratigraphy is directly comparable to a stratigraphic sequence developed on a paleoregolith in the nearby Steep Rock greenstone belt. The lower portion of the Lumby Lake sequence therefore represents a rarely preserved association of komatiite-tholeiite and calc alkaline volcanism developed prior to rifting episodes identified in ˜3 Ga terranes of the northern Superior Province. Al-undepleted komatiites are characterised by elevated MgO (18-24 wt.%) and Ni (600-1500 ppm) contents, in conjunction with variable LREE depletion (La/Sm n=0.5-0.8). Intercalated spinifex textured komatiitic basalts possess lower MgO (10-11 wt.%) and Ni (150-180 ppm) and flat to weakly enriched LREE (La/Sm n=0.9-1.1). Pyroclastic Al-depleted komatiites (Al 2O 3/TiO 2=4-5) are strongly LREE enriched (La/Yb n=6.7-10.5) with variable HFSE anomalies. Compositionally uniform tholeiites with variably depleted to enriched LREE (La/Sm n=0.8-1.2) and minor HFSE anomalies dominate the stratigraphy of the belt. A distinct subset of tholeiites, occurring towards the centre of the belt, is characterised by low Al 2O 3/TiO 2 ratios, LREE enrichment and the absence of HFSE anomalies. Minor intermediate (SiO 2=53-64 wt.%) volcanic rocks with pronounced REE fractionation (La/Yb n=0.8-1.1), high Al 2O 3/TiO 2 and Zr/Y ratios also occur throughout the belt. Two distinct subtypes of felsic pyroclastic rocks are recognised intercalated sporadically throughout the stratigraphy. Both types display pronounced LREE enrichment (La/Sm n=3.9-6.1) but Type 1 has strongly fractionated HREE patterns (Gd/Yb n=1.5-4.6) whereas, Type 2 HREE patterns are generally flat (Gd/Yb n=1.7-1.9). Intrusive counterparts to both subtypes have been identified within the Marmion Lake batholith to the south of the greenstone belt. The felsic subtypes may be derived from similar parental magmas by variable degrees of hornblende involvement during fractionation processes. Sm/Nd isotope systematics from a range of rock compositions have yielded ɛNd values of +2 to +5, typical of the range for Archean volcanic and intrusive rocks. Komatiite-tholeiite associations within Archean terranes are interpreted as the result of plume related magmatism likely in a geodynamic setting comparable to Phanerozoic oceanic plateaux. In contrast intermediate and felsic rocks are typical of calc alkaline suites generally attributed to Archean subduction related environments. The coeval eruption of the two magma suites in the Lumby Lake belt is best interpreted as the result of the sporadic subduction of plume-modified oceanic spreading centres over 10s of m.y. and the eventual impingement of a mantle plume upon an active subduction zone. This process can also account for the young age of basement material relative to overlying rift sequences in 3 Ga terranes of the Superior Province.

Time-Integral Correlations of Multiple Variables With the Relativistic-Electron Flux at Geosynchronous Orbit: The Strong Roles of Substorm-Injected Electrons and the Ion Plasma Sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borovsky, Joseph E.

2017-12-01

Time-integral correlations are examined between the geosynchronous relativistic electron flux index Fe1.2 and 31 variables of the solar wind and magnetosphere. An "evolutionary algorithm" is used to maximize correlations. Time integrations (into the past) of the variables are found to be superior to time-lagged variables for maximizing correlations with the radiation belt. Physical arguments are given as to why. Dominant correlations are found for the substorm-injected electron flux at geosynchronous orbit and for the pressure of the ion plasma sheet. Different sets of variables are constructed and correlated with Fe1.2: some sets maximize the correlations, and some sets are based on purely solar wind variables. Examining known physical mechanisms that act on the radiation belt, sets of correlations are constructed (1) using magnetospheric variables that control those physical mechanisms and (2) using the solar wind variables that control those magnetospheric variables. Fe1.2-increasing intervals are correlated separately from Fe1.2-decreasing intervals, and the introduction of autoregression into the time-integral correlations is explored. A great impediment to discerning physical cause and effect from the correlations is the fact that all solar wind variables are intercorrelated and carry much of the same information about the time sequence of the solar wind that drives the time sequence of the magnetosphere.

Yield response to landscape position under variable N for irrigated corn

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Variable nutrient and water supply can result in spatial and temporal variation in crop yield within a given agricultural field. For the western Corn Belt, irrigated corn accounts for 58% of total annual corn production with the majority grown in Nebraska. Although irrigation decreases temporal yi...

AGT-102 automotive gas turbine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Development of a gas turbine powertrain with a 30% fuel economy improvement over a comparable S1 reciprocating engine, operation within 0.41 HC, 3.4 CO, and 0.40 NOx grams per mile emissions levels, and ability to use a variety of alternate fuels is summarized. The powertrain concept consists of a single-shaft engine with a ceramic inner shell for containment of hot gasses and support of twin regenerators. It uses a fixed-geometry, lean, premixed, prevaporized combustor, and a ceramic radial turbine rotor supported by an air-lubricated journal bearing. The engine is coupled to the vehicle through a widerange continuously variable transmission, which utilizes gearing and a variable-ratio metal compression belt. A response assist flywheel is used to achieve acceptable levels of engine response. The package offers a 100 lb weight advantage in a Chrysler K Car front-wheel-drive installation. Initial layout studies, preliminary transient thermal analysis, ceramic inner housing structural analysis, and detailed performance analysis were carried out for the basic engine.

Jupiter's Thermal Structure on the Eve of Juno's Arrival and an NEB Expansion Event

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fletcher, Leigh N.; Orton, Glenn S.; Greathouse, Thomas K.; Sinclair, James; Giles, Rohini; Irwin, Patrick; Rogers, John; Encrenaz, Therese

2016-04-01

We report on a continuing program of ground-based thermal-infrared imaging spectroscopy to explore variability in Jupiter's atmospheric temperatures, winds, clouds and composition in support of the NASA/Juno mission, scheduled to arrive at Jupiter in July 2016. Observations during the 2015/16 apparition, centred on opposition on March 8th 2016, will be presented from NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) and ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) as part of a world-wide campaign to characterise the Jovian atmosphere to support Juno. Thermal and chemical contrasts, combined with the visible-light record from the amateur community, show that Jupiter's North Equatorial Belt (NEB) is presently expanding northwards. The combination of thermal and visible observations will allow us to determine the environmental conditions underlying this belt/zone variability. Radiometrically calibrated spectral scan maps of Jupiter have been regularly obtained using the TEXES instrument (Texas Echelon cross Echelle Spectrograph, Lacy et al. 2002, PASP 114, p153-168) on the IRTF since 2012, and observations are planned in January and April 2016. Ten settings between 5 and 25 μm (10-20 cm-1 wide settings at spectral resolutions of 2000-10000) were selected to be sensitive to jovian temperatures (via H2, CH4 and CH3D), tropospheric phosphine and ammonia, tropospheric haze opacity and stratospheric hydrocarbons ethane and acetylene. These will be supplemented by photometric imaging from the VLT/VISIR instrument (Lagage et al., 2004, Messenger 117, p12-16) in ten narrow-band filters to determine temperatures associated with discrete phenomena (vortices, plumes, waves) at higher diffraction-limited spatial resolution. Spectra and images are inverted via the NEMESIS retrieval algorithm (Irwin et al., 2008, JSQRT 109, p1136-1150) to map temperatures at multiple altitudes (1-600 mbar), winds, aerosol opacity and gaseous composition. Our most recent observations (November 2015) revealed (i) a regular stratospheric wave pattern in stratospheric temperatures between 20 and 30°N (i.e., above the North Tropical Zone and Temperate Belt, NTropZ and NTB, respectively), possibly associated with the northward expansion of the broad North Equatorial Belt (NEB); (ii) tropospheric thermal variability along the NEB itself with correlations between aerosol variability in the 600-mbar region (sensed at 8.6 μm) and the 2-3 bar region (sensed at 5 μm). This appears to coincide with similar NEB and NTropZ wave structure observed in reflected sunlight near 2 μm, based on images from the SpeX instrument on the IRTF. Zonal mean distributions of temperature, phosphine, ammonia, aerosols and hydrocarbons will be compared to those derived by the Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) 15 years earlier. High-resolution VLT images of the Great Red Spot will be compared between 2008 and 2016 to understand the thermochemical changes associated with its recent shrinkage. All images and maps of retrieved properties will be assembled as a database (JCliD) to aid in the interpretation of Juno data during 2016-2017.

The Role of the Auroral Processes in the Formation of the Outer Electron Radiation Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stepanova, M. V.; Antonova, E. E.; Pinto, V. A.; Moya, P. S.; Riazantseva, M.; Ovchinnikov, I.

2016-12-01

The role of the auroral processes in the formation of the outer electron radiation belt during storms is analyzed using the data of RBSP mission, low orbiting satellites and ground based observations. We analyze fluxes of the low energy precipitating ions using data of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP). The location of the auroral electrojet is obtained from the IMAGE magnetometer network, and of the electron distribution in the outer radiation belt from the RBSP mission. We take into account the latest results on the auroral oval mapping in accordance with which the most part of the auroral oval maps not to the plasma sheet. It maps into the surrounding the Earth plasma ring in which transverse currents are closed inside the magnetosphere. Such currents constitute the high latitude continuation of the ordinary ring current. The development of the ring current and its high latitude continuation generates strong distortion of the Earth's magnetic field and corresponding adiabatic variation of the relativistic electron fluxes. This adiabatic variation should be considered for the analysis of the processes of the acceleration of relativistic electrons and formation of the outer radiation belt. We also analyze the plasma pressure profiles during storms and demonstrate the formation of sharp plasma pressure peak at the equatorial boundary of the auroral oval. It is shown that the observed this peak is directly connected to the creation of the seed population of relativistic electrons. We discuss the possibility to predict the position of new radiation belt during recovery phase of the magnetic storm using data of low orbiting and ground based observations.

49 CFR 585.21 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Scope. 585.21 Section 585.21 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PHASE-IN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Rear Inboard Lap/Shoulder Belt Phase-In...

49 CFR 585.21 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Scope. 585.21 Section 585.21 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PHASE-IN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Rear Inboard Lap/Shoulder Belt Phase-In...

49 CFR 585.21 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Scope. 585.21 Section 585.21 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PHASE-IN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Rear Inboard Lap/Shoulder Belt Phase-In...

49 CFR 585.21 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Scope. 585.21 Section 585.21 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PHASE-IN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Rear Inboard Lap/Shoulder Belt Phase-In...

49 CFR 585.21 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Scope. 585.21 Section 585.21 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PHASE-IN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Rear Inboard Lap/Shoulder Belt Phase-In...

Collision frequency of artificial satellites - The creation of a debris belt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kessler, D. J.; Cour-Palais, B. G.

1978-01-01

The probability of satellite collisions increases with the number of satellites. In the present paper, possible time scales for the growth of a debris belt from collision fragments are determined, and possible consequences of continued unrestrained launch activities are examined. Use is made of techniques formerly developed for studying the evolution (growth) of the asteroid belt. A model describing the flux from the known earth-orbiting satellites is developed, and the results from this model are extrapolated in time to predict the collision frequency between satellites. Hypervelocity impact phenomena are then examined to predict the debris flux resulting from collisions. The results are applied to design requirements for three types of future space missions.

The Scattered Kuiper Belt Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trujillo, C. A.; Jewitt, D. C.; Luu, J. X.

1999-09-01

We describe a continuing survey of the Kuiper Belt conducted at the 3.6-m Canada France Hawaii Telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The survey employs a 12288 x 8192 pixel CCD mosaic to image the sky to red magnitude 24. All detected objects are targeted for systematic follow-up observations, allowing us to determine their orbital characteristics. Three new members of the rare Scattered Kuiper Belt Object class have been identified, bringing the known population of such objects to four. The SKBOs are thought to have been scattered outward by Neptune, and are a potential source of the short-period comets. Using a Maximum Likelihood method, we place observational constraints on the total number and mass of the SKBOs.

Ammonia in Jupiter’s troposphere from high-resolution 5-micron spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giles, Rohini; Fletcher, Leigh; Irwin, Patrick; Orton, Glenn S.; Sinclair, James Andrew

2017-10-01

Jupiter's tropospheric ammonia (NH3) abundance is studied using spatially-resolved 5-micron observations from CRIRES, a high-resolution spectrometer at the Very Large Telescope in 2012. The high resolving power (R=96,000) allows the line shapes of three NH3 absorption features to be resolved. These three absorption features have different line strengths and probe slightly different pressure levels, and they can therefore be used to constrain the vertical profile of NH3 in the 1-4 bar pressure range. The instrument slit was aligned north-south along Jupiter's central meridian, allowing us to search for latitudinal variability. The CRIRES observations do not provide evidence for belt-zone variability in NH3, as any spectral differences can be accounted for by the large differences in cloud opacity between the cloudy zones and the cloud-free belts. However, we do find evidence for localised small-scale variability in NH3. Specifically, we detect a strong enhancement in NH3 on the southern edge of the North Equatorial Belt (4-6°N). This is consistent with the ‘ammonia plumes’ observed by Fletcher et al. (2016, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2016.06.008) at the 500-mbar level using 10-micron observations from TEXES/IRTF, as well as with measurements by Juno’s Microwave Radiometer (Li et al. 2017, doi:10.1002/2017GL073159).

The scattered disk and hot belt, two sides of the same coin?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kavelaars, J. J.; Petit, J.-M.; Gladman, B.; Jone, R. L.; Parker, J.; Taylor, M.

2011-10-01

The Canada-France Ecliptic Plane Survey (CFEPS) and High Latitude Extension (HILat)[] obtained characterized observations of nearly 800 sq.deg. of sky to depths in the range ˜23.5 - 24.4 AB mag, providing a database of nearly 200 trans-neptunian objects (TNOs) with high-precision dynamical classification and known discovery efficiency. Using this database, we find that the high-inclination component of the inner (a < 40 AU) main (a=40-47 AU) classical and outer (a > 47 AU) belt are well represented by a continuous density distribution coming from a constrained q range (35 < q < 40). This range of peri-center is similar to the range which some researchers associated with the scattered disk. In our modeling of the orbital phase space of the Kuiper belt we find that there is no need for two distinct components (ie. both a scattered disk and a hot component to the classical belt). The historical separation of the high-inclination component of the Kuiper belt into these two distinct structures appears to have been mis-guided.

Is seat belt use associated with fewer days of lost work after motor vehicle collisions?

PubMed

Metzger, Jesse; McGwin, Gerald; MacLennan, Paul A; Rue, Loring W

2004-05-01

Seat belt use has consistently been shown to reduce motor vehicle collision (MVC)-related morbidity and mortality. The goal of this study is to determine whether seat belt use is associated with fewer lost workdays among occupants involved in MVCs. The 1995 to 2000 National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) data files were used. The NASS is a national probability sample of passenger vehicles involved in police-reported tow-away MVCs. Occupants' lost workdays, which are routinely collected as part of an NASS investigation, were compared according to seat belt use. During 1995 to 2000 in the United States, surviving occupants involved in MVCs lost a total of 42.1 million workdays (approximately 7.0 million lost workdays per year; 2.4 lost workdays per person). The overall difference in lost workdays between the belted and unbelted occupants was 1.59 days (1.99 days vs. 3.58 days, respectively; p < 0.001). After adjusting for potentially confounding factors, belted occupants had 1.52 fewer lost workdays compared with unbelted occupants (p < 0.001). This translates to an estimated 7.3 million lost workdays and an associated $566 million in lost wages and $1.25 billion in work-place costs attributable to lack of seat belt use in the United States during 1995 to 2000. Lost workdays attributable to MVCs in the United States have sizable financial implications. Furthermore, seat belt use significantly reduces lost time at work and is associated with a significant cost savings. The national impact of unbelted driving on work productivity is dramatic, and further efforts to promote appropriate seat belt use should continue as part of the national safety agenda.

The relationship between the plasmapause and outer belt electrons

DOE PAGES

Goldstein, J.; Baker, D. N.; Blake, J. B.; ...

2016-09-01

Here, we quantify the spatial relationship between the plasmapause and outer belt electrons for a 5 day period, 15–20 January 2013, by comparing locations of relativistic electron flux peaks to the plasmapause. A peak-finding algorithm is applied to 1.8–7.7 MeV relativistic electron flux data. A plasmapause gradient finder is applied to wave-derived electron number densities >10 cm –3. We identify two outer belts. Outer belt 1 is a stable zone of >3 MeV electrons located 1–2 R E inside the plasmapause. Outer belt 2 is a dynamic zone of <3 MeV electrons within 0.5 R E of the moving plasmapause.more » Electron fluxes earthward of each belt's peak are anticorrelated with cold plasma density. Belt 1 decayed on hiss timescales prior to a disturbance on 17 January and suffered only a modest dropout, perhaps owing to shielding by the plasmasphere. Afterward, the partially depleted belt 1 continued to decay at the initial rate. Belt 2 was emptied out by strong disturbance-time losses but restored within 24 h. For global context we use a plasmapause test particle simulation and derive a new plasmaspheric index F p, the fraction of a circular drift orbit inside the plasmapause. We find that the locally measured plasmapause is (for this event) a good proxy for the globally integrated opportunity for losses in cold plasma. Our analysis of the 15–20 January 2013 time interval confirms that high-energy electron storage rings can persist for weeks or even months if prolonged quiet conditions prevail. This case study must be followed up by more general study (not limited to a 5 day period).« less

The relationship between the plasmapause and outer belt electrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldstein, J.; Baker, D. N.; Blake, J. B.; De Pascuale, S.; Funsten, H. O.; Jaynes, A. N.; Jahn, J.-M.; Kletzing, C. A.; Kurth, W. S.; Li, W.; Reeves, G. D.; Spence, H. E.

2016-09-01

We quantify the spatial relationship between the plasmapause and outer belt electrons for a 5 day period, 15-20 January 2013, by comparing locations of relativistic electron flux peaks to the plasmapause. A peak-finding algorithm is applied to 1.8-7.7 MeV relativistic electron flux data. A plasmapause gradient finder is applied to wave-derived electron number densities >10 cm-3. We identify two outer belts. Outer belt 1 is a stable zone of >3 MeV electrons located 1-2 RE inside the plasmapause. Outer belt 2 is a dynamic zone of <3 MeV electrons within 0.5 RE of the moving plasmapause. Electron fluxes earthward of each belt's peak are anticorrelated with cold plasma density. Belt 1 decayed on hiss timescales prior to a disturbance on 17 January and suffered only a modest dropout, perhaps owing to shielding by the plasmasphere. Afterward, the partially depleted belt 1 continued to decay at the initial rate. Belt 2 was emptied out by strong disturbance-time losses but restored within 24 h. For global context we use a plasmapause test particle simulation and derive a new plasmaspheric index Fp, the fraction of a circular drift orbit inside the plasmapause. We find that the locally measured plasmapause is (for this event) a good proxy for the globally integrated opportunity for losses in cold plasma. Our analysis of the 15-20 January 2013 time interval confirms that high-energy electron storage rings can persist for weeks or even months if prolonged quiet conditions prevail. This case study must be followed up by more general study (not limited to a 5 day period).

Vocal Qualities in Music Theater Voice: Perceptions of Expert Pedagogues.

PubMed

Bourne, Tracy; Kenny, Dianna

2016-01-01

To gather qualitative descriptions of music theater vocal qualities including belt, legit, and mix from expert pedagogues to better define this voice type. This is a prospective, semistructured interview. Twelve expert teachers from United States, United Kingdom, Asia, and Australia were interviewed by Skype and asked to identify characteristics of music theater vocal qualities including vocal production, physiology, esthetics, pitch range, and pedagogical techniques. Responses were compared with published studies on music theater voice. Belt and legit were generally described as distinct sounds with differing physiological and technical requirements. Teachers were concerned that belt should be taught "safely" to minimize vocal health risks. There was consensus between teachers and published research on the physiology of the glottis and vocal tract; however, teachers were not in agreement about breathing techniques. Neither were teachers in agreement about the meaning of "mix." Most participants described belt as heavily weighted, thick folds, thyroarytenoid-dominant, or chest register; however, there was no consensus on an appropriate term. Belt substyles were named and generally categorized by weightedness or tone color. Descriptions of male belt were less clear than for female belt. This survey provides an overview of expert pedagogical perspectives on the characteristics of belt, legit, and mix qualities in the music theater voice. Although teacher responses are generally in agreement with published research, there are still many controversial issues and gaps in knowledge and understanding of this vocal technique. Breathing techniques, vocal range, mix, male belt, and vocal registers require continuing investigation so that we can learn more about efficient and healthy vocal function in music theater singing. Copyright © 2016 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reconstructed Oceanic Sedimentary Sequence in the Cape Three Points Area, Southern Axim-Konongo (Ashanti) Greenstone Belt in the Paleoproterozoic Birimian of Ghana.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiyokawa, S.; Ito, T.; Frank, N. K.; George, T. M.

2014-12-01

The Birimian greenstone belt likely formed through collision between the West African and Congo Cratons ~2.2 Ga. Accreted greenstone belts that formed through collision especially during the Palaeoproterozoic are usually not only good targets for preservation of oceanic sedimentary sequences but also greatly help understand the nature of the Paleoproterozoic deeper oceanic environments. In this study, we focused on the coastal area around Cape Three Points at the southernmost part of the Axim-Konongo (Ashanti) greenstone belt in Ghana where excellently preserved Paleoprotrozoic deeper oceanic sedimentary sequences extensively outcrop. The Birimian greenstone belt in both the Birimian rock (partly Sefwi Group) and Ashanti belts are separated from the Tarkwaian Group which is a paleoplacer deposit (Perrouty et al., 2012). The Birimian rock was identified as volcanic rich greenstone belt; Kumasi Group is foreland basin with shale and sandstone, quartzite and turbidite derived from 2.1 Ga granite in the Birimian; Tarkwaian Group is composed of coarse detrital sedimentary rocks deposited along a strike-slip fault in the Birimian. In the eastern part of the Cape Three Point area, over 4km long of volcanic-sedimentary sequence outcrops and is affected by greenschist facies metamorphism. Four demarcated zones along the coast as Kutike, Atwepo, Kwtakor and Akodaa zones. The boundaries of each zone were not observed, but each zone displays a well preserved and continuous sedimentary sequence. Structurally, this region is west vergent structure and younging direction to the East. Kutike zone exhibits synform structure with S0 younging direction. Provisional stratigraphic columns in all the zones total about 500m thick. Kutike, Atwepo zones (> 200m thick) have coarsening upward characteristics from black shale to bedded volcanic sandstone. Kwtakor zone (> 150m) is the thickest volcaniclastic sequence and has fining upward sections. Akodaa zone (> 150m) consists of finer bed of volcaniclastics with black shales and has fining upward character. This continuous sequence indicate distal portion of submarine volcaniclastic section in an oceanic island arc between the West African and Congo Cratons.

The continued burden of spine fractures after motor vehicle crashes.

PubMed

Wang, Marjorie C; Pintar, Frank; Yoganandan, Narayan; Maiman, Dennis J

2009-02-01

Spine fractures are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality after motor vehicle crashes (MVCs). Public health interventions, such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, have led to an increase in automobiles with air bags and the increased use of seat belts to lessen injuries sustained from MVCs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate secular trends in the occurrence of spine fractures associated with MVCs and evaluate the association between air bag and seat belt use with spine fractures. Using the Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System, a database of the police reports of all MVCs in Wisconsin linked to hospital records, the authors studied the occurrence of spine fractures and seat belt and air bag use from 1994 to 2002. Demographic information and crash characteristics were obtained from the police reports. Injury characteristics were determined using International Classification of Disease, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) hospital discharge codes. From 1994 to 2002, there were 29,860 hospital admissions associated with automobile or truck crashes. There were 20,276 drivers or front-seat passengers 16 years of age and older who were not missing ICD-9-CM discharge codes, seat belt or air bag data, and who had not been ejected from the vehicle. Of these, 2530 (12.5%) sustained a spine fracture. The occurrence of spine fractures increased over the study period, and the use of a seat belt plus air bag, and of air bags alone also increased during this period. However, the occurrence of severe spine fractures (Abbreviated Injury Scale Score > or =3) did not significantly increase over the study period. The use of both seat belt and air bag was associated with decreased odds of a spine fracture. Use of an air bag alone was associated with increased odds of a severe thoracic, but not cervical spine fracture. Among drivers and front-seat passengers admitted to the hospital after MVCs, the occurrence of spine fractures increased from 1994 to 2002 despite concomitant increases in seat belt and air bag use. However, the occurrence of severe spine fractures did not increase over the study period. The use of both seat belt and air bag is protective against spine fractures. Although the overall increased occurrence of spine fractures may appear contrary to the increased use of seat belts and air bags in general, it is possible that improved imaging technology may be associated with an increase in the diagnosis of relatively minor fractures. However, given the significant protective effects of both seat belt and air bag use against spine fractures, resources should continue to be dedicated toward increasing their use to mitigate the effects of MVCs.

Comparison between the effect of lumbopelvic belt and home based pelvic stabilizing exercise on pregnant women with pelvic girdle pain; a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Kordi, Ramin; Abolhasani, Maryam; Rostami, Mohsen; Hantoushzadeh, Sedigheh; Mansournia, Mohammad Ali; Vasheghani-Farahani, Farzaneh

2013-01-01

Pelvic girdle pain is a common complaint of pregnant women. There are limited data on comparison between the effectiveness of stabilizing exercises and lumbopelvic belt on the treatment of these patients. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of lumbopelvic belt plus information, home based pelvic girdle stabilizing exercises plus information and information alone on pain intensity, functional status and quality of life of pregnant women with pelvic girdle pain. In this randomized clinical trial pregnant women with pelvic girdle pain (n=105) were randomly allocated to three groups; Control group (n=35) that received general information, exercise group (n=31) that in addition to general information were asked to perform specific pelvic stabilizing exercises at home and belt group (n=31) that received non-rigid lumbopelvic belt and the information. The primary outcome variables were pain intensity and functional status of the participants which were measured using visual analogue scale and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) respectively. Quality of life of participants was measured using WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. All measurements were performed at baseline, 3 and 6 weeks after the study conduction. The pain intensity of patients in belt group in comparison to other groups was decreased significantly at both 3 and 6 weeks follow-ups. The mean score of ODI of patients in belt group was also improved more than exercise and control groups significantly. On base of our results, it can be found that in short term lumbopelvic belt and information in treatment of pregnant women with pelvic girdle pain is superior to exercise plus information or information alone.

Uncoupled vs. coupled thrust belt-foreland deformation: a model for northern Patagonia inferred from U-Th/He and apatite fission track dating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savignano, Elisa; Mazzoli, Stefano; Zattin, Massimiliano; Gautheron, Cécile; Franchini, Marta

2017-04-01

The study of the Cretaceous - Cenozoic evolution of the Patagonian Andes represents a great opportunity to investigate the effects of coupling between deep lithospheric processes and near-surface deformation. Low-temperature thermochronological systems are ideally suited for detecting events involving rocks in the uppermost part of the crust because they record time and rates of cooling related to exhumation of the top few kilometers of the crust. The Patagonia region, although characterized by a general continuity of the Andean orogen along its strike, shows an appreciable internal tectonic segmentation (marked by a variable position of the magmatic arc and of the deformation front in the retroarc area) at various latitudes. This complex structural architecture has been interpreted as the result of different processes acting since the Late Cretaceous. The present-day configuration of the southern Andes is interpreted to have been controlled by alternating stages of flat- and steep-slab subduction, which produced shortening and upper plate extension episodes,, respectively. Furthermore, the deformation in this whole retroarc sector varied not only in time (i.e. with major 'cycles' of mountain building and orogenic collapse), but also in space, due to the variable transmission of horizontal compressive stress away from the orogen, that produced an irregular unroofing pattern. In this study, we have integrated field structural observations with new apatite (U-Th)/He data (AHe) and apatite fission-track (AFT) ages in the north Patagonia region (at latitudes between 40° and 44°S) in order to analyse and compare the exhumation patterns from the frontal part of the orogen and from the adjacent foreland sector, as well as to gain new insights into the timing and modes of coupling vs. uncoupling of the deformation between the northern Patagonian fold and thrust belt and its foreland. The obtained data indicate a markedly different unroofing pattern between the 'broken foreland' area (characterized by Late Cretaceous to Paleogene exhumation) and the adjacent Andean sector to the west, which is dominated by Miocene-Pliocene exhumation. Our study supports the idea that the configuration of the slab (flat vs. steep) during subduction controls the coupling vs. uncoupling of the deformation between the thrust belt and the foreland. Along the studied transect, late Miocene to Pliocene AHe ages from the frontal part of the northern Patagonian Andes correlate well with a rapid recent shortening and exhumation stage that took place in the thrust belt during steep-slab subduction and rollback. On the other hand, AHe ages obtained for the 'broken foreland' unravelled exhumation at near-surface conditions during Late Cretaceous to Paleogene times, when a prolonged phase of flat-slab subduction favoured the coupling between the thrust belt and the foreland area and associated widespread shortening able to reactivate inherited rift-related structures.

Formation of an Archean tectonic mélange in the Schreiber-Hemlo greenstone belt, Superior Province, Canada: Implications for Archean subduction-accretion process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polat, Ali; Kerrich, Robert

1999-10-01

The late Archean (circa 2750-2670 Ma) Schreiber-Hemlo greenstone belt, Superior Province, Canada, is composed of tectonically juxtaposed fragments of oceanic plateaus (circa 2750-2700 Ma), oceanic island arcs (circa 2720-2695 Ma), and siliciclastic trench turbidites (circa 2705-2697 Ma). Following juxtaposition, these lithotectonic assemblages were collectively intruded by synkinematic tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) plutons (circa 2720-2690 Ma) and ultramafic to felsic dikes and sills (circa 2690-2680 Ma), with subduction zone geochemical signatures. Overprinting relations between different sequences of structures suggest that the belt underwent at least three phases of deformation. During D1 (circa 2695-2685 Ma), oceanic plateau basalts and associated komatiites, arc-derived trench turbidites, and oceanic island arc sequences were all tectonically juxtaposed as they were incorporated into an accretionary complex. Fragmentation of these sequences resulted in broken formations and a tectonic mélange in the Schreiber assemblage of the belt. D2 (circa 2685-2680 Ma) is consistent with an intra-arc, right-lateral transpressional deformation. Fragmentation and mixing of D2 synkinematic dikes and sills suggest that mélange formation continued during D2. The D1 to D2 transition is interpreted in terms of a trenchward migration of the magmatic arc axis due to continued accretion and underplating. The D2 intra-arc strike-slip faults may have provided conduits for uprising melts from the descending slab, and they may have induced decompressional partial melting in the subarc mantle wedge, to yield synkinematic ultramafic to felsic intrusions. A similar close relationship between orogen-parallel strike-slip faulting and magmatism has recently been recognized in several Phanerozoic transpressional orogenic belts, suggesting that as in Phanerozoic counterparts, orogen-parallel strike-slip faulting in the Schreiber-Hemlo greenstone belt played an important role in magma emplacement.

Variability of Jupiter's Five-Micron Hot Spot Inventory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yanamandra-Fisher, Padma A.; Orton, G. S.; Wakefield, L.; Rogers, J. H.; Simon-Miller, A. A.; Boydstun, K.

2012-01-01

Global upheavals on Jupiter involve changes in the albedo of entire axisymmetric regions, lasting several years, with the last two occurring in 1989 and 2006. Against this backdrop of planetary-scale changes, discrete features such as the Great Red Spot (GRS), and other vortices exhibit changes on shorter spatial- and time-scales. We track the variability of the discrete equatorial 5-micron hot spots, semi-evenly spaced in longitude and confined to a narrow latitude band centered at 6.5degN (southern edge of the North Equatorial Belt, NEB), abundant in Voyager images. Tantalizingly similar patterns were observed in the visible (bright plumes and blue-gray regions), where reflectivity in the red is anti-correlated with 5-microns thermal radiance. Ortiz et al. (1998, GRL, 103) characterized the latitude and drift rates of the hot spots, including the descent of the Galileo probe at the southern edge of a 5-micron hot spot, as the superposition of equatorial Rossby waves, with phase speeds between 99 - 103m/s, relative to System III. We note that the high 5-micron radiances correlate well but not perfectly with high 8.57-micron radiances. Because the latter are modulated primarily by changes in the upper ammonia (NH3) ice cloud opacity, this correlation implies that changes in the ammonia ice cloud field may be responsible for the variability seen in the 5-m maps. During the NEB fade (2011 - early 2012), however, these otherwise ubiquitous features were absent, an atmospheric state not seen in decades. The ongoing NEB revival indicates nascent 5-m hot spots as early as April 2012, with corresponding visible dark spots. Their continuing growth through July 2012 indicates the possit.le re-establishment of Rossby waves. The South Equatorial Belt (SEB) and NEB revivals began similarly with an instability that developed into a major outbreak, and many similarities in the observed propagation of clear regions.

Compositional variations in the Mesoarchean chromites of the Nuggihalli schist belt, Western Dharwar Craton (India): potential parental melts and implications for tectonic setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, Ria; Mondal, Sisir K.; Rosing, Minik T.; Frei, Robert

2010-12-01

The chromite deposits in the Archean Nuggihalli schist belt are part of a layered ultramafic-mafic sequence within the Western Dharwar Craton of the Indian shield. The 3.1-Ga ultramafic-mafic units occur as sill-like intrusions within the volcano-sedimentary sequences of the Nuggihalli greenstone belt that are surrounded by the tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) suite of rocks. The entire succession is exposed in the Tagdur mining district. The succession has been divided into the lower and the upper ultramafic units, separated by a middle gabbro unit. The ultramafic units comprise of deformed massive chromitite bodies that are hosted within chromite-bearing serpentinites. The chromitite bodies occur in the form of pods and elongated lenses (~60-500 m by ~15 m). Detailed electron microprobe studies reveal intense compositional variability of the chromite grains in silicate-rich chromitite (~50% modal chromite) and serpentinite (~2% modal chromite) throughout the entire ultramafic sequence. However, the primary composition of chromite is preserved in the massive chromitites (~60-75% modal chromite) from the Byrapur and the Bhaktarhalli mining district of the Nuggihalli schist belt. These are characterized by high Cr-ratios (Cr/(Cr + Al) = 0.78-0.86) and moderate Mg-ratios (Mg/(Mg + Fe2+) = 0.38-0.58). The compositional variability occurs due to sub-solidus re-equilibration in the accessory chromite in the serpentinite (Mg-ratio = 0.01-0.38; Cr-ratio = 0.02-0.99) and in silicate-rich chromitite (Mg-ratio = 0.06-0.48; Cr-ratio = 0.60-0.99). In the massive chromitites, the sub-solidus re-equilibration for chromite is less or absent. However, the re-equilibration is prominent in the co-existing interstitial and included olivine (Fo96-98) and pyroxene grains (Mg-numbers = 97-99). Compositional variability on the scale of a single chromite grain occurs in the form of zoning, and it is common in the accessory chromite grains in serpentinite and in the altered grains in chromitite. In the zoned grains, the composition of the core is modified and the rim is ferritchromit. In general, ferritchromit occurs as irregular patches along the grain boundaries and fractures of the zoned grains. In this case, ferritchromit formation is not very extensive. This indicates a secondary low temperature hydrothermal origin of ferritchromit during serpentinization. In some occurrences, the ferritchromit rim is very well developed, and only a small relict core appears to remain in the chromite grain. However, complete alteration of the chromite grains to ferritchromit without any remnant core is also present. The regular, well-developed and continuous occurrence of ferritchromit rims around the chromite grain boundaries, the complete alteration of the chromite grains and the modification of the core composition indicate the alteration in the Nuggihalli schist belt to be intense, pervasive and affected by later low-grade metamorphism. The primary composition of chromite has been used to compute the nature of the parental melt. The parental melt calculations indicate derivation from a high-Mg komatiitic basalt that is similar to the composition of the komatiitic rocks reported from the greenstone sequences of the Western Dharwar Craton. Tectonic discrimination diagrams using the primary composition of chromites indicate a supra-subduction zone setting (SSZ) for the Archean chromitites of Nuggihalli and derivation from a boninitic magma. The composition of the komatiitic basalts resembles those of boninites that occur in subduction zones and back-arc rift settings. Formation of the massive chromitites in Nuggihalli may be due to magma mixing process involving hydrous high-Mg magmas or may be related to intrusions of chromite crystal laden magma; however, there is little scope to test these models because the host rocks are highly altered, serpentinized and deformed. The present configurations of the chromitite bodies are related to the multistage deformation processes that are common in Archean greenstone belts.

Genesis of the Hengling magmatic belt in the North China Craton: Implications for Paleoproterozoic tectonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Peng; Guo, Jinghui; Zhai, Mingguo; Windley, Brian F.; Li, Tiesheng; Liu, Fu

2012-09-01

The 2200-1880 Ma igneous rocks in the central and eastern parts of the North China Craton (NCC) constitute a new Hengling magmatic belt (HMB), which includes the ~ 2147 Ma Hengling mafic sill/dyke swarm, the ~ 2060 Ma Yixingzhai mafic dyke swarm, and the ~ 1973 Ma Xiwangshan mafic dyke swarm. The three swarms are contiguous and have experienced variable degrees of metamorphism from greenschist to low amphibolite facies (Hengling), medium granulite facies (Yixingzhai), and medium/high-pressure granulite facies (Xiwangshan). They are all tholeiitic in composition typically with 47-52 wt.% SiO2 and 4-10 wt.% MgO, and all show light rare earth element enrichments and Nb- and Ta-depletion. Their Nd TDM ages are in the range of 2.5-3.0 Ga. Specifically, the Hengling and Yixingzhai dykes/sills are depleted in Th, U, Zr, Hf and Ti, whereas the Xiwangshan dykes are enriched in U and weakly depleted in other elements. Variable Sr-anomalies indicate significant feldspar accumulation (positive anomalies) or fractionation. The ɛNd(t) values of the three swarms are: - 3.2-+3.0 (Hengling), - 1.7-+ 1.8 (Yixingzhai) and - 1.4-+ 1.0 (Xiwangshan). These mafic representatives of the HMB originated from the > 2.5 Ga sub-continental lithospheric mantle of the NCC, and with A-type granites and other igneous associations in this belt they likely evolved in an intra-continental rift. The progressive changing compositions of the three swarms are interpreted in terms of their source regions at different depths, i.e., shallower and shallower through time. And the decrease in scale and size of the intrusions and their magma volumes indicate the progressive weakening of magmatism in this rift. The rocks in this belt are different chronologically, petrologically and chemically from those in the Xuwujia magmatic belt (XMB). We propose that the two magmatic belts represent two different magmatic systems in different blocks of the NCC, i.e., an eastern block (with the HMB) and a western block (with the XMB). Terminal collision was possibly a result of ridge subduction between the two blocks, which led to exhumation of the igneous rocks in the two belts from different crustal levels, distinguishable by their different grades of metamorphism.

The Fossilized Size Distribution of the Main Asteroid Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bottke, W. F.; Durda, D.; Nesvorny, D.; Jedicke, R.; Morbidelli, A.

2004-05-01

The main asteroid belt evolved into its current state via two processes: dynamical depletion and collisional evolution. During the planet formation epoch, the primordial main belt (PMB) contained several Earth masses of material, enough to allow the asteroids to accrete on relatively short timescales (e.g., Weidenschilling 1977). The present-day main belt, however, only contains 5e-4 Earth masses of material (Petit et al. 2002). To explain this mass loss, we suggest the PMB evolved in the following manner: Planetesimals and planetary embryos accreted (and differentiated) in the PMB during the first few Myr of the solar system. Gravitational perturbations from these embryos dynamically stirred the main belt, enough to initiate fragmentation. When Jupiter reached its full size, some 10 Myr after the solar system's birth, its perturbations, together with those of the embryos, dynamically depleted the main belt region of > 99% of its bodies. Much of this material was sent to high (e,i) orbits, where it continued to pummel the surviving main belt bodies at high impact velocities for more than 100 Myr. While some differentiated bodies in the PMB were disrupted, most were instead scattered; only small fragments from this population remain. This period of comminution and dynamical evolution in the PMB created, among other things, the main belt's wavy size-frequency distribution, such that it can be considered a "fossil" from this violent early epoch. From this time forward, however, relatively little collisional evolution has taken place in the main belt, consistent with the surprising paucity of prominent asteroid families. We will show that the constraints provided by asteroid families and the shape of the main belt size distribution are essential to obtaining a unique solution from our model's initial conditions. We also use our model results to solve for the asteroid disruption scaling law Q*D, a critical function needed in all planet formation codes that include fragmentation between rocky planetesimals.

The effectiveness of air bags.

PubMed

Barry, S; Ginpil, S; O'Neill, T J

1999-11-01

Previous research has shown that the installation of air bags in vehicles significantly reduces crash related deaths, but these analyses have used statistical techniques which have not been capable of controlling for other major determinants of crash survival. This study analysed data from the US FARS database of fatal crashes using conditional logistic regression which is simultaneously able to estimate occupant protection effects for a range of variables. Results of the analysis provided a comparative quantification of both the effect of the air bag as well as other well known determinants of occupant crash survival (age, seat belt use, and gender). When potentially confounding variables were controlled, both the driver and passenger side air bag devices were shown to significantly reduce the probability of death in direct frontal collisions, but the effect size calculated was small compared to the effect of the seat belt. The effect size may also be very small in absolute terms depending on the severity of the crash involved. Given the limited benefit of the air bag, efforts to promote air bags seem particularly difficult to justify in countries such as the United States where the vastly superior occupant protection of the seat belt is under-utilised.

Design of temperature detection device for drum of belt conveyor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Li; He, Rongjun

2018-03-01

For difficult wiring and big measuring error existed in the traditional temperature detection method for drum of belt conveyor, a temperature detection device for drum of belt conveyor based on Radio Frequency(RF) communication is designed. In the device, detection terminal can collect temperature data through tire pressure sensor chip SP370 which integrates temperature detection and RF emission. The receiving terminal which is composed of RF receiver chip and microcontroller receives the temperature data and sends it to Controller Area Network(CAN) bus. The test results show that the device meets requirements of field application with measuring error ±3.73 ° and single button battery can provide continuous current for the detection terminal over 1.5 years.

Spinifex-textured komatiites in the south border of the Carajas ridge, Selva Greenstone belt, Carajás Province, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siepierski, Lincoln; Ferreira Filho, Cesar Fonseca

2016-03-01

Spinifex-textured komatiites in the Selva greenstone belt are the first unequivocal examples of komatiites in the Transition Subdomain of the Carajás Mineral Province. Outcrops of spinifex-textured komatiites, located ∼1.5 km to the south of the Carajás ridge, were discovered during regional exploration for Ni-Cu-(PGE) sulfide deposits by VALE. They are associated with a 3.8 km long unit consisting of variable types of ultramafic rocks (talc schist, serpentinite and spinifex-textured komatiite). This ultramafic unit follows the steep dipping NW-SE trending Selva greenstone belt composed mainly by quartz-chlorite schists (interpreted as metasediments) and chlorite-actinolite schists (interpreted as metabasalts). Greenschist facies metamorphic parageneses characterize all rock types in the Selva greenstone belt. The komatiitic rocks in the Selva belt comprise a sequence of flows consisting of an upper spinifex-textured layer and a lower olivine cumulate layer. Although the spinifex and cumulus textures are well preserved in the field, the primary mineralogy of the komatiites has been completely replaced by greenschist facies metamorphic minerals. Platy olivine spinifex texture, consisting of an array of roughly parallel olivine plates, and random spinifex texture, consisting of randomly oriented olivine plates, are the most common primary volcanic textures in komatiites in the Selva greenstone belt. Platy and random spinifex texture is defined by former plates of olivine replaced by serpentine with minor actinolite, chlorite and magnetite, alternating with former matrix replaced by abundant actinolite and minor chlorite, talc, serpentine, and magnetite. The domains between olivine plates in both platy and random spinifex-textured rocks contain irregular arrays of fine-grained parallel crystals, representing primary fine-grained "quench" clinopyroxene crystals replaced by actinolite. Spinifex-textured komatiites have MgO contents bracket between 22.8 and 26.9 wt.%, and cumulate textured komatiites have MgO contents up to 40.6 wt.%. When plotted vs MgO contents, most major and minor elements fall on well-defined linear trends indicating control by olivine fractionation or accumulation. Komatiites from the Selva and Seringa (located in the Rio Maria Domain) belts are Al-undepleted with Al2O3/TiO2 ratios close to 20. Results for CaO, Na2O, and REE suggest that these elements were mobile and their abundances have been modified during metasomatic alteration. REE contents in some samples are very high (up to 40 times primitive mantle values) and REE patterns vary from flat (La/YbMN ∼ 1) to highly enriched in LREE (La/YbMN up to ∼ 10). The REE mobility may be related to hydrothermal alteration associated to Cu-Au mineralization in the region. The identification of spinifex-textured komatiites close to the Carajás Basin suggests the continuation of 3.0-2.9 Ga greenstone belts of the Rio Maria Domain within the Transition Subdomain, and enlarges the area with potential to host komatiite-associated Ni-Cu-PGE deposits.

Morphotectonics of the central Muertos thrust belt and Muertos Trough (northeastern Caribbean)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Granja, Bruna J.L.; ten Brink, Uri S.; Carbó-Gorosabel, Andrés; Muñoz-Martín, A.; Gomez, Ballesteros M.

2009-01-01

Multibeam bathymetry data acquired during the 2005 Spanish R/V Hesp??rides cruise and reprocessed multichannel seismic profiles provide the basis for the analysis of the morphology and deformation in the central Muertos Trough and Muertos thrust belt. The Muertos Trough is an elongated basin developed where the Venezuelan Basin crust is thrusted under the Muertos fold-and-thrust belt. Structural variations along the Muertos Trough are suggested to be a consequence of the overburden of the asymmetrical thrust belt and by the variable nature of the Venezuelan Basin crust along the margin. The insular slope can be divided into three east-west trending slope provinces with high lateral variability which correspond to different accretion stages: 1) The lower slope is composed of an active sequence of imbricate thrust slices and closed fold axes, which form short and narrow accretionary ridges and elongated slope basins; 2) The middle slope shows a less active imbricate structure resulting in lower superficial deformation and bigger slope basins; 3) The upper slope comprises the talus region and extended terraces burying an island arc basement and an inactive imbricate structure. The talus region is characterized by a dense drainage network that transports turbidite flows from the islands and their surrounding carbonate platform areas to the slope basins and sometimes to the trough. In the survey area the accommodation of the ongoing east-west differential motion between the Hispaniola and the Puerto Rico-Virgin Islands blocks takes place by means of diffuse deformation. The asymmetrical development of the thrust belt is not related to the geological conditions in the foreland, but rather may be caused by variations in the geometry and movement of the backstop. The map-view curves of the thrust belt and the symmetry of the recesses suggest a main north-south convergence along the Muertos margin. The western end of the Investigator Fault Zone comprises a broad band of active normal faults which result in high instability of the upper insular slope. ?? 2009 Elsevier B.V.

Formation and inversion of transtensional basins in the western part of the Lachlan Fold Belt, Australia, with emphasis on the Cobar Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glen, R. A.

The Palaeozoic history of the western part of the Lachlan Fold Belt in New South Wales was dominated by strike-slip tectonics. In the latest Silurian to late Early Devonian, an area of crust >25,000 km 2 lying west of the Gilmore Suture underwent regional sinistral transtension, leading to the development of intracratonic successor basins, troughs and flanking shelves. The volcaniclastic deep-water Mount Hope Trough and Rast Trough, the siliciclastic Cobar Basin and the volcanic-rich Canbelego-Mineral Hill Belt of the Kopyje Shelf all were initiated around the Siluro-Devonian boundary. They all show clear evidence of having evolved by both active syn-rift processes and passive later post-rift (sag-phase) processes. Active syn-rift faulting is best documented for the Cobar Basin and Mount Hope Trough. In the former case, the synchronous activity on several fault sets suggests that the basin formed by sinistral transtension in response to a direction of maximum extension oriented NE-SW. Structures formed during inversion of the Cobar Basin and Canbelego-Mineral Hill Belt indicate closure under a dextral transpressive strain regime, with a far-field direction of maximum shortening oriented NE-SW. In the Cobar Basin, shortening was partitioned into two structural zones. A high-strain zone in the east was developed into a positive half-flower structure by re-activation of early faults and by formation of short-cut thrusts, some with strike-slip movement, above an inferred steep strike-slip fault. Intense subvertical cleavage, a steep extension lineation and variably plunging folds are also present. A lower-strain zone to the west developed by syn-depositional faults being activated as thrusts soling into a gently dipping detachment. A subvertical cleavage and steep extension lineation are locally present, and variably plunging folds are common. Whereas Siluro-Devonian basin-opening appeared to be synchronous in the western part of the fold belt, the different period of basin inversion in the Cobar region (late Early Devonian and Carboniferous) may reflect different movement histories on the master strike-slip faults in this part of the fold belt, the Gilmore Suture and Kiewa Fault.

Regression models for explaining and predicting concentrations of organochlorine pesticides in fish from streams in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nowell, Lisa H.; Crawford, Charles G.; Gilliom, Robert J.; Nakagaki, Naomi; Stone, Wesley W.; Thelin, Gail; Wolock, David M.

2009-01-01

Empirical regression models were developed for estimating concentrations of dieldrin, total chlordane, and total DDT in whole fish from U.S. streams. Models were based on pesticide concentrations measured in whole fish at 648 stream sites nationwide (1992-2001) as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Quality Assessment Program. Explanatory variables included fish lipid content, estimates (or surrogates) representing historical agricultural and urban sources, watershed characteristics, and geographic location. Models were developed using Tobit regression methods appropriate for data with censoring. Typically, the models explain approximately 50 to 70% of the variability in pesticide concentrations measured in whole fish. The models were used to predict pesticide concentrations in whole fish for streams nationwide using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's River Reach File 1 and to estimate the probability that whole-fish concentrations exceed benchmarks for protection of fish-eating wildlife. Predicted concentrations were highest for dieldrin in the Corn Belt, Texas, and scattered urban areas; for total chlordane in the Corn Belt, Texas, the Southeast, and urbanized Northeast; and for total DDT in the Southeast, Texas, California, and urban areas nationwide. The probability of exceeding wildlife benchmarks for dieldrin and chlordane was predicted to be low for most U.S. streams. The probability of exceeding wildlife benchmarks for total DDT is higher but varies depending on the fish taxon and on the benchmark used. Because the models in the present study are based on fish data collected during the 1990s and organochlorine pesticide residues in the environment continue to decline decades after their uses were discontinued, these models may overestimate present-day pesticide concentrations in fish. ?? 2009 SETAC.

Sources of orbital debris and the projected environment for future spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kessler, D. J.

1980-01-01

The major source of the nearly 5000 objects currently observed orbiting the earth is from rocket explosions. These explosions have almost certainly produced an even larger unobserved population. If the current trend continues, collisions between orbiting fragments and other space objects could be frequent. By the year 2000 satellite fragmentation by hypervelocity collisions could become the major source of earth orbiting objects, resulting in a self propagating debris belt. The flux within this belt could exceed the meteoroid flux, affecting future spacecraft design.

The application of a piezo-resistive cardiorespiratory sensor system in an automobile safety belt.

PubMed

Hamdani, Syed Talha Ali; Fernando, Anura

2015-03-30

Respiratory and heart failure are conditions that can occur with little warning and may also be difficult to predict. Therefore continuous monitoring of these bio-signals is advantageous for ensuring human health. The car safety belt is mainly designed to secure the occupants of the vehicle in the event of an accident. In the current research a prototype safety belt is developed, which is used to acquire respiratory and heart signals, under laboratory conditions. The current safety belt is constructed using a copper ink based nonwoven material, which works based on the piezo-resistive effect due to the pressure exerted on the sensor as a result of expansion of the thorax/abdomen area of the body for respiration and due to the principle of ballistocardiography (BCG) in heart signal sensing. In this research, the development of a theoretical model to qualitatively describe the piezo-resistive material is also presented in order to predict the relative change in the resistance of the piezo-resistive material due to the pressure applied.

Friction and wear behavior of aluminum and composite airplane skins

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, K. E.

1984-01-01

Friction and wear behavior was determined for small skin specimens under abrasive loading conditions typical of those occurring on the underside of a transport airplane during emergency belly landing. A test apparatus consisting of a standard belt sander provided the sliding surface. Small test specimens constructed of aluminum, standard graphite-epoxy composite, aramid-epoxy composite, and toughened-resin composites were tested undar a range of pressures, belt velocities, and belt-surface textures. The effects of these test variables on the wear rate and the coefficient of friction are discussed and comparisons are made between the composite materials and aluminum. The effect of fiber orientation in the composite materials on wear rate was also investigated. In addition, tests were performed in which thermocouples were imbedded into the various test specimens to obtain temperature-time histories during abrasion.

Optimal Sensor Placement for Measuring Physical Activity with a 3D Accelerometer

PubMed Central

Boerema, Simone T.; van Velsen, Lex; Schaake, Leendert; Tönis, Thijs M.; Hermens, Hermie J.

2014-01-01

Accelerometer-based activity monitors are popular for monitoring physical activity. In this study, we investigated optimal sensor placement for increasing the quality of studies that utilize accelerometer data to assess physical activity. We performed a two-staged study, focused on sensor location and type of mounting. Ten subjects walked at various walking speeds on a treadmill, performed a deskwork protocol, and walked on level ground, while simultaneously wearing five ProMove2 sensors with a snug fit on an elastic waist belt. We found that sensor location, type of activity, and their interaction-effect affected sensor output. The most lateral positions on the waist belt were the least sensitive for interference. The effect of mounting was explored, by making two subjects repeat the experimental protocol with sensors more loosely fitted to the elastic belt. The loose fit resulted in lower sensor output, except for the deskwork protocol, where output was higher. In order to increase the reliability and to reduce the variability of sensor output, researchers should place activity sensors on the most lateral position of a participant's waist belt. If the sensor hampers free movement, it may be positioned slightly more forward on the belt. Finally, sensors should be fitted tightly to the body. PMID:24553085

Management of symphysis pubis dysfunction during pregnancy using exercise and pelvic support belts.

PubMed

Depledge, Jill; McNair, Peter J; Keal-Smith, Cheryl; Williams, Maynard

2005-12-01

Symphysis pubis pain is a significant problem for some pregnant women. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of exercise, advice, and pelvic support belts on the management of symphysis pubis dysfunction during pregnancy. Ninety pregnant women with symphysis pubis dysfunction were randomly assigned to 3 treatment groups. A randomized masked prospective experimental clinical trial was conducted. Specific muscle strengthening exercises and advice concerning appropriate methods for performing activities of daily living were given to the 3 groups, and 2 of the groups were given either a rigid pelvic support belt or a nonrigid pelvic support belt. The dependent variables, which were measured before and after the intervention, were a Roland-Morris Questionnaire score, a Patient-Specific Functional Scale score, and a pain score (101-point numerical rating score). After the intervention, there was a significant reduction in the Roland-Morris Questionnaire score, the Patient-Specific Functional Scale score, and the average and worst pain scores in all groups. With the exception of average pain, there were no significant differences between groups for the other measures. The findings indicate that the use of either a rigid or a nonrigid pelvic support belt did not add to the effects provided by exercise and advice.

THE ASTEROID BELT AS A RELIC FROM A CHAOTIC EARLY SOLAR SYSTEM

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

Izidoro, André; Raymond, Sean N.; Pierens, Arnaud

The orbital structure of the asteroid belt holds a record of the solar system’s dynamical history. The current belt only contains ∼10{sup −3} Earth masses yet the asteroids’ orbits are dynamically excited, with a large spread in eccentricity and inclination. In the context of models of terrestrial planet formation, the belt may have been excited by Jupiter’s orbital migration. The terrestrial planets can also be reproduced without invoking a migrating Jupiter; however, as it requires a severe mass deficit beyond Earth’s orbit, this model systematically under-excites the asteroid belt. Here we show that the orbits of the asteroids may havemore » been excited to their current state if Jupiter’s and Saturn’s early orbits were chaotic. Stochastic variations in the gas giants’ orbits cause resonances to continually jump across the main belt and excite the asteroids’ orbits on a timescale of tens of millions of years. While hydrodynamical simulations show that the gas giants were likely in mean motion resonance at the end of the gaseous disk phase, small perturbations could have driven them into a chaotic but stable state. The gas giants’ current orbits were achieved later, during an instability in the outer solar system. Although it is well known that the present-day solar system exhibits chaotic behavior, our results suggest that the early solar system may also have been chaotic.« less

New geological and tectonic map of Paleoproterozoic basement in western Burkina Faso: integrated interpretation of airborne geophysical and field data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Metelka, Vaclav; Baratoux, Lenka; Jessell, Mark; Naba, Seta

2010-05-01

The recent acquisition of regional scale airborne datasets over most of the West African craton sparked off a number of studies concentrating on their litho-tectonic interpretation. In such polydeformed terrains, where outcrop is very sparse or virtually nonexistent due to the presence of thick lateritic cover, geophysics and specifically geomagnetic surveying provide a wealth of information that facilitates the deciphering of regional litho-structural hierarchies. A revised geological and tectonic map of the Houndé and Boromo greenstone belts was derived by interpretation of aeromagnetic and gamma-ray spectrometric data constrained by field observations where available. Medium resolution geophysical data gridded at 250 meters acquired during the SYSMIN project served as a basis for the interpretation. This dataset was integrated with the SRTM digital elevation model and over 600 field observations. Furthermore, the BRGM/BUMIGEB SYSMIN project outcrops database (Castaing et al., 2003) as well as older outcrop maps, maintained by BUMIGEB, were used. Locally, outcrop maps and high resolution geophysics provided by mining companies (Orezone, SEMAFO, Volta Resources, Wega Mining) were employed. 2-D geophysical inversion modeling in GM-sys software using the ground gravity and airborne magnetic data was applied to three selected E-W profiles. Principal component analysis (PCA) of magnetic and radiometric data was a powerful tool for distinguishing different lithological units, in particular tholeiitic suites of basalts and gabbros and various volcano-sedimentary units. Some of the granite pluton limits can be traced as well using the PCA; however thick lateritic cover substantially hinders precise mapping. Magnetic data used on its own gave better results not only for granite limits but also for determining internal structures such as shear zones and concentric compositional zoning. Several major N-S to NNE-SSW oriented shear zones, representing most probably deep crustal structures were identified, some of them previously unreported. The western-most one runs through the eastern margin of the Banfora belt, continues eastwards through to Houndé belt and defines the northern limit of the Boromo belt. Regional stitches of airborne magnetic data at the craton scale show that this structure continues southeastwards to Liberia, attaining over 1000 km. Another shear zone, one of the newly discovered major structures, is NNW-SSE oriented and it affects granitoids between the Banfora and Houndé belts, joining the N-S trending shear zone limiting the Hounde belt in the west. Tarkwaian type metasediments occur as cca 400 km N-S oriented quasi-continuous unit located in the easterly part of the Houndé belt and they are limited on both eastern and western sides by regional scale shear zones. Finally, the Boromo belt is affected along all its length by a connected system of anastomosing subvertical shear zones, some of them representing the limit between the greenstone and granitoids. Additionally, tight isoclinal folds in the Houndé belt indicating E-W compression during the Eburnean orogeny are clearly visible on the PCA image. Interpreted structures are in a good accordance with the meso-scale structures measured in-situ. Castaing, C., Billa, M., Milési, J.P., Thiéblemont, D., Le Mentour, J., Egal, E., Donzeau, M. (BRGM) (coordonnateurs) et Guerrot, C., Cocherie, A., Chevremont, P., Tegyey, M., Itard, Y. (BRGM), Zida, B., Ouedraogo, I., Kote, S., Kabore, B.E., Ouedraogo, C. (BUMIGEB), Ki, J.C., Zunino (ANTEA), 2003. Notice explicative de la Carte géologique et miniére du Burkina Faso à 1/1 000 000.

STIS CORONAGRAPHIC IMAGING OF FOMALHAUT: MAIN BELT STRUCTURE AND THE ORBIT OF FOMALHAUT b

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

Kalas, Paul; Graham, James R.; Fitzgerald, Michael P.

2013-09-20

We present new optical coronagraphic data of Fomalhaut obtained with HST/STIS in 2010 and 2012. Fomalhaut b is recovered at both epochs to high significance. The observations include the discoveries of tenuous nebulosity beyond the main dust belt detected to at least 209 AU projected radius, and a ∼50 AU wide azimuthal gap in the belt northward of Fomalhaut b. The two epochs of Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) photometry exclude optical variability greater than 35%. A Markov chain Monte Carlo analysis demonstrates that the orbit of Fomalhaut b is highly eccentric, with e = 0.8 ± 0.1, a =more » 177 ± 68 AU, and q = 32 ± 24 AU. Fomalhaut b is apsidally aligned with the belt and 90% of allowed orbits have mutual inclination ≤36°. Fomalhaut b's orbit is belt crossing in the sky plane projection, but only 12% of possible orbits have ascending or descending nodes within a 25 AU wide belt annulus. The high eccentricity invokes a dynamical history where Fomalhaut b may have experienced a significant dynamical interaction with a hypothetical planet Fomalhaut c, and the current orbital configuration may be relatively short-lived. The Tisserand parameter with respect to a hypothetical Fomalhaut planet at 30 AU or 120 AU lies in the range 2-3, similar to highly eccentric dwarf planets in our solar system. We argue that Fomalhaut b's minimum mass is that of a dwarf planet in order for a circumplanetary satellite system to remain bound to a sufficient radius from the planet to be consistent with the dust scattered light hypothesis. In the coplanar case, Fomalhaut b will collide with the main belt around 2032, and the subsequent emergent phenomena may help determine its physical nature.« less

STIS Coronagraphic Imaging of Fomalhaut: Main Belt Structure and the Orbit of Fomalhaut b

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalas, Paul; Graham, James R.; Fitzgerald, Michael P.; Clampin, Mark

2013-01-01

We present new optical coronagraphic data of Fomalhaut obtained with HST/STIS in 2010 and 2012. Fomalhaut b is recovered at both epochs to high significance. The observations include the discoveries of tenuous nebulosity beyond the main dust belt detected to at least 209AU projected radius, and a approx. 50AU wide azimuthal gap in the belt northward of Fomalhaut b. The two epochs of Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) photometry exclude optical variability greater than 35%. A Markov chain Monte Carlo analysis demonstrates that the orbit of Fomalhaut b is highly eccentric, with e = 0.8 +/- 0.1, a = 177 +/- 68AU, and q = 32 +/- 24AU. Fomalhaut b is apsidally aligned with the belt and 90% of allowed orbits have mutual inclination <=36 deg. Fomalhaut b's orbit is belt crossing in the sky plane projection, but only 12% of possible orbits have ascending or descending nodes within a 25AU wide belt annulus. The high eccentricity invokes a dynamical history where Fomalhaut b may have experienced a significant dynamical interaction with a hypothetical planet Fomalhaut c, and the current orbital configuration may be relatively short-lived. The Tisserand parameter with respect to a hypothetical Fomalhaut planet at 30AU or 120AU lies in the range 2-3, similar to highly eccentric dwarf planets in our solar system. We argue that Fomalhaut b's minimum mass is that of a dwarf planet in order for a circumplanetary satellite system to remain bound to a sufficient radius from the planet to be consistent with the dust scattered light hypothesis. In the coplanar case, Fomalhaut b will collide with the main belt around 2032, and the subsequent emergent phenomena may help determine its physical nature.

Pliocene-Pleistocene changes in Arctic sea-ice cover: New biomarker records from Fram Strait/Yermak Plateau (ODP Sites 911 and 912)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stein, Ruediger; Fahl, Kirsten

2013-04-01

Recently, a novel and promising biomarker proxy for reconstruction of Arctic sea-ice conditions was developed and is based on the determination of a highly branched isoprenoid with 25 carbons (IP25; Belt et al., 2007). Following this pioneer IP25 study by Belt and colleagues, several IP25 studies of marine surface sediments and sediment cores as well as sediment trap samples from northpolar areas were carried out successfully and allowed detailed reconstruction of modern and late Quaternary sea ice variability in these regions (e.g., Massé et al., 2008; Müller et al., 2009, 2011; Vare et al., 2009; Belt et al., 2010; Fahl and Stein, 2012; for review see Stein et al., 2012). Here, we present new (low-resolution) biomarker records from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Sites 911 and 912, representing the Pliocene-Pleistocene time interval (including the interval of major intensification of Northern Hemisphere Glaciation near 2.7 Ma). These data indicate that sea ice of variable extent was present in the Fram Strait/southern Yermak Plateau area during most of the time period under investigation. In general, an increase in sea-ice cover seems to correlate with phases of extended late Pliocene-Pleistocene continental ice-sheets. At ODP Site 912, a significant increase in sea-ice extension occurred near 1.2 Ma (Stein and Fahl, 2012). Furthermore, our data support the idea that a combination of IP25 and open water, phytoplankton biomarker data ("PIP25 index"; Müller et al., 2011) may give more reliable and quantitative estimates of past sea-ice cover (at least for the study area). This study reveals that the novel IP25/PIP25 biomarker approach has potential for semi-quantitative paleo-sea ice studies covering the entire Quaternary and motivate to carry out further detailed high-resolution research on ODP/IODP material using this proxy. References Belt, S.T., Massé, G., Rowland, S.J., Poulin, M., Michel, C., LeBlanc, B., 2007. A novel chemical fossil of palaeo sea ice: IP25. Organic Geochemistry 38, 16-27. Belt, S.T., Vare, L.L., Massé, G., Manners, H.R., Price, J.C., MacLachlan, S.E., Andrews, J.T., Schmidt, S., 2010. Striking similarities in temporal changes to spring sea ice occurrence across the central Canadian Arctic Archipelago over the last 7000 years. Quaternary Science Reviews 29, 3489-3504. Fahl, K. and Stein, R., 2012. Modern seasonal variability and deglacial/Holocene change of central Arctic Ocean sea-ice cover: New insights from biomarker proxy records. Earth Planetary Science Letters 351-352C, 123-133, doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2012.07.009. Massé, G., Rowland, S.J., Sicre, M.-A., Jacob, J., Jansen, E., Belt, S.T., 2008. Abrupt climate changes for Iceland during the last millennium: Evidence from high resolution sea ice reconstructions. Earth Planetary Science Letters 269, 565-569. Müller, J., Massé, G., Stein, R., Belt, S.T., 2009. Variability of sea-ice conditions in the Fram Strait over the past 30,000 years. Nature Geoscience 2, 772-776. Müller, J., Wagner, A., Fahl, K., Stein, R., Prange, M., Lohmann, G., 2011. Towards quantitative sea ice reconstructions in the northern North Atlantic: A combined biomarker and numerical modelling approach. Earth Planetary Science Letters 306, 137-148. Stein, R. and Fahl, K., 2012. Biomarker proxy IP25 shows potential for studying entire Quaternary Arctic sea-ice history. Organic Geochemistry; doi: 10.1016/j.orggeochem.2012.11.005. Stein, R., Fahl, K., and Müller, J., 2012. Proxy reconstruction of Arctic Ocean sea ice history: "From IRD to IP25". Polarforschung 82, 37-71. Vare, L.L., Massé, G., Gregory, T.R., Smart, C.W., Belt, S.T., 2009. Sea ice variations in the central Canadian Arctic Archipelago during the Holocene. Quaternary Science Reviews 28, 1354-1366.

Cleaning of conveyor belt materials using ultrasound in a thin layer of water.

PubMed

Axelsson, L; Holck, A; Rud, I; Samah, D; Tierce, P; Favre, M; Kure, C F

2013-08-01

Cleaning of conveyor belts in the food industry is imperative for preventing the buildup of microorganisms that can contaminate food. New technologies for decreasing water and energy consumption of cleaning systems are desired. Ultrasound can be used for cleaning a wide range of materials. Most commonly, baths containing fairly large amounts of water are used. One possibility to reduce water consumption is to use ultrasonic cavitation in a thin water film on a flat surface, like a conveyor belt. In order to test this possibility, a model system was set up, consisting of an ultrasound transducer/probe with a 70-mm-diameter flat bottom, operating at 19.8 kHz, and contaminated conveyor belt materials in the form of coupons covered with a thin layer of water or water with detergent. Ultrasound was then applied on the water surface at different power levels (from 46 to 260 W), exposure times (10 and 20 s), and distances (2 to 20 mm). The model was used to test two different belt materials with various contamination types, such as biofilms formed by bacteria in carbohydrate- or protein-fat-based soils, dried microorganisms (bacteria, yeasts, and mold spores), and allergens. Ultrasound treatment increased the reduction of bacteria and yeast by 1 to 2 log CFU under the most favorable conditions compared with water or water-detergent controls. The effect was dependent on the type of belt material, the power applied, the exposure time, and the distance between the probe and the belt coupon. Generally, dried microorganisms were more easily removed than biofilms. The effect on mold spores was variable and appeared to be species and material dependent. Spiked allergens were also efficiently removed by using ultrasound. The results in this study pave the way for new cleaning designs for flat conveyor belts, with possibilities for savings of water, detergent, and energy consumption.

The Fossilized Size Distribution of the Main Asteroid Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bottke, W. F.; Durda, D.; Nesvorny, D.; Jedicke, R.; Morbidelli, A.

2003-05-01

At present, we do not understand how the main asteroid belt evolved into its current state. During the planet formation epoch, the primordial main belt (PMB) contained several Earth masses of material, enough to allow the asteroids to accrete on relatively short timescales (e.g., Weidenschilling 1977). The present-day main belt, however, only contains 5e-4 Earth masses of material (Petit et al. 2002). Constraints on this evolution come from (i) the observed fragments of differentiated asteroids, (ii) meteorites collected from numerous differentiated parent bodies, (iii) the presence of ˜ 10 prominent asteroid families, (iv) the "wavy" size-frequency distribution of the main belt, which has been shown to be a by-product of substantial collisional evolution (e.g., Durda et al. 1997), and (v) the still-intact crust of (4) Vesta. To explain the contradictions in the above constraints, we suggest the PMB evolved in this fashion: Planetesimals and planetary embryos accreted (and differentiated) in the PMB during the first few Myr of the solar system. Gravitational perturbations from these embryos dynamically stirred the main belt, enough to initiate fragmentation. When Jupiter reached its full size, some 10 Myr after the solar system's birth, its perturbations, together with those of the embryos, dynamically depleted the main belt region of ˜ 99% of its bodies. Much of this material was sent to high (e,i) orbits, where it continued to pummel the surviving main belt bodies at high impact velocities for more than 100 Myr. While some differentiated bodies in the PMB were disrupted, most were instead scattered; only small fragments from this population remain. This period of comminution and dynamical evolution in the PMB created, among other things, the main belt's wavy size distribution, such that it can be considered a "fossil" from this violent early epoch. From this time forward, however, relatively little collisional evolution has taken place in the main belt, consistent with the surprising paucity of prominent asteroid families. Preliminary modeling results of this scenario and implications will be presented.

New features in the structure of the classical Kuiper Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gladman, Brett; Bannister, Michele T.; Alexandersen, Mike; Chen, Ying-Tung; Gwyn, Stephen; Kavelaars, J. J.; Petit, Jean-Marc; Volk, Kathryn; OSSOS Collaboration

2016-10-01

We report fascinating new dynamical structures emerging from a higher precision view of the classical Kuiper belt (the plentiful non-resonant orbits with semimajor axes in roughly the a=35-60 au range). The classical Kuiper Belt divides into multiple sub-populations: an 'inner' classical belt (a small group of non-resonant objects with a<39.4 au where the 3:2 resonance is located), an abundant 'main' classical belt (between the 3:2 and the 2:1 at a=47.4 au), and a difficult to study outer classical belt beyond the 2:1. We examine the dynamical structure, as precisely revealed in the detections from OSSOS (the Outer Solar System Origin's Survey); the data set is of superb quality in terms of orbital element and numbers of detections (Kavelaars et al, this meeting).The previous CFEPS survey showed that the main classical belt requires a complex dynamical substructure that goes beyond a simple 'hot versus cold' division based primarily on orbital inclination; the 'cold' inclination component requires two sub-components in the semimajor axis and perihelion distance q space (Petit et al 2011). CFEPS modelled this as a 'stirred' component present at all a=40-47 AU semimajor axes, with a dense superposed 'kernel' near a=44 AU at low eccentricity; the first OSSOS data release remained consistent with this (Bannister et al 2016). As with the main asteroid belt, as statistics and orbital quality improve we see additional significant substructure emerging in the classical belt's orbital distribution.OSSOS continues to add evidence that the cold stirred component extends smoothly beyond the 2:1 (Bannister et al 2016). Unexpectedly, the data also reveal the clear existence of a paucity of orbits just beyond the outer edge of the kernel; there are significantly fewer TNOs in the narrow semimajor axis band from a=44.5-45.0 AU. This may be related to the kernel population's creation, or it may be an independent feature created by planet migration as resonances moved in the primordial Kuiper Belt.

Patrick Moore's Data Book of Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Patrick; Rees, Robin

2014-01-01

1. The Solar System; 2. The Sun; 3. The Moon; 4. Mercury; 5. Venus; 6. Earth; 7. Mars; 8. The asteroid belt; 9. Jupiter; 10. Saturn; 11. Uranus; 12. Neptune; 13. Beyond Neptune: the Kuiper Belt; 14. Comets; 15. Meteors; 16. Meteorites; 17. Glows and atmospheric effects; 18. The stars; 19. Stellar spectra and evolution; 20. Extrasolar planets; 21. Double stars; 22. Variable stars; 23. Stellar clusters; 24. Nebulae; 25. The Galaxy; 26. The evolution of the Universe; 27. The constellations; 28. The star catalogue; 29. Telescopes and observatories; 30. Non-optical astronomy; 31. The history of astronomy; 32. Astronomers; 33. Glossary; Index.

Machine Monitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

When a printing press jams, damage is extensive, repairs are costly, and time and production loss can be expensive. James River Corporation requested G.W. Shelton, a design engineer with Logical Control Systems to solve this problem. Shelton found the solution in a NASA Tech Brief article describing a system of pulley and belt drives. This led to the design of a system that monitors drive components for changes in relative speed that would indicate belt slippage and jam probability. When a combination of variables is not met, an emergency "stop" signal is sent to the press and an alarm is triggered.

An Evaluation of the Euroncap Crash Test Safety Ratings in the Real World

PubMed Central

Segui-Gomez, Maria; Lopez-Valdes, Francisco J.; Frampton, Richard

2007-01-01

We investigated whether the rating obtained in the EuroNCAP test procedures correlates with injury protection to vehicle occupants in real crashes using data in the UK Cooperative Crash Injury Study (CCIS) database from 1996 to 2005. Multivariate Poisson regression models were developed, using the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) score by body region as the dependent variable and the EuroNCAP score for that particular body region, seat belt use, mass ratio and Equivalent Test Speed (ETS) as independent variables. Our models identified statistically significant relationships between injury severity and safety belt use, mass ratio and ETS. We could not identify any statistically significant relationships between the EuroNCAP body region scores and real injury outcome except for the protection to pelvis-femur-knee in frontal impacts where scoring “green” is significantly better than scoring “yellow” or “red”.

Corn and soybean Landsat MSS classification performance as a function of scene characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Batista, G. T.; Hixson, M. M.; Bauer, M. E.

1982-01-01

In order to fully utilize remote sensing to inventory crop production, it is important to identify the factors that affect the accuracy of Landsat classifications. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of scene characteristics involving crop, soil, and weather variables on the accuracy of Landsat classifications of corn and soybeans. Segments sampling the U.S. Corn Belt were classified using a Gaussian maximum likelihood classifier on multitemporally registered data from two key acquisition periods. Field size had a strong effect on classification accuracy with small fields tending to have low accuracies even when the effect of mixed pixels was eliminated. Other scene characteristics accounting for variability in classification accuracy included proportions of corn and soybeans, crop diversity index, proportion of all field crops, soil drainage, slope, soil order, long-term average soybean yield, maximum yield, relative position of the segment in the Corn Belt, weather, and crop development stage.

Nezara viridula (L.) in Central Texas: I. New host plant associations and reproductive status of adults encountered within

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nezara viridula (L.) and other phytophagous stink bug species continue to plague producers in Texas and the remainder of the Cotton Belt. Developing effective management tactics for Nezara viridula (L.) requires a thorough understanding of factors contributing to continued production of field pest ...

The Gould's Belt very large array survey. III. The Orion region

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

Kounkel, Marina; Hartmann, Lee; Loinard, Laurent

2014-07-20

We present results from a high-sensitivity (60 μJy), large-scale (2.26 deg{sup 2}) survey obtained with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array as part of the Gould's Belt Survey program. We detected 374 and 354 sources at 4.5 and 7.5 GHz, respectively. Of these, 148 are associated with previously known young stellar objects (YSOs). Another 86 sources previously unclassified at either optical or infrared wavelengths exhibit radio properties that are consistent with those of young stars. The overall properties of our sources at radio wavelengths such as their variability and radio to X-ray luminosity relation are consistent with previous resultsmore » from the Gould's Belt Survey. Our detections provide target lists for follow-up Very Long Baseline Array radio observations to determine their distances as YSOs are located in regions of high nebulosity and extinction, making it difficult to measure optical parallaxes.« less

The Gould's Belt Very Large Array Survey. III. The Orion Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kounkel, Marina; Hartmann, Lee; Loinard, Laurent; Mioduszewski, Amy J.; Dzib, Sergio A.; Ortiz-León, Gisela N.; Rodríguez, Luis F.; Pech, Gerardo; Rivera, Juana L.; Torres, Rosa M.; Boden, Andrew F.; Evans, Neal J., II; Briceño, Cesar; Tobin, John

2014-07-01

We present results from a high-sensitivity (60 μJy), large-scale (2.26 deg2) survey obtained with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array as part of the Gould's Belt Survey program. We detected 374 and 354 sources at 4.5 and 7.5 GHz, respectively. Of these, 148 are associated with previously known young stellar objects (YSOs). Another 86 sources previously unclassified at either optical or infrared wavelengths exhibit radio properties that are consistent with those of young stars. The overall properties of our sources at radio wavelengths such as their variability and radio to X-ray luminosity relation are consistent with previous results from the Gould's Belt Survey. Our detections provide target lists for follow-up Very Long Baseline Array radio observations to determine their distances as YSOs are located in regions of high nebulosity and extinction, making it difficult to measure optical parallaxes.

Does finance affect environmental degradation: evidence from One Belt and One Road Initiative region?

PubMed

Hafeez, Muhammad; Chunhui, Yuan; Strohmaier, David; Ahmed, Manzoor; Jie, Liu

2018-04-01

This paper explores the effects of finance on environmental degradation and investigates environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) of each country among 52 that participate in the One Belt and One Road Initiative (OBORI) using the latest long panel data span (1980-2016). We utilized panel long run econometric models (fully modified ordinary least square and dynamic ordinary least square) to explore the long-run estimates in full panel and country level. Moreover, the Dumitrescu and Hurlin (2012) causality test is applied to examine the short-run causalities among our considered variables. The empirical findings validate the EKC hypothesis; the long-run estimates point out that finance significantly enhances the environmental degradation (negatively in few cases). The short-run heterogeneous causality confirms the bi-directional causality between finance and environmental degradation. The empirical outcomes suggest that policymakers should consider the environmental degradation issue caused by financial development in the One Belt and One Road region.

Six sigma.

PubMed

Carter, Pam

2010-12-01

When I was first introduced to the Six Sigma process, I resisted it with every ounce of energy I had. I continuously fabricated reasons so that I was unable to complete the training that my company required. When it came time for my performance review, I could not hide the truth from my manager; I had not completed the required training. It was then that I began my journey into the world of Six Sigma. Once I understood that a black belt and a green belt certification had nothing to do with karate, I felt much better. Copyright 2010, SLACK Incorporated.

Comments on the Parameters and Processes that Affect the Preservation Potential and Style of Oblique-Divergent Plate Boundaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umhoefer, P. J.

2014-12-01

Oblique-divergent or transtensional zones present particular challenges in ancient belts because of the poor preservation potential of the thinned continental crust and young oceanic crust. Many oblique belts will preferentially preserve their boundary zones that lie within continents rather than the main plate boundary zone, which will be at a much lower elevation and composed of denser crust. Zones of tectonic escape or strike-slip overprinting of arcs or plateaus deform continental crust and may be better preserved. Here I highlight parameters and processes that have major effects on oblique divergent belts. Strain partitioning is common, but not ubiquitous, along and across oblique boundaries; the causes of partitioning are not always clear and make this especially vexing for work in ancient belts. Partitioning causes complexity in the patterns of structures at all scales. Inherited structures commonly determine the orientation and style of structures along oblique boundaries and can control the pattern of faults across transtensional belts. Regionally, inherited trends of arcs or other 1000-km-scale features can control boundary structures. Experiments and natural examples suggest that oblique boundary zones contain less of a record of strike-slip faulting and more extensional structures. The obliquity of divergence produces predictable families of structures that typify (i) strike-slip dominated zones (obliquity <~20°), (ii) mixed zones (~20° - ~35°), and (iii) extension dominated zones (>~35°). The combination of partitioning and mixed structures in oblique zones means that the boundaries of belts with large-magnitude strike-slip faulting will commonly preserve little of no record of that faulting history. Plate boundaries localize strain onto the main plate boundary structures from the broader plate boundary and therefore the boundary zones commonly preserve the earlier structures more than later structures, a major problem in interpreting ancient belts. Sediment input is critical in some oblique plate boundaries because these belts become more pronounced sediment sinks over time. The evolving topography of oblique boundaries means that they have great variability of sediment flux into differing parts of the system; large rivers enter these belts only in special circumstances.

Turbulent Premixed Flames in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menon, Suresh

1996-01-01

The experimental cold-flow facility is now full operational and is currently being used to obtain baseline turbulence data in a Couette flow. The baseline turbulence data is necessary to confirm the capability of the chosen device to generate and maintain the required turbulence intensity. Subsequent reacting flow studies will assume that a similar turbulent flow field exists ahead of the premixed flame. Some modifications and refinements had to be made to enable accurate measurements. It consists of two rollers, one (driven by a motor) which drives a continuous belt and four smaller rollers used to set the belt spacing and tension to minimize belt flutter. The entire assemble is enclosed in a structure that has the dimensions to enable future drop tower experiments of the hot facility. All critical dimensions are the same as the original plans except for the pulley ratio which has been changed to enable a wider operating regime in terms of the Reynolds number. With the current setup, Reynolds numbers as low as 100 and as high as 14,000 can be achieved. This is because the in-between belt spacing can be varied from 1 cm to 7.6 cm, and the belt speed can be accurately varied from .15 m/sec to 3.1 m/sec.

Electron radiation belt dynamics during magnetic storms and in quiet time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazutin, Leonid; Dmitriev, Aleksey; Suvorova, Alla

2018-03-01

The paper discusses the dynamics of the outer electron belt, adiabatic and nonadiabatic mechanisms of replenishment and losses of energetic electrons. Under undisturbed conditions, the outer electron belt gradually empties: in the inner magnetosphere due to electron precipitation in the atmosphere and in the quasi-trapping region due to losses at the magnetopause because drift shells of electrons are not closed there. The latter process does not occur in normal years due to the masking replenishment by freshly accelerated particles, but in years of extremely low activity, it leads to a significant decrease in the electron population of the belt. During the magnetic storm main phase, the first reason for the decrease in the electron flux intensity is the adiabatic cooling associated with conservation of adiabatic invariants and complemented by precipitation of electrons into the atmosphere and their dropout at the magnetopause. Electron flux increases involve E×B electron injection by the induction electric field of substorm activation and by the large-scale solar wind electric field, with pitch energy diffusion along with adiabatic heating in the recovery phase. The rate of electron flux recovery after a storm is determined by the ratio of nonadiabatic increases and losses; hence the electron flux represents a continuous series from low to very high values. The combination of these processes determines the individual character of radiation belt development during each magnetic storm and the behavior of the belt in the quiet time.

A study of binary Kuiper belt objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kern, Susan Diane

2006-06-01

About 10 5 bodies larger than 100km in diameter (Jewitt 1998) reside in the Kuiper Belt, beyond the orbit of Neptune. Since 1992 observational surveys have discovered over one thousand of these objects, believed to be fossil remnants of events that occurred nearly 4.5 billion years ago. Sixteen of these objects are currently known to be binaries, and many more are expected to be discovered. As part of the Deep Ecliptic Survey (DES) I have helped catalog nearly one third of the known Kuiper Belt object (KBO) population, and used that database for further physical studies. Recovery observations for dynamical studies of newly discovered objects with the Magellan telescopes and a high resolution imager, MagIC, revealed three binaries, 88611 (2001QT297), 2003QY90, and 2005EO304. One binary was found in the discovery observations, 2003UN284. Lightcurve measurements of these, and other non-binary KBOs, were obtained to look for unique rotational characteristics. Eleven of thirty-three objects, excluding the binaries, were found to have measurable variability. One of these objects, 2002GW32 has a particularly large amplitude (> 1 magnitude) of variability, and 2002GP32 has a relatively short (~3.3 hours, single-peaked) lightcurve. Among the binary population all the observed objects showed some level of variation. The secondary of 88611 was fit with a single-peaked period of 5.5±0.02 hours while the primary component appears to be non-variable above the measurement errors (0.05 magnitudes). Neither component appears to be color variable. The components of 2003QY90 are both highly variable yielding single- peaked rotation periods of 3.5±1.1 and 7.2±2.9 hours with amplitudes of 0.34±0.06 and 0.90±0.18 magnitudes, respectively. The rotation periods are comparable to those of other non-binary KBOs although distinct from that of an identified contact binary. Orbits and partial orbits for Kuiper belt binaries (KBBs) show a wide range of eccentricities, and an increasing number of binaries with decreasing binary semi-major axis. These characteristics exclude the formation models proposed by Funato et al. (2003) and Weidenschilling (2002), respectively. Conversely, the formation models of Astakhov et al. (2005) and Goldreich et al. (2002) appear to describe the observations, at least in part. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)

Analysis of factors associated with traffic injury severity on rural roads in Iran.

PubMed

Kashani, Ali Tavakoli; Shariat-Mohaymany, Afshin; Ranjbari, Andishe

2012-01-01

Iran is a country with one of the highest rates of traffic crash fatality and injury, and seventy percent of these fatalities happen on rural roads. The objective of this study is to identify the significant factors influencing injury severity among drivers involved in crashes on two kinds of major rural roads in Iran: two-lane, two-way roads and freeways. According to the dataset, 213569 drivers were involved in rural road crashes in Iran, over the 3 years from 2006 to 2008. The Classification And Regression Tree method (CART) was applied for 13 independent variables, and one target variable of injury severity with 3 classes of no-injury, injury and fatality. Some of the independent variables were cause of crash, collision type, weather conditions, road surface conditions, driver's age and gender and seat belt usage. The CART model was trained by 70% of these data, and tested with the rest. It was indicated that seat belt use is the most important safety factor for two-lane, two-way rural roads, but on freeways, the importance of this variable is less. Cause of crash, also turned out to be the next most important variable. The results showed that for two-lane, two-way rural roads, "improper overtaking" and "speeding", and for rural freeways, "inattention to traffic ahead", "vehicle defect", and "movement of pedestrians, livestock and unauthorized vehicles on freeways" are the most serious causes of increasing injury severity. The analysis results revealed seat belt use, cause of crash and collision type as the most important variables influencing the injury severity of traffic crashes. To deal with these problems, intensifying police enforcement by means of mobile patrol vehicles, constructing overtaking lanes where necessary, and prohibiting the crossing of pedestrians and livestock and the driving of unauthorized vehicles on freeways are necessary. Moreover, creating a rumble strip on the two edges of roads, and paying attention to the design consistency of roads can be a helpful factor in order to prevent events such as "overturning" and improve the overall safety of freeways.

SPHERE Sheds New Light on the Collisional History of Main-belt Asteroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marsset, M.; Carry, B.; Pajuelo, M.; Viikinkoski, M.; Hanuš, J.; Vernazza, P.; Dumas, C.; Yang, B.

2017-09-01

The Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet REsearch (SPHERE) instrument has unveiled unprecedented details of the three-dimensional shape, surface topography and cratering record of four medium-sized ( 200 km) asteroids, opening the prospect of a new era of ground-based exploration of the asteroid belt. Although two of the targets, (130) Elektra and (107) Camilla, have been observed extensively for more than fifteen years by the first-generation adaptive optics imagers, two new moonlets were discovered around these targets, illustrating the unique power of SPHERE. In the next two years SPHERE will continue to collect high- angular-resolution and high-contrast measurements of about 40 asteroids. These observations of a large number of asteroids will provide a unique dataset to better understand the collisional history and multiplicity rate of the asteroid belt.

Cross-stiffened continuous fiber structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ewen, John R.; Suarez, Jim A.

1993-01-01

Under NASA's Novel Composites for Wing and Fuselage Applications (NCWFA) program, Contract NAS1-18784, Grumman is evaluating the structural efficiency of graphite/epoxy cross-stiffened panel elements fabricated using innovative textile preforms and cost effective Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) and Resin Film Infusion (RFI) processes. Two three-dimensional woven preform assembly concepts have been defined for application to a representative window belt design typically found in a commercial transport airframe. The 3D woven architecture for each of these concepts is different; one is vertically woven in the plane of the window belt geometry and the other is loom woven in a compressed state similar to an unfolded eggcrate. The feasibility of both designs has been demonstrated in the fabrication of small test element assemblies. These elements and the final window belt assemblies will be structurally tested, and results compared.

Process Monitoring Evaluation and Implementation for the Wood Abrasive Machining Process

PubMed Central

Saloni, Daniel E.; Lemaster, Richard L.; Jackson, Steven D.

2010-01-01

Wood processing industries have continuously developed and improved technologies and processes to transform wood to obtain better final product quality and thus increase profits. Abrasive machining is one of the most important of these processes and therefore merits special attention and study. The objective of this work was to evaluate and demonstrate a process monitoring system for use in the abrasive machining of wood and wood based products. The system developed increases the life of the belt by detecting (using process monitoring sensors) and removing (by cleaning) the abrasive loading during the machining process. This study focused on abrasive belt machining processes and included substantial background work, which provided a solid base for understanding the behavior of the abrasive, and the different ways that the abrasive machining process can be monitored. In addition, the background research showed that abrasive belts can effectively be cleaned by the appropriate cleaning technique. The process monitoring system developed included acoustic emission sensors which tended to be sensitive to belt wear, as well as platen vibration, but not loading, and optical sensors which were sensitive to abrasive loading. PMID:22163477

The Application of a Piezo-Resistive Cardiorespiratory Sensor System in an Automobile Safety Belt

PubMed Central

Hamdani, Syed Talha Ali; Fernando, Anura

2015-01-01

Respiratory and heart failure are conditions that can occur with little warning and may also be difficult to predict. Therefore continuous monitoring of these bio-signals is advantageous for ensuring human health. The car safety belt is mainly designed to secure the occupants of the vehicle in the event of an accident. In the current research a prototype safety belt is developed, which is used to acquire respiratory and heart signals, under laboratory conditions. The current safety belt is constructed using a copper ink based nonwoven material, which works based on the piezo-resistive effect due to the pressure exerted on the sensor as a result of expansion of the thorax/abdomen area of the body for respiration and due to the principle of ballistocardiography (BCG) in heart signal sensing. In this research, the development of a theoretical model to qualitatively describe the piezo-resistive material is also presented in order to predict the relative change in the resistance of the piezo-resistive material due to the pressure applied. PMID:25831088

Comments on "The Cenozoic fold-and-thrust belt of Eastern Sardinia: Evidences from the integration of field data with numerically balanced geological cross section" by Arragoni et al., 2016

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berra, F.; Lanfranchi, A.; Jadoul, F.

2017-02-01

Arragoni et al. (2016) suggest in their paper published on tectonics that the carbonate succession of Eastern Sardinia represents a Cenozoic fold-and-thrust belt, related to the Alpine orogenesis. According to these authors, this supposed fold-and-thrust belt represents the southward continuation of the Alpine Corsica collisional chain and the missing link between the Alpine Chain and the Calabria-Peloritani domain. Field evidence and the published literature document instead that all the surfaces that Arragoni et al. interpret as thrust are actually stratigraphic contacts. The balanced geological section of Arragoni represents thus a geometric exercise missing the basic data needed to nurse the proposed model, and it does not reflect the geology of Eastern Sardinia. The data provided by Arragoni et al. (2016) do not support the presence of an Alpine thrust-and-fold belt in Eastern Sardinia, and this paper may suggest to the geological community a misleading interpretation of the geodynamic evolution of the Alpine and Mediterranean area.

Restraint use and lower extremity fractures in frontal motor vehicle collisions.

PubMed

Estrada, Lance S; Alonso, Jorge E; McGwin, Gerald; Metzger, Jesse; Rue, Loring W

2004-08-01

Seat belts and air bags have been shown to significantly reduce morbidity and mortality following MVCs. Research suggests that restraint use does not protect against lower extremity fracture; however, no population-based studies of this association exist. The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of combined seat belt and airbag restraint systems with airbag alone, seat belt alone, and no restraints with respect to incidence and location of lower extremity fractures. A retrospective analysis of front seat occupants involved in police-reported, tow-away frontal MVCs was conducted using data from the 1995 through 2000 National Automotive Sampling System (NASS). Incidence and relative risk (RR) of fracture to specific bony regions were measured according to seat belt use and airbag deployment. Compared with unrestrained occupants, occupants restrained with airbag only had significantly higher risk for all types of lower extremity fractures whereas those occupants restrained with either seat belt only or seat belt and airbag had lower risk of fracture. The greatest difference was seen with tibia/fibula fractures in airbag only (RR, 2.14) but this trend continued to be significant with femur and pelvic fractures (RR, 1.13 and 1.23, respectively). While airbags may reduce the risk of death when used alone or in combination with seat belts, the results of this study demonstrate that air bags increase the risk of lower extremity fractures when used as the sole method of passenger protection. Also, they may do so differentially according to skeletal region. This data strongly support the consideration of developing accessory knee bolster airbags to prevent the "submarining" or sliding under the airbag that may be responsible for this finding.

Recent changes in county-level corn yield variability in the United States from observations and crop models

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

Leng, Guoyong

The United States is responsible for 35% and 60% of global corn supply and exports. Enhanced supply stability through a reduction in the year-to-year variability of US corn yield would greatly benefit global food security. Important in this regard is to understand how corn yield variability has evolved geographically in the history and how it relates to climatic and non-climatic factors. Results showed that year-to-year variation of US corn yield has decreased significantly during 1980-2010, mainly in Midwest Corn Belt, Nebraska and western arid regions. Despite the country-scale decreasing variability, corn yield variability exhibited an increasing trend in South Dakota,more » Texas and Southeast growing regions, indicating the importance of considering spatial scales in estimating yield variability. The observed pattern is partly reproduced by process-based crop models, simulating larger areas experiencing increasing variability and underestimating the magnitude of decreasing variability. And 3 out of 11 models even produced a differing sign of change from observations. Hence, statistical model which produces closer agreement with observations is used to explore the contribution of climatic and non-climatic factors to the changes in yield variability. It is found that climate variability dominate the change trends of corn yield variability in the Midwest Corn Belt, while the ability of climate variability in controlling yield variability is low in southeastern and western arid regions. Irrigation has largely reduced the corn yield variability in regions (e.g. Nebraska) where separate estimates of irrigated and rain-fed corn yield exist, demonstrating the importance of non-climatic factors in governing the changes in corn yield variability. The results highlight the distinct spatial patterns of corn yield variability change as well as its influencing factors at the county scale. I also caution the use of process-based crop models, which have substantially underestimated the change trend of corn yield variability, in projecting its future changes.« less

Cenozoic intracontinental deformation of the Kopeh Dagh Belt, Northeastern Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Yang; Wan, Bo; Chen, Ling; Talebian, Morteza

2016-04-01

Compressional intracontinental orogens represent large tectonic zones far from plate boundaries. Since intracontinental mountain belts cannot be framed in the conventional plate tectonics theory, several hypotheses have been proposed to account for the formations of these mountain belts. The far-field effect of collision/subduction at plate margins is now well accepted for the origin and evolution of the intracontinental crust thickening, as exemplified by the Miocene tectonics of central Asia. In northern Iran, the Binalud-Alborz mountain belt witnessed the Triassic tectonothermal events (Cimmerian orogeny), which are interpreted as the result of the Paleotethys Ocean closure between the Eurasia and Central Iran blocks. The Kopeh Dagh Belt, located to the north of the Binalud-Alborz Belt, has experienced two significant tectonic phases: (1) Jurassic to Eocene rifting with more than 7 km of sediments; and (2) Late Eocene-Early Oligocene to Quaternary continuous compression. Due to the high seismicity, deformation associated with earthquakes has received more and more attention; however, the deformation pattern and architecture of this range remain poorly understood. Detailed field observations on the Cenozoic deformation indicate that the Kopeh Dagh Belt can be divided into a western zone and an eastern zone, separated by a series of dextral strike-slip faults, i.e. the Bakharden-Quchan Fault System. The eastern zone characterized by km-scale box-fold structures, associated with southwest-dipping reverse faults and top-to-the NE kinematics. In contrast, the western zone shows top-to-the SW kinematics, and the deformation intensifies from NE to SW. In the northern part of this zone, large-scale asymmetrical anticlines exhibit SW-directed vergence with subordinate thrusts and folds, whereas symmetrical anticlines are observed in the southern part. In regard to its tectonic feature, the Kopeh Dagh Belt is a typical Cenozoic intracontinental belt without ophiolites or arc magmatism. During the Jurassic to Eocene rifting, this belt acted as the southern boundary of the Amu Darya Basin with normal faulting, which is also widespread in the South Caspian Sea and the Black Sea. Moreover, such an extended area became a relatively weak zone within the Eurasian Plate, and could be easily reworked. Because of the collision in the Zagros Belt, the intracontinental compression commenced as early as Late Eocene to Early Oligocene, which is interpreted as tectonic inversion along this weak zone. The western zone of the Kopeh Dagh Belt was also affected by southerly indentation/extrusion of the South Caspian block since middle Miocene, possibly resulting in the different deformation patterns between the western and eastern zones.

Recent Science Highlights of the Van Allen Probes Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ukhorskiy, Aleksandr

2016-10-01

The morning of 30 August 2012 saw an Atlas 5 rocket launch NASA's second Living With a Star spacecraft mission, the twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes, into an elliptic orbit cutting through Earth's radiation belts. Renamed the Van Allen Probes soon after launch, the Probes are designed to determine how the highly variable populations of high-energy charged particles within the radiation belts, dangerous to astronauts and satellites, are created, respond to solar variations, and evolve in space environments. The Van Allen Probes mission extends beyond the practical considerations of the hazard's of Earth's space environment. Twentieth century observations of space and astrophysical systems throughout the solar system and out into the observable universe have shown that the processes that generate intense particle radiation within magnetized environments such as Earth's are universal. During its mission the Van Allen Probes verified and quantified previously suggested energization processes, discovered new energization mechanisms, revealed the critical importance of dynamic plasma injections into the innermost magnetosphere, and used uniquely capable instruments to reveal inner radiation belt features that were all but invisible to previous sensors. This paper gives a brief overview of the mission, presents some recent science highlights, and discusses plans for the extended mission.

Optical images of an exosolar planet 25 light-years from Earth.

PubMed

Kalas, Paul; Graham, James R; Chiang, Eugene; Fitzgerald, Michael P; Clampin, Mark; Kite, Edwin S; Stapelfeldt, Karl; Marois, Christian; Krist, John

2008-11-28

Fomalhaut, a bright star 7.7 parsecs (25 light-years) from Earth, harbors a belt of cold dust with a structure consistent with gravitational sculpting by an orbiting planet. Here, we present optical observations of an exoplanet candidate, Fomalhaut b. Fomalhaut b lies about 119 astronomical units (AU) from the star and 18 AU of the dust belt, matching predictions of its location. Hubble Space Telescope observations separated by 1.73 years reveal counterclockwise orbital motion. Dynamical models of the interaction between the planet and the belt indicate that the planet's mass is at most three times that of Jupiter; a higher mass would lead to gravitational disruption of the belt, matching predictions of its location. The flux detected at 0.8 mum is also consistent with that of a planet with mass no greater than a few times that of Jupiter. The brightness at 0.6 mum and the lack of detection at longer wavelengths suggest that the detected flux may include starlight reflected off a circumplanetary disk, with dimension comparable to the orbits of the Galilean satellites. We also observe variability of unknown origin at 0.6 mum.

Characterization of airborne float coal dust emitted during continuous mining, longwall mining and belt transport.

PubMed

Shahan, M R; Seaman, C E; Beck, T W; Colinet, J F; Mischler, S E

2017-09-01

Float coal dust is produced by various mining methods, carried by ventilating air and deposited on the floor, roof and ribs of mine airways. If deposited, float dust is re-entrained during a methane explosion. Without sufficient inert rock dust quantities, this float coal dust can propagate an explosion throughout mining entries. Consequently, controlling float coal dust is of critical interest to mining operations. Rock dusting, which is the adding of inert material to airway surfaces, is the main control technique currently used by the coal mining industry to reduce the float coal dust explosion hazard. To assist the industry in reducing this hazard, the Pittsburgh Mining Research Division of the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health initiated a project to investigate methods and technologies to reduce float coal dust in underground coal mines through prevention, capture and suppression prior to deposition. Field characterization studies were performed to determine quantitatively the sources, types and amounts of dust produced during various coal mining processes. The operations chosen for study were a continuous miner section, a longwall section and a coal-handling facility. For each of these operations, the primary dust sources were confirmed to be the continuous mining machine, longwall shearer and conveyor belt transfer points, respectively. Respirable and total airborne float dust samples were collected and analyzed for each operation, and the ratio of total airborne float coal dust to respirable dust was calculated. During the continuous mining process, the ratio of total airborne float coal dust to respirable dust ranged from 10.3 to 13.8. The ratios measured on the longwall face were between 18.5 and 21.5. The total airborne float coal dust to respirable dust ratio observed during belt transport ranged between 7.5 and 21.8.

The Conveyor Belt Problem and Newton's Third Law.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Maurice Bruce

1989-01-01

Shows how the thermal power developed by friction is exactly half the supplied power in the general case of a variable force of friction. Investigates the mechanism whereby one-half the input energy is dissipated as heat using mathematical expressions. (YP)

The fossilized size distribution of the main asteroid belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bottke, William F.; Durda, Daniel D.; Nesvorný, David; Jedicke, Robert; Morbidelli, Alessandro; Vokrouhlický, David; Levison, Hal

2005-05-01

Planet formation models suggest the primordial main belt experienced a short but intense period of collisional evolution shortly after the formation of planetary embryos. This period is believed to have lasted until Jupiter reached its full size, when dynamical processes (e.g., sweeping resonances, excitation via planetary embryos) ejected most planetesimals from the main belt zone. The few planetesimals left behind continued to undergo comminution at a reduced rate until the present day. We investigated how this scenario affects the main belt size distribution over Solar System history using a collisional evolution model (CoEM) that accounts for these events. CoEM does not explicitly include results from dynamical models, but instead treats the unknown size of the primordial main belt and the nature/timing of its dynamical depletion using innovative but approximate methods. Model constraints were provided by the observed size frequency distribution of the asteroid belt, the observed population of asteroid families, the cratered surface of differentiated Asteroid (4) Vesta, and the relatively constant crater production rate of the Earth and Moon over the last 3 Gyr. Using CoEM, we solved for both the shape of the initial main belt size distribution after accretion and the asteroid disruption scaling law QD∗. In contrast to previous efforts, we find our derived QD∗ function is very similar to results produced by numerical hydrocode simulations of asteroid impacts. Our best fit results suggest the asteroid belt experienced as much comminution over its early history as it has since it reached its low-mass state approximately 3.9-4.5 Ga. These results suggest the main belt's wavy-shaped size-frequency distribution is a "fossil" from this violent early epoch. We find that most diameter D≳120 km asteroids are primordial, with their physical properties likely determined during the accretion epoch. Conversely, most smaller asteroids are byproducts of fragmentation events. The observed changes in the asteroid spin rate and lightcurve distributions near D˜100-120 km are likely to be a byproduct of this difference. Estimates based on our results imply the primordial main belt population (in the form of D<1000 km bodies) was 150-250 times larger than it is today, in agreement with recent dynamical simulations.

THE EXTRAORDINARY MULTI-TAILED MAIN-BELT COMET P/2013 P5

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

Jewitt, David; Agarwal, Jessica; Weaver, Harold

2013-11-20

Hubble Space Telescope observations of main-belt comet P/2013 P5 reveal an extraordinary system of six dust tails that distinguish this object from any other. Observations two weeks apart show dramatic morphological change in the tails while providing no evidence for secular fading of the object as a whole. Each tail is associated with a unique ejection date, revealing continued, episodic mass loss from the 0.24 ± 0.04 km radius nucleus over the last five months. As an inner-belt asteroid and probable Flora family member, the object is likely to be highly metamorphosed and unlikely to contain ice. The protracted periodmore » of dust release appears inconsistent with an impact origin, but may be compatible with a body that is losing mass through a rotational instability. We suggest that P/2013 P5 has been accelerated to breakup speed by radiation torques.« less

KSC-2012-3682

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-07-05

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians prepare to rotate the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, spacecraft A so they can deploy the spacecraft's remaining three solar panels. Deploying these arrays is standard procedure to ensure they work properly on Earth before they head into space. NASA’s RBSP mission will help us understand the sun’s influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth’s radiation belts on various scales of space and time. As the spacecraft orbits Earth, four panels will continuously face the sun to provide constant power to its instruments. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Launch is targeted for Aug. 23. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

KSC-2012-3690

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-07-05

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians deploy one of four solar panels on the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, spacecraft A. Deploying these arrays is standard procedure to ensure they work properly on Earth before they head into space. NASA’s RBSP mission will help us understand the sun’s influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth’s radiation belts on various scales of space and time. As the spacecraft orbits Earth, the panels will continuously face the sun to provide constant power to its instruments. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Launch is targeted for Aug. 23. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

KSC-2012-3686

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-07-05

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians rotate the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, spacecraft A so they can deploy the spacecraft's remaining three solar panels. Deploying these arrays is standard procedure to ensure they work properly on Earth before they head into space. NASA’s RBSP mission will help us understand the sun’s influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth’s radiation belts on various scales of space and time. As the spacecraft orbits Earth, four panels will continuously face the sun to provide constant power to its instruments. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Launch is targeted for Aug. 23. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

KSC-2012-3692

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-07-05

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians deploy one of four solar panels on the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, spacecraft A. Deploying these arrays is standard procedure to ensure they work properly on Earth before they head into space. NASA’s RBSP mission will help us understand the sun’s influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth’s radiation belts on various scales of space and time. As the spacecraft orbits Earth, the panels will continuously face the sun to provide constant power to its instruments. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Launch is targeted for Aug. 23. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

KSC-2012-3691

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-07-05

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians deploy one of four solar panels on the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, spacecraft A. Deploying these arrays is standard procedure to ensure they work properly on Earth before they head into space. NASA’s RBSP mission will help us understand the sun’s influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth’s radiation belts on various scales of space and time. As the spacecraft orbits Earth, the panels will continuously face the sun to provide constant power to its instruments. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Launch is targeted for Aug. 23. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

KSC-2012-3683

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-07-05

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians rotate the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, spacecraft A so they can deploy the spacecraft's remaining three solar panels. Deploying these arrays is standard procedure to ensure they work properly on Earth before they head into space. NASA’s RBSP mission will help us understand the sun’s influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth’s radiation belts on various scales of space and time. As the spacecraft orbits Earth, four panels will continuously face the sun to provide constant power to its instruments. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Launch is targeted for Aug. 23. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

KSC-2012-3687

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-07-05

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians prepare to deploy the remaining three solar panels on the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, spacecraft A. Deploying these arrays is standard procedure to ensure they work properly on Earth before they head into space. NASA’s RBSP mission will help us understand the sun’s influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth’s radiation belts on various scales of space and time. As the spacecraft orbits Earth, four panels will continuously face the sun to provide constant power to its instruments. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Launch is targeted for Aug. 23. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

KSC-2012-3689

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-07-05

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians deploy one of four solar panels on the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, spacecraft A. Deploying these arrays is standard procedure to ensure they work properly on Earth before they head into space. NASA’s RBSP mission will help us understand the sun’s influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth’s radiation belts on various scales of space and time. As the spacecraft orbits Earth, the panels will continuously face the sun to provide constant power to its instruments. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Launch is targeted for Aug. 23. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

KSC-2012-3693

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-07-05

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians deploy one of four solar panels on the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, spacecraft A. Deploying these arrays is standard procedure to ensure they work properly on Earth before they head into space. NASA’s RBSP mission will help us understand the sun’s influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth’s radiation belts on various scales of space and time. As the spacecraft orbits Earth, the panels will continuously face the sun to provide constant power to its instruments. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Launch is targeted for Aug. 23. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

KSC-2012-3684

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-07-05

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians rotate the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, spacecraft A so they can deploy the spacecraft's remaining three solar panels. Deploying these arrays is standard procedure to ensure they work properly on Earth before they head into space. NASA’s RBSP mission will help us understand the sun’s influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth’s radiation belts on various scales of space and time. As the spacecraft orbits Earth, four panels will continuously face the sun to provide constant power to its instruments. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Launch is targeted for Aug. 23. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

KSC-2012-3685

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-07-05

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians rotate the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, spacecraft A so they can deploy the spacecraft's remaining three solar panels. Deploying these arrays is standard procedure to ensure they work properly on Earth before they head into space. NASA’s RBSP mission will help us understand the sun’s influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth’s radiation belts on various scales of space and time. As the spacecraft orbits Earth, four panels will continuously face the sun to provide constant power to its instruments. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Launch is targeted for Aug. 23. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

KSC-2012-3688

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-07-05

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians deploy one of four solar panels on the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, spacecraft A. Deploying these arrays is standard procedure to ensure they work properly on Earth before they head into space. NASA’s RBSP mission will help us understand the sun’s influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth’s radiation belts on various scales of space and time. As the spacecraft orbits Earth, the panels will continuously face the sun to provide constant power to its instruments. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Launch is targeted for Aug. 23. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

KSC-2012-4191

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-08-02

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians work on the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, spacecraft. NASA’s RBSP mission will help us understand the sun’s influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth’s radiation belts on various scales of space and time. As the spacecraft orbits Earth, the four solar panels will continuously face the sun to provide constant power to its instruments. The boom will provide data of the electric fields that energize radiation particles and modify the structure of the inner magnetosphere. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Launch is targeted for Aug. 23. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2012-4196

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-08-02

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden, at left, talks to technicians about the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, spacecraft. NASA’s RBSP mission will help us understand the sun’s influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth’s radiation belts on various scales of space and time. As the spacecraft orbits Earth, the four solar panels will continuously face the sun to provide constant power to its instruments. The boom will provide data of the electric fields that energize radiation particles and modify the structure of the inner magnetosphere. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Launch is targeted for Aug. 23. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2012-4195

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-08-02

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden, center, talks to technicians about the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, spacecraft. NASA’s RBSP mission will help us understand the sun’s influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth’s radiation belts on various scales of space and time. As the spacecraft orbits Earth, the four solar panels will continuously face the sun to provide constant power to its instruments. The boom will provide data of the electric fields that energize radiation particles and modify the structure of the inner magnetosphere. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Launch is targeted for Aug. 23. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Investigating the source of near-relativistic and relativistic electrons in Earth's inner radiation belt

DOE PAGES

Turner, Drew Lawson; O'Brien, T. P.; Fennell, J. F.; ...

2017-01-30

Using observations from NASA's Van Allen Probes, we study the role of sudden particle enhancements at low L shells (SPELLS) as a source of inner radiation belt electrons. SPELLS events are characterized by electron intensity enhancements of approximately an order of magnitude or more in less than 1 day at L < 3. During quiet and average geomagnetic conditions, the phase space density radial distributions for fixed first and second adiabatic invariants are peaked at 2 < L < 3 for electrons ranging in energy from ~50 keV to ~1 MeV, indicating that slow inward radial diffusion is not themore » dominant source of inner belt electrons under quiet/average conditions. During SPELLS events, the evolution of electron distributions reveals an enhancement of phase space density that can exceed 3 orders of magnitude in the slot region and continues into the inner radiation belt, which is evidence that these events are an important—and potentially dominant—source of inner belt electrons. Electron fluxes from September 2012 through February 2016 reveal that SPELLS occur frequently (~2.5/month at 200 keV), but the number of observed events decreases exponentially with increasing electron energy for ≥100 keV. After SPELLS events, the slot region reforms due to slow energy-dependent decay over several day time scales, consistent with losses due to interactions with plasmaspheric hiss. Altogether, these results indicate that the peaked phase space density distributions in the inner electron radiation belt result from an “on/off,” geomagnetic-activity-dependent source from higher radial distances.« less

Investigating the source of near-relativistic and relativistic electrons in Earth's inner radiation belt

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

Turner, Drew Lawson; O'Brien, T. P.; Fennell, J. F.

Using observations from NASA's Van Allen Probes, we study the role of sudden particle enhancements at low L shells (SPELLS) as a source of inner radiation belt electrons. SPELLS events are characterized by electron intensity enhancements of approximately an order of magnitude or more in less than 1 day at L < 3. During quiet and average geomagnetic conditions, the phase space density radial distributions for fixed first and second adiabatic invariants are peaked at 2 < L < 3 for electrons ranging in energy from ~50 keV to ~1 MeV, indicating that slow inward radial diffusion is not themore » dominant source of inner belt electrons under quiet/average conditions. During SPELLS events, the evolution of electron distributions reveals an enhancement of phase space density that can exceed 3 orders of magnitude in the slot region and continues into the inner radiation belt, which is evidence that these events are an important—and potentially dominant—source of inner belt electrons. Electron fluxes from September 2012 through February 2016 reveal that SPELLS occur frequently (~2.5/month at 200 keV), but the number of observed events decreases exponentially with increasing electron energy for ≥100 keV. After SPELLS events, the slot region reforms due to slow energy-dependent decay over several day time scales, consistent with losses due to interactions with plasmaspheric hiss. Altogether, these results indicate that the peaked phase space density distributions in the inner electron radiation belt result from an “on/off,” geomagnetic-activity-dependent source from higher radial distances.« less

A study of demographic, situational, and motivational factors affecting restraint usage in automobiles

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1983-02-01

Data were obtained from a nationwide telephone survey, extensive face-to-face interviews, and observations to assess the impact of demographic, situational, and motivational variables on seat belt use. The results revealed that almost one-third of th...

Recent Arecibo Radar Observations of Main-Belt Asteroids.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shepard, Michael K.; Howell, Ellen; Nolan, Michael; Taylor, Patrick; Springmann, Alessondra; Giorgini, Jon; Benner, Lance; Magri, Christopher

2014-11-01

We recently observed main-belt asteroids 12 Victoria (Tholen S-class, Bus L-class), 246 Asporina (A-class), and 2035 Stearns with the S-band (12 cm) Arecibo radar. Signal-to-noise ratios for Asporina and Stearns were only strong enough for continuous-wave (CW) analysis. Signal-to-noise ratios for Victoria were high enough for delay-Doppler imaging. Stearns exhibited a high radar polarization ratio of unity, higher than any other main-belt E-class, but similar to near-Earth E-class asteroids [Benner et al. Icarus 198, 294-304, 2008; Shepard et al. Icarus 215, 547-551, 2011]. The A-class asteroids show spectral absorption features consistent with olivine and have been suggested as the source of pallasite meteorites or the rare brachinites [Cruikshank and Hartmann, Science 223, 281-283, 1984]. The radar cross-section measured for Asporina leads to a radar albedo estimate of 0.11, suggesting a low near-surface bulk density, and by inference, a low metal content. This suggests that the brachinites are a better analog for Asporina than the iron-rich pallasites. Victoria has been observed by radar in the past and the continuous-wave echoes suggest it has a large concavity or is a contact binary [Mitchell et al. Icarus 118, 105-131, 1995]. Our new imaging observations should determine which is more likely.

Rotund versus skinny orogens: Well-nourished or malnourished gold?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goldfarb, R.J.; Groves, D.I.; Gardoll, S.

2001-01-01

Orogenic gold vein deposits require a particular conjunction of processes to form and be preserved, and their global distribution can be related to broad-scale, evolving tectonic processes throughout Earth history. A heterogeneous distribution of formation ages for these mineral deposits is marked by two major Precambrian peaks (2800-2555 Ma and 2100-1800 Ma), a singular lack of deposits for 1200 m.y. (1800-600 Ma), and relatively continuous formation since then (after 600 Ma). The older parts of the distribution relate to major episodes of continental growth, perhaps controlled by plume-influenced mantle overturn events, in the hotter early Earth (ca. 1800 Ma or earlier). This worldwide process allowed preservation of gold deposits in cratons, roughly equidimensional, large masses of buoyant continental crust. Evolution to a less episodic, more continuous, modern-style plate tectonic regime led to the accretion of volcano-sedimentary complexes as progressively younger linear orogenic belts sorrounding the margins of the more buoyant cratons. The susceptibility of these linear belts to uplift and erosion can explain the overall lack of orogenic gold deposits at 1800-600 Ma, their exposure in 600-50 Ma orogens, the increasing importance of placer deposits back through the Phanerozoic since ca. 100 Ma, and the absence of gold deposits in orogenic belts younger than ca. 50 Ma.

Quantitative Comparison of Mountain Belt Topographic Profiles on Earth and Venus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoddard, P. R.; Jurdy, D. M.

2016-12-01

Earth's mountain belts result from interactions between tectonic plates. Several styles of belts reflect the differing nature of those interactions: The narrow spine of the Andes results from subduction of the oceanic Nazca plate under the continental South American plate, the soaring Himalayas from the collision of India and Asia, the broad Rockies and Alaskan cordillera from multiple collisions, and the gentle Appalachians and Urals are remnants from ancient collisions. Venus' mountain chains - Maxwell, Freyja, Akna and Danu - surround Lakshmi Planum, a highland with an elevation of 4 km. These make up Ishtar Terra. Maxwell Montes ascends to over 11 km, the highest elevation on the planet. Freyja rises just over 7 km and Akna to about 6 km. The arcuate Danu belt on Ishtar's western boundary comes up to only 1.5 km over the planum. No other mountain belts exist on Venus. The origins of these venusian orogenic belts remain unknown. Earliest explanations invoked subduction around Lakshmi Planum; subsequent models included either up- or down-welling of the mantle, horizontal convergence, or crustal thickening. We quantitatively compare topography of Venus' mountain chains with Earth's for similarities and differences. Patterns may provide clues to the dynamics forming venusian orogenic belts. To do this, we find topographic profiles across the various chains, determine average profiles for each, and then correlate averages to establish the degree of similarity. From this correlation we construct a covariance matrix, diagonalized for eigenvalues, or principal components. These can be displayed as profiles. Correlations and principal components allow us to assess the degree of similarity and variability of the shapes of the average profiles. These analyses thus offer independent and objective modes of comparison; for example, with respect to terrestrial mid-ocean ridges, some Venus chasmata were shown to most closely resemble the ultra-slow Arctic spreading center.

Kinematic evolution of a regional-scale gravity-driven deepwater fold-and-thrust belt: The Lamu Basin case-history (East Africa)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cruciani, F.; Barchi, M. R.; Koyi, H. A.; Porreca, M.

2017-08-01

The deepwater fold-and-thrust belts (DWFTBs) are geological structures recently explored thanks to advances in offshore seismic imaging by oil industry. In this study we present a kinematic analysis based on three balanced cross-sections of depth-converted, 2-D seismic profiles along the offshore Lamu Basin (East African passive margin). This margin is characterized by a regional-scale DWFTB (> 450 km long), which is the product of gravity-driven contraction on the shelf that exhibits complex structural styles and differing amount of shortening along strike. Net shortening is up to 48 km in the northern wider part of the fold-and-thrust belt (≈ 180 km), diminishing to < 15 km toward the south, where the belt is markedly narrower (≈ 50 km). The three balanced profiles show a shortening percentage around 20% (comparable with the maximum values documented in other gravity-driven DWFTBs), with a significant variability along dip: higher values are achieved in the outer (i.e. down-dip) portion of the system, dominated by basinward-verging, imbricate thrust sheets. Fold wavelength increases landward, where doubly-verging structures and symmetric detachment folds accommodate a lower amount of shortening. Similar to other cases, a linear and systematic relationship between sedimentary thickness and fold wavelength is observed. Reconstruction of the rate of shortening through time within a fold-and-thrust belt shows that after an early phase of slow activation (Late Cretaceous), > 95% of net shortening was produced in < 10 Myr (during Paleocene). During this acme phase, which followed a period of high sedimentation rate, thrusts were largely synchronous and the shortening rate reached a maximum value of 5 mm/yr. The kinematic evolution reconstructed in this study suggests that the structural evolution of gravity-driven fold-and-thrust belts differs from the accretionary wedges and the collisional fold-and-thrust belts, where thrusts propagate in-sequence and shortening is uniformly accommodated along dip.

First-order control of syntectonic sedimentation on crustal-scale structure of mountain belts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erdős, Zoltán.; Huismans, Ritske S.; van der Beek, Peter

2015-07-01

The first-order characteristics of collisional mountain belts and the potential feedback with surface processes are predicted by critical taper theory. While the feedback between erosion and mountain belt structure has been fairly extensively studied, less attention has been given to the potential role of synorogenic deposition. For thin-skinned fold-and-thrust belts, recent studies indicate a strong control of syntectonic deposition on structure, as sedimentation tends to stabilize the thin-skinned wedge. However, the factors controlling basement deformation below fold-and-thrust belts, as evident, for example, in the Zagros Mountains or in the Swiss Alps, remain largely unknown. Previous work has suggested that such variations in orogenic structure may be explained by the thermotectonic "age" of the deforming lithosphere and hence its rheology. Here we demonstrate that sediment loading of the foreland basin area provides an additional control and may explain the variable basement involvement in orogenic belts. When examining the role of sedimentation, we identify two end-members: (1) sediment-starved orogenic systems with thick-skinned basement deformation in an axial orogenic core and thin-skinned deformation in the bordering forelands and (2) sediment-loaded orogens with thick packages of synorogenic deposits, derived from the axial basement zone, deposited on the surrounding foreland fold-and-thrust belts, and characterized by basement deformation below the foreland. Using high-resolution thermomechanical models, we demonstrate a strong feedback between deposition and crustal-scale thick-skinned deformation. Our results show that the loading effects of syntectonic sediments lead to long crustal-scale thrust sheets beneath the orogenic foreland and explain the contrasting characteristics of sediment-starved and sediment-loaded orogens, showing for the first time how both thin- and thick-skinned crustal deformations are linked to sediment deposition in these orogenic systems. We show that the observed model behavior is consistent with observations from a number of natural orogenic systems.

Global hydrobelts: improved reporting scale for water-related issues?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meybeck, M.; Kummu, M.; Dürr, H. H.

2012-08-01

Questions related to water such as its availability, water needs or stress, or management, are mapped at various resolutions at the global scale. They are reported at many scales, mostly along political or continental boundaries. As such, they ignore the fundamental heterogeneity of the hydroclimate and the natural boundaries of the river basins. Here, we describe the continental landmasses according to eight global-scale hydrobelts strictly limited by river basins, defined at a 30' (0.5°) resolution. The belts were defined and delineated, based primarily on the annual average temperature (T) and runoff (q), to maximise interbelt differences and minimise intrabelt variability. The belts were further divided into 29 hydroregions based on continental limits. This new global puzzle defines homogeneous and near-contiguous entities with similar hydrological and thermal regimes, glacial and postglacial basin histories, endorheism distribution and sensitivity to climate variations. The Mid-Latitude, Dry and Subtropical belts have northern and southern analogues and a general symmetry can be observed for T and q between them. The Boreal and Equatorial belts are unique. The hydroregions (median size 4.7 Mkm2) contrast strongly, with the average q ranging between 6 and 1393 mm yr-1 and the average T between -9.7 and +26.3 °C. Unlike the hydroclimate, the population density between the North and South belts and between the continents varies greatly, resulting in pronounced differences between the belts with analogues in both hemispheres. The population density ranges from 0.7 to 0.8 p km-2 for the North American Boreal and some Australian hydroregions to 280 p km-2 for the Asian part of the Northern Mid-Latitude belt. The combination of population densities and hydroclimate features results in very specific expressions of water-related characteristics in each of the 29 hydroregions. Our initial tests suggest that hydrobelt and hydroregion divisions are often more appropriate for water-relative global analysis and reporting than conventional continental or political divisions.

Comparison of lighting activity and inner radiation belt particle fluxes perturbations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez Calderon, C.; Bortnik, J.; Li, W.; Spence, H. E.; Rodger, C. J.

2016-12-01

Lightning discharges are known to inject whistlers into the inner magnetosphere over a wide range of latitudes around their source. When a discharge occurs, it radiates electromagnetic energy, some of which propagates in the whistler-mode wave through the ionospheric plasma travelling away from the Earth. Previous studies have discussed the effects of whistler-induced electron precipitation and radiation belt losses associated with lightning but there has been little research on the long term effects of these precipitation on the inner radiation belts [Rodger et al. (2004), Clilverd et al. (2004)].Here, we use data from the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN), which has continuously monitored global lightning since 2004, to examine one year of lightning data and locate the L-shells with high lighting activity. We use Van Allen Probes' Energetic Particle, Composition, and Thermal Plasma Suite (ECT) from both satellites (RBSP-A/B) to measure electron fluxes in the inner radiation belt at the L-shells of interest. We compare these fluxes to a globally-integrated count of lightning strikes and investigate the relationship between global lightning occurrence and RBSP electron fluxes. We examine several factors, such as different energy ranges, timescales ranging from a few weeks to the entire year and seasonal changes in order to quantify the loss process driven by lightning in the inner radiation belts.

Exfoliated β-Ga2O3 nano-belt field-effect transistors for air-stable high power and high temperature electronics.

PubMed

Kim, Janghyuk; Oh, Sooyeoun; Mastro, Michael A; Kim, Jihyun

2016-06-21

This study demonstrated the exfoliation of a two-dimensional (2D) β-Ga2O3 nano-belt and subsequent processing into a thin film transistor structure. This mechanical exfoliation and transfer method produces β-Ga2O3 nano-belts with a pristine surface as well as a continuous defect-free interface with the SiO2/Si substrate. This β-Ga2O3 nano-belt based transistor displayed an on/off ratio that increased from approximately 10(4) to 10(7) over the operating temperature range of 20 °C to 250 °C. No electrical breakdown was observed in our measurements up to VDS = +40 V and VGS = -60 V between 25 °C and 250 °C. Additionally, the electrical characteristics were not degraded after a month-long storage in ambient air. The demonstration of high-temperature/high-voltage operation of quasi-2D β-Ga2O3 nano-belts contrasts with traditional 2D materials such as transition metal dichalcogenides that intrinsically have limited temperature and power operational envelopes owing to their narrow bandgap. This work motivates the application of 2D β-Ga2O3 to high power nano-electronic devices for harsh environments such as high temperature chemical sensors and photodetectors as well as the miniaturization of power circuits and cooling systems in nano-electronics.

Redefining the Australian Anthrax Belt: Modeling the Ecological Niche and Predicting the Geographic Distribution of Bacillus anthracis

PubMed Central

Barro, Alassane S.; Fegan, Mark; Moloney, Barbara; Porter, Kelly; Muller, Janine; Warner, Simone; Blackburn, Jason K.

2016-01-01

The ecology and distribution of B. anthracis in Australia is not well understood, despite the continued occurrence of anthrax outbreaks in the eastern states of the country. Efforts to estimate the spatial extent of the risk of disease have been limited to a qualitative definition of an anthrax belt extending from southeast Queensland through the centre of New South Wales and into northern Victoria. This definition of the anthrax belt does not consider the role of environmental conditions in the distribution of B. anthracis. Here, we used the genetic algorithm for rule-set prediction model system (GARP), historical anthrax outbreaks and environmental data to model the ecological niche of B. anthracis and predict its potential geographic distribution in Australia. Our models reveal the niche of B. anthracis in Australia is characterized by a narrow range of ecological conditions concentrated in two disjunct corridors. The most dominant corridor, used to redefine a new anthrax belt, parallels the Eastern Highlands and runs from north Victoria to central east Queensland through the centre of New South Wales. This study has redefined the anthrax belt in eastern Australia and provides insights about the ecological factors that limit the distribution of B. anthracis at the continental scale for Australia. The geographic distributions identified can help inform anthrax surveillance strategies by public and veterinary health agencies. PMID:27280981

Redefining the Australian Anthrax Belt: Modeling the Ecological Niche and Predicting the Geographic Distribution of Bacillus anthracis.

PubMed

Barro, Alassane S; Fegan, Mark; Moloney, Barbara; Porter, Kelly; Muller, Janine; Warner, Simone; Blackburn, Jason K

2016-06-01

The ecology and distribution of B. anthracis in Australia is not well understood, despite the continued occurrence of anthrax outbreaks in the eastern states of the country. Efforts to estimate the spatial extent of the risk of disease have been limited to a qualitative definition of an anthrax belt extending from southeast Queensland through the centre of New South Wales and into northern Victoria. This definition of the anthrax belt does not consider the role of environmental conditions in the distribution of B. anthracis. Here, we used the genetic algorithm for rule-set prediction model system (GARP), historical anthrax outbreaks and environmental data to model the ecological niche of B. anthracis and predict its potential geographic distribution in Australia. Our models reveal the niche of B. anthracis in Australia is characterized by a narrow range of ecological conditions concentrated in two disjunct corridors. The most dominant corridor, used to redefine a new anthrax belt, parallels the Eastern Highlands and runs from north Victoria to central east Queensland through the centre of New South Wales. This study has redefined the anthrax belt in eastern Australia and provides insights about the ecological factors that limit the distribution of B. anthracis at the continental scale for Australia. The geographic distributions identified can help inform anthrax surveillance strategies by public and veterinary health agencies.

Facile synthesis, phase transition, optical switching and oxidation resistance properties of belt-like VO{sub 2}(A) and VO{sub 2}(M) with a rectangular cross section

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

Zhang, Yifu; Huang, Yanfen; Zhang, Juecheng

2012-08-15

Highlights: ► Belt-like VO{sub 2}(A) with a rectangular cross section was synthesized. ► The formation mechanism of belt-like VO{sub 2}(A) was proposed. ► Belt-like VO{sub 2}(M) was prepared by the irreversible transformation of VO{sub 2}(A). ► VO{sub 2}(A) and VO{sub 2}(M) can be used as the optical switching materials. ► VO{sub 2}(A) and VO{sub 2}(M) have good oxidation resistance below 400 °C in air. -- Abstract: Belt-like VO{sub 2}(A) with a rectangular cross section (VA-RCS) was successfully synthesized using V{sub 2}O{sub 5}, H{sub 2}C{sub 2}O{sub 4}·2H{sub 2}O and H{sub 2}O as the starting materials by a facile hydrothermal approach. Somemore » synthetic parameters, such as, the reaction time, reaction temperature and concentration of H{sub 2}C{sub 2}O{sub 4}·2H{sub 2}O, were systematically investigated to control the fabrication of belt-like VA-RCS. The formation mechanism of belt-like VA-RCS was proposed. Subsequently, belt-like VO{sub 2}(M) with a rectangular cross section (VM-RCS) was prepared by the irreversible transformation of VA-RCS at 700 °C for 2 h under the inert atmosphere. The phase transition temperature (T{sub c}) of VA-RCS and VM-RCS was evaluated by DSC test. The optical switching properties of VA-RCS and VM-RCS were studied by the variable-temperature infrared spectra, and it was found that the as-obtained VA-RCS and VM-RCS could be used as the optical switching materials. Furthermore, the oxidation resistance properties of VA-RCS and VM-RCS were investigated by TGA, indicating that they have good thermal stability and oxidation resistance below 400 °C in air.« less

Crustal shortening and thickening in Neoarchean granite-greenstone belts: A case study from the link between the ∼2.7 Ga Elu and Hope Bay belts, northeast Slave craton, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mvondo, Hubert; Lentz, Dave; Bardoux, Marc

2017-11-01

The Elu Link between the ∼2.7 Ga Hope Bay and Elu belts in the northeast Bathurst Block of the Slave craton comprises supracrustal and intrusive rocks variably deformed by three tectono-metamorphic events (D1-D3). The geometry of D1 structures formed during prograde metamorphism is uncertain, because of subsequent overprint. D2 occurred in two stages predating (D2a) and postdating (D2b) peak metamorphism. D1 and D2a were thrusting events inferred from peak metamorphic pressures of ∼6.7 kbar (670 MPa) retained by a garnet orthogneiss. The latter is diagnostic of thrust tectonism in Archean granite-greenstone belts with no characteristic thrust faults. Unlike D2a, D2b was a vertical general flattening event prevailing during the formation of magmatic domes and interdomal folds that form the main strain patterns of the belts. This was followed by the formation of buckled F3 folds associated with D3 vertical constriction. The switch from thrust to vertical tectonics during peak metamorphism and subsequent deformation resulted in intense recrystallization that explains the poor preservation and scarcity of early-formed shears, including thrust zones. A tectonic process, combining D1+D2a thrust stacking, sagduction, and vertical stretching during D2b and D3, is suggested to explain crustal thickening in the Elu Link and terrains of similar ages.

The impact of airbags and seat belts on the incidence and severity of maxillofacial injuries in automobile accidents in New York State.

PubMed

Mouzakes, J; Koltai, P J; Kuhar, S; Bernstein, D S; Wing, P; Salsberg, E

2001-10-01

To evaluate the effect driver-side and passenger-side airbags have had on the incidence and severity of maxillofacial trauma in victims of automobile accidents. Retrospective analysis of all automobile (passenger cars and light trucks) accidents reported in 1994. New York State. Of the 595910 individuals involved in motor vehicle accidents in New York in 1994, 377054 individuals were initially selected from accidents involving cars and light trucks. Of this subset, 164238 drivers and 62755 right front passengers were selected for analysis. Each case is described in a single record with approximately 100 variables describing the accident, eg, vehicle, safety equipment installed and utilized or deployed, occupant position, patient demographics, International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnoses, and procedural treatments rendered. A maxillofacial trauma severity scale was devised, based on the ICD-9-CM diagnoses. Individuals using airbags and seat belts sustained facial injuries at a rate of 1 in 449, compared with a rate of 1 in 40 for individuals who did not use seat belts or airbags (P<.001). Those using airbags alone sustained facial injuries at the intermediate rate of 1 in 148, and victims using seat belts without airbags demonstrated an injury rate of 1 in 217 (P<.001). Use of driver-side airbags, when combined with use of seat belts, has resulted in a decrease in the incidence and severity of maxillofacial trauma.

Geometry and Kinematics of the Lamu Basin Deep-Water Fold-and-Thrust Belt (East Africa)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barchi, Massimiliano R.; Cruciani, Francesco; Porreca, Massimiliano

2016-04-01

Even if most thin-skinned fold-and-thrust belt are generated at convergent plate boundaries, in the last decades advances in seismic exploration and acquisition of large datasets have shown that they are also notably widespread along continental passive margins, driven by gravity processes in deep-water areas. In this study a composite set of modern and vintage reprocessed seismic reflection profiles is used to investigate the internal structure and kinematic evolution of the Lamu Basin Deep-Water Fold-and-Trust Belt (DW-FTB). The Lamu Basin is an example of giant-scale, gravity driven compressional belt developed in Late Cretaceous-Early Tertiary along a still poorly explored sector of the East-African continental margin, at the Kenya-Somalia border. The compressional domain extends longitudinally for more than 450 km, is up to 180 km wide and shows remarkable structural complexity both along strike and along dip. The external part is dominated by ocean-verging imbricate thrusts, above a gently landward-dipping basal detachment. The internal part is characterised by almost symmetrical detachment folds and double verging structures, sustaining bowl-shaped syn-tectonic basins. Here the basal detachment surface is almost flat. The mean fold wavelength displays a progressive landward increase, from 2.5 km, at the toe of the belt, to about 10 km. This structural variability is thought to be related to the lateral variation of the section under shortening and particularly to the different thickness of the Early Cretaceous shaly unit involved in the deformations, increasing landward from about 400 m to more than 1 km. Through the sequential restoration of regional cross-sections, we evaluated that the northern portion of the thrust belt experienced a shortening of almost 50 km (corresponding to 20%), with a shortening rate (during the Late Cretaceous-Paleocene main event) of about 3.5 mm/yr. Under many respects, the dimensions and internal structure of this thrust belt are comparable to that of analogue-scaled structures, developed at convergent plate boundaries, e.g. the foreland fold-and-trust belts. However, its kinematic evolution shows some peculiar characters: shortening seems largely synchronous across the whole thrust belt and the maximum shortening is achieved in its frontal part (toe thrust), diminishing landward.

The transiting dust clumps in the evolved disc of the Sun-like UXor RZ Psc

PubMed Central

Kenworthy, Matthew A.; Pepper, Joshua; Rodriguez, Joseph E.; Siverd, Robert J.; Stassun, Keivan G.; Wyatt, Mark C.

2017-01-01

RZ Psc is a young Sun-like star, long associated with the UXor class of variable stars, which is partially or wholly dimmed by dust clumps several times each year. The system has a bright and variable infrared excess, which has been interpreted as evidence that the dimming events are the passage of asteroidal fragments in front of the host star. Here, we present a decade of optical photometry of RZ Psc and take a critical look at the asteroid belt interpretation. We show that the distribution of light curve gradients is non-uniform for deep events, which we interpret as possible evidence for an asteroidal fragment-like clump structure. However, the clumps are very likely seen above a high optical depth midplane, so the disc’s bulk clumpiness is not revealed. While circumstantial evidence suggests an asteroid belt is more plausible than a gas-rich transition disc, the evolutionary status remains uncertain. We suggest that the rarity of Sun-like stars showing disc-related variability may arise because (i) any accretion streams are transparent and/or (ii) turbulence above the inner rim is normally shadowed by a flared outer disc. PMID:28280566

The transiting dust clumps in the evolved disc of the Sun-like UXor RZ Psc.

PubMed

Kennedy, Grant M; Kenworthy, Matthew A; Pepper, Joshua; Rodriguez, Joseph E; Siverd, Robert J; Stassun, Keivan G; Wyatt, Mark C

2017-01-01

RZ Psc is a young Sun-like star, long associated with the UXor class of variable stars, which is partially or wholly dimmed by dust clumps several times each year. The system has a bright and variable infrared excess, which has been interpreted as evidence that the dimming events are the passage of asteroidal fragments in front of the host star. Here, we present a decade of optical photometry of RZ Psc and take a critical look at the asteroid belt interpretation. We show that the distribution of light curve gradients is non-uniform for deep events, which we interpret as possible evidence for an asteroidal fragment-like clump structure. However, the clumps are very likely seen above a high optical depth midplane, so the disc's bulk clumpiness is not revealed. While circumstantial evidence suggests an asteroid belt is more plausible than a gas-rich transition disc, the evolutionary status remains uncertain. We suggest that the rarity of Sun-like stars showing disc-related variability may arise because (i) any accretion streams are transparent and/or (ii) turbulence above the inner rim is normally shadowed by a flared outer disc.

The transiting dust clumps in the evolved disc of the Sun-like UXor RZ Psc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kennedy, Grant M.; Kenworthy, Matthew A.; Pepper, Joshua; Rodriguez, Joseph E.; Siverd, Robert J.; Stassun, Keivan G.; Wyatt, Mark C.

2017-01-01

RZ Psc is a young Sun-like star, long associated with the UXor class of variable stars, which is partially or wholly dimmed by dust clumps several times each year. The system has a bright and variable infrared excess, which has been interpreted as evidence that the dimming events are the passage of asteroidal fragments in front of the host star. Here, we present a decade of optical photometry of RZ Psc and take a critical look at the asteroid belt interpretation. We show that the distribution of light curve gradients is non-uniform for deep events, which we interpret as possible evidence for an asteroidal fragment-like clump structure. However, the clumps are very likely seen above a high optical depth midplane, so the disc's bulk clumpiness is not revealed. While circumstantial evidence suggests an asteroid belt is more plausible than a gas-rich transition disc, the evolutionary status remains uncertain. We suggest that the rarity of Sun-like stars showing disc-related variability may arise because (i) any accretion streams are transparent and/or (ii) turbulence above the inner rim is normally shadowed by a flared outer disc.

Assessment of statistical uncertainty in the quantitative analysis of solid samples in motion using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cabalín, L. M.; González, A.; Ruiz, J.; Laserna, J. J.

2010-08-01

Statistical uncertainty in the quantitative analysis of solid samples in motion by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been assessed. For this purpose, a LIBS demonstrator was designed and constructed in our laboratory. The LIBS system consisted of a laboratory-scale conveyor belt, a compact optical module and a Nd:YAG laser operating at 532 nm. The speed of the conveyor belt was variable and could be adjusted up to a maximum speed of 2 m s - 1 . Statistical uncertainty in the analytical measurements was estimated in terms of precision (reproducibility and repeatability) and accuracy. The results obtained by LIBS on shredded scrap samples under real conditions have demonstrated that the analytical precision and accuracy of LIBS is dependent on the sample geometry, position on the conveyor belt and surface cleanliness. Flat, relatively clean scrap samples exhibited acceptable reproducibility and repeatability; by contrast, samples with an irregular shape or a dirty surface exhibited a poor relative standard deviation.

A new interpretation for the interference zone between the southern Brasília belt and the central Ribeira belt, SE Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trouw, Rudolph A. J.; Peternel, Rodrigo; Ribeiro, Andre; Heilbron, Mônica; Vinagre, Rodrigo; Duffles, Patrícia; Trouw, Camilo C.; Fontainha, Marcos; Kussama, Hugo H.

2013-12-01

In southeastern Brazil, the Neoproterozoic NNW-SSE trending southern Brasília belt is apparently truncated by the ENE-WSW central Ribeira belt. Different interpretations in the literature of the transition between these two belts motivated detailed mapping and additional age dating along the contact zone. The result is a new interpretation presented in this paper. The southern Brasília belt resulted from E-W collision between the active margin of the Paranapanema paleocontinent, on the western side, now forming the Socorro-Guaxupé Nappe, with the passive margin of the São Francisco paleocontinent on the eastern side. The collision produced an east vergent nappe stack, the Andrelândia Nappe System, along the suture. At its southern extreme the Brasília belt was thought to be cut off by a shear zone, the "Rio Jaguari mylonites", at the contact with the Embu terrane, pertaining to the Central Ribeira belt. Our detailed mapping revealed that the transition between the Socorro-Guaxupé Nappe (Brasília belt) and the Embu terrane (Ribeira belt) is not a fault but rather a gradational transition that does not strictly coincide with the Rio Jaguari mylonites. A typical Cordilleran type magmatic arc batholith of the Socorro-Guaxupé Nappe with an age of ca. 640 Ma intrudes biotite schists of the Embu terrane and the age of zircon grains from three samples of metasedimentary rocks, one to the south, one to the north and one along the mylonite zone, show a similar pattern of derivation from a Rhyacian source area with rims of 670-600 Ma interpreted as metamorphic overgrowth. We dated by LA-MC-ICPMS laser ablation (U-Pb) zircon grains from a calc-alkaline granite, the Serra do Quebra-Cangalha Batholith, located within the Embu terrane at a distance of about 40 km south of the contact with the Socorro Nappe, yielding an age of 680 ± 13 Ma. This age indicates that the Embu terrane was part of the upper plate (Socorro-Guaxupé Nappe) by this time. Detailed mapping indicates that the mylonite zone is not a plate boundary because motion along it is maximum a few tens of kilometres and the same litho-stratigraphic units are present on either side. Based on these arguments, the new interpretation is that the Embu terrane is the continuation of the Socorro-Guaxupé Nappe and therefore also part of the active margin of the Paranapanema paleocontinent. The Brasília belt is preserved even further within the central Ribeira belt than previously envisaged.

A photoelectric lightcurve survey of small main belt asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Binzel, R. P.; Mulholland, J. D.

1983-01-01

A survey to obtain photoelectric lightcurves of small main-belt asteroids was conducted from November 1981 to April 1982 using the 0.91- and 2.1-m telescopes at the University of Texas McDonald Observatory. A total of 18 main-belt asteroids having estimated dimaters under 30 km were observed with over half of these being smaller than 15 km. Rotational periods were determined or estimated from multiple nights of observation for nearly all of these yielding a sample of 17 small main-belt asteroids which is believed to be free of observational selection effects. All but two of these objects were investigated for very short periods in the range of 1 min to 2 hr using power spectrum analysis of a continuous set of integrations. No evidence for such short periods was seen in this sample. Rotationally averaged B(1,0) magnitudes were determined for most of the surveyed asteroids, allowing diameter estimates to be made. Imposing the suspected selection effects of photogaphic photometry on the results of this survey gives excellent agreement with the results from that technique. This shows that the inability of photographic photometry to obtain results for many asteroids is indeed due to the rotational parameter of those asteroids.

Diffusive vs. impulsive energetic electron transport during radiation belt storms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vassiliadis, D.; Koepke, M.; Tornquist, M.

2008-12-01

Earth's electron radiation belts are continually replenished by inward particle transport (as well as other, local acceleration processes) taking place during radiation belt storms. For some storms the radial transport is primarily diffusive while for others it is impulsive, or characterized by injections. To distinguish between these types of inward transport, we first use a dynamic model of the phase-space density as measured by POLAR/HIST and expressed in terms of adiabatic invariants [Green and Kivelson, 2004]. In a review of storms from 1997 to 2004 the coefficients of the model are peaked at characteristic temporal and phase- space (mu, k, L*) scales during specific storms. The transport is quantified in terms of those invariants which are violated and identified with peaks of the electron distribution in invariant space. Second, we run guiding- center simulations in wave fields fitted to in situ measurements complemented at low and high L by ground ULF pulsations. The modes of response identified in earlier studies from SAMPEX and POLAR electron flux measurements are now associated with primarily diffusive transport in the central range of the outer belt, L=4-8, and primarily impulsive transport near the plasmapause boundary, L=3-4.

IRAC Monitoring of the Late Heavy Comet Bombardment in the eta Corvi System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marengo, Massimo; Lisse, Carey; Stapelfeldt, Karl; Hulsebus, Alan

2014-12-01

The nearby sun-like star eta Corvi (F2V, d=18 pc, age =1.2 Gyr) has long been known to possess a bright, dusty Kuiper Belt that has now been resolved with Herschel PACS. A warm inner dust belt indicated by an IRAS 12 micron excess and has recently been resolved as a 3-AU scale structure by VLT observations. In 2012 Lisse et al. further characterized this warm dust using Spitzer IRS, identifying the signatures of ice, organics and silicate dust in this system's Terrestrial Habitability Zone (THZ). The system appears to be undergoing a Late Heavy Bombardment (LHB), delivering primitive, water- and organic-rich material from the Kuiper Belt to the THZ, at roughly the same relative age as the solar system's LHB. Our data also showed an upturn in the excess flux shortwards of 6 micron ? evidence for a surprisingly large amount of icy dust scattering in the inner system (fscat/fstar ~ 1.0%). This results is corroborated by our recent 2-5 micron NASA/IRTF SpeX spectroscopy. In 2012 we have obtained Spitzer/IRAC photometric data for the system, detecting the disk at 3.6 and 4.5 micron in two separate epochs, followed by a third epoch in 2013. We now propose to continue our photometric monitoring with 15 additional visits to be scheduled within cycle 11, in order to extend our temporal coverage to 4 years on a variety of timescales ranging from days, to weeks, to months. The proposed campaign will allow us to test the two competing hypothesis for the origin of the warm disk: (1) single collison event leading to the breakup of a large Kuiper Belt object in the system or (2) continual raining of small comets scattered towards the inner system.

Building a Foundation of Continuous Improvement in a Rapidly Changing Environment: The Dartmouth-Hitchcock Value Institute Experience.

PubMed

McGrath, Susan P; Blike, George T

2015-10-01

A performance improvement competency development program, known as the Value Institute (VI), was established at Dartmouth-Hitchcock (D-H; Lebanon, New Hampshire) in 2011 to develop a performance improvement-focused workforce and systems capable of meeting the challenges of creating a sustainable health system. A tiered competency development program that provides patient safety, health care quality, and improvement science education, and an execution support infrastructure that enables access to performance improvement tools for all employees, comprise the core of the VI. At 20 months after the launch of the first VI classes, more than 10% of all employees were trained to the Yellow Belt level, and approximately 1.5% of all employees became advanced practitioners (Green Belts or Black Belts). Improvement projects have focused on both clinical and business process optimization, as well as regulatory and accreditation compliance and patient safety. Project savings during the two years of operation have exceeded the investment of resources to establish this long-term performance improvement capability by 2.5 times. The D-H VI model promotes multidisciplinary team-based learning, incremental skill development, and access to a common continuous improvement vocabulary and method for all employees-all key to building the teams and momentum needed for successful execution of improvement work and to maintain outcomes. Initial outcomes, represented by organizational spread, project execution status, participants' feedback scores, and return on investment estimates, suggest that robust team-based learning combined with coaching provides sufficient depth and breadth of learning and effective opportunities to gain practical experience in continuous improvement.

The systematic change of metamorphism along the Dabie-Sulu-Hongseong-Odesan collision belt between the North and South China blocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, C. W.

2013-12-01

As a last step of formation of the Pangea supercontinent, the North China block collided with the South China block during Permo-Triassic time forming the Oinling-Dabie-Sulu collision belt which was identified by the finding of ultrahigh- and high-P/T eclogites along the belt. After the Qiling-Dabie-Sulu collision belt was found, the continuation of the collision belt into Korean Peninsula became a hot issue. Although the Imjingang belt in Korean Peninsula was suggested as an extension of the belt, no evidence of collision belt such as eclogite and ophiolite, was found. Whereas recent studies on Korean Peninsula reveal that Triassic eclogite (ca. > 230 Ma) formed in the Hongseong area and Triassic post collision igneous rocks (with ca. 230 Ma intrusion ages) occurred throughout the Gyeonggi Massif locating to the north of the line connecting the Hongseong, Yangpyeong and Odesan areas. These new findings derive the tectonic model in which the Permo-Triassic Qinling-Dabie-Sulu collision belt between the North and South China blocks extends into the Hongseong-Yangpyeong-Odesan collision belt in Korean Peninsula. The belt may be further extended into the late Paleozoic subduction complex in the Yanji belt in North Korea through the Paleozoic subduction complex in the inner part of SW Japan. The collision had started from Korea at ca. 250 Ma and propagated towards China. The collision completed during late Triassic. The metamorphic conditions systematically change along the collision belt; ultrahigh-temperature metamorphism occurred in the Odesan area (at 245-230Ma; 9.0-10.6 kbar, 915-1160°C), high-P/T metamorphism in the Hongseong area (17.0-21.9 kbar, 835-860°C) and ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism in the Dabie and Sulu belts (30-40 kbar, 680-880°C). This systematic increasing peak pressure condition and decreasing peak temperature condition towards west, may be due to the increase in the depth of slab break-off towards west, which might be related to the increase of the amounts of subducted ocecnic slab towards west. The wide distribution of Permo-Triassic arc-related granitoids in the Yeongnam Massif, southern part of Korean Peninsula and in the southern part of the South China block, indicate the Permo-Triassic subduction along the southern boundary of the South China block which may be due to compression caused by the Permo-Triassic collision between the North and South China blocks. The collision belt divides the Gyeonggi Massif into two parts; the northern and southern parts can be correlated to the North and South China blocks, respectively. The Ogcheon metamorphic belt which locates between the Gyeonggi and Youngnam Massifs in Korean Peninsula, can be correlated to the Nanhua rift which formed at 760 Ma and separated the South China blocks into the Yantze and Cathaysia cratons. In that case, the southern Gyeonggi Massif and Yeongnam Massif can be correlated to the Yangtze and Cathaysia cratons in the South China block, respectively. Recently Neoproterozoic igneous complex which was metamorphosed by the late Silurian intermediate-P/T and early Devonian ultrahigh temperature metamorphism, are recognized in the Hongseong area. These metamorphisms indicate the possibility of Middle Paleozoic collision of Neoproterozoic microcontinent with the northern margin of the South China block.

Seasonal and Non-Seasonal Variations of Jupiter's Atmosphere from Observations of Thermal Emission, 1994-2011

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orton, G.; Fletcher, L.; Yanamandra-Fisher, P.; Greathouse, T.; Fisher, B.; Greco, J.; Wakefield, L.; Snead, E.; Boydstun, K.; Simon-Miller, A.;

14 CFR 158.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Definitions. 158.3 Section 158.3 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) AIRPORTS... airport to support aeronautical operations and related activities. Baggage tugs, belt loaders, cargo...

14 CFR 158.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Definitions. 158.3 Section 158.3 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) AIRPORTS... airport to support aeronautical operations and related activities. Baggage tugs, belt loaders, cargo...

Forecasting Juno Microwave Radiometer Observations of Jupiter's Synchrotron Emission from Data Reconstruction Methods and Theoretical Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos-Costa, D.; Bolton, S. J.; Adumitroaie, V.; Janssen, M.; Levin, S.; Sault, R. J.; De Pater, I.; Tao, C.

2015-12-01

The Juno spacecraft will go into polar orbit after it arrives at Jupiter in mid-2016. Between November 2016 and March 2017, six MicroWave Radiometers will collect information on Jupiter's atmosphere and electron belt. Here we present simulations of MWR observations of the electron belt synchrotron emission, and discuss the features and dynamical behavior of this emission when observations are carried out from inside the radiation zone. We first present our computation method. We combine a three-dimensional tomographic reconstruction method of Earth-based observations and a theoretical model of Jupiter's electron belt to constrain the calculations of the volume emissivity of the synchrotron radiation for any frequency, location in the Jovian inner magnetosphere (radial distance < 4 Rj), and observational direction. Values of the computed emissivity are incorporated into a synchrotron simulator to predict Juno MWR measurements (full sky maps and temperatures) at any time of the mission. Samples of simulated MWR observations are presented and examined for different segments of Juno trajectory. We also present results of our ongoing investigation of the radiation zone distribution around the planet and the sources of variation on different time-scales. We show that a better understanding of the spatial distribution and variability of the electron belt is key to realistically forecast Juno MWR measurements.

Variation of Radiation Belt Content Indices and total electron energy During Magnetic Storms Based On Van Allen Probe Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Y.; Xie, L.; Chen, L.; Pu, Z.

2017-12-01

We investigate the variability of the RBC indices and total electron energy for varying energies within outer belt during 42 isolate magnetic storms based on the electron flux data from MagEIS and REPT onboard Van Allen Probe-A spacecraft. Van Allan Probes travel throughout the entire radiation belt twice during each orbit, providing an excellent opportunity to measure the electron's pitch angle distributions near the magnetic equatorial plane which is essential to calculate the RBC index accurately. Instead of assuming an isotropic electron pitch angle distribution which is widely used in previous studies, we develop a new and reliable technique to infer the equatorial pitch angle distributions based on the off-equator measurements. The statistic results show that the total electron energy in outer belt increase in 80% storms and has a positive correlation with median value of AE during recovery phase and minimum -Dst. The possibility of observing RBC depletion increase at high energies. The upper limit energy of RBC enhancement has a positive correlation with median value of AE and Vsw during recovery phase and a negative correlation with median value of Nsw during storm, which is consist of the balance of acceleration by chorus waves and loss by EMIC waves.

Statistical modeling of yield and variance instability in conventional and organic cropping systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cropping systems research was undertaken to address declining crop diversity and verify competitiveness of alternatives to the predominant conventional cropping system in the northern Corn Belt. To understand and capitalize on temporal yield variability within corn and soybean fields, we quantified ...

Solar System Science with LSST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, R. L.; Chesley, S. R.; Connolly, A. J.; Harris, A. W.; Ivezic, Z.; Knezevic, Z.; Kubica, J.; Milani, A.; Trilling, D. E.

2008-09-01

The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) will provide a unique tool to study moving objects throughout the solar system, creating massive catalogs of Near Earth Objects (NEOs), asteroids, Trojans, TransNeptunian Objects (TNOs), comets and planetary satellites with well-measured orbits and high quality, multi-color photometry accurate to 0.005 magnitudes for the brightest objects. In the baseline LSST observing plan, back-to-back 15-second images will reach a limiting magnitude as faint as r=24.7 in each 9.6 square degree image, twice per night; a total of approximately 15,000 square degrees of the sky will be imaged in multiple filters every 3 nights. This time sampling will continue throughout each lunation, creating a huge database of observations. Fig. 1 Sky coverage of LSST over 10 years; separate panels for each of the 6 LSST filters. Color bars indicate number of observations in filter. The catalogs will include more than 80% of the potentially hazardous asteroids larger than 140m in diameter within the first 10 years of LSST operation, millions of main-belt asteroids and perhaps 20,000 Trans-Neptunian Objects. Objects with diameters as small as 100m in the Main Belt and <100km in the Kuiper Belt can be detected in individual images. Specialized `deep drilling' observing sequences will detect KBOs down to 10s of kilometers in diameter. Long period comets will be detected at larger distances than previously possible, constrainting models of the Oort cloud. With the large number of objects expected in the catalogs, it may be possible to observe a pristine comet start outgassing on its first journey into the inner solar system. By observing fields over a wide range of ecliptic longitudes and latitudes, including large separations from the ecliptic plane, not only will these catalogs greatly increase the numbers of known objects, the characterization of the inclination distributions of these populations will be much improved. Derivation of proper elements for main belt and Trojan asteroids will allow ever more resolution of asteroid families and their size-frequency distribution, as well as the study of the long-term dynamics of the individual asteroids and the asteroid belt as a whole. Fig. 2 Orbital parameters of Main Belt Asteroids, color-coded according to ugriz colors measured by SDSS. The figure to the left shows osculating elements, the figure to the right shows proper elements - note the asteroid families visible as clumps in parameter space [1]. By obtaining multi-color ugrizy data for a substantial fraction of objects, relationships between color and dynamical history can be established. This will also enable taxonomic classification of asteroids, provide further links between diverse populations such as irregular satellites and TNOs or planetary Trojans, and enable estimates of asteroid diameter with rms uncertainty of 30%. With the addition of light-curve information, rotation periods and phase curves can be measured for large fractions of each population, leading to new insight on physical characteristics. Photometric variability information, together with sparse lightcurve inversion, will allow spin state and shape estimation for up to two orders of magnitude more objects than presently known. This will leverage physical studies of asteroids by constraining the size-strength relationship, which has important implications for the internal structure (solid, fractured, rubble pile) and in turn the collisional evolution of the asteroid belt. Similar information can be gained for other solar system bodies. [1] Parker, A., Ivezic

The response of the southwest Western Australian wave climate to Indian Ocean climate variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wandres, Moritz; Pattiaratchi, Charitha; Hetzel, Yasha; Wijeratne, E. M. S.

2018-03-01

Knowledge of regional wave climates is critical for coastal planning, management, and protection. In order to develop a regional wave climate, it is important to understand the atmospheric systems responsible for wave generation. This study examines the variability of the southwest Western Australian (SWWA) shelf and nearshore wind wave climate and its relationship to southern hemisphere climate variability represented by various atmospheric indices: the southern oscillation index (SOI), the Southern Annular Mode (SAM), the Indian Ocean Dipole Mode Index (DMI), the Indian Ocean Subtropical Dipole (IOSD), the latitudinal position of the subtropical high-pressure ridge (STRP), and the corresponding intensity of the subtropical ridge (STRI). A 21-year wave hindcast (1994-2014) of the SWWA continental shelf was created using the third generation wave model Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN), to analyse the seasonal and inter-annual wave climate variability and its relationship to the atmospheric regime. Strong relationships between wave heights and the STRP and the STRI, a moderate correlation between the wave climate and the SAM, and no significant correlation between SOI, DMI, and IOSD and the wave climate were found. Strong spatial, seasonal, and inter-annual variability, as well as seasonal longer-term trends in the mean wave climate were studied and linked to the latitudinal changes in the subtropical high-pressure ridge and the Southern Ocean storm belt. As the Southern Ocean storm belt and the subtropical high-pressure ridge shifted southward (northward) wave heights on the SWWA shelf region decreased (increased). The wave height anomalies appear to be driven by the same atmospheric conditions that influence rainfall variability in SWWA.

Long-range Receiver Function Profile of Crustal and Mantle Discontinuities From the Aleutian Arc to Tierra del Fuego

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spieker, Kathrin; Rondenay, Stéphane; Sawade, Lucas

2016-04-01

The Circum-Pacific belt, also called the Pacific Ring of Fire, is the most seismically active region on Earth. Multiple plate boundaries form a zone characterized by frequent volcanic eruptions and seismicity. While convergent plate boundaries such as the Peru-Chile trench dominate the Circum-Pacific belt, divergent and transform boundaries are present as well. The eastern section of the Circum-Pacific belt extends from the Aleutian arc, through the Cascadia subduction zone, San Andreas Fault, middle America trench and the Andean margin down to Tierra del Fuego. Due to the significant hazards posed by this tectonic activity, the region has been densely instrumented by thousands of seismic stations deployed across fifteen countries, over a distance of more than 15000 km. Various seismological studies, including receiver function analyses, have been carried out to investigate the crustal and mantle structure beneath local segments of the eastern Circum-Pacific belt (i.e., at ~100-500 km scale). However, to the best of our knowledge, no study to date has ever attempted to combine all available seismic data from the eastern Circum-Pacific belt to generate a continuous profile of seismic discontinuities extending from the Aleutians to Tierra del Fuego. Here, we use results from the "Global Imaging using Earthquake Records" (GLImER) P-wave receiver function database to create a long-range profile of crustal and upper mantle discontinuities across the entire eastern portion of the Circum-Pacific belt. We image intermittent crustal and mantle discontinuities along the profile, and examine them with regard to their behaviour and properties across transitions between different tectonic regimes.

Pilot-scale continuous ultrasonic cleaning equipment reduces Listeria monocytogenes levels on conveyor belts.

PubMed

Tolvanen, Riina; Lundén, Janne; Hörman, Ari; Korkeala, Hannu

2009-02-01

Ultrasonic cleaning of a conveyor belt was studied by building a pilot-scale conveyor with an ultrasonic cleaning bath. A piece of the stainless steel conveyor belt was contaminated with meat-based soil and Listeria monocytogenes strains (V1, V3, and B9) and incubated for 72 h to allow bacteria to attach to the conveyor belt surfaces. The effect of ultrasound with a potassium hydroxide-based cleaning detergent was determined by using the cleaning bath at 45 and 50 degrees C for 30 s with and without ultrasound. The detachment of L. monocytogenes from the conveyor belt caused by the ultrasonic treatment was significantly greater at 45 degrees C (independent samples t test, P < 0.001) and at 50 degrees C (independent samples t test, P = 0.04) than without ultrasound. Ultrasonic cleaning efficiency was tested with different cleaning durations (10, 15, 20, and 30 s) and temperatures (30, 45, and 50 degrees C). The differences in the log reduction between cleaning treatments were analyzed by analysis of variance with Tamhane's T2 posthoc test using SPSS (Chicago, IL). The lengthening of the treatment time from 10 to 30 s did not significantly increase the detachment of L. monocytogenes (ANOVA 0.633). At 30 degrees C and at the longest time tested (30 s), the treatment reduced L. monocytogenes counts by only 2.68 log units. However, an increase in temperature from 30 to 50 degrees C improved the effect of the ultrasonic treatment significantly (P < 0.01). Ultrasonic cleaning for 10 s at 50 degrees C reduced L. monocytogenes counts by more than 5 log units. These results indicate that ultrasonic cleaning of a conveyor belt is effective even with short treatment times.

An interpretation of the tectonostratigraphic framework of the Murray Basin region of southeastern Australia, based on an examination of airborne magnetic patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, C. M.; Tucker, D. H.; Anfiloff, V.

1988-11-01

New pixel map representations of regional total magnetic intensity data reveal previously unknown characteristics of the basement concealed beneath thin Cainozoic sediments of the Murray Basin in southeastern Australia. Interpretations of magnetic patterns in terms of structural features allow a revised interpretation of the nature of the tectonostratigraphic framework underlying and flanking the basin. The magnetic data indicate that arcuate or curvilinear structural trends under the Murray Basin do not conform with those of the exposed Lachlan Fold Belt to the east and suggest that the basement concealed beneath the basin, together with that exposed in the Victorian Highlands to the south, forms a distinct composite tectonostratigraphic terrane. Beneath the southwestern Murray Basin ?Proterozoic-Lower Cambrian metasediments of the Padthaway Ridge of the Kanmantoo Fold Belt display a northwesterly trending structural grain and a previously unsuspected continuity of structural trend with Adelaidean-Cambrian rocks of the Mount Lofty Ranges to the west. In the south, Cambrian volcanics of the Black Range and Stavely greenstone belts have similar magnetic response and appear to be components of a single elongate and strongly magnetic domain which extends to the northwest for at least 400 km (Stavely Belt). To the north a similar but entirely concealed northeasterly trending magnetic domain can also be interpreted as volcanics (Lake Wintlow Belt). Together these two magnetic domains appear to form an arcuate zone of volcanics, with a concave-to-the-east configuration, located at a possible suture between the Lachlan and Kanmantoo Fold Belts beneath the western Murray Basin. In the south the magnetic imagery indicates that metasediments of the ?Cambro-Ordovician Stawell Belt produce magnetic patterns distinct from those produced by the metasediments of the adjacent Ordovician Bendigo Belt, which can itself be subdivided into a number of areas of distinct magnetic pattern. Magnetic domains can be interpreted in terms of concealed Proterozoic and Palaeozoic structural belts and tectonostratigraphic terranes. Reconstructions suggest that much of the Murray Basin may be underlain by a former microcontinental block or rifted marginal plateau of Precambrian crust, now welded to the Precambrian craton to the west. Deformation of the Kanmantoo and Adelaide Fold Belts adjacent to and beneath the western and southwestern margins of the basin, can be attributed to Late Cambrian-Early Ordovician convergence between the microcontinental block and the craton. Volcanics of the arcuate Stavely and Lake Wintlow Belts are interpreted to be located at the suture between the microcontinental block and the craton. In addition, the presence of concave-to-the-east, curvilinear magnetic trends in the Cambro-Ordovician metasedimentary belts beneath the Murray Basin suggests that these successions, as well as the volcanics of the Heathcote and Mount Wellington Belts, may form allochthonous sheets. These were possibly emplaced from the east during Late Ordovician-Devonian deformation, possibly related to convergence of a further microcontinental block underlying the adjacent Lachlan Fold Belt to the east of the Murray Basin.

The metallogeny of Late Triassic rifting of the Alexander terrane in southeastern Alaska and northwestern British Columbia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Taylor, C.D.; Premo, W.R.; Meier, A.L.; Taggart, J.E.

2008-01-01

A belt of unusual volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) occurrences is located along the eastern margin of the Alexander terrane throughout southeastern Alaska and northwestern British Columbia and exhibits a range of characteristics consistent with a variety of syngenetic to epigenetic deposit types. Deposits within this belt include Greens Creek and Windy Craggy, the economically most significant VMS deposit in Alaska and the largest in North America, respectively. The occurrences are hosted by a discontinuously exposed, 800-km-long belt of rocks that consist of a 200- to 800-m-thick sequence of conglomerate, limestone, marine elastic sedimentary rocks, and tuff intercalated with and overlain by a distinctive unit of mafic pyroclastic rocks and pillowed flows. Faunal data bracket the age of the host rocks between Anisian (Middle Triassic) and late Norian (late Late Triassic). This metallogenic belt is herein referred to as the Alexander Triassic metallogenic belt. The VMS occurrences show systematic differences in degree of structural control, chemistry, and stratigraphic setting along the Alexander Triassic metallogenic belt that suggest important spatial or temporal changes in the tectonic environment of formation. At the southern end of the belt, felsic volcanic rocks overlain by shallow-water limestones characterize the lower part of the sequence. In the southern and middle portion of the belt, a distinctive pebble conglomerate marks the base of the section and is indicative of high-energy deposition in a near slope or basin margin setting. At the northern end of the belt the conglomerates, limestones, and felsic volcanic rocks are absent and the belt is composed of deep-water sedimentary and mafic volcanic rocks. This northward change in depositional environment and lithofacies is accompanied by a northward transition from epithermal-like structurally controlled, discontinuous, vein- and pod-shaped, Pb-Zn-Ag-Ba-(Cu) occurrences with relatively simple mineralogy, to sulfosalt-enriched VMS occurrences exhibiting characteristics of vein, diagenetic replacement, and exhalative styles of mineralization, and finally to Cu-Zn-(Co-Au) occurrences with larger and more clearly stratiform orebody morphologies. Occurrences in the middle of the belt are transitional in nature between structurally controlled types of mineralization that formed in a shallow-water, near-arc setting, to those having a more stratiform appearance, formed in a deeper water, rift-basin setting. The geologic setting in the south is consistent with shallow subaqueous emplacement on the flanks of the Alexander terrane. Northward, the setting changes to an increasingly deeper back- or intra-arc rift basin. Igneous activity in the Alexander Triassic metallogenic belt is characterized by a bimodal suite of volcanic rocks and a previously unrecognized association with mafic-ultramafic hypabyssal intrusions. Immobile trace and rare earth element (BEE) geochemical data indicate that felsic rocks in the southern portion of the belt are typical calc-alkaline rhyolites, which give way in the middle of the belt to peralkaline rhyolites. Rhyolites are largely absent in the northern part of the belt. Throughout the belt, the capping basaltic rocks have transitional geochemical signatures. Radiogenic isotope data for these rocks are also transitional (basalts and gabbros: ??-Nd = 4-9 and 87Sr/86Sr initial at 215 Ma = 0.7037-0.7074). Together these data are interpreted to reflect variable assimilation of mature island-arc crust by more primitive melts having the characteristics of either mid-ocean ridge (MORB) or intraplate (within-plate) basalts (WPB). The ore and host-rock geochemistry and the sulfosalt-rich mineralogy of the deposits are strikingly similar to recent descriptions of active sea-floor hydrothermal (white smoker) systems in back arcs of the southwest Pacific Ocean. These data, in concert with existing faunal ages, record the formation of a belt of VMS deposits

Upper Triassic limestones from the northern part of Japan: new insights on the Panthalassa Ocean and Hokkaido Island

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peyrotty, Giovan; Peybernes, Camille; Ueda, Hayato; Martini, Rossana

2017-04-01

In comparison with the well-known Tethyan domain, Upper Triassic limestones from the Panthalassa Ocean are still poorly known. However, these carbonates represent a unique opportunity to have a more accurate view of the Panthalassa Ocean during the Triassic. Their study will allow comparison and correlation of biotic assemblages, biostratigraphy, diagenesis, and depositional settings of different Triassic localities from Tethyan and Panthalassic domains. Moreover, investigation of these carbonates will provide data for taxonomic revisions and helps to better constrain palaeobiogeographic models. One of the best targets for the study of these carbonates is Hokkaido Island (north of Japan). Indeed, this island is a part of the South-North continuity of Jurassic to Paleogene accretionary complexes, going from the Philippines to Sakhalin Island (Far East Russia). Jurassic and Cretaceous accretionary complexes of Japan and Philippines contain Triassic mid-oceanic seamount carbonates from the western Panthalassa Ocean (Onoue & Sano, 2007; Kiessling & Flügel, 2000). They have been accreted either as isolated limestone slabs or as clasts and boulders, and are associated with mudstones, cherts, breccias and basaltic rocks. Two major tectonic units forming Hokkaido Island and containing Triassic limestones have been accurately explored and extensively sampled: the Oshima Belt (west Hokkaido) a Jurassic accretionary complex, and the Cretaceous Sorachi-Yezo Belt (central Hokkaido). The Sorachi-Yezo Belt is composed of Cretaceous accretionary complexes in the east and of Cretaceous clastic basin sediments deposited on a Jurassic basement in the west (Ueda, 2016), both containing Triassic limestones. The origin of this belt is still matter of debate especially because of its western part which is not in continuity with any other accretionary complex known in the other islands of Japan and also due to the lack of data in this region. One of the main goals of this study is to investigate and characterise Triassic limestones, particularly from western part of Sorachi-Yezo, in order to provide new crucial data allowing us to define the origin of this belt. The comparison (i.e., biotic assemblages, preservation, diagnesis, associated lithologies) of the Triassic limestones in Oshima and Sorachi-Yezo belts might highlight differences in their depositional setting as well as in geodynamic evolution of the western part of Sorachi-Yezo Belt. REFERENCES Kiessling, W., & Flügel, E. 2000: Late Paleozoic and Late Triassic Limestones from North Palawan Block (Philippines): Microfacies and Paleogeographical Implications. Facies, 43, 39-78. Onoue, T., & Sano, H. 2007: Triassic mid-oceanic sedimentation in Panthalassa Ocean: Sambosan accretionary complex, Japan. Island Arc, 16(1), 173-190. Ueda H. 2016: Hokkaido in The Geology of Japan, Taira A. Ohara Y. Wallis S. Ishawatari A.Iryu Y. Geological Society, London, 203-223.

23 CFR 1340.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... OBSERVATIONAL SURVEYS OF SEAT BELT USE General § 1340.3 Definitions. As used in this part— Access ramp means the... general public are not allowed to drive motor vehicles. Nonresponse rate means, for any survey variable... location where survey data are collected. Passenger motor vehicle means a motor vehicle with a gross...

23 CFR 1340.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... OBSERVATIONAL SURVEYS OF SEAT BELT USE General § 1340.3 Definitions. As used in this part— Access ramp means the... general public are not allowed to drive motor vehicles. Nonresponse rate means, for any survey variable... location where survey data are collected. Passenger motor vehicle means a motor vehicle with a gross...

23 CFR 1340.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... OBSERVATIONAL SURVEYS OF SEAT BELT USE General § 1340.3 Definitions. As used in this part— Access ramp means the... general public are not allowed to drive motor vehicles. Nonresponse rate means, for any survey variable... location where survey data are collected. Passenger motor vehicle means a motor vehicle with a gross...

Fault-related fold styles and progressions in fold-thrust belts: Insights from sandbox modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Dan-Ping; Xu, Yan-Bo; Dong, Zhou-Bin; Qiu, Liang; Zhang, Sen; Wells, Michael

2016-03-01

Fault-related folds of variable structural styles and assemblages commonly coexist in orogenic belts with competent-incompetent interlayered sequences. Despite their commonality, the kinematic evolution of these structural styles and assemblages are often loosely constrained because multiple solutions exist in their structural progression during tectonic restoration. We use a sandbox modeling instrument with a particle image velocimetry monitor to test four designed sandbox models with multilayer competent-incompetent materials. Test results reveal that decollement folds initiate along selected incompetent layers with decreasing velocity difference and constant vorticity difference between the hanging wall and footwall of the initial fault tips. The decollement folds are progressively converted to fault-propagation folds and fault-bend folds through development of fault ramps breaking across competent layers and are followed by propagation into fault flats within an upper incompetent layer. Thick-skinned thrust is produced by initiating a decollement fault within the metamorphic basement. Progressive thrusting and uplifting of the thick-skinned thrust trigger initiation of the uppermost incompetent decollement with formation of a decollement fold and subsequent converting to fault-propagation and fault-bend folds, which combine together to form imbricate thrust. Breakouts at the base of the early formed fault ramps along the lowest incompetent layers, which may correspond to basement-cover contacts, domes the upmost decollement and imbricate thrusts to form passive roof duplexes and constitute the thin-skinned thrust belt. Structural styles and assemblages in each of tectonic stages are similar to that in the representative orogenic belts in the South China, Southern Appalachians, and Alpine orogenic belts.

Anomalous heat flow belt along the continental margin of Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamza, Valiya M.; Vieira, Fabio P.; Silva, Raquel T. A.

2018-01-01

A comprehensive analysis of thermal gradient and heat flow data was carried out for sedimentary basins situated in the continental margin of Brazil (CMB). The results point to the existence of a narrow belt within CMB, where temperature gradients are higher than 30 °C/km and the heat flow is in excess of 70 mW/m2. This anomalous geothermal belt is confined between zones of relatively low to normal heat flow in the adjacent continental and oceanic regions. The width of the belt is somewhat variable, but most of it falls within the range of 100-300 km. The spatial extent is relatively large in the southern (in the basins of Pelotas, Santos and Campos) and northern (in the basins of Potiguar and Ceará) parts, when compared with those in the central parts (in the basins of South Bahia, Sergipe and Alagoas). The characteristics of heat flow anomalies appear to be compatible with those produced by thermal sources at depths in the lower crust. Hence, magma emplacement at the transition zone between lower crust and upper mantle is considered the likely mechanism producing such anomalies. Seismicity within the belt is relatively weak, with focal depths less than 10 km for most of the events. Such observations imply that "tectonic bonding" between continental and oceanic segments, at the transition zone of CMB, is relatively weak. Hence, it is proposed that passive margins like CMB be considered as constituting a type of plate boundary that is aseismic at sub-crustal levels, but allows for escape of significant amounts of earth's internal heat at shallow depths.

Global epidemiology of capsular group W meningococcal disease (1970-2015): Multifocal emergence and persistence of hypervirulent sequence type (ST)-11 clonal complex.

PubMed

Mustapha, Mustapha M; Marsh, Jane W; Harrison, Lee H

2016-03-18

Following an outbreak in Mecca Saudi Arabia in 2000, meningococcal strains expressing capsular group W (W) emerged as a major cause of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) worldwide. The Saudi Arabian outbreak strain (Hajj clone) belonging to the ST-11 clonal complex (cc11) is similar to W cc11 causing occasional sporadic disease before 2000. Since 2000, W cc11 has caused large meningococcal disease epidemics in the African meningitis belt and endemic disease in South America, Europe and China. Traditional molecular epidemiologic typing suggested that a majority of current W cc11 burden represented global spread of the Hajj clone. However, recent whole genome sequencing (WGS) analyses revealed significant genetic heterogeneity among global W cc11 strains. While continued spread of the Hajj clone occurs in the Middle East, the meningitis belt and South Africa have co-circulation of the Hajj clone and other unrelated W cc11 strains. Notably, South America, the UK, and France share a genetically distinct W cc11 strain. Other W lineages persist in low numbers in Europe, North America and the meningitis belt. In summary, WGS is helping to unravel the complex genomic epidemiology of group W meningococcal strains. Wider application of WGS and strengthening of global IMD surveillance is necessary to monitor the continued evolution of group W lineages. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nitrogen deposition outweighs climatic variability in driving annual growth rate of canopy beech trees: Evidence from long-term growth reconstruction across a geographic gradient.

PubMed

Gentilesca, Tiziana; Rita, Angelo; Brunetti, Michele; Giammarchi, Francesco; Leonardi, Stefano; Magnani, Federico; van Noije, Twan; Tonon, Giustino; Borghetti, Marco

2018-07-01

In this study, we investigated the role of climatic variability and atmospheric nitrogen deposition in driving long-term tree growth in canopy beech trees along a geographic gradient in the montane belt of the Italian peninsula, from the Alps to the southern Apennines. We sampled dominant trees at different developmental stages (from young to mature tree cohorts, with tree ages spanning from 35 to 160 years) and used stem analysis to infer historic reconstruction of tree volume and dominant height. Annual growth volume (G V ) and height (G H ) variability were related to annual variability in model simulated atmospheric nitrogen deposition and site-specific climatic variables, (i.e. mean annual temperature, total annual precipitation, mean growing period temperature, total growing period precipitation, and standard precipitation evapotranspiration index) and atmospheric CO 2 concentration, including tree cambial age among growth predictors. Generalized additive models (GAM), linear mixed-effects models (LMM), and Bayesian regression models (BRM) were independently employed to assess explanatory variables. The main results from our study were as follows: (i) tree age was the main explanatory variable for long-term growth variability; (ii) GAM, LMM, and BRM results consistently indicated climatic variables and CO 2 effects on G V and G H were weak, therefore evidence of recent climatic variability influence on beech annual growth rates was limited in the montane belt of the Italian peninsula; (iii) instead, significant positive nitrogen deposition (N dep ) effects were repeatedly observed in G V and G H ; the positive effects of N dep on canopy height growth rates, which tended to level off at N dep values greater than approximately 1.0 g m -2  y -1 , were interpreted as positive impacts on forest stand above-ground net productivity at the selected study sites. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Continuous flow real-time PCR device using multi-channel fluorescence excitation and detection.

PubMed

Hatch, Andrew C; Ray, Tathagata; Lintecum, Kelly; Youngbull, Cody

2014-02-07

High throughput automation is greatly enhanced using techniques that employ conveyor belt strategies with un-interrupted streams of flow. We have developed a 'conveyor belt' analog for high throughput real-time quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) using droplet emulsion technology. We developed a low power, portable device that employs LED and fiber optic fluorescence excitation in conjunction with a continuous flow thermal cycler to achieve multi-channel fluorescence detection for real-time fluorescence measurements. Continuously streaming fluid plugs or droplets pass through tubing wrapped around a two-temperature zone thermal block with each wrap of tubing fluorescently coupled to a 64-channel multi-anode PMT. This work demonstrates real-time qPCR of 0.1-10 μL droplets or fluid plugs over a range of 7 orders of magnitude concentration from 1 × 10(1) to 1 × 10(7). The real-time qPCR analysis allows dynamic range quantification as high as 1 × 10(7) copies per 10 μL reaction, with PCR efficiencies within the range of 90-110% based on serial dilution assays and a limit of detection of 10 copies per rxn. The combined functionality of continuous flow, low power thermal cycling, high throughput sample processing, and real-time qPCR improves the rates at which biological or environmental samples can be continuously sampled and analyzed.

Late Paleozoic tectonic evolution and concentrated mineralization in Balkhash and West Junggar, western part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Shuwen; Chen, Xuanhua; Chen, Zhengle

2016-04-01

The Central Asia Orogenic Belt (CAOB) is an important area with significant growth of the crust and metallogeny in the Late Paleozoic. The Balkhash-Junggar tectono-metallogenic belt consists of the Balkhash, the West Junggar, and the East Junggar tectono-metallogenic belts in western part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). According to the structural geological relationship, the East Junggar, the West Junggar, and the Balkhash belts are considered to be once a continuous E-W-trending tectono-metallogenic belt in Late Carboniferous. The West Junggar belt is featured with NE-trending left-lateral strike-slip faulting tectonic system (WJTS), while the left-lateral strike-slip faults are E-W-trending in the Balkhash belt. The WJTS consists of the Darabut, the Mayile, and the Baerluke faults, and the blocks among them. All these left-lateral strike-slip faults are forming due to the transition of tectonic settings from syn-collisional orogeny to post-collisional extension during the closure of the ocean (the Junggar Sea) in Late Carboniferous, with significant intrusion of batholiths and crust growth occurred in this period. These faults are truncated by the right-lateral strike-slip faults, such as the Chingiz-Junggar fault, and the Central Balkhash fault in Mesozoic. The Balkhash-Junggar tectono-metallogenic belt is important for the occurrence of many well-known super-large and large porphyry Cu-Mo deposits (such as the Kounrad, the Aktogai, the Borly, and the Baogutu deposits), large skarn Cu deposits (in the Sayak ore-filed), large rare metal deposits (such as the East Kounrad, the Zhanet, and the Akshatau deposits), and large gold deposits (such as the Hatu deposit). Zircon U-Pb ages, Re-Os isotopic dating of molybdenites, 40Ar/39Ar thermochronology of hornblendes, muscovites, biotites, and K-feldspars, and zircon and apatite fission track (FT) and (U-Th)/He dating and thermal history modeling, provide a multidisciplinary approach to constrain the whole course thermo-history of the minearl deposits from their formation in the deep to the exhumation in the surface. It reveals the arc-related granitic magmatism and the metallogeneses of skarn Cu, porphyry Cu-Mo, quartz-vein/greisen W-Mo, and orogenic Au in Late Paleozoic, the medium-temperature regional cooling in Late Paleozoic and Early Mesozoic, and the low-temperature exhumation of the deposits in Mesozoic. The timing, combined with geochemistry of granitoids, suggests a transition of tectonic environment from syn-collision and volcanic arc in Late Carboniferous to post-collision extension in Early Permian, and the concentrated mineralization of Cu, Mo, rare metals, and Au during this tectonic transition. The complete metallogenic series for the concentrated mineralization are from skarn and porphyry Cu-Mo deposits to rare metal and gold deposits. Key words: Late Paleozoic; Tectonic evolution; Concentrated mineralization; Balkhash-Junggar tectono-metallogenic belt; Central Asian Orogenic Belt

The Place for Thermoplastic Composites in Structural Components

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-01

The molten tube is then squashed flat and consolidated into ribbon form by continuous opposed-belt laminating. Existing graphite-epoxy pultrusion...the solid form it must have a molecular weight that exceeds the critical entanglement value. Thus thermoplastic materials of commercial worth almost

New Horizons High-Phase Observations of Distant Kuiper Belt Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verbiscer, A.; Porter, S.; Spencer, J. R.; Buie, M. W.; Benecchi, S.; Weaver, H. A., Jr.; Buratti, B. J.; Ennico Smith, K.; Olkin, C.; Stern, S. A.; Young, L. A.; Cheng, A. F.

2017-12-01

From its unique vantage point far from the Sun, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has observed Kuiper Belt Objects at separations ranging from 0.1 to 70 AU, and at solar phase angles far larger than those attainable from Earth. We have constructed the first KBO solar phase curves with substantial phase angle coverage for targets including Haumea, Makemake, Quaoar, Arawn (Porter et al. 2016, Astrophys. J. Lett. 828, L15), and 2002 MS4. We compare the phase functions of these KBOs with those of objects in the Pluto system and other Solar System bodies such as comets, asteroids, and icy satellites. For KBOs with known geometric albedos, these measurements enable calculation of the phase integral, an important photometric property that characterizes the energy balance on a distant KBO surface. During its approach to 2014 MU69, and following its close encounter on 1 January 2019, New Horizons will continue to exploit its capabilities as NASA's only observatory within the Kuiper Belt itself.

KSC-2012-3708

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-07-06

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the magnetometer boom has been deployed on the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, spacecraft A. Deploying the solar arrays and boom are a standard procedure to ensure they work properly on Earth before they head into space. NASA’s RBSP mission will help us understand the sun’s influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth’s radiation belts on various scales of space and time. As the spacecraft orbits Earth, the four solar panels will continuously face the sun to provide constant power to its instruments. The boom will provide data of the electric fields that energize radiation particles and modify the structure of the inner magnetosphere. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Launch is targeted for Aug. 23. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

Drift-resonant, relativistic electron acceleration at the outer planets: Insights from the response of Saturn's radiation belts to magnetospheric storms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roussos, E.; Kollmann, P.; Krupp, N.; Paranicas, C.; Dialynas, K.; Sergis, N.; Mitchell, D. G.; Hamilton, D. C.; Krimigis, S. M.

2018-05-01

The short, 7.2-day orbital period of Cassini's Ring Grazing Orbits (RGO) provided an opportunity to monitor how fast the effects of an intense magnetospheric storm-time period (days 336-343/2016) propagated into Saturn's electron radiation belts. Following the storms, Cassini's MIMI/LEMMS instrument detected a transient extension of the electron radiation belts that in subsequent orbits moved towards the inner belts, intensifying them in the process. This intensification was followed by an equally fast decay, possibly due to the rapid absorption of MeV electrons by the planet's main rings. Surprisingly, all this cycle was completed within four RGOs, effectively in less than a month. That is considerably faster than the year-long time scales of Saturn's proton radiation belt evolution. In order to explain this difference, we propose that electron radial transport is partly controlled by the variability of global scale electric fields which have a fixed local time pointing. Such electric fields may distort significantly the orbits of a particular class of energetic electrons that cancel out magnetospheric corotation due to their westward gradient and curvature drifts (termed "corotation-resonant" or "local-time stationary" electrons) and transport them radially between the ring current and the radiation belts within several days and few weeks. The significance of the proposed process is highlighted by the fact that corotation resonance at Saturn occurs for electrons of few hundred keV to several MeV. These are the characteristic energies of seed electrons from the ring current that sustain the radiation belts of the planet. Our model's feasibility is demonstrated through the use of a simple test-particle simulation, where we estimate that uniform but variable electric fields with magnitudes lower that 1.0 mV/m can lead to a very efficient transport of corotation resonant electrons. Such electric fields have been consistently measured in the magnetosphere, and here we provide additional evidence showing that they may be constantly present all the way down to the outer edge of Saturn's main rings, further supporting our model. The implications of our findings are not limited to Saturn. Corotation resonance at Jupiter occurs for electrons with energies above about 10 MeV throughout the quasi-dipolar, energetic particle-trapping region of the magnetosphere. The proposed process could in principle then lead to rapid transport and adiabatic acceleration electrons into ultra-relativistic energies. The observation by Galileo's EPD/LEMMS instrument of an intense Jovian acceleration event at the orbital distance of Ganymede during the mission's C22 orbit, when > 11 MeV electron fluxes were preferentially enhanced, provides additional support to our transport model and insights on the origin of that orbit's extreme energetic electron environment. Finally, if the mode of radial transport that we describe here is a dominant one, radial diffusion coefficients (DLL) would be subject to strong energy, pitch angle and species dependencies.

Seat belt and mobile phone use among vehicle drivers in the city of Doha, Qatar: an observational study.

PubMed

Mahfoud, Ziyad R; Cheema, Sohaila; Alrouh, Hekmat; Al-Thani, Mohammed Hamad; Al-Thani, Al Anoud Mohammed; Mamtani, Ravinder

2015-09-22

In Qatar traffic injuries and fatalities are of serious concern. Mobile phone use whilst driving has been associated with increased risk of vehicular collisions and injuries. Seat belt use has been demonstrated to save lives and reduce the severity of road traffic injuries. Whereas previously published studies may have looked at all front passengers, this study aims to obtain reliable estimates of the prevalence of seat belt and mobile phone use among vehicle drivers in the city of Doha, Qatar. Additionally, we aim to investigate the association of these behaviors with other variables namely gender, time of the day and type of vehicle. An observational study on 2,011 vehicles was conducted in 2013. Data were collected at ten sites within Doha city over a two-week period. Two trained observers surveyed each car and recorded observations on a data collection form adapted from a form used in a 2012 Oklahoma observational study. Associations were assessed using the Chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test. A p-value of .05 or less was considered statistically significant. Overall, 1,463 (72.7 %) drivers were found using a seat belt (95 % CI: 70.8-74.7 %) and 150 (7.5 %) their mobile phones (95 % CI: 6.3-8.6 %) during the observation period. Mobile phone use was significantly associated with not using a seat belt and driving a sport utility vehicle. Significantly lower rates of seat belt use were observed in the early morning and late afternoon. No gender differences were observed. Seatbelt use in Doha was found to be similar to countries in the region but lower than those in western countries. Also, studies from other high-income locations, reported lower rates of mobile phone use while driving than in Doha. Despite road traffic crashes being one of the leading causes of death in Qatar, three out of 10 drivers in Doha, Qatar, do not use a seat belt and about one in 12 use a mobile phone while driving. More efforts, in the form of awareness campaigns and increased law enforcement, are needed to improve compliance with laws requiring seat belt use and prohibiting mobile phone use while driving.

Characterization of airborne float coal dust emitted during continuous mining, longwall mining and belt transport

PubMed Central

Shahan, M.R.; Seaman, C.E.; Beck, T.W.; Colinet, J.F.; Mischler, S.E.

2017-01-01

Float coal dust is produced by various mining methods, carried by ventilating air and deposited on the floor, roof and ribs of mine airways. If deposited, float dust is re-entrained during a methane explosion. Without sufficient inert rock dust quantities, this float coal dust can propagate an explosion throughout mining entries. Consequently, controlling float coal dust is of critical interest to mining operations. Rock dusting, which is the adding of inert material to airway surfaces, is the main control technique currently used by the coal mining industry to reduce the float coal dust explosion hazard. To assist the industry in reducing this hazard, the Pittsburgh Mining Research Division of the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health initiated a project to investigate methods and technologies to reduce float coal dust in underground coal mines through prevention, capture and suppression prior to deposition. Field characterization studies were performed to determine quantitatively the sources, types and amounts of dust produced during various coal mining processes. The operations chosen for study were a continuous miner section, a longwall section and a coal-handling facility. For each of these operations, the primary dust sources were confirmed to be the continuous mining machine, longwall shearer and conveyor belt transfer points, respectively. Respirable and total airborne float dust samples were collected and analyzed for each operation, and the ratio of total airborne float coal dust to respirable dust was calculated. During the continuous mining process, the ratio of total airborne float coal dust to respirable dust ranged from 10.3 to 13.8. The ratios measured on the longwall face were between 18.5 and 21.5. The total airborne float coal dust to respirable dust ratio observed during belt transport ranged between 7.5 and 21.8. PMID:28936001

Variable deep structure of a midcontinent fault and fold zone from seismic reflection: La Salle deformation belt, Illinois basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

McBride, J.H.

1997-01-01

Deformation within the United States mid-continent is frequently expressed as quasilinear zones of faulting and folding, such as the La Salle deformation belt, a northwest-trending series of folds cutting through the center of the Illinois basin. Seismic reflection profiles over the southern La Salle deformation belt reveal the three-dimensional structural style of deformation in the lower Paleozoic section and uppermost Precambrian(?) basement. Individual profiles and structural contour maps show for the first time that the folds of the La Salle deformation belt are underlain at depth by reverse faults that disrupt and offset intrabasement structure, offset the top of interpreted Precambrian basement, and accommodate folding of overlying Paleozoic strata. The folds do not represent development of initial dips by strata deposited over a preexisting basement high. Rather, the structures resemble subdued "Laramide-style" forced folds, in that Paleozoic stratal reflectors appear to be flexed over a fault-bounded basement uplift with the basement-cover contact folded concordantly with overlying strata. For about 40 km along strike, the dominant faults reverse their dip direction, alternating between east and west. Less well expressed antithetic or back thrusts appear to be associated with the dominant faults and could together describe a positive flower structure. The overall trend of this part of the La Salle deformation belt is disrupted by along-strike discontinuities that separate distinct fold culminations. Observations of dual vergence and along-strike discontinuities suggest an original deformation regime possibly involving limited transpression associated with distant late Paleozoic Appalachian-Ouachita mountain building. Moderate-magnitude earthquakes located west of the western flank of the La Salle deformation belt have reverse and strike-slip mechanisms at upper trustai depths, which might be reactivating deep basement faults such as observed in this study. The La Salle deformation belt is not necessarily typical of other well-known major midcontinent fault and fold zones, such as the Nemaha ridge, over which Paleozoic and younger sediments appear to simply be draped.

Global hydrobelts and hydroregions: improved reporting scale for water-related issues?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meybeck, M.; Kummu, M.; Dürr, H. H.

2013-03-01

Global-scale water issues such as its availability, water needs or stress, or management, are mapped at various resolutions and reported at many scales, mostly along political or continental boundaries. As such, they ignore the fundamental heterogeneity of hydroclimates and natural boundaries of river basins. Here we describe the continental landmasses at two levels: eight hydrobelts strictly limited by river basins, defined at a 30' (0.5°) resolution, which are decomposed on continents as 26 hydroregions. The belts were defined and delineated, based primarily on the annual average temperature (T) and run-off (q), to maximise inter-belt differences and minimise intra-belt variability. This new global puzzle defines homogeneous and near-contiguous entities with similar hydrological and thermal regimes, glacial and postglacial basin histories, endorheism distribution and sensitivity to climate variations. The mid-latitude, dry and subtropical belts have northern and southern analogues and a general symmetry can be observed for T and q between them. The boreal and equatorial belts are unique. Population density between belts and between the continents varies greatly, resulting in pronounced differences between the belts with analogues in both hemispheres. Hydroregions (median size 4.7 M km2) are highly contrasted, with the average q ranging between 6 and 1393 mm yr-1 and the average T between -9.7 and +26.3 °C, and a population density ranging from 0.7 to 0.8 p km-2 for the North American boreal region and some Australian hydroregions to 280 p km-2 for some Asian hydroregions. The population/run-off ratio, normalised to a reference pristine region, is used to map and quantify the global population at risk of severe water quality degradation. Our initial tests suggest that hydrobelt and hydroregion divisions are often more appropriate than conventional continental or political divisions for the global analysis of river basins within the Earth system and of water resources. The GIS files of the hydrobelts and hydroregions are available at the supplement of this article and at doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.806957 as well as geotypes.net.

Cretaceous combined structure in eastern Sichuan Basin, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, P.; Liu, S.

2009-12-01

Eastern Sichuan Basin is confined by two thin-skinned fold-thrust belt, NW-trending Southern Daba Shan (Shan=Mountain) (SDB) in the northeast and NNE- or NE-trending Western XueFeng Shan (WXF) in the southeast, which constitute two convergent salients convex to the inner basin respectively. Although many factors can lead to the formation of fold-thrust belt salients, the eastern Sichuan salients would be attributed to the combined structure (firstly nominated by Chinese geologist, Li Siguang), which means the interaction of two structural belts in the same period. By field surveying and geological map interpreting, we found that WXF deformation began in Late Jurassic along the eastern side of structral belt, where the synclines cored by Upper-Middle Jurassic rock. The initial time of SDB deformation remains poorly determined, however our palaeocurrent data of Lower Cretaceous rock in adjecent foreland basin indicate the provenance from northeast or east. Hence we considered the two fold-thrust belt started interactive in Late Jurassic and mainly combined during Cretaceous. In Early Cretaceous, the front belt of WXF salient arrived near KaiXian where NEE-trending arc-shape folds converged with the NWW-trending arc-shape folds of SDB.The two salients shaped like an westward "open mouth", east of which EW-trending folds of two structural belts juxtaposed. Particularly in the middle belt of WXF (FengJie - WuFeng) the earlier NEE-trending folds were refolded by later NNE-trending folds. We interpret the NEE-trending folds as the front belt of earlier (maybe Late Jurassic) WXF salient. When the two combined fold belts propagated westward together, the original NNE-trending front belt of WXF constrained by the front belt of SDB and formed the curved fold trend lines convex to NNW. Then as WXF deformation continued but SDB gradually terminated, the consequent NNE-trending folds could not be curved and would superpose on the earlier NEE-trending folds.In Late Cretaceous, WXF still propagated westward but without combination with SDB, and formed three NNE-trending parallel anticlines flanking the central Sichuan Basin. These anticlines dominated by steep dips and west-vergent thrust faults, which suggests the eastward back pushing force. We suppose that the pre-existing deep fault obstructed the WXF westward propagation. In addition, thermochronolgy analysis proved that SDB underwent tectonic sequence in Late Cretaceous. Thus the convergent salients broke up with only NNE-trending parallel fold being present in the front belt of WXF. We also use a finite-element model (FEM) to illustrate the maximum horizontal compressive stress (SHmax) under the combined structure in ABAQUSTM software. A 2D plane stress model with realistic mechanical properties for whole Sichuan Basin was built based on the Late Jurassic paleogeographic boundaries. The model consists of 5,400 elements, providing a resolution of 0.1° in both latitude and longitude. In general, FEM analysis result shows the SHmax direction well perpendicular to the arc-shape folds trend lines in eastern Sichuan Basin when pressure loaded on the SDB and WXF boundaries. The SHmax contours reflect two convergent salients incorporating the gradually decreased stress value from the boundaries to inner basin.

Metamorphic belts of Anatolia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oberhänsli, Roland; Prouteau, Amaury; Candan, Osman; Bousquet, Romain

2015-04-01

Investigating metamorphic rocks from high-pressure/low-temperature (HP/LT) belts that formed during the closure of several oceanic branches, building up the present Anatolia continental micro-plate gives insight to the palaeogeography of the Neotethys Ocean in Anatolia. Two coherent HP/LT metamorphic belts, the Tavşanlı Zone (distal Gondwana margin) and the Ören-Afyon-Bolkardağ Zone (proximal Gondwana margin), parallel their non-metamorphosed equivalent (the Tauride Carbonate Platform) from the Aegean coast in NW Anatolia to southern Central Anatolia. P-T conditions and timing of metamorphism in the Ören-Afyon-Bolkardağ Zone (>70?-65 Ma; 0.8-1.2 GPa/330-420°C) contrast those published for the overlying Tavşanlı Zone (88-78 Ma; 2.4 GPa/500 °C). These belts trace the southern Neotethys suture connecting the Vardar suture in the Hellenides to the Inner Tauride suture along the southern border of the Kirşehir Complex in Central Anatolia. Eastwards, these belts are capped by the Oligo-Miocene Sivas Basin. Another HP/LT metamorphic belt, in the Alanya and Bitlis regions, outlines the southern flank of the Tauride Carbonate Platform. In the Alanya Nappes, south of the Taurides, eclogites and blueschists yielded metamorphic ages around 82-80 Ma (zircon U-Pb and phengite Ar-Ar data). The Alanya-Bitlis HP belt testifies an additional suture not comparable to the northerly Tavşanlı and Ören-Afyon belts, thus implying an additional oceanic branch of the Neotethys. The most likely eastern lateral continuation of this HP belt is the Bitlis Massif, in SE Turkey. There, eclogites (1.9-2.4 GPa/480-540°C) occur within calc-arenitic meta-sediments and in gneisses of the metamorphic (Barrovian-type) basement. Zircon U-Pb ages revealed 84.4-82.4 Ma for peak metamorphism. Carpholite-bearing HP/LT metasediments representing the stratigraphic cover of the Bitlis Massif underwent 0.8-1.2 GPa/340-400°C at 79-74 Ma (Ar-Ar on white mica). These conditions compares to the Tavşanlı-Afyon realm. However the differences in time and P-T conditions (eclogite- vs. blueschist-facies units) in the Bitlis Massif indicate that the different metamorphic peak conditions were reached at different times in a single subduction zone. Exhumation from approx. 65 to 35 km depth occurred within <10 myr. The special relations between eclogite-blueschist are due to the fact that collision with the Arabian plate was and still is on going in the Bitlis area. The Bitlis HP rocks represent a subduction realm that separated the Bitlis-Pütürge(-Bistun?) continental block from the South-Armenian (Tauride?) block, further north. Post-Eocene blueschists south of the Bitlis Massif witness the separation of the Bitlis-Pütüre block from the Arabian plate, and the southward migration of the subduction zone from the Late Cretaceous to the Oligocene. Continuous convergence of Africa and Eurasia engendered the simultaneous consumption of several, separated branches of the Neotethys Ocean and amalgamation of different terranes. The rise of the Eastern Anatolia Plateau is related to this complex geodynamic setting. Reduced seismic velocities inferred from geophysical observations, which are interpreted as complete replacement of lithospheric- by asthenospheric mantle, can be explained by thermodynamic modelling as partial hydration of the lithospheric mantle wedge during protracted subduction. Hydrated lithospheric mantle is interpreted as result of the complex geodynamic setting in Anatolia with multiple simultaneous subduction zones.

Morpho-structure and sedimentology of the Holocene Ebro prodelta mud belt (northwestern Mediterranean Sea)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Diaz, J.I.; Palanques, A.; Nelson, C.H.; Guillen, J.

1996-01-01

The Ebro "mud belt" is a Holocene prodeltaic deposit which has developed around, and southwestward from, the present Ebro Delta plain, covering most of the inner and middle Ebro continental shelf. Seismic-reflection profiles of this mud belt exhibit a complex sigmoid-oblique configuration. Top-set strata dip gently seaward to the 20 m isobath, and overly the fore-set beds which are exposed in up to 40-60 m water depth. Top-set and fore-set beds have mostly parallel and high continuity reflectors. Thin, acoustically transparent bottom-set beds are present at the base of the fore-set beds and extend to the distal edge of the prodelta (60-80 m water depth), where they overly relict transgressive sand deposits. There is no evidence of mass movement. The suspended load discharged by the river is mainly transported alongshelf by advective processes. This dynamics produces thin clinoform deposits that extend alongshelf for tens of kilometres. Mud belt deposition began about 10,000-11,000 years BP. Accumulation rate ranges from less than 0.5 mm y-1 on the seaward and southern edges of the deposit to about 2.5 mm y-1 near the present river mouth. Copyright ?? 1995 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Integrated Virtual Environment Rehabilitation Treadmill System

PubMed Central

Feasel, Jeff; Whitton, Mary C.; Kassler, Laura; Brooks, Frederick P.; Lewek, Michael D.

2015-01-01

Slow gait speed and interlimb asymmetry are prevalent in a variety of disorders. Current approaches to locomotor retraining emphasize the need for appropriate feedback during intensive, task-specific practice. This paper describes the design and feasibility testing of the integrated virtual environment rehabilitation treadmill (IVERT) system intended to provide real-time, intuitive feedback regarding gait speed and asymmetry during training. The IVERT system integrates an instrumented, split-belt treadmill with a front-projection, immersive virtual environment. The novel adaptive control system uses only ground reaction force data from the treadmill to continuously update the speeds of the two treadmill belts independently, as well as to control the speed and heading in the virtual environment in real time. Feedback regarding gait asymmetry is presented 1) visually as walking a curved trajectory through the virtual environment and 2) proprioceptively in the form of different belt speeds on the split-belt treadmill. A feasibility study involving five individuals with asymmetric gait found that these individuals could effectively control the speed of locomotion and perceive gait asymmetry during the training session. Although minimal changes in overground gait symmetry were observed immediately following a single training session, further studies should be done to determine the IVERT’s potential as a tool for rehabilitation of asymmetric gait by providing patients with congruent visual and proprioceptive feedback. PMID:21652279

Transient IP Structures Associated with Short-Period Variations in the Solar Energetic Particle and Galactic Cosmic Ray Flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulligan, T.; Blake, J.; Spence, H. E.; Jordan, A. P.; Quenby, J. J.; Shaul, D.

2006-12-01

Short-period variations in the integral SEP ( > 10 MeV) and GCR fluence ( > 100 MeV), often observed in neutron monitor data have also been seen by the High Sensitivity Telescope (HIST) aboard the Polar Spacecraft. Although HIST was designed to measure radiation-belt electrons, it makes clean measurements of the integral SEP and GCR fluence when Polar is outside the radiation belts. These measurements show variability on a variety of timescales including 0.1~mHz - 1~mHz. We examine these variations from Polar and compare them with IMF and plasma solar wind conditions at L1 using ACE data. We find coherent short-term variability occurs when Earth is in close proximity to the HCS and when Earth is either inside an ICME or when an ICME has just transited the Earth. Also, when a flux rope ICME signature is present, the rope axis is nearly parallel to the radial direction and the HCS. The launch of STEREO will enable detailed 3-D analyses of such solar wind disturbances along spatial scales on the same order of typical SEP and GCR proton gyroradii, which are needed to elucidate the mechanism behind this short-period variability.

Comparison of self-reported and observed prevalence of safety belt and helmet use in Florence.

PubMed

Lorini, C; Pieralli, F; Mersi, A; Cecconi, R; Garofalo, G; Santini, M G; Bonaccorsi, G

2014-01-01

Safety belt and helmet use was estimated from PASSI data and measured through Ulisse observations. Between 2008 and 2012 a total of 2,081 cars and motorcycle users were interviewed in the LHU of Florence and a total of 59,787 drivers (11,870 front passengers, 1,129 rear passengers and 16,816 motorcyclists) were observed. The comparison between self-reported and observed prevalences was performed by calculating the over-reporting factor (ORF), defined as the ratio of the self-reported to the observed prevalence of seat belt or helmet use. The time trend of the prevalence (both from self-reported and observed data) and of the ORF was assessed by using linear regression and Poisson's regression, respectively. The correlation between self-reported and observed prevalence is high, with a Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.95 (p <0.05). Regarding front seat belt use rates, the difference between self-reported and observed data increases over time and the ORF range varies from 1.12 to 1.32. Rear seat belt data show a great variability, and the ORF varies from 0.67 to 1.37. In 2011 and 2012, the observed prevalence was higher than the self-reported one (ORF <1). Helmet use rates are very high, close to 100% with both methods; ORF has very small oscillations and ranges from 0.98 to 1, showing a good correlation between self-reported and observational data. There are no significant temporal variations both for the prevalences of use and for the ORF. The reasonable accuracy of self-reported data makes this method fit in the routinary assessment of safety belts and helmet usage, in order to limit the observations of the Ulisse system at predetermined time intervals. However, self-reported estimates need to be adjusted using an appropriate over-reporting factor.

Main-belt Asteroids in the K2 Uranus Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molnár, L.; Pál, A.; Sárneczky, K.; Szabó, R.; Vinkó, J.; Szabó, Gy. M.; Kiss, Cs.; Hanyecz, O.; Marton, G.; Kiss, L. L.

2018-02-01

We present the K2 light curves of a large sample of untargeted main-belt asteroids (MBAs) detected with the Kepler Space Telescope. The asteroids were observed within the Uranus superstamp, a relatively large, continuous field with a low stellar background designed to cover the planet Uranus and its moons during Campaign 8 of the K2 mission. The superstamp offered the possibility of obtaining precise, uninterrupted light curves of a large number of MBAs and thus determining unambiguous rotation rates for them. We obtained photometry for 608 MBAs, and were able to determine or estimate rotation rates for 90 targets, of which 86 had no known values before. In an additional 16 targets we detected incomplete cycles and/or eclipse-like events. We found the median rotation rate to be significantly longer than that of the ground-based observations, indicating that the latter are biased toward shorter rotation rates. Our study highlights the need and benefits of further continuous photometry of asteroids.

Quantifying the Spatial and Temporal Properties of Microbursts with Multi-spacecraft Missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shumko, M.; Turner, D. L.; Sample, J. G.; O'Brien, T. P., III; Claudepierre, S. G.; Fennell, J. F.; Johnson, A.; Blake, J. B.; Agapitov, O. V.; Crew, A. B.; Klumpar, D. M.; Spence, H. E.

2017-12-01

The outer electron Van Allen radiation belt is highly variable, and is at times, depleted on the order of one day or less. One loss mechanism potentially capable of depleting the belts on such timescales is electron microbursts, a sporadic and sudden burst of electrons, routinely observed in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). To quantify their contribution to radiation belt electron loss, their spatio-temporal morphology must be well characterized and constrained. These properties can be investigated by multi-spacecraft missions e.g. Focused Investigations of Relativistic Electron Burst Intensity, Range, and Dynamics (FIREBIRD-II), AeroCube 6 (AC6) and the Van Allen Probes (VAP). We present results of microburst scale sizes derived using FIREBIRD-II and AC-6 CubeSats pairs. In addition, we present results of a conjunction between AC6 and VAP at L 5. Lower band chorus was observed by the EMFISIS instrument, while microbursts were observed with its MagEIS instrument, and AC6 in LEO. We believe that this MagEIS observation is the first known measurement of an electron microburst outside of LEO.

Voyager 1 imaging and IRIS observations of Jovian methane absorption and thermal emission: Implications for cloud structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

West, R. A.; Kupferman, P. N.; Hart, H.

1984-01-01

Images from three filters of the Voyager 1 wide angle camera are used to measure the continuum reflectivity and spectral gradient near 6000 A and the 6190 A band methane/continuum ratio for a variety of cloud features in Jupiter's atmosphere. The dark barge features in the North Equatorial Belt have anomalously strong positive continuum spectral gradients suggesting unique composition. Methane absorption is shown at unprecedented spatial scales for the Great Red Spot and its immediate environment, for a dark barge feature in the North Equatorial Belt, and for two hot spot and plume regions in the North Equatorial Belt. Methane absorption and five micrometer emission are correlated in the vicinity of the Great Red Spot but are anticorrelated in one of the plume hot spot regions. Methane absorption and simultaneous maps of five micrometer brightness temperature is quantitatively compared to realistic cloud structure models which include multiple scattering at five micrometer as well as in the visible. Variability in H2 quadrupole lines are also investigated.

The radiation-belt electron phase-space-density response to stream-interaction regions: A study combining multi-point observations, data-assimilation, and physics-based modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kellerman, A. C.; Shprits, Y.; McPherron, R. L.; Kondrashov, D. A.; Weygand, J. M.; Zhu, H.; Drozdov, A.

2017-12-01

Presented is an analysis of the phase-space density (PSD) response to the stream-interaction region (SIR), which utilizes a reanalysis dataset principally comprised of the data-assimilative Versatile Electron Radiation Belt (VERB) code, Van Allen Probe and GOES observations. The dataset spans the period 2012-2017, and includes several SIR (and CIR) storms. The PSD is examined for evidence of injections, transport, acceleration, and loss by considering the instantaneous and time-averaged change at adiabatic invariant values that correspond to ring-current, relativistic, and ultra-relativistic energies. In the solar wind, the following variables in the slow and fast wind on either side of the stream interface (SI) are considered in each case: the coronal hole polarity, IMF, solar wind speed, density, pressure, and SI tilt angle. In the magnetosphere, the Dst, AE, and past PSD state are considered. Presented is an analysis of the dominant mechanisms, both external and internal to the magnetosphere, that cause radiation-belt electron non-adiabatic changes during the passage of these fascinating solar wind structures.

The influence of regional geological settings on the seismic hazard level in copper mines in the Legnica-Głogów Copper Belt Area (Poland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burtan, Zbigniew

2017-11-01

The current level of rockburst hazard in copper mines of the (LGOM) Legnica- Głogów Copper Belt Area is mostly the consequence of mining-induced seismicity, whilst the majority of rockbursting events registered to date were caused by high-energy tremors. The analysis of seismic readings in recent years reveals that the highest seismic activity among the copper mines in the LGOM is registered in the mine Rudna. This study investigates the seismic activity in the rock strata in the Rudna mine fields over the years 2006-2015. Of particular interest are the key seismicity parameters: the number of registered seismic events, the total energy emissions, the energy index. It appears that varied seismic activity in the area may be the function of several variables: effective mining thickness, the thickness of burst-prone strata and tectonic intensity. The results support and corroborate the view that principal factors influencing the actual seismic hazard level are regional geological conditions in the copper mines within the Legnica-Głogów Copper Belt Area.

Voyager 1 imaging and IRIS observations of Jovian methane absorption and thermal emission - Implications for cloud structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

West, R. A.; Kupferman, P. N.; Hart, H.

1985-01-01

Images from three filters of the Voyager 1 wide angle camera are used to measure the continuum reflectivity and spectral gradient near 6000 A and the 6190 A band methane/continuum ratio for a variety of cloud features in Jupiter's atmosphere. The dark barge features in the North Equatorial Belt have anomalously strong positive continuum spectral gradients suggesting unique composition. Methane absorption is shown at unprecedented spatial scales for the Great Red Spot and its immediate environment, for a dark barge feature in the North Equatorial Belt, and for two hot spot and plume regions in the North Equatorial Belt. Methane absorption and five micrometer emission are correlated in the vicinity of the Great Red Spot but are anticorrelated in one of the plume hot spot regions. Methane absorption and simultaneous maps of five micrometer brightness temperature are quantitatively compared to realistic cloud structure models which include multiple scattering at five micrometer as well as in the visible. Variability in H2 quadrupole lines are also investigated.

Limitations and challenges of EIT-based monitoring of stroke volume and pulmonary artery pressure.

PubMed

Braun, Fabian; Proença, Martin; Lemay, Mathieu; Bertschi, Mattia; Adler, Andy; Thiran, Jean-Philippe; Solà, Josep

2018-01-30

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) shows potential for radiation-free and noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring. However, many factors degrade the accuracy and repeatability of these measurements. Our goal is to estimate the impact of this variability on the EIT-based monitoring of two important central hemodynamic parameters: stroke volume (SV) and pulmonary artery pressure (PAP). We performed simulations on a 4D ([Formula: see text]) bioimpedance model of a human volunteer to study the influence of four potential confounding factors (electrode belt displacement, electrode detachment, changes in hematocrit and lung air volume) on the performance of EIT-based SV and PAP estimation. Results were used to estimate how these factors affect the EIT measures of either absolute values or relative changes (i.e. trending). Our findings reveal that the absolute measurement of SV via EIT is very sensitive to electrode belt displacements and lung conductivity changes. Nonetheless, the trending ability of SV EIT might be a promising alternative. The timing-based measurement of PAP is more robust to lung conductivity changes but sensitive to longitudinal belt displacements at severe hypertensive levels and to rotational displacements (independent of the PAP level). We identify and quantify the challenges of EIT-based SV and PAP monitoring. Absolute SV via EIT is challenging, but trending is feasible, while both the absolute and trending of PAP via EIT are mostly impaired by belt displacements.

Alcohol-impaired driving: average quantity consumed and frequency of drinking do matter.

PubMed

Birdsall, William C; Reed, Beth Glover; Huq, Syeda S; Wheeler, Laura; Rush, Sarah

2012-01-01

The objective of this article is to estimate and validate a logistic model of alcohol-impaired driving using previously ignored alcohol consumption behaviors, other risky behaviors, and demographic characteristics as independent variables. The determinants of impaired driving are estimated using the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) surveys. Variables used in a logistic model to explain alcohol-impaired driving are not only standard sociodemographic variables and bingeing but also frequency of drinking and average quantity consumed, as well as other risky behaviors. We use interactions to understand how being female and being young affect impaired driving. Having estimated our model using the 1997 survey, we validated our model using the BRFSS data for 1999. Drinking 9 or more times in the past month doubled the odds of impaired driving. The greater average consumption of alcohol per session, the greater the odds of driving impaired, especially for persons in the highest quartile of alcohol consumed. Bingeing has the greatest effect on impaired driving. Seat belt use is the one risky behavior found to be related to such driving. Sociodemographic effects are consistent with earlier research. Being young (18-30) interacts with two of the alcohol consumption variables and being a woman interacts with always wearing a seat belt. Our model was robust in the validation analysis. All 3 dimensions of drinking behavior are important determinants of alcohol-impaired driving, including frequency and average quantity consumed. Including these factors in regressions improves the estimates of the effects of all variables.

Natural gamma radioactivity in the villages of Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Padua, Jeni Chandar; Basil Rose, M R

2013-01-01

In situ radiometric survey carried out in 81 revenue villages of Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu, India, using a portable radiation dosemeter/detector, revealed the existence of radiation hotspots along the coastal belt. A close observation of the coastal villages specifically revealed high background radioactivity in 14 coastal villages. A very high intrinsic anomalous radioactivity of 41.03 μSv h(-1) was observed, in a famous tourist spot in the coastal belt of Kanyakumari District. This is the highest level of radiation registered in South India, which is extremely higher than the permissible world average and is suggestive of causing severe clinical problems on continuous and prolonged exposure.

Trojan Binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noll, K. S.

2017-12-01

The Jupiter Trojans, in the context of giant planet migration models, can be thought of as an extension of the small body populations found beyond Neptune in the Kuiper Belt. Binaries are a distinctive feature of small body populations in the Kuiper Belt with an especially high fraction apparent among the brightest Cold Classicals. The binary fraction, relative sizes, and separations in the dynamically excited populations (Scattered, Resonant) reflects processes that may have eroded a more abundant initial population. This trend continues in the Centaurs and Trojans where few binaries have been found. We review new evidence including a third resolved Trojan binary and lightcurve studies to understand how the Trojans are related to the small body populations that originated in the outer protoplanetary disk.

VFDs: Are They Electrical Parasites?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frank, Ned

2013-01-01

Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) are electronic speed controllers used mainly to modulate and reduce the overall speed and power consumption of an electrical motor. They can be used as soft starters for equipment that has a large rotational mass, thus reducing belt ware and large electrical peaks when starting large pieces of equipment. VFDs have…

Influence of tree spatial pattern and sample plot type and size on inventory

Treesearch

John-Pascall Berrill; Kevin L. O' Hara

2012-01-01

Sampling with different plot types and sizes was simulated using tree location maps and data collected in three even-aged coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) stands selected to represent uniform, random, and clumped spatial patterns of tree locations. Fixed-radius circular plots, belt transects, and variable-radius plots were installed by...

Drivers of tall shrub proliferation adjacent to the Dempster Highway, Northwest Territories, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cameron, Emily A.; Lantz, Trevor C.

2016-04-01

Arctic ecosystems are undergoing rapid changes as a result of climate warming and more frequent disturbances. Disturbances can have particularly large effects on high-latitude ecosystems when ecosystem structure and function is controlled by strong feedbacks between soil conditions, vegetation, and ground thermal regime. In this study we investigated the impact of road construction and maintenance on vegetation structure and biomass along the Dempster Highway where it crosses the Peel Plateau in the Northwest Territories. To explore drivers of tall shrub proliferation and to quantify shrub proliferation in this region of continuous permafrost, greyscale air photos (1975) and Quickbird satellite imagery (2008) were used to map landcover change within two 0.6 km2 belts next to the road and two 0.6 km2 belts 500 m away from the road. Maps showing areas where: 1) tall shrubs expanded, and 2) dwarf shrub tundra resisted invasion were then used to select field sites where a suite of biophysical variables were measured. Rapid tall shrub proliferation and greater biomass adjacent to the road indicate that disturbance can facilitate vegetation change in tundra environments. Our field data also suggests that increased shrub proliferation adjacent to the road was caused by greater soil moisture. Tall shrub proliferation adjacent to the road occurred at lower elevation sites characterized by wetter soils with thicker organic layers. Areas that resisted tall shrub encroachment were located at higher elevations and had drier soils with thin organic layers. Our observations also support previous work illustrating that tall shrub expansion next to the highway promotes strong positive feedbacks to ongoing shrub growth and proliferation.

Geologic map of the Bonners Ferry 30' x 60' quadrangle, Idaho and Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Fred K.; Burmester, Russell F.

2003-01-01

This data set maps and describes the geology of the Bonners Ferry 30' x 60' quadrangle, Idaho and Montana. The bedrock geology of the Bonners Ferry quadrangle consists of sedimentary, metamorphic, and granitic rocks ranging in age from Middle Proterozoic to Eocene. Bedrock units include rocks of (1) the Middle Proterozoic Belt Supergroup (2) the Middle Proterozoic Deer Trail Group, (3) the Late Proterozoic Windermere Group, (4) miogeoclinal or shelf facies lower Paleozoic rocks, and (5) Mesozoic and Tertiary granitic rocks. The Belt Supergroup, a thick sequence of argillite, siltite, quartzite, and impure carbonate rocks up to 9,000 m thick, occurs in two non-contiguous sequences in the quadrangle: (1) the Clark Fork-Eastport Sequence east of the Purcell trench and (2) the Newport Sequence in the hanging wall of the Newport Fault. Only the two lowest Belt formations of the Newport Sequence are found in the Bonners Ferry quadrangle, but these two units are part of a continuous section, which extends southwestward to the town of Newport. Belt Supergroup rocks of the Clark Fork-Eastport Sequence are separated from those of the Newport Sequence by the Newport Fault, Priest River Complex, and Purcell Trench Fault. Some formations of the Belt Supergroup show differences in thickness and (or) lithofacies from one sequence to the other that are greater than those predicted from an empirical depositional model for the distances currently separating the sequences. These anomalous thickness and facies differences suggest that there has been a net contraction along structures separating the sequences despite Eocene extension associated with emplacement of the Priest River Complex. In addition to these two Belt sequences, probable Belt rocks are present in the Priest River Complex as high metamorphic grade crystalline schist and gneiss. Northwest of the Newport Sequence of Belt Supergroup is the Deer Trail Group, a distinct Middle Proterozoic sequence of argillite, siltite, quartzite, and carbonate rocks lithostratigraphically similar to the Belt Supergroup, but separated from all Belt Supergroup rocks by the Jumpoff Joe Fault. Rocks of the Deer Trail Group are pervasively phyllitic and noticeably more deformed than rocks in the Belt Supergroup sequences. Lithostratigraphically the Deer Trail Group is equivalent to part of the upper part of the Belt Supergroup. Differences in lithostratigraphy and thickness between individual Deer Trail and Belt units and between the Deer Trail and Belt sequences as a whole indicate that they were probably much farther apart when they were deposited. The Windermere Group is a lithologically varied sequence of volcanic rocks and coarse-grained, mostly immature, clastic sedimentary rocks up to 8,000 m thick. It is characterized by extreme differences in thickness and lithofacies over short distances caused by syndepositional faulting associated with initial stages of continental rifting in the Late Proterozoic. Strata of the Windermere Group unconformably overlie only the Deer Trail Group, and are nowhere found in depositional contact with Belt Supergroup rocks. Paleozoic rocks in the Bonners Ferry quadrangle consist of a thin, fault-bounded remnant preserved within the Clark Fork-Eastport Belt Supergroup Sequence. Mesozoic granitic rocks underlie at least 50 percent of the Bonners Ferry quadrangle. They fall into two petrogenetic suites, hornblende-biotite plutons and muscovite-biotite (two-mica) plutons, most of which are Cretaceous in age. Both suites are represented in the mid-crustal Priest River Complex and in the higher level plutons that flank the complex; by far the majority of the Priest River Complex are Cretaceous, two-mica bodies. Tertiary rocks are restricted to a single small stock, numerous hypabyssal dikes that are too small to show at the scale of the map, and to cataclastic rocks related to the Newport Fault. Quaternary deposits include unconsolidated to poorl

Spatial distributing characteristics of land use in the southern slope of mid-Himalaya Mountains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Chen

2014-12-01

The southern slope of mid-Himalayan Mountains located in China's Qomolangma National Natural Reserve in Tibet Autonomous Region, is made up of several non-continuous valleys. The study collected the data including DEM(SRTM90m), 1/250,000 land use map(year 2000), 1/100 million vegetation types map ,satellite images of 4 typical valleys on Google Earth Planet Map. Made use of ArcGIS9.3 spatial analysis technology, analyzed into the 2 aspects— Mountain altitudinal belts and slope gradient of soil types of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, so as to abtain the spatial distributing characteristics of farmland and grassland in the research areas. The conclusions indicates that: (1)no farmland below 2200m altitude, land use is influenced intensively by slope gradient factor in the altitude range of < 2500m; (2)it is in 2500m-3800m altitude range meanwhile on the 2 farming suitable slope gradient belts(<5°, 5-15°) that the very focus zone has got the relatively larger potential, suitability and yield of farming utilization; (3)on the 3 grazing suitable slope gradient belts(<5°,5-15°,15-35°), the respective fodder quantities of the 4 valleys has low differences. land use of the 4 valleys are intensively restricted by altitude and slope gradient factors so that cultivating and grazing activities take place widely on the farming unsuitable slope gradient belts(15-35°,>35°) and grazing unsuitable slope gradient belt(>35°), which is disadvantaged to ecological environmental protection and rational utilization of land resources.

Tectono-stratigraphy and low-grade metamorphism of Late Permian and Early Jurassic accretionary complexes within the Kurosegawa belt, Southwest Japan: Implications for mechanisms of crustal displacement within active continental margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hara, Hidetoshi; Kurihara, Toshiyuki; Mori, Hiroshi

2013-04-01

We characterize the tectono-stratigraphic architecture and low-grade metamorphism of the accretionary complex preserved in the Kurosegawa belt of the Kitagawa district in eastern Shikoku, Southwest Japan, in order to understand its internal structure, tectono-metamorphic evolution, and assessments of displacement of continental fragments within the complex. We report the first ever documented occurrence of an Early Jurassic radiolarian assemblage within the accretionary complex of the Kurosegawa belt that has been previously classified as the Late Permian accretionary complex, thus providing a revised age interpretation for these rocks. The accretionary complex is subdivided into four distinct tectono-stratigraphic units: Late Permian mélange and phyllite units, and Early Jurassic mélange and sandstone units. The stratigraphy of these four units is structurally repeated due to an E-W striking, steeply dipping regional fault. We characterized low-grade metamorphism of the accretionary complex via illite crystallinity and Raman spectroscopy of carbonaceous material. The estimated pattern of low-grade metamorphism showed pronounced variability within the complex and revealed no discernible spatial trends. The primary thermal structure in these rocks was overprinted by later tectonic events. Based on geological and thermal structure, we conclude that continental fragments within the Kurosegawa belt were structurally translated into both the Late Permian and Early Jurassic accretionary complexes, which comprise a highly deformed zone affected by strike-slip tectonics during the Early Cretaceous. Different models have been proposed to explain the initial structural evolution of the Kurosegawa belt (i.e., micro-continent collision and klippe tectonic models). Even if we presuppose either model, the available geological evidence requires a new interpretation, whereby primary geological structures are overprinted and reconfigured by later tectonic events.

Restraint system usage in the traffic population. 1987 annual report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1988-08-01

This study continued to monitor the use of occupant restraint systems and motorcycle/moped helmet usage in 19 U.S. cities during 1987. A total of 272,857 observations of automobile drivers indicated an overall driver safety belt usage rate of 42.3 pe...

49 CFR 585.24 - Reporting requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PHASE-IN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Rear Inboard Lap/Shoulder Belt Phase-In Reporting Requirements § 585.24 Reporting requirements. (a) Advanced credit phase-in... paragraph (c) of this section and in § 585.2 of this part. (b) Phase-in reporting requirements. Within 60...

49 CFR 585.24 - Reporting requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PHASE-IN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Rear Inboard Lap/Shoulder Belt Phase-In Reporting Requirements § 585.24 Reporting requirements. (a) Advanced credit phase-in... paragraph (c) of this section and in § 585.2 of this part. (b) Phase-in reporting requirements. Within 60...

Synaptic vesicle distribution by conveyor belt.

PubMed

Moughamian, Armen J; Holzbaur, Erika L F

2012-03-02

The equal distribution of synaptic vesicles among synapses along the axon is critical for robust neurotransmission. Wong et al. show that the continuous circulation of synaptic vesicles throughout the axon driven by molecular motors ultimately yields this even distribution. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Restraint system use in 19 U.S. cities 1989 annual report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1990-06-01

This study continued to monitor the use of occupant restraint systems and motorcycle/moped helmet use in 19 U.S. cities during 1989. A total of 69,232 observations of automobile drivers indicated an overall driver safety belt use rate of 46.3 percent...

Restraint system use in 19 U.S. cities. 1991 annual report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1992-03-01

This study continued to monitor the use of occupant restraint systems and motorcycle/moped helmet use in 19 U.S. cities during 1991. A total of 256,907 observations of automobile drivers indicated an overall driver safety belt use rate of 51.1%. The ...

Jupiter’s tropospheric composition and cloud structure from high-resolution ground-based spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giles, Rohini Sara; Fletcher, Leigh N.; Irwin, Patrick G. J.

2015-11-01

The CRIRES instrument on the Very Large Telescope was used to make high-resolution (R=100,000) observations of Jupiter in the 4.5-5.2 μm spectral range. At these wavelengths, Jupiter’s atmosphere is optically thin and the spectra are sensitive to the 4-8 bar region. This enabled us to spectrally resolve the line shapes of four minor species in Jupiter’s troposphere: CH3D, GeH4, AsH3 and PH3. The slit was aligned north-south along Jupiter’s central meridian, allowing us to search for latitudinal variability in these line shapes. The spectra were analysed using the NEMESIS radiative transfer code and retrieval algorithm.The CH3D line shape is narrower in the cool zones than in the warm belts. CH3D is chemically stable and does not condense in Jupiter’s atmosphere, so this difference cannot be due to variations in the CH3D abundance. Instead, it can be modelled as variations in the opacity of a deep cloud located at around 4 bar. This deep cloud is opaque in the zones and transparent in the belts.We also observe variability in the GeH4 line shape, with stronger absorption features in the belts than in the zones. As a disequilibrium species, GeH4 is expected to vary with latitude, but we found that the variations in the line shape could be entirely explained by the variations in the cloud structure.In contrast, there is clear evidence for spatial variability in the remaining two molecular species, AsH3 and PH3. Their absorption features are weak near the equator and significantly stronger at high latitudes. A full latitudinal retrieval leads to a broadly symmetric profile for both species, with a minimum at the equator and an enhancement towards the poles.

Multistressor predictive models of invertebrate condition in the Corn Belt, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waite, Ian R.; Van Metre, Peter C.

2017-01-01

Understanding the complex relations between multiple environmental stressors and ecological conditions in streams can help guide resource-management decisions. During 14 weeks in spring/summer 2013, personnel from the US Geological Survey and the US Environmental Protection Agency sampled 98 wadeable streams across the Midwest Corn Belt region of the USA for water and sediment quality, physical and habitat characteristics, and ecological communities. We used these data to develop independent predictive disturbance models for 3 macroinvertebrate metrics and a multimetric index. We developed the models based on boosted regression trees (BRT) for 3 stressor categories, land use/land cover (geographic information system [GIS]), all in-stream stressors combined (nutrients, habitat, and contaminants), and for GIS plus in-stream stressors. The GIS plus in-stream stressor models had the best overall performance with an average cross-validation R2 across all models of 0.41. The models were generally consistent in the explanatory variables selected within each stressor group across the 4 invertebrate metrics modeled. Variables related to riparian condition, substrate size or embeddedness, velocity and channel shape, nutrients (primarily NH3), and contaminants (pyrethroid degradates) were important descriptors of the invertebrate metrics. Models based on all measured in-stream stressors performed comparably to models based on GIS landscape variables, suggesting that the in-stream stressor characterization reasonably represents the dominant factors affecting invertebrate communities and that GIS variables are acting as surrogates for in-stream stressors that directly affect in-stream biota.

From Low Altitude to High Altitude: Assimilating SAMPEX Data in Global Radiation Belt Models by Quantifying Precipitation and Loss

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tu, W.; Reeves, G. D.; Cunningham, G.; Selesnick, R. S.; Li, X.; Looper, M. D.

2012-12-01

Since its launch in 1992, SAMPEX has been continuously providing measurements of radiation belt electrons at low altitude, which are not only ideal for the direct quantification of the electron precipitation loss in the radiation belt, but also provide data coverage in a critical region for global radiation belt data assimilation models. However, quantitatively combining high-altitude and low-earth-orbit (LEO) measurements on the same L-shell is challenging because LEO measurements typically contain a dynamic mixture of trapped and precipitating populations. Specifically, the electrons measured by SAMPEX can be distinguished as trapped, quasi-trapped (in the drift loss cone), and precipitating (in the bounce loss cone). To simulate the low-altitude electron distribution observed by SAMPEX/PET, a drift-diffusion model has been developed that includes the effects of azimuthal drift and pitch angle diffusion. The simulation provides direct quantification of the rates and variations of electron loss to the atmosphere, a direct input to our Dynamic Radiation Environment Assimilation Model (DREAM) as the electron loss lifetimes. The current DREAM uses data assimilation to combine a 1D radial diffusion model with observational data of radiation belt electrons. In order to implement the mixed electron measurements from SAMPEX into DREAM, we need to map the SAMPEX data from low altitude to high altitudes. To perform the mapping, we will first examine the well-known 'global coherence' of radiation belt electrons by comparing SAMPEX electron fluxes with the energetic electron data from LANL GEO and GPS spacecraft. If the correlation is good, we can directly map the SAMPEX fluxes to high altitudes based on the global coherence; if not, we will use the derived pitch angle distribution from the drift-diffusion model to map up the field and test the mapping by comparing to the high-altitude flux measurements. Then the globally mapped electron fluxes can be assimilated into DREAM. This new implementation of SAMPEX data will greatly augment the data coverage of DREAM and contribute to the global specification of the radiation belt environment.

Accaleration of Electrons of the Outer Electron Radiation Belt and Auroral Oval Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antonova, Elizaveta; Ovchinnikov, Ilya; Riazantseva, Maria; Znatkova, Svetlana; Pulinets, Maria; Vorobjev, Viachislav; Yagodkina, Oksana; Stepanova, Marina

2016-07-01

We summarize the results of experimental observations demonstrating the role of auroral processes in the formation of the outer electron radiation belt and magnetic field distortion during magnetic storms. We show that the auroral oval does not mapped to the plasma sheet proper (region with magnetic field lines stretched in the tailward direction). It is mapped to the surrounding the Earth plasma ring in which transverse currents are closed inside the magnetosphere. Such currents constitute the high latitude continuation of the ordinary ring current. Mapping of the auroral oval to the region of high latitude continuation of the ordinary ring current explains the ring like shape of the auroral oval with finite thickness near noon and auroral oval dynamics during magnetic storms. The auroral oval shift to low latitudes during storms. The development of the ring current produce great distortion of the Earth's magnetic field and corresponding adiabatic variations of relativistic electron fluxes. Development of the asymmetric ring current produce the dawn-dusk asymmetry of such fluxes. We analyze main features of the observed processes including formation of sharp plasma pressure profiles during storms. The nature of observed pressure peak is analyzed. It is shown that the observed sharp pressure peak is directly connected with the creation of the seed population of relativistic electrons. The possibility to predict the position of new radiation belt during recovery phase of the magnetic storm using data of low orbiting and ground based observations is demonstrated.

Geophysical anomalies associated with Imjin River Belt (IRB) in the middle Korean Peninsula revealed by geomagnetic depth sounding and seismological data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, J.; Choi, H.; Noh, M.; Im, C.

2012-12-01

Imjin River Belt (IRB), located in the middle of the Korean Peninsula, has been one of long-standing geological issues because it is a very important tectonic link to understand a tectonic evolution of north-eastern Asia including China, Korea and Japan. Although the IRB has been considered as an extension of collision belt between the North China Block (NCB) and South China Block (SCB), there is little geophysical observation or study on this issue. In recent, we compiled a new induction arrow map for the Korean Peninsula, on the basis of long-period magneto-telluric (MT) data and the geomagnetic depth sounding data performed since the late 1990's. This newly compiled map has finer spatial resolution expecially in the middle area of the peninsula, which helps us to present the geophysical evidence that the IRB is the continuation or extension of the collision belt to the peninsula. The overall pattern of induction arrows in the peninsula appears to indicate a northwest-southeast direction, which is well-known 'sea effect' by the surrounding seas. However, the results of observations in the middle of the peninsula distinctly show an anomalous pattern around the IRB, which can not be explained only by the surrounding seas. This anomalous pattern may be attributed to enhanced conductivity associated with tectonic events that Imjin River Belt has experienced. The 3-D electromagnetic modeling results, considering both surrounding seas and enhanced conductivity of the IRB, explain well the anomalous observations around the IRB. Furthermore, recent seismological study demonstrates that focal mechanism around the IRB is mainly normal faulting event, which may be interpreted as the reactivation of paleo structures that are related to the post collisional lithospheric delamination. All the geophysical evidences convince us that the IRB is an extension of the collision belt between the NCB and SCB to the peninsula.

The overwhelming role of soil N2O emissions in net greenhouse gas balance of the U.S. Corn Belt: Modeling estimate of nitrogen fertilizer impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, C.; Yu, Z.; Cao, P.; Tian, H.

2017-12-01

The Corn Belt of the Midwestern U.S. is one of the most productive systems in the world during the growing season, with gross primary production exceeding even that of the Amazon forests. Fueled by increased commodity prices in the late 2000s, the area in corn and soybean in the U.S. has reached record highs with most of the newly added cropland converted from grasslands, wetland, and Conservation Reserve Program land. Intensive management practices, such as fertilizer use, irrigation, tillage, residue removal etc., have been implemented following cropland expansion to maximize crop yield from converted marginal land or from more monoculture production. The Corn Belt has been recognized as one of the major contributors to carbon sinks in the U.S., partially because crop harvest and residue removal reduced soil respiration. In the meanwhile, 75% of the total N2O emission in the U.S. comes from agriculture, among which the Corn Belt is the major source due to nitrogen management, and has large potential of climate mitigation. However, it remains far from certain how intensive cropland expansion and management practices in this region have affected soil carbon accumulation and non-CO2 GHG emissions. In this study, by using a process-based land ecosystem model, Dynamic Land Ecosystem Model (DLEM), we investigated the impacts of nitrogen fertilizer use on soil carbon accumulation and direct N2O emissions across the U.S. Corn Belt. Surprisingly, we found N fertilizer-induced SOC storage continued shrinking after the 1980s while N2O emissions remains relatively constant. The N fertilizer use led to a net greenhouse gas release since 2000 in both the western and eastern Corn Belt, contributing to climate warming. This study implies an increasing importance of nitrogen management for both agricultural production and climate mitigation.

21 CFR 872.4200 - Dental handpiece and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Dental handpiece and accessories. 872.4200 Section... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Surgical Devices § 872.4200 Dental handpiece and accessories. (a) Identification. A dental handpiece and accessories is an AC-powered, water-powered, air-powered, or belt-driven...

21 CFR 872.4200 - Dental handpiece and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Dental handpiece and accessories. 872.4200 Section... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Surgical Devices § 872.4200 Dental handpiece and accessories. (a) Identification. A dental handpiece and accessories is an AC-powered, water-powered, air-powered, or belt-driven...

21 CFR 872.4200 - Dental handpiece and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Dental handpiece and accessories. 872.4200 Section... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Surgical Devices § 872.4200 Dental handpiece and accessories. (a) Identification. A dental handpiece and accessories is an AC-powered, water-powered, air-powered, or belt-driven...

21 CFR 872.4200 - Dental handpiece and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Dental handpiece and accessories. 872.4200 Section... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Surgical Devices § 872.4200 Dental handpiece and accessories. (a) Identification. A dental handpiece and accessories is an AC-powered, water-powered, air-powered, or belt-driven...

21 CFR 872.4200 - Dental handpiece and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Dental handpiece and accessories. 872.4200 Section... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Surgical Devices § 872.4200 Dental handpiece and accessories. (a) Identification. A dental handpiece and accessories is an AC-powered, water-powered, air-powered, or belt-driven...

50 CFR 679.93 - Amendment 80 Program recordkeeping, permits, monitoring, and catch accounting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (CONTINUED... storage. There is sufficient space to accommodate a minimum of 10 observer sampling baskets. This space... manager, and any observers assigned to the vessel. (8) Belt and flow operations. The vessel operator stops...

40 CFR 98.334 - Monitoring and QA/QC requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Monitoring and QA/QC requirements. 98... (CONTINUED) MANDATORY GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING Zinc Production § 98.334 Monitoring and QA/QC requirements. If..., belt weigh feeders, weighed purchased quantities in shipments or containers, combination of bulk...

40 CFR 98.334 - Monitoring and QA/QC requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Monitoring and QA/QC requirements. 98... (CONTINUED) MANDATORY GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING Zinc Production § 98.334 Monitoring and QA/QC requirements. If..., belt weigh feeders, weighed purchased quantities in shipments or containers, combination of bulk...

40 CFR 98.334 - Monitoring and QA/QC requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Monitoring and QA/QC requirements. 98... (CONTINUED) MANDATORY GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING Zinc Production § 98.334 Monitoring and QA/QC requirements. If..., belt weigh feeders, weighed purchased quantities in shipments or containers, combination of bulk...

40 CFR 98.334 - Monitoring and QA/QC requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Monitoring and QA/QC requirements. 98... (CONTINUED) MANDATORY GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING Zinc Production § 98.334 Monitoring and QA/QC requirements. If..., belt weigh feeders, weighed purchased quantities in shipments or containers, combination of bulk...

46 CFR 108.223 - Guards on exposed equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... have hand covers, guards, or rails installed on all belts, gears, shafts, pulleys, sprockets, spindles... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Guards on exposed equipment. 108.223 Section 108.223 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) A-MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS DESIGN...

PREDICTING LEVELS OF STRESS FROM BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT DATA: EMPIRICAL MODELS FROM THE EASTERN CORN BELT PLAINS

EPA Science Inventory

Biological assessment is becoming an increasingly popular tool in the evaluation of stream ecosystem integrity. However, little progress has been made to date in developing tools to relate assessment results to specific stressors. This paper continues the investigation of the f...

Creating a University Driven "Ingepreneurial" Ecosystem in West Baltimore: A Strategy for Rust Belt Revitalization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Ronald C.; Klugh, Elgin L.

2017-01-01

The legacy of deindustrialization and associated underemployment continues to plague many former industrial communities. In these spaces, universities serve as anchors providing gateways for individual economic empowerment, and as "brain centers" charged with generating solutions for societal problems. This paper explores the development…

Observational evidence of competing source, loss, and transport processes for relativistic electrons in Earth's outer radiation belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner, Drew; Mann, Ian; Usanova, Maria; Rodriguez, Juan; Henderson, Mike; Angelopoulos, Vassilis; Morley, Steven; Claudepierre, Seth; Li, Wen; Kellerman, Adam; Boyd, Alexander; Kim, Kyung-Chan

Earth’s outer electron radiation belt is a region of extreme variability, with relativistic electron intensities changing by orders of magnitude over time scales ranging from minutes to years. Extreme variations of outer belt electrons ultimately result from the relative impacts of various competing source (and acceleration), loss, and transport processes. Most of these processes involve wave-particle interactions between outer belt electrons and different types of plasma waves in the inner magnetosphere, and in turn, the activity of these waves depends on different solar wind and magnetospheric driving conditions and thus can vary drastically from event to event. Using multipoint analysis with data from NASA’s Van Allen Probes, THEMIS, and SAMPEX missions, NOAA’s GOES and POES constellations, and ground-based observatories, we present results from case studies revealing how different source/acceleration and loss mechanisms compete during active periods to result in drastically different distributions of outer belt electrons. By using a combination of low-Earth orbiting and high-altitude-equatorial orbiting satellites, we briefly review how it is possible to get a much more complete picture of certain wave activity and electron losses over the full range of MLTs and L-shells throughout the radiation belt. We then show example cases highlighting the importance of particular mechanisms, including: substorm injections and whistler-mode chorus waves for the source and acceleration of relativistic electrons; magnetopause shadowing and wave-particle interactions with EMIC waves for sudden losses; and ULF wave activity for driving radial transport, a process which is important for redistributing relativistic electrons, contributing both to acceleration and loss processes. We show how relativistic electron enhancement events involve local acceleration that is consistent with wave-particle interactions between a seed population of 10s to 100s of keV electrons, with a source in the plasma sheet, and chorus waves. We show how sudden losses during outer belt dropout events are dominated at higher L-shells (L>~4) by magnetopause shadowing and outward radial transport, which is effective over the full ranges of energy and equatorial pitch angle of outer belt electrons, but at lower L-shells near the plasmapause, energy and pitch angle dependent losses can also occur and are consistent with rapid scattering by interactions between relativistic electrons and EMIC waves. We show cases demonstrating how these different processes occur simultaneously during active periods, with relative effects that vary as a function of L-shell and electron energy and pitch angle. Ultimately, our results highlight the complexity of competing source/acceleration, loss, and transport processes in Earth’s outer radiation belt and the necessity of using multipoint observations to disambiguate between them for future studies.

Pre-Adult Background Variables and Divorce: A Note of Caution about Overreliance on Explained Variance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glenn, Norval D.; Shelton, Beth Ann

1983-01-01

Examined multiple regression results in adjusted percentages for data from a project to assess the impact of formative experiences on adult well being. Differences from some of the adjusted percentages reveal a divorce rate higher for female children of divorce and for individuals from a three-region "divorce belt." (Author/JAC)

fusing regional and weather variability with site-specific canopy reflectance for improved in-season N fertilizer recommendation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Corn production across the U.S. Corn belt can be often limited by the loss of nitrogen (N) due to leaching, volatilization and denitrification. The use of canopy sensors for making in-season N fertilizer applications has been proven effective in matching plant N requirements with periods of rapid N ...

Soil water holding capacity mitigates maize production downside risk and volatility across the US Corn Belt: Time to invest in soil organic matter?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Protecting global food security from predicted declines in yield stability will be aided by improved understanding of how agricultural soil management may buffer yields against increased weather variability. To support regional climate adaptation strategies, we present a novel synthesis of extensive...

Growing season variability in carbon dioxide exchange of irrigated and rainfed soybean in the southern United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Measurement of carbon dynamics of soybean (Glycine max L.) ecosystems outside Corn Belt of the United States (U.S.) is lacking. This study reports carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes from a rainfed soybean field in El Reno, Oklahoma and an irrigated soybean field in Stoneville, Mississippi during the 2016 g...

Use of seatbelts in cars with automatic belts.

PubMed Central

Williams, A F; Wells, J K; Lund, A K; Teed, N J

1992-01-01

Use of seatbelts in late model cars with automatic or manual belt systems was observed in suburban Washington, DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. In cars with automatic two-point belt systems, the use of shoulder belts by drivers was substantially higher than in the same model cars with manual three-point belts. This finding was true in varying degrees whatever the type of automatic belt, including cars with detachable nonmotorized belts, cars with detachable motorized belts, and especially cars with nondetachable motorized belts. Most of these automatic shoulder belts systems include manual lap belts. Use of lap belts was lower in cars with automatic two-point belt systems than in the same model cars with manual three-point belts; precisely how much lower could not be reliably estimated in this survey. Use of shoulder and lap belts was slightly higher in General Motors cars with detachable automatic three-point belts compared with the same model cars with manual three-point belts; in Hondas there was no difference in the rates of use of manual three-point belts and the rates of use of automatic three-point belts. PMID:1561301

The Stratigraphy and Lithofacies of the Paleoproterozoic Volcaniclastic Sequences in the Cape Three Points Area- Akodda section of the Southern in Ashanti Belt in the Birimian of southwest Ghana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshimaru, S.; Kiyokawa, S.; Ito, T.; Ikehara, M.; Nyame, F. K.; Tetteh, G. M.

2015-12-01

The Paleoproterozoic Era is thought to have experienced one of the most significant changes in earth's environment during earth history. Early continents started to diverge and collide accompanied by first major oxidation of the atmosphere-oceanic system known as the Great Oxidation Environment (GOE). Due to their well-preserved oceanic sedimentary sequences, Paleoproterozoic belts are usually good targets for studies on the history of earth's past environment. In addition, these belts provide great help to understand the nature of the Paleoproterozoic deeper oceanic environments. Birimian greenstone belt in southwestern Ghana is likely to have made up of subduction of oceanic basin to form a volcanic island arc. Birimian rocks are separated by nonconformity from the Tarkwaian Group which is a younger paleoplacer deposit (Perrouty et al., 2012). The Birimian is made up of island-arc volcanic rocks; foreland basin made up of shale, sandstone, quartzite and turbidities derived from 2.17 Ga granite intrusions during Birimian volcanism. In this study, we focused on the coastal area around Cape Three Points at the southernmost part of the Ashanti (Axim-Konongo) belt in Ghana. In the eastern part of the area, excellently preserved Paleoprotorozoic deeper oceanic sedimentary sequences extensively outcrop for over 4km stretch. This volcano-sedimentary sequence has been affected by greenschist facies metamorphism. Structurally, this region preserves S1 cleavage and asymmetrical synform with west vergence and S0 younging to the east. Provisional stratigraphy is very continuous up to more than 2000m thick and, in addition, suggests at least four different fining upward sequences in the area to the east and west of Atwepo, west of Kwetakora and Akodda. These sub-sequences are mainly composed of volcaniclasitc, sandstone, black shale and rare volcanics such as pillow basalt or massive volcanic lava. In other words, this continuous sequence suggests distal submarine volcaniclastic rocks in an oceanic island arc around the West African Craton. Preliminary δ13C analysis gave values of -23.7~ -36.5 ‰ for black shale occupying the middle to upper part of the whole section. The very light carbon isotope ratios suggest deposition of the black shale under highly euxinic conditions like today's Black sea.

An alternative model for the development of the allochthonous southern Appalachian Piedmont.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zen, E.-A.

1981-01-01

The recent deep-seismic-reflection data across the S Appalachian Piedmont require rethinking of the tectonic relations in that area. Some of the traditional tectonic-lithostratigraphic belts of the Piedmont may be 'doubly allochthonous', that is, they may be terranes that are exotic mutually and with respect to the N American craton. These terranes may have been brought to the edge of the craton by plate-tectonic processes, in a manner similar to that proposed for the post-Triassic 'Wrangellia' in southeastern Alaska, and then obducted onto the craton as traditional thrust allochthons. If this idea is correct, then there is no compelling need for an intercontinental suture in the lower crust under the exposed southern Appalachian Piedmont; however, multiple sutures may obtain under the Coastal Plain overlap or farther off shore. The location of the Paleozoic Iapetus Ocean may also be off the present shore. The tectonic units now exposed in the Appalachian Piedmont not only may not be continuous with those of the N Appalachian region that have been considered by many authors to be the same on a cylindrical model but could have had different geologic origins. The nature of the ultramafic rocks spatially associated with the Kings Mountain belt and the Raleigh and Kiokee belts, as well as the paleomagnetic orientations of rocks of the various Piedmont belts, may provide useful tests for this microplate model.-Author

Growth of asteroids, planetary embryos, and Kuiper belt objects by chondrule accretion

PubMed Central

Johansen, Anders; Low, Mordecai-Mark Mac; Lacerda, Pedro; Bizzarro, Martin

2015-01-01

Chondrules are millimeter-sized spherules that dominate primitive meteorites (chondrites) originating from the asteroid belt. The incorporation of chondrules into asteroidal bodies must be an important step in planet formation, but the mechanism is not understood. We show that the main growth of asteroids can result from gas drag–assisted accretion of chondrules. The largest planetesimals of a population with a characteristic radius of 100 km undergo runaway accretion of chondrules within ~3 My, forming planetary embryos up to Mars’s size along with smaller asteroids whose size distribution matches that of main belt asteroids. The aerodynamical accretion leads to size sorting of chondrules consistent with chondrites. Accretion of millimeter-sized chondrules and ice particles drives the growth of planetesimals beyond the ice line as well, but the growth time increases above the disc lifetime outside of 25 AU. The contribution of direct planetesimal accretion to the growth of both asteroids and Kuiper belt objects is minor. In contrast, planetesimal accretion and chondrule accretion play more equal roles in the formation of Moon-sized embryos in the terrestrial planet formation region. These embryos are isolated from each other and accrete planetesimals only at a low rate. However, the continued accretion of chondrules destabilizes the oligarchic configuration and leads to the formation of Mars-sized embryos and terrestrial planets by a combination of direct chondrule accretion and giant impacts. PMID:26601169

Growth of asteroids, planetary embryos, and Kuiper belt objects by chondrule accretion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johansen, Anders; Mac Low, Mordecai-Mark; Lacerda, Pedro; Bizzarro, Martin

2015-04-01

Chondrules are millimeter-sized spherules that dominate primitive meteorites (chondrites) originating from the asteroid belt. The incorporation of chondrules into asteroidal bodies must be an important step in planet formation, but the mechanism is not understood. We show that the main growth of asteroids can result from gas drag-assisted accretion of chondrules. The largest planetesimals of a population with a characteristic radius of 100 km undergo runaway accretion of chondrules within ~3 My, forming planetary embryos up to Mars's size along with smaller asteroids whose size distribution matches that of main belt asteroids. The aerodynamical accretion leads to size sorting of chondrules consistent with chondrites. Accretion of millimeter-sized chondrules and ice particles drives the growth of planetesimals beyond the ice line as well, but the growth time increases above the disc lifetime outside of 25 AU. The contribution of direct planetesimal accretion to the growth of both asteroids and Kuiper belt objects is minor. In contrast, planetesimal accretion and chondrule accretion play more equal roles in the formation of Moon-sized embryos in the terrestrial planet formation region. These embryos are isolated from each other and accrete planetesimals only at a low rate. However, the continued accretion of chondrules destabilizes the oligarchic configuration and leads to the formation of Mars-sized embryos and terrestrial planets by a combination of direct chondrule accretion and giant impacts.

Growth of asteroids, planetary embryos, and Kuiper belt objects by chondrule accretion.

PubMed

Johansen, Anders; Low, Mordecai-Mark Mac; Lacerda, Pedro; Bizzarro, Martin

2015-04-01

Chondrules are millimeter-sized spherules that dominate primitive meteorites (chondrites) originating from the asteroid belt. The incorporation of chondrules into asteroidal bodies must be an important step in planet formation, but the mechanism is not understood. We show that the main growth of asteroids can result from gas drag-assisted accretion of chondrules. The largest planetesimals of a population with a characteristic radius of 100 km undergo runaway accretion of chondrules within ~3 My, forming planetary embryos up to Mars's size along with smaller asteroids whose size distribution matches that of main belt asteroids. The aerodynamical accretion leads to size sorting of chondrules consistent with chondrites. Accretion of millimeter-sized chondrules and ice particles drives the growth of planetesimals beyond the ice line as well, but the growth time increases above the disc lifetime outside of 25 AU. The contribution of direct planetesimal accretion to the growth of both asteroids and Kuiper belt objects is minor. In contrast, planetesimal accretion and chondrule accretion play more equal roles in the formation of Moon-sized embryos in the terrestrial planet formation region. These embryos are isolated from each other and accrete planetesimals only at a low rate. However, the continued accretion of chondrules destabilizes the oligarchic configuration and leads to the formation of Mars-sized embryos and terrestrial planets by a combination of direct chondrule accretion and giant impacts.

Variations in sediment texture on the northern Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary continental shelf

USGS Publications Warehouse

Edwards, B.D.

2002-01-01

The storm-protected continental shelf of Monterey Bay, part of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, north-central California, is subject to abundant, episodic sediment input from fluvial sources. North of Monterey Bay, conditions of reduced sediment supply combined with the exposed nature of the shelf provide an effective laboratory for studying the contrasting effects of storm- versus fluvial-dominated conditions on modern sedimentation. Textural analyses performed on surface sediment samples collected from more than 380 box cores and MultiCores??? document the existence of a clearly defined mud belt occupying the mid-shelf throughout the region. Inshore sands combined with these mid-shelf muds represent deposits from modern sedimentation processes. In Monterey Bay, where episodic fluvial input from winter storms dominates sedimentation, the mid-shelf mud belt extends across the shelf to the shelf break. North of Monterey Bay, where sediment loads are reduced and both oceanographic and storm processes dominate, the mid-shelf mud belt is bordered by relict sediments occupying the outer shelf. In the study area, mass accumulation rates established by radiochemical studies support the contention that storm-induced along-shelf processes result in northward transport of sediment within the mud belt. The continuity of transport, however, is interrupted by topographic highs which are barriers or inhibitors to sediment transport created by wrench-style tectonics associated with the San Andreas fault system.

Optical radar-based device for measuring automobile belt displacement in real time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brennan, Brian W.; Gentile, John R.

1999-02-01

Ford Motor Company had a requirement to measure fan belt vibration on their 4.6 liter Cobra-Mustang engine. While this sensor was to be used in the laboratory, it would also be used for field testing of this engine. The general operation temperature was -40 to 120 degrees C, but there was an engine 'soak-back' requirement of up to 200 degrees C. The vibration requirement was 3g continuous at 10 Hz with 20g shock. Humidity was 0-95 percent. Without active cooling, the temperature environment eliminated engine mounted electronics and with it some more common approaches such as laser triangulation based sensing. A laser radar concept was developed which features remotely located electronics, fiber optic delivery and return of the signal and an engine mounted optic head. The three lens design of the receive optics is a compromise choice designed to maximize power at the receiver over the full travel of the belt. The electronic scheme consists of a time-to-amplitude converter based on a precise time interval derived from the phase difference of logic level pulse trains which in turn are formed by the 'exclusive O Ring' of the transmit and receive pulses. In practice, a 10 MHz pulse train is transmitted to the vibrating belt which coupled with some fast electronics results in about 1 0.1 mm resolution, sufficient for this application.

Process Improvement at the Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Detachment (AIMD) at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

the goal of achieving zero waste is impractical. Thus, the concept of Lean has to be slightly modified to adjust for the uncertainty and variability...personnel are qualified as Black or Green belts, this may become an issue for them down the road. 2. Criticism Two The goal of Lean is to achieve “ Zero ... Waste ,” therefore, how can the military achieve Lean in such a vast area of uncertainty and variability? Under the environment that DoD operates in

Sedimentation of the mud belt along the coast of China from the mouth of the Yangtze (Changjiang) River to northern Taiwan Strait: An Source-to-Sink Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chien, C. C.; Liu, J. T.; Yang, R.; Huh, C. A.; Su, C. C.

2016-02-01

Sediments in the Taiwan Strait are originated from Mainland China and Taiwan. The China Coastal Current, influenced by the northeast monsoon in winter, becomes enhanced, which caries the sediments exported from the Yangtze River to the southern East China Sea and the Taiwan Strait along the Zhemin-Taiwan Strait mud belt. The sediment transport process is also influenced by tidal current and Kuroshio Branch Current and Taiwan Warm Current, making the seafloor sediment signals complex. This study used R/V Ocean Researcher V (Cruise 0032), to collect six box cores and three gravity cores along the Zhemin mud belt and the mud belt in northern Taiwan Strait in the winter of 2014. From the core samples, grain-size distribution, Multi-Sensor Core Logger, and 7Be activity were measured to investigate the sedimentation process along the mud belts. The box core taken at the mouth of the Changjiang- is composed of homogeneous clay and rich in shell fragments. The core off the mouth of Ou River is composed of homogeneous clay, but showing horizontal laminations. Near the Taishan Island off the coast of Zhejiang the core is consisted of a homogeneous sandy sediments that turned into clay. Off the mouth of the Min River the core consists of clay with shell fragments. Off the coast of the Wu River on the west coast of the Taiwan, the core is mainly composed of muddy sediments, which has the siltstone layers of oblique bedding. Off the mouth of Zhuoshui River in central Taiwan, the core is composed of sandy sediments. From the mouth of the Changhjiang, Zhemin mud belt, the northern Taiwan Strait mud belt, to the central Taiwan Strait, 7Be activity in the seafloor sediment indicates that the freshness of the terrigenous sediments decreased. The Mass Magnetic Susceptiblity (MSI) demonstrates that the terrigenous sediments decreased from north to south. The MSI signals in the core off the mouth of the Minjiang are different from those in the neighboring cores. This is suspected due to the convergence of sediments from the Changjiang and Taiwan. The particle sizes of the cores show that the sediment became coarser from the north to south. In the future the study will make use of 210Pbex, and other environmental and provenance such as water dynamic mechanism variables to explore the sediment source and sink patterns along with the Zhemin-Taiwan Strait mud belts.

The talc, soapstone, and asbestos deposits of Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chute, Newton Earl

1969-01-01

Several talc and soapstone deposits were worked in Massachusetts from about 1810 to 1922. Most of these deposits are in the Chester Amphibolite, or in serpentine lenses in or adjacent to the amphibolite along a belt that extends north-south across the State from Rowe to West Granville; it appears to be a continuation of the Vermont talc belt. The only deposits outside of this belt that have been worked are a talc and soapstone deposit in the north-west corner of Hinsdale and soapstone deposits on the east side of Soapstone Hill in the western part of Petersham. Very little asbestos has been produced in Massachusetts. A small amount of anthophyllite asbestos was obtained from the deposit in Hinsdale, and from a deposit in southwestern Pelham. The talc and soapstone deposits of Massachusetts were formed from serpentine and possibly from amphibolite, schist, and dolomitic limestone. Those fromed from serpentine are mainly at the ends of the serpentine bodies, and those that appear to have been formed from amphibolite or schist are on the faults and folds.

Motion Controlled Gait Enhancing Mobile Shoe for Rehabilitation

PubMed Central

Handzic, Ismet; Vasudevan, Erin V.; Reed, Kyle B.

2011-01-01

Walking on a split-belt treadmill, which has two belts that can be run at different speeds, has been shown to improve walking patterns post-stroke. However, these improvements are only temporarily retained once individuals transition to walking over ground. We hypothesize that longer-lasting effects would be observed if the training occurred during natural walking over ground, as opposed to on a treadmill. In order to study such long-term effects, we have developed a mobile and portable device which can simulate the same gait altering movements experienced on a split-belt treadmill. The new motion controlled gait enhancing mobile shoe improves upon the previous version’s drawbacks. This version of the GEMS has motion that is continuous, smooth, and regulated with on-board electronics. A vital component of this new design is the Archimedean spiral wheel shape that redirects the wearer’s downward force into a horizontal backward motion. The design is passive and does not utilize any motors. Its motion is regulated only by a small magnetic particle brake. Further experimentation is needed to evaluate the long-term after-effects. PMID:22275620

Continuous process electrorefiner

DOEpatents

Herceg, Joseph E [Naperville, IL; Saiveau, James G [Hickory Hills, IL; Krajtl, Lubomir [Woodridge, IL

2006-08-29

A new device is provided for the electrorefining of uranium in spent metallic nuclear fuels by the separation of unreacted zirconium, noble metal fission products, transuranic elements, and uranium from spent fuel rods. The process comprises an electrorefiner cell. The cell includes a drum-shaped cathode horizontally immersed about half-way into an electrolyte salt bath. A conveyor belt comprising segmented perforated metal plates transports spent fuel into the salt bath. The anode comprises the conveyor belt, the containment vessel, and the spent fuel. Uranium and transuranic elements such as plutonium (Pu) are oxidized at the anode, and, subsequently, the uranium is reduced to uranium metal at the cathode. A mechanical cutter above the surface of the salt bath removes the deposited uranium metal from the cathode.

Mode-based microparticle conveyor belt in air-filled hollow-core photonic crystal fiber.

PubMed

Schmidt, Oliver A; Euser, Tijmen G; Russell, Philip St J

2013-12-02

We show how microparticles can be moved over long distances and precisely positioned in a low-loss air-filled hollow-core photonic crystal fiber using a coherent superposition of two co-propagating spatial modes, balanced by a backward-propagating fundamental mode. This creates a series of trapping positions spaced by half the beat-length between the forward-propagating modes (typically a fraction of a millimeter). The system allows a trapped microparticle to be moved along the fiber by continuously tuning the relative phase between the two forward-propagating modes. This mode-based optical conveyor belt combines long-range transport of microparticles with a positional accuracy of 1 µm. The technique also has potential uses in waveguide-based optofluidic systems.

Is the Kapuskasing structure the site of a cryptic suture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burke, K.

1983-01-01

The demonstration that the Kapuskasing structure involves substantial thrusting of deep continental crustal rocks over shallower continental rocks calls into question an earlier suggestion (by Wilson) that the Circum-Ungaua suture zone continued through the Kapuskasing to join the Penokean fold belt (implying that the Kapuskasing marked the site of what has since come to be called a cryptic suture). Problems are discussed which arose in attempting to reconcile Wilson's idea with data from more recent studies: whether the Kapuskasing and the Thompson belt both mark sutures of about 1700 Ma age; why there is no age difference across the Kapuskasing if it does mark the site of continental collision, and why there is no offset of Superior subprovinces across the Kapuskasing.

CHARACTER AND REGIONAL SIGNIFICANCE OF GREAT FALLS TECTONIC ZONE, EAST-CENTRAL IDAHO AND WEST-CENTRAL MONTANA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Neill, J. Michael; Lopez, David A.

1985-01-01

The Great Falls tectonic zone, here named, is a belt of diverse northeast-trending geologic features that can be traced from the Idaho batholith in the Cordilleran miogeocline, across thrust-belt structures and basement rocks of west-central and southwestern Montana, through cratonic rocks of central Montana, and into southwestern-most Saskatchewan, Canada. Geologic mapping in east-central Idaho and west-central Montana has outlined a continuous zone of high-angle faults and shear zones. Recurrent fault movement in this zone and strong structural control over igneous intrusion suggest a fundamental tectonic feature that has influenced the tectonic development of the Idaho-Montana area from a least middle Proterozoic time to the present. Refs.

Carboniferous continental arc in the Hegenshan accretionary belt: Constrains from plutonic complex in central Inner Mongolia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Ruihua; Gao, Yongfeng; Xu, Shengchuan; Santosh, M.; Xin, Houtian; Zhang, Zhenmin; Li, Weilong; Liu, Yafang

2018-05-01

The architecture and tectonic evolution of the Hegenshan accretionary belt in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) remains debated. Here we present an integrated study of zircon U-Pb isotopic ages, whole rock major-trace elements, and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic data from the Hegenshan volcanic-plutonic belt in central Inner Mongolia. Field observations and zircon U-Pb ages allow us to divide the intrusive complex into an early phase at 329-306 Ma and a late phase at 304 to 299 Ma. The intrusive bodies belong to two magma series: calc-alkaline rocks with I-type affinity and A-type granites. The early intrusions are composed of granodiorite, monzogranite and porphyritic granite, and the late calc-alkaline intrusions include gabbro though diorite to granodiorite. The calc-alkaline intrusive rocks exhibit a well-defined compositional trend from gabbro to granite, reflecting continuous fractional crystallization. These rocks show obvious enrichment in LILEs and LREEs and relative depletion of HFSEs, typical of subduction-related magma. They also exhibit isotopic characteristics of mantle-derived magmas such as low initial 87Sr/86Sr (0.7029-0.7053), positive ɛNd(t) values (0.06-4.76) and low radiogenic Pb isotopic compositions ((206Pb/204Pb)I = 17.907-19.198, (207Pb/204Pb)I = 15.474-15.555, (208Pb/204Pb)I = 37.408-38.893). The marked consistency in geochemical and isotopic compositions between the intrusive rocks and the coeval Baoligaomiao volcanic rocks define a Carboniferous continental arc. Together with available regional data, we infer that this east-west trending continental arc was generated by northward subduction of the Hegenshan ocean during Carboniferous. The late alkali-feldspar granites and the high-Si rhyolites of the Baoligaomiao volcanic succession show similar geochemical compositions with high SiO2 and variable total alkali contents, and low TiO2, MgO and CaO. These rocks are characterized by unusually low Sr and Ba, and high abundances of Zr, Th, Nb, HREEs and Y, comparable to the features of typical A2-type granites including their high ratios of FeOT/MgO, Ga/Al and Y/Nb. Our study suggests that the A-type granite was derived from a distinct magma source rather than through fractional crystallization of the coeval calc-alkaline magmas. Their Nd-Pb isotopic compositions are similar to those of calc-alkaline arc rocks and are compatible with partial melting of pre-existing juvenile basaltic crust in the continental arc. Notably, the widespread eruptions of A2-type rhyolitic magmas (305.3 Ma-303.4 Ma) following a short period of magmatic quiescence was temporally and spatially associated with bimodal magmatism with mantle-derived gabbro-diorites and A-type granites (304.3 Ma-299.03 Ma) in the pre-existing arc volcanic-plutonic belt (329 Ma-306 Ma). Such a marked change in the magma affinity likely indicates subducted slab break-off resulting in a change of the regional stress field to an extensional setting within the Carboniferous continental arc that runs E-W for few thousands of kilometers. Thus, the onset of the late magmatism (305-299 Ma) likely represents the maximum age for the cessation of the northward subduction in the Hegenshan ophiolite-arc-accretion belt.

Modeling of the Radiation Belt Dynamics During the Two Largest Geomagnetic Storms of Solar Cycle 24

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Y.; Rastaetter, L.; Kuznetsova, M. M.

2016-12-01

In this paper, radiation belt response to the two largest geomagnetic storms of Solar Cycle 24 (17 March 2015 and the 22 June 2015) is investigated in detail. Even though both storms are primarily CME driven, each has its own complexities [Liu et al., 2015, Kataoka et al., 2015]. Using the CCMC's run-on-request system, modeling results using the RBE (Radiation Belt Environment) model within the SWMF (Space Weather Modeling Framework) and the RBE model coupled with the SWMF and RCM (Rice Convection Model, which takes the ring current's contribution into consideration) will be examined. Comparative and comprehensive analyses of the same event from two different models and of two events from the same model/model suite will be provided. Focus will be specially given to impacts of different solar wind drivers on radiation belt dynamics and to the coupling and interactions of different plasma populations/physical processes within the region. Liu, Ying D., H. Hu, R. Wang, Z. Yang, B., Zhu, Y. A., Liu, J. G. Luhmann, J. D. Richardson (2015), Plasma and Magnetic Field Characteristics of Solar Coronal Mass Ejections in Relation to Geomagnetic Storm Intensity and Variability, The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Volume 809, Issue 2, article id. L34, 6 pp. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/809/2/L34. Kataoka, R., D. Shiota, E. Kilpua, and K. Keika (2015), Pileup accident hypothesis of magnetic storm on 17 March 2015, Geophys. Res. Lett., 42, 5155-5161, doi:10.1002/2015GL064816.

Ecological Speciation in Nolina parviflora (Asparagaceae): Lacking Spatial Connectivity along of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt

PubMed Central

Ruiz-Sanchez, Eduardo; Specht, Chelsea D.

2014-01-01

The hypothesis of ecological speciation states that as populations diverge in different niches, reproductive isolation evolves as a by-product of adaptation to these different environments. In this context, we used Nolina parviflora as a model to test if this species evolved via ecological speciation and to explore current and historical gene flow among its populations. Nolina parviflora is a montane species endemic to Mexico with its geographical distribution restricted largely to the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. This mountain range is one of the most complex geological regions in Mexico, having undergone volcanism from the mid-Miocene to the present. Ecologically, the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt possesses different types of vegetation, including tropical dry forest; oak, pine, pine-oak, and pine-juniper forests; and xerophytic scrub - all of which maintain populations of N. parviflora. Using species distribution models, climatic analyses, spatial connectivity and morphological comparisons, we found significant differences in climatic and morphological variables between populations of N. parviflora in two distinct Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt regions (east vs. west). This could mean that the geographically isolated populations diverged from one another via niche divergence, indicating ecological speciation. Spatial connectivity analysis revealed no connectivity between these regions under the present or last glacial maximum climate models, indicating a lack of gene flow between the populations of the two regions. The results imply that these populations may encompass more than a single species. PMID:24905911

Ecological speciation in Nolina parviflora (Asparagaceae): lacking spatial connectivity along of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt.

PubMed

Ruiz-Sanchez, Eduardo; Specht, Chelsea D

2014-01-01

The hypothesis of ecological speciation states that as populations diverge in different niches, reproductive isolation evolves as a by-product of adaptation to these different environments. In this context, we used Nolina parviflora as a model to test if this species evolved via ecological speciation and to explore current and historical gene flow among its populations. Nolina parviflora is a montane species endemic to Mexico with its geographical distribution restricted largely to the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. This mountain range is one of the most complex geological regions in Mexico, having undergone volcanism from the mid-Miocene to the present. Ecologically, the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt possesses different types of vegetation, including tropical dry forest; oak, pine, pine-oak, and pine-juniper forests; and xerophytic scrub--all of which maintain populations of N. parviflora. Using species distribution models, climatic analyses, spatial connectivity and morphological comparisons, we found significant differences in climatic and morphological variables between populations of N. parviflora in two distinct Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt regions (east vs. west). This could mean that the geographically isolated populations diverged from one another via niche divergence, indicating ecological speciation. Spatial connectivity analysis revealed no connectivity between these regions under the present or last glacial maximum climate models, indicating a lack of gene flow between the populations of the two regions. The results imply that these populations may encompass more than a single species.

Lateral ramps in the folded Appalachians and in overthrust belts worldwide; a fundamental element of thrust-belt architecture

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pohn, Howard A.

2000-01-01

Lateral ramps are zones where decollements change stratigraphic level along strike; they differ from frontal ramps, which are zones where decollements change stratigraphic level perpendicular to strike. In the Appalachian Mountains, the surface criteria for recognizing the subsurface presence of lateral ramps include (1) an abrupt change in wavelength or a termination of folds along strike, (2) a conspicuous change in the frequency of mapped faults or disturbed zones (extremely disrupted duplexes) at the surface, (3) long, straight river trends emerging onto the coastal plain or into the Appalachian Plateaus province, (4) major geomorphic discontinuities in the trend of the Blue Ridge province, (5) interruption of Mesozoic basins by cross-strike border faults, and (6) zones of modern and probable ancient seismic activity. Additional features related to lateral ramps include tectonic windows, cross-strike igneous intrusions, areas of giant landslides, and abrupt changes in Paleozoic sedimentation along strike. Proprietary strike-line seismic-reflection profiles cross three of the lateral ramps that were identified by using the surface criteria. The profiles confirm their presence and show their detailed nature in the subsurface. Like frontal ramps, lateral ramps are one of two possible consequences of fold-and-thrust-belt tectonics and are common elements in the Appalachian fold-and-thrust belt. A survey of other thrust belts in the United States and elsewhere strongly suggests that lateral ramps at depth can be identified by their surface effects. Lateral ramps probably are the result of thrust sheet motion caused by continued activation of ancient cratonic fracture systems. Such fractures localized the transform faults along which the continental segments adjusted during episodes of sea-floor spreading.

Cosmic Ray Mantle Visibility on Kuiper Belt Objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, John F.; Hill, Matt E.; Richardson, J. D.; Sturner, S. J.

2006-01-01

Optically red objects constitute the dynamically cold, old component of the Classical Kuiper Belt (40 - 47 AU) with heliocentric orbits of low eccentricity and inclination. The red colors likely arise from primordial mixed ices processed by irradiation to meters in surface depth over the past four billion years, since the time of giant planet migration and Kuiper Belt stirring, at relatively moderate dosages of 60 gigarads provided by galactic cosmic ray protons and heavier ions. The red cosmic ray mantle is uniformly visible on the cold classical objects beneath a minimally thin eroded layer of more neutrally colored material arising from cumulative effects of heliospheric particle irradiation. The radiation fluxes are lowest in the middle heliospheric region containing the Classical Kuiper Belt and increase from there both towards and away from the Sun. Despite increasing irradiation at various times of solar system history from increases in solar and interstellar ion fluxes, the red object region has apparently never reached sufficiently high dosage levels to neutralize in color the red mantle material. Erosion processes, including plasma sputtering and micrometeroid impacts, act continuously to reduce thickness of the upper neutral crust and expose the cosmic ray mantle. A deeper layer at tens of meters and more may consist of relatively unprocessed ices that can erupt to the surface by larger impacts or cryovolcanism and account for brighter surfaces of larger objects such as 2003 UB313. Surface colors among the Kuiper Belt and other icy objects of the outer solar system are then a function, assuming uniform primordial composition, of relative thickness for the three layers and of the resurfacing age dependent on the orbital and impact history of each object.

The Cenozoic fold-and-thrust belt of Eastern Sardinia: Evidences from the integration of field data with numerically balanced geological cross section

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arragoni, S.; Maggi, M.; Cianfarra, P.; Salvini, F.

2016-06-01

Newly collected structural data in Eastern Sardinia (Italy) integrated with numerical techniques led to the reconstruction of a 2-D admissible and balanced model revealing the presence of a widespread Cenozoic fold-and-thrust belt. The model was achieved with the FORC software, obtaining a 3-D (2-D + time) numerical reconstruction of the continuous evolution of the structure through time. The Mesozoic carbonate units of Eastern Sardinia and their basement present a fold-and-thrust tectonic setting, with a westward direction of tectonic transport (referred to the present-day coordinates). The tectonic style of the upper levels is thin skinned, with flat sectors prevailing over ramps and younger-on-older thrusts. Three regional tectonic units are present, bounded by two regional thrusts. Strike-slip faults overprint the fold-and-thrust belt and developed during the Sardinia-Corsica Block rotation along the strike of the preexisting fault ramps, not affecting the numerical section balancing. This fold-and-thrust belt represents the southward prosecution of the Alpine Corsica collisional chain and the missing link between the Alpine Chain and the Calabria-Peloritani Block. Relative ages relate its evolution to the meso-Alpine event (Eocene-Oligocene times), prior to the opening of the Tyrrhenian Sea (Tortonian). Results fill a gap of information about the geodynamic evolution of the European margin in Central Mediterranean, between Corsica and the Calabria-Peloritani Block, and imply the presence of remnants of this double-verging belt, missing in the Southern Tyrrhenian basin, within the Southern Apennine chain. The used methodology proved effective for constraining balanced cross sections also for areas lacking exposures of the large-scale structures, as the case of Eastern Sardinia.

The cost-effectiveness of air bags by seating position.

PubMed

Graham, J D; Thompson, K M; Goldie, S J; Segui-Gomez, M; Weinstein, M C

1997-11-05

Motor vehicle crashes continue to cause significant mortality and morbidity in the United States. Installation of air bags in new passenger vehicles is a major initiative in the field of injury prevention. To assess the net health consequences and cost-effectiveness of driver's side and front passenger air bags from a societal perspective, taking into account the increased risk to children who occupy the front passenger seat and the diminished effectiveness for older adults. A deterministic state transition model tracked a hypothetical cohort of new vehicles over a 20-year period for 3 strategies: (1) installation of safety belts, (2) installation of driver's side air bags in addition to safety belts, and (3) installation of front passenger air bags in addition to safety belts and driver's side air bags. Changes in health outcomes, valued in terms of quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and costs (in 1993 dollars), were projected following the recommendations of the Panel on Cost-effectiveness in Health and Medicine. US population-based and convenience sample data were used. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. Safety belts are cost saving, even at 50% use. The addition of driver's side air bags to safety belts results in net health benefits at an incremental cost of $24000 per QALY saved. The further addition of front passenger air bags results in an incremental net benefit at a higher incremental cost of $61000 per QALY saved. Results were sensitive to the unit cost of air bag systems, their effectiveness, baseline fatality rates, the ratio of injuries to fatalities, and the real discount rate. Both air bag systems save life-years at costs that are comparable to many medical and public health practices. Immediate steps can be taken to enhance the cost-effectiveness of front passenger air bags, such as moving children to the rear seat.

Evolution of the Chos Malal and Agrio fold and thrust belts, Andes of Neuquén: Insights from structural analysis and apatite fission track dating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rojas Vera, E. A.; Mescua, J.; Folguera, A.; Becker, T. P.; Sagripanti, L.; Fennell, L.; Orts, D.; Ramos, V. A.

2015-12-01

The Chos Malal and Agrio fold and thrust belts are located in the western part of the Neuquén basin, an Andean retroarc basin of central-western Argentina. Both belts show evidence of tectonic inversion at the western part during Late Cretaceous times. The eastern part is dominated by late Miocene deformation which also partially reactivated the western structures. This work focuses on the study of the regional structure and the deformational event that shaped the relief of this part of the Andes. Based on new field work and structural data and previously published works a detailed map of the central part of the Neuquén basin is presented. Three regional structural cross sections were surveyed and balanced using the 2d Move™ software. In order to define a more accurate uplift history, new apatite fission track analyses were carried on selected structures. These data was used for new thermal history modeling of the inner part of the Agrio and Chos Malal fold and thrust belts. The results of the fission track analyses improve the knowledge of how these fold and thrust belts have grown trough time. Two main deformational events are defined in Late Cretaceous to Paleocene and Late Miocene times. Based on this regional structural analysis and the fission track data the precise location of the orogenic front for the Late Cretaceous-Paleocene times is reconstructed and it is proposed a structural evolution of this segment of the Andes. This new exhumation data show how the Late Cretaceous to Paleocene event was a continuous and uninterrupted deformational event.

Fold-and-thrust belt curvature in the Fars region, eastern Zagros, achieved by variable thrust slip vectors and fault block rotations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edey, Alex; Allen, Mark B.

2017-04-01

Many fold-and-thrust belts are curved in plan view, but the origins of this curvature are debated. Understanding which mechanism(s) is appropriate is important to constrain the behaviour of the lithosphere during compressional deformation. Here we analyse the active deformation of the Fars Arc region in the eastern part of the Zagros, Iran, including slip vectors of 92 earthquakes, published GPS and palaeomagnetism data, and the distributions of young and/or active folds. The fold-and-thrust belt in the Fars Arc shows pronounced curvature, convex southwards. Folds trends vary from NW-SE in the west to ENE-WSW in the east. The GPS-derived velocity field shows NNE to SSW convergence, towards the foreland on the Arabian Plate, without dispersion. Earthquake slip vectors are highly variable, spanning a range of azimuths from SW to SSE in an Arabian Plate reference frame. The full variation of azimuths occurs within small (10s of km) sub-regions, but this variation is superimposed on a radial pattern, whereby slip vectors tend to be parallel to the regional topographic gradient. Given the lack of variation in the GPS vectors, we conclude that the Fars Arc is not curved as a result of gravitational spreading over the adjacent foreland, but as a result of deformation being restricted at tectonic boundaries at the eastern and western margins of the Arc. Fault blocks and folds within the Fars Arc, each 20-40 km long, rotate about vertical axes to achieve the overall curvature, predominantly clockwise in the west and counter-clockwise in the east. Active folds of different orientations may intersect and produce dome-and-basin interference patterns, without the need for a series of separate deformation phases of different stress orientations. The Fars Arc clearly contrasts with the Himalayas, where both GPS and earthquake slip vectors display radial patterns towards the foreland, and gravitational spreading is a viable mechanism for producing fold-and-thrust belt curvature.

Intrusive rocks and plutonic belts of southeastern Alaska, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brew, David A.; Morrell, Robert P.; Roddick, J.A.

1983-01-01

About 30 percent of the 175,000-km2 area of southeastern Alaska is underlain by intrusive igneous rocks. Compilation of available information on the distribution, composition, and ages of these rocks indicates the presence of six major and six minor plutonic belts. From west to east, the major belts are: the Fairweather-Baranof belt of early to mid-Tertiary granodiorite; the Muir-Chichagof belt of mid-Cretaceous tonalite and granodiorite; the Admiralty-Revillagigedo belt of porphyritic granodiorite, quartz diorite, and diorite of probable Cretaceous age; the Klukwan-Duke belt of concentrically zoned or Alaskan-type ultramafic-mafic plutons of mid-Cretaceous age within the Admiralty-Revillagigedo belt; the Coast Plutonic Complex sill belt of tonalite of unknown, but perhaps mid-Cretaceous, age; and the Coast Plutonic Complex belt I of early to mid-Tertiary granodiorite and quartz monzonite. The minor belts are distributed as follows: the Glacier Bay belt of Cretaceous and(or) Tertiary granodiorite, tonalite, and quartz diorite lies within the Fair-weather-Baranof belt; layered gabbro complexes of inferred mid-Tertiary age lie within and are probably related to the Fairweather-Baranof belt; the Chilkat-Chichagof belt of Jurassic granodiorite and tonalite lies within the Muir-Chichagof belt; the Sitkoh Bay alkaline, the Kendrick Bay pyroxenite to quartz monzonite, and the Annette and Cape Fox trondhjemite plutons, all interpreted to be of Ordovician(?) age, together form the crude southern southeastern Alaska belt within the Muir-Chichagof belt; the Kuiu-Etolin mid-Tertiary belt of volcanic and plutonic rocks extends from the Muir-Chichagof belt eastward into the Admiralty-Revillagigedo belt; and the Behm Canal belt of mid- to late Tertiary granite lies within and next to Coast Plutonic Complex belt II. In addition, scattered mafic-ultramafic bodies occur within the Fairweather-Baranof, Muir-Chichagof, and Coast Plutonic Complex belts I and II. Palinspastic reconstruction of 200 km of right-lateral movement on the Chatham Strait fault does not significantly change the pattern of the major belts but does bring parts of the minor mid-Tertiary and Ordovician(?) belts closer together. The major belts are related to the stratigraphic-tectonic terranes of Berg, Jones, and Coney (1978) as follows: the Fairweather-Baranof belt is largely in the Chugach, Wrangell (Wrangellia), and Alexander terranes; the Muir-Chichagof belt is in the Alexander and Wrangell terranes; the Admiralty-Revillagigedo belt is in the Gravina and Taku terranes; the Klukwan-Duke belt is in the Gravina, Taku, and Alexander terranes; the Coast Plutonic Complex sill belt is probably between the Taku and Tracy Arm terranes; and the Coast Plutonic Complex belts I and II are in the Tracy Arm and Stikine terranes. Significant metallic-mineral deposits are spatially related to certain of these belts, and some deposits may be genetically related. Gold, copper, and molybdenum occurrences may be related to granodiorites of the Fairweather-Baranof belt. Magmatic copper-nickel deposits occur in the layered gabbro within that belt. The Juneau gold belt, which contains gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc occurrences, parallels and lies close to the Coast Plutonic Complex sill belt; iron deposits occur in the Klukwan-Duke belt; and porphyry molybdenum deposits occur in the Behm Canal belt. The Muir-Chichagof belt of mid-Cretaceous age and the Admiralty-Revillagigedo belt of probable Cretaceous age are currently interpreted as possible magmatic arcs associated with subduction events. In general, the other belts of intrusive rocks are spatially related to structural discontinuities, but genetic relations, if any, are not yet known. The Coast Plutonic Complex sill belt is probably related to a post-Triassic, pre-early Tertiary suture zone that nearly corresponds to the boundary between the Tracy Arm and Taku terranes. The boundary between the Admiralty-Revillagigedo and Muir-Chichagof belts coincides nearly with the Seymour Canal-Clarence Strait lineament and also is probably a major post-Triassic suture.

Following the Cuts: How Is the Recession Affecting Faculty Work?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lounder, Andrew; Waugaman, Chelsea; Kenyon, Mark; Levine, Amy; Meekins, Matthew; O'Meara, KerryAnn

2011-01-01

The recession of 2008-2009 and the continuing decline in local, state, and federal funds available to support higher education have resulted in serious budget cuts and belt-tightening. Given that faculty constitute an institution's most costly resource, it was not surprising, though it is nonetheless disheartening, to learn of the University of…

Safety Study: The Performance and use of Child Restraint Systems, Seatbelts, and Air Bags for Children in Passenger Vehicles. Volume 1:Analysis

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-01-01

Despite the effectiveness of child restraints and lap/shoulder belts to reduce the likelihood of severe and fatal injuries, accidents continue to occur in which restrained children are being injured and killed. The Safety Board conducted this study t...

50 CFR 679.93 - Amendment 80 Program recordkeeping, permits, monitoring, and catch accounting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (CONTINUED... space to accommodate a minimum of 10 observer sampling baskets. This space must be within or adjacent to... observers assigned to the vessel. (8) Belt and flow operations. The vessel operator stops the flow of fish...

Finding KBO flyby targets for New Horizons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spencer, John; Trilling, David; Buie, Marc; Parker, Alex; Tholen, David; Stern, S. Alan

2014-08-01

We propose to continue the search for Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) that can be reached by the New Horizons spacecraft after its 2015 Pluto flyby, by following up on KBOs discovered in 2014A. The first flyby of a small (~50 km) KBO would revolutionize our understanding of KBOs, providing information that can be extrapolated to hundreds of thousands of similar KBOs. Our 2011 search discovered two objects that could be targeted with less than twice the fuel that New Horizons has available, during excellent seeing, but seeing was insufficient to achieve this depth over the entire search area in 2012 or 2013. Deepening the search with time allocated in 2014A, taking advantage of lower star density and the shrinking search area, has a chance of finding a targetable object given sufficiently good seeing, especially with Hyper Suprime Cam. 2014B follow-up is essential to produce orbits good enough to determine targetability, and allow recovery in 2015. We will also continue to refine the orbits of other previously discovered objects, including ones that can be observed from a distance by New Horizons on its passage through the Kuiper Belt.

Temporal dynamic of wood formation in Pinus cembra along the alpine treeline ecotone and the effect of climate variables.

PubMed

Gruber, Andreas; Baumgartner, Daniel; Zimmermann, Jolanda; Oberhuber, Walter

2009-06-01

We determined the temporal dynamic of cambial activity and xylem development of stone pine (Pinus cembra L.) throughout the treeline ecotone. Repeated micro-sampling of the developing tree ring was carried out during the growing seasons 2006 and 2007 at the timberline (1950 m a.s.l.), treeline (2110 m a.s.l.) and within the krummholz belt (2180 m a.s.l.) and the influence of climate variables on intra-annual wood formation was determined.At the beginning of both growing seasons, highest numbers of cambial and enlarging cells were observed at the treeline. Soil temperatures at time of initiation of cambial activity were c. 1.5 °C higher at treeline (open canopy) compared to timberline (closed canopy), suggesting that a threshold root-zone temperature is involved in triggering onset of above ground stem growth.The rate of xylem cell production determined in two weekly intervals during June through August 2006-2007 was significantly correlated with air temperature (temperature sums expressed as degree-days and mean daily maximum temperature) at the timberline only. Lack of significant relationships between tracheid production and temperature variables at the treeline and within the krummholz belt support past dendroclimatological studies that more extreme environmental conditions (e.g., wind exposure, frost desiccation, late frost) increasingly control tree growth above timberline.Results of this study revealed that spatial and temporal (i.e. year-to-year) variability in timing and dynamic of wood formation of Pinus cembra is strongly influenced by local site factors within the treeline ecotone and the dynamics of seasonal temperature variation, respectively.

Geochemical evidence for Paleozoic crustal growth and tectonic conversion in the Northern Beishan Orogenic Belt, southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Yu; Zong, Keqing; He, Zhenyu; Klemd, Reiner; Jiang, Hongying; Zhang, Wen; Liu, Yongsheng; Hu, Zhaochu; Zhang, Zeming

2018-03-01

The Beishan Orogenic Belt is located in the central southernmost part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), which plays a key role in understanding the formation and evolution of the CAOB. Granitoids are the documents of crustal and tectonic evolution in orogenic belts. However, little is known regarding the petrogenesis and geodynamic setting of the widely distributed Paleozoic granitoids in the Northern Beishan Orogenic Belt (NBOB). The present study reveals significant differences concerning the petrogenesis and tectonic setting of early and late Paleozoic granitoids from the NBOB. The early Paleozoic granitoids from the 446-430 Ma Hongliuxia granite complex of the Mazongshan unit and the 466-428 Ma Shibanjing complex of the Hanshan unit show classic I-type granite affinities as revealed by the relative enrichment of LILEs and LREEs, pronounced depletions of Nb, Ta and Ti and the abundant presence of hornblende. Furthermore, they are characterized by strongly variable zircon εHf(t) values between - 16.7 and + 12.8 and evolved plagioclase Sr isotopic compositions of 0.7145-0.7253, indicating the involvement of both juvenile and ancient continental crust in the magma source. Thus, we propose that the early Paleozoic granitoids in the NBOB were generated in a subduction-related continental arc setting. In contrast, the late Paleozoic 330-281 Ma granitoids from the Shuangjingzi complex of the Hanshan unit exhibit positive zircon εHf(t) values between + 5.8 and + 13.2 and relatively depleted plagioclase Sr isotopic compositions of 0.7037-0.7072, indicating that they were mainly formed by remelting of juvenile crust. Thus, an intra-plate extensional setting is proposed to have occurred during formation of the late Paleozoic granitoids. Therefore, between the early and late Paleozoic, the magma sources of the NBOB granitoids converted from the reworking of both juvenile and ancient crusts during a subduction-induced compressional setting to the remelting of juvenile crust during an intra-plate extensional setting, respectively. The corresponding crustal growth in the southern CAOB is dominated by early Paleozoic lateral accretion of arc complexes and late Paleozoic vertical addition of juvenile material from the mantle.

Observed use of automatic seat belts in 1987 cars.

PubMed

Williams, A F; Wells, J K; Lund, A K; Teed, N

1989-10-01

Usage of the automatic belt systems supplied by six large-volume automobile manufacturers to meet the federal requirements for automatic restraints were observed in suburban Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. The different belt systems studied were: Ford and Toyota (motorized, nondetachable automatic shoulder belt), Nissan (motorized, detachable shoulder belt), VW and Chrysler (nonmotorized, detachable shoulder belt), and GM (nonmotorized detachable lap and shoulder belt). Use of automatic belts was significantly greater than manual belt use in otherwise comparable late-model cars for all manufacturers except Chrysler; in Chrysler cars, automatic belt use was significantly lower than manual belt use. The automatic shoulder belts provided by Ford, Nissan, Toyota, and VW increased use rates to about 90%. Because use rates were lower in Ford cars with manual belts, their increase was greater. GM cars had the smallest increase in use rates; however, lap belt use was highest in GM cars. The other manufacturers supply knee bolsters to supplement shoulder belt protection; all--except VW--also provide manual lap belts, which were used by about half of those who used the automatic shoulder belt. The results indicate that some manufacturers have been more successful than others in providing automatic belt systems that result in high use that, in turn, will mean fewer deaths and injuries in those cars.

Devonian alkaline magmatic belt along the northern margin of the North China Block: Petrogenesis and tectonic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qi-Qi; Zhang, Shuan-Hong; Zhao, Yue; Liu, Jian-Min

2018-03-01

Some Devonian magmatic rocks have been identified from the northern margin of the North China Block (NCB) in recent years. However, their petrogenesis and tectonic setting are still highly controversial. Here we present new geochronological, Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic and whole-rock chemical data on several newly identified and previously reported Devonian alkaline complexes, including mafic-ultramafic rocks (pyroxenites and gabbros), alkaline rocks (syenites, monzonites) and alkaline granites in the northern NCB. We firstly identified some mafic-ultramafic rocks coeval with monzonite and quartz monzonite in the Sandaogou and Wulanhada alkaline intrusions. New zircon U-Pb dating of 16 samples from the Baicaigou, Gaojiacun, Sandaogou, Wulanhada and Chifeng alkaline intrusions combined with previous geochronological results indicate that the Devonian alkaline rocks emplaced during the early-middle Devonian at around 400-380 Ma and constitute an E-W-trending alkaline magmatic belt that extend ca. 900 km long along the northern margin of the NCB. Whole-rock geochemical and Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic data reveal that the Devonian alkaline rocks were mainly originated from partial melting of a variably enriched lithospheric mantle with different involvement of ancient lower crustal component and fractional crystallization. The Devonian alkaline magmatic belt rocks in the northern NCB are characterized by very weak or no deformations and were most likely related to post-collision extension after arc-continent collision between the Bainaimiao island arc and the northern margin of North China Craton during the latest Silurian. Partial melting of subcontinental lithospheric mantle to produce the Devonian alkaline magmatic rocks suggests that the northern North China Craton has an inhomogeneous, variably enriched subcontinental lithospheric mantle and was characterized by significant vertical crustal growth during the Devonian period.

The northward shift of Meiyu rain belt and its possible association with rainfall intensity changes and the Pacific-Japan pattern

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Qingjiu; Sun, Yuting; You, Qinglong

2016-12-01

The meridional location change of Meiyu rain belt and its relationship with the rainfall intensity and circulation background changes for the period 1958-2009 are examined using daily rainfall datasets from 756 stations in China, the 6-h ERA-Interim reanalyses, CRU monthly temperature and daily outgoing long-wave radiation (OLR) data from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The results indicate that the Meiyu rain belt experienced a northward shift in the late 1990s in response to global warming. Moreover, the intensity of interannual and day-to-day variability of rainfall within Meiyu period has been increasing in the warming climate. The amplification of the variability within Meiyu period over the northern Yangtze-Huai River Valley (YHRV) is much larger than that of the southern YHRV. The large difference in the trends of variance within the Meiyu period between these two regions induces a spatial varying for different rainfall categories in terms of intensity. More significant positive trends in heavy and extreme heavy rainfall occur over northern YHRV compared with southern YHRV, which is a crucial indicator of changes in the rain band, despite the observation of an increase in heavy and very heavy rain events and a decrease in weak events throughout the entire YHRV. A composite of the atmospheric circulation indicates that intense northward horizontal transport and the convergence of water vapor fluxes are the immediate causes of the rain band shift. Besides, through forcing a northward extended convection over the tropics, the Pacific-Japan (P-J) pattern induces a northward expansion of western Pacific Subtropical High, leading to intensified convergence and enhanced rainfall over Northern YHRV.

The tectonic evolution of the Irtysh tectonic belt: New zircon U-Pb ages of arc-related and collisional granitoids in the Kalaxiangar tectonic belt, NW China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Tao; Klemd, Reiner; Gao, Jun; Xiang, Peng; Xu, Xing-Wang; You, Jun; Wang, Xin-Shui; Wu, Chu; Li, Hao; Ke, Qiang

2017-02-01

Precise geochronological constraints of the Irtysh tectonic belt situated between the Saur Island Arc and the Altay Terrane are crucial to a better understanding of the tectonic evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). Recently, we discovered repeatedly deformed arc-related and collisional granitoids in the Kalaxiangar tectonic belt (KTB), which is located in the eastern part of the Irtysh tectonic belt. In this study, we report new whole-rock geochemical, zircon U-Pb and Hf isotopic data of the arc-related and collisional granitoids. Our data reveal that 1) arc-related granodioritic porphyries formed at ca. 382-374 Ma. Recrystallized zircon grains from a (ultra-)mylonitic granodiorite of the Laoshankou zone in the southern KTB display a U-Pb age of ca. 360 Ma; 2) syn-collisional granodioritic porphyries, which distribute along faults and parallel to the cleavage, were emplaced at ca. 367-356 Ma, with εHf(t) values varying from + 7.8 to + 14.2 and Hf model ages from 873 to 459 Ma; 3) a post-collisional A-type granodioritic porphyry, which crosscuts the NW-NNW trending schistosity of the metasedimentary country rocks at a low angle, has an age of ca. 324-320 Ma, while the εHf(t) values range from + 7.6 to + 14.4 with Hf model ages from 850 to 416 Ma; 4) post-collisional strike-slip A-type granite dykes, exposed along strike-slip faults, gave ages between 287 and 279 Ma, whereas the εHf(t) values range from + 4.9 to + 12.7 and the Hf model ages from 995 to 500 Ma; and 5) A-type biotite granite dykes, which intruded along conjugate tension joints, have ages of 274-271 Ma, and εHf(t) values from + 1.5 to + 13.2 with Hf model ages from 1196 to 454 Ma. Consequently, we propose that the collision between the Saur Island Arc and the Altay Terrane occurred in the Early Carboniferous (ca. 367-356 Ma) and the subsequent post-collisional tectonic process continued to the Late Carboniferous (ca. 324-320 Ma). It is further suggested that the Irtysh tectonic belt underwent large-scale strike-slip deformation during the mid-Permian between 287 and 279 Ma. The termination of the Irtysh tectonic belt orogeny is thought to have also occurred during the mid-Permian between 274 and 271 Ma.

Saturn Neutron Exosphere as Source for Inner and Innermost Radiation Belts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, John; Lipatov, Alexander; Sittler, Edward; Sturner, Steven

2011-01-01

Energetic proton and electron measurements by the ongoing Cassini orbiter mission are expanding our knowledge of the highest energy components of the Saturn magnetosphere in the inner radiation belt region after the initial discoveries of these belts by the Pioneer 11 and Voyager 2 missions. Saturn has a neutron exosphere that extends throughout the magnetosphere from the cosmic ray albedo neutron source at the planetary main rings and atmosphere. The neutrons emitted from these sources at energies respectively above 4 and 8 eV escape the Saturn system, while those at lower energies are gravitationally bound. The neutrons undergo beta decay in average times of about 1000 seconds to provide distributed sources of protons and electrons throughout Saturn's magnetosphere with highest injection rates close to the Saturn and ring sources. The competing radiation belt source for energetic electrons is rapid inward diffusion and acceleration of electrons from the middle magnetosphere and beyond. Minimal losses during diffusive transport across the moon orbits, e.g. of Mimas and Enceladus, and local time asymmetries in electron intensity, suggest that drift resonance effects preferentially boost the diffusion rates of electrons from both sources. Energy dependences of longitudinal gradient-curvature drift speeds relative to the icy moons are likely responsible for hemispheric differences (e.g., Mimas, Tethys) in composition and thermal properties as at least partly produced by radiolytic processes. A continuing mystery is the similar radial profiles of lower energy (<10 MeV) protons in the inner belt region. Either the source of these lower energy protons is also neutron decay, but perhaps alternatively from atmospheric albedo, or else all protons from diverse distributed sources are similarly affected by losses at the moon' orbits, e.g. because the proton diffusion rates are extremely low. Enceladus cryovolcanism, and radiolytic processing elsewhere on the icy moon and ring surfaces, are additional sources of protons via ionization and charge exchange from breakup of water molecules. But one must then account somehow for local acceleration to the observed keV-MeV energies, since moon sweeping and E-ring absorption would remove protons diffusing inward from the middle magnetosphere. Although the main rings block further inward diffusion from the inner radiation belts, the exospheric neutron-decay source, combined with much slower diffusion of protons relative to electrons, may produce an innermost radiation belt in the gap between the upper atmosphere and the D-ring. This innermost belt will first be explored in-situ during the final proximal orbits of the Cassini mission.

Air bags and ocular injuries.

PubMed

Stein, J D; Jaeger, E A; Jeffers, J B

1999-01-01

This investigation retrospectively examined ocular injuries associated with air bag deployment to gain a better appreciation of potential risk factors in motor vehicle accidents. National statistics regarding the efficacy of air bags were reviewed. Review of the literature from 1991 to 1998 identified 44 articles describing 97 patients with air-bag-induced ocular injuries. Variables extracted from each case were age, sex, height, position in the car, eye wear, vehicle impact speed, visual acuity, and specific ocular injuries. Corneal abrasions occurred in 49% of occupants, hyphemas in 43%, vitreous or retinal hemorrhages in 25%, and retinal tears or detachments in 15%. The globe was ruptured in 10 patients. Patients involved in higher-speed accidents (over 30 mph) sustained a greater percentage of vitreous or retinal hemorrhages and traumatic cataracts, while those at slower speeds were more prone to retinal tears or detachments. In a subset of 14 patients with serious ocular injuries, the impact speed of 11 patients was recorded at 30 mph or less. Slower speed may be a risk factor for some ocular injuries. Occupant height was not a significant factor. National statistics confirm that air bags reduce fatalities in motor vehicle accidents. However, children sitting in the front seat without a seat belt and infants in passenger-side rear-facing car seats are at risk for fatal injury. Air bags combined with seat belts are an effective means of reducing injury and death in adults during motor vehicle accidents. However, this study has documented a wide variety of ocular injuries associated with air bag deployment. It is hoped that researchers can develop modifications that continue to save lives while minimizing additional harm.

Habitat complexity and fish size affect the detection of Indo-Pacific lionfish on invaded coral reefs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, S. J.; Tamburello, N.; Miller, S. E.; Akins, J. L.; Côté, I. M.

2013-06-01

A standard approach to improving the accuracy of reef fish population estimates derived from underwater visual censuses (UVCs) is the application of species-specific correction factors, which assumes that a species' detectability is constant under all conditions. To test this assumption, we quantified detection rates for invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish ( Pterois volitans and P. miles), which are now a primary threat to coral reef conservation throughout the Caribbean. Estimates of lionfish population density and distribution, which are essential for managing the invasion, are currently obtained through standard UVCs. Using two conventional UVC methods, the belt transect and stationary visual census (SVC), we assessed how lionfish detection rates vary with lionfish body size and habitat complexity (measured as rugosity) on invaded continuous and patch reefs off Cape Eleuthera, the Bahamas. Belt transect and SVC surveys performed equally poorly, with both methods failing to detect the presence of lionfish in >50 % of surveys where thorough, lionfish-focussed searches yielded one or more individuals. Conventional methods underestimated lionfish biomass by ~200 %. Crucially, detection rate varied significantly with both lionfish size and reef rugosity, indicating that the application of a single correction factor across habitats and stages of invasion is unlikely to accurately characterize local populations. Applying variable correction factors that account for site-specific lionfish size and rugosity to conventional survey data increased estimates of lionfish biomass, but these remained significantly lower than actual biomass. To increase the accuracy and reliability of estimates of lionfish density and distribution, monitoring programs should use detailed area searches rather than standard visual survey methods. Our study highlights the importance of accounting for sources of spatial and temporal variation in detection to increase the accuracy of survey data from coral reef systems.

A user-driven treadmill control scheme for simulating overground locomotion.

PubMed

Kim, Jonghyun; Stanley, Christopher J; Curatalo, Lindsey A; Park, Hyung-Soon

2012-01-01

Treadmill-based locomotor training should simulate overground walking as closely as possible for optimal skill transfer. The constant speed of a standard treadmill encourages automaticity rather than engagement and fails to simulate the variable speeds encountered during real-world walking. To address this limitation, this paper proposes a user-driven treadmill velocity control scheme that allows the user to experience natural fluctuations in walking velocity with minimal unwanted inertial force due to acceleration/deceleration of the treadmill belt. A smart estimation limiter in the scheme effectively attenuates the inertial force during velocity changes. The proposed scheme requires measurement of pelvic and swing foot motions, and is developed for a treadmill of typical belt length (1.5 m). The proposed scheme is quantitatively evaluated here with four healthy subjects by comparing it with the most advanced control scheme identified in the literature.

Implications of SHRIMP and microstructural data on the age and kinematics of shearing in the Asir terrane, southern Arabian Shield, Saudi Arabia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, P.R.; Kattan, F.H.; Wooden, J.L.

2001-01-01

The Asir terrane consists of north-trending belts of variably metamorphosed volcanic, sedimentary, and plutonic rocks that are cut by numerous shear zones (Fig. 1). Previous workers interpreted the shear zones as sutures, structures that modify earlier sutures, or structures that define the margins of tectonic belts across which there are significant lithologic differences and along which there may have been major transposition (Frisch and Al-Shanti, 1977; Greenwood et al., 1982; Brown et al., 1989). SHRIMP data from zircons (Table 1) and sense-of-shear data recently acquired from selected shear zones in the terrane help to constrain the minimum ages and kinematics of these shearing events and lead to an overall model of terrane assembly that is more complex than previously proposed. 

Late Miocene (Proto-Gulf) Extension and Magmatism on the Sonoran Margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gans, P.; MacMillan, I.; Roldan-Quintana, J.

2003-12-01

Constraints on the magnitude and character of late Miocene (Proto-Gulf) deformation on the Sonoran margin of the Gulf of California extensional province are key to understanding how and when Baja California was captured by the Pacific plate and how strain was partitioned during the early stages of this transtensional rift system. Our new geologic mapping in southwestern Sonora and 40Ar/39Ar dating of pre-, syn-, and post-tectonic volcanic units indicate that late Miocene deformation and volcanic activity were largely restricted to a NW-trending, 100-120 km wide belt adjacent to the coast. Inboard of this belt, NW-SE extension is mainly older (>15 Ma) and occurred in an intra-arc or back-arc setting. Proto-Gulf deformation within the coastal belt was profoundly transtensional, with NW-striking, dextral strike slip faults operating in concert with N-S and NNE-striking normal and oblique slip faults to produce an inferred NW or NNW tectonic transport direction. The total amount of late Miocene NW directed dextral shear within the coastal belt is still poorly constrained, but may exceed 100 km. The locus of deformation and volcanic activity migrated westward or northwestward within the Sonoran coastal belt. in the eastern portion (Sierra Libre and Sierra El Bacatete) major volcanic activity commenced at ˜13.0 Ma and peaked at 12.0 Ma, and major faulting and tilting is bracketed between 12.0 and 10.6 Ma. Further west in the Sierra El Aguaje/San Carlos region, major volcanic activity commenced at 11.5 Ma and peaked at 10.5 Ma, and most faulting and tilting is bracketed between 10.7 and 9.3 Ma. On the coastal mountains northwest of San Carlos, rift related faulting and tilting continued after 8.5 Ma. Voluminous late Miocene (13-8 Ma) volcanic rocks within the Sonoran coastal belt were erupted from numerous centers (e.g. Sierra Libre, Guaymas, Sierra El Aguaje). These thick volcanic sections are compositionally diverse (basalt to rhyolite, with abundant dacite and andesite), and are intimately associated in space and time with tectonic activity. Overall, the Sonoran coastal belt provides a spectacular example of distributed transtension and associated magmatism that ultimately led to rupturing of the continental lithosphere.

The crustal structure of the eastern Fennoscandian Shield and central part of the East-European platform based on seismic, regional geophysic and geological data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mints, M. V.; Berzin, R. G.; Babayants, P. S.; Konilov, A. N.; Suleimanov, A. K.; Zamozhniaya, N. G.; Zlobin, V. L.

2003-04-01

The 1-EU and 4B CDP transects worked out during 1998-2002 years by "Spetsgeophyzica", together with previously developed CDP profiles, have crossed most of the main tectonic units of the eastern Fennoscandian Shield and central part of the East-European platform. They provide seismic images of the Early Precambrian crust and upper mantle from the surface to about 80 km depth (25 s). The Neoarchaean granite-greenstone complexes of the Karelia craton along the 4B profile form a series of the tectonic slices descending eastward, some of which can be traced to the Moho. The Palaeoproterozoic structures presented by two main types: (1) volcano-sedimentary (VS) and (2) granulite-gneiss (GN) belts. The Pechenga-Varzuga VS belt has been identified as overthrust-underthrust southward-dipping package. Tectonic slices formed by the Palaeoproterozoic VS belts alternating with slices of the Neoarchaean granite-gneisses form the imbricated crustal unit that extends along the eastern margin of the Neoarchaean Karelia craton. The slices dip steeply northeastward flattening and partially juxtaposing at 20 km depth at the 1-EU cross-section. This level, which can be understood as the surface of main detachment, ascends westward. An imbrication and related thickening of the crust was caused by displacement of crustal slices in western and southwestern directions because of the Palaeoproterozoic collision event. The Palaeoproterozoic Onega unit comprising VS assemblages originated in a setting of the rifted passive margin forms the northwestward displaced thrust nappe complex. It is considered initially belonging to the southern edge of the Svecofennian passive margin. The Lapland GN belt has been transected by the Polar and EGGI profiles. Both cross-sections demonstrated that it constitutes thick composite crustal-scale tectonic slice. According to geophysical data, the continuation of the Lapland GN belt beneath the platform cover of the East European Craton forms an extended arch-shaped system of the belts approximately 2000 km long. In the vicinity of Moscow the thrust-nappe structure of these belts was recently recognized from reflection seismic profiling along 1-EU profile. The work has been developed in frames of the MPR RF Program and The SVEKALAPKO project and supported by the RFBR, grant No.00-05-64241.

Granulite belts of Central India with special reference to the Bhopalpatnam Granulite Belt: Significance in crustal evolution and implications for Columbia supercontinent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vansutre, Sandeep; Hari, K. R.

2010-11-01

The Central Indian collage incorporates the following major granulite belts: (1) the Balaghat-Bhandara Granulite Belt (BBG), (2) the Ramakona-Katangi Granulite Belt (RKG), (3) the Chhatuabhavna Granulite (CBG) of Bilaspur-Raigarh Belt, (4) the Makrohar Granulite Belt (MGB) of Mahakoshal supracrustals, (5) the Kondagaon Granulite Belt (KGGB), (6) the Bhopalpatnam Granulite Belt (BGB), (7) the Konta Granulite Belt (KTGB) and (8) the Karimnagar Granulite Belt (KNGB) of the East Dharwar Craton (EDC). We briefly synthesize the general geologic, petrologic and geochronologic features of these belts and explain the Precambrian crustal evolution in Central India. On the basis of the available data, a collisional relationship between Bastar craton and the EDC during the Paleo-Mesoproterozoic is reiterated as proposed by the earlier workers. The tectonic evolution of only few of the orogenic belts (BGB in particular) of Central India is related to Columbia.

Late Cretaceous fluvial systems and inferred tectonic history, central Utah

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

Lawton, T.F.

1983-08-01

Upper Campanian nonmarine sedimentary rocks exposed between the Wasatch Plateau and the Green River in central Utah record a tectonic transition from thin-skinned deformation in the thrust belt to basement-cored uplift in the foreland region. Sandstones within the section consist of two distinct compositional suites, a lower quartzose petrofacies and an upper lithic petrofacies. The volcanic lithic grains of the Farrer and Tuscher Formations were derived from more distal arc sources to the southwest, and transported through the thrust belt somewhere west of the Kaiparowits region, where time-equivalent sedimentary rocks are also rich in volcanic lithic fragments. Disappearance of volcanicmore » lithics and appearance of pebbles at the top of the Tuscher Formation is interpreted to reflect a latest Campanian reorganization of drainage patterns that marked initial growth of the San Rafael swell and similar basement uplifts to the south of the swell. Contemporaneous fluvial systems that deposited the uppermost part of the Price River Formation in the Wasatch Plateau were apparently unaffected by the uplift and continued to flow northeast. Depositional patterns thus indicate that initial growth of the San Rafael swell was probably concurrent with late deformation in the thrust belt. Depositional onlap across the Mesaverde Group by a largely post-tectonic assemblage of fluvial and lacustrine strata (North Horn Formation) indicates a minimum late Paleocene age for growth of the San Rafael swell and deformation within the thrust belt.« less

Collisional Processing of Olivine and Pyroxene in Cometary Dust

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lederer, S. M.; Cintala, M. J.; Olney, R. D.; Keller, L. P.; Nakamura-Messenger, K.; Zolensky, M.

2008-01-01

According to the nebular theory of solar-system formation, collisions between bodies occurred frequently early in the solar system s history and continue at a lower rate even today. Collisions have reworked the surface compositions and structures of cometary nuclei, though to an unknown degree. The majority of the collisional history of a typical Jupiter-family comet takes place while it resides in the Kuiper Belt. Impacts occur on the surfaces of small bodies over a large range of velocities by impactors of all sizes, but typical encounter speeds within the Kuiper Belt are 1.5 to 2.0 km/s[1]. Durda and Stern suggest that the interiors of most cometary nuclei with diameters <5 km have been heavily damaged by collisions [2]. They estimate that over a period of 3.5 Gy, a nucleus with a diameter of 2 km and an orbit between 35-45 AU will experience 90-300 collisions with objects greater than 8 m in diameter. In this same time interval, collisions between a typical Trans-Neptunian Object (TNO) 200 km in diameter and objects with d > 8 m would rework up to one-third of that TNO s surface. In fact, it has been proposed that most short-period comets from the Kuiper Belt (90%) are collisional fragments from larger TNOs - not primordial objects themselves [3] - and that most short-period comets from the Kuiper Belt will be collisionally processed both on their surfaces as well as in their interiors.

Giove 2003-2004: rapporto osservativo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adamoli, Gianluigi

2005-08-01

The planet was monitored from 2003 September 19 to 2004 August 7, with plenty of digital images and a few visual observations. Undulations in latitude were shown by many belts, with SSTB, STB and NNTB spiralling so as to overpose parallel to themselves after a turn. Bright SPH and an SPB were recorded in the SPR, with spots discernible to about 60°S. The SSTZ anti-cyclonic white ovals were prominent, so as oval BA, well visible amidst dark SSTB/STB features; it was reached by a prograding STB dark sector. A dark STZ spot surpassed the GRS and then became a diagonal streak. The GRS was pale red, with a darker S. edge and a central condensation, followed by the usual train of white spots in SEB. This belt had much structure, with white SEBZ, a central dark component and projections on both edges. EZ was 3/4 veiled and EB was systematically S. of the equator; NEBs activity consisted of the usual festoons, often distorted through the Zone by the wind speed shear, and prominent blue bars on the edge of the belt. The NEB N. edge underwent a new Northern expansion in April; its barges were few and faint, while Roger's Z bay decelerated. A continuous NTrB was present, with NTB very faint; they were blue, while NNTB had a warm hue and the NNTBs jetstream was very active. Many faint belt sectors were recorded N. of it, with spots to about 60°N.

Transition From Archean Plume-Arc Orogens to Phanerozoic Style Convergent Margin Orogens, and Changing Mantle Lithosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerrich, R.; Jia, Y.; Wyman, D.

2001-12-01

Mantle plume activity was more intense in the Archean and komatiite-basalt volcanic sequences are a major component of many Archean greenstone belts. Tholeiitic basalts compositionally resemble Phanerozoic and Recent ocean plateau basalts, such as those of Ontong Java and Iceland. However, komatiite-basalt sequences are tectonically imbricated with bimodal arc lavas and associated trench turbidites. Interfingering of komatiite flows with boninite series flows, and primitive to evolved arc basalts has recently been identified in the 2.7 Ga Abitibi greenstone belt, demonstrating spatially and temporally associated plume and arc magmatism. These observations are consistent with an intra-oceanic arc migrating and capturing an ocean plateau, where the plateau jams the arc and imbricated plateau-arc crust forms a greenstone belt orogen. Melting of shallowly subducted plateau basalt crust (high Ba, Th, LREE) accounts for the areally extensive and voluminous syntectonic tonalite batholiths. In contrast, the adakite-Mg-andesite-Niobium enriched basalt association found in Archean greenstone belts and Cenozoic arcs are melts of LREE depleted MORB slab. Buoyant residue from anomalously hot mantle plume melting at > 100km rises to couple with the composite plume-arc crust to form the distinctively thick and refractory Archean continental lithospheric mantle. New geochemical data for structurally hosted ultramafic units along the N. American Cordillera, from S. California to the Yukon, show that these are obducted slices of sub-arc lithospheric mantle. Negatively fractionated HREE with high Al2O3/TiO2 ratios signify prior melt extraction, and variably enriched Th and LREE with negative Nb anomalies a subduction component in a convergent margin. A secular decrease of mantle plume activity and temperature results in plume-arc dominated geodynamics in the Archean with shallow subduction and thick CLM, whereas Phanerozoic convergent margins are dominated by arc-continent, arc-terrane, and terrane-terrane collision with steep subduction resulting in narrow belts of granitoids and obduction of lithospheric mantle.

Use of a two-body belt abrasion test to measure the grindability of advanced ceramic materials

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

Blau, P.J.; Zanoria, E.S.

1998-07-01

Structural materials, such as superalloys, intermetallic alloys and engineering ceramics, have been developed to achieve high hardness, high temperature strength, and high fracture toughness. However, these strong materials also tend to be difficult to grind and finish. In the 1990's, the US Department of Energy supported a series of projects to help reduce the cost of machining advanced ceramics. The same properties that make engineering materials attractive for use on severe thermal and mechanical environments (e.g., high hardness, high temperature strength, high fracture toughness) generally tend to make those materials difficult to grind and finish. In the mid-1990's, a beltmore » abrasion test was developed under subcontract to Oak Ridge National Laboratory to help to assess the grindability of structural ceramic materials. The procedure involves applying a 10 N normal force to the end face of a 3 x 4 mm cross-section test bar for 30 seconds which is rubbed against a wet, 220 grit diamond belt moving at 10 m/s. By measuring the change in the bar length after at least six 30-second tests, a belt grindability index is computed and expressed using the same units as a traditional wear factor (i.e., mm{sup 3}/N-m). The test has shown an excellent capability to discriminate not only between ceramics of different basic compositions, e.g., Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, SiC, and Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}, but also between different lots of the same basic ceramic. Test-to-test variability decreases if the belt is worn in on the material of interest. The surface roughness of the abraded ends of the test specimens does not correlate directly with the belt grindability index, but instead reflects another attribute of grindability; namely the ability of a material to abrade smoothly without leaving excessive rough and pitted areas.« less

Contrasting Convective Flux Gradients in the U.S. Corn Belt as a Result of Vegetation Land Cover Type

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiestand, M.

2017-12-01

Phenological differences between extensive croplands and remnant forests in the U.S. Corn Belt have been suggested as enhancing spatial gradients of latent and sensible heat fluxes that contribute to the distribution and amounts of convective rainfall on mesoscales. However, the exact magnitude of the intra-seasonal variability in convective fluxes between these two land-cover types has yet to be quantified. Previous work suggesting that non-classical mesoscale circulations operate within the Corn Belt has not involved direct flux observations obtained using the eddy flux covariance technique. This study compares five day running means of daily heat fluxes between two Ameriflux towers (US-Bo1 in Illinois and US-MMS in Indiana) representing rain-fed cropland and remnant forest, respectively for the growing seasons of 1999-2008. Latent heat values normalized to the net radiation show higher rates of evapotranspiration at the forested site than over the cropland during the start of the growing season. However, toward the end of the growing season, latent heat fluxes from the forest decrease and the cropland becomes the dominate source of evapotranspiration. Conversely, croplands dominate sensible heat fluxes at the start of the growing season whereas the remnant forests are associated with strong sensible heat fluxes in late summer. These intra-seasonal spatial differences of latent and sensible heat fluxes across the Corn Belt imply differences in moisture pooling that are suggested as enhancing atmospheric convection during favorable synoptic conditions, especially near the boundaries of these two land cover types. Understanding the physical mechanisms by which the spatial distribution of vegetated land cover can generate contrasting latent and sensible heat fluxes will lay the groundwork for improving mesoscale precipitation forecasts in the Corn Belt, and determining the possible impacts of ongoing land-cover and climate changes there.

30 CFR 75.1731 - Maintenance of belt conveyors and belt conveyor entries.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Maintenance of belt conveyors and belt conveyor....1731 Maintenance of belt conveyors and belt conveyor entries. (a) Damaged rollers, or other damaged belt conveyor components, which pose a fire hazard must be immediately repaired or replaced. All other...

The Continuing Incidence of Natural Decrease in American Counties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Kenneth M.

2011-01-01

In 2002, more American counties (985) experienced natural decrease than at any time in the nation's history. The incidence of natural decrease has diminished since then, but remains near record levels. It is most common in rural areas remote from metropolitan centers. Spatial concentrations exist in the Great Plains, Corn Belt, and East Texas,…

Chock-full of change. Opportunities, and perils, abound as industry continues to evolve.

PubMed

Bellandi, D; Rauber, C; Hensley, S; Pallarito, K; Moore, J D; Morrissey, J; Hallam, K; Jaklevic, M C; Shinkman, R; Limbacher, P B; Saphir, A

1999-01-04

Tighten your belt and hold onto your wallet: Another year of change looms for healthcare. In a 1999 outlook report, our staff tells all about Medicare cutbacks, managed-care turbulence and a looming crisis in skilled nursing. And everyone is braced for the appearance of that ugly year-2000 computer bug.

Extensional tectonics during the igneous emplacement of the mafic-ultramafic rocks of the Barberton greenstone belt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dewit, M. J.

1986-01-01

The simatic rocks (Onverwacht Group) of the Barberton greenstone belt are part of the Jamestown ophiolite complex. This ophiolite, together with its thick sedimentary cover occupies a complex thrust belt. Field studies have identified two types of early faults which are entirely confined to the simatic rocks and are deformed by the later thrusts and associated folds. The first type of fault (F1a) is regional and always occurs in the simatic rocks along and parallel to the lower contacts of the ophiolite-related cherts (Middle Marker and equivalent layers). These fault zones have previously been referred to both as flaser-banded gneisses and as weathering horizons. In general the zones range between 1-30m in thickness. Displacements along these zones are difficult to estimate, but may be in the order of 1-100 km. The structures indicate that the faults formed close to horizontal, during extensional shear and were therefore low angle normal faults. F1a zones overlap in age with the formation of the ophiolite complex. The second type of faults (F1b) are vertical brittle-ductile shear zones, which crosscut the complex at variable angles and cannot always be traced from plutonic to overlying extrusive (pillowed) simatic rocks. F1b zones are also apparently of penecontemporaneous origin with the intrusive-extrusive igneous processs. F1b zones may either represent transform fault-type activity or represent root zones (steepened extensions) of F1a zones. Both fault types indicate extensive deformation in the rocks of the greenstone belt prior to compressional overthrust tectonics.

Evidence of water degassing during emplacement and crystallization of 2.7 Ga komatiites from the Agnew-Wiluna greenstone belt, Western Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiorentini, M. L.; Beresford, S. W.; Stone, W. E.; Deloule, E.

2012-07-01

Komatiites are ancient volcanic rocks, mostly over 2.7 billion years old, which formed through >30% partial melting of the mantle. This study addresses the crucial relationship between volcanology and physical manifestation of primary magmatic water content in komatiites of the Agnew-Wiluna greenstone belt, Western Australia, and documents the degassing processes that occurred during the emplacement and crystallization of these magmas. The Agnew-Wiluna greenstone belt of Western Australia contains three co-genetic komatiite units that (1) display laterally variable volcanological features, including thick cumulates and spinifex-textured units, and (2) were emplaced as both lava flows and intrusions at various locations. Komatiite sills up to 500 m thick contain widespread occurrence of hydromagmatic amphibole in orthocumulate- and mesocumulate-textured rocks, which contain ca. 40-50 wt% MgO and <3 wt% TiO2. Conversely, komatiite flows do not contain any volatile-bearing mineral phases: ~150-m-thick flows only contain vesicles, amygdales and segregation structures, whereas <5-10-m-thick flows lack any textural and petrographic evidence of primary volatile contents. The main results of this study demonstrate that komatiites from the Agnew-Wiluna greenstone belt, irrespective of their initial water content, have degassed upon emplacement, flow and crystallization. More importantly, data show that komatiite flows most likely degassed more water than komatiite intrusions. Komatiite degassing may have indirectly influenced numerous physical and chemical parameters of the water from the primordial oceans and hence indirectly contributed to the creation of a complex zonation at the interface between water and seafloor.

[Altitude-belt zonality of wood vegetation within mountainous regions of the Sayan Mountains: a model of ecological second-order phase transitions ].

PubMed

Sukhovol'skiĭ, V G; Ovchinnikova, T M; Baboĭ, S D

2014-01-01

As a description of altitude-belt zonality of wood vegetation, a model of ecological second-order transitions is proposed. Objects of the study have been chosen to be forest cenoses of the northern slope of Kulumyss Ridge (the Sayan Mauntains), while the results are comprised by the altitude profiles of wood vegetation. An ecological phase transition can be considered as the transition of cenoses at different altitudes from the state of presence of certain tree species within the studied territory to the state of their absence. By analogy with the physical model of second-order, phase transitions the order parameter is introduced (i.e., the area portion occupied by a single tree species at the certain altitude) as well as the control variable (i.e., the altitude of the wood vegetation belt). As the formal relation between them, an analog of the Landau's equation for phase transitions in physical systems is obtained. It is shown that the model is in a good accordance with the empirical data. Thus, the model can be used for estimation of upper and lower boundaries of altitude belts for individual tree species (like birch, aspen, Siberian fir, Siberian pine) as well as the breadth of their ecological niches with regard to altitude. The model includes also the parameters that describe numerically the interactions between different species of wood vegetation. The approach versatility allows to simplify description and modeling of wood vegetation altitude zonality, and enables assessment of vegetation cenoses response to climatic changes.

Anticipating Good Longleaf Pine Cone Crops: The Key to Successful Natural Regeneration

Treesearch

William D. Boyer

1997-01-01

Unlike other southern pines, or most intolerant pioneer species, longleaf pine is a poor seed producer. Cone crops are highly variable from year to-year, and also from place to place in the same year. Crops large enough to assure adequate regeneration are few and far between, especially in the longleaf pine belt of the southern Coastal Plains. Not only is this species...

Deepwater fold and thrust belt classification, tectonics, structure and hydrocarbon prospectivity: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morley, C. K.; King, R.; Hillis, R.; Tingay, M.; Backe, G.

2011-01-01

Deepwater fold and thrust belts (DWFTBs) are classified into near-field stress-driven Type 1 systems confined to the sedimentary section, and Type 2 systems deformed by either far-field stresses alone, or mixed near- and far-field stresses. DWFTBs can occur at all stages of the Wilson cycle up to early stage continent continent collision. Type 1 systems have either weak shale or salt detachments, they occur predominantly on passive margins but can also be found in convergent-related areas such as the Mediterranean and N. Borneo. Examples include the Niger and Nile deltas, the west coast of Africa, and the Gulf of Mexico. Type 2 systems are subdivided on a tectonic setting basis into continent convergence zones and active margin DWFTBs. Continent convergence zones cover DWFTBs developed during continent-arc or continent-continent collision, and those in a deepwater intracontinental setting (e.g. W. Sulawesi, Makassar Straits). Active margins include accretionary prisms and transform margins. The greatest variability in DWFTB structural style occurs between salt and shale detachments, and not between tectonic settings. Changes in fold amplitude and wavelength appear to be more related to thickness of the sedimentary section than to DWFTB type. In comparison with shale, salt detachment DWFTBS display a lower critical wedge taper, more detachment folds, long and episodic duration of deformation and more variation in vergence. Structures unique to salt include canopies and nappes. Accretionary prisms also standout from other DWFTBs due to their relatively long, continuous duration, rapid offshore propagation of the thrust front, and large amount of shortening. In terms of petroleum systems, many similar issues affect all DWFTBs, these include: the oceanward decrease in heat flow, offshore increase in age of mature source rock, and causes of trap failure (e.g. leaky oblique and frontal thrust faults, breach of top seal by fluid pipes). One major difference between Type 1 and Type 2 systems is reservoir rock. High quality, continent-derived, quartz-rich sandstones are generally prevalent in Type 1 systems. More diagenetically reactive minerals derived from igneous and ophiolitic sources are commonly present in Type 2 systems, or many are simply poor in well-developed turbidite sandstone units. However, some Type 2 systems, particularly those adjacent to active orogenic belts are partially sourced by high quality continent-derived sandstones (e.g. NW Borneo, S. Caspian Sea, Columbus Basin). In some cases very high rates of deposition in accretionary prisms adjacent to orogenic belts, coupled with uplift due to collision, results in accretionary prism related fold belts that pass laterally from sub-aerial to deepwater conditions (e.g. S. Caspian Sea, Indo-Burma Ranges). The six major hydrocarbon producing regions of DWFTBs worldwide (Gulf of Mexico, Niger Delta, NW Borneo, Brazil, West Africa, S. Caspian Sea) stand out as differing from most other DWFTBs in certain fundamental ways, particularly the very large volume of sediment deposited in the basins, and/or the great thickness and extent of salt or overpressured shale sdetachments.

Hst Measurements Of Main Belt Comet 300163

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jewitt, David; Weaver, H.; Agarwal, J.; Mutchler, M.; Larson, S.

2012-10-01

Asteroid 300163 (semimajor axis 3.05 AU, eccentricity 0.20, inclination 3 deg., Tisserand parameter 3.20) is a source of dust, giving it the dual cometary designation P/2006 VW139. It satisfies the definition of a main-belt comet (MBC) by having the orbital character of a main-belt asteroid but the diffuse appearance of a comet. We obtained Hubble Space Telescope observations of this object in December 2011 in order to study the morphology of the ejected dust at the highest angular resolution and to determine the cause of the mass loss from the nucleus. One of the two HST observing epochs was carefully timed to coincide with the Earth's crossing of the orbital plane (out of plane angle 0.01 deg.) to obtain a measure of the vertical velocity dispersion free from the effects of projection. We find an extraordinarily thin dust sheet and infer a sub-meter per second dust ejection velocity. Observations at the second epoch show a change in the near-nucleus dust morphology that indicates continuing ejection (i.e. the dust emission is not impulsive). We use the low velocity ejection, coupled with the absence of an observable coma, to help constrain the possible source mechanisms for the dust.

Dronning Maud Lands (East Antarctica) significance for Late Mesoproterozoic/Early Neoproterozoic supercontinent reconstructions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobs, Joachim; Elburg, Marlina; Laeufer, Andreas; Kleinhanns, Ilka C.; Henjes-Kunst, Friedhelm; Estrada, Solveig; Ruppel, Antonia; Damaske, Detlef; Montero, Pilar; Bea, Fernando

2015-04-01

The recent study of a so far white spot on the geological map of Dronning Maud Land (DML) during the international GEA expeditions sheds new light on the significance of major tectono-metamorphic provinces of Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica. The western part of eastern DML allows the characterization and ground-truthing of a large and mostly ice-covered area, that is geophysically distinct and which was previously interpreted as a potentially older cratonic block south of a Late Neoproterozoic/EarlyPaleozoic mobile belt, which is exposed in the Sør Rondane Mts. (SRM). SHRIMP/SIMS zircon analyses of 20 samples together with new geochemistry indicate that the exposed basement consists of a ca. 1000-900 Ma juvenile terrane that is very similar to the juvenile rocks of the SW-Terrane of the SRM, a characteristic gabbro-trondhjemite-tonalite-granite suite. However, in contrast to the southern part of the SW-Terrane, our study area shows intense crustal reworking at medium to high-grade conditions between ca. 630-520 Ma, associated with significant felsic melt production, including A-type granitoid magmatism. Therefore, the study area, and thereby the aeromagnetically distinct SE DML province does neither represent the foreland of a Late Neoproterozoic/EarlyPaleozoic mobile belt, nor a craton, as has previously been speculated. It more likely represents the westward continuation of Rayner-age crust (1000-900 Ma) that has undergone additional protracted LN/EP overprinting. We interpret the southern part of the only weakly overprinted SW-Terrane as a mega-boudin within a broad, rheologically weaker, NW-SE trending LN/EP mobile belt. Rayner-type crust likely continues further west, where it abuts along the SW-trending Forster Magnetic Anomaly. The latter is interpreted as a suture, which separates typical Grenville-age crust of the Maud Belt to the W from Rayner-age crust to the E. The study area has therefore clearly Indian affinities. Its juvenile character with a lack of metamorphic overprint at the end of crust formation could point to an accretionary history along this part of the Indian segment of Rodinia, immediately following final Rodinia assembly.

Uninterrupted optical light curves of main-belt asteroids from the K2 mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szabó, R.; Pál, A.; Sárneczky, K.; Szabó, Gy. M.; Molnár, L.; Kiss, L. L.; Hanyecz, O.; Plachy, E.; Kiss, Cs.

2016-11-01

Context. Because the second reaction wheel failed, a new mission was conceived for the otherwise healthy Kepler space telescope. In the course of the K2 mission, the telescope is staring at the plane of the Ecliptic. Thousands of solar system bodies therefore cross the K2 fields and usually cause additional noise in the highly accurate photometric data. Aims: We here follow the principle that some person's noise is another person's signal and investigate the possibility of deriving continuous asteroid light curves. This is the first such endeavor. In general, we are interested in the photometric precision that the K2 mission can deliver on moving solar system bodies. In particular, we investigate space photometric optical light curves of main-belt asteroids. Methods: We studied the K2 superstamps that cover the fields of M35, and Neptune together with Nereid, which were observed in the long-cadence mode (29.4 min sampling). Asteroid light curves were generated by applying elongated apertures. We used the Lomb-Scargle method to determine periodicities that are due to rotation. Results: We derived K2 light curves of 924 main-belt asteroids in the M35 field and 96 in the path of Neptune and Nereid. The light curves are quasi-continuous and several days long. K2 observations are sensitive to longer rotational periods than typical ground-based surveys. Rotational periods are derived for 26 main-belt asteroids for the first time. The asteroid sample is dominated by faint objects (>20 mag). Owing to the faintness of the asteroids and the high density of stars in the M35 field, only 4.0% of the asteroids with at least 12 data points show clear periodicities or trends that signal a long rotational period, as opposed to 15.9% in the less crowded Neptune field. We found that the duty cycle of the observations had to reach 60% to successfully recover rotational periods. Full Tables 1-4 are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/596/A40

Definition of redox and pH influence in the AMD mine system using a fuzzy qualitative tool (Iberian Pyrite Belt, SW Spain).

PubMed

de la Torre, M L; Grande, J A; Valente, T; Perez-Ostalé, E; Santisteban, M; Aroba, J; Ramos, I

2016-03-01

Poderosa Mine is an abandoned pyrite mine, located in the Iberian Pyrite Belt which pours its acid mine drainage (AMD) waters into the Odiel river (South-West Spain). This work focuses on establishing possible reasons for interdependence between the potential redox and pH, with the load of metals and sulfates, as well as a set of variables that define the physical chemistry of the water-conductivity, temperature, TDS, and dissolved oxygen-transported by a channel from Poderosa mine affected by acid mine drainage, through the use of techniques of artificial intelligence: fuzzy logic and data mining. The sampling campaign was carried out in May of 2012. There were a total of 16 sites, the first inside the tunnel and the last at the mouth of the river Odiel, with a distance of approximately 10 m between each pair of measuring stations. While the tools of classical statistics, which are widely used in this context, prove useful for defining proximity ratios between variables based on Pearson's correlations, in addition to making it easier to handle large volumes of data and producing easier-to-understand graphs, the use of fuzzy logic tools and data mining results in better definition of the variations produced by external stimuli on the set of variables. This tool is adaptable and can be extrapolated to any system polluted by acid mine drainage using simple, intuitive reasoning.

Tectonomorphic evolution of the Eastern Cordillera fold-thrust belt, Colombia: New insights based on apatite and zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghorbal, B.; Stockli, D. F.; Mora, A.; Horton, B. K.; Blanco, V.; Sanchez, N.

2010-12-01

The Eastern Cordillera (EC) of Colombia marks the eastern boundary of Cenozoic fold-thrust deformation in the northern Andes. It is a classic example of an inversion belt formed in the retro-arc region, in this case superimposed on a Triassic/Jurassic to Cretaceous intracontinental rift system of northern South America. Ongoing thrust reactivation (inversion) in this contractional orogen provides an excellent opportunity to study the patterns of deformation and influence of preexisting anisotropies (Mora et al., 2006). The objective of this detailed (U-Th)/He study is to unravel the tectonic and thermal evolution of the EC from the Magdalena Valley basin in the west to the Llanos foreland basin in the east and reconstruct the temporal and spatial progression of deformation in the EC fold-thrust belt. Furthermore, the Subandean or foothills zone of Colombia is key for understanding the petroleum systems in the complex frontal zone of the inverted fold-thrust belt. We present detailed apatite and zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronometric data from surface samples along a ~220 km WNW-ESE transect across the EC from the frontal fold-thrust belt at the edge of the Llanos basin to the western edge of the EC, the Magdalena basin. Surface and borehole zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He data, integrated with structural data, show that the EC fold-thrust belt propagated foreland-ward from the axial zone to the modern edges of the fold-thrust belt from at least the early Oligocene to the early Miocene. Detailed apatite and zircon (U-Th)/He data from surface samples and borehole samples in the foothills-Llanos transition zone and the Middle Magdalena Valley basin, between the large-displacement Guaicaramo and Pajarito-Chámeza thrusts in the east and the La Salina fault system in the west show a temporally complex evolution. The frontal fold-thrust belt was characterized by continued progressive foreland-ward migration of deformation and an apparent phase of major out-of-sequence motion along both sides of the orogen in the latest Miocene to early Pliocene, with recent to active deformation again concentrated along the frontal-most faults of the EC. These detailed new apatite and zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronometric data elucidate the progressive deformation, thermal history, and along-long strike variation (Mora et al., 2010) of the fold-thrust belt in the EC of Colombia and provide important new insights into the complex interplay between hydrocarbon maturation and temporal and kinematic evolution of the frontal fold-thrust belt. References [1] Mora, A., M. Parra, M. R. Strecker, A. Kammer, C. Dimaté, and F. Rodriguez, 2006, Cenozoic contractional reactivation of Mesozoic extensional structures in the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia: Tectonics, v. 25, TC2010. [2] Mora, A., Horton, B.K., Mesa, A., Rubiano, J., Ketcham, R.A., Parra, M., Blanco, V., Garcia, D. and D.F. Stockli, 2010, Cenozoic deformation patterns in the Eastern Cordillera, Colombia: Inferences from fission track results and structural relationships. AAPG Bulletin, in press.

Limited climate control of the Chugach/St. Elias thrust wedge in southern Alaska demonstrated by orogenic widening during Pliocene to Quaternary climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meigs, Andrew

2014-05-01

Critical taper wedge theory is the gold standard by which climate control of convergent orogenic belts is inferred. The theory predicts (and models reproduce) that an orogenic belt narrows if erosion increases in erosion in the face of a constant tectonic influx. Numerous papers now argue on the basis of thermochronologic data that the Chugach/ St. Elias Range (CSE) of southern Alaska narrowed as a direct response to Quaternary climate change because glaciers dominated erosion of the orogenic belt. The CSE formed in response to collision of a microplate with North America and is notable because glacial erosion has dominated the CSE for the past 5 to 6 Ma. An increase in sediment accumulation rates in the foreland basin over that time suggests that glacial erosion become more efficient. If correct, it is possible that glacial erosion outpaced rock influx thereby inducing a climatically controlled narrowing of the orogenic wedge during the Quaternary. Growth strata preserved within the wedge provide a test of that interpretation because they demonstrate the spatial and temporal pattern of deformation during the Pliocene to Quaternary climate transition. A thrust front established between 6 and 5 Ma jumped towards the foreland by 30 and 15 km at 1.8 and 0.25 Ma, respectively. Distributed deformation within the thrust belt accompanied the thrust front relocations. Continuous exhumation recorded by low-temperature thermochronometers occurred contemporaneously with the shortening, parallel the structural not the topographic grain, and ages become younger towards the foreland as well. Interpreted in terms of critical wedge theory, continuous distributed deformation reflects a sub-critical wedge taper resulting from the combined effects of persistent exhumation and incremental accretion and orogenic widening via thrust front jumps into the undeformed foreland. Taper angle varies according to published cross-sections and ranges from 3 to 9 degrees. If the wedge oscillated about critical taper, a pore fluid ratio between 0.7 and 0.97 is suggested by range of taper angles. Thus, the thrust belt response to Pliocene to Quaternary climate change and a likely increase in glacial coverage is in fact the opposite of the expected response of a critical-taper wedge to an increase in hinterland erosion rate. The CSE hovered near critical taper throughout the Quaternary and the tectonic influx equaled or exceeded the erosional efflux, implying that glacial erosion was paced by, not independent of, tectonic rock uplift rate.

Tectonics vs. Climate efficiency in triggering detrital input in sedimentary basins: the Po Plain-Venetian-Adriatic Foreland Basin (Northern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amadori, Chiara; Di Giulio, Andrea; Toscani, Giovanni; Lombardi, Stefano; Milanesi, Riccardo; Panara, Yuri; Fantoni, Roberto

2017-04-01

The relative efficiency of tectonics respect to climate in triggering erosion of mountain belts is a classical but still open debate in geosciences. The fact that data both from tectonically active and inactive mountain regions in different latitudes, record a worldwide increase of sediment input to sedimentary basins during the last million years concomitantly with the cooling of global climate and its evolution toward the modern high amplitude oscillating conditions pushed some authors to conclude that Pliocene-Pleistocene climate has been more efficient than tectonics in triggering mountain erosion. Po Plain-Venetian-Adriatic Foreland System, made by the relatively independent Po Plain-Northern Adriatic Basin and Venetian-Friulian Basin, provides an ideal case of study to test this hypothesis and possibly quantify the difference between the efficiency of the two. In fact it is a relatively closed basin (i.e. without significant sediment escape) with a fairly continuous sedimentation (i.e. with a quite continuous sedimentary record) completely surrounded by collisional belts (Alps, Northern Apennines and Dinarides) that experienced only very weak tectonic activity since Calabrian time, i.e. when climate cooling and cyclicity increased the most. We present a quantitative reconstruction of the sediment flow delivered from the surrounding mountain belts to the different part of the basin during Pliocene-Pleistocene time. This flow was obtained through the 3D reconstruction of the Venetian-Friulian and Po Plain Northern Adriatic Basins architecture, performed by means of the seismic-based interpretation and time-to-depth conversion of six chronologically constrained surfaces (seismic and well log data from courtesy of ENI); moreover, a 3D decompaction of the sediment volume bounded by each couple of surfaces has been included in the workflow, in order to avoid compaction-related bias. The obtained results show in both Basins a rapid four-folds increase of the sediment input occurred since mid-Pleistocene time respect to Pliocene-Gelasian times. Even if the absolute amount of sediment arriving in the two basins is quite different, reflecting the different extension of their source regions, this increase occurred concomitantly with both the strong decrease of tectonic activity in the surrounding belts and the onset of major glaciations in the Alpine range. Therefore we argue that a cool, highly oscillating climate, causing glacial-interglacial cycles is approximately 4 times more efficient than tectonics in promoting the erosion of mountain belts and the related detrital input in the surrounding sedimentary basins.

Improved simulation of precipitation in the tropics using a modified BMJ scheme in the WRF model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fonseca, R. M.; Zhang, T.; Yong, K.-T.

2015-09-01

The successful modelling of the observed precipitation, a very important variable for a wide range of climate applications, continues to be one of the major challenges that climate scientists face today. When the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is used to dynamically downscale the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) over the Indo-Pacific region, with analysis (grid-point) nudging, it is found that the cumulus scheme used, Betts-Miller-Janjić (BMJ), produces excessive rainfall suggesting that it has to be modified for this region. Experimentation has shown that the cumulus precipitation is not very sensitive to changes in the cloud efficiency but varies greatly in response to modifications of the temperature and humidity reference profiles. A new version of the scheme, denoted "modified BMJ" scheme, where the humidity reference profile is more moist, was developed. In tropical belt simulations it was found to give a better estimate of the observed precipitation as given by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) 3B42 data set than the default BMJ scheme for the whole tropics and both monsoon seasons. In fact, in some regions the model even outperforms CFSR. The advantage of modifying the BMJ scheme to produce better rainfall estimates lies in the final dynamical consistency of the rainfall with other dynamical and thermodynamical variables of the atmosphere.

Rediscovering the doldrums in high resolution simulations of the tropical Atlantic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klocke, Daniel; Brueck, Matthias; Stevens, Bjorn

2017-04-01

When sailors started crossing the tropics, they quickly discovered and learned to fear the belt of calm and variable winds around the ITCZ. They named this region the doldrums. The doldrums are such a persistent and dominant part of the general circulation that they were marked and described in the earliest maps and studies concerned with the winds over the oceans. After the invention of steam ships the interest in the doldrums faded and the doldrums mainly lived on in colloquial language as an expression for stagnation, listlessness and depression describing the experience of the sailors rather than the region. The research focus shifted to the ITCZ, which describes more the position of a variable front of strong convergence and maximum precipitation residing in the doldrums. GCMs continue to correctly simulate the position of the ITCZ, which is partly determined by small scale processes which are parameterized. In support of the NARVAL measurement campaign, convection permitting simulations were conducted for a winter and a summer months covering the tropical Atlantic (9000x3300 km) with the Icosahedral Nonhydrostatic Model (ICON). These simulations reveal the doldrums with their embedded convective structures including cold pools, convective storms and squall lines. The calms and the high variability of the wind direction between the trades connected to convective activity in the ITCZ is presented using the high resolution simulations and are compared to historical and current observations. Comparisons with current NWP models using parameterized convection show that parameterized models struggle to reproduce some of the essential features connected to the doldrums.

Structured Slow Solar Wind Variability: Streamer-blob Flux Ropes and Torsional Alfvén Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higginson, A. K.; Lynch, B. J.

2018-05-01

The slow solar wind exhibits strong variability on timescales from minutes to days, likely related to magnetic reconnection processes in the extended solar corona. Higginson et al. presented a numerical magnetohydrodynamic simulation that showed interchange magnetic reconnection is ubiquitous and most likely responsible for releasing much of the slow solar wind, in particular along topological features known as the Separatrix-Web (S-Web). Here, we continue our analysis, focusing on two specific aspects of structured slow solar wind variability. The first type is present in the slow solar wind found near the heliospheric current sheet (HCS), and the second we predict should be present everywhere S-Web slow solar wind is observed. For the first type, we examine the evolution of three-dimensional magnetic flux ropes formed at the top of the helmet streamer belt by reconnection in the HCS. For the second, we examine the simulated remote and in situ signatures of the large-scale torsional Alfvén wave (TAW), which propagates along an S-Web arc to high latitudes. We describe the similarities and differences between the reconnection-generated flux ropes in the HCS, which resemble the well-known “streamer blob” observations, and the similarly structured TAW. We discuss the implications of our results for the complexity of the HCS and surrounding plasma sheet and the potential for particle acceleration, as well as the interchange reconnection scenarios that may generate TAWs in the solar corona. We discuss predictions from our simulation results for the dynamic slow solar wind in the extended corona and inner heliosphere.

Temporal Variations in the Photosynthetic Biosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Behrenfeld, Michael; Randerson, James; McClain, Charles; Feldman, Gene; Los, Sietse; Tucker, Compton; Falkowski, Paul; Field, Christopher; Frouin, Robert; Esaias, Wayne;

Sink to survive: The persistence of ancient mountain belts through crustal density changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blackburn, T. J.; Ferrier, K.; Perron, J.

2012-12-01

Mountain belts form when collisions between continents thicken the Earth's crust, which buoyantly rises to remain in isostatic equilibrium with the underlying asthenosphere. Just as isostasy leads to the birth of mountain belts, it contributes to their destruction by responding to erosion with rock uplift, which in turn promotes further erosion. If the continental crust consisted of a single layer of constant density, erosion and isostatic rebound would continue thinning the crust until it was completely eroded. Such total destruction evidently does not happen, however, as the roots of Earth's oldest mountains have persisted for billions of years. One explanation for this preservation is that an orogen's isostatic response to erosion decreases over time as the crust increases in density as the lower crust undergoes metamorphic phase changes that accompany lithosphere cooling. The implication of this hypothesis is that erosion rates in mountain belts are linked to the thermal and density evolution of the lithosphere. We test this hypothesis with a global compilation of exhumation rates and erosion rates determined from published apatite fission track and cosmogenic 10Be measurements in collisional orogens ranging in formation age from 0 to 2 billion years. We compare these data to a numerical model of the thermal, density and erosional evolution of a decaying mountain belt. Measured and modeled data indicate that erosion is fastest in young, hot, low-density, and topographically high mountain belts, and that erosion rates decrease dramatically after 200-300 million years (My). This 200-300 My timescale is consistent with titanite U-Pb thermochronologic data from lower crustal xenoliths, which record cooling to temperatures consistent with garnet growth and crustal densification (~650 °C) within 200-300 My after orogenesis. For the same orogens, Sm-Nd and/or Lu-Hf garnet-whole rock isochron dates constrains lower crustal garnet growth and a corresponding crustal density increase to 200-450 My following orogenesis. Thus, geochronologic data at various timescales, from ancient thermal histories to geologically recent erosion rates, are consistent with an isostatic model that links the erosional decay of a collisional orogens to its thermal and density evolution. Given the geologic and climatic diversity of mountain ranges around the world, it is striking that their erosional histories are generally consistent with a single simple model. The scenario described here, in which young, hot, low-density orogens erode quickly for a few hundred My while older, colder, denser orogens erode much more slowly for billions of years provides an explanation for the persistence of some of Earth's oldest mountain belts. The importance of this erosional succession is underscored by the fact that continental landmasses are constructed through mountain building processes: like jigsaw puzzles with many pieces, continents are amalgamations of ancient mountain belts assembled over geologic time. Temperature-dependent densities appear to play a global role in the long-term evolution of mountain belts and continents, influencing the preservation of continental lithosphere over billions of years.

Western Ishtar Terra and Lakshmi Planum, Venus - Models of formation and evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Kari M.; Head, James W.

1990-08-01

Regional geologic mapping and gravity data reveal a variety of characteristics that must be accounted for in models for the formation and evolution of Western Ishtar Terra and Lakshmi Planum, including: (1) high elevation, (2) plateau-shaped profile, (3) abnormally steep bounding slopes, (4) foredeeps, (5) polygonal outline, (6) adjacent orogenic belts, (7) volcanic plains, (8) plains emplaced synchronously with orogenic belts, (9) paterae, (10) variable topography of Lakshmi, (11) tessera-like material underlying Lakshmi, and (12) a large apparent depth of compensation. A tessera/peripheral deformation model, in which a preexisting block of tessera is the locus of convergence of adjacent thinner crust and lithosphere, underthrusting, mountain building, subsurface melting, and plateau uplift, is interpreted to account for most of the characteristics. The aparent depth of compensation is not simply explained by this model and appears to require a second, deeper mantle anomaly component, such as broad mantle upwelling or a hot spot.

The effect of a gearshift interlock on seat belt use by drivers who do not always use a belt and its acceptance among those who do.

PubMed

Kidd, David G; Singer, Jeremiah; Huey, Richard; Kerfoot, Laura

2018-06-01

Seat belts reduce the risk of fatal injury in a crash, yet in 2015, nearly 10,000 people killed in passenger vehicles were unrestrained. Enhanced seat belt reminders increase belt use, but a gearshift interlock that prevents the vehicle from being placed into gear unless the seat belt is used may prove more effective. Thirty-two people with a recent seat belt citation and who admitted to not always using a seat belt as a driver were recruited as part-time belt users and asked to evaluate two new vehicles. Sixteen drove two vehicles with an enhanced reminder for one week each, and 16 drove a vehicle with an enhanced reminder for one week and a vehicle with a gearshift interlock the following week. Sixteen full-time belt users who reported always using a seat belt drove a vehicle with a gearshift interlock for one week to evaluate acceptance. Relative to the enhanced reminder, the gearshift interlock significantly increased the likelihood that a part-time belt user used a belt during travel time in a trip by 21%, and increased the rate of belt use by 16%; this effect approached significance. Although every full-time belt user experienced the gearshift interlock, their acceptance of the technology reported in a post-study survey was fairly positive and not significantly different from part-time belt users. Six part-time belt users circumvented the gearshift interlock by sitting on a seat belt, waiting for the system to deactivate, or unbuckling during travel. The gearshift interlock increased the likelihood that part-time belt users buckled up and the rate of belt use during travel relative to the enhanced reminder but could be more effective if it prevented circumvention. An estimated 718-942 lives could be saved annually if the belt use of unbuckled drivers and front passengers increased 16-21%. Copyright © 2018 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Temporal dynamic of wood formation in Pinus cembra along the alpine treeline ecotone and the effect of climate variables

PubMed Central

Gruber, Andreas; Baumgartner, Daniel; Zimmermann, Jolanda; Oberhuber, Walter

2011-01-01

We determined the temporal dynamic of cambial activity and xylem development of stone pine (Pinus cembra L.) throughout the treeline ecotone. Repeated micro-sampling of the developing tree ring was carried out during the growing seasons 2006 and 2007 at the timberline (1950 m a.s.l.), treeline (2110 m a.s.l.) and within the krummholz belt (2180 m a.s.l.) and the influence of climate variables on intra-annual wood formation was determined. At the beginning of both growing seasons, highest numbers of cambial and enlarging cells were observed at the treeline. Soil temperatures at time of initiation of cambial activity were c. 1.5 °C higher at treeline (open canopy) compared to timberline (closed canopy), suggesting that a threshold root-zone temperature is involved in triggering onset of above ground stem growth. The rate of xylem cell production determined in two weekly intervals during June through August 2006-2007 was significantly correlated with air temperature (temperature sums expressed as degree-days and mean daily maximum temperature) at the timberline only. Lack of significant relationships between tracheid production and temperature variables at the treeline and within the krummholz belt support past dendroclimatological studies that more extreme environmental conditions (e.g., wind exposure, frost desiccation, late frost) increasingly control tree growth above timberline. Results of this study revealed that spatial and temporal (i.e. year-to-year) variability in timing and dynamic of wood formation of Pinus cembra is strongly influenced by local site factors within the treeline ecotone and the dynamics of seasonal temperature variation, respectively. PMID:21509148

Comfort and convenience specifications for safety belts : shoulder belt fit, pressure and pullout forces

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1980-04-30

A three-part study was conducted to further define comfort requirements for seat belt systems with respect to shoulder belt fit, shoulder belt contact pressure, and 3-point restraint system pullout forces. Objective of the belt-fit portion of the stu...

49 CFR 393.93 - Seats, seat belt assemblies, and seat belt assembly anchorages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Seats, seat belt assemblies, and seat belt assembly anchorages. 393.93 Section 393.93 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation... § 393.93 Seats, seat belt assemblies, and seat belt assembly anchorages. (a) Buses—(1) Buses...

49 CFR 393.93 - Seats, seat belt assemblies, and seat belt assembly anchorages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Seats, seat belt assemblies, and seat belt assembly anchorages. 393.93 Section 393.93 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation... § 393.93 Seats, seat belt assemblies, and seat belt assembly anchorages. (a) Buses—(1) Buses...

49 CFR 393.93 - Seats, seat belt assemblies, and seat belt assembly anchorages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Seats, seat belt assemblies, and seat belt assembly anchorages. 393.93 Section 393.93 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation... § 393.93 Seats, seat belt assemblies, and seat belt assembly anchorages. (a) Buses—(1) Buses...

49 CFR 393.93 - Seats, seat belt assemblies, and seat belt assembly anchorages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Seats, seat belt assemblies, and seat belt assembly anchorages. 393.93 Section 393.93 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation... § 393.93 Seats, seat belt assemblies, and seat belt assembly anchorages. (a) Buses—(1) Buses...

49 CFR 393.93 - Seats, seat belt assemblies, and seat belt assembly anchorages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Seats, seat belt assemblies, and seat belt assembly anchorages. 393.93 Section 393.93 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation... § 393.93 Seats, seat belt assemblies, and seat belt assembly anchorages. (a) Buses—(1) Buses...

Phanerozoic polyphase orogenies recorded in the northeastern Okcheon Belt, Korea from SHRIMP U-Pb detrital zircon and K-Ar illite geochronologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Yirang; Kwon, Sanghoon; Song, Yungoo; Kim, Sung Won; Kwon, Yi Kyun; Yi, Keewook

2018-05-01

We present the SHRIMP U-Pb detrital zircon and K-Ar illite 1Md/1M and 2M1 ages, suggesting new insight into the Phanerozoic polyphase orogenies preserved in the northeastern Okcheon Belt, Korea since the initial basin formation during Neoproterozoic rifting through several successive contractional orogens. The U-Pb detrital zircon ages from the Early Paleozoic strata of the Taebaeksan Zone suggest a Cambrian maximum deposition age, and are supported by trilobite and conodont biostratigraphy. Although the age spectra from two sedimentary groups, the Yeongwol and Taebaek Groups, show similar continuous distributions from the Late Paleoproterozoic to Early Paleozoic ages, a Grenville-age hiatus (1.3-0.9 Ga) in the continuous stratigraphic sequence from the Taebaek Group suggests the existence of different peripheral clastic sources along rifted continental margin(s). In addition, we present the K-Ar illite 1Md/1M ages of the fault gouges, which confirm fault formation/reactivation during the Late Cretaceous to Early Paleogene (ca. 82-62 Ma) and the Early Miocene (ca. 20-18 Ma). The 2M1 illite ages, at least those younger than the host rock ages, provide episodes of deformation, metamorphism and hydrothermal effects related to the tectonic events during the Devonian (ca.410 Ma) and Permo-Triassic (ca. 285-240 Ma). These results indicate that the northeastern Okcheon Belt experienced polyphase orogenic events, namely the Okcheon (Middle Paleozoic), Songrim (Late Paleozoic to Early Mesozoic), Daebo (Middle Mesozoic) and Bulguksa (Late Mesozoic to Early Cenozoic) Orogenies, reflecting the Phanerozoic tectonic evolution of the Korean Peninsula along the East Asian continental margin.

Predictive maps for Juno perijoves and identification of significant features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogers, J. H.; Adamoli, G.; Jacquesson, M.; Vedovato, M.; Mettig, H.-J.; Eichstädt, G.; Caplinger, M.; Momary, T. W.; Orton, G. S.; Tabataba-Vakili, F.; Hansen, C. J.

2017-09-01

At each Juno perijove, JunoCam takes hi-res images of selected latitudes along the sub-spacecraft track, as determined by public voting. To inform this target election process, we use the continuous coverage of Jupiter's visible clouds by amateur imaging, and the tracking of features from those images by the JUPOS project, to identify the features which are expected to be visible at the upcoming perijove. We produce a predictive map for each perijove, and subsequently annotate the JunoCam images to locate the known jets and circulation. Up to perijove 5, this collaboration has contributed to hi-res imaging of several long-lived circulations in northern and southern hemispheres, of major new convective outbreaks in the North and South Equatorial Belts, and of the North Temperate Belt maturing after a cyclic outbreak.

Innovations of Engineering Company and Competitiveness in the Mining Equipment Market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pogrebnoi, Vladislav; Samorodova, Lyudmila; Shut'ko, Larisa; Yakunina, Yulia; Lyubimov, Oleg

2017-11-01

The article deals with issues related to the development of innovative projects by engineering companies and effective marketing policy as a factor of increasing their competitiveness in the mining equipment market. The paper presents the results of the development of innovative technology in the segment of extensible belt conveyors. The necessity of marketing the innovative project is proved by the example of the development of technology for the production of the motor-drum of a belt conveyor with an adjustable drive on continuous current magnets by the engineering company "Transport-Electroprivod" (LLC). The authors consider the effective marketing strategy of an engineering company as an attractor of increasing demand for innovation and competitiveness in the mining equipment market. The methods of marketing promotion and promotion of innovations are considered within the framework of the ecosystem concept of J. Moore.

Photodeformable polymer materials: towards light-driven spoke-type micromotor application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Yutian; Zheng, Lihui; Liu, Zhao; Liu, Heng; Yu, Yanlei

2014-06-01

Using a photodeformable polymer material, liquid-crystalline polymer incorporated with azobenzene moieties, a spoke-type micromotor is designed, which could convert light energy directly into mechanical work. It consists of four driving belts, whose mechanical model is established and the driving moment of the micromotor upon irradiation with UV light and without photoirradiation is calculated, respectively. According to the calculated driving moment, the UV light and the visible light are arranged to irradiate from parallel and opposite direction of the micromotor simultaneously, which convert the bending deflection of the photodeformable polymer material belts to continuous rotation of the micromotor. As light is a green energy source that can be controlled remotely, instantly and without the aid of electric wires, the photodeformable polymer material has great potential to be utilized in micro-actuator and other relative applications.

The dynamic radiation environment assimilation model (DREAM)

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

Reeves, Geoffrey D; Koller, Josef; Tokar, Robert L

2010-01-01

The Dynamic Radiation Environment Assimilation Model (DREAM) is a 3-year effort sponsored by the US Department of Energy to provide global, retrospective, or real-time specification of the natural and potential nuclear radiation environments. The DREAM model uses Kalman filtering techniques that combine the strengths of new physical models of the radiation belts with electron observations from long-term satellite systems such as GPS and geosynchronous systems. DREAM includes a physics model for the production and long-term evolution of artificial radiation belts from high altitude nuclear explosions. DREAM has been validated against satellites in arbitrary orbits and consistently produces more accurate resultsmore » than existing models. Tools for user-specific applications and graphical displays are in beta testing and a real-time version of DREAM has been in continuous operation since November 2009.« less

[Helminthology according to the philosophy of science of Imre Lakatos].

PubMed

Orensanz, Martín; Denegri, Guillermo

2017-01-01

Lakatos's philosophy of science has been used for different branches of biology, however this has not been true for helminthology. Therefore, this article examines the possibility of using his methodology of scientific research programmes (SRP) for reconstructing the history of the discipline of helminthology. It is upheld that the first SRP in biology was inaugurated by Aristotle, and its protective belt included a small group of auxiliary hypotheses referring to helminths. This programme continued up until the 17th century, when two rival programmes in helminthology arose: the internalist and the externalist. After the second half of the 19th century the internalist SRP was abandoned, while the externalist considerably broadened its protective belt during the 20th century. The internalist programme was abandoned due to the crucial experiments of Küchenmeister, which permitted the consolidation of the externalist SRP.

Normative Misperceptions of Peer Seat Belt Use Among High School Students and Their Relationship to Personal Seat Belt Use

PubMed Central

LITT, DANA M.; LEWIS, MELISSA A.; LINKENBACH, JEFFREY W.; LANDE, GARY; NEIGHBORS, CLAYTON

2016-01-01

Objectives This research examined gender-specific perceptions of peer seat belt use norms among high school students and their relationship with one’s own seat belt use. We expected that students would underestimate the seat belt use of their peers and that these perceptions would be positively associated with their own seat belt use. Methods High school students from 4 schools (N = 3348; 52% male) completed measures assessing perceived seat belt use and personal seat belt use. Results Findings demonstrated that students perceived that others engaged in less seat belt use than they do and that perceived norms were positively associated with one’s own seat belt use. Conclusions Peer influences are a strong predictor of behavior, especially among adolescents. Ironically, adolescents’ behaviors are often influenced by inaccurate perceptions of their peers. This research establishes the presence of a misperception related to seat belt use and suggests that misperception is associated with own behaviors. This research provides a foundation for social norms–based interventions designed to increase seat belt use by correcting normative misperceptions among adolescents. PMID:24628560

Orion revisited. III. The Orion Belt population

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubiak, K.; Alves, J.; Bouy, H.; Sarro, L. M.; Ascenso, J.; Burkert, A.; Forbrich, J.; Großschedl, J.; Hacar, A.; Hasenberger, B.; Lombardi, M.; Meingast, S.; Köhler, R.; Teixeira, P. S.

2017-02-01

Aims: This paper continues our study of the foreground population to the Orion molecular clouds. The goal is to characterize the foreground population north of NGC 1981 and to investigate the star formation history in the large Orion star-forming region. We focus on a region covering about 25 square degrees, centered on the ɛ Orionis supergiant (HD 37128, B0 Ia) and covering the Orion Belt asterism. Methods: We used a combination of optical (SDSS) and near-infrared (2MASS) data, informed by X-ray (XMM-Newton) and mid-infrared (WISE) data, to construct a suite of color-color and color-magnitude diagrams for all available sources. We then applied a new statistical multiband technique to isolate a previously unknown stellar population in this region. Results: We identify a rich and well-defined stellar population in the surveyed region that has about 2000 objects that are mostly M stars. We infer the age for this new population to be at least 5 Myr and likely 10 Myr and estimate a total of about 2500 members, assuming a normal IMF. This new population, which we call the Orion Belt population, is essentially extinction-free, disk-free, and its spatial distribution is roughly centered near ɛ Ori, although substructure is clearly present. Conclusions: The Orion Belt population is likely the low-mass counterpart to the Ori OB Ib subgroup. Although our results do not rule out Blaauw's sequential star formation scenario for Orion, we argue that the recently proposed blue streams scenario provides a better framework on which one can explain the Orion star formation region as a whole. We speculate that the Orion Belt population could represent the evolved counterpart of an Orion nebula-like cluster. The catalog (Full Table A.1) is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/598/A124

Examining Relativistic Electron Loss in the Outer Radiation Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, J. C.; Onsager, T. G.; O'Brien, P.

2003-12-01

Since the discovery of earth's radiation belts researchers have sought to identify the mechanisms that dictate the seemingly erratic relativistic electron flux levels in the outer belt. Contrary to intuition, relativistic electron flux levels do not always increase during geomagnetic storms even though these storms signify enhanced energy input from the solar wind to the magnetosphere [Reeves et al., 2003; O'Brien et al., 2001]. The fickle response of the radiation belt electrons to geomagnetic activity suggests that flux levels are determined by the outcome of a continuous competition between acceleration and loss. Some progress has been made developing and testing acceleration mechanisms but little is known about how relativistic electrons are lost. We examine relativistic electron losses in the outer belt focusing our attention on flux decrease events of the type first described by Onsager et al. [2002]. The study showed a sudden decrease of geosynchronous >2MeV electron flux occurring simultaneously with local stretching of the magnetic field. The decrease was first observed near 15:00 MLT and progressed to all local times after a period of ˜10 hours. Expanding on the work of Onsager et al. [2002], we have identified ˜ 51 such flux decrease events in the GOES and LANL data and present the results of a superposed epoch analysis of solar wind data, geomagnetic activity indicators, and locally measured magnetic field and plasma data. The analysis shows that flux decreases occur after 1-2 days of quiet condition. They begin when either the solar wind dynamic pressure increases or Bz turns southward pushing hot dense plasma earthward to form a partial ring current and stretched magnetic field at dusk. Adiabatic electron motion in response to the stretched magnetic field may explain the initial flux reduction; however, often the flux does not recover with the magnetic field recovery, indicating that true loss from the magnetosphere is occurring. Using Polar and SAMPEX data, we examine whether precipitation to the atmosphere or magnetopause encounters can account for the additional loss.

Reconstruction of the Paleoproterozoic deeper ocean environment: Preliminary Report of the Ghana Birimian Greenstone Belt Drilling Project (GHB)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiyokawa, S.; Yoshimaru, S.; Miki, T.; Sakai, S.; Ikehara, M.; Yamaguchi, K. E.; Ito, T.; Onoue, T.; Takehara, M.; Tetteh, G. M.; Nyame, F. K.

2016-12-01

The Paleoproterozoic Era are one of the most rapid environmental change when the earth surface environment was affected by formation of continents and increasing atmospheric oxygen levels. Major oxidation of Great Oxidation Event (GOE) are reported this ages (eg. Holland, 2006; Condie, 2001; Lyons et al., 2014). The nature of deep sea environments at this time have not been clearly identified and oceanic sediments are mostly involved in subduction. The Paleoproterozoic Birimian Greenstone Belt is an ophiolitic volcaniclastic sequence in Ghana, with depositional age of over 2.3-2.2 Ga (Petersson et al., 2016). Detail research was conducted of the Ashanti (Axim-Konongo) Belt of the Birimian Greenstone Belt along the coast near Cape Three Points area. Very thick volcaniclastic and organic-rich sedimentary rocks, which we now refer to as the Cape Three Points Group, crop out in the lower part of the Birimian Greenstone Belt. Stratigraphically, three unit identified; the lower portion contains thick vesicular volcaniclastic rocks, the middle portion is made up of laminated volcaniclastics and black shale, and the upper portion dominated by fine laminated volcaniclastics with more black shale sequence. Continuous core drilling from Dec 3-12th 2015 of the upper part of the sequence intersected saprolite to a depth of 30m and fresh, well preserved stratigraphy with graded bedding and lamination to a depth of 195m. Half cut cores show well laminated organic rich black shale and relative carbonate rich layers with very fine pyrite grains. SHRIMP age data from a porphyry intrusion into this sequence indicate an age of 2250 Ma. Carbon isotope analysis shows δ13C = -43 to -37‰ for black shale with the very light isotope values for cyanobacterial signature.The fining-upward sequences, well laminated bed and black shales and REE data suggest this sequence situated partly silent stagnant with volcanic activity ocean floor environment around an oceanic island arc condition.

Variscan orogeny in the Black Sea region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okay, Aral I.; Topuz, Gültekin

2017-03-01

Two Gondwana-derived Paleozoic belts rim the Archean/Paleoproterozoic nucleus of the East European Platform in the Black Sea region. In the north is a belt of Paleozoic passive-margin-type sedimentary rocks, which extends from Moesia to the Istanbul Zone and to parts of the Scythian Platform (the MOIS Block). This belt constituted the south-facing continental margin of the Laurussia during the Late Paleozoic. This margin was deformed during the Carboniferous by folding and thrusting and forms the Variscan foreland. In the south is a belt of metamorphic and granitic rocks, which extends from the Balkanides through Strandja, Sakarya to the Caucasus (BASSAC Block). The protoliths of the metamorphic rocks are predominantly late Neoproterozoic granites and Paleozoic sedimentary and igneous rocks, which were deformed and metamorphosed during the Early Carboniferous. There are also minor eclogites and serpentinites, mostly confined to the northern margin of the BASSAC Block. Typical metamorphism is of low pressure-high temperature type and occurred during the Early Carboniferous (Visean, 340-330 Ma) coevally with that observed in the Central Europe. Volumetrically, more than half of the crystalline belt is made up of Carboniferous-earliest Permian (335-294 Ma) granites. The type of metamorphism, its concurrent nature over 1800 km length of the BASSAC Block and voluminous acidic magmatism suggest that the thermal event probably occurred in the deep levels of a continental magmatic arc. The BASSAC arc collided with Laurussia in the mid-Carboniferous leading to the foreland deformation. The ensuing uplift in the Permian resulted in the deposition of continental red beds, which are associated with acidic magmatic rocks observed over the foreland as well as over the BASSAC Block. In the Black Sea region, there was no terminal collision of Laurussia with Gondwana during the Late Paleozoic and the Laurussia margin continued to face the Paleo-Tethyan ocean in the south.

Transportation behaviors in Shiraz, Iran.

PubMed

Vakili, Veda; Danaei, Mina; Askarian, Mehrdad; Palenik, Charles John; Abdollahifard, Gholamreza

2012-01-01

Motor vehicle accidents can occur as a result of improper driver behavior. There needs to be a comprehensive collection of information concerning driver behavior and its predisposing factors. Study participants (500 males and 500 females ≥18 years old) living in Shiraz, Iran, were selected using a multistage sampling methodology. Data came from questionnaires completed using a face-to-face interview process. Independent variables such as age, gender, marital status, occupation, educational level, socioeconomic status (SES), and history of smoking and stress levels were compared to the dependent variables using a private automobile, public transportation, or motorcycle, wearing a seat belts, wearing safety helmets, and obeying the speed limit. Statistical significance was set at a P value of .05 or less. In general, female, better educated persons, and those with higher SES reported better driving behaviors. Better drivers also did not use tobacco or hookah. Compliance with driving safety factors was disappointing 49.8 percent always wore a seat belt, 22.4 percent always wore a safety helmet (29.4% never wore a helmet), and 49.4 percent always observed the speed limit. There is a need to improve driver safety compliance in Shiraz, Iran. One factor that can be addressed concerns regulation of male drivers, especially among lower SES groups.

Seat belt use to save face: impact on drivers' body region and nature of injury in motor vehicle crashes.

PubMed

Han, Guang-Ming; Newmyer, Ashley; Qu, Ming

2015-01-01

Seat belt use is the single most effective way to save lives and reduce injuries in motor vehicle crashes. However, some case reports described seat belt use as a double-edged sword because some injuries are related to seat belt use in motor vehicle crashes. To comprehensively understand the effects of seat belt use, we systemically investigated the association between seat belt use and injuries based on anatomic body region and type of injury in drivers involved in motor vehicle crashes. The injury information was obtained by linking crash reports with hospital discharge data and categorized by using the diagnosis codes based on the Barell injury diagnosis matrix. A total of 10,479 drivers (≥15 years) in passenger vehicles involved in motor vehicle crashes from 2006 to 2011 were included in this study. Seat belt use significantly reduced the proportions of traumatic brain injury (10.4% non-seat belt; 4.1% seat belt) and other head, face, and neck injury (29.3% non-seat belt; 16.6% seat belt) but increased the proportion of spine: thoracic to coccyx injury (17.9% non-seat belt; 35.5% seat belt). Although the proportion of spine: thoracic to coccyx injury was increased in drivers with seat belt use, the severity of injury was decreased, such as fracture (4.2% with seat belt use; 22.0% without seat belt use). Furthermore, the total medical charges decreased due to the change of injury profiles in drivers with seat belt use from a higher percentage of fractures (average cost for per case $26,352) to a higher percentage of sprains and/or strains ($1,897) with spine: thoracic to coccyx injury. This study provide a comprehensive picture for understanding the protective effect of seat belt use on injuries based on anatomic body region and type of injury in drivers involved in motor vehicle crashes.

Structure, age, and regional significance of syntectonic augen gneisses in the Pan-African Zambezi belt, south-central Zambia

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

Hanson, R.E.; Wilson, T.J.; Wardlaw, M.S.

1985-01-01

The Pan-African Zambezi belt in Zambia contains two major augen gneiss units that are elongated parallel to regional strike. These were previously regarded as slices of sialic basement structurally interleaved with Katangan metasedimentary rocks. New field and geochronologic evidence suggests that the gneisses are syntectonic granites intruded as large concordant sheets during main-phase (D/sub 1/) Pan-African deformation. A pervasive, horizontal or shallowly plunging mineral lineation on S/sub 1/ in the gneisses indicates that the parent granites were injected along major zones of transcurrent shear. The northern gneiss unit shows local discordant contacts against, and contains xenoliths of, adjacent Katangan rocks.more » Large, partly polygonized K-spar augen in the gneiss are wrapped around by S/sub 1/ and offset by microfractures antithetic to S/sub 1/. Finer grained granites intruding the gneiss are penetratively foliated to nondeformed, indicating that they were injected at various times relative to D/sub 1/. In the more intensely deformed southern gneiss unit, local pods of protomylonitic flaser gneiss grade into mylonites containing asymmetric K-spar augen set in a dynamically recrystallized matrix. U-Pb analyses of four fractions plus an air-abraded split of one fraction form a normal linear discordance pattern with an upper intercept of 820 +/- 7 Ma, taken as the age of igneous crystallization. Comparison with other available geochronologic data indicates that this age dates main-phase deformation in the Zambezi belt, and that deformation in the supposedly continuous Damaran belt to the SW was significantly younger.« less

X-ray phase scanning setup for non-destructive testing using Talbot-Lau interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bachche, S.; Nonoguchi, M.; Kato, K.; Kageyama, M.; Koike, T.; Kuribayashi, M.; Momose, A.

2016-09-01

X-ray grating interferometry has a great potential for X-ray phase imaging over conventional X-ray absorption imaging which does not provide significant contrast for weakly absorbing objects and soft biological tissues. X-ray Talbot and Talbot-Lau interferometers which are composed of transmission gratings and measure the differential X-ray phase shifts have gained popularity because they operate with polychromatic beams. In X-ray radiography, especially for nondestructive testing in industrial applications, the feasibility of continuous sample scanning is not yet completely revealed. A scanning setup is frequently advantageous when compared to a direct 2D static image acquisition in terms of field of view, exposure time, illuminating radiation, etc. This paper demonstrates an efficient scanning setup for grating-based Xray phase imaging using laboratory-based X-ray source. An apparatus consisting of an X-ray source that emits X-rays vertically, optical gratings and a photon-counting detector was used with which continuously moving objects across the field of view as that of conveyor belt system can be imaged. The imaging performance of phase scanner was tested by scanning a long continuous moving sample at a speed of 5 mm/s and absorption, differential-phase and visibility images were generated by processing non-uniform moire movie with our specially designed phase measurement algorithm. A brief discussion on the feasibility of phase scanner with scanning setup approach including X-ray phase imaging performance is reported. The successful results suggest a breakthrough for scanning objects those are moving continuously on conveyor belt system non-destructively using the scheme of X-ray phase imaging.

Reduced fatalities related to rear seat shoulder belts

PubMed Central

Robertson, L.

1999-01-01

Methods—During 1988–96, fatalities to rear outboard seat occupants of passenger cars, classified by age of occupant and vehicle curb weight were matched to data on model year in which shoulder belts became standard equipment. The same data were obtained from the same years on back seat occupants in crashes from the Crashworthiness Data System. Weighted regression was performed on death rates per occupants in crashes by belt equipment, occupant age, and vehicle weight for all occupants and occupants who claimed to be restrained. Results—The risk of death is significantly lower in vehicles equipped with shoulder belts, midsized to larger cars, and among children. Claimed child restraint use is higher in cars with shoulder belts and claimed use of shoulder belts is higher among adolescents and young adults but lower among those 35 and older. However, older occupants have lower death rates in shoulder belt equipped cars. Conclusions—Shoulder belts substantially reduce risk of death relative to lap belts at prevalent use rates in each age group. Belt effectiveness when used cannot be estimated precisely because of invalid claimed use, but the lowered rates among vehicles with shoulder belts indicates that effectiveness given prevalent use is far more efficacious than lap belts without shoulder belts. PMID:10323573

Lithofacies Associations and Depositional Environments of the Neogene Molasse succession, Pishin Belt, northwestern Pakistan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasi, A.; Kassi, A.; Friis, H.; Umar, M.

2013-12-01

The Pishin Belt is a NE-SW trending mixed flysch and molasse basin, situated at the northwestern part of Pakistan, bordered by Afghan Block of the Eurasian Plate in the west and Indian Plate in the east. Western boundary of the belt is marked by the well-known Chaman Transform Fault, whereas the Zhob Valley Thrust and Muslim Bagh-Zhob Ophiolite mark the eastern boundary. The Belt is divisible into six tectono-stratigraphic zones bounded by major thrusts. Muslim Bagh-Zhob Ophiolite is the base and Zone-I of this belt. Zone-II comprises shallow marine and flysch successions of the Eocene Nisai Formation and Oligocene Khojak Formation. The Early to Middle Miocene Dasht Murgha group comprises Zone-III, the Late Miocene-Pliocene Malthanai formation comprises Zone-IV, the Pleistocene Bostan Formation makes Zone-V, and the flat-laying Holocene deposits of the Zhob Valley comprise Zone-VI. The Neogene molasse successions of the Pishin Belt include the Dasht Murgha group, Malthanai formation and Bostan Formation; these are mostly composed of sandstone, claystone and conglomerate lithologies. Sandstones have been classified as lithic arenites and their QFL values suggest quartzolithic composition. Twelve distinct lithofacies have been recognized in the succession and thus grouped into four types of facies associations. Lithofacies include clast-supported massive gravel (Gcm), clast-supported crudely bedded gravel (Gh), cross-stratified conglomerate (Gt and Gp), trough cross-stratified sandstone (St), planar cross-stratified sandstone (Sp), ripple cross-laminated sandstone (Sr), horizontally stratified sandstone (Sh), low-angle cross-stratified sandstone (Sl), massive sandstones (Sm), massive mudstone and siltstone (Fm) and paleosol carbonate (P). The lithofacies associations include channel facies association (CHA), crevasse-splay facies association (CSA), natural-levee facies association (LVA) and floodplain facies association (FPA). The lithofacies associations suggest that the Dasht Murgha group was deposited by a sandy braided to mixed-load high-sinuosity fluvial system, the Malthanai formation by a mixed-load high-sinuosity fluvial system and Bostan Formation by gravelly braided channels of a coalescing alluvial fan system. We propose that prolonged and continued collision of the Indian Plate with the Afghan Block of the Eurasian Plate resulted in the closure of the Katawaz Remnant Ocean (the southwestern extension of the Neo-Tethys) in the Early Miocene. Uplifted orogens of the Muslim Bagh-Zhob Ophiolite and marine successions of the Nisai and Khojak formations served as the major source terrains for the Miocene through Holocene molasse succession in the south and southeast verging successive thrust-bound foreland basins at the outer most extremity of the Pishin Belt.

The time variability of Jupiter's synchrotron radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolton, Scott Jay

1991-02-01

The time variability of the Jovian synchrotron emission is investigated by analyzing radio observations of Jupiter at decimetric wavelengths. The observations are composed from two distinct sets of measurements addressing both short term (days to weeks) and long term (months to years) variability. The study of long term variations utilizes a set of measurements made several times each month with the NASA Deep Space Network (DNS) antennas operating at 2295 MHz (13.1 cm). The DSN data set, covering 1971 through 1985, is compared with a set of measurements of the solar wind from a number of Earth orbiting spacecraft. The analysis indicates a maximum correlation between the synchrotron emission and the solar wind ram pressure with a two year time lag. Physical mechanisms affecting the synchrotron emission are discussed with an emphasis on radial diffusion. Calculations are performed that suggest the correlation is consistent with inward adiabatic diffusion of solar wind particles driven by Brice's model of ionospheric neutral wind convection (Brice 1972). The implication is that the solar wind could be a source of particles of Jupiter's radiation belts. The investigation of short term variability focuses on a three year Jupiter observing program using the University of California's Hat Creek radio telescope operating at 1400 MHz (21 cm). Measurements are made every two days during the months surrounding opposition. Results from the three year program suggest short term variability near the 10-20 percent level but should be considered inconclusive due to scheduling and observational limitations. A discussion of magneto-spheric processes on short term timescales identifies wave-particle interactions as a candidate source. Further analysis finds that the short term variations could be related to whistler mode wave-particles interactions in the radiation belts associated with atmospheric lightning on Jupiter. However, theoretical calculations on wave particle interactions imply thought if whistler mode waves are to interact with the synchrotron emitting electrons.

Seat belt use in cars with air bags.

PubMed Central

Williams, A F; Wells, J K; Lund, A K

1990-01-01

Seat belt use was observed in 1,628 cars with air bags and manual belts and 34,223 cars with manual seat belts only. Sixty-six percent of drivers in cars with air bags wore seat belts compared to 63 percent of drivers in cars with manual belts only. The study found no evidence for the speculation that drivers with air bags will reduce their seat belt use because they believe an air bag alone provides sufficient protection. PMID:2240346

Tensioning of a belt around a drum using membrane element

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, C. H. S.

1980-01-01

An application of the membrane element to the problem of the tensioning of a conveyer belt which wraps around a drum is presented. Two cases were investigated: (1) belt tension increase due to drum edge wear; and (2) material trapped between the drum and the belt. In both cases it was found that the increase in belt tension was due to the additional stretching of the belt resulting from the drum radius change rather than from the transverse deflection of the belt.

NASA's Van Allen Probes RBSP-ECT Data Products and Access to Them: An Insider's Outlook on the Inner and Outer Belts (and We Don't Mean the Nation's Beltway...)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, S. S.; Friedel, R. H. W.; Henderson, M. G.; Larsen, B.; Reeves, G. D.; Spence, H. E.

2014-12-01

In this poster, we present a summary of access to the data products of the Radiation Belt Storm Probes - Energetic Particle Composition, and Thermal plasma (RBSP-ECT) suite of NASA's Van Allen Probes mission. The RBSP-ECT science investigation (http://rbsp-ect.sr.unh.edu) measures comprehensively the near-Earth charged particle environment in order to understand the processes that control the acceleration, global distribution, and variability of radiation belt electrons and ions. RBSP-ECT data products derive from the three instrument elements that comprise the suite, which collectively covers the broad energies that define the source and seed populations, the core radiation belts, and also their highest energy ultra-relativistic extensions. These RBSP-ECT instruments include, from lowest to highest energies: the Helium, Oxygen, Proton, and Electron (HOPE) sensor, the Magnetic Electron and Ion Spectrometer (MagEIS), and the Relativistic Electron and Proton Telescope (REPT). We provide a brief overview of their principles of operation, as well as a description of the Level 1-3 data products that the HOPE, MagEIS, and REPT instruments produce, both separately and together. We provide a summary of how to access these RBSP-ECT data products at our Science Operation Center and Science Data Center (http://www.rbsp-ect.lanl.gov/rbsp_ect.php ) as well as caveats for their use. Finally, in the spirit of efficiently and effectively promoting and encouraging new collaborations, we present a summary of past publications, current studies, and opportunities for your future participation in RBSP-ECT science analyses.

Crustal structure of mainland China from deep seismic sounding data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Li, S.; Mooney, W.D.; Fan, J.

2006-01-01

Since 1958, about ninety seismic refraction/wide angle reflection profiles, with a cumulative length of more than sixty thousand kilometers, have been completed in mainland China. We summarize the results in the form of (1) a new contour map of crustal thickness, (2) fourteen representative crustal seismic velocity-depth columns for various tectonic units, and, (3) a Pn velocity map. We found a north-south-trending belt with a strong lateral gradient in crustal thickness in central China. This belt divides China into an eastern region, with a crustal thickness of 30-45??km, and a western region, with a thickness of 45-75??km. The crust in these two regions has experienced different evolutionary processes, and currently lies within distinct tectonic stress fields. Our compilation finds that there is a high-velocity (7.1-7.4??km/s) layer in the lower crust of the stable Tarim basin and Ordos plateau. However, in young orogenic belts, including parts of eastern China, the Tianshan and the Tibetan plateau, this layer is often absent. One exception is southern Tibet, where the presence of a high-velocity layer is related to the northward injection of the cold Indian plate. This high-velocity layer is absent in northern Tibet. In orogenic belts, there usually is a low-velocity layer (LVL) in the crust, but in stable regions this layer seldom exists. The Pn velocities in eastern China generally range from 7.9 to 8.1??km/s and tend to be isotropic. Pn velocities in western China are more variable, ranging from 7.7 to 8.2??km/s, and may display azimuthal anisotropy. ?? 2006.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Spectroscopy of main-belt Ch/Cgh-type asteroids (Vernazza+, 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vernazza, P.; Marsset, M.; Beck, P.; Binzel, R. P.; Birlan, M.; Cloutis, E. A.; DeMeo, F. E.; Dumas, C.; Hiroi, T.

2016-09-01

We conducted an extensive spectroscopic survey in the near-infrared range of 70 main-belt Ch/Cgh-type asteroids and 4 Ch/Cgh-type families and combined these measurements with available visible wavelength spectra. New data presented here are near-infrared asteroid spectral measurements for Ch- and Cgh-type asteroids from 0.7-2.5μm obtained using SpeX, the low- to medium-resolution near-IR spectrograph and imager on the 3m NASA InfraRed Telescope Facility (IRTF) located on Mauna Kea, HI. Observing runs were conducted remotely primarily from the Observatory of Paris-Meudon, France between 2010 April and 2012 January. The spectrograph SpeX, combined with a 0.8*15arcsec slit, was used in the low-resolution prism mode for acquisition of the spectra in the 0.7-2.5μm wavelength range. In order to monitor the high luminosity and variability of the sky in the near-IR, the telescope was moved along the slit during the acquisition of the data so as to obtain a sequence of spectra located at two different positions (A and B) on the array. In addition, we complemented our data set with additional near-infrared spectra retrieved from the Small Main-Belt Asteroid Spectroscopic Survey (SMASS) database (http://smass.mit.edu/). Combining these near-infrared measurements with available visible wavelength spectra (Bus, 1999PhDT........50B; Lazzaro et al., 2004Icar..172..179L) allows for the first time an extensive visible and near-infrared (VNIR) spectral database of main-belt Ch and Cgh types with D>45km (78% or 49/63 of all Ch and Cgh types listed in SMASS; see Table1). (1 data file).

Age of the granitic magmatism and the W-Mo mineralization in skarns of the Seridó belt (NE Brazil) based on zircon U-Pb (SHRIMP) and molybdenite Re-Os dating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hollanda, Maria Helena B. M. de; Souza Neto, João A.; Archanjo, Carlos J.; Stein, Holly; Maia, Ana C. S.

2017-11-01

Over five hundred W-Mo skarns have been reported in the Neoproterozoic Seridó belt in the northeastern Brazil. The origin of these mineralizations has been attributed to metasomatic reactions occuring after the infiltration of hydrothermal fluids that are mostly derived from the plutonic magmatic activity that ranged between approximately 600 and 525 Ma. Here we date molybdenite using N-TIMS on Re-Os analysis of three major scheelite deposits (Brejuí, Bonfim and Bodó) hosted in the skarn horizons of the metasedimentary sequence. Molybdenite is an integral part of the mineralizations that include scheelite in skarns and, in the Bonfim deposit, gold concentrate in late brittle faults. The Re-Os ages are 554 ± 2 Ma (Brejuí), 524 ± 2 Ma (Bonfim) and 510 ± 2 Ma (Bodó). The age of the Brejuí molybdenite, however, appears to be anomalous based on the local geology of the deposit, which is located next to the contact of a batholith dated ca. 575 Ma. In turn, the Bonfim molybdenite yields similar ages in replicated samples with variable high Re contents. New U-Pb SHRIMP ages of four biotite (leuco)granite plutons vary from 577 ± 5 Ma to 526 ± 8 Ma, which overlap with molybdenite crystallization. These results indicate a close connection between the W-Mo mineralizations and the plutonic activity that intruded the belt after the peak HT/LP metamorphism. The latest pulses of felsic magmatism, which were contemporaneous with the emplacement of Be-Ta-Nb-Li pegmatites, therefore constitute a potential guide in the Seridó belt for prospective W-Mo deposits.

Predicting Rib Fracture Risk With Whole-Body Finite Element Models: Development and Preliminary Evaluation of a Probabilistic Analytical Framework

PubMed Central

Forman, Jason L.; Kent, Richard W.; Mroz, Krystoffer; Pipkorn, Bengt; Bostrom, Ola; Segui-Gomez, Maria

2012-01-01

This study sought to develop a strain-based probabilistic method to predict rib fracture risk with whole-body finite element (FE) models, and to describe a method to combine the results with collision exposure information to predict injury risk and potential intervention effectiveness in the field. An age-adjusted ultimate strain distribution was used to estimate local rib fracture probabilities within an FE model. These local probabilities were combined to predict injury risk and severity within the whole ribcage. The ultimate strain distribution was developed from a literature dataset of 133 tests. Frontal collision simulations were performed with the THUMS (Total HUman Model for Safety) model with four levels of delta-V and two restraints: a standard 3-point belt and a progressive 3.5–7 kN force-limited, pretensioned (FL+PT) belt. The results of three simulations (29 km/h standard, 48 km/h standard, and 48 km/h FL+PT) were compared to matched cadaver sled tests. The numbers of fractures predicted for the comparison cases were consistent with those observed experimentally. Combining these results with field exposure informantion (ΔV, NASS-CDS 1992–2002) suggests a 8.9% probability of incurring AIS3+ rib fractures for a 60 year-old restrained by a standard belt in a tow-away frontal collision with this restraint, vehicle, and occupant configuration, compared to 4.6% for the FL+PT belt. This is the first study to describe a probabilistic framework to predict rib fracture risk based on strains observed in human-body FE models. Using this analytical framework, future efforts may incorporate additional subject or collision factors for multi-variable probabilistic injury prediction. PMID:23169122

Isotopic data for Late Cretaceous intrusions and associated altered and mineralized rocks in the Big Belt Mountains, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

du Bray, Edward A.; Unruh, Daniel M.; Hofstra, Albert H.

2017-03-07

The quartz monzodiorite of Mount Edith and the concentrically zoned intrusive suite of Boulder Baldy constitute the principal Late Cretaceous igneous intrusions hosted by Mesoproterozoic sedimentary rocks of the Newland Formation in the Big Belt Mountains, Montana. These calc-alkaline plutonic masses are manifestations of subduction-related magmatism that prevailed along the western edge of North America during the Cretaceous. Radiogenic isotope data for neodymium, strontium, and lead indicate that the petrogenesis of the associated magmas involved a combination of (1) sources that were compositionally heterogeneous at the scale of the geographically restricted intrusive rocks in the Big Belt Mountains and (2) variable contamination by crustal assimilants also having diverse isotopic compositions. Altered and mineralized rocks temporally, spatially, and genetically related to these intrusions manifest at least two isotopically distinct mineralizing events, both of which involve major inputs from spatially associated Late Cretaceous igneous rocks. Alteration and mineralization of rock associated with the intrusive suite of Boulder Baldy requires a component characterized by significantly more radiogenic strontium than that characteristic of the associated igneous rocks. However, the source of such a component was not identified in the Big Belt Mountains. Similarly, altered and mineralized rocks associated with the quartz monzodiorite of Mount Edith include a component characterized by significantly more radiogenic strontium and lead, particularly as defined by 207Pb/204Pb values. The source of this component appears to be fluids that equilibrated with proximal Newland Formation rocks. Oxygen isotope data for rocks of the intrusive suite of Boulder Baldy are similar to those of subduction-related magmatism that include mantle-derived components; oxygen isotope data for altered and mineralized equivalents are slightly lighter.

Drivers' assessment of Ford's belt reminder system.

PubMed

Williams, Allan F; Wells, Joann K

2003-12-01

In recent model years, Ford vehicles have been equipped with a supplementary seat belt reminder system that flashes and chimes intermittently for up to 5 min if the driver is unbelted. Sound- and light-based belt reminder systems of various types are beginning to appear in the market place, and it is important to learn about their acceptance and ability to increase belt use. The present study was designed to ascertain consumer reaction and reported belt use regarding the Ford system. Personal interviews were conducted with 405 drivers of vehicles with the reminder system. Among the drivers, 67% said they had activated the belt reminder one or more times, 73% said that the last time this happened they fastened their belts, 46% said their belt use had increased since driving this vehicle, 78% said they liked the reminder system, and 79% said they wanted a reminder system like this in their next vehicle. Five percent had disabled the system. Part-time users were responsive to the reminder, for example, of those who said they currently used belts usually but not on some occasions, 70% said they fastened their seat belts the last time the reminder was activated and 76% said their belt use had increased. Five percent spontaneously mentioned the belt reminder as an especially disliked feature of their new vehicles, and 2% said their belt use had decreased since having it. The 7% of respondents who reported they used belts never or very occasionally were least responsive to the system. Overall, the Ford belt reminder system is being favorably received.

Teens and seat belt use: What makes them click?

PubMed

Shults, Ruth A; Haegerich, Tamara M; Bhat, Geeta; Zhang, Xinjian

2016-06-01

Motor vehicle crashes kill more adolescents in the United States than any other cause, and often the teen is not wearing a seat belt. Using data from the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Surveys from 38 states, we examined teens' self-reported seat belt use while riding as a passenger and identified individual characteristics and environmental factors associated with always wearing a seat belt. Only 51% of high school students living in 38 states reported always wearing a seat belt when riding as a passenger; prevalence varied from 32% in South Dakota to 65% in Delaware. Seat belt use was 11 percentage points lower in states with secondary enforcement seat belt laws compared to states with primary enforcement laws. Racial/ethnic minorities, teens living in states with secondary enforcement seat belt laws, and those engaged in substance use were least likely to always wear their seat belts. The likelihood of always being belted declined steadily as the number of substance use behaviors increased. Seat belt use among teens in the United States remains unacceptably low. Results suggest that environmental influences can compound individual risk factors, contributing to even lower seat belt use among some subgroups. This study provides the most comprehensive state-level estimates to date of seat belt use among U.S. teens. This information can be useful when considering policy options to increase seat belt use and for targeting injury prevention interventions to high-risk teens. States can best increase teen seat belt use by making evidence-informed decisions about state policy options and prevention strategies. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Seat belt use and fit among drivers aged 75 years and older in their own vehicles.

PubMed

Fong, Cameron K; Keay, Lisa; Coxon, Kristy; Clarke, Elizabeth; Brown, Julie

2016-01-01

This article aims to describe seat belt wearing patterns and quality of seat belt fit among drivers aged 75 years and older. A secondary aim is to explore associations between body shape, comfort, and seat belt use patterns. This is an observation and survey study of a cohort of 380 drivers aged 75 years and over. During home visits, photographs were taken of the drivers in their vehicles for later analysis of belt fit and a short survey was also administered to collect demographic data and information about seat belt use and comfort. Seat belt fit and use of belt and seat accessories were analyzed from the photographs. Data from 367 participants with photographs were analyzed. Whereas 97% reported using a seat belt and 90% reported their seat belt to be comfortable, 21% reported repositioning their seat belt to improve comfort. Good sash and lap belt fit were achieved in 53 and 59% of participants, respectively, but only 35% achieved overall good fit. Both poor sash and lap belt fit were observed in 23% of participants. Drivers who were in the obese category had over twice the odds (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-4.1) of having a poor lap belt fit than those in the normal body mass index [BMI] range, and drivers who were overweight had 1.8 times the odds (95% CI, 1.1-2.9) of having poor lap belt fit. Older females also had twice the odds (95% CI, 1.3-3.5) of poor lap belt fit compared to older males, regardless of BMI. Sash belt fit did not vary significantly by BMI, stature, or gender. However older drivers who reported that they had not made any adjustments to the D-ring height had 1.7 times the odds of having poor sash belt fit than those who made adjustments (1.2-2.9). Females were 7.3 times more likely to report comfort problems than males (95% CI, 3.2, 16.3) but there was no association between reported comfort and BMI or seat belt fit. Drivers who reported comfort problems had 6 times the odds (3.2-13.6) of also reporting active repositioning of the belt. The results suggest that older drivers face challenges in achieving comfortable and correct seat belt fit. This may have a negative impact on crash protection. Belt fit problems appear to be associated with body shape, particularly high BMI and gender. There is a need for further investigation of comfort accessories; in the interim, older drivers and occupants should be encouraged to use features such as D-ring adjusters to improve sash belt fit.

The empty primordial asteroid belt.

PubMed

Raymond, Sean N; Izidoro, Andre

2017-09-01

The asteroid belt contains less than a thousandth of Earth's mass and is radially segregated, with S-types dominating the inner belt and C-types the outer belt. It is generally assumed that the belt formed with far more mass and was later strongly depleted. We show that the present-day asteroid belt is consistent with having formed empty, without any planetesimals between Mars and Jupiter's present-day orbits. This is consistent with models in which drifting dust is concentrated into an isolated annulus of terrestrial planetesimals. Gravitational scattering during terrestrial planet formation causes radial spreading, transporting planetesimals from inside 1 to 1.5 astronomical units out to the belt. Several times the total current mass in S-types is implanted, with a preference for the inner main belt. C-types are implanted from the outside, as the giant planets' gas accretion destabilizes nearby planetesimals and injects a fraction into the asteroid belt, preferentially in the outer main belt. These implantation mechanisms are simple by-products of terrestrial and giant planet formation. The asteroid belt may thus represent a repository for planetary leftovers that accreted across the solar system but not in the belt itself.

The empty primordial asteroid belt

PubMed Central

Raymond, Sean N.; Izidoro, Andre

2017-01-01

The asteroid belt contains less than a thousandth of Earth’s mass and is radially segregated, with S-types dominating the inner belt and C-types the outer belt. It is generally assumed that the belt formed with far more mass and was later strongly depleted. We show that the present-day asteroid belt is consistent with having formed empty, without any planetesimals between Mars and Jupiter’s present-day orbits. This is consistent with models in which drifting dust is concentrated into an isolated annulus of terrestrial planetesimals. Gravitational scattering during terrestrial planet formation causes radial spreading, transporting planetesimals from inside 1 to 1.5 astronomical units out to the belt. Several times the total current mass in S-types is implanted, with a preference for the inner main belt. C-types are implanted from the outside, as the giant planets’ gas accretion destabilizes nearby planetesimals and injects a fraction into the asteroid belt, preferentially in the outer main belt. These implantation mechanisms are simple by-products of terrestrial and giant planet formation. The asteroid belt may thus represent a repository for planetary leftovers that accreted across the solar system but not in the belt itself. PMID:28924609

Seat belt and child seat use in Lipetskaya Oblast, Russia: frequencies, attitudes, and perceptions.

PubMed

Ma, Sai; Tran, Nhan; Klyavin, Vladimir E; Zambon, Francesco; Hatcher, Kristin W; Hyder, Adnan A

2012-01-01

Despite the importance of understanding seat belt use patterns among drivers and passengers for the purpose of direct interventions or monitoring improvements, no study has described wearing rates for all seat positions in Russia. This study describes observed seat belt use and knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of seat belt use in Lipetskaya Oblast, Russia. An observational study on the use of seat belts and child restraints in the Lipetskaya region conducted during October 2010 collected data in 6 districts and on 3 different road types. A roadside survey gathered information on knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions toward the use of seat belts from randomly selected drivers. Frequencies of seat belt use by seat position, gender, and road type were calculated. A multivariable logit model disclosed the associations between seat belt use and sociodemographic factors. The study design permitted comparison of observed seat belt use to self-reported seat belt use. A total of 25,795 vehicles and 39,833 drivers and passengers contributed observations. Overall, 55 percent of drivers were observed to be using seat belts. More than half (58%) of front seat passengers wore seat belts and only 9 percent of back seat passengers were observed to be wearing seat belts; 11 percent of cars with children had any type of child safety measure. Drivers on urban roads were less likely to wear seat belts compared to those on main highways and rural roads. Nearly 60 percent of survey respondents mentioned "seat belts save lives," and more than half mentioned law requirements and fines. Although the observed seat belt use in Lipetskaya Oblast is much higher than previous estimates in Russia, overall wearing rates remain far from universal. Rear seat passengers and children are particularly at risk. Because combined education and enforcement has proven to be effective elsewhere, such interventions are needed to improve seat belt use.

Traces in the dark: sedimentary processes and facies gradients in the upper shale member of the Upper Devonian-Lower Mississippian Bakken Formation, Williston Basin, North Dakota, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Egenhoff, Sven O.; Fishman, Neil S.

2013-01-01

Black, organic-rich rocks of the upper shale member of the Upper Devonian–Lower Mississippian Bakken Formation, a world-class petroleum source rock in the Williston Basin of the United States and Canada, contain a diverse suite of mudstone lithofacies that were deposited in distinct facies belts. The succession consists of three discrete facies associations (FAs). These comprise: 1) siliceous mudstones; 2) quartz- and carbonate-bearing, laminated mudstones; and 3) macrofossil-debris-bearing massive mudstones. These FAs were deposited in three facies belts that reflect proximal to distal relationships in this mudstone system. The macrofossil-debris-bearing massive mudstones (FA 3) occur in the proximal facies belt and contain erosion surfaces, some with overlying conodont and phosphate–lithoclast lag deposits, mudstones with abundant millimeter-scale siltstone laminae showing irregular lateral thickness changes, and shell debris. In the medial facies belt, quartz- and carbonate-bearing, laminated mudstones dominate, exhibiting sub-millimeter-thick siltstone layers with variable lateral thicknesses and localized mudstone ripples. In the distal siliceous mudstone facies belt, radiolarites, radiolarian-bearing mudstones, and quartz- and carbonate-bearing, laminated mudstones dominate. Overall, total organic carbon (TOC) contents range between about 3 and 10 wt %, with a general proximal to distal decrease in TOC content. Abundant evidence of bioturbation exists in all FAs, and the lithological and TOC variations are paralleled by changes in burrowing style and trace-fossil abundance. While two horizontal traces and two types of fecal strings are recognized in the proximal facies belt, only a single horizontal trace fossil and one type of fecal string characterize mudstones in the distal facies belt. Radiolarites intercalated into the most distal mudstones are devoid of traces and fecal strings. Bedload transport processes, likely caused by storm-induced turbidity currents, were active across all facies belts. Suspended sediment settling from near the ocean surface, however, most likely played a role in the deposition of some of the mudstones, and was probably responsible for deposition of the radiolarites. The distribution pattern of high-TOC sediments in proximal and lower-TOC deposits in some distal facies is interpreted as a function of higher accumulation rates during radiolarian depositional events leading to a decrease in suspension-derived organic carbon in radiolarite laminae. The presence of burrows in all FAs and nearly all facies in the upper Bakken shale member indicates that dysoxic conditions prevailed during its deposition. This study shows that in intracratonic high-TOC mudstone successions such as the upper Bakken shale member bed-load processes most likely dominated sedimentation, and conditions promoted a thriving infaunal benthic community. As such, deposition of the upper Bakken shale member through dynamic processes in an overall dysoxic environment represents an alternative to conventional anoxic depositional models for world-class source rocks.

Effectiveness of Ford's belt reminder system in increasing seat belt use

PubMed Central

Williams, A; Wells, J; Farmer, C

2002-01-01

Objectives: The study investigated the effectiveness in increasing seat belt use of Ford's belt reminder system, a supplementary system that provides intermittent flashing lights and chimes for five minutes if drivers are not belted. Methods: Seat belt use of drivers in relatively new cars with and without the reminder system was unobtrusively observed as vehicles were brought to dealerships for service. Results: Overall use rates were estimated at 71% for drivers in vehicles without the reminder system and 76% for drivers in vehicles with belt reminders (p<0.01). Conclusions: Seat belt use is relatively low in the United States. The present study showed that vehicle based reminder systems can be at least modestly effective in increasing belt use, which may encourage further development of such systems. PMID:12460965

Metallogenesis and tectonics of the Russian Far East, Alaska, and the Canadian Cordillera

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nokleberg, Warren J.; Bundtzen, Thomas K.; Eremin, Roman A.; Ratkin, Vladimir V.; Dawson, Kenneth M.; Shpikerman, Vladimir I.; Goryachev, Nikolai A.; Byalobzhesky, Stanislav G.; Frolov, Yuri F.; Khanchuk, Alexander I.; Koch, Richard D.; Monger, James W.H.; Pozdeev, Anany I.; Rozenblum, Ilya S.; Rodionov, Sergey M.; Parfenov, Leonid M.; Scotese, Christopher R.; Sidorov, Anatoly A.

2005-01-01

The Proterozoic and Phanerozoic metallogenic and tectonic evolution of the Russian Far East, Alaska, and the Canadian Cordillera is recorded in the cratons, craton margins, and orogenic collages of the Circum-North Pacific mountain belts that separate the North Pacific from the eastern North Asian and western North American Cratons. The collages consist of tectonostratigraphic terranes and contained metallogenic belts, which are composed of fragments of igneous arcs, accretionary-wedge and subduction-zone complexes, passive continental margins, and cratons. The terranes are overlapped by continental-margin-arc and sedimentary-basin assemblages and contained metallogenic belts. The metallogenic and geologic history of terranes, overlap assemblages, cratons, and craton margins has been complicated by postaccretion dismemberment and translation during strike-slip faulting that occurred subparallel to continental margins. Seven processes overlapping in time were responsible for most of metallogenic and geologic complexities of the region (1) In the Early and Middle Proterozoic, marine sedimentary basins developed on major cratons and were the loci for ironstone (Superior Fe) deposits and sediment-hosted Cu deposits that occur along both the North Asia Craton and North American Craton Margin. (2) In the Late Proterozoic, Late Devonian, and Early Carboniferous, major periods of rifting occurred along the ancestral margins of present-day Northeast Asia and northwestern North America. The rifting resulted in fragmentation of each continent, and formation of cratonal and passive continental-margin terranes that eventually migrated and accreted to other sites along the evolving margins of the original or adjacent continents. The rifting also resulted in formation of various massive-sulfide metallogenic belts. (3) From about the late Paleozoic through the mid-Cretaceous, a succession of island arcs and contained igneous-arc-related metallogenic belts and tectonically paired subduction zones formed near continental margins. (4) From about mainly the mid-Cretaceous through the present, a succession of continental-margin igneous arcs (some extending offshore into island arcs) and contained metallogenic belts, and tectonically paired subduction zones formed along the continental margins. (5) From about the Jurassic to the present, oblique convergence and rotations caused orogen-parallel sinistral, and then dextral displacements within the plate margins of the Northeast Asian and North American Cratons. The oblique convergences and rotations resulted in the fragmentation, displacement, and duplication of formerly more continuous arcs, subduction zones, passive continental margins, and contained metallogenic belts. These fragments were subsequently accreted along the margins of the expanding continental margins. (6) From the Early Jurassic through Tertiary, movement of the upper continental plates toward subduction zones resulted in strong plate coupling and accretion of the former island arcs, subduction zones, and contained metallogenic belts to continental margins. In this region, the multiple arc accretions were accompanied and followed by crustal thickening, anatexis, metamorphism, formation of collision-related metallogenic belts, and uplift; this resulted in the substantial growth of the North Asian and North American continents. (7) In the middle and late Cenozoic, oblique to orthogonal convergence of the Pacific Plate with present-day Alaska and Northeast Asia resulted in formation of the present ring of volcanoes and contained metallogenic belts around the Circum-North Pacific. Oblique convergence between the Pacific Plate and Alaska also resulted in major dextral-slip faulting in interior and southern Alaska and along the western part of the Aleutian- Wrangell arc. Associated with dextral-slip faulting was crustal extrusion of terranes from western Alaska into the Bering Sea.

Safety Belt Use: Traffic Safety Tips

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-01-01

This fact sheet, NHTSA Facts: Summer 1996, discusses traffic safety tips for wearing seat belts. It describes the correct way to wear a seat belt, how to sit, and differentiates between lap belts and shoulder belts. It points out that air bags provid...

Safety belt laws and disparities in safety belt use among US high-school drivers.

PubMed

García-España, J Felipe; Winston, Flaura K; Durbin, Dennis R

2012-06-01

We compared reported safety belt use, for both drivers and passengers, among teenagers with learner's permits, provisional licenses, and unrestricted licenses in states with primary or secondary enforcement of safety belt laws. Our data source was the 2006 National Young Driver Survey, which included a national representative sample of 3126 high-school drivers. We used multivariate, log-linear regression analyses to assess associations between safety belt laws and belt use. Teenaged drivers were 12% less likely to wear a safety belt as drivers and 15% less likely to wear one as passengers in states with a secondary safety belt law than in states with a primary law. The apparent reduction in belt use among teenagers as they progressed from learner to unrestricted license holder occurred in only secondary enforcement states. Groups reporting particularly low use included African American drivers, rural residents, academically challenged students, and those driving pickup trucks. The results provided further evidence for enactment of primary enforcement provisions in safety belt laws because primary laws are associated with higher safety belt use rates and lower crash-related injuries and mortality.

Belt attachment and system

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

Schneider, Abraham D.; Davidson, Erick M.

Disclosed herein is a belt assembly including a flexible belt with an improved belt attachment. The belt attachment includes two crossbars spaced along the length of the belt. The crossbars retain bearings that allow predetermined movement in six degrees of freedom. The crossbars are connected by a rigid body that attaches to the bearings. Implements that are attached to the rigid body are simply supported but restrained in pitching rotation.

Belt attachment and system

DOEpatents

Schneider, Abraham D.; Davidson, Erick M.

2016-02-02

Disclosed herein is a belt assembly including a flexible belt with an improved belt attachment. The belt attachment includes two crossbars spaced along the length of the belt. The crossbars retain bearings that allow predetermined movement in six degrees of freedom. The crossbars are connected by a rigid body that attaches to the bearings. Implements that are attached to the rigid body are simply supported but restrained in pitching rotation.

An evaluation of a weightlifting belt and back injury prevention training class for airline baggage handlers.

PubMed

Reddell, C R; Congleton, J J; Dale Huchingson, R; Montgomery, J F

1992-10-01

This study evaluated the efficacy of a commercially available weightlifting belt in relation to reduction of lumbar injury incident rate and severity of injuries over an 8-month period. The study used 642 baggage handlers working for a major airline company as participants. Four treatment groups were randomly selected: a group receiving the belt only, a group receiving a 1 h training class only, a group receiving both a belt and a 1 h training class, and a control group receiving nothing. Two treatment groups were added which contained participants who discontinued use of the belt prior to the end of an 8-month study period. Results indicated that there were no significant differences for total lumbar injury incident rate, restricted workday case injury incident rate, lost workdays and restricted workdays rate, and worker's compensation rates. There was, however, a marginal significant difference for lost workday case injury incident rate. Groups with participants who wore the belt for a while then discontinued its use had a higher lost day case injury incident rate than did either the group receiving training only or the control group. Compliance was an overriding factor as the belt questionnaire response indicated that 58% of participants in the belt groups discontinued use of the belt before the end of 8 months. Comments made on the survey forms indicated that the belt was too hot. Similarly, comments suggested that the belt rubbed, pinched, and bruised ribs. Based on these results, the weightlifting belt used for this study cannot be recommended for use in aid of lifting during daily work activities of baggage handlers. Results indicate that use of the belts may, in fact, increase the risk of injury when not wearing a belt following a period of wearing a belt. As industries are experimenting with the use of belts, it is recommended that great care be taken in any further evaluation and close attention directed towards injuries which occur when not wearing the belt following a period of wearing the belt (ie, off-the-job injuries).

Duplex thrusting in the South Dabashan arcuate belt, central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wangpeng; Liu, Shaofeng; Wang, Yi; Qian, Tao; Gao, Tangjun

2017-10-01

Due to later tectonic superpositioning and reworking, the South Dabashan arcuate belt extending NW to SE has experienced several episodes of deformation. The earlier deformational style and formation mechanism of this belt remain controversial. Seismic interpretations and fieldwork show that the curved orogen can be divided into three sub-belts perpendicular to the strike of the orogen, the imbricate thrust fault belt, the detachment fold belt and the frontal belt from NE to SW. The imbricate thrust fault belt is characterized by a series of SW-directed thrust faults and nappes. Two regional detachment layers at different depths have been recognized in the detachment fold and frontal belts, and these detachment layers divide the sub-belts into three structural layers: the lower, middle, and upper structural layers. The middle structural layer is characterized by a passive roof duplex structure, which is composed of a roof thrust at the top of the Sinian units, a floor thrust in the upper Lower Triassic units, and horses in between. Apatite fission track dating results and regional structural analyses indicate that the imbricate thrust fault belt may have formed during the latest Early Cretaceous to earliest Paleogene and that the detachment fold belt may have formed during the latest Late Cretaceous to earliest Neogene. Our findings provide important reference values for researching intra-continental orogenic and deformation mechanisms in foreland fold-thrust belts.

Factors Influencing Occupant-To-Seat Belt Interaction in Far-Side Crashes

PubMed Central

Douglas, C.A.; Fildes, B.N.; Gibson, T.J.; Boström, O.; Pintar, F.A.

2007-01-01

Seat belt interaction with a far-side occupant’s shoulder and thorax is critical to governing excursion towards the struck-side of the vehicle in side impact. In this study, occupant-to-belt interaction was simulated using a modified MADYMO human model and finite element belts. Quasi-static tests with volunteers and dynamic sled tests with PMHS and WorldSID were used for model validation and comparison. Parameter studies were then undertaken to quantify the effect of impact direction, seat belt geometry and pretension on occupant-to-seat belt interaction. Results suggest that lowering the D-ring and increasing pretension reduces the likelihood of the belt slipping off the shoulder. Anthropometry was also shown to influence restraint provided by the shoulder belt. Furthermore, the belt may slip off the occupant’s shoulder at impact angles greater than 40 degrees from frontal when no pretension is used. However, the addition of pretension allowed the shoulder to engage the belt in all impacts from 30 to 90 degrees. PMID:18184500

Oak savanna restoration in central Iowa: Assessing indicators of forest health for ecological monitoring (PROJECT NC-F-04-02)

Treesearch

Heidi Asbjornsen; Lars Brudvig

2013-01-01

Savanna ecosystems were once a dominant feature of the Midwestern Corn Belt Plains ecoregion, occurring within the dynamic boundary between prairies to the west and forests to the east, and maintained in the landscape by complex interactions between fire, climate, topography, and human activities (Anderson 1998). Characterized by their continuous understory layer and...

Aquaculture research and management in the telecoupled Belt and Road Initiative countries and beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, W.; Ying, Z.; Marín, T.

2017-12-01

Due to the continuous growth in aquatic product consumption, globally the total production of aquatic products has increased by 20% in the past two decades. In 2014, for the first time, the production of aquatic products for direct human consumption from aquaculture surpassed that of wild catch. In 2016, the total production of global aquatic products reached 170 million tons, of which 45% comes from the aquaculture sector. More importantly, over 80% of the global aquaculture production occurs in the Belt and Road Initiative countries. Particularly, China alone contributes to two third of the global share. The rapid expansion and intensification of aquaculture have many environmental and socioeconomic impacts both at the cultivation places and also in places where feed is produced; however, these telecoupled processes and effects are largely unknown in a quantitative manner. Here, we apply the telecoupling framework to analyze the aquaculture trade among China and other Belt and Road Initiative countries and beyond. The integrated telecoupling framework helps to demonstrate the environmental and socioeconomic interactions among the feed (and aquatic product) sending, receiving, and spillover systems. It also provides a platform to model the telecoupled processes and effects across multiple remotely connected systems. Moreover, the application of the framework reveals many research gaps and management needs on aquaculture research and management.

Ambient magnetic field weakness during chorus event and their implication on the outer radiation belt dynamic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alves, L. R.; Jauer, P. R.; Souza, V. M. C. E. S.; Da Silva, L. A.; Marchezi, J. P.; Medeiros, C.; Rockenbach, M.; Kanekal, S. G.; Baker, D. N.; Wygant, J. R.; Sibeck, D. G.

2017-12-01

The Earth's magnetosphere is continuously disturbed by the solar wind plasma incident upon it, and such a disturbance in association with internal (to the magnetosphere) physical processes may engender both the generation and amplification of Very Low Frequency (VLF) range whistler-mode chorus waves in the inner magnetosphere. Chorus waves are known to interact with particles in the outer Van Allen radiation belt resulting in both acceleration and pitch angle scattering into the loss cone, which in turn leads to flux dropouts. The first two years of operational Van Allen Probes magnetometer data were analyzed regarding the local magnetic field variation during periods of relativistic electron flux dropouts. It was observed that the ambient magnetic field at the spacecraft's apogee can vary from 180 nT to as low as 30 nT. Also, the high time resolution magnetic field data show that the whistler-mode chorus waves can often occur throughout the periods in which the ambient magnetic field is weakened, i.e. less than about 70 nT. We investigate the likelihood of the weakness of the ambient magnetic field to be an additional parameter related to outer radiation belt electron flux dropouts during periods when only chorus waves are present.

Formation of forearc basins by collision between seamounts and accretionary wedges: an example from the New Hebrides subduction zone

USGS Publications Warehouse

Collot, J.-Y.; Fisher, M.A.

1989-01-01

Seabeam data reveal two deep subcircular reentrants in the lower arc slope of the New Hebrides island arc that may illustrate two stages in the development of a novel type of forearc basin. The Malekula reentrant lies just south of the partly subducted Bougainville seamount. This proximity, as well as the similarity in morphology between the reentrant and an indentation in the lower arc slope off Japan, suggests that the Malekula reentrant formed by the collision of a seamount with the arc. An arcuate fold-thrust belt has formed across the mouth of the reentrant, forming the toe of a new accretionary wedge. The Efate reentrant may show the next stage in basin development. This reentrant lies landward of a lower-slope ridge that may have begun to form as an arcuate fold-thrust belt across the mouth of a reentrant. This belt may have grown by continued accretion at the toe of the wedge, by underplating beneath the reentrant, and by trapping of sediment shed from the island arc. These processes could result in a roughly circular forearc basin. Basins that may have formed by seamount collision lie within the accretionary wedge adjacent to the Aleutian trenches. -Authors

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

Unrug, R.

The break-up of Rodinia, the supercontinent assembled in the Middle Proterozoic chelogenic cycle (1.65--1.0 Ga), and the simultaneous assembly of the Gondwana Supercontinent were the major tectonic events of the Neoproterozoic. Laurentia occupied a central keystone position in the configuration of Rodinia. Its break-up resulted in rearrangement of Rodinia fragments: some were incorporated in the accreting Gondwana, while Laurentia, Baltica and Siberia drifted independently. Reconstructions of the position of Laurentia in the Rodinia Supercontinent are based on two criteria. The first is the continuity of Middle Proterozoic mobile belts suturing the older cratons and the match of piercing points ofmore » the mobile belts at the post- Middle Proterozoic margins of the older cratons. The second is the similarity of sedimentary sequences along Late Proterozoic passive margins formed during break-up of Rodinia. The first criterion allows for several interpretations. The second may be invalid, as conjugate margins developing over an oblique detachment will accumulate dissimilar sedimentary sequences. In reconstructions of the Gondwana Supercontinent the recently redefined Salvador-Congo craton occupied the central keystone position, between the East Gondwana continent and a number of smaller cratons of West Gondwana. It is entirely surrounded by collisional mobile belts, all containing important transcurrent shear zone systems. The margins of the Salvador-Congo craton were facing three major Late Proterozoic oceans.« less

Generation of whistler waves by continuous HF heating of the upper ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vartanyan, A.; Milikh, G. M.; Eliasson, B. E.; Sharma, A.; Chang, C.; Parrot, M.; Papadopoulos, K.

2013-12-01

We report observations of VLF waves by the DEMETER satellite overflying the HAARP facility during ionospheric heating experiments. The detected VLF waves were in the range 8-17 kHz and coincided with times of continuous heating. The experiments indicate whistler generation due to conversion of artificial lower hybrid waves to whistlers on small scale field-aligned plasma density striations. The observations are compared with theoretical models, taking into account both linear and nonlinear processes. Implications of the mode conversion technique on VLF generation with subsequent injection into the radiation belts to trigger particle precipitation are discussed.

Jupiter cloud morphology and zonal winds from ground-based observations during Juno's first year around Jupiter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hueso, R.; Sánchez-Lavega, A.; Gómez-Forrellad, J. M.; Rojas, J. F.; Pérez-Hoyos, S.; Sanz-Requena, J. F.; Peralta, J.; Ordonez-Etxeberria, I.; Chen-Chen, H.; Mendikoa, I.; Peach, D.; Go, C.; Wesley, A.; Miles, P.; Olivetti, T.

2017-09-01

We present an analysis of Jupiter's atmospheric activity over Juno's first year around the planet based on ground-based observations. We present variability of the zonal winds associated to large outbreaks of convective activity at different belts in the planet, a study of short-scale atmospheric waves at low latitudes and examine polar views of the planet that can be compared with JunoCam observations.

Detection of CO and Ethane in Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner: Evidence for Variable Chemistry in the Outer Solar Nebula

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mumma, M. J.; DiSanti, M. A.; DelloRusso, N.; Magee-Sauer, K.; Rettig, T. W.

1999-01-01

Ethane and carbon monoxide were detected in a short-period comet of probable Kuiper belt origin. Ethane is substantially less abundant compared with Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp, two comets from the giant-planets region of the solar nebula, suggesting a heliocentric gradient in ethane in pre-cometary ices. It is argued that processing by X-rays from the young sun may be responsible.

Detection of CO and Ethane in Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner: Evidence for Variable Chemistry in the Outer Solar Nebula.

PubMed

Mumma; DiSanti; Dello Russo N; Magee-Sauer; Rettig

2000-03-10

Ethane and carbon monoxide were detected in a short-period comet of probable Kuiper Belt origin. Ethane is substantially less abundant compared with Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp, two comets from the giant-planet region of the solar nebula, suggesting a heliocentric gradient in ethane in precometary ices. It is argued that processing by X-rays from the young Sun may be responsible.

Magnetic and gravity anomalies in the Sierra del Padre and Sierra del Tala, San Luis Province, Argentina: evidence of buried mafic ultramafic rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kostadinoff, José; Alfredo Bjerg, Ernesto; Gregori, Daniel; Delpino, Sergio; Dimieri, Luis; Raniolo, Ariel; Mogessie, Aberra; Hoinkes, Georg; Hauzenberger, Christoph; Felfernig, Anja

2001-07-01

This paper presents the results of a geophysical study of the southern portion of the Sierra Grande de San Luis, San Luis Province, Argentina. A 26 mGal amplitude Bouguer anomaly (Charlone anomaly), measuring 40 km long by 7 km wide, between Sierra de los Padres and Zanjitas reflects the presence of high-density rocks located at approximately 2000 m depth. Geophysical models based on more than 300 gravimetric, magnetometric, and geological field measurements and observations suggest that the mafic-ultramafic belt of Sierra Grande de San Luis continues south of San Luis. The low magnitude of the terrestrial magnetic field anomalies indicates that these mafic-ultramafic rocks do not carry a base metal sulfides (BMS) mineralization. The Charlone gravimetric anomaly is generated by a belt of mafic- ultramafic rocks whose amplitude is comparable with that responsible for the Virorco-Las Aguilas gravimetric anomaly.

Petrogenesis of fertile mantle peridotites from the Monte del Estado massif (southwest Puerto Rico): a preserved section of Proto-Caribbean oceanic lithospheric mantle?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchesi, Claudio; Jolly, Wayne T.; Lewis, John F.; Garrido, Carlos J.; Proenza, Joaquín. A.; Lidiak, Edward G.

2010-05-01

The Monte del Estado massif is the largest and northernmost serpentinized peridotite belt in southwest Puerto Rico. It is mainly composed of spinel lherzolite and minor harzburgite with variable clinopyroxene modal abundances. Mineral and whole rock major and trace element compositions of peridotites coincide with those of fertile abyssal peridotites from mid ocean ridges. Peridotites lost 2-14 wt% of relative MgO and variable amounts of CaO by serpentinization and seafloor weathering. HREE contents in whole rock indicate that the Monte del Estado peridotites are residues after low to moderate degrees (2-15%) of fractional partial melting in the spinel stability field. However, very low LREE/HREE and MREE/HREE in clinopyroxene cannot be explained by melting models of a spinel lherzolite source and support that the Monte del Estado peridotites experienced initial low fractional melting degrees (~ 4%) in the garnet stability field. The relative enrichment of LREE in whole rock is not due to secondary processes but probably reflects the capture of percolating melt fractions along grain boundaries or as microinclusions in minerals, or the presence of exotic micro-phases in the mineral assemblage. We propose that the Monte del Estado peridotite belt represents a section of ancient Proto-Caribbean (Atlantic) lithospheric mantle originated by seafloor spreading between North and South America in the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous. This portion of oceanic lithospheric mantle was subsequently trapped in the forearc region of the Greater Antilles paleo-island arc generated by the northward subduction of the Caribbean plate beneath the Proto-Caribbean ocean. Finally, the Monte del Estado peridotites belt was emplaced in the Early Cretaceous probably as result of the change in subduction polarity of the Greater Antilles paleo-island arc without having been significantly modified by subduction processes.

Ammonia in Jupiter's troposphere: a comparison of ground-based 5-μm high-resolution spectroscopy and Juno MWR observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giles, R.; Orton, G.; Fletcher, L. N.; Irwin, P. G.; Sinclair, J. A.

2017-12-01

Latitudinally-resolved 5-micron observations of Jupiter from the CRIRES instrument at the Very Large Telescope are used to measure the spatial variability in Jupiter's tropospheric ammonia (NH3) abundance and these results are compared to the results from Juno's Microwave Radiometer (MWR). The 5-micron spectral region is an atmospheric window, allowing us to probe down to Jupiter's middle troposphere. The high-resolution 2012 CRIRES observations include several spectrally-resolved NH3 absorption features; these features probe slightly different pressure levels, allowing the NH3 vertical profile at 1-4 bar to be constrained. We find that in regions of low cloud opacity, the NH3 abundance must decrease with altitude within this pressure range. The CRIRES observations do not provide evidence for any significant belt-zone variability in NH3, as any difference in the spectral shape can be accounted for by the large differences in cloud opacity between the cloudy zones and the cloud-free belts. However, we do find evidence for a strong localised enhancement in NH3 on the southern edge of the North Equatorial Belt (4-6°N). These results can be directly compared with observations from the Juno mission's MWR experiment. Li et al. (2017, doi 10.1002/2017GL073159) have used MWR data to retrieve NH3 abundances at pressure levels of 1-100 bar. In bright, cloud-free regions of the planet, the two datasets are broadly consistent, including the asymmetrical enhancement on the southern edge of the NEB. However, in the cool, cloudy Equatorial Zone, the MWR retrieved abundances are significantly higher than those from CRIRES and forward modeling shows that the MWR vertical distributions are unable to fit the CRIRES data. We will investigate possible explanations for this discrepancy, including the role of tropospheric clouds and temperature variations.

Pre-folding fracture development in the Lurestan region of the Zagros Fold and Thrust Belt: constraints from early fracture sets in the Shabazan and Asmari Formations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corradetti, Amerigo; Tavani, Stefano; D'Assisi Tramparulo, Francesco; Prinzi, Ernesto Paolo; Vitale, Stefano; Parente, Mariano; Morsalnejad, Davoud; Mazzoli, Stefano

2017-04-01

In the Zagros Fold and Thrust Belt (FTB), the timing of fracture development with respect to folding is debated. Multiple fracture systems occur in the area. These include "typical" fracture systems that are oriented parallel and orthogonal to the NW-SE strike of the belt, as well as sets oriented N-S and E-W. The interpretation of the N-S and E-W sets is controversial. Despite the general consensus about the first-order relationship between these fractures and inherited N-S striking basement faults, their timing and kinematic significance is not yet fully understood. The ambiguous crosscutting/abutting relationships with the NE-SW and NW-SE sets, together with the difficulty of framing them into the classical scenario of fracturing in foreland basin systems, has led to the development of different hypotheses about the timing of N-S and E-W sets. For the generation of these structures, both pre- and syn-thrusting interpretations have been proposed. In this work, we report on the occurrence of bed-perpendicular fracture sets in the upper part of the Shabazan (Eocene) and in the Asmari (Oligo-Miocene) Formations of the Zagros FTB. These fractures have the peculiarity of being filled with karst material. Such filled fractures are preserved in beds showing variable angles of dip, ranging from horizontal to vertical. Their homogeneous distribution in variably dipping beds around folds undoubtedly point to an origin of these fracture sets predating the tilting of the strata in which they are contained. Therefore, fracture development and related infilling occurred at an early stage, in still flat lying strata, following the deposition of the top Shabazan and Asmari Formations. Such a deposition took place within the general framework of ongoing shortening in the Zagros. This process, occurring since the Late Cretaceous, progressively led to folding of the syn-orogenic Shabazan and Asmari Formations subsequently to the development of the studied filled fractures.

Runaway Growth During Planet Formation: Explaining the Size Distribution of Large Kuiper Belt Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlichting, Hilke E.; Sari, Re'em

2011-02-01

Runaway growth is an important stage in planet formation during which large protoplanets form, while most of the initial mass remains in small planetesimals. The amount of mass converted into large protoplanets and their resulting size distribution are not well understood. Here, we use analytic work, that we confirm by coagulation simulations, to describe runaway growth and the corresponding evolution of the velocity dispersion. We find that runaway growth proceeds as follows. Initially, all the mass resides in small planetesimals, with mass surface density σ, and large protoplanets start to form by accreting small planetesimals. This growth continues until growth by merging large protoplanets becomes comparable to growth by planetesimal accretion. This condition sets in when Σ/σ ~ α3/4 ~ 10-3, where Σ is the mass surface density in protoplanets in a given logarithmic mass interval and α is the ratio of the size of a body to its Hill radius. From then on, protoplanetary growth and the evolution of the velocity dispersion become self-similar and Σ remains roughly constant, since an increase in Σ by accretion of small planetesimals is balanced by a decrease due to merging with large protoplanets. We show that this growth leads to a protoplanet size distribution given by N(>R) vprop R -3, where N(>R) is the number of objects with radii greater than R (i.e., a differential power-law index of 4). Since only the largest bodies grow significantly during runaway growth, Σ and thereby the size distribution are preserved. We apply our results to the Kuiper Belt, which is a relic of runaway growth where planet formation never proceeded to completion. Our results successfully match the observed Kuiper Belt size distribution, they illuminate the physical processes that shaped it and explain the total mass that is present in large Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs) today. This work suggests that the current mass in large KBOs is primordial and that it has not been significantly depleted. We also predict a maximum mass ratio for Kuiper Belt binaries that formed by dynamical processes of α-1/4 ~ 10, which explains the observed clustering in binary companion sizes that is seen in the cold classical belt. Finally, our results also apply to growth in debris disks, as long as frequent planetesimal-planetesimal collisions are not important during the growth.

Pilot tests of a seat belt gearshift delay on the belt use of commercial fleet drivers.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-12-01

the seat belt was buckled. Participants, commercial drivers from the United States and Canada who did not consistently wear their seat belts, could avoid the delay by fastening their seat belts. Unbelted participants experienced a delay of either a c...

Belt separation system under slat in fattening pig housing: effect of belt type and extraction frequency.

PubMed

Alonso, F; Vázquez, J; Ovejero, I; Garcimartín, M A; Mateos, A; Sánchez, E

2010-08-01

The efficiency of manure separation by a conveyor belt under a partially slatted floor for fattening pigs was determined for two types of belts, a flat belt with an incline of up to 6 degrees transversely and a concave belt with an incline of up to 1 degrees longitudinally. A 31.20% and 23.75% dry matter content of the solid fraction was obtained for the flat and concave belt, respectively. The flat belt was more efficient at 6 degrees than other slope angles. The residence time of the manure on the two belt types influenced the separation efficiency from a live weight of 63.00 kg upwards. The quantity of residue produced with this system was reduced to 25-40% with respect to a pit system under slat. This could mean a remarkable reduction in costs of storage, transport and application of manure. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Moving belt radiator development status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, K. Alan

1988-01-01

Development of the Moving Belt Radiator (MBR) as an advanced space radiator concept is discussed. The ralative merits of Solid Belt (SBR), Liquid Belt (LBR), and Hybrid Belt (HBR) Radiators are described. Analytical and experimental efforts related to the dynamics of a rotating belt in microgravity are reviewed. The development of methods for transferring heat to the moving belt is discussed, and the results from several experimental investigations are summarized. Limited efforts related to the belt deployment and stowage, and to fabrication of a hybrid belt, are also discussed. Life limiting factors such as seal wear and micrometeroid resistance are identified. The results from various MBR point design studies for several power levels are compared with advanced Heat Pipe Radiator technology. MBR designs are shown to compare favorable at both 300 and 1000 K temperature levels. However, additional effort will be required to resolve critical technology issues and to demonstrate the advantage of MBR systems.

Safety Belt Laws and Disparities in Safety Belt Use Among US High-School Drivers

PubMed Central

Winston, Flaura K.; Durbin, Dennis R.

2012-01-01

Objectives. We compared reported safety belt use, for both drivers and passengers, among teenagers with learner’s permits, provisional licenses, and unrestricted licenses in states with primary or secondary enforcement of safety belt laws. Methods. Our data source was the 2006 National Young Driver Survey, which included a national representative sample of 3126 high-school drivers. We used multivariate, log-linear regression analyses to assess associations between safety belt laws and belt use. Results. Teenaged drivers were 12% less likely to wear a safety belt as drivers and 15% less likely to wear one as passengers in states with a secondary safety belt law than in states with a primary law. The apparent reduction in belt use among teenagers as they progressed from learner to unrestricted license holder occurred in only secondary enforcement states. Groups reporting particularly low use included African American drivers, rural residents, academically challenged students, and those driving pickup trucks. Conclusions. The results provided further evidence for enactment of primary enforcement provisions in safety belt laws because primary laws are associated with higher safety belt use rates and lower crash-related injuries and mortality. PMID:22515851

Persistence of Salmonella on egg conveyor belts is dependent on the belt type but not on the rdar morphotype.

PubMed

Stocki, S L; Annett, C B; Sibley, C D; McLaws, M; Checkley, S L; Singh, N; Surette, M G; White, A P

2007-11-01

Commercial caged layer flocks in Alberta, Canada, are commonly monitored for Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE) and S. enterica serovar Typhimurium (ST) by environmental sampling. In one recent case, a SE strain isolated from the egg conveyor belt was a source of persistent infection for the flock. This study was undertaken to examine Salmonella colonization on egg conveyor belts and to determine whether the rdar morphotype, a conserved physiology associated with aggregation and long-term survival, contributed to persistence. Four woven belts constructed of natural or nonnatural fibers and a 1-piece belt made of vinyl were tested with rdar-positive ST and SE strains and a rdar-negative ST DeltaagfD reference strain. The type of egg belt was the most important factor influencing Salmonella colonization and persistence. The vinyl belt, with the least surface area available for colonization, had the fewest Salmonella remaining after washing and disinfection, whereas the hemp-plastic belt, with the greatest surface area, had the most Salmonella remaining. Real-time gene expression indicated that the rdar morphotype was involved in colonizing the egg belt pieces; however, it was not essential for persistence. In addition, rdar-positive and rdar-negative strains were equally similarly to disinfection on the egg belt pieces. The results indicate that Salmonella can persist on a variety of egg belts by mechanisms other than the rdar morphotype, and that using egg conveyer belts with reduced surface area for bacterial colonization can lessen contamination problems.

Drastic shifts in the Levant hydroclimate during the last interglacial indicate changes in the tropical climate and winter storm tracks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiro, Y.; Goldstein, S. L.; Kushnir, Y.; Lazar, B.; Stein, M.

2017-12-01

Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5e was a warm interglacial with where with significantly varying insolation and hence varied significantly throughout this time suggesting highly variable climate. The ICDP Dead Sea Deep Drilling Project recovered a 460m record of the past 220ka, reflecting the variable climate along MIS 5e. This time interval is reflected by alternating halite and detritus sequences, including 20m of halite-free detritus during the peak insolation at 125 ka. The Dead Sea salt budget indicates that the Levant climate was extremely arid when halite formed, reaching 20% of the present runoff. The halite-free detritus layer reflects increased precipitation to levels similar to present day, assuming similar spatial and temporal rainfall patterns. However, the 234U/238U activity ratio in the lake, reflected by authigenic minerals (aragonite, gypsum and halite), shifts from values of 1.5 (reflecting the Jordan River, the present main water source) down to 1.3 at 125-122ka during the MIS5e insolation peak and 1.0 at 118-116ka. The low 234U/238U reflects increased flash floods and eastern water sources (234U/238U 1.05-1.2) from the drier part of the watershed in the desert belt. The intermediate 234U/238U of 1.3 suggests that the Jordan River, fed from Mediterranean-sourced storm tracks, continued to flow along with an increase in southern and eastern water sources. NCAR CCSM3 climate model runs for 125ka indicate increases in both Summer and Winter precipitation. The drastic decrease to 234U/238U 1.0 occurs during the driest period, indicating a near shutdown of Jordan River flow, and water input only through flash floods and southern and eastern sources. The 120ka climate model runs shows a decrease in Winter and increase in Fall precipitation as a result of an increased precipitation in the tropics. The extreme aridity, associated with increased flooding is similar to patterns expected due to future warming. The increase in aridity is the result of expansion of the desert-belt and increases in southern precipitation and indicates an important link between the tropical and mid-latitude climate.

A multi-scale modelling procedure to quantify hydrological impacts of upland land management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wheater, H. S.; Jackson, B.; Bulygina, N.; Ballard, C.; McIntyre, N.; Marshall, M.; Frogbrook, Z.; Solloway, I.; Reynolds, B.

2008-12-01

Recent UK floods have focused attention on the effects of agricultural intensification on flood risk. However, quantification of these effects raises important methodological issues. Catchment-scale data have proved inadequate to support analysis of impacts of land management change, due to climate variability, uncertainty in input and output data, spatial heterogeneity in land use and lack of data to quantify historical changes in management practices. Manipulation experiments to quantify the impacts of land management change have necessarily been limited and small scale, and in the UK mainly focused on the lowlands and arable agriculture. There is a need to develop methods to extrapolate from small scale observations to predict catchment-scale response, and to quantify impacts for upland areas. With assistance from a cooperative of Welsh farmers, a multi-scale experimental programme has been established at Pontbren, in mid-Wales, an area of intensive sheep production. The data have been used to support development of a multi-scale modelling methodology to assess impacts of agricultural intensification and the potential for mitigation of flood risk through land use management. Data are available from replicated experimental plots under different land management treatments, from instrumented field and hillslope sites, including tree shelter belts, and from first and second order catchments. Measurements include climate variables, soil water states and hydraulic properties at multiple depths and locations, tree interception, overland flow and drainflow, groundwater levels, and streamflow from multiple locations. Fine resolution physics-based models have been developed to represent soil and runoff processes, conditioned using experimental data. The detailed models are used to calibrate simpler 'meta- models' to represent individual hydrological elements, which are then combined in a semi-distributed catchment-scale model. The methodology is illustrated using field and catchment-scale simulations to demonstrate the the response of improved and unimproved grassland, and the potential effects of land management interventions, including farm ponds, tree shelter belts and buffer strips. It is concluded that the methodology developed has the potential to represent and quantify catchment-scale effects of upland management; continuing research is extending the work to a wider range of upland environments and land use types, with the aim of providing generic simulation tools that can be used to provide strategic policy guidance.

Landscape History of Grosses Moos, NW Swiss Alpine Foreland.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joanna Heer, Aleksandra; Adamiec, Grzegorz; Veit, Heinz; May, Jan-Hendrik; Novenko, Elena; Hajdas, Irka

2017-04-01

The western Swiss Plateau with Lake Neuchâtel is part of the alpine foreland and among the key areas for the reconstruction of environmental changes since the last postglacial. This study was carried out in a landscape located NE of the lake and called Grosses Moos (The Large Fen) - currently designated the Swiss largest, continuous farming area, after the fen was drained in course of landscape engineering projects performed in Switzerland at the end of the 19th century. The study contributes new results from nine excavations of littoral ridges identified in Grosses Moos, and integrates sedimentology, paleo-environmental analysis and three independent chronological methods. Radiocarbon dating, pollen analysis and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) were applied to the sediments. While pollen and radiocarbon follow the standard procedures, the evaluation of the luminescence age estimates demanded adjustment according to the physical and microdosimetric properties of the alpine quartz, and consideration of the peculiarities of the changing littoral environments of Grosses Moos. The Grosses Moos landscape developed on the temporary surface of the post-Last Glacial sedimentary infill of the over-deepened glacial Aare valley. In this study the landscape history has been fitted into the existing supraregional time scales of NGRIP, the Swiss bio-zones system and the human history based on archaeological and historic records and covers a time span of up to 15'000 yr b2k. The wide-ranging suite of geomorphic features and sedimentary sequences, including littoral lake sediments, beach ridges, dunes, palaeo-channels, peat and colluvial deposits, enable the extensive reconstruction of spatially and temporally variable natural shaping processes. In addition, our results indicate remobilization of soil, colluvium, and sediment due to human settlement activities since the Neolithic - with an important increase in sediment load and spatial variability since the Bronze Age woodland clearings in the River Aare Valley and around the Lake Neuchâtel. The development of several dune belts in the study area are attributed to various periods since the Lateglacial, e.g. the turn of the Holocene, the lake level drop in the Mid-Holocene, and the beginning of the Little Ice Age, and can thus be related to surprisingly varied environmental conditions. Despite the eventful past of the Grosses Moos, a Holocene Luvisol has preserved until recently on top of the oldest dune belt called Isleren Dune.

NASA's Van Allen Probes RBSP-ECT and NSF's FIREBIRD Data Products and Access to Them: An Insider's Outlook on the Inner and Outer Belts.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, S. S.; Spence, H. E.; Geoffrey, R.; Klumpar, D. M.

2017-12-01

In this poster, we present a summary of access to data products Radiation Belt Storm Probes - Energetic Particle Composition, and Thermal plasma (RBSP-ECT) suite of NASA's Van Allen Probes mission. The RBSP-ECT science investigation (http://rbsp-ect.sr.unh.edu) measures comprehensively the near-Earth charged particle environment in order to understand the processes that control the acceleration, global distribution, and variability of radiation belt electrons and ions. RBSP-ECT data products derive from the three instrument elements that comprise the suite, which collectively covers the broad energies that define the source and seed populations, the core radiation belts, and also their highest energy ultra-relativistic extensions. These RBSP-ECT instruments include, from lowest to highest energies: the Helium, Oxygen, Proton, and Electron (HOPE) sensor, the Magnetic Electron and Ion Spectrometer (MagEIS), and the Relativistic Electron and Proton Telescope (REPT). We provide a brief overview of their principles of operation, as well as a description of the Level 1-3 data products that the HOPE, MagEIS, and REPT instruments produce, both separately and together. We provide a summary of how to access these RBSP-ECT data products at our Science Operation Center and Science Data Center (http://www.rbsp-ect.lanl.gov/rbsp_ect.php ) as well as caveats for their use. In addition, we also provide a summary of access to the data products from NSF's CubeSat mission called Focused Investigation of Relativistic Electron Burst: Intensity, Range, and Dynamics (FIREBIRD). The dual CubeSat FIREBIRD missions provide data on energetic radiation belt electrons precipitating into the atmosphere at low altitudes, which complements and is contemporary with RBSP-ECT measurements. We provide a similar summary of how to access these data (https://ssel.montana.edu/firebird2.html). Finally, in the spirit of efficiently and effectively promoting and encouraging new collaborations, we present a summary of past publications, current studies, and opportunities for your future participation in both RBSP-ECT and FIREBIRD science analyses.

Present and future ecological niche modeling of garter snake species from the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt

PubMed Central

García-Vázquez, Uri; D’Addario, Maristella

2018-01-01

Land use and climate change are affecting the abundance and distribution of species. The Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB) is a very diverse region due to geological history, geographic position, and climate. It is also one of the most disturbed regions in Mexico. Reptiles are particularly sensitive to environmental changes due to their low dispersal capacity and thermal ecology. In this study, we define the important environmental variables (considering climate, topography, and land use) and potential distribution (present and future) of the five Thamnophis species present in TMVB. To do so, we used the maximum entropy modeling software (MAXENT). First, we modeled to select the most important variables to explain the distribution of each species, then we modeled again using only the most important variables and projected these models to the future considering a middle-moderate climate change scenario (rcp45), and land use and vegetation variables for the year 2050 (generated according to land use changes that occurred between years 2002 and 2011). Arid vegetation had an important negative effect on habitat suitability for all species, and minimum temperature of the coldest month was important for four of the five species. Thamnophis cyrtopsis was the species with the lowest tolerance to minimum temperatures. The maximum temperature of the warmest month was important for T. scalaris and T. cyrtopsis. Low percentages of agriculture were positive for T. eques and T. melanogaster but, at higher values, agriculture had a negative effect on habitat suitability for both species. Elevation was the most important variable to explain T. eques and T. melanogaster potential distribution while distance to Abies forests was the most important variable for T. scalaris and T. scaliger. All species had a high proportion of their potential distribution in the TMVB. However, according to our models, all Thamnophis species will experience reductions in their potential distribution in this region. T. scalaris will suffer the biggest reduction because this species is limited by high temperatures and will not be able to shift its distribution upward, as it is already present in the highest elevations of the TMVB. PMID:29666767

Modeling the Proton Radiation Belt With Van Allen Probes Relativistic Electron-Proton Telescope Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanekal, S. G.; Li, X.; Baker, D. N.; Selesnick, R. S.; Hoxie, V. C.

2018-01-01

An empirical model of the proton radiation belt is constructed from data taken during 2013-2017 by the Relativistic Electron-Proton Telescopes on the Van Allen Probes satellites. The model intensity is a function of time, kinetic energy in the range 18-600 megaelectronvolts, equatorial pitch angle, and L shell of proton guiding centers. Data are selected, on the basis of energy deposits in each of the nine silicon detectors, to reduce background caused by hard proton energy spectra at low L. Instrument response functions are computed by Monte Carlo integration, using simulated proton paths through a simplified structural model, to account for energy loss in shielding material for protons outside the nominal field of view. Overlap of energy channels, their wide angular response, and changing satellite orientation require the model dependencies on all three independent variables be determined simultaneously. This is done by least squares minimization with a customized steepest descent algorithm. Model uncertainty accounts for statistical data error and systematic error in the simulated instrument response. A proton energy spectrum is also computed from data taken during the 8 January 2014 solar event, to illustrate methods for the simpler case of an isotropic and homogeneous model distribution. Radiation belt and solar proton results are compared to intensities computed with a simplified, on-axis response that can provide a good approximation under limited circumstances.

Fetal magnetocardiography measurements with an array of microfabricated optically pumped magnetometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alem, Orang; Sander, Tilmann H.; Mhaskar, Rahul; LeBlanc, John; Eswaran, Hari; Steinhoff, Uwe; Okada, Yoshio; Kitching, John; Trahms, Lutz; Knappe, Svenja

2015-06-01

Following the rapid progress in the development of optically pumped magnetometer (OPM) technology for the measurement of magnetic fields in the femtotesla range, a successful assembly of individual sensors into an array of nearly identical sensors is within reach. Here, 25 microfabricated OPMs with footprints of 1 cm3 were assembled into a conformal array. The individual sensors were inserted into three flexible belt-shaped holders and connected to their respective light sources and electronics, which reside outside a magnetically shielded room, through long optical and electrical cables. With this setup the fetal magnetocardiogram of a pregnant woman was measured by placing two sensor belts over her abdomen and one belt over her chest. The fetal magnetocardiogram recorded over the abdomen is usually dominated by contributions from the maternal magnetocardiogram, since the maternal heart generates a much stronger signal than the fetal heart. Therefore, signal processing methods have to be applied to obtain the pure fetal magnetocardiogram: orthogonal projection and independent component analysis. The resulting spatial distributions of fetal cardiac activity are in good agreement with each other. In a further exemplary step, the fetal heart rate was extracted from the fetal magnetocardiogram. Its variability suggests fetal activity. We conclude that microfabricated optically pumped magnetometers operating at room temperature are capable of complementing or in the future even replacing superconducting sensors for fetal magnetocardiography measurements.

Modeling the Proton Radiation Belt With Van Allen Probes Relativistic Electron-Proton Telescope Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selesnick, R. S.; Baker, D. N.; Kanekal, S. G.; Hoxie, V. C.; Li, X.

2018-01-01

An empirical model of the proton radiation belt is constructed from data taken during 2013-2017 by the Relativistic Electron-Proton Telescopes on the Van Allen Probes satellites. The model intensity is a function of time, kinetic energy in the range 18-600 MeV, equatorial pitch angle, and L shell of proton guiding centers. Data are selected, on the basis of energy deposits in each of the nine silicon detectors, to reduce background caused by hard proton energy spectra at low L. Instrument response functions are computed by Monte Carlo integration, using simulated proton paths through a simplified structural model, to account for energy loss in shielding material for protons outside the nominal field of view. Overlap of energy channels, their wide angular response, and changing satellite orientation require the model dependencies on all three independent variables be determined simultaneously. This is done by least squares minimization with a customized steepest descent algorithm. Model uncertainty accounts for statistical data error and systematic error in the simulated instrument response. A proton energy spectrum is also computed from data taken during the 8 January 2014 solar event, to illustrate methods for the simpler case of an isotropic and homogeneous model distribution. Radiation belt and solar proton results are compared to intensities computed with a simplified, on-axis response that can provide a good approximation under limited circumstances.

Preventive Effects of Seat Belt on Clinical Outcomes for Road Traffic Injuries

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Proper seat belt use saves lives; however, the use rate decreased in Korea. This study aimed to measure the magnitude of the preventive effect of seat belt on case-fatality across drivers and passengers. We used the Emergency Department based Injury In-depth Surveillance (EDIIS) database from 17 EDs between 2011 and 2012. All of adult injured patients from road traffic injuries (RTI) in-vehicle of less than 10-seat van were eligible, excluding cases with unknown seat belt use and outcomes. Primary and secondary endpoints were in-hospital mortality and intracranial injury. We calculated adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of seat belt use and driving status for study outcomes adjusting for potential confounders. Among 23,698 eligible patients, 15,304 (64.6%) wore seat belts. Driver, middle aged (30-44 yr), male, daytime injured patients were more likely to use seat belts (all P < 0.001). In terms of clinical outcome, no seat belt group had higher proportions of case-fatality and intracranial injury compared to seat belt group (both P < 0.001). Compared to seat belt group, AORs (95% CIs) of no seat belt group were 10.43 (7.75-14.04) for case-fatality and 2.68 (2.25-3.19) for intracranial injury respectively. In the interaction model, AORs (95% CIs) of no seat belt use for case-fatality were 11.71 (8.45-16.22) in drivers and 5.52 (2.83-14.76) in non-driving passengers, respectively. Wearing seat belt has significantly preventive effects on case-fatality and intracranial injury. Public health efforts to increase seat belt use are needed to reduce health burden from RTIs. PMID:26713066

Mineral parageneses, regional architecture, and tectonic evolution of Franciscan metagraywackes, Cape Mendocino-Garberville-Covelo 30' x 60' quadrangles, northwest California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ernst, W.G.; McLaughlin, Robert J.

2012-01-01

The Franciscan Complex is a classic subduction-zone assemblage. In northwest California, it comprises a stack of west vergent thrust sheets: westernmost Eastern Belt outliers; Central Belt mélange; Coastal Belt Yager terrane; Coastal Belt Coastal terrane; Coastal Belt King Range/False Cape terranes. We collected samples and determined P-T conditions of recrystallization for 88 medium-fine-grained metasandstones to assess their subduction-exhumation histories and assembly of the host allochthons. Feebly recrystallized Yager, Coastal, and King Range strata retain clear detrital features. Scattered neoblastic prehnite occurs in several Coastal terrane metasandstones; traces of possible pumpellyite are present in three Yager metaclastic rocks. Pumpellyite ± lawsonite ± aragonite-bearing Central Belt metasandstones are moderately deformed and reconstituted. Intensely contorted, thoroughly recrystallized Eastern Belt affinity quartzose metagraywackes contain lawsonite + jadeitic pyroxene ± aragonite ± glaucophane. We microprobed neoblastic phases in 23 rocks, documenting mineral parageneses that constrain the tectonic accretion and metamorphic P-T evolution of these sheets. Quasi-stable mineral assemblages typify Eastern Belt metasandstones, but mm-sized domains in the Central and Coastal belt rocks failed to achieve chemical equilibrium. Eastern Belt slabs rose from subduction depths approaching 25–30 km, whereas structurally lower Central Belt mélanges returned from ∼15–18 km. Coastal Belt assemblages suggest burial depths less than 5–8 km. Eastern and Central belt allochthons sequentially decoupled from the downgoing oceanic lithosphere and ascended into the accretionary margin; K-feldspar-rich Coastal Belt rocks were stranded along the continental edge without undergoing appreciable subduction, probably during Paleogene unroofing of the older, deeply subducted units of the Franciscan Complex in east-vergent crustal wedges.

From the IGY to the IHY: A Changing View of the Van Allen Radiation Belts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudson, M. K.

2006-12-01

Discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts by instrumentation flown on Explorer 1 in 1958 was the first major discovery of the Space Age. A view of the belts as static inner and outer zones of energetic particles with different sources, a double-doughnut encircling the Earth, became iconic to the point that their dynamic behavior and solar connection receded from public awareness and apparent scientific import. Then the Cycle 23 maximum in solar activity arrived in 1989-1991, the first approaching the activity level of the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58, when the Van Allen belts were first discovered. Delay in launch of the NASA-Air Force Combined Radiation Release and Effects Satellite, following the Challenger accident in 1986, led to having the right instruments in the right orbit at the right time to detect prompt injection of outer belt electrons and solar energetic protons into the `slot region' between the inner and outer belts, forming new trapped populations which lasted for years in an otherwise benign location. This event in March 1991, along with the great geomagnetic storm of March 1989, and our increased dependence on space technology since the early Explorer days, led to a resurgence of interest in the Van Allen radiation belts and understanding of their connectivity to the Sun. Additional instrumentation from NASA's International Solar Terrestrial Physics Program, the Solar Anomalous and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX) and IMAGE spacecraft from the Explorer program, NOAA and DOD spacecraft, and improved worldwide linkages of groundbased measurements have contributed much since 1991 to our understanding of the dynamic characteristics of the Van Allen belts. Further, the presence of continuous solar wind measurements beginning with the launch of WIND in 1994, and SOHO images of Coronal Mass Ejections and coronal hole sources of high speed solar wind flow have filled in the connection with solar activity qualitatively anticipated with the choice of solar maximum for the IGY. Still, much remains to be done in terms of predictive capability. The need for such capability gave rise to establishing the National Space Weather Program a decade ago, while the fundamental science questions of solar-terrestrial connectivity remain drivers for NASA's Living With a Star program and other focused projects such as the NSF-sponsored Center for Integrated Space Weather Modeling. As measurements of emerging solar active regions have greatly improved, soon to be given a STERIO view, computer modeling capability has developed beyond the wildest expectations of Professor Van Allen and colleagues who launched the first Geiger counter into space on a satellite with no data storage device (once called a tape recorder). Results from recent simulations attempting both to describe particle acceleration processes quantitatively and predict impact on the near Earth space environment will be presented.

49 CFR 571.210 - Standard No. 210; Seat belt assembly anchorages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... reference point, shall extend forward from that contact point at an angle with the horizontal of not less... torso belt first contacts the uppermost torso belt anchorage.Seat belt anchorage means any component... line from the seating reference point to the nearest contact point of the belt with the anchorage shall...

Warming-induced northwestward migration of the East Asian monsoon rain belt from the Last Glacial Maximum to the mid-Holocene

PubMed Central

Yang, Shiling; Ding, Zhongli; Li, Yangyang; Wang, Xu; Jiang, Wenying; Huang, Xiaofang

2015-01-01

Glacial–interglacial changes in the distribution of C3/C4 vegetation on the Chinese Loess Plateau have been related to East Asian summer monsoon intensity and position, and could provide insights into future changes caused by global warming. Here, we present δ13C records of bulk organic matter since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) from 21 loess sections across the Loess Plateau. The δ13C values (range: –25‰ to –16‰) increased gradually both from the LGM to the mid-Holocene in each section and from northwest to southeast in each time interval. During the LGM, C4 biomass increased from <5% in the northwest to 10–20% in the southeast, while during the mid-Holocene C4 vegetation increased throughout the Plateau, with estimated biomass increasing from 10% to 20% in the northwest to >40% in the southeast. The spatial pattern of C4 biomass in both the LGM and the mid-Holocene closely resembles that of modern warm-season precipitation, and thus can serve as a robust analog for the contemporary East Asian summer monsoon rain belt. Using the 10–20% isolines for C4 biomass in the cold LGM as a reference, we derived a minimum 300-km northwestward migration of the monsoon rain belt for the warm Holocene. Our results strongly support the prediction that Earth's thermal equator will move northward in a warmer world. The southward displacement of the monsoon rain belt and the drying trend observed during the last few decades in northern China will soon reverse as global warming continues. PMID:26460029

VESUVIUS PENTALOGUE: Interdisciplinary Science for Disaster Resilience and Sustainability of Populations Surrounding Vesuvius

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobran, F.

2015-12-01

VESUVIUS PENTALOGUE is an elaboration of VESUVIUS 2000 scientific initiative aimed at volcanic risk reduction in the Vesuvius area. Its 5 building blocks are: (1) The current strategy of volcanic risk management (massive deportation of population) is both problematic and unacceptable. (2) A continuing close habitation of the population with the volcano should be the crucial cultural point to be pursued. This can be accomplished through a redefinition of the danger zone around Summa-Vesuvius as follows: (a) An exclusion nucleus should be established that prohibits all future human settlements and discourage the existing ones; (b) A resilience belt, housing most of the current population, should be established; (c) A sustainable area should be established beyond the resilience belt, allowing for both sustainable practices and temporary resettlements of the "resilience belt" citizens. (3) The built environment construction codes for the population of the danger zone should be established by utilizing Plinian eruption scenarios, scenario-based seismic hazard assessment and zonation, (c) dynamic structural analyses, (d) global volcanic simulations modeling of thermo-fluid dynamic eruption processes. (4) The volcanic risk information and education should involve an effective volcanic risk information campaign and active public preparedness strategy. This should be implemented for the exclusion nucleus, resilience belt, and sustainable area regions surrounding Summa-Vesuvius. A Volcanic Risk Education Safety Program should be implemented in all schools located within each of the above areas surrounding the volcano. (5)The political Authorities and the scientific community should produce a "memorandum of understanding" that univocally establishes an effective collaboration, and periodic progress reports that keep the populations informed on the improvements leading to the realization of the above objectives. For further details see www.gvess.org.

Warming-induced northwestward migration of the East Asian monsoon rain belt from the Last Glacial Maximum to the mid-Holocene.

PubMed

Yang, Shiling; Ding, Zhongli; Li, Yangyang; Wang, Xu; Jiang, Wenying; Huang, Xiaofang

2015-10-27

Glacial-interglacial changes in the distribution of C3/C4 vegetation on the Chinese Loess Plateau have been related to East Asian summer monsoon intensity and position, and could provide insights into future changes caused by global warming. Here, we present δ(13)C records of bulk organic matter since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) from 21 loess sections across the Loess Plateau. The δ(13)C values (range: -25‰ to -16‰) increased gradually both from the LGM to the mid-Holocene in each section and from northwest to southeast in each time interval. During the LGM, C4 biomass increased from <5% in the northwest to 10-20% in the southeast, while during the mid-Holocene C4 vegetation increased throughout the Plateau, with estimated biomass increasing from 10% to 20% in the northwest to >40% in the southeast. The spatial pattern of C4 biomass in both the LGM and the mid-Holocene closely resembles that of modern warm-season precipitation, and thus can serve as a robust analog for the contemporary East Asian summer monsoon rain belt. Using the 10-20% isolines for C4 biomass in the cold LGM as a reference, we derived a minimum 300-km northwestward migration of the monsoon rain belt for the warm Holocene. Our results strongly support the prediction that Earth's thermal equator will move northward in a warmer world. The southward displacement of the monsoon rain belt and the drying trend observed during the last few decades in northern China will soon reverse as global warming continues.

Crustal structure of the Dabie orogenic belt (eastern China) inferred from gravity and magnetic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yu-shan; Li, Yuan-yuan

2018-01-01

In order to better characterize the crustal structure of the Dabie orogen and its tectonic history, we present a crustal structure along a 500 km long profile across the Dabie orogenic belt using various data processing and interpretation of the gravity and magnetic data. Source depth estimations from the spectral analysis by continuous wavelet transform (CWT) provide better constraints for constructing the initial density model. The calculated gravity effects from the initial model show great discrepancy with the observed data, especially at the center of the profile. More practical factors are then incorporated into the gravity modeling. First, we add a high density body right beneath the high pressure metamorphic (HPM) and ultrahigh pressure metamorphic (UHPM) belt considering the exposed HPM and UHPM rocks in the mid of our profile. Then, the anomalous bodies A, B, and C inferred from the CWT-based spectral analysis results are fixed in the model geometry. In the final crustal density structure, two anomalous bodies B and C with high density and low magnetization could possibly be attributed to metasomatised mantle materials by SiO2-rich melt derived from the foundering subducted mafic lower crust. Under the extensional environment in the early Cretaceous, the upwelling metasomatised mantle was partially melted to produce the parental magma of the post-collisional mafic-ultramafic intrusive rocks. As for the low density body A with strong magnetization located in the lower crust right beneath the HP and UHP metamorphic belt, it is more likely to be composed of serpentinized mantle peridotite (SMP). This serpentinized mantle peridotite body (SMPB) represents the emplacement of mantle-derived peridotites in the crust, accompanying the exhumation of the UHP metamorphic rocks.

Possible causes of socioeconomic and ethnic differences in seat belt use among high school students.

PubMed

Shin, D; Hong, L; Waldron, I

1999-09-01

This study has assessed seat belt use and factors which may influence seat belt use among high school students from three types of schools. The inner city schools had high proportions of African American and Hispanic American students from low income families, whereas the middle class school and private schools had high proportions of non-Hispanic white students from middle class families with college educated parents. Students from the inner city schools reported less seat belt use than students from the middle class school or private schools. Our analyses evaluated several hypotheses concerning possible reasons why inner city youth had lower rates of seat belt use. In accord with the social influences hypothesis, inner city youth reported lower rates of parental seat belt use and less often being told by parents to use their seat belts, and our regression results indicate that less parental modeling and encouragement of seat belt use was an important cause of inner city youth's lower rates of seat belt use. Our other hypotheses received weaker support, but we did find evidence for two hypothesized differences in attitudes which influence seat belt use. Specifically, inner city youth were more likely to agree with the statement, 'there is no point in wearing seat belts since you have no control over your fate or destiny', and inner city youth attributed less importance to safety concerns as a motivation for seat belt use. These attitudes appeared to contribute to lower rates of seat belt use by inner city youth.

Pattern of seat belt use by drivers in Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background In Trinidad and Tobago, the law on the mandatory use of seat belts was passed in 1995, but this law is hardly enforced. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency and predictors of seat belt use by motor vehicle drivers in the country. Findings A cross-sectional study of 959 motor vehicle drivers using a self-administered questionnaire. Data analysis included Pearson Chi square test and multinomial logistic regression analysis in order to determine the possible predictors of seat belt use by the drivers in Trinidad and Tobago. A majority of the drivers sometimes (51.8%) or always (31.6%) use a seat belt. About 16.7%, 29% and 54.2% of the drivers perceived that the other drivers use their seat belts more frequently, with the same frequency and less frequently respectively compared to themselves. The main reason for not using seat belt by the drivers was given as frequent stops (40.7%) and the main motivation to use seat belt by the drivers was given as stiffer penalties for non-compliance with the seat belt law (44.5%). The predictors of seat belt use were male driver, no formal or lower level of education, driving for less than 10 years, and the perception that the other drivers use seat belts with the same or higher frequency compared to the respondents. Conclusion Only a small proportion of the drivers in Trinidad and Tobago always use a seat belt when driving. There is the need to enforce the seat belt legislation in the country. PMID:21679410

Tectonics of some Amazonian greenstone belts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gibbs, A. K.

1986-01-01

Greenstone belts exposed amid gneisses, granitoid rocks, and less abundant granulites along the northern and eastern margins of the Amazonian Craton yield Trans-Amazonican metamorphic ages of 2.0-2.1 Ga. Early proterozoic belts in the northern region probably originated as ensimatic island arc complexes. The Archean Carajas belt in the southeastern craton probably formed in an extensional basin on older continental basement. That basement contains older Archean belts with pillow basalts and komatiites. Belts of ultramafic rocks warrant investigatijon as possible ophiolites. A discussion follows.

Identifying U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Characteristics That Correspond to Success in Specific Occupational Fields

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

Reserve Affairs MAGTF Marine Air Ground Task Force MC Mechanical Comprehension MCMAP Marine Corps Martial Arts Program MCO Marine Corps Order MCRC... Martial Arts Program (MCMAP) belt level. Setting the MCMCAP belt level to “NOT TRAINED” is required to maintain the MCMAP records for future analysis...BELT MARTIAL ARTS INSTRUCTOR 60 MMG BROWN BELT MARTIAL ARTS INSTRUCTOR 70 MMJ BLACK BELT, 1ST DEGREE MARTIAL ARTS INSTRUCTOR 80 MMK BLACK BELT, 1ST

Seat belt use on interstate highways.

PubMed Central

Wells, J K; Williams, A F; Lund, A K

1990-01-01

More than 5,000 miles of limited-access highways in the eastern United States and Canada were traveled to observe seat belt use. Overall belt use was 58 percent in the United States and 79 percent in Canada. The data indicate that belt use in the United States follows a different pattern on interstate highways than on other streets and roads, with relatively high belt use rates (over 50 percent) appearing to be somewhat independent of belt use law provisions. PMID:2343969

23 CFR 1215.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... consisting of a lap belt or a lap belt and a detachable shoulder belt; and with respect to other passenger vehicles, an occupant restraint system consisting of integrated lap shoulder belts. Secretary means the...

23 CFR 1215.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... consisting of a lap belt or a lap belt and a detachable shoulder belt; and with respect to other passenger vehicles, an occupant restraint system consisting of integrated lap shoulder belts. Secretary means the...

23 CFR 1215.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... consisting of a lap belt or a lap belt and a detachable shoulder belt; and with respect to other passenger vehicles, an occupant restraint system consisting of integrated lap shoulder belts. Secretary means the...

23 CFR 1215.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... consisting of a lap belt or a lap belt and a detachable shoulder belt; and with respect to other passenger vehicles, an occupant restraint system consisting of integrated lap shoulder belts. Secretary means the...

23 CFR 1215.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... consisting of a lap belt or a lap belt and a detachable shoulder belt; and with respect to other passenger vehicles, an occupant restraint system consisting of integrated lap shoulder belts. Secretary means the...

Identifying the Source of Large-Scale Atmospheric Variability in Jupiter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orton, Glenn

2011-01-01

We propose to use the unique mid-infrared filtered imaging and spectroscopic capabilities of the Subaru COMICS instrument to determine the mechanisms associated with recent unusual rapid albedo and color transformations of several of Jupiter's bands, particularly its South Equatorial Belt (SEB), as a means to understand the coupling between its dynamics and chemistry. These observations will characterize the temperature, degree of cloud cover, and distribution of minor gases that serve as indirect tracers of vertical motions in regions that will be undergoing unusual large-scale changes in dynamics and chemistry: the SEB, as well as regions near the equator and Jupiter's North Temperate Belt. COMICS is ideal for this investigation because of its efficiency in doing both imaging and spectroscopy, its 24.5-mum filter that is unique to 8-meter-class telescopes, its wide field of view that allows imaging of nearly all of Jupiter's disk, coupled with a high diffraction-limited angular resolution and optimal mid-infrared atmospheric transparency.

Reconnaissance investigation of high-calcium marble in the Beaver Creek area, St. Lawrence County, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, C. Ervin

1978-01-01

Three belts of marble of the Grenville Series were mapped in the Beaver Creek drainage basin, St. Lawrence County, N.Y. One of these, on the west side of Beaver Creek, consists of coarsely crystalline pure calcitic marble that occurs in a zone at least 10 by 0.8 km in extent. Samples of marble show CaCO3 content to be greater than 93 percent, and some samples contain greater than 96 percent, and only small amounts of MgO and Fe203 are present. Marble in two other belts to the east of Beaver Creek are variable in composition, but locally have high content of calcium carbonate material. The marble deposit west of Beaver Creek has a chemical composition favorable for specialized chemical, industrial, and metallurgical uses. Another favorable aspect of the deposit is its proximity to inexpensive water transportation on the St. Lawrence Seaway only 27.5 km away by road, at Ogdensburg, N.Y.