The dynamic range of LZ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, J.

2016-02-01

The electronics of the LZ experiment, the 7-tonne dark matter detector to be installed at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF), is designed to permit studies of physics where the energies deposited range from 1 keV of nuclear-recoil energy up to 3,000 keV of electron-recoil energy. The system is designed to provide a 70% efficiency for events that produce three photoelectrons in the photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). This corresponds approximately to the lowest energy threshold achievable in multi-tonne time-projection chambers, and drives the noise specifications for the front end. The upper limit of the LZ dynamic range is defined to accommodate the electroluminescence (S2) signals. The low-energy channels of the LZ amplifiers provide the dynamic range required for the tritium and krypton calibrations. The high-energy channels provide the dynamic range required to measure the activated Xe lines.

High dynamic range imaging by pupil single-mode filtering and remapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perrin, G.; Lacour, S.; Woillez, J.; Thiébaut, É.

2006-12-01

Because of atmospheric turbulence, obtaining high angular resolution images with a high dynamic range is difficult even in the near-infrared domain of wavelengths. We propose a novel technique to overcome this issue. The fundamental idea is to apply techniques developed for long baseline interferometry to the case of a single-aperture telescope. The pupil of the telescope is broken down into coherent subapertures each feeding a single-mode fibre. A remapping of the exit pupil allows interfering all subapertures non-redundantly. A diffraction-limited image with very high dynamic range is reconstructed from the fringe pattern analysis with aperture synthesis techniques, free of speckle noise. The performances of the technique are demonstrated with simulations in the visible range with an 8-m telescope. Raw dynamic ranges of 1:106 can be obtained in only a few tens of seconds of integration time for bright objects.

Population dynamics can be more important than physiological limits for determining range shifts under climate change.

PubMed

Fordham, Damien A; Mellin, Camille; Russell, Bayden D; Akçakaya, Reşit H; Bradshaw, Corey J A; Aiello-Lammens, Matthew E; Caley, Julian M; Connell, Sean D; Mayfield, Stephen; Shepherd, Scoresby A; Brook, Barry W

2013-10-01

Evidence is accumulating that species' responses to climate changes are best predicted by modelling the interaction of physiological limits, biotic processes and the effects of dispersal-limitation. Using commercially harvested blacklip (Haliotis rubra) and greenlip abalone (Haliotis laevigata) as case studies, we determine the relative importance of accounting for interactions among physiology, metapopulation dynamics and exploitation in predictions of range (geographical occupancy) and abundance (spatially explicit density) under various climate change scenarios. Traditional correlative ecological niche models (ENM) predict that climate change will benefit the commercial exploitation of abalone by promoting increased abundances without any reduction in range size. However, models that account simultaneously for demographic processes and physiological responses to climate-related factors result in future (and present) estimates of area of occupancy (AOO) and abundance that differ from those generated by ENMs alone. Range expansion and population growth are unlikely for blacklip abalone because of important interactions between climate-dependent mortality and metapopulation processes; in contrast, greenlip abalone should increase in abundance despite a contraction in AOO. The strongly non-linear relationship between abalone population size and AOO has important ramifications for the use of ENM predictions that rely on metrics describing change in habitat area as proxies for extinction risk. These results show that predicting species' responses to climate change often require physiological information to understand climatic range determinants, and a metapopulation model that can make full use of this data to more realistically account for processes such as local extirpation, demographic rescue, source-sink dynamics and dispersal-limitation. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Coordinated dynamic encoding in the retina using opposing forms of plasticity

PubMed Central

Kastner, David B.; Baccus, Stephen A.

2011-01-01

The range of natural inputs encoded by a neuron often exceeds its dynamic range. To overcome this limitation, neural populations divide their inputs among different cell classes, as with rod and cone photoreceptors, and adapt by shifting their dynamic range. We report that the dynamic behavior of retinal ganglion cells in salamanders, mice, and rabbits is divided into two opposing forms of short-term plasticity in different cell classes. One population of cells exhibited sensitization—a persistent elevated sensitivity following a strong stimulus. This novel dynamic behavior compensates for the information loss caused by the known process of adaptation occurring in a separate cell population. The two populations divide the dynamic range of inputs, with sensitizing cells encoding weak signals, and adapting cells encoding strong signals. In the two populations, the linear, threshold and adaptive properties are linked to preserve responsiveness when stimulus statistics change, with one population maintaining the ability to respond when the other fails. PMID:21909086

Dynamical properties and transport coefficients of one-dimensional Lennard-Jones fluids: A molecular dynamics study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bazhenov, Alexiev M.; Heyes, David M.

1990-01-01

The thermodynamics, structure, and transport coefficients, as defined by the Green-Kubo integrals, of the one-dimensional Lennard-Jones fluid are evaluated for a wide range of state points by molecular dynamics computer simulation. These calculations are performed for the first time for thermal conductivity and the viscosity. We observe a transition from hard-rod behavior at low number density to harmonic-spring fluid behavior in the close-packed limit. The self-diffusion coefficient decays with increasing density to a finite limiting value. The thermal conductivity increases with density, tending to ∞ in the close-packed limit. The viscosity in contrast maximizes at intermediate density, tending to zero in the zero density and close-packed limits.

Varying-energy CT imaging method based on EM-TV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ping; Han, Yan

2016-11-01

For complicated structural components with wide x-ray attenuation ranges, conventional fixed-energy computed tomography (CT) imaging cannot obtain all the structural information. This limitation results in a shortage of CT information because the effective thickness of the components along the direction of x-ray penetration exceeds the limit of the dynamic range of the x-ray imaging system. To address this problem, a varying-energy x-ray CT imaging method is proposed. In this new method, the tube voltage is adjusted several times with the fixed lesser interval. Next, the fusion of grey consistency and logarithm demodulation are applied to obtain full and lower noise projection with a high dynamic range (HDR). In addition, for the noise suppression problem of the analytical method, EM-TV (expectation maximization-total Jvariation) iteration reconstruction is used. In the process of iteration, the reconstruction result obtained at one x-ray energy is used as the initial condition of the next iteration. An accompanying experiment demonstrates that this EM-TV reconstruction can also extend the dynamic range of x-ray imaging systems and provide a higher reconstruction quality relative to the fusion reconstruction method.

Population genetics and the evolution of geographic range limits in an annual plant.

PubMed

Moeller, David A; Geber, Monica A; Tiffin, Peter

2011-10-01

Abstract Theoretical models of species' geographic range limits have identified both demographic and evolutionary mechanisms that prevent range expansion. Stable range limits have been paradoxical for evolutionary biologists because they represent locations where populations chronically fail to respond to selection. Distinguishing among the proposed causes of species' range limits requires insight into both current and historical population dynamics. The tools of molecular population genetics provide a window into the stability of range limits, historical demography, and rates of gene flow. Here we evaluate alternative range limit models using a multilocus data set based on DNA sequences and microsatellites along with field demographic data from the annual plant Clarkia xantiana ssp. xantiana. Our data suggest that central and peripheral populations have very large historical and current effective population sizes and that there is little evidence for population size changes or bottlenecks associated with colonization in peripheral populations. Whereas range limit populations appear to have been stable, central populations exhibit a signature of population expansion and have contributed asymmetrically to the genetic diversity of peripheral populations via migration. Overall, our results discount strictly demographic models of range limits and more strongly support evolutionary genetic models of range limits, where adaptation is prevented by a lack of genetic variation or maladaptive gene flow.

Competition and facilitation may lead to asymmetric range shift dynamics with climate change.

PubMed

Ettinger, Ailene; HilleRisLambers, Janneke

2017-09-01

Forecasts of widespread range shifts with climate change stem from assumptions that climate drives species' distributions. However, local adaptation and biotic interactions also influence range limits and thus may impact range shifts. Despite the potential importance of these factors, few studies have directly tested their effects on performance at range limits. We address how population-level variation and biotic interactions may affect range shifts by transplanting seeds and seedlings of western North American conifers of different origin populations into different competitive neighborhoods within and beyond their elevational ranges and monitoring their performance. We find evidence that competition with neighboring trees limits performance within current ranges, but that interactions between adults and juveniles switch from competitive to facilitative at upper range limits. Local adaptation had weaker effects on performance that did not predictably vary with range position or seed origin. Our findings suggest that competitive interactions may slow species turnover within forests at lower range limits, whereas facilitative interactions may accelerate the pace of tree expansions upward near timberline. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Optofluidic laser for dual-mode sensitive biomolecular detection with a large dynamic range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xiang; Oo, Maung Kyaw Khaing; Reddy, Karthik; Chen, Qiushu; Sun, Yuze; Fan, Xudong

2014-04-01

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is a powerful method for biomolecular analysis. The traditional ELISA employing light intensity as the sensing signal often encounters large background arising from non-specific bindings, material autofluorescence and leakage of excitation light, which deteriorates its detection limit and dynamic range. Here we develop the optofluidic laser-based ELISA, where ELISA occurs inside a laser cavity. The laser onset time is used as the sensing signal, which is inversely proportional to the enzyme concentration and hence the analyte concentration inside the cavity. We first elucidate the principle of the optofluidic laser-based ELISA, and then characterize the optofluidic laser performance. Finally, we present the dual-mode detection of interleukin-6 using commercial ELISA kits, where the sensing signals are simultaneously obtained by the traditional and the optofluidic laser-based ELISA, showing a detection limit of 1 fg ml-1 (38 aM) and a dynamic range of 6 orders of magnitude.

Trifunctional molecular beacon-mediated quadratic amplification for highly sensitive and rapid detection of mercury(II) ion with tunable dynamic range.

PubMed

Zhao, Yue; Liu, Huaqing; Chen, Feng; Bai, Min; Zhao, Junwu; Zhao, Yongxi

2016-12-15

Analyses of target with low abundance or concentration varying over many orders of magnitude are severe challenges faced by numerous assay methods due to their modest sensitivity and limited dynamic range. Here, we introduce a homogeneous and rapid quadratic polynomial amplification strategy through rational design of a trifunctional molecular beacon, which serves as not only a reporter molecule but also a bridge to couple two stage amplification modules without adding any reaction components or process other than basic linear amplification. As a test bed for our studies, we took mercury(II) ion as an example and obtained a high sensitivity with detection limit down to 200 pM within 30min. In order to create a tunable dynamic range, homotropic allostery is employed to modulate the target specific binding. When the number of metal binding site varies from 1 to 3, signal response is programmed accordingly with useful dynamic range spanning 50, 25 and 10 folds, respectively. Furthermore, the applicability of the proposed method in river water and biological samples are successfully verified with good recovery and reproducibility, indicating considerable potential for its practicality in complex real samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Floquet–Magnus theory and generic transient dynamics in periodically driven many-body quantum systems

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

Kuwahara, Tomotaka, E-mail: tomotaka.phys@gmail.com; WPI, Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577; Mori, Takashi

2016-04-15

This work explores a fundamental dynamical structure for a wide range of many-body quantum systems under periodic driving. Generically, in the thermodynamic limit, such systems are known to heat up to infinite temperature states in the long-time limit irrespective of dynamical details, which kills all the specific properties of the system. In the present study, instead of considering infinitely long-time scale, we aim to provide a general framework to understand the long but finite time behavior, namely the transient dynamics. In our analysis, we focus on the Floquet–Magnus (FM) expansion that gives a formal expression of the effective Hamiltonian onmore » the system. Although in general the full series expansion is not convergent in the thermodynamics limit, we give a clear relationship between the FM expansion and the transient dynamics. More precisely, we rigorously show that a truncated version of the FM expansion accurately describes the exact dynamics for a certain time-scale. Our theory reveals an experimental time-scale for which non-trivial dynamical phenomena can be reliably observed. We discuss several dynamical phenomena, such as the effect of small integrability breaking, efficient numerical simulation of periodically driven systems, dynamical localization and thermalization. Especially on thermalization, we discuss a generic scenario on the prethermalization phenomenon in periodically driven systems. -- Highlights: •A general framework to describe transient dynamics for periodically driven systems. •The theory is applicable to generic quantum many-body systems including long-range interacting systems. •Physical meaning of the truncation of the Floquet–Magnus expansion is rigorously established. •New mechanism of the prethermalization is proposed. •Revealing an experimental time-scale for which non-trivial dynamical phenomena can be reliably observed.« less

Dynamic range of frontoparietal functional modulation is associated with working memory capacity limitations in older adults.

PubMed

Hakun, Jonathan G; Johnson, Nathan F

2017-11-01

Older adults tend to over-activate regions throughout frontoparietal cortices and exhibit a reduced range of functional modulation during WM task performance compared to younger adults. While recent evidence suggests that reduced functional modulation is associated with poorer task performance, it remains unclear whether reduced range of modulation is indicative of general WM capacity-limitations. In the current study, we examined whether the range of functional modulation observed over multiple levels of WM task difficulty (N-Back) predicts in-scanner task performance and out-of-scanner psychometric estimates of WM capacity. Within our sample (60-77years of age), age was negatively associated with frontoparietal modulation range. Individuals with greater modulation range exhibited more accurate N-Back performance. In addition, despite a lack of significant relationships between N-Back and complex span task performance, range of frontoparietal modulation during the N-Back significantly predicted domain-general estimates of WM capacity. Consistent with previous cross-sectional findings, older individuals with less modulation range exhibited greater activation at the lowest level of task difficulty but less activation at the highest levels of task difficulty. Our results are largely consistent with existing theories of neurocognitive aging (e.g. CRUNCH) but focus attention on dynamic range of functional modulation asa novel marker of WM capacity-limitations in older adults. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Large Deviations in Weakly Interacting Boundary Driven Lattice Gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Wijland, Frédéric; Rácz, Zoltán

2005-01-01

One-dimensional, boundary-driven lattice gases with local interactions are studied in the weakly interacting limit. The density profiles and the correlation functions are calculated to first order in the interaction strength for zero-range and short-range processes differing only in the specifics of the detailed-balance dynamics. Furthermore, the effective free-energy (large-deviation function) and the integrated current distribution are also found to this order. From the former, we find that the boundary drive generates long-range correlations only for the short-range dynamics while the latter provides support to an additivity principle recently proposed by Bodineau and Derrida.

The Dynamic Range of LZ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Jun; LZ Collaboration

2015-10-01

The electronics of the LZ experiment, the 7-ton dark matter detector to be installed at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF), is designed to provide a 70% efficiency for events that produce three photoelectrons in the photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). This corresponds approximately to the lowest energy threshold achievable in such a detector, and drives the noise specifications for the front end. The upper limit of the LZ dynamic range is defined by the electroluminescence (S2) signals. The low-energy channels of the LZ amplifiers provide the dynamic range required for the tritium and krypton calibrations. The high-energy channels provide the dynamic range required to measure the activated Xe lines. S2 signals induced by alpha particles from radon decay will saturate one or more channels of the top PMT array but techniques are being developed to recover the information lost due to saturation. This work was supported by the Department of Energy, Grant DE-SC0006605.

Digital micromirror device camera with per-pixel coded exposure for high dynamic range imaging.

PubMed

Feng, Wei; Zhang, Fumin; Wang, Weijing; Xing, Wei; Qu, Xinghua

2017-05-01

In this paper, we overcome the limited dynamic range of the conventional digital camera, and propose a method of realizing high dynamic range imaging (HDRI) from a novel programmable imaging system called a digital micromirror device (DMD) camera. The unique feature of the proposed new method is that the spatial and temporal information of incident light in our DMD camera can be flexibly modulated, and it enables the camera pixels always to have reasonable exposure intensity by DMD pixel-level modulation. More importantly, it allows different light intensity control algorithms used in our programmable imaging system to achieve HDRI. We implement the optical system prototype, analyze the theory of per-pixel coded exposure for HDRI, and put forward an adaptive light intensity control algorithm to effectively modulate the different light intensity to recover high dynamic range images. Via experiments, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our method and implement the HDRI on different objects.

Stabilizing detached Bridgman melt crystal growth: Proportional-integral feedback control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeckel, Andrew; Daoutidis, Prodromos; Derby, Jeffrey J.

2012-10-01

The dynamics, operability limits, and tuning of a proportional-integral feedback controller to stabilize detached vertical Bridgman crystal growth are analyzed using a capillary model of shape stability. The manipulated variable is the pressure difference between upper and lower vapor spaces, and the controlled variable is the gap width at the triple-phase line. Open and closed loop dynamics of step changes in these state variables are analyzed under both shape stable and shape unstable growth conditions. Effects of step changes in static contact angle and growth angle are also studied. Proportional and proportional-integral control can stabilize unstable growth, but only within tight operability limits imposed by the narrow range of allowed meniscus shapes. These limits are used to establish safe operating ranges of controller gain. Strong nonlinearity of the capillary model restricts the range of perturbations that can be stabilized, and under some circumstances, stabilizes a spurious operating state far from the set point. Stabilizing detachment at low growth angle proves difficult and becomes impossible at zero growth angle.

Anomalous dynamical phase in quantum spin chains with long-range interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Homrighausen, Ingo; Abeling, Nils O.; Zauner-Stauber, Valentin; Halimeh, Jad C.

2017-09-01

The existence or absence of nonanalytic cusps in the Loschmidt-echo return rate is traditionally employed to distinguish between a regular dynamical phase (regular cusps) and a trivial phase (no cusps) in quantum spin chains after a global quench. However, numerical evidence in a recent study (J. C. Halimeh and V. Zauner-Stauber, arXiv:1610.02019) suggests that instead of the trivial phase, a distinct anomalous dynamical phase characterized by a novel type of nonanalytic cusps occurs in the one-dimensional transverse-field Ising model when interactions are sufficiently long range. Using an analytic semiclassical approach and exact diagonalization, we show that this anomalous phase also arises in the fully connected case of infinite-range interactions, and we discuss its defining signature. Our results show that the transition from the regular to the anomalous dynamical phase coincides with Z2-symmetry breaking in the infinite-time limit, thereby showing a connection between two different concepts of dynamical criticality. Our work further expands the dynamical phase diagram of long-range interacting quantum spin chains, and can be tested experimentally in ion-trap setups and ultracold atoms in optical cavities, where interactions are inherently long range.

Cine CT technique for dynamic airway studies

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

Ell, S.R.; Jolles, H.; Keyes, W.D.

1985-07-01

The advent of cine CT scanning with its 50-msec data acquisition time promises a much wider range of dynamic CT studies. The authors describe a method for dynamic evaluation of the extrathoracic airway, which they believe has considerable potential application in nonfixed upper-airway disease, such as sleep apnea and stridor of unknown cause. Conventional CT is limited in such studies by long data acquisition time and can be used to study only prolonged maneuvers such as phonation. Fluoroscopy and digital subtraction studies are limited by relatively high radiation dose and inability to image all wall motions simultaneously.

FIR Detector Sensitivity, Dynamic Range, and Multiplexing Requirements for the Origins Space Telescope (OST)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staguhn, Johannes G.

2018-05-01

Spectroscopic, cold, space-based mid-to-far-infrared (FIR) missions, such as the Origins Space Telescope, will require large (tens of kilopixels), ultra-sensitive FIR detector arrays with sufficient dynamic range and high-density multiplexing schemes for the readout, in order to optimize the scientific return while staying within a realistic cost range. Issues like power consumption of multiplexers and their readout are significantly more important for space missions than they are for ground-based or suborbital applications. In terms of the detectors and their configuration into large arrays, significant development efforts are needed even for both of the most mature candidate superconducting detector technologies, namely transition edge sensors and (microwave) kinetic inductance detectors. Here we explore both practical and fundamental limits for those technologies in order to lay out a realistic path forward for both technologies. We conclude that beyond the need to enhance the detector sensitivities and pixel numbers by about an order of magnitude over currently existing devices, improved concepts for larger dynamic range and multiplexing density will be needed in order to optimize the scientific return of future cold FIR space missions. Background-limited, very high spectral resolution instruments will require photon-counting detectors.

Design of voice coil motor dynamic focusing unit for a laser scanner

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Moon G.; Kim, Gaeun; Lee, Chan-Woo; Lee, Soo-Hun; Jeon, Yongho

2014-04-01

Laser scanning systems have been used for material processing tasks such as welding, cutting, marking, and drilling. However, applications have been limited by the small range of motion and slow speed of the focusing unit, which carries the focusing optics. To overcome these limitations, a dynamic focusing system with a long travel range and high speed is needed. In this study, a dynamic focusing unit for a laser scanning system with a voice coil motor (VCM) mechanism is proposed to enable fast speed and a wide focusing range. The VCM has finer precision and higher speed than conventional step motors and a longer travel range than earlier lead zirconium titanate actuators. The system has a hollow configuration to provide a laser beam path. This also makes it compact and transmission-free and gives it low inertia. The VCM's magnetics are modeled using a permeance model. Its design parameters are determined by optimization using the Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno method and a sequential quadratic programming algorithm. After the VCM is designed, the dynamic focusing unit is fabricated and assembled. The permeance model is verified by a magnetic finite element method simulation tool, Maxwell 2D and 3D, and by measurement data from a gauss meter. The performance is verified experimentally. The results show a resolution of 0.2 μm and travel range of 16 mm. These are better than those of conventional focusing systems; therefore, this focusing unit can be applied to laser scanning systems for good machining capability.

Design of voice coil motor dynamic focusing unit for a laser scanner.

PubMed

Lee, Moon G; Kim, Gaeun; Lee, Chan-Woo; Lee, Soo-Hun; Jeon, Yongho

2014-04-01

Laser scanning systems have been used for material processing tasks such as welding, cutting, marking, and drilling. However, applications have been limited by the small range of motion and slow speed of the focusing unit, which carries the focusing optics. To overcome these limitations, a dynamic focusing system with a long travel range and high speed is needed. In this study, a dynamic focusing unit for a laser scanning system with a voice coil motor (VCM) mechanism is proposed to enable fast speed and a wide focusing range. The VCM has finer precision and higher speed than conventional step motors and a longer travel range than earlier lead zirconium titanate actuators. The system has a hollow configuration to provide a laser beam path. This also makes it compact and transmission-free and gives it low inertia. The VCM's magnetics are modeled using a permeance model. Its design parameters are determined by optimization using the Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno method and a sequential quadratic programming algorithm. After the VCM is designed, the dynamic focusing unit is fabricated and assembled. The permeance model is verified by a magnetic finite element method simulation tool, Maxwell 2D and 3D, and by measurement data from a gauss meter. The performance is verified experimentally. The results show a resolution of 0.2 μm and travel range of 16 mm. These are better than those of conventional focusing systems; therefore, this focusing unit can be applied to laser scanning systems for good machining capability.

An Evidence-Based Systematic Review of Amplitude Compression in Hearing Aids for School-Age Children With Hearing Loss

PubMed Central

McCreery, Ryan W.; Venediktov, Rebecca A.; Coleman, Jaumeiko J.; Leech, Hillary M.

2013-01-01

Purpose Two clinical questions were developed: one addressing the comparison of linear amplification with compression limiting to linear amplification with peak clipping, and the second comparing wide dynamic range compression with linear amplification for outcomes of audibility, speech recognition, speech and language, and self- or parent report in children with hearing loss. Method Twenty-six databases were systematically searched for studies addressing a clinical question and meeting all inclusion criteria. Studies were evaluated for methodological quality, and effect sizes were reported or calculated when possible. Results The literature search resulted in the inclusion of 8 studies. All 8 studies included comparisons of wide dynamic range compression to linear amplification, and 2 of the 8 studies provided comparisons of compression limiting versus peak clipping. Conclusions Moderate evidence from the included studies demonstrated that audibility was improved and speech recognition was either maintained or improved with wide dynamic range compression as compared with linear amplification. No significant differences were observed between compression limiting and peak clipping on outcomes (i.e., speech recognition and self-/parent report) reported across the 2 studies. Preference ratings appear to be influenced by participant characteristics and environmental factors. Further research is needed before conclusions can confidently be drawn. PMID:22858616

Quantum speed limits in open system dynamics.

PubMed

del Campo, A; Egusquiza, I L; Plenio, M B; Huelga, S F

2013-02-01

Bounds to the speed of evolution of a quantum system are of fundamental interest in quantum metrology, quantum chemical dynamics, and quantum computation. We derive a time-energy uncertainty relation for open quantum systems undergoing a general, completely positive, and trace preserving evolution which provides a bound to the quantum speed limit. When the evolution is of the Lindblad form, the bound is analogous to the Mandelstam-Tamm relation which applies in the unitary case, with the role of the Hamiltonian being played by the adjoint of the generator of the dynamical semigroup. The utility of the new bound is exemplified in different scenarios, ranging from the estimation of the passage time to the determination of precision limits for quantum metrology in the presence of dephasing noise.

Dispersal, niche breadth and population extinction: colonization ratios predict range size in North American dragonflies.

PubMed

McCauley, Shannon J; Davis, Christopher J; Werner, Earl E; Robeson, Michael S

2014-07-01

Species' range sizes are shaped by fundamental differences in species' ecological and evolutionary characteristics, and understanding the mechanisms determining range size can shed light on the factors responsible for generating and structuring biological diversity. Moreover, because geographic range size is associated with a species' risk of extinction and their ability to respond to global changes in climate and land use, understanding these mechanisms has important conservation implications. Despite the hypotheses that dispersal behaviour is a strong determinant of species range areas, few data are available to directly compare the relationship between dispersal behaviour and range size. Here, we overcome this limitation by combining data from a multispecies dispersal experiment with additional species-level trait data that are commonly hypothesized to affect range size (e.g. niche breadth, local abundance and body size.). This enables us to examine the relationship between these species-level traits and range size across North America for fifteen dragonfly species. Ten models based on a priori predictions about the relationship between species traits and range size were evaluated and two models were identified as good predictors of species range size. These models indicated that only two species' level traits, dispersal behaviour and niche breadth were strongly related to range size. The evidence from these two models indicated that dragonfly species that disperse more often and further had larger North American ranges. Extinction and colonization dynamics are expected to be a key linkage between dispersal behaviour and range size in dragonflies. To evaluate how extinction and colonization dynamics among dragonflies were related to range size we used an independent data set of extinction and colonization rates for eleven dragonfly species and assessed the relationship between these populations rates and North American range areas for these species. We found a negative relationship between North American range size and species' extinction-to-colonization ratios. Our results indicate that metapopulation dynamics act to shape the extent of species' continental distributions. These population dynamics are likely to interact with dispersal behaviour, particularly at species range margins, to determine range limits and ultimately species range sizes. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2013 British Ecological Society.

Sample Introduction Using the Hildebrand Grid Nebulizer for Plasma Spectrometry

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-01

linear dynamic ranges, precision, and peak width were de- termined for elements in methanol and acetonitrile solutions. , (1)> The grid nebulizer was...FIA) with ICP-OES detection were evaluated. Detec- tion limits, linear dynamic ranges, precision, and peak width were de- termined for elements in...Concentration vs. Log Peak Area for Mn, 59 Cd, Zn, Au, Ni in Methanol (CMSC) 3-28 Log Concentration vs. Log Peak Area for Mn, 60 Cd, Au, Ni in

Multi-exposure high dynamic range image synthesis with camera shake correction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xudong; Chen, Yongfu; Jiang, Hongzhi; Zhao, Huijie

2017-10-01

Machine vision plays an important part in industrial online inspection. Owing to the nonuniform illuminance conditions and variable working distances, the captured image tends to be over-exposed or under-exposed. As a result, when processing the image such as crack inspection, the algorithm complexity and computing time increase. Multiexposure high dynamic range (HDR) image synthesis is used to improve the quality of the captured image, whose dynamic range is limited. Inevitably, camera shake will result in ghost effect, which blurs the synthesis image to some extent. However, existed exposure fusion algorithms assume that the input images are either perfectly aligned or captured in the same scene. These assumptions limit the application. At present, widely used registration based on Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) is usually time consuming. In order to rapidly obtain a high quality HDR image without ghost effect, we come up with an efficient Low Dynamic Range (LDR) images capturing approach and propose a registration method based on ORiented Brief (ORB) and histogram equalization which can eliminate the illumination differences between the LDR images. The fusion is performed after alignment. The experiment results demonstrate that the proposed method is robust to illumination changes and local geometric distortion. Comparing with other exposure fusion methods, our method is more efficient and can produce HDR images without ghost effect by registering and fusing four multi-exposure images.

Validation of a Hartmann-Moiré wavefront sensor with large dynamic range.

PubMed

Wei, Xin; Van Heugten, Tony; Thibos, Larry

2009-08-03

Our goal was to validate the accuracy, repeatability, sensitivity, and dynamic range of a Hartmann-Moiré (HM) wavefront sensor (PixelOptics, Inc.) designed for ophthalmic applications. Testing apparatus injected a 4 mm diameter monochromatic (532 nm) beam of light into the wavefront sensor for measurement. Controlled amounts of defocus and astigmatism were introduced into the beam with calibrated spherical (-20D to + 18D) and cylindrical (-8D to + 8D) lenses. Repeatability was assessed with three repeated measurements within a 2-minute period. Correlation coefficients between mean wavefront measurements (n = 3) and expected wavefront vergence for both sphere and cylinder lenses were >0.999. For spherical lenses, the sensor was accurate to within 0.1D over the range from -20D to + 18D. For cylindrical lenses, the sensor was accurate to within 0.1D over the range from -8D to + 8D. The primary limitation to demonstrating an even larger dynamic range was the increasingly critical requirements for optical alignment. Sensitivity to small changes of vergence was constant over the instrument's full dynamic range. Repeatability of measurements for fixed condition was within 0.01D. The Hartmann-Moiré wavefront sensor measures defocus and astigmatism accurately and repeatedly with good sensitivity over a large dynamic range required for ophthalmic applications.

From dissipative dynamics to studies of heat transfer at the nanoscale: analysis of the spin-boson model.

PubMed

Boudjada, Nazim; Segal, Dvira

2014-11-26

We study in a unified manner the dissipative dynamics and the transfer of heat in the two-bath spin-boson model. We use the Bloch-Redfield (BR) formalism, valid in the very weak system-bath coupling limit, the noninteracting-blip approximation (NIBA), applicable in the nonadiabatic limit, and iterative, numerically exact path integral tools. These methodologies were originally developed for the description of the dissipative dynamics of a quantum system, and here they are applied to explore the problem of quantum energy transport in a nonequilibrium setting. Specifically, we study the weak-to-intermediate system-bath coupling regime at high temperatures kBT/ħ > ε, with ε as the characteristic frequency of the two-state system. The BR formalism and NIBA can lead to close results for the dynamics of the reduced density matrix (RDM) in a certain range of parameters. However, relatively small deviations in the RDM dynamics propagate into significant qualitative discrepancies in the transport behavior. Similarly, beyond the strict nonadiabatic limit NIBA's prediction for the heat current is qualitatively incorrect: It fails to capture the turnover behavior of the current with tunneling energy and temperature. Thus, techniques that proved meaningful for describing the RDM dynamics, to some extent even beyond their rigorous range of validity, should be used with great caution in heat transfer calculations, because qualitative-serious failures develop once parameters are mildly stretched beyond the techniques' working assumptions.

Dynamic Modeling Using MCSim and R (SOT 2016 Biological Modeling Webinar Series)

EPA Science Inventory

MCSim is a stand-alone software package for simulating and analyzing dynamic models, with a focus on Bayesian analysis using Markov Chain Monte Carlo. While it is an extremely powerful package, it is somewhat inflexible, and offers only a limited range of analysis options, with n...

Effect of short range hydrodynamic on bimodal colloidal gel systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boromand, Arman; Jamali, Safa; Maia, Joao

2015-03-01

Colloidal Gels and disordered arrested systems has been studied extensively during the past decades. Although, they have found their place in multiple industries such as cosmetic, food and so on, their physical principals are still far beyond being understood. The interplay between different types of interactions from quantum scale, Van der Waals interaction, to short range interactions, depletion interaction, and long range interactions such as electrostatic double layer makes this systems challenging from simulation point of view. Many authors have implemented different simulation techniques such as molecular dynamics (MD) and Brownian dynamics (BD) to capture better picture during phase separation of colloidal system with short range attractive force. However, BD is not capable to include multi-body hydrodynamic interaction and MD is limited by the computational resources and is limited to short time and length scales. In this presentation we used Core-modified dissipative particle dynamics (CM-DPD) with modified depletion potential, as a coarse-grain model, to address the gel formation process in short ranged-attractive colloidal suspensions. Due to the possibility to include and separate short and long ranged-hydrodynamic forces in this method we studied the effect of each of those forces on the final morphology and report one of the controversial question in this field on the effect of hydrodynamics on the cluster formation process on bimodal, soft-hard colloidal mixtures.

Analysis of biogenic amines using corona discharge ion mobility spectrometry.

PubMed

Hashemian, Z; Mardihallaj, A; Khayamian, T

2010-05-15

A new method based on corona discharge ion mobility spectrometry (CD-IMS) was developed for the analysis of biogenic amines including spermidine, spermine, putrescine, and cadaverine. The ion mobility spectra of the compounds were obtained with and without n-Nonylamine used as the reagent gas. The high proton affinity of n-Nonylamine prevented ion formation from compounds with a proton affinity lower than that of n-Nonylamine and, therefore, enhanced its selectivity. It was also realized that the ion mobility spectrum of n-Nonylamine varied with its concentration. A sample injection port of a gas chromatograph was modified and used as the sample introduction system into the CD-IMS. The detection limits, dynamic ranges, and analytical parameters of the compounds with and without using the reagent gas were obtained. The detection limits and dynamic ranges of the compounds were about 2ng and 2 orders of magnitude, respectively. The wide dynamic range of CD-IMS originates from the high current of the corona discharge. The results revealed the high capability of the CD-IMS for the analysis of biogenic amines.

Complexity dynamics and Hopf bifurcation analysis based on the first Lyapunov coefficient about 3D IS-LM macroeconomics system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Junhai; Ren, Wenbo; Zhan, Xueli

2017-04-01

Based on the study of scholars at home and abroad, this paper improves the three-dimensional IS-LM model in macroeconomics, analyzes the equilibrium point of the system and stability conditions, focuses on the parameters and complex dynamic characteristics when Hopf bifurcation occurs in the three-dimensional IS-LM macroeconomics system. In order to analyze the stability of limit cycles when Hopf bifurcation occurs, this paper further introduces the first Lyapunov coefficient to judge the limit cycles, i.e. from a practical view of the business cycle. Numerical simulation results show that within the range of most of the parameters, the limit cycle of 3D IS-LM macroeconomics is stable, that is, the business cycle is stable; with the increase of the parameters, limit cycles becomes unstable, and the value range of the parameters in this situation is small. The research results of this paper have good guide significance for the analysis of macroeconomics system.

Cracks dynamics under tensional stress - a DEM approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Debski, Wojciech; Klejment, Piotr; Kosmala, Alicja; Foltyn, Natalia; Szpindler, Maciej

2017-04-01

Breaking and fragmentation of solid materials is an extremely complex process involving scales ranging from an atomic scale (breaking inter-atomic bounds) up to thousands of kilometers in case of catastrophic earthquakes (in energy scale it ranges from single eV up to 1024 J). Such a large scale span of breaking processes opens lot of questions like, for example, scaling of breaking processes, existence of factors controlling final size of broken area, existence of precursors, dynamics of fragmentation, to name a few. The classical approach to study breaking process at seismological scales, i.e., physical processes in earthquake foci, is essentially based on two factors: seismic data (mostly) and the continuum mechanics (including the linear fracture mechanics). Such approach has been gratefully successful in developing kinematic (first) and dynamic (recently) models of seismic rupture and explaining many of earthquake features observed all around the globe. However, such approach will sooner or latter face a limitation due to a limited information content of seismic data and inherit limitations of the fracture mechanics principles. A way of avoiding this expected limitation is turning an attention towards a well established in physics method of computational simulations - a powerful branch of contemporary physics. In this presentation we discuss preliminary results of analysis of fracturing dynamics under external tensional forces using the Discrete Element Method approach. We demonstrate that even under a very simplified tensional conditions, the fragmentation dynamics is a very complex process, including multi-fracturing, spontaneous fracture generation and healing, etc. We also emphasis a role of material heterogeneity on the fragmentation process.

Flexible nano- and microliter injections on a single liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system: Minimizing sample preparation and maximizing linear dynamic range.

PubMed

Lubin, Arnaud; Sheng, Sheng; Cabooter, Deirdre; Augustijns, Patrick; Cuyckens, Filip

2017-11-17

Lack of knowledge on the expected concentration range or insufficient linear dynamic range of the analytical method applied are common challenges for the analytical scientist. Samples that are above the upper limit of quantification are typically diluted and reanalyzed. The analysis of undiluted highly concentrated samples can cause contamination of the system, while the dilution step is time consuming and as the case for any sample preparation step, also potentially leads to precipitation, adsorption or degradation of the analytes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Static FBG strain sensor with high resolution and large dynamic range by dual-comb spectroscopy.

PubMed

Kuse, Naoya; Ozawa, Akira; Kobayashi, Yohei

2013-05-06

We demonstrate a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) strain sensor with optical frequency combs. To precisely characterize the optical response of the FBG when strain is applied, dual-comb spectroscopy is used. Highly sensitive dual-comb spectroscopy of the FBG enabled strain measurements with a resolution of 34 nε. The optical spectral bandwidth of the measurement exceeds 1 THz. Compared with conventional FBG strain sensor using a continuous-wave laser that requires rather slow frequency scanning with a limited range, the dynamic range and multiplexing capability are significantly improved by using broadband dual-comb spectroscopy.

Dynamic range adaptation in primary motor cortical populations

PubMed Central

Rasmussen, Robert G; Schwartz, Andrew; Chase, Steven M

2017-01-01

Neural populations from various sensory regions demonstrate dynamic range adaptation in response to changes in the statistical distribution of their input stimuli. These adaptations help optimize the transmission of information about sensory inputs. Here, we show a similar effect in the firing rates of primary motor cortical cells. We trained monkeys to operate a brain-computer interface in both two- and three-dimensional virtual environments. We found that neurons in primary motor cortex exhibited a change in the amplitude of their directional tuning curves between the two tasks. We then leveraged the simultaneous nature of the recordings to test several hypotheses about the population-based mechanisms driving these changes and found that the results are most consistent with dynamic range adaptation. Our results demonstrate that dynamic range adaptation is neither limited to sensory regions nor to rescaling of monotonic stimulus intensity tuning curves, but may rather represent a canonical feature of neural encoding. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.21409.001 PMID:28417848

Dynamics of a spin-boson model with structured spectral density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurt, Arzu; Eryigit, Resul

2018-05-01

We report the results of a study of the dynamics of a two-state system coupled to an environment with peaked spectral density. An exact analytical expression for the bath correlation function is obtained. Validity range of various approximations to the correlation function for calculating the population difference of the system is discussed as function of tunneling splitting, oscillator frequency, coupling constant, damping rate and the temperature of the bath. An exact expression for the population difference, for a limited range of parameters, is derived.

Visualization in mechanics: the dynamics of an unbalanced roller

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cumber, Peter S.

2017-04-01

It is well known that mechanical engineering students often find mechanics a difficult area to grasp. This article describes a system of equations describing the motion of a balanced and an unbalanced roller constrained by a pivot arm. A wide range of dynamics can be simulated with the model. The equations of motion are embedded in a graphical user interface for its numerical solution in MATLAB. This allows a student's focus to be on the influence of different parameters on the system dynamics. The simulation tool can be used as a dynamics demonstrator in a lecture or as an educational tool driven by the imagination of the student. By way of demonstration the simulation tool has been applied to a range of roller-pivot arm configurations. In addition, approximations to the equations of motion are explored and a second-order model is shown to be accurate for a limited range of parameters.

Fundamental Design Principles for Transcription-Factor-Based Metabolite Biosensors.

PubMed

Mannan, Ahmad A; Liu, Di; Zhang, Fuzhong; Oyarzún, Diego A

2017-10-20

Metabolite biosensors are central to current efforts toward precision engineering of metabolism. Although most research has focused on building new biosensors, their tunability remains poorly understood and is fundamental for their broad applicability. Here we asked how genetic modifications shape the dose-response curve of biosensors based on metabolite-responsive transcription factors. Using the lac system in Escherichia coli as a model system, we built promoter libraries with variable operator sites that reveal interdependencies between biosensor dynamic range and response threshold. We developed a phenomenological theory to quantify such design constraints in biosensors with various architectures and tunable parameters. Our theory reveals a maximal achievable dynamic range and exposes tunable parameters for orthogonal control of dynamic range and response threshold. Our work sheds light on fundamental limits of synthetic biology designs and provides quantitative guidelines for biosensor design in applications such as dynamic pathway control, strain optimization, and real-time monitoring of metabolism.

Dynamic granularity of imaging systems

DOE PAGES

Geissel, Matthias; Smith, Ian C.; Shores, Jonathon E.; ...

2015-11-04

Imaging systems that include a specific source, imaging concept, geometry, and detector have unique properties such as signal-to-noise ratio, dynamic range, spatial resolution, distortions, and contrast. Some of these properties are inherently connected, particularly dynamic range and spatial resolution. It must be emphasized that spatial resolution is not a single number but must be seen in the context of dynamic range and consequently is better described by a function or distribution. We introduce the “dynamic granularity” G dyn as a standardized, objective relation between a detector’s spatial resolution (granularity) and dynamic range for complex imaging systems in a given environmentmore » rather than the widely found characterization of detectors such as cameras or films by themselves. We found that this relation can partly be explained through consideration of the signal’s photon statistics, background noise, and detector sensitivity, but a comprehensive description including some unpredictable data such as dust, damages, or an unknown spectral distribution will ultimately have to be based on measurements. Measured dynamic granularities can be objectively used to assess the limits of an imaging system’s performance including all contributing noise sources and to qualify the influence of alternative components within an imaging system. Our article explains the construction criteria to formulate a dynamic granularity and compares measured dynamic granularities for different detectors used in the X-ray backlighting scheme employed at Sandia’s Z-Backlighter facility.« less

Towards a robust HDR imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, Xin; Zeng, Xiangrong; Huangpeng, Qizi; Zhou, Jinglun; Feng, Jing

2016-07-01

High dynamic range (HDR) images can show more details and luminance information in general display device than low dynamic image (LDR) images. We present a robust HDR imaging system which can deal with blurry LDR images, overcoming the limitations of most existing HDR methods. Experiments on real images show the effectiveness and competitiveness of the proposed method.

Design of voice coil motor dynamic focusing unit for a laser scanner

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

Lee, Moon G.; Kim, Gaeun; Lee, Chan-Woo

2014-04-15

Laser scanning systems have been used for material processing tasks such as welding, cutting, marking, and drilling. However, applications have been limited by the small range of motion and slow speed of the focusing unit, which carries the focusing optics. To overcome these limitations, a dynamic focusing system with a long travel range and high speed is needed. In this study, a dynamic focusing unit for a laser scanning system with a voice coil motor (VCM) mechanism is proposed to enable fast speed and a wide focusing range. The VCM has finer precision and higher speed than conventional step motorsmore » and a longer travel range than earlier lead zirconium titanate actuators. The system has a hollow configuration to provide a laser beam path. This also makes it compact and transmission-free and gives it low inertia. The VCM's magnetics are modeled using a permeance model. Its design parameters are determined by optimization using the Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno method and a sequential quadratic programming algorithm. After the VCM is designed, the dynamic focusing unit is fabricated and assembled. The permeance model is verified by a magnetic finite element method simulation tool, Maxwell 2D and 3D, and by measurement data from a gauss meter. The performance is verified experimentally. The results show a resolution of 0.2 μm and travel range of 16 mm. These are better than those of conventional focusing systems; therefore, this focusing unit can be applied to laser scanning systems for good machining capability.« less

Impact of deformation on the atomic structures and dynamics of a Cu-Zr metallic glass: A molecular dynamics study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y.; Mendelev, M. I.; Wang, C. Z.; Ott, R.; Zhang, F.; Besser, M. F.; Ho, K. M.; Kramer, M. J.

2014-11-01

Despite numerous studies on the atomic structures of Cu-Zr metallic glasses (MGs), their inherent structural ordering, e.g., medium-range order (MRO), remains difficult to describe. Specifically lacking is an understanding of how the MRO responds to deformation and the associated changes in atomic mobility. In this paper, we focus on the impact of deformation on MRO and associated effect on diffusion in a well-relaxed C u64.5Z r35.5 MG by molecular dynamics simulations. The Cu-Zr MG exhibits a larger elastic limit of 0.035 and a yield stress of 3.5 GPa. The cluster alignment method was employed to characterize the icosahedral short-range order (ISRO) and Bergman-type medium-range order (BMRO) in the models upon loading and unloading. From this analysis, we find the disruption of both ISRO and BMRO occurs as the strain reaches about 0.02, well below the elastic limit. Within the elastic limit, the total fractions of ISRO or BMRO can be fully recovered upon unloading. The diffusivity increases six to eight times in regions undergoing plastic deformation, which is due to the dramatic disruption of the ISRO and BMRO. By mapping the spatial distributions of the mobile atoms, we demonstrate the increase in atomic mobility is due to the extended regions of disrupted ISRO and more importantly BMRO.

A plasmid-based Escherichia coli gene expression system with cell-to-cell variation below the extrinsic noise limit

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Experiments in synthetic biology and microbiology can benefit from protein expression systems with low cell-to-cell variability (noise) and expression levels precisely tunable across a useful dynamic range. Despite advances in understanding the molecular biology of microbial gene regulation, many experiments employ protein-expression systems exhibiting high noise and nearly all-or-none responses to induction. I present an expression system that incorporates elements known to reduce gene expression noise: negative autoregulation and bicistronic transcription. I show by stochastic simulation that while negative autoregulation can produce a more gradual response to induction, bicistronic expression of a repressor and gene of interest can be necessary to reduce noise below the extrinsic limit. I synthesized a plasmid-based system incorporating these principles and studied its properties in Escherichia coli cells, using flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy to characterize induction dose-response, induction/repression kinetics and gene expression noise. By varying ribosome binding site strengths, expression levels from 55–10,740 molecules/cell were achieved with noise below the extrinsic limit. Individual strains are inducible across a dynamic range greater than 20-fold. Experimental comparison of different regulatory networks confirmed that bicistronic autoregulation reduces noise, and revealed unexpectedly high noise for a conventional expression system with a constitutively expressed transcriptional repressor. I suggest a hybrid, low-noise expression system to increase the dynamic range. PMID:29084263

Floquet-Magnus theory and generic transient dynamics in periodically driven many-body quantum systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuwahara, Tomotaka; Mori, Takashi; Saito, Keiji

2016-04-01

This work explores a fundamental dynamical structure for a wide range of many-body quantum systems under periodic driving. Generically, in the thermodynamic limit, such systems are known to heat up to infinite temperature states in the long-time limit irrespective of dynamical details, which kills all the specific properties of the system. In the present study, instead of considering infinitely long-time scale, we aim to provide a general framework to understand the long but finite time behavior, namely the transient dynamics. In our analysis, we focus on the Floquet-Magnus (FM) expansion that gives a formal expression of the effective Hamiltonian on the system. Although in general the full series expansion is not convergent in the thermodynamics limit, we give a clear relationship between the FM expansion and the transient dynamics. More precisely, we rigorously show that a truncated version of the FM expansion accurately describes the exact dynamics for a certain time-scale. Our theory reveals an experimental time-scale for which non-trivial dynamical phenomena can be reliably observed. We discuss several dynamical phenomena, such as the effect of small integrability breaking, efficient numerical simulation of periodically driven systems, dynamical localization and thermalization. Especially on thermalization, we discuss a generic scenario on the prethermalization phenomenon in periodically driven systems.

A high dynamic range pulse counting detection system for mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Collings, Bruce A; Dima, Martian D; Ivosev, Gordana; Zhong, Feng

2014-01-30

A high dynamic range pulse counting system has been developed that demonstrates an ability to operate at up to 2e8 counts per second (cps) on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Previous pulse counting detection systems have typically been limited to about 1e7 cps at the upper end of the systems dynamic range. Modifications to the detection electronics and dead time correction algorithm are described in this paper. A high gain transimpedance amplifier is employed that allows a multi-channel electron multiplier to be operated at a significantly lower bias potential than in previous pulse counting systems. The system utilises a high-energy conversion dynode, a multi-channel electron multiplier, a high gain transimpedance amplifier, non-paralysing detection electronics and a modified dead time correction algorithm. Modification of the dead time correction algorithm is necessary due to a characteristic of the pulse counting electronics. A pulse counting detection system with the capability to count at ion arrival rates of up to 2e8 cps is described. This is shown to provide a linear dynamic range of nearly five orders of magnitude for a sample of aprazolam with concentrations ranging from 0.0006970 ng/mL to 3333 ng/mL while monitoring the m/z 309.1 → m/z 205.2 transition. This represents an upward extension of the detector's linear dynamic range of about two orders of magnitude. A new high dynamic range pulse counting system has been developed demonstrating the ability to operate at up to 2e8 cps on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. This provides an upward extension of the detector's linear dynamic range by about two orders of magnitude over previous pulse counting systems. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Swarming behaviors in multi-agent systems with nonlinear dynamics

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

Yu, Wenwu, E-mail: wenwuyu@gmail.com; School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne VIC 3001; Chen, Guanrong

2013-12-15

The dynamic analysis of a continuous-time multi-agent swarm model with nonlinear profiles is investigated in this paper. It is shown that, under mild conditions, all agents in a swarm can reach cohesion within a finite time, where the upper bounds of the cohesion are derived in terms of the parameters of the swarm model. The results are then generalized by considering stochastic noise and switching between nonlinear profiles. Furthermore, swarm models with limited sensing range inducing changing communication topologies and unbounded repulsive interactions between agents are studied by switching system and nonsmooth analysis. Here, the sensing range of each agentmore » is limited and the possibility of collision among nearby agents is high. Finally, simulation results are presented to demonstrate the validity of the theoretical analysis.« less

A limited host immune range facilitates the creation and maintenance of diversity in parasite virulence

PubMed Central

Best, Alex; Hoyle, Andy

2013-01-01

A vast theoretical literature has explored the evolutionary dynamics of parasite virulence. The classic result from this modelling work is that, assuming a saturating transmission–virulence trade-off, there is a single evolutionary optimum where the parasite optimizes the epidemiological R0. However, there are an increasing number of models that have shown how ecological and epidemiological feedbacks to evolution can instead result in the creation and maintenance of multiple parasite strains. Here, we fully explore one such example, where recovered hosts have a limited ‘immune range’ resulting in partial cross-immunity to parasite strains that they have not previously encountered. Taking an adaptive dynamics approach, we show that, provided this immune range is not too wide, high levels of diversity can evolve and be maintained through multiple branching events. We argue that our model provides a more realistic picture of disease dynamics in vertebrate host populations and may be a key explanatory factor in the high levels of parasite diversity seen in natural systems. PMID:24516712

Hdr Imaging for Feature Detection on Detailed Architectural Scenes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kontogianni, G.; Stathopoulou, E. K.; Georgopoulos, A.; Doulamis, A.

2015-02-01

3D reconstruction relies on accurate detection, extraction, description and matching of image features. This is even truer for complex architectural scenes that pose needs for 3D models of high quality, without any loss of detail in geometry or color. Illumination conditions influence the radiometric quality of images, as standard sensors cannot depict properly a wide range of intensities in the same scene. Indeed, overexposed or underexposed pixels cause irreplaceable information loss and degrade digital representation. Images taken under extreme lighting environments may be thus prohibitive for feature detection/extraction and consequently for matching and 3D reconstruction. High Dynamic Range (HDR) images could be helpful for these operators because they broaden the limits of illumination range that Standard or Low Dynamic Range (SDR/LDR) images can capture and increase in this way the amount of details contained in the image. Experimental results of this study prove this assumption as they examine state of the art feature detectors applied both on standard dynamic range and HDR images.

The role of SLR and LLR in relativity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ries, John C.

1994-01-01

While General Relativity has been adopted as the standard theory of relativity, there are alternative theories, with important implications for gravitational physics, which can only be discounted with tests of sufficient accuracy. In addition to its contributions to lunar and solar system dynamics, Lunar Laser Ranging, in combination with other solar system data continues to refine some important limits. Satellite laser ranging tracking of geodetic satellites can provide similar tests, but the accuracy is usually limited by gravitational and nongravitational perturbations.

Ultra-high dynamic range electro-optic sampling for detecting millimeter and sub-millimeter radiation

PubMed Central

Ibrahim, Akram; Férachou, Denis; Sharma, Gargi; Singh, Kanwarpal; Kirouac-Turmel, Marie; Ozaki, Tsuneyuki

2016-01-01

Time-domain spectroscopy using coherent millimeter and sub-millimeter radiation (also known as terahertz radiation) is rapidly expanding its application, owing greatly to the remarkable advances in generating and detecting such radiation. However, many current techniques for coherent terahertz detection have limited dynamic range, thus making it difficult to perform some basic experiments that need to directly compare strong and weak terahertz signals. Here, we propose and demonstrate a novel technique based on cross-polarized spectral-domain interferometry to achieve ultra-high dynamic range electro-optic sampling measurement of coherent millimeter and sub-millimeter radiation. In our scheme, we exploit the birefringence in a single-mode polarization maintaining fiber in order to measure the phase change induced by the electric field of terahertz radiation in the detection crystal. With our new technique, we have achieved a dynamic range of 7 × 106, which is 4 orders of magnitude higher than conventional electro-optic sampling techniques, while maintaining comparable signal-to-noise ratio. The present technique is foreseen to have great impact on experiments such as linear terahertz spectroscopy of optically thick materials (such as aqueous samples) and nonlinear terahertz spectroscopy, where the higher dynamic range is crucial for proper interpretation of experimentally obtained results. PMID:26976363

Ultra-high dynamic range electro-optic sampling for detecting millimeter and sub-millimeter radiation.

PubMed

Ibrahim, Akram; Férachou, Denis; Sharma, Gargi; Singh, Kanwarpal; Kirouac-Turmel, Marie; Ozaki, Tsuneyuki

2016-03-15

Time-domain spectroscopy using coherent millimeter and sub-millimeter radiation (also known as terahertz radiation) is rapidly expanding its application, owing greatly to the remarkable advances in generating and detecting such radiation. However, many current techniques for coherent terahertz detection have limited dynamic range, thus making it difficult to perform some basic experiments that need to directly compare strong and weak terahertz signals. Here, we propose and demonstrate a novel technique based on cross-polarized spectral-domain interferometry to achieve ultra-high dynamic range electro-optic sampling measurement of coherent millimeter and sub-millimeter radiation. In our scheme, we exploit the birefringence in a single-mode polarization maintaining fiber in order to measure the phase change induced by the electric field of terahertz radiation in the detection crystal. With our new technique, we have achieved a dynamic range of 7 × 10(6), which is 4 orders of magnitude higher than conventional electro-optic sampling techniques, while maintaining comparable signal-to-noise ratio. The present technique is foreseen to have great impact on experiments such as linear terahertz spectroscopy of optically thick materials (such as aqueous samples) and nonlinear terahertz spectroscopy, where the higher dynamic range is crucial for proper interpretation of experimentally obtained results.

Logarithmic amplifiers.

PubMed

Gandler, W; Shapiro, H

1990-01-01

Logarithmic amplifiers (log amps), which produce an output signal proportional to the logarithm of the input signal, are widely used in cytometry for measurements of parameters that vary over a wide dynamic range, e.g., cell surface immunofluorescence. Existing log amp circuits all deviate to some extent from ideal performance with respect to dynamic range and fidelity to the logarithmic curve; accuracy in quantitative analysis using log amps therefore requires that log amps be individually calibrated. However, accuracy and precision may be limited by photon statistics and system noise when very low level input signals are encountered.

High frequency, high temperature specific core loss and dynamic B-H hysteresis loop characteristics of soft magnetic alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wieserman, W. R.; Schwarze, G. E.; Niedra, J. M.

1990-01-01

Limited experimental data exists for the specific core loss and dynamic B-H loops for soft magnetic materials for the combined conditions of high frequency and high temperature. This experimental study investigates the specific core loss and dynamic B-H loop characteristics of Supermalloy and Metglas 2605SC over the frequency range of 1 to 50 kHz and temperature range of 23 to 300 C under sinusoidal voltage excitation. The experimental setup used to conduct the investigation is described. The effects of the maximum magnetic flux density, frequency, and temperature on the specific core loss and on the size and shape of the B-H loops are examined.

Multimodal dispersal during the range expansion of the tropical house gecko Hemidactylus mabouia

PubMed Central

Short, Kristen H; Petren, Kenneth

2011-01-01

Dispersal influences both the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of range expansion. While some studies have demonstrated a role for human-mediated dispersal during invasion, the genetic effects of such dispersal remain to be understood, particularly in terrestrial range expansions. In this study, we investigated multimodal dispersal during the range expansion of the invasive gecko Hemidactylus mabouia in Florida using 12 microsatellite loci. We investigated dispersal patterns at the regional scale (metropolitan areas), statewide scale (state of Florida), and global scale (including samples from the native range). Dispersal was limited at the smallest, regional scale, within metropolitan areas, as reflected by the presence of genetic structure at this scale, which is in agreement with a previous study in this same invasion at even smaller spatial scales. Surprisingly, there was no detectable genetic structure at the intermediate statewide scale, which suggests dispersal is not limited across the state of Florida. There was evidence of genetic differentiation between Florida and other areas where H. mabouia occurs, so we concluded that at the largest scale, dispersal was limited. Humans likely contributed to patterns of dispersal at all three scales but in different ways. Infrequent low-volume dispersal has occurred within regions, frequent high-volume dispersal has occurred across the state, and infrequent long-distance dispersal has occurred among continents at the global scale. This study highlights the importance of considering different modes of dispersal at multiple spatial scales to understand the dynamics of invasion and range expansion. PMID:22393494

Image Alignment for Multiple Camera High Dynamic Range Microscopy.

PubMed

Eastwood, Brian S; Childs, Elisabeth C

2012-01-09

This paper investigates the problem of image alignment for multiple camera high dynamic range (HDR) imaging. HDR imaging combines information from images taken with different exposure settings. Combining information from multiple cameras requires an alignment process that is robust to the intensity differences in the images. HDR applications that use a limited number of component images require an alignment technique that is robust to large exposure differences. We evaluate the suitability for HDR alignment of three exposure-robust techniques. We conclude that image alignment based on matching feature descriptors extracted from radiant power images from calibrated cameras yields the most accurate and robust solution. We demonstrate the use of this alignment technique in a high dynamic range video microscope that enables live specimen imaging with a greater level of detail than can be captured with a single camera.

Image Alignment for Multiple Camera High Dynamic Range Microscopy

PubMed Central

Eastwood, Brian S.; Childs, Elisabeth C.

2012-01-01

This paper investigates the problem of image alignment for multiple camera high dynamic range (HDR) imaging. HDR imaging combines information from images taken with different exposure settings. Combining information from multiple cameras requires an alignment process that is robust to the intensity differences in the images. HDR applications that use a limited number of component images require an alignment technique that is robust to large exposure differences. We evaluate the suitability for HDR alignment of three exposure-robust techniques. We conclude that image alignment based on matching feature descriptors extracted from radiant power images from calibrated cameras yields the most accurate and robust solution. We demonstrate the use of this alignment technique in a high dynamic range video microscope that enables live specimen imaging with a greater level of detail than can be captured with a single camera. PMID:22545028

Lilies at the limit: Variation in plant-pollinator interactions across an elevational range.

PubMed

Theobald, Elli J; Gabrielyan, Hrach; HilleRisLambers, Janneke

2016-02-01

Many studies assume climatic factors are paramount in determining species' distributions, however, biotic interactions may also play a role. For example, pollinators may limit species' ranges if floral abundance or floral attractiveness is reduced at range margins, thus causing lower pollinator visitation and reduced reproductive output. To test if pollinators influence the altitudinal distribution of Erythronium montanum (Liliaceae) at Mount Rainier National Park, we asked whether (1) seed production in this species relies on pollinators, (2) seed production and pollen limitation is greatest at range limits, and (3) pollinator visitation rates (either overall or by individual taxonomic groups) reflect patterns of seed production and pollen limitation. From this three-year study, we established that this plant does rely on pollinators for fruit set and we found that pollen limitation trended toward being higher at the upper range limit in some years, but not consistently year to year. Insect visitation rates did not mirror spatial patterns of pollen limitation, but annually variable pollinator composition suggested differential importance of some pollinator taxonomic groups (specifically, bumblebees may be better pollinators than syrphid flies). Overall, these results suggest that while pollinators are critical for the reproductive success of this high mountain wildflower, plant-pollinator interactions do not obviously drive the distribution of this species. Nonetheless, high spatio-temporal variability in range-wide plant-pollinator dynamics may complicate responses to climate change. © 2016 Botanical Society of America.

Forest dynamics and its driving forces of sub-tropical forest in South China.

PubMed

Ma, Lei; Lian, Juyu; Lin, Guojun; Cao, Honglin; Huang, Zhongliang; Guan, Dongsheng

2016-03-04

Tree mortality and recruitment are key factors influencing forest dynamics, but the driving mechanisms of these processes remain unclear. To better understand these driving mechanisms, we studied forest dynamics over a 5-year period in a 20-ha sub-tropical forest in the Dinghushan Nature Reserve, South China. The goal was to identify determinants of tree mortality/recruitment at the local scale using neighborhood analyses on some locally dominant tree species. Results show that the study plot was more dynamic than some temperate and tropical forests in a comparison to large, long-term forest dynamics plots. Over the 5-year period, mortality rates ranged from 1.67 to 12.33% per year while recruitment rates ranged from 0 to 20.26% per year. Tree size had the most consistent effect on mortality across species. Recruitment into the ≥1-cm size class consistently occurred where local con-specific density was high. This suggests that recruitment may be limited by seed dispersal. Hetero-specific individuals also influenced recruitment significantly for some species. Canopy species had low recruitment into the ≥1-cm size class over the 5-year period. In conclusion, tree mortality and recruitment for sixteen species in this plot was likely limited by seed dispersal and density-dependence.

Indirectly sensing accelerator beam currents for limiting maximum beam current magnitude

DOEpatents

Bogaty, J.M.; Clifft, B.E.; Bollinger, L.M.

1995-08-08

A beam current limiter is disclosed for sensing and limiting the beam current in a particle accelerator, such as a cyclotron or linear accelerator, used in scientific research and medical treatment. A pair of independently operable capacitive electrodes sense the passage of charged particle bunches to develop an RF signal indicative of the beam current magnitude produced at the output of a bunched beam accelerator. The RF signal produced by each sensing electrode is converted to a variable DC voltage indicative of the beam current magnitude. The variable DC voltages thus developed are compared to each other to verify proper system function and are further compared to known references to detect beam currents in excess of pre-established limits. In the event of a system malfunction, or if the detected beam current exceeds pre-established limits, the beam current limiter automatically inhibits further accelerator operation. A high Q tank circuit associated with each sensing electrode provides a narrow system bandwidth to reduce noise and enhance dynamic range. System linearity is provided by injecting, into each sensing electrode, an RF signal that is offset from the bunching frequency by a pre-determined beat frequency to ensure that subsequent rectifying diodes operate in a linear response region. The system thus provides a large dynamic range in combination with good linearity. 6 figs.

Indirectly sensing accelerator beam currents for limiting maximum beam current magnitude

DOEpatents

Bogaty, John M.; Clifft, Benny E.; Bollinger, Lowell M.

1995-01-01

A beam current limiter for sensing and limiting the beam current in a particle accelerator, such as a cyclotron or linear accelerator, used in scientific research and medical treatment. A pair of independently operable capacitive electrodes sense the passage of charged particle bunches to develop an RF signal indicative of the beam current magnitude produced at the output of a bunched beam accelerator. The RF signal produced by each sensing electrode is converted to a variable DC voltage indicative of the beam current magnitude. The variable DC voltages thus developed are compared to each other to verify proper system function and are further compared to known references to detect beam currents in excess of pre-established limits. In the event of a system malfunction, or if the detected beam current exceeds pre-established limits, the beam current limiter automatically inhibits further accelerator operation. A high Q tank circuit associated with each sensing electrode provides a narrow system bandwidth to reduce noise and enhance dynamic range. System linearity is provided by injecting, into each sensing electrode, an RF signal that is offset from the bunching frequency by a pre-determined beat frequency to ensure that subsequent rectifying diodes operate in a linear response region. The system thus provides a large dynamic range in combination with good linearity.

Ultrahigh-definition dynamic 3D holographic display by active control of volume speckle fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Hyeonseung; Lee, Kyeoreh; Park, Jongchan; Park, Yongkeun

2017-01-01

Holographic displays generate realistic 3D images that can be viewed without the need for any visual aids. They operate by generating carefully tailored light fields that replicate how humans see an actual environment. However, the realization of high-performance, dynamic 3D holographic displays has been hindered by the capabilities of present wavefront modulator technology. In particular, spatial light modulators have a small diffraction angle range and limited pixel number limiting the viewing angle and image size of a holographic 3D display. Here, we present an alternative method to generate dynamic 3D images by controlling volume speckle fields significantly enhancing image definition. We use this approach to demonstrate a dynamic display of micrometre-sized optical foci in a volume of 8 mm × 8 mm × 20 mm.

Differences between the insulating limit quasiparticles of one-band and three-band cuprate models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebrahimnejad, H.; Sawatzky, G. A.; Berciu, M.

2016-03-01

We study the charge dynamics of the quasiparticle that forms when a single hole is doped in a two-dimensional antiferromagnet as described by the one-band t-{{t}\\prime} -{{t}\\prime \\prime} -J model, using a variational approximation that includes spin fluctuations in the vicinity of the hole. We explain why the spin fluctuations and the longer range hopping have complementary contributions to the quasiparticle dynamics, and thus why both are essential to obtain a dispersion in agreement with that measured experimentally. This is very different from the three-band Emery model in the strongly-correlated limit, where the same variational approximation shows that spin fluctuations have a minor effect on the quasiparticle dynamics. This difference proves that these one-band and three-band models describe qualitatively different quasiparticles in the insulating limit, and therefore that they cannot both be suitable to describe the physics of very underdoped cuprates.

Resonant and resistive dual-mode uncooled infrared detectors toward expanded dynamic range and high linearity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xin; Liang, Ji; Zhang, Hongxiang; Yang, Xing; Zhang, Hao; Pang, Wei; Zhang, Menglun

2017-06-01

This paper reports an uncooled infrared (IR) detector based on a micromachined piezoelectric resonator operating in resonant and resistive dual-modes. The two sensing modes achieved IR responsivities of 2.5 Hz/nW and 900 μdB/nW, respectively. Compared with the single mode operation, the dual-mode measurement improves the limit of detection by two orders of magnitude and meanwhile maintains high linearity and responsivity in a higher IR intensity range. A combination of the two sensing modes compensates for its own shortcomings and provides a much larger dynamic range, and thus, a wider application field of the proposed detector is realized.

Pre-dispersal seed predator dynamics at the northern limits of limber pine distribution

Treesearch

Vernon S. Peters

2011-01-01

Limber pine (Pinus flexilis) is listed provincially as endangered in the northern part of its geographic range (Alberta) due to the high mortality caused by white pine blister rust (WPBR) (Cronartium ribicola) and mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae), and limited regeneration opportunities due to fire exclusion. In the case of an endangered species, seed...

Enhancing the Linear Dynamic Range in Multi-Channel Single Photon Detector beyond 7OD

PubMed Central

Gudkov, Dmytro; Gudkov, George; Gorbovitski, Boris; Gorfinkel, Vera

2015-01-01

We present design, implementation, and characterization of a single photon detector based on 32-channel PMT sensor [model H7260-20, Hamamatsu]. The developed high speed electronics enables the photon counting with linear dynamic range (LDR) up to 108count/s per detector's channel. The experimental characterization and Monte-Carlo simulations showed that in the single photon counting mode the LDR of the PMT sensor is limited by (i) “photon” pulse width (current pulse) of 900ps and (ii) substantial decrease of amplitudes of current pulses for count rates exceeding 108 count/s. The multi-channel architecture of the detector and the developed firm/software allow further expansion of the dynamic range of the device by 32-fold by using appropriate beam shaping. The developed single photon counting detector was tested for the detection of fluorescence labeled microbeads in capillary flow. PMID:27087788

Steering optical comb frequencies by rotating the polarization state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yanyan; Zhang, Xiaofei; Yan, Lulu; Zhang, Pan; Rao, Bingjie; Han, Wei; Guo, Wenge; Zhang, Shougang; Jiang, Haifeng

2017-12-01

Optical frequency combs, with precise control of repetition rate and carrier-envelope-offset frequency, have revolutionized many fields, such as fine optical spectroscopy, optical frequency standards, ultra-fast science research, ultra-stable microwave generation and precise ranging measurement. However, existing high bandwidth frequency control methods have small dynamic range, requiring complex hybrid control techniques. To overcome this limitation, we develop a new approach, where a home-made intra-cavity electro-optic modulator tunes polarization state of laser signal rather than only optical length of the cavity, to steer frequencies of a nonlinear-polarization-rotation mode-locked laser. By taking advantage of birefringence of the whole cavity, this approach results in not only broadband but also relative large-dynamic frequency control. Experimental results show that frequency control dynamic range increase at least one order in comparison with the traditional intra-cavity electro-optic modulator technique. In additional, this technique exhibits less side-effect than traditional frequency control methods.

FOREST-BGC, A general model of forest ecosystem processes for regional applications. II. Dynamic carbon allocation and nitrogen budgets.

PubMed

Running, Steven W.; Gower, Stith T.

1991-01-01

A new version of the ecosystem process model FOREST-BGC is presented that uses stand water and nitrogen limitations to alter the leaf/root/stem carbon allocation fraction dynamically at each annual iteration. Water deficit is defined by integrating a daily soil water deficit fraction annually. Current nitrogen limitation is defined relative to a hypothetical optimum foliar N pool, computed as maximum leaf area index multiplied by maximum leaf nitrogen concentration. Decreasing availability of water or nitrogen, or both, reduces the leaf/root carbon partitioning ratio. Leaf and root N concentrations, and maximum leaf photosynthetic capacity are also redefined annually as functions of nitrogen availability. Test simulations for hypothetical coniferous forests were performed for Madison, WI and Missoula, MT, and showed simulated leaf area index ranging from 4.5 for a control stand at Missoula, to 11 for a fertilized stand at Madison, with Year 50 stem carbon biomasses of 31 and 128 Mg ha(-1), respectively. Total nitrogen incorporated into new tissue ranged from 34 kg ha(-1) year(-1) for the unfertilized Missoula stand, to 109 kg ha(-1) year(-1) for the fertilized Madison stand. The model successfully showed dynamic annual carbon partitioning controlled by water and nitrogen limitations.

Statistical characterization of speckle noise in coherent imaging systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yaroslavsky, Leonid; Shefler, A.

2003-05-01

Speckle noise imposes fundamental limitation on image quality in coherent radiation based imaging and optical metrology systems. Speckle noise phenomena are associated with properties of objects to diffusely scatter irradiation and with the fact that in recording the wave field, a number of signal distortions inevitably occur due to technical limitations inherent to hologram sensors. The statistical theory of speckle noise was developed with regard to only limited resolving power of coherent imaging devices. It is valid only asymptotically as much as the central limit theorem of the probability theory can be applied. In applications this assumption is not always applicable. Moreover, in treating speckle noise problem one should also consider other sources of the hologram deterioration. In the paper, statistical properties of speckle due to the limitation of hologram size, dynamic range and hologram signal quantization are studied by Monte-Carlo simulation for holograms recorded in near and far diffraction zones. The simulation experiments have shown that, for limited resolving power of the imaging system, widely accepted opinion that speckle contrast is equal to one holds only for rather severe level of the hologram size limitation. For moderate limitations, speckle contrast changes gradually from zero for no limitation to one for limitation to less than about 20% of hologram size. The results obtained for the limitation of the hologram sensor"s dynamic range and hologram signal quantization reveal that speckle noise due to these hologram signal distortions is not multiplicative and is directly associated with the severity of the limitation and quantization. On the base of the simulation results, analytical models are suggested.

Quantum sensing of weak radio-frequency signals by pulsed Mollow absorption spectroscopy.

PubMed

Joas, T; Waeber, A M; Braunbeck, G; Reinhard, F

2017-10-17

Quantum sensors-qubits sensitive to external fields-have become powerful detectors for various small acoustic and electromagnetic fields. A major key to their success have been dynamical decoupling protocols which enhance sensitivity to weak oscillating (AC) signals. Currently, those methods are limited to signal frequencies below a few MHz. Here we harness a quantum-optical effect, the Mollow triplet splitting of a strongly driven two-level system, to overcome this limitation. We microscopically understand this effect as a pulsed dynamical decoupling protocol and find that it enables sensitive detection of fields close to the driven transition. Employing a nitrogen-vacancy center, we detect GHz microwave fields with a signal strength (Rabi frequency) below the current detection limit, which is set by the center's spectral linewidth [Formula: see text]. Pushing detection sensitivity to the much lower 1/T 2 limit, this scheme could enable various applications, most prominently coherent coupling to single phonons and microwave photons.Dynamical decoupling protocols can enhance the sensitivity of quantum sensors but this is limited to signal frequencies below a few MHz. Here, Joas et al. use the Mollow triplet splitting in a nitrogen-vacancy centre to overcome this limitation, enabling sensitive detection of signals in the GHz range.

Observation of Dipolar Spin-Exchange Interactions with Polar Molecules in a Lattice

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

extend beyond nearest neighbours. This allows coherent spin dynamics to persist even for gases with relatively high entropy and low lattice filling...dynamics to persist even for gases with relatively high entropy and low lat- tice filling. While measured effects of dipolar interactions in ultracold...limits superexchange to nearest-neighbor interactions and requires extremely low temperature and entropy . In contrast, long-range dipolar

Approaches and possible improvements in the area of multibody dynamics modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lips, K. W.; Singh, R.

1987-01-01

A wide ranging look is taken at issues involved in the dynamic modeling of complex, multibodied orbiting space systems. Capabilities and limitations of two major codes (DISCOS, TREETOPS) are assessed and possible extensions to the CONTOPS software are outlined. In addition, recommendations are made concerning the direction future development should take in order to achieve higher fidelity, more computationally efficient multibody software solutions.

Real-time dynamic range and signal to noise enhancement in beam-scanning microscopy by integration of sensor characteristics, data acquisition hardware, and statistical methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kissick, David J.; Muir, Ryan D.; Sullivan, Shane Z.; Oglesbee, Robert A.; Simpson, Garth J.

2013-02-01

Despite the ubiquitous use of multi-photon and confocal microscopy measurements in biology, the core techniques typically suffer from fundamental compromises between signal to noise (S/N) and linear dynamic range (LDR). In this study, direct synchronous digitization of voltage transients coupled with statistical analysis is shown to allow S/N approaching the theoretical maximum throughout an LDR spanning more than 8 decades, limited only by the dark counts of the detector on the low end and by the intrinsic nonlinearities of the photomultiplier tube (PMT) detector on the high end. Synchronous digitization of each voltage transient represents a fundamental departure from established methods in confocal/multi-photon imaging, which are currently based on either photon counting or signal averaging. High information-density data acquisition (up to 3.2 GB/s of raw data) enables the smooth transition between the two modalities on a pixel-by-pixel basis and the ultimate writing of much smaller files (few kB/s). Modeling of the PMT response allows extraction of key sensor parameters from the histogram of voltage peak-heights. Applications in second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy are described demonstrating S/N approaching the shot-noise limit of the detector over large dynamic ranges.

All-digital full waveform recording photon counting flash lidar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grund, Christian J.; Harwit, Alex

2010-08-01

Current generation analog and photon counting flash lidar approaches suffer from limitation in waveform depth, dynamic range, sensitivity, false alarm rates, optical acceptance angle (f/#), optical and electronic cross talk, and pixel density. To address these issues Ball Aerospace is developing a new approach to flash lidar that employs direct coupling of a photocathode and microchannel plate front end to a high-speed, pipelined, all-digital Read Out Integrated Circuit (ROIC) to achieve photon-counting temporal waveform capture in each pixel on each laser return pulse. A unique characteristic is the absence of performance-limiting analog or mixed signal components. When implemented in 65nm CMOS technology, the Ball Intensified Imaging Photon Counting (I2PC) flash lidar FPA technology can record up to 300 photon arrivals in each pixel with 100 ps resolution on each photon return, with up to 6000 range bins in each pixel. The architecture supports near 100% fill factor and fast optical system designs (f/#<1), and array sizes to 3000×3000 pixels. Compared to existing technologies, >60 dB ultimate dynamic range improvement, and >104 reductions in false alarm rates are anticipated, while achieving single photon range precision better than 1cm. I2PC significantly extends long-range and low-power hard target imaging capabilities useful for autonomous hazard avoidance (ALHAT), navigation, imaging vibrometry, and inspection applications, and enables scannerless 3D imaging for distributed target applications such as range-resolved atmospheric remote sensing, vegetation canopies, and camouflage penetration from terrestrial, airborne, GEO, and LEO platforms. We discuss the I2PC architecture, development status, anticipated performance advantages, and limitations.

Trajectory optimization study of a lifting body re-entry vehicle for medium to intermediate range applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizvi, S. Tauqeer ul Islam; Linshu, He; ur Rehman, Tawfiq; Rafique, Amer Farhan

2012-11-01

A numerical optimization study of lifting body re-entry vehicles is presented for nominal as well as shallow entry conditions for Medium and Intermediate Range applications. Due to the stringent requirement of a high degree of accuracy for conventional vehicles, lifting re-entry can be used to attain the impact at the desired terminal flight path angle and speed and thus can potentially improve accuracy of the re-entry vehicle. The re-entry of a medium range and intermediate range vehicles is characterized by very high negative flight path angle and low re-entry speed as compared to a maneuverable re-entry vehicle or a common aero vehicle intended for an intercontinental range. Highly negative flight path angles at the re-entry impose high dynamic pressure as well as heat loads on the vehicle. The trajectory studies are carried out to maximize the cross range of the re-entry vehicle while imposing a maximum dynamic pressure constraint of 350 KPa with a 3 MW/m2 heat rate limit. The maximum normal acceleration and the total heat load experienced by the vehicle at the stagnation point during the maneuver have been computed for the vehicle for possible future conceptual design studies. It has been found that cross range capability of up to 35 km can be achieved with a lifting-body design within the heat rate and the dynamic pressure boundary at normal entry conditions. For shallow entry angle of -20 degree and intermediate ranges a cross range capability of up to 250 km can be attained for a lifting body design with less than 10 percent loss in overall range. The normal acceleration also remains within limits. The lifting-body results have also been compared with wing-body results at shallow entry condition. An hp-adaptive pseudo-spectral method has been used for constrained trajectory optimization.

Active confocal imaging for visual prostheses

PubMed Central

Jung, Jae-Hyun; Aloni, Doron; Yitzhaky, Yitzhak; Peli, Eli

2014-01-01

There are encouraging advances in prosthetic vision for the blind, including retinal and cortical implants, and other “sensory substitution devices” that use tactile or electrical stimulation. However, they all have low resolution, limited visual field, and can display only few gray levels (limited dynamic range), severely restricting their utility. To overcome these limitations, image processing or the imaging system could emphasize objects of interest and suppress the background clutter. We propose an active confocal imaging system based on light-field technology that will enable a blind user of any visual prosthesis to efficiently scan, focus on, and “see” only an object of interest while suppressing interference from background clutter. The system captures three-dimensional scene information using a light-field sensor and displays only an in-focused plane with objects in it. After capturing a confocal image, a de-cluttering process removes the clutter based on blur difference. In preliminary experiments we verified the positive impact of confocal-based background clutter removal on recognition of objects in low resolution and limited dynamic range simulated phosphene images. Using a custom-made multiple-camera system, we confirmed that the concept of a confocal de-cluttered image can be realized effectively using light field imaging. PMID:25448710

Phase-slope and phase measurements of tunable CW-THz radiation with terahertz comb for wide-dynamic-range, high-resolution, distance measurement of optically rough object.

PubMed

Yasui, Takeshi; Fujio, Makoto; Yokoyama, Shuko; Araki, Tsutomu

2014-07-14

Phase measurement of continuous-wave terahertz (CW-THz) radiation is a potential tool for direct distance and imaging measurement of optically rough objects due to its high robustness to optical rough surfaces. However, the 2π phase ambiguity in the phase measurement of single-frequency CW-THz radiation limits the dynamic range of the measured distance to the order of the wavelength used. In this article, phase-slope measurement of tunable CW-THz radiation with a THz frequency comb was effectively used to extend the dynamic range up to 1.834 m while maintaining an error of a few tens µm in the distance measurement of an optically rough object. Furthermore, a combination of phase-slope measurement of tunable CW-THz radiation and phase measurement of single-frequency CW-THz radiation enhanced the distance error to a few µm within the dynamic range of 1.834 m without any influence from the 2π phase ambiguity. The proposed method will be a powerful tool for the construction and maintenance of large-scale structures covered with optically rough surfaces.

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

Herfst, Rodolf; Dekker, Bert; Witvoet, Gert

One of the major limitations in the speed of the atomic force microscope (AFM) is the bandwidth of the mechanical scanning stage, especially in the vertical (z) direction. According to the design principles of “light and stiff” and “static determinacy,” the bandwidth of the mechanical scanner is limited by the first eigenfrequency of the AFM head in case of tip scanning and by the sample stage in terms of sample scanning. Due to stringent requirements of the system, simply pushing the first eigenfrequency to an ever higher value has reached its limitation. We have developed a miniaturized, high speed AFMmore » scanner in which the dynamics of the z-scanning stage are made insensitive to its surrounding dynamics via suspension of it on specific dynamically determined points. This resulted in a mechanical bandwidth as high as that of the z-actuator (50 kHz) while remaining insensitive to the dynamics of its base and surroundings. The scanner allows a practical z scan range of 2.1 μm. We have demonstrated the applicability of the scanner to the high speed scanning of nanostructures.« less

Sampling Long- versus Short-Range Interactions Defines the Ability of Force Fields To Reproduce the Dynamics of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins.

PubMed

Mercadante, Davide; Wagner, Johannes A; Aramburu, Iker V; Lemke, Edward A; Gräter, Frauke

2017-09-12

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have valuably complemented experiments describing the dynamics of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), particularly since the proposal of models to solve the artificial collapse of IDPs in silico. Such models suggest redefining nonbonded interactions, by either increasing water dispersion forces or adopting the Kirkwood-Buff force field. These approaches yield extended conformers that better comply with experiments, but it is unclear if they all sample the same intrachain dynamics of IDPs. We have tested this by employing MD simulations and single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer spectroscopy to sample the dimensions of systems with different sequence compositions, namely strong and weak polyelectrolytes. For strong polyelectrolytes in which charge effects dominate, all the proposed solutions equally reproduce the expected ensemble's dimensions. For weak polyelectrolytes, at lower cutoffs, force fields abnormally alter intrachain dynamics, overestimating excluded volume over chain flexibility or reporting no difference between the dynamics of different chains. The TIP4PD water model alone can reproduce experimentally observed changes in extensions (dimensions), but not quantitatively and with only weak statistical significance. Force field limitations are reversed with increased interaction cutoffs, showing that chain dynamics are critically defined by the presence of long-range interactions. Force field analysis aside, our study provides the first insights into how long-range interactions critically define IDP dimensions and raises the question of which length range is crucial to correctly sample the overall dimensions and internal dynamics of the large group of weakly charged yet highly polar IDPs.

Time-dependent compressibility of poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) : an experimental and molecular dynamics investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sane, Sandeep Bhalchandra

This thesis contains three chapters, which describe different aspects of an investigation of the bulk response of Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) (PMMA). The first chapter describes the physical measurements by means of a Belcher/McKinney-type apparatus. Used earlier for the measurement of the bulk response of Poly(Vinyl Acetate), it was now adapted for making measurements at higher temperatures commensurate with the glass transition temperature of PMMA. The dynamic bulk compliance of PMMA was measured at atmospheric pressure over a wide range of temperatures and frequencies, from which the master curves for the bulk compliance were generated by means of the time-temperature superposition principle. It was found that the extent of the transition ranges for the bulk and shear response were comparable. Comparison of the shift factors for bulk and shear responses supports the idea that different molecular mechanisms contribute to shear and bulk deformations. The second chapter delineates molecular dynamics computations for the bulk response for a range of pressures and temperatures. The model(s) consisted of 2256 atoms formed into three polymer chains with fifty monomer units per chain per unit cell. The time scales accessed were limited to tens of pico seconds. It was found that, in addition to the typical energy minimization and temperature annealing cycles for establishing equilibrium models, it is advantageous to subject the model samples to a cycle of relatively large pressures (GPa-range) for improving the equilibrium state. On comparing the computations with the experimentally determined "glassy" behavior, one finds that, although the computations were limited to small samples in a physical sense, the primary limitation rests in the very short times (pico seconds). The molecular dynamics computations do not model the physically observed temperature sensitivity of PMMA, even if one employs a hypothetical time-temperature shift to account for the large difference in time scales between experiment and computation. The values computed by the molecular dynamics method do agree with the values measured at the coldest temperature and at the highest frequency of one kiloHertz. The third chapter draws on measurements of uniaxial, shear and Poisson response conducted previously in our laboratory. With the availability of four time or frequency-dependent material functions for the same material, the process of interconversion between different material functions was investigated. Computed material functions were evaluated against the direct experimental measurements and the limitations imposed on successful interconversion due to the experimental errors in the underlying physical data were explored. Differences were observed that are larger than the experimental errors would suggest.

Protocols for Molecular Dynamics Simulations of RNA Nanostructures.

PubMed

Kim, Taejin; Kasprzak, Wojciech K; Shapiro, Bruce A

2017-01-01

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been used as one of the main research tools to study a wide range of biological systems and bridge the gap between X-ray crystallography or NMR structures and biological mechanism. In the field of RNA nanostructures, MD simulations have been used to fix steric clashes in computationally designed RNA nanostructures, characterize the dynamics, and investigate the interaction between RNA and other biomolecules such as delivery agents and membranes.In this chapter we present examples of computational protocols for molecular dynamics simulations in explicit and implicit solvent using the Amber Molecular Dynamics Package. We also show examples of post-simulation analysis steps and briefly mention selected tools beyond the Amber package. Limitations of the methods, tools, and protocols are also discussed. Most of the examples are illustrated for a small RNA duplex (helix), but the protocols are applicable to any nucleic acid structure, subject only to the computational speed and memory limitations of the hardware available to the user.

Landscape biology of western white pine: implications for conservation of a widely-distributed five-needle pine at its southern range limit

Treesearch

Patricia Maloney; Andrew Eckert; Detlev Vogler; Camille Jensen; Annette Delfino Mix; David Neale

2016-01-01

Throughout much of the range of western white pine, Pinus monticola Dougl., timber harvesting, fire exclusion and the presence of Cronartium ribicola J. C. Fisch., the white pine blister rust (WPBR) pathogen, have led to negative population and genetic consequences. To address these interactions, we examined population dynamics...

Hip and upper extremity kinematics in youth baseball pitchers.

PubMed

Holt, Taylor; Oliver, Gretchen D

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between dynamic hip rotational range of motion and upper extremity kinematics during baseball pitching. Thirty-one youth baseball pitchers (10.87 ± 0.92 years; 150.03 ± 5.48 cm; 44.83 ± 8.04 kg) participated. A strong correlation was found between stance hip rotation and scapular upward rotation at maximum shoulder external rotation (r = 0.531, P = 0.002) and at ball release (r = 0.536, P = 0.002). No statistically significant correlations were found between dynamic hip rotational range of motion and passive hip range of motion. Hip range of motion deficits can constrain pelvis rotation and limit energy generation in the lower extremities. Shoulder pathomechanics can then develop as greater responsibility is placed on the shoulder to generate the energy lost from the proximal segments, increasing risk of upper extremity injury. Additionally, it appears that passive seated measurements of hip range of motion may not accurately reflect the dynamic range of motion of the hips through the progression of the pitch cycle.

The wiper model: avalanche dynamics in an exclusion process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Politi, Antonio; Romano, M. Carmen

2013-10-01

The exclusion-process model (Ciandrini et al 2010 Phys. Rev. E 81 051904) describing traffic of particles with internal stepping dynamics reveals the presence of strong correlations in realistic regimes. Here we study such a model in the limit of an infinitely fast translocation time, where the evolution can be interpreted as a ‘wiper’ that moves to dry neighbouring sites. We trace back the existence of long-range correlations to the existence of avalanches, where many sites are dried at once. At variance with self-organized criticality, in the wiper model avalanches have a typical size equal to the logarithm of the lattice size. In the thermodynamic limit, we find that the hydrodynamic behaviour is a mixture of stochastic (diffusive) fluctuations and increasingly coherent periodic oscillations that are reminiscent of a collective dynamics.

Chimera states in multi-strain epidemic models with temporary immunity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, Larissa; Bassett, Jason; Hövel, Philipp; Kyrychko, Yuliya N.; Blyuss, Konstantin B.

2017-11-01

We investigate a time-delayed epidemic model for multi-strain diseases with temporary immunity. In the absence of cross-immunity between strains, dynamics of each individual strain exhibit emergence and annihilation of limit cycles due to a Hopf bifurcation of the endemic equilibrium, and a saddle-node bifurcation of limit cycles depending on the time delay associated with duration of temporary immunity. Effects of all-to-all and non-local coupling topologies are systematically investigated by means of numerical simulations, and they suggest that cross-immunity is able to induce a diverse range of complex dynamical behaviors and synchronization patterns, including discrete traveling waves, solitary states, and amplitude chimeras. Interestingly, chimera states are observed for narrower cross-immunity kernels, which can have profound implications for understanding the dynamics of multi-strain diseases.

A High-Speed, Event-Driven, Active Pixel Sensor Readout for Photon-Counting Microchannel Plate Detectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kimble, Randy A.; Pain, Bedabrata; Norton, Timothy J.; Haas, J. Patrick; Oegerle, William R. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Silicon array readouts for microchannel plate intensifiers offer several attractive features. In this class of detector, the electron cloud output of the MCP intensifier is converted to visible light by a phosphor; that light is then fiber-optically coupled to the silicon array. In photon-counting mode, the resulting light splashes on the silicon array are recognized and centroided to fractional pixel accuracy by off-chip electronics. This process can result in very high (MCP-limited) spatial resolution while operating at a modest MCP gain (desirable for dynamic range and long term stability). The principal limitation of intensified CCD systems of this type is their severely limited local dynamic range, as accurate photon counting is achieved only if there are not overlapping event splashes within the frame time of the device. This problem can be ameliorated somewhat by processing events only in pre-selected windows of interest of by using an addressable charge injection device (CID) for the readout array. We are currently pursuing the development of an intriguing alternative readout concept based on using an event-driven CMOS Active Pixel Sensor. APS technology permits the incorporation of discriminator circuitry within each pixel. When coupled with suitable CMOS logic outside the array area, the discriminator circuitry can be used to trigger the readout of small sub-array windows only when and where an event splash has been detected, completely eliminating the local dynamic range problem, while achieving a high global count rate capability and maintaining high spatial resolution. We elaborate on this concept and present our progress toward implementing an event-driven APS readout.

Surface and finite size effect on fluctuations dynamics in nanoparticles with long-range order

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morozovska, A. N.; Eliseev, E. A.

2010-02-01

The influence of surface and finite size on the dynamics of the order parameter fluctuations and critical phenomena in the three-dimensional (3D)-confined systems with long-range order was not considered theoretically. In this paper, we study the influence of surface and finite size on the dynamics of the order parameter fluctuations in the particles of arbitrary shape. We consider concrete examples of the spherical and cylindrical ferroic nanoparticles within Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire phenomenological approach. Allowing for the strong surface energy contribution in micro and nanoparticles, the analytical expressions derived for the Ornstein-Zernike correlator of the long-range order parameter spatial-temporal fluctuations, dynamic generalized susceptibility, relaxation times, and correlation radii discrete spectra are different from those known for bulk systems. Obtained analytical expressions for the correlation function of the order parameter spatial-temporal fluctuations in micro and nanosized systems can be useful for the quantitative analysis of the dynamical structural factors determined from magnetic resonance diffraction and scattering spectra. Besides the practical importance of the correlation function for the analysis of the experimental data, derived expressions for the fluctuations strength determine the fundamental limits of phenomenological theories applicability for 3D-confined systems.

Local Colonization-Extinction Dynamics Generate Lags in the Response to Climate Change in Eastern North American Forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talluto, M. V.; Boulangeat, I.; Vissault, S.; Gravel, D.

2015-12-01

Climate change is likely to push many species to the limits of their ecological niches and lead to mismatches between species ranges and local environmental conditions. Forested ecosystems in particular may have difficulty tracking climate change due to slow growth and dispersal rates. Correlative species distribution models (SDMs), commonly used to predict the response of species distributions to climate change, relate species occurrences to climate to describe the present niche; however they often project into the future without accounting for slow processes that might produce lags in the response to climate change. An alternative type of model that analyzes patch-scale colonization and extinction (C-E) rates along an environmental gradient has been successful in describing species range limits in theoretical studies. Because the model is stochastic and dynamic, it is more robust to changes in the environmental gradient than static SDMs. We applied such a model to 40 of the most abundant trees in eastern North American forests, using repeated observations across multiple decades to parameterize the C-E rates. We show that C-E rates for many species respond to climate in a manner that generates predicted range limits when the species is at equilibrium with the environment. Moreover, current distributions of many species are significantly out of equilibrium with the present climate, with predicted range limits shifted 10s to 100s of km northward from the present distribution. These results suggest that present warming has already exceeded the thermal tolerance at the southern range limits for the dominant trees of eastern North American forests, producing millions of ha of newly suitable areas north of the present distribution of these species that have not yet been colonized, as well as large southern regions where species are present but expected to be lost in the long-term as dead trees are not replaced, even if no further climate warming occurs.

MAVRIC Flutter Model Transonic Limit Cycle Oscillation Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, John W.; Schuster, David M.; Spain, Charles V.; Keller, Donald F.; Moses, Robert W.

2001-01-01

The Models for Aeroelastic Validation Research Involving Computation semi-span wind-tunnel model (MAVRIC-I), a business jet wing-fuselage flutter model, was tested in NASA Langley's Transonic Dynamics Tunnel with the goal of obtaining experimental data suitable for Computational Aeroelasticity code validation at transonic separation onset conditions. This research model is notable for its inexpensive construction and instrumentation installation procedures. Unsteady pressures and wing responses were obtained for three wingtip configurations clean, tipstore, and winglet. Traditional flutter boundaries were measured over the range of M = 0.6 to 0.9 and maps of Limit Cycle Oscillation (LCO) behavior were made in the range of M = 0.85 to 0.95. Effects of dynamic pressure and angle-of-attack were measured. Testing in both R134a heavy gas and air provided unique data on Reynolds number, transition effects, and the effect of speed of sound on LCO behavior. The data set provides excellent code validation test cases for the important class of flow conditions involving shock-induced transonic flow separation onset at low wing angles, including Limit Cycle Oscillation behavior.

Clustering and assembly dynamics of a one-dimensional microphase former.

PubMed

Hu, Yi; Charbonneau, Patrick

2018-05-23

Both ordered and disordered microphases ubiquitously form in suspensions of particles that interact through competing short-range attraction and long-range repulsion (SALR). While ordered microphases are more appealing materials targets, understanding the rich structural and dynamical properties of their disordered counterparts is essential to controlling their mesoscale assembly. Here, we study the disordered regime of a one-dimensional (1D) SALR model, whose simplicity enables detailed analysis by transfer matrices and Monte Carlo simulations. We first characterize the signature of the clustering process on macroscopic observables, and then assess the equilibration dynamics of various simulation algorithms. We notably find that cluster moves markedly accelerate the mixing time, but that event chains are of limited help in the clustering regime. These insights will inspire further study of three-dimensional microphase formers.

High frequency, multi-axis dynamic stiffness analysis of a fractionally damped elastomeric isolator using continuous system theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fredette, Luke; Singh, Rajendra

2017-02-01

A spectral element approach is proposed to determine the multi-axis dynamic stiffness terms of elastomeric isolators with fractional damping over a broad range of frequencies. The dynamic properties of a class of cylindrical isolators are modeled by using the continuous system theory in terms of homogeneous rods or Timoshenko beams. The transfer matrix type dynamic stiffness expressions are developed from exact harmonic solutions given translational or rotational displacement excitations. Broadband dynamic stiffness magnitudes (say up to 5 kHz) are computationally verified for axial, torsional, shear, flexural, and coupled stiffness terms using a finite element model. Some discrepancies are found between finite element and spectral element models for the axial and flexural motions, illustrating certain limitations of each method. Experimental validation is provided for an isolator with two cylindrical elements (that work primarily in the shear mode) using dynamic measurements, as reported in the prior literature, up to 600 Hz. Superiority of the fractional damping formulation over structural or viscous damping models is illustrated via experimental validation. Finally, the strengths and limitations of the spectral element approach are briefly discussed.

Reduced pollinator service and elevated pollen limitation at the geographic range limit of an annual plant.

PubMed

Moeller, David A; Geber, Monica A; Eckhart, Vincent M; Tiffin, Peter

2012-05-01

Mutualisms are well known to influence individual fitness and the population dynamics of partner species, but little is known about whether they influence species distributions and the location of geographic range limits. Here, we examine the contribution of plant-pollinator interactions to the geographic range limit of the California endemic plant Clarkia xantiana ssp. xantiana. We show that pollinator availability declined from the center to the margin of the geographic range consistently across four years of study. This decline in pollinator availability was caused to a greater extent by variation in the abundance of generalist rather than specialist bee pollinators. Climate data suggest that patterns of precipitation in the current and previous year drove variation in bee abundance because of its effects on cues for bee emergence in the current year and the abundance of floral resources in the previous year. Experimental floral manipulations showed that marginal populations had greater outcross pollen limitation of reproduction, in parallel with the decline in pollinator abundance. Although plants are self-compatible, we found no evidence that autonomous selfing contributes to reproduction, and thus no evidence that it alleviates outcross pollen limitation in marginal populations. Furthermore, we found no association between the distance to the range edge and selfing rate, as estimated from sequence and microsatellite variation, indicating that the mating system has not evolved in response to the pollination environment at the range periphery. Overall, our results suggest that dependence on pollinators for reproduction may be an important constraint limiting range expansion in this system.

Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the Temperature Induced Unfolding of Crambin Follow the Arrhenius Equation.

PubMed

Dalby, Andrew; Shamsir, Mohd Shahir

2015-01-01

Molecular dynamics simulations have been used extensively to model the folding and unfolding of proteins. The rates of folding and unfolding should follow the Arrhenius equation over a limited range of temperatures. This study shows that molecular dynamic simulations of the unfolding of crambin between 500K and 560K do follow the Arrhenius equation. They also show that while there is a large amount of variation between the simulations the average values for the rate show a very high degree of correlation.

Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the Temperature Induced Unfolding of Crambin Follow the Arrhenius Equation.

PubMed Central

Dalby, Andrew; Shamsir, Mohd Shahir

2015-01-01

Molecular dynamics simulations have been used extensively to model the folding and unfolding of proteins. The rates of folding and unfolding should follow the Arrhenius equation over a limited range of temperatures. This study shows that molecular dynamic simulations of the unfolding of crambin between 500K and 560K do follow the Arrhenius equation. They also show that while there is a large amount of variation between the simulations the average values for the rate show a very high degree of correlation. PMID:26539292

Species traits and climate velocity explain geographic range shifts in an ocean-warming hotspot.

PubMed

Sunday, Jennifer M; Pecl, Gretta T; Frusher, Stewart; Hobday, Alistair J; Hill, Nicole; Holbrook, Neil J; Edgar, Graham J; Stuart-Smith, Rick; Barrett, Neville; Wernberg, Thomas; Watson, Reg A; Smale, Dan A; Fulton, Elizabeth A; Slawinski, Dirk; Feng, Ming; Radford, Ben T; Thompson, Peter A; Bates, Amanda E

2015-09-01

Species' ranges are shifting globally in response to climate warming, with substantial variability among taxa, even within regions. Relationships between range dynamics and intrinsic species traits may be particularly apparent in the ocean, where temperature more directly shapes species' distributions. Here, we test for a role of species traits and climate velocity in driving range extensions in the ocean-warming hotspot of southeast Australia. Climate velocity explained some variation in range shifts, however, including species traits more than doubled the variation explained. Swimming ability, omnivory and latitudinal range size all had positive relationships with range extension rate, supporting hypotheses that increased dispersal capacity and ecological generalism promote extensions. We find independent support for the hypothesis that species with narrow latitudinal ranges are limited by factors other than climate. Our findings suggest that small-ranging species are in double jeopardy, with limited ability to escape warming and greater intrinsic vulnerability to stochastic disturbances. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Wide-Field Imaging Using Nitrogen Vacancies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Englund, Dirk Robert (Inventor); Trusheim, Matthew Edwin (Inventor)

2017-01-01

Nitrogen vacancies in bulk diamonds and nanodiamonds can be used to sense temperature, pressure, electromagnetic fields, and pH. Unfortunately, conventional sensing techniques use gated detection and confocal imaging, limiting the measurement sensitivity and precluding wide-field imaging. Conversely, the present sensing techniques do not require gated detection or confocal imaging and can therefore be used to image temperature, pressure, electromagnetic fields, and pH over wide fields of view. In some cases, wide-field imaging supports spatial localization of the NVs to precisions at or below the diffraction limit. Moreover, the measurement range can extend over extremely wide dynamic range at very high sensitivity.

Autonomous and driven dynamics of spin torque nano-oscillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urazhdin, Sergei

2012-02-01

Understanding the dynamical properties of autonomous spin torque nano-oscillators (STNO) and their response to external perturbations is important for their applications as nanoscale microwave sources. We used spectroscopic measurements to study the dynamical characteristics of nanopillar- and point contact-based STNOs incorporating a microstrip in close proximity to the active magnetic layer. By applying microwave current at frequency fext to the microstrip, we were able to generate large microwave fields of more than 30 Oe rms at the location of STNO. We demonstrate that for a wide range of fext, STNO exhibits multiple synchronization regimes with integer and non-integer rational ratios between fext and the oscillation frequency f. We show that the synchronization ranges are determined by the symmetry of the oscillation orbit and the orientation of the driving field relative to the symmetry axis of the orbit. We observe synchronization hysteresis, i.e. a dependence of the synchronization limits on the dynamical history caused by the nonlinearity of STNO. We also show that the oscillation can be parametrically excited in the subcritical regime of STNO by a microwave field at twice the frequency of the oscillation. By measuring the threshold and the frequency range of parametric excitation, we determine damping, spin-polarization efficiency, and coupling to the microwave signal. In addition, by measuring the frequency range of parametric synchronization in the auto-oscillation regime, we determine the dynamic nonlinearity of the nanomagnet. Thus, analysis of the driven oscillations provides complete information about the dynamical characteristics of STNO. Finally, we discuss several unusual dynamical behaviors of STNO caused by their strong nonlinearity.

Far-IR transparency and dynamic infrared signature control with novel conducting polymer systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandrasekhar, Prasanna; Dooley, T. J.

1995-09-01

Materials which possess transparency, coupled with active controllability of this transparency in the infrared (IR), are today an increasingly important requirement, for varied applications. These applications include windows for IR sensors, IR-region flat panel displays used in camouflage as well as in communication and sight through night-vision goggles, coatings with dynamically controllable IR-emissivity, and thermal conservation coatings. Among stringent requirements for these applications are large dynamic ranges (color contrast), 'multi-color' or broad-band characteristics, extended cyclability, long memory retention, matrix addressability, small area fabricability, low power consumption, and environmental stability. Among materials possessing the requirements for variation of IR signature, conducting polymers (CPs) appear to be the only materials with dynamic, actively controllable signature and acceptable dynamic range. Conventional CPs such as poly(alkyl thiophene), poly(pyrrole) or poly(aniline) show very limited dynamic range, especially in the far-IR, while also showing poor transparency. We have developed a number of novel CP systems ('system' implying the CP, the selected dopant, the synthesis method, and the electrolyte) with very wide dynamic range (up to 90% in both important IR regions, 3 - 5 (mu) and 8 - 12 (mu) ), high cyclability (to 105 cycles with less than 10% optical degradation), nearly indefinite optical memory retention, matrix addressability of multi-pixel displays, very wide operating temperature and excellent environmental stability, low charge capacity, and processability into areas from less than 1 mm2 to more than 100 cm2. The criteria used to design and arrive at these CP systems, together with representative IR signature data, are presented in this paper.

Real-time modulated nanoparticle separation with an ultra-large dynamic range.

PubMed

Zeming, Kerwin Kwek; Thakor, Nitish V; Zhang, Yong; Chen, Chia-Hung

2016-01-07

Nanoparticles exhibit size-dependent properties which make size-selective purification of proteins, DNA or synthetic nanoparticles essential for bio-analytics, clinical medicine, nano-plasmonics and nano-material sciences. Current purification methods of centrifugation, column chromatography and continuous-flow techniques suffer from particle aggregation, multi-stage process, complex setups and necessary nanofabrication. These increase process costs and time, reduce efficiency and limit dynamic range. Here, we achieve an unprecedented real-time nanoparticle separation (51-1500 nm) using a large-pore (2 μm) deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) device. No external force fields or nanofabrication are required. Instead, we investigated innate long-range electrostatic influences on nanoparticles within a fluid medium at different NaCl ionic concentrations. In this study we account for the electrostatic forces beyond Debye length and showed that they cannot be assumed as negligible especially for precise nanoparticle separation methods such as DLD. Our findings have enabled us to develop a model to simultaneously quantify and modulate the electrostatic force interactions between nanoparticle and micropore. By simply controlling buffer solutions, we achieve dynamic nanoparticle size separation on a single device with a rapid response time (<20 s) and an enlarged dynamic range (>1200%), outperforming standard benchtop centrifuge systems. This novel method and model combines device simplicity, isolation precision and dynamic flexibility, opening opportunities for high-throughput applications in nano-separation for industrial and biological applications.

Nanoposition sensors with superior linear response to position and unlimited travel ranges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Sheng-Chiang; Peters, Randall D.

2009-04-01

With the advancement in nanotechnology, the ability of positioning/measuring at subnanometer scale has been one of the most critical issues for the nanofabrication industry and researchers using scanning probe microscopy. Commercial nanopositioners have achieved direct measurements at the scale of 0.01 nm with capacitive sensing metrology. However, the commercial sensors have small dynamic ranges (up to only a few hundred micrometers) and are relatively large in size (centimeters in the transverse directions to the motion), which is necessary for healthy signal detections but making it difficult to use on smaller devices. This limits applications in which large materials (on the scale of centimeters or greater) are handled with needs of subnanometer resolutions. What has been done in the past is to combine the fine and coarse translation stages with different dynamic ranges to simultaneously achieve long travel range and high spatial resolution. In this paper, we present a novel capacitive position sensing metrology with ultrawide dynamic range from subnanometer to literally any practically desired length for a translation stage. This sensor will greatly simplify the task and enhance the performance of direct metrology in a hybrid translational stage covering translation tasks from subnanometer to centimeters.

Task path planning, scheduling and learning for free-ranging robot systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wakefield, G. Steve

1987-01-01

The development of robotics applications for space operations is often restricted by the limited movement available to guided robots. Free ranging robots can offer greater flexibility than physically guided robots in these applications. Presented here is an object oriented approach to path planning and task scheduling for free-ranging robots that allows the dynamic determination of paths based on the current environment. The system also provides task learning for repetitive jobs. This approach provides a basis for the design of free-ranging robot systems which are adaptable to various environments and tasks.

Inertial-range dynamics and scaling laws of two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in the weak-field regime.

PubMed

Blackbourn, Luke A K; Tran, Chuong V

2014-08-01

We study inertial-range dynamics and scaling laws in unforced two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in the regime of moderately small and small initial magnetic-to-kinetic-energy ratio r(0), with an emphasis on the latter. The regime of small r(0) corresponds to a relatively weak field and strong magnetic stretching, whereby the turbulence is characterized by an intense conversion of kinetic into magnetic energy (dynamo action in the three-dimensional context). This conversion is an inertial-range phenomenon and, upon becoming quasisaturated, deposits the converted energy within the inertial range rather than transferring it to the small scales. As a result, the magnetic-energy spectrum E(b)(k) in the inertial range can become quite shallow and may not be adequately explained or understood in terms of conventional cascade theories. It is demonstrated by numerical simulations at high Reynolds numbers (and unity magnetic Prandtl number) that the energetics and inertial-range scaling depend strongly on r(0). In particular, for fully developed turbulence with r(0) in the range [1/4,1/4096], E(b)(k) is found to scale as k(α), where α≳-1, including α>0. The extent of such a shallow spectrum is limited, becoming broader as r(0) is decreased. The slope α increases as r(0) is decreased, appearing to tend to +1 in the limit of small r(0). This implies equipartition of magnetic energy among the Fourier modes of the inertial range and the scaling k(-1) of the magnetic potential variance, whose flux is direct rather than inverse. This behavior of the potential resembles that of a passive scalar. However, unlike a passive scalar whose variance dissipation rate slowly vanishes in the diffusionless limit, the dissipation rate of the magnetic potential variance scales linearly with the diffusivity in that limit. Meanwhile, the kinetic-energy spectrum is relatively steep, followed by a much shallower tail due to strong antidynamo excitation. This gives rise to a total-energy spectrum poorly obeying a power-law scaling.

High Dynamic Range Imaging at the Quantum Limit with Single Photon Avalanche Diode-Based Image Sensors †

PubMed Central

Mattioli Della Rocca, Francescopaolo

2018-01-01

This paper examines methods to best exploit the High Dynamic Range (HDR) of the single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) in a high fill-factor HDR photon counting pixel that is scalable to megapixel arrays. The proposed method combines multi-exposure HDR with temporal oversampling in-pixel. We present a silicon demonstration IC with 96 × 40 array of 8.25 µm pitch 66% fill-factor SPAD-based pixels achieving >100 dB dynamic range with 3 back-to-back exposures (short, mid, long). Each pixel sums 15 bit-planes or binary field images internally to constitute one frame providing 3.75× data compression, hence the 1k frames per second (FPS) output off-chip represents 45,000 individual field images per second on chip. Two future projections of this work are described: scaling SPAD-based image sensors to HDR 1 MPixel formats and shrinking the pixel pitch to 1–3 µm. PMID:29641479

Design of a high-numerical-aperture digital micromirror device camera with high dynamic range.

PubMed

Qiao, Yang; Xu, Xiping; Liu, Tao; Pan, Yue

2015-01-01

A high-NA imaging system with high dynamic range is presented based on a digital micromirror device (DMD). The DMD camera consists of an objective imaging system and a relay imaging system, connected by a DMD chip. With the introduction of a total internal reflection prism system, the objective imaging system is designed with a working F/# of 1.97, breaking through the F/2.45 limitation of conventional DMD projection lenses. As for the relay imaging system, an off-axis design that could correct off-axis aberrations of the tilt relay imaging system is developed. This structure has the advantage of increasing the NA of the imaging system while maintaining a compact size. Investigation revealed that the dynamic range of a DMD camera could be greatly increased, by 2.41 times. We built one prototype DMD camera with a working F/# of 1.23, and the field experiments proved the validity and reliability our work.

Method and algorithm of automatic estimation of road surface type for variable damping control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dąbrowski, K.; Ślaski, G.

2016-09-01

In this paper authors presented an idea of road surface estimation (recognition) on a base of suspension dynamic response signals statistical analysis. For preliminary analysis cumulated distribution function (CDF) was used, and some conclusion that various roads have responses values in a different ranges of limits for the same percentage of samples or for the same limits different percentages of samples are located within the range between limit values. That was the base for developed and presented algorithm which was tested using suspension response signals recorded during road test riding over various surfaces. Proposed algorithm can be essential part of adaptive damping control algorithm for a vehicle suspension or adaptive control strategy for suspension damping control.

In vitro evaluation of stiffness and load sharing in a two-level corpectomy: comparison of static and dynamic cervical plates.

PubMed

Fogel, Guy R; Li, Zhenyu; Liu, Weiqiang; Liao, Zhenhua; Wu, Jia; Zhou, Wenyu

2010-05-01

Anterior cervical plating has been accepted in corpectomy and fusion of the cervical spine. Constrained plates were criticized for stress shielding that may lead to subsidence and pseudarthrosis. A dynamic plate allows load sharing as the graft subsides. Ideally, the dynamic plate design should maintain adequate stiffness of the construct while providing a reasonable load sharing with the strut graft. The purpose of the study was to compare dynamic and static plate kinematics with graft subsidence. The study designed was an in vitro biomechanical study in a porcine cervical spine model. Twelve spines were initially tested in intact condition with 20-N axial load in 15 degrees of flexion and extension range of motion (ROM). Then, a two-level corpectomy was created in all specimens with spines randomized to receive either a static or dynamic plate. The spines were retested under identical conditions with optimal length and undersized graft. Range of motion and graft loading were analyzed with a one-way analysis of variance (p<.05). Both plates significantly limited ROM compared with the intact spine in both graft length conditions. In extension graft, load was significantly higher (p=.001) in the static plate with optimal length, and in flexion, there was a significant loss of graft load (p=.0004). In flexion, the dynamic plate with undersized graft demonstrated significantly more load sustained (p=.0004). Both plates reasonably limited the ROM of the corpectomy. The static plate had significantly higher graft loads in extension and significant loss of graft load in flexion, whereas the dynamic plate maintained a reasonable graft load in ROM even when graft contact was imperfect. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Out-of-equilibrium dynamical mean-field equations for the perceptron model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agoritsas, Elisabeth; Biroli, Giulio; Urbani, Pierfrancesco; Zamponi, Francesco

2018-02-01

Perceptrons are the building blocks of many theoretical approaches to a wide range of complex systems, ranging from neural networks and deep learning machines, to constraint satisfaction problems, glasses and ecosystems. Despite their applicability and importance, a detailed study of their Langevin dynamics has never been performed yet. Here we derive the mean-field dynamical equations that describe the continuous random perceptron in the thermodynamic limit, in a very general setting with arbitrary noise and friction kernels, not necessarily related by equilibrium relations. We derive the equations in two ways: via a dynamical cavity method, and via a path-integral approach in its supersymmetric formulation. The end point of both approaches is the reduction of the dynamics of the system to an effective stochastic process for a representative dynamical variable. Because the perceptron is formally very close to a system of interacting particles in a high dimensional space, the methods we develop here can be transferred to the study of liquid and glasses in high dimensions. Potentially interesting applications are thus the study of the glass transition in active matter, the study of the dynamics around the jamming transition, and the calculation of rheological properties in driven systems.

Performance assessment of dynamic spiral scan modes with variable pitch for quantitative perfusion computed tomography.

PubMed

Haberland, Ulrike; Klotz, Ernst; Abolmaali, Nasreddin

2010-07-01

Perfusion computed tomography is increasingly being used in diagnostic radiology. Axial coverage of the traditional approach is limited to the width of the detector. Using continuous periodic table movement coverage can be increased beyond this limit. In this study, we compared tissue flow values determined from scans with a periodic spiral implementation with variable pitch with ones determined from standard dynamic scan modes. A flow phantom (preserved porcine kidney) was scanned with 2 settings of a periodic spiral (Adaptive 4D Spiral) with a range of 100 and 148 mm and a temporal sampling of 1.5 seconds. Additionally, the whole phantom was scanned with the standard dynamic mode (detector width 38.4 mm, temporal sampling 1.0 seconds) at various overlapping positions as a reference. Scan parameters (80 kV, 140 mAs, 40s scan time) were selected similar to a typical brain perfusion study. All scans were repeated 5 times. Tissue flow was calculated with a dedicated deconvolution algorithm. In a center slice and 3 additional slices at various off center positions flow values were recorded in a total of 126 regions of interest (ROI). Reproducibility was determined from the variation of the repeat scans. Agreement between periodic spirals and standard mode was determined by Bland Altman plots and correlation analysis. The reproducibility of the tissue flow determination ranged from 2.7 to 4.4 mL/100 mL/min and was similar for all scan modes. The coefficient of variation ranged from 3.9% to 6.1%. Mean tissue flow in the 126 ROIs ranged from 35 to 121 mL/100 mL/min. There was excellent correlation between both periodic spiral ranges and the standard dynamic mode with a Pearson correlation coefficient of r = 0.97. The regression slope (intercept 0) for the 100 mm range was 1.01, for the 148 mm range it was 0.97. The absolute differences per ROI varied between 1.5 and 4.1 mL/100 mL/min, the relative differences between 1.9% and 6.5%. Differences did not depend on the slice location. Periodic spiral scan modes with variable pitch and a sampling rate of 1.5 seconds can be used for the quantitative determination of tissue flow. Their performance is equivalent to equidistant sampling with standard dynamic scan modes. The ranges of 100 and 148 mm investigated allow coverage of the whole brain or an entire organ for perfusion imaging.

Stacking and Branching in Self-Aggregation of Caffeine in Aqueous Solution: From the Supramolecular to Atomic Scale Clustering.

PubMed

Tavagnacco, Letizia; Gerelli, Yuri; Cesàro, Attilio; Brady, John W

2016-09-22

The dynamical and structural properties of caffeine solutions at the solubility limit have been investigated as a function of temperature by means of MD simulations, static and dynamic light scattering, and small angle neutron scattering experiments. A clear picture unambiguously supported by both experiment and simulation emerges: caffeine self-aggregation promotes the formation of two distinct types of clusters: linear aggregates of stacked molecules, formed by 2-14 caffeine molecules depending on the thermodynamic conditions and disordered branched aggregates with a size in the range 1000-3000 Å. While the first type of association is well-known to occur under room temperature conditions for both caffeine and other purine systems, such as nucleotides, the presence of the supramolecular aggregates has not been reported previously. MD simulations indicate that branched structures are formed by caffeine molecules in a T-shaped arrangement. An increase of the solubility limit (higher temperature but also higher concentration) broadens the distribution of cluster sizes, promoting the formation of stacked aggregates composed by a larger number of caffeine molecules. Surprisingly, the effect on the branched aggregates is rather limited. Their internal structure and size do not change considerably in the range of solubility limits investigated.

Paper-based solid-phase multiplexed nucleic acid hybridization assay with tunable dynamic range using immobilized quantum dots as donors in fluorescence resonance energy transfer.

PubMed

Noor, M Omair; Krull, Ulrich J

2013-08-06

A multiplexed solid-phase nucleic acid hybridization assay on a paper-based platform is presented using multicolor immobilized quantum dots (QDs) as donors in fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). The surface of paper was modified with imidazole groups to immobilize two types of QD-probe oligonucleotide conjugates that were assembled in solution. Green-emitting QDs (gQDs) and red-emitting QDs (rQDs) served as donors with Cy3 and Alexa Fluor 647 (A647) acceptors. The gQD/Cy3 FRET pair served as an internal standard, while the rQD/A647 FRET pair served as a detection channel, combining the control and analytical test zones in one physical location. Hybridization of dye-labeled oligonucleotide targets provided the proximity for FRET sensitized emission from the acceptor dyes, which served as an analytical signal. Hybridization assays in the multicolor format provided a limit of detection of 90 fmol and an upper limit of dynamic range of 3.5 pmol. The use of an array of detection zones was designed to provide improved analytical figures of merit compared to that which could be achieved on one type of array design in terms of relative concentration of multicolor QDs. The hybridization assays showed excellent resistance to nonspecific adsorption of oligonucleotides. Selectivity of the two-plex hybridization assay was demonstrated by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) detection at a contrast ratio of 50:1. Additionally, it is shown that the use of preformed QD-probe oligonucleotide conjugates and consideration of the relative number density of the two types of QD-probe conjugates in the two-color assay format is advantageous to maximize assay sensitivity and the upper limit of dynamic range.

A High-Speed, Event-Driven, Active Pixel Sensor Readout for Photon-Counting Microchannel Plate Detectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kimble, Randy A.; Pain, B.; Norton, T. J.; Haas, P.; Fisher, Richard R. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Silicon array readouts for microchannel plate intensifiers offer several attractive features. In this class of detector, the electron cloud output of the MCP intensifier is converted to visible light by a phosphor; that light is then fiber-optically coupled to the silicon array. In photon-counting mode, the resulting light splashes on the silicon array are recognized and centroided to fractional pixel accuracy by off-chip electronics. This process can result in very high (MCP-limited) spatial resolution for the readout while operating at a modest MCP gain (desirable for dynamic range and long term stability). The principal limitation of intensified CCD systems of this type is their severely limited local dynamic range, as accurate photon counting is achieved only if there are not overlapping event splashes within the frame time of the device. This problem can be ameliorated somewhat by processing events only in pre-selected windows of interest or by using an addressable charge injection device (CID) for the readout array. We are currently pursuing the development of an intriguing alternative readout concept based on using an event-driven CMOS Active Pixel Sensor. APS technology permits the incorporation of discriminator circuitry within each pixel. When coupled with suitable CMOS logic outside the array area, the discriminator circuitry can be used to trigger the readout of small sub-array windows only when and where an event splash has been detected, completely eliminating the local dynamic range problem, while achieving a high global count rate capability and maintaining high spatial resolution. We elaborate on this concept and present our progress toward implementing an event-driven APS readout.

Fixed points and limit cycles in the population dynamics of lysogenic viruses and their hosts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhenyu; Goldenfeld, Nigel

2010-07-01

Starting with stochastic rate equations for the fundamental interactions between microbes and their viruses, we derive a mean-field theory for the population dynamics of microbe-virus systems, including the effects of lysogeny. In the absence of lysogeny, our model is a generalization of that proposed phenomenologically by Weitz and Dushoff. In the presence of lysogeny, we analyze the possible states of the system, identifying a limit cycle, which we interpret physically. To test the robustness of our mean-field calculations to demographic fluctuations, we have compared our results with stochastic simulations using the Gillespie algorithm. Finally, we estimate the range of parameters that delineate the various steady states of our model.

Digital Microarrays: Single-Molecule Readout with Interferometric Detection of Plasmonic Nanorod Labels.

PubMed

Sevenler, Derin; Daaboul, George G; Ekiz Kanik, Fulya; Ünlü, Neşe Lortlar; Ünlü, M Selim

2018-05-21

DNA and protein microarrays are a high-throughput technology that allow the simultaneous quantification of tens of thousands of different biomolecular species. The mediocre sensitivity and limited dynamic range of traditional fluorescence microarrays compared to other detection techniques have been the technology's Achilles' heel and prevented their adoption for many biomedical and clinical diagnostic applications. Previous work to enhance the sensitivity of microarray readout to the single-molecule ("digital") regime have either required signal amplifying chemistry or sacrificed throughput, nixing the platform's primary advantages. Here, we report the development of a digital microarray which extends both the sensitivity and dynamic range of microarrays by about 3 orders of magnitude. This technique uses functionalized gold nanorods as single-molecule labels and an interferometric scanner which can rapidly enumerate individual nanorods by imaging them with a 10× objective lens. This approach does not require any chemical signal enhancement such as silver deposition and scans arrays with a throughput similar to commercial fluorescence scanners. By combining single-nanoparticle enumeration and ensemble measurements of spots when the particles are very dense, this system achieves a dynamic range of about 6 orders of magnitude directly from a single scan. As a proof-of-concept digital protein microarray assay, we demonstrated detection of hepatitis B virus surface antigen in buffer with a limit of detection of 3.2 pg/mL. More broadly, the technique's simplicity and high-throughput nature make digital microarrays a flexible platform technology with a wide range of potential applications in biomedical research and clinical diagnostics.

Dynamical influence processes on networks: general theory and applications to social contagion.

PubMed

Harris, Kameron Decker; Danforth, Christopher M; Dodds, Peter Sheridan

2013-08-01

We study binary state dynamics on a network where each node acts in response to the average state of its neighborhood. By allowing varying amounts of stochasticity in both the network and node responses, we find different outcomes in random and deterministic versions of the model. In the limit of a large, dense network, however, we show that these dynamics coincide. We construct a general mean-field theory for random networks and show this predicts that the dynamics on the network is a smoothed version of the average response function dynamics. Thus, the behavior of the system can range from steady state to chaotic depending on the response functions, network connectivity, and update synchronicity. As a specific example, we model the competing tendencies of imitation and nonconformity by incorporating an off-threshold into standard threshold models of social contagion. In this way, we attempt to capture important aspects of fashions and societal trends. We compare our theory to extensive simulations of this "limited imitation contagion" model on Poisson random graphs, finding agreement between the mean-field theory and stochastic simulations.

Multi-dynamic range compressional wave detection using optical-frequency comb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minamikawa, Takeo; Masuoka, Takashi; Oe, Ryo; Nakajima, Yoshiaki; Yamaoka, Yoshihisa; Minoshima, Kaoru; Yasui, Takeshi

2018-02-01

Compressional wave detection is useful means for health monitoring of building, detection of abnormal vibration of moving objects, defect evaluation, and biomedical imaging such as echography and photoacoustic imaging. The frequency of the compressional wave is varied from quasi-static to a few tens of megahertz depending on applications. Since the dynamic range of general compressional wave detectors is limited, we need to choose a proper compressional wave detector depending on applications. For the compressional wave detection with wide dynamic range, two or more detectors with different detection ranges is required. However, these detectors with different detection ranges generally has different accuracy and precision, disabling the seamless detection over these detection ranges. In this study, we proposed a compressional wave detector employing optical frequency comb (OFC). The compressional wave was sensed with a part of an OFC cavity, being encoded into OFC. The spectrally encoded OFC was converted to radio-frequency by the frequency link nature of OFC. The compressional wave-encoded radio-frequency can therefore be directly measured with a high-speed photodetector. To enhance the dynamic range of the compressional wave detection, we developed a cavityfeedback-based system and a phase-sensitive detection system, both of which the accuracy and precision are coherently linked to these of the OFC. We provided a proof-of-principle demonstration of the detection of compressional wave from quasi-static to ultrasound wave by using the OFC-based compressional wave sensor. Our proposed approach will serve as a unique and powerful tool for detecting compressional wave versatile applications in the future.

Beyond the Rayleigh instability limit for multicharged finite systems: From fission to Coulomb explosion

PubMed Central

Last, Isidore; Levy, Yaakov; Jortner, Joshua

2002-01-01

We address the stability of multicharged finite systems driven by Coulomb forces beyond the Rayleigh instability limit. Our exploration of the nuclear dynamics of heavily charged Morse clusters enabled us to vary the range of the pair potential and of the fissibility parameter, which results in distinct fragmentation patterns and in the angular distributions of the fragments. The Rayleigh instability limit separates between nearly binary (or tertiary) spatially unisotropic fission and spatially isotropic Coulomb explosion into a large number of small, ionic fragments. Implications are addressed for a broad spectrum of dynamics in chemical physics, radiation physics of ultracold gases, and biophysics, involving the fission of clusters and droplets, the realization of Coulomb explosion of molecular clusters, the isotropic expansion of optical molasses, and the Coulomb instability of “isolated” proteins. PMID:12093910

New Technologies in Amplification: Applications to the Pediatric Population.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kopun, Judy

1995-01-01

Discussion of technological advances in amplification for children with hearing impairments focuses on the advantages and limitations of fitting children with devices that have features such as dynamic-range compression, multiband signal processing, multimemory capability, digital feedback reduction, and frequency transposition. (Author/DB)

AGARD standard aeroelastic configurations for dynamic response. Candidate configuration I.-wing 445.6

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yates, E. Carson, Jr.

1987-01-01

To promote the evaluation of existing and emerging unsteady aerodynamic codes and methods for applying them to aeroelastic problems, especially for the transonic range, a limited number of aerodynamic configurations and experimental dynamic response data sets are to be designated by the AGARD Structures and Materials Panel as standards for comparison. This set is a sequel to that established several years ago for comparisons of calculated and measured aerodynamic pressures and forces. This report presents the information needed to perform flutter calculations for the first candidate standard configuration for dynamic response along with the related experimental flutter data.

Dynamic Stabilization of a Quantum Many-Body Spin System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoang, T. M.; Gerving, C. S.; Land, B. J.; Anquez, M.; Hamley, C. D.; Chapman, M. S.

2013-08-01

We demonstrate dynamic stabilization of a strongly interacting quantum spin system realized in a spin-1 atomic Bose-Einstein condensate. The spinor Bose-Einstein condensate is initialized to an unstable fixed point of the spin-nematic phase space, where subsequent free evolution gives rise to squeezing and quantum spin mixing. To stabilize the system, periodic microwave pulses are applied that rotate the spin-nematic many-body fluctuations and limit their growth. The stability diagram for the range of pulse periods and phase shifts that stabilize the dynamics is measured and compares well with a stability analysis.

A high-accuracy optical linear algebra processor for finite element applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Casasent, D.; Taylor, B. K.

1984-01-01

Optical linear processors are computationally efficient computers for solving matrix-matrix and matrix-vector oriented problems. Optical system errors limit their dynamic range to 30-40 dB, which limits their accuray to 9-12 bits. Large problems, such as the finite element problem in structural mechanics (with tens or hundreds of thousands of variables) which can exploit the speed of optical processors, require the 32 bit accuracy obtainable from digital machines. To obtain this required 32 bit accuracy with an optical processor, the data can be digitally encoded, thereby reducing the dynamic range requirements of the optical system (i.e., decreasing the effect of optical errors on the data) while providing increased accuracy. This report describes a new digitally encoded optical linear algebra processor architecture for solving finite element and banded matrix-vector problems. A linear static plate bending case study is described which quantities the processor requirements. Multiplication by digital convolution is explained, and the digitally encoded optical processor architecture is advanced.

Noise analysis of the seismic system employed in the northern and southern California seismic nets

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eaton, J.P.

1984-01-01

The seismic networks have been designed and operated to support recording on Develocorders (less than 40db dynamic range) and analog magnetic tape (about 50 db dynamic range). The principal analysis of the records has been based on Develocorder films; and background earth noise levels have been adjusted to be about 1 to 2 mm p-p on the film readers. Since the traces are separated by only 10 to 12 mm on the reader screen, they become hopelessly tangled when signal amplitudes on several adjacent traces exceed 10 to 20 mm p-p. Thus, the background noise level is hardly more than 20 db below the level of largest readable signals. The situation is somewhat better on tape playbacks, but the high level of background noise set to accomodate processing from film records effectively limits the range of maximum-signal to background-earth-noise on high gain channels to a little more than 30 db. Introduction of the PDP 11/44 seismic data acquisition system has increased the potential dynamic range of recorded network signals to more than 60 db. To make use of this increased dynamic range we must evaluate the characteristics and performance of the seismic system. In particular, we must determine whether the electronic noise in the system is or can be made sufficiently low so that background earth noise levels can be lowered significantly to take advantage of the increased dynamic range of the digital recording system. To come to grips with the complex problem of system noise, we have carried out a number of measurements and experiments to evaluate critical components of the system as well as to determine the noise characteristics of the system as a whole.

Extended dynamic range of Doppler OCT by application of a new method to high density B-scans using a MHz FDML swept laser source (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elahi, Sahar; Thrane, Lars; Rollins, Andrew M.; Jenkins, Michael W.

2017-02-01

The limited dynamic range of optical coherence tomography (OCT) Doppler velocity measurements makes it difficult to conduct experiments on samples requiring a large dynamic range without phase wrapping at high velocities or loss of sensitivity at slow velocities. Hemodynamics and wall motion undergo significant increases in velocity as the embryonic heart develops. Experimental studies indicate that altered hemodynamics in early-stage embryonic hearts can lead to congenital heart diseases (CHDs), motivating close monitoring of blood flow over several stages of development. We have built a high-speed OCT system using an FDML laser (Optores GmbH, Germany) at a sweep rate of 1.68 MHz (axial resolution - 12 μm, sensitivity - 105 dB, phase stability - 17 mrad). The speed of this OCT system allows us to acquire high-density B-scans to obtain an extended velocity dynamic range without sacrificing the frame rate (100 Hz). The extended dynamic range within a frame is achieved by varying the A-scan interval at which the phase difference is found, enabling detection of velocities ranging from tens of microns per second to hundreds of millimeters per second. The extra lines in a frame can also be utilized to improve the structural and Doppler images via complex averaging. In structural images where the presence of blood causes additional scattering, complex averaging helps retrieve features located deeper in the tissue. Moreover, high-density frames can be registered to 4D volumes to determine the orthogonal direction of flow for calculating shear stress as well as estimating the cardiac output. In conclusion, high density B-scans acquired by our high-speed OCT system enable image enhancement and direct measurement of biological parameters in cohort studies.

Note: A 102 dB dynamic-range charge-sampling readout for ionizing particle/radiation detectors based on an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pullia, A.; Zocca, F.; Capra, S.

2018-02-01

An original technique for the measurement of charge signals from ionizing particle/radiation detectors has been implemented in an application-specific integrated circuit form. The device performs linear measurements of the charge both within and beyond its output voltage swing. The device features an unprecedented spectroscopic dynamic range of 102 dB and is suitable for high-resolution ion and X-γ ray spectroscopy. We believe that this approach may change a widespread paradigm according to which no high-resolution spectroscopy is possible when working close to or beyond the limit of the preamplifier's output voltage swing.

Note: A 102 dB dynamic-range charge-sampling readout for ionizing particle/radiation detectors based on an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

PubMed

Pullia, A; Zocca, F; Capra, S

2018-02-01

An original technique for the measurement of charge signals from ionizing particle/radiation detectors has been implemented in an application-specific integrated circuit form. The device performs linear measurements of the charge both within and beyond its output voltage swing. The device features an unprecedented spectroscopic dynamic range of 102 dB and is suitable for high-resolution ion and X-γ ray spectroscopy. We believe that this approach may change a widespread paradigm according to which no high-resolution spectroscopy is possible when working close to or beyond the limit of the preamplifier's output voltage swing.

Evaluation of High Dynamic Range Photography as a Luminance Mapping Technique

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

Inanici, Mehlika; Galvin, Jim

2004-12-30

The potential, limitations, and applicability of the High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography technique is evaluated as a luminance mapping tool. Multiple exposure photographs of static scenes are taken with a Nikon 5400 digital camera to capture the wide luminance variation within the scenes. The camera response function is computationally derived using the Photosphere software, and is used to fuse the multiple photographs into HDR images. The vignetting effect and point spread function of the camera and lens system is determined. Laboratory and field studies have shown that the pixel values in the HDR photographs can correspond to the physical quantitymore » of luminance with reasonable precision and repeatability.« less

Experimental test of the variability of G using Viking lander ranging data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hellings, R. W.; Adams, P. J.; Anderson, J. D.; Keesey, M. S.; Lau, E. L.; Standish, E. M.; Canuto, V. M.; Goldman, I.

1983-01-01

Results are presented from the analysis of solar-system astrometric data, notably the range data to the Viking landers on Mars. A least-squares fit of the parameters of the solar system model to these data limits a simple time variation in the effective Newtonian gravitational constant to (2 + or - 4) x 10 to the -12th/yr and a rate of drift of atomic clocks relative to the implicit clock of relativistic dynamics to (1 + or - 8) x 10 to the -12th/yr. The error limits quoted are the result of uncertainties in the masses of the asteroids.

Balancing Dynamic Strength of Spur Gears Operated at Extended Center Distance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Hsiang Hsi; Liou, Chuen-Huei; Oswald, Fred B.; Townsend, Dennis P.

1996-01-01

This paper presents an analytical study on using hob offset to balance the dynamic tooth strength of spur gears operated at a center distance greater than the standard value. This study is an extension of a static study by Mabie and others. The study was limited to the offset values that assure the pinion and gear teeth will neither be undercut nor become pointed. The analysis presented in this paper was performed using DANST-PC, a new version of the NASA gear dynamics code. The operating speed of the transmission influences the amount of hob offset required to equalize the dynamic stresses in the pinion and gear. The optimum hob offset for the pinion was found to vary within a small range as the speed changes. The optimum value is generally greater than the optimum value found by static procedures. For gears that must operate over a wide range of speeds, an average offset value may be used.

Benefits of Spacecraft Level Vibration Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gordon, Scott; Kern, Dennis L.

2015-01-01

NASA-HDBK-7008 Spacecraft Level Dynamic Environments Testing discusses the approaches, benefits, dangers, and recommended practices for spacecraft level dynamic environments testing, including vibration testing. This paper discusses in additional detail the benefits and actual experiences of vibration testing spacecraft for NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) flight projects. JPL and GSFC have both similarities and differences in their spacecraft level vibration test approach: JPL uses a random vibration input and a frequency range usually starting at 5 Hz and extending to as high as 250 Hz. GSFC uses a sine sweep vibration input and a frequency range usually starting at 5 Hz and extending only to the limits of the coupled loads analysis (typically 50 to 60 Hz). However, both JPL and GSFC use force limiting to realistically notch spacecraft resonances and response (acceleration) limiting as necessary to protect spacecraft structure and hardware from exceeding design strength capabilities. Despite GSFC and JPL differences in spacecraft level vibration test approaches, both have uncovered a significant number of spacecraft design and workmanship anomalies in vibration tests. This paper will give an overview of JPL and GSFC spacecraft vibration testing approaches and provide a detailed description of spacecraft anomalies revealed.

A paper-based resonance energy transfer nucleic acid hybridization assay using upconversion nanoparticles as donors and quantum dots as acceptors.

PubMed

Doughan, Samer; Uddayasankar, Uvaraj; Krull, Ulrich J

2015-06-09

Monodisperse aqueous upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs) were covalently immobilized on aldehyde modified cellulose paper via reduction amination to develop a luminescence resonance energy transfer (LRET)-based nucleic acid hybridization assay. This first account of covalent immobilization of UCNPs on paper for a bioassay reports an optically responsive method that is sensitive, reproducible and robust. The immobilized UCNPs were decorated with oligonucleotide probes to capture HPRT1 housekeeping gene fragments, which in turn brought reporter conjugated quantum dots (QDs) in close proximity to the UCNPs for LRET. This sandwich assay could detect unlabeled oligonucleotide target, and had a limit of detection of 13 fmol and a dynamic range spanning nearly 3 orders of magnitude. The use of QDs, which are excellent LRET acceptors, demonstrated improved sensitivity, limit of detection, dynamic range and selectivity compared to similar assays that have used molecular fluorophores as acceptors. The selectivity of the assay was attributed to the decoration of the QDs with polyethylene glycol to eliminate non-specific adsorption. The kinetics of hybridization were determined to be diffusion limited and full signal development occurred within 3 min. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Drift Mode Accelerometry for Spaceborne Gravity Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conklin, J. W.; Shelley, R.; Chilton, A.; Olatunde, T.; Ciani, G.; Mueller, G.

2014-12-01

A drift mode accelerometer is a precision instrument for spacecraft that overcomes much of the acceleration noise and readout dynamic range limitations of traditional electrostatic accelerometers. It has the potential of achieving acceleration noise performance similar to that of drag-free systems over a restricted frequency band without the need for external drag-free control or continuous spacecraft propulsion. Like traditional accelerometers, the drift mode accelerometer contains a high-density test mass surrounded by an electrode housing, which can control and sense all six degrees of freedom of the test mass. Unlike traditional accelerometers, the suspension system is operated with a low duty cycle so that the limiting suspension force noise only acts over brief, known time intervals, which can be accounted for in the data analysis. The readout is performed using a laser interferometer which is immune to the dynamic range limitations of even the best voltage references typically used to determine the inertial acceleration of electrostatic accelerometers. This presentation describes operation and performance modeling for such a device with respect to a low Earth orbiting satellite geodesy mission. Methods for testing the drift mode accelerometer with the University of Florida precision torsion pendulum will also be discussed.

Magnetization dynamics of single-domain nanodots and minimum energy dissipation during either irreversible or reversible switching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madami, Marco; Gubbiotti, Gianluca; Tacchi, Silvia; Carlotti, Giovanni

2017-11-01

Single- or multi-layered planar magnetic dots, with lateral dimensions ranging from tens to hundreds of nanometers, are used as elemental switches in current and forthcoming devices for information and communication technology (ICT), including magnetic memories, spin-torque oscillators and nano-magnetic logic gates. In this review article, we will first discuss energy dissipation during irreversible switching protocols of dots of different dimensions, ranging from a few tens of nanometers to the micrometric range. Then we will focus on the fundamental energy limits of adiabatic (slow) erasure and reversal of a magnetic nanodot, showing that dissipationless operation is achievable, provided that both dynamic reversibility (arbitrarily slow application of external fields) and entropic reversibility (no free entropy increase) are insured. However, recent theoretical and experimental tests of magnetic-dot erasure reveal that intrinsic defects related to materials imperfections such as roughness or polycrystallinity, may cause an excess of dissipation if compared to the minimum theoretical limit. We will conclude providing an outlook on the most promising strategies to achieve a new generation of power-saving nanomagnetic logic devices based on clusters of interacting dots and on straintronics.

Ultra-high-frequency chaos in a time-delay electronic device with band-limited feedback.

PubMed

Illing, Lucas; Gauthier, Daniel J

2006-09-01

We report an experimental study of ultra-high-frequency chaotic dynamics generated in a delay-dynamical electronic device. It consists of a transistor-based nonlinearity, commercially-available amplifiers, and a transmission-line for feedback. The feedback is band-limited, allowing tuning of the characteristic time-scales of both the periodic and high-dimensional chaotic oscillations that can be generated with the device. As an example, periodic oscillations ranging from 48 to 913 MHz are demonstrated. We develop a model and use it to compare the experimentally observed Hopf bifurcation of the steady-state to existing theory [Illing and Gauthier, Physica D 210, 180 (2005)]. We find good quantitative agreement of the predicted and the measured bifurcation threshold, bifurcation type and oscillation frequency. Numerical integration of the model yields quasiperiodic and high dimensional chaotic solutions (Lyapunov dimension approximately 13), which match qualitatively the observed device dynamics.

Dynamic Modulation of Radiative Heat Transfer beyond the Blackbody Limit.

PubMed

Ito, Kota; Nishikawa, Kazutaka; Miura, Atsushi; Toshiyoshi, Hiroshi; Iizuka, Hideo

2017-07-12

Dynamic control of electromagnetic heat transfer without changing mechanical configuration opens possibilities in intelligent thermal management in nanoscale systems. We confirmed by experiment that the radiative heat transfer is dynamically modulated beyond the blackbody limit. The near-field electromagnetic heat exchange mediated by phonon-polariton is controlled by the metal-insulator transition of tungsten-doped vanadium dioxide. The functionalized heat flux is transferred over an area of 1.6 cm 2 across a 370 nm gap, which is maintained by the microfabricated spacers and applied pressure. The uniformity of the gap is validated by optical interferometry, and the measured heat transfer is well modeled as the sum of the radiative and the parasitic conductive components. The presented methodology to form a nanometric gap with functional heat flux paves the way to the smart thermal management in various scenes ranging from highly integrated systems to macroscopic apparatus.

Dynamical control of a quantum Kapitza pendulum in a spin-1 BEC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoang, Thai; Gerving, Corey; Land, Ben; Anquez, Martin; Hamley, Chris; Chapman, Michael

2013-05-01

We demonstrate dynamic stabilization of an unstable strongly interacting quantum many-body system by periodic manipulation of the phase of the collective states. The experiment employs a spin-1 atomic Bose condensate that has spin dynamics analogous to a non-rigid pendulum in the mean-field limit. The condensate spin is initialized to an unstable (hyperbolic) fixed point of the phase space, where subsequent free evolution gives rise to spin-nematic squeezing and quantum spin mixing. To stabilize the system, periodic microwave pulses are applied that manipulate the spin-nematic fluctuations and limit their growth. The range of pulse periods and phase shifts with which the condensate can be stabilized is measured and compares well with a linear stability analysis of the problem. C.D. Hamley, et al., ``Spin-Nematic Squeezed Vacuum in a Quantum Gas,'' Nature Physics 8, 305-308 (2012).

Atomistic-Dislocation Dynamics Modelling of Fatigue Microstructure and Crack Initiation

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

experimental) Brown 󈧊 (Upper Limit’) DD Results Mughrabi & Pschenitzka 󈧉 (Lower Limit) y = 50 nm d, = 1.2 |lm M I 4 Simulations of... Mughrabi . Introduction to the viewpoint set on: Surface effects in cyclic deformation and fatigue. Scr. Metall. Mater., 26(10): 1499-1504, 1992. [3] E...associated with dislocation cores. Acta Materialia, 53:13131321, 2005. [13] H. Mughrabi . The long-range internal stress field in the dislocation wall

Sensitivity to microstimulation of somatosensory cortex distributed over multiple electrodes.

PubMed

Kim, Sungshin; Callier, Thierri; Tabot, Gregg A; Tenore, Francesco V; Bensmaia, Sliman J

2015-01-01

Meaningful and repeatable tactile sensations can be evoked by electrically stimulating primary somatosensory cortex. Intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) may thus be a viable approach to restore the sense of touch in individuals who have lost it, for example tetraplegic patients. One of the potential limitations of this approach, however, is that high levels of current can damage the neuronal tissue if the resulting current densities are too high. The limited range of safe ICMS amplitudes thus limits the dynamic range of ICMS-evoked sensations. One way to get around this limitation would be to distribute the ICMS over multiple electrodes in the hopes of intensifying the resulting percept without increasing the current density experienced by the neuronal tissue. Here, we test whether stimulating through multiple electrodes is a viable solution to increase the dynamic range of ICMS-elicited sensations without increasing the peak current density. To this end, we compare the ability of non-human primates to detect ICMS delivered through one vs. multiple electrodes. We also compare their ability to discriminate pulse trains differing in amplitude when these are delivered through one or more electrodes. We find that increasing the number of electrodes through which ICMS is delivered only has a marginal effect on detectability or discriminability despite the fact that 2-4 times more current is delivered overall. Furthermore, the impact of multielectrode stimulation (or lack thereof) is found whether pulses are delivered synchronously or asynchronously, whether the leading phase of the pulses is cathodic or anodic, and regardless of the spatial configuration of the electrode groups.

Band-limited Green's Functions for Quantitative Evaluation of Acoustic Emission Using the Finite Element Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leser, William P.; Yuan, Fuh-Gwo; Leser, William P.

2013-01-01

A method of numerically estimating dynamic Green's functions using the finite element method is proposed. These Green's functions are accurate in a limited frequency range dependent on the mesh size used to generate them. This range can often match or exceed the frequency sensitivity of the traditional acoustic emission sensors. An algorithm is also developed to characterize an acoustic emission source by obtaining information about its strength and temporal dependence. This information can then be used to reproduce the source in a finite element model for further analysis. Numerical examples are presented that demonstrate the ability of the band-limited Green's functions approach to determine the moment tensor coefficients of several reference signals to within seven percent, as well as accurately reproduce the source-time function.

Optimal Control Problems with Switching Points. Ph.D. Thesis, 1990 Final Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seywald, Hans

1991-01-01

The main idea of this report is to give an overview of the problems and difficulties that arise in solving optimal control problems with switching points. A brief discussion of existing optimality conditions is given and a numerical approach for solving the multipoint boundary value problems associated with the first-order necessary conditions of optimal control is presented. Two real-life aerospace optimization problems are treated explicitly. These are altitude maximization for a sounding rocket (Goddard Problem) in the presence of a dynamic pressure limit, and range maximization for a supersonic aircraft flying in the vertical, also in the presence of a dynamic pressure limit. In the second problem singular control appears along arcs with active dynamic pressure limit, which in the context of optimal control, represents a first-order state inequality constraint. An extension of the Generalized Legendre-Clebsch Condition to the case of singular control along state/control constrained arcs is presented and is applied to the aircraft range maximization problem stated above. A contribution to the field of Jacobi Necessary Conditions is made by giving a new proof for the non-optimality of conjugate paths in the Accessory Minimum Problem. Because of its simple and explicit character, the new proof may provide the basis for an extension of Jacobi's Necessary Condition to the case of the trajectories with interior point constraints. Finally, the result that touch points cannot occur for first-order state inequality constraints is extended to the case of vector valued control functions.

Wide-spectral/dynamic-range skin-compatible phototransistors enabled by floated heterojunction structures with surface functionalized SWCNTs and amorphous oxide semiconductors.

PubMed

Hwang, Insik; Kim, Jaehyun; Lee, Minkyung; Lee, Min-Wook; Kim, Hee-Joong; Kwon, Hyuck-In; Hwang, Do Kyung; Kim, Myunggil; Yoon, Haeyoung; Kim, Yong-Hoon; Park, Sung Kyu

2017-11-09

Purified semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (sc-SWCNTs) have been researched for optoelectronic applications due to their high absorption coefficient from the visible to even the near-infrared (NIR) region. Nevertheless, the insufficient electrical characteristics and incompatibility with conventional CMOS processing have limited their wide utilization in this emerging field. Here, we demonstrate highly detective and wide spectral/dynamic range phototransistors incorporating floated heterojunction active layers which are composed of low-temperature sol-gel processed n-type amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO) stacked with a purified p-type sc-SWCNT layer. To achieve a high and broad spectral/dynamic range photo-response of the heterogeneous transistors, photochemically functionalized sc-SWCNT layers were carefully implemented onto the a-IGZO channel area with a floating p-n heterojunction active layer, resulting in the suppression of parasitic charge leakage and good bias driven opto-electrical properties. The highest photosensitivity (R) of 9.6 × 10 2 A W -1 and a photodetectivity (D*) of 4 × 10 14 Jones along with a dynamic range of 100-180 dB were achieved for our phototransistor in the spectral range of 400-780 nm including continuous and minimal frequency independent behaviors. More importantly, to demonstrate the diverse application of the ultra-flexible hybrid photosensor platform as skin compatible electronics, the sc-SWCNT/a-IGZO phototransistors were fabricated on an ultra-thin (∼1 μm) polyimide film along with a severe static and dynamic electro-mechanical test. The skin-like phototransistors showed excellent mechanical stability such as sustainable good electrical performance and high photosensitivity in a wide dynamic range without any visible cracks or damage and little noise interference after being rolled-up on the 150 μm-thick optical fiber as well as more than 1000 times cycling.

Swap intensified WDR CMOS module for I2/LWIR fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, Yang; Noguier, Vincent

2015-05-01

The combination of high resolution visible-near-infrared low light sensor and moderate resolution uncooled thermal sensor provides an efficient way for multi-task night vision. Tremendous progress has been made on uncooled thermal sensors (a-Si, VOx, etc.). It's possible to make a miniature uncooled thermal camera module in a tiny 1cm3 cube with <1W power consumption. For silicon based solid-state low light CCD/CMOS sensors have observed also a constant progress in terms of readout noise, dark current, resolution and frame rate. In contrast to thermal sensing which is intrinsic day&night operational, the silicon based solid-state sensors are not yet capable to do the night vision performance required by defense and critical surveillance applications. Readout noise, dark current are 2 major obstacles. The low dynamic range at high sensitivity mode of silicon sensors is also an important limiting factor, which leads to recognition failure due to local or global saturations & blooming. In this context, the image intensifier based solution is still attractive for the following reasons: 1) high gain and ultra-low dark current; 2) wide dynamic range and 3) ultra-low power consumption. With high electron gain and ultra low dark current of image intensifier, the only requirement on the silicon image pickup device are resolution, dynamic range and power consumption. In this paper, we present a SWAP intensified Wide Dynamic Range CMOS module for night vision applications, especially for I2/LWIR fusion. This module is based on a dedicated CMOS image sensor using solar-cell mode photodiode logarithmic pixel design which covers a huge dynamic range (> 140dB) without saturation and blooming. The ultra-wide dynamic range image from this new generation logarithmic sensor can be used directly without any image processing and provide an instant light accommodation. The complete module is slightly bigger than a simple ANVIS format I2 tube with <500mW power consumption.

Transonic shock-induced dynamics of a flexible wing with a thick circular-arc airfoil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bennett, Robert M.; Dansberry, Bryan E.; Farmer, Moses G.; Eckstrom, Clinton V.; Seidel, David A.; Rivera, Jose A., Jr.

1991-01-01

Transonic shock boundary layer oscillations occur on rigid models over a small range of Mach numbers on thick circular-arc airfoils. Extensive tests and analyses of this phenomena have been made in the past but essentially all of them were for rigid models. A simple flexible wing model with an 18 pct. circular arc airfoil was constructed and tested in the Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel to study the dynamic characteristics that a wing might have under these circumstances. In the region of shock boundary layer oscillations, buffeting of the first bending mode was obtained. This mode was well separated in frequency from the shock boundary layer oscillations. A limit cycle oscillation was also measured in a third bending like mode, involving wind vertical bending and splitter plate motion, which was in the frequency range of the shock boundary layer oscillations. Several model configurations were tested, and a few potential fixes were investigated.

In vivo optical imaging and dynamic contrast methods for biomedical research

PubMed Central

Hillman, Elizabeth M. C.; Amoozegar, Cyrus B.; Wang, Tracy; McCaslin, Addason F. H.; Bouchard, Matthew B.; Mansfield, James; Levenson, Richard M.

2011-01-01

This paper provides an overview of optical imaging methods commonly applied to basic research applications. Optical imaging is well suited for non-clinical use, since it can exploit an enormous range of endogenous and exogenous forms of contrast that provide information about the structure and function of tissues ranging from single cells to entire organisms. An additional benefit of optical imaging that is often under-exploited is its ability to acquire data at high speeds; a feature that enables it to not only observe static distributions of contrast, but to probe and characterize dynamic events related to physiology, disease progression and acute interventions in real time. The benefits and limitations of in vivo optical imaging for biomedical research applications are described, followed by a perspective on future applications of optical imaging for basic research centred on a recently introduced real-time imaging technique called dynamic contrast-enhanced small animal molecular imaging (DyCE). PMID:22006910

Counter-ions dynamics in highly plastic and conducting compounds of poly(aniline). A quasi-elastic neutron scattering study.

PubMed

Djurado, David; Bée, Marc; Sniechowski, Maciej; Howells, Spencer; Rannou, Patrice; Pron, Adam; Travers, J P; Luzny, Wojciech

2005-03-21

Proton dynamics in films of poly(aniline) "plastdoped" with di-esters of sulfophthalic (or sulfosuccinic) acids have been investigated by using quasi-elastic neutron scattering techniques. A broad time range (10(-13)-10(-9) s) has been explored by using four different spectrometers. In this time range, the dynamics is exclusively due to protons attached to the flexible tails of the counter-ions. A model of limited diffusion in spheres whose radii are distributed in size gives a realistic view of the geometry of molecular motions. However, it is found that the characteristic times of these motions are widely distributed over several orders of magnitude. The time decay of the intermediate scattering function is well described by a time power law. This behaviour is qualitatively discussed in connection with the structure of the systems and by comparison with other so-called complex systems.

Floating-point performance of ARM cores and their efficiency in classical molecular dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikolskiy, V.; Stegailov, V.

2016-02-01

Supercomputing of the exascale era is going to be inevitably limited by power efficiency. Nowadays different possible variants of CPU architectures are considered. Recently the development of ARM processors has come to the point when their floating point performance can be seriously considered for a range of scientific applications. In this work we present the analysis of the floating point performance of the latest ARM cores and their efficiency for the algorithms of classical molecular dynamics.

Dynamic compression of synthetic diamond windows (final report for LDRD project 93531).

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

Dolan, Daniel H.,

2008-09-01

Diamond is an attractive dynamic compression window for many reasons: high elastic limit,large mechanical impedance, and broad transparency range. Natural diamonds, however, aretoo expensive to be used in destructive experiments. Chemical vapor deposition techniquesare now able to produce large single-crystal windows, opening up many potential dynamiccompression applications. This project studied the behavior of synthetic diamond undershock wave compression. The results suggest that synthetic diamond could be a usefulwindow in this field, though complete characterization proved elusive.3

Extending the Dynamic Range of a Time Projection Chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Estee, Justin; S πRIT Collaboration

2017-09-01

The use of Time Projection Chambers (TPCs) in intermediate heavy ion reactions faces some challenges in addressing the energy losses that range from the small energy loss of relativistic pions to the large energy loss of slow moving heavy ions. A typical trade-off can be to set the smallest desired signals to be well within the lower limits of the dynamic range of the electronics while allowing for some larger signals to saturate the electronics. With wire plane anodes, signals from readout pads further away from the track remain unsaturated and allow signals from tracks with saturated pads to be accurately recovered. We illustrate this technique using data from the SAMURAI Pion-Reconstruction and Ion-Tracker (S πRIT) TPC , which recently measured pions and light charged particles in collisions of Sn+Sn isotopes. Our method exploits knowledge of how the induced charge distribution depends on the distance from the track to smoothly extend dynamic range even when some of the pads in the track are saturated. To accommodate the analysis of slow moving heavy ions, we have extended the Bichsel energy loss distributions to handle slower moving ions as well. In this talk, I will discuss a combined approach which successfully extends the dynamic range of the TPC electronics. This work is supported by the U.S. DOE under Grant Nos. DE-SC0014530, DE-NA0002923, US NSF Grant No. PHY-1565546 and the Japan MEXT KAKENHI Grant No. 24105004.

Recruitment limitation of long-lived conifers: implications for climate change responses.

PubMed

Kroiss, Steve J; Hillerslambers, Janneke

2015-05-01

Seed availability and suitable microsites for germination are likely to severely constrain the responses of plant species to climate change, especially at and beyond range edges. For example, range shifts may be slow if seed availability is low at range edges due to low parent-tree abundance or reduced fecundity. Even when seeds are available, climatic and biotic factors may further limit the availability of suitable microsites for recruitment. Unfortunately, the importance of seed and microsite limitation during range shifts remains unknown, since few studies have examined both factors simultaneously, particularly across species' ranges. To address this issue, we assessed seed availability and the factors influencing germination for six conifer species across a large environmental gradient encompassing their elevational ranges. Specifically, we assessed (1) how parent-tree abundance influences annual seed availability; (2) how seed limitation varies across species' ranges; (3) how climatic and biotic factors affect germination; and (4) how seed and suitable microsite availability covary annually within and among species. We found that seed availability declined toward species' upper range edges for most species, primarily due to low parent-tree abundance rather than declining fecundity. Range expansions are thus likely to be lagged with respect to climate change, as long generation times preclude rapid increases in tree density. Negative impacts of canopy cover on germination rates suggest range shifts will further be slowed by competition with existing vegetation. Moreover, years of high seed production were generally correlated among species, but not correlated with the availability of suitable microsites, implying that seedling competition and the interaction between seed and microsite limitation will further constrain recruitment. However, the nature of microsite limitation varied strongly between treeline and low-elevation species due to differing responses to snowpack duration and. competition, suggesting that treeline species may be quicker to shift their ranges in response to warming than low-elevation species. In all, our results demonstrate that seed and microsite limitation will likely result in lagged responses to climate change but with differences among species leading to complex range shift dynamics.

The role of fire-return interval and season of burn in snag dynamics in a south Florida slash pine forest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lloyd, John D.; Slater, Gary L.; Snyder, James R.

2012-01-01

Standing dead trees, or snags, are an important habitat element for many animal species. In many ecosystems, fire is a primary driver of snag population dynamics because it can both create and consume snags. The objective of this study was to examine how variation in two key components of the fire regime—fire-return interval and season of burn—affected population dynamics of snags. Using a factorial design, we exposed 1 ha plots, located within larger burn units in a south Florida slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. densa Little and Dorman) forest, to prescribed fire applied at two intervals (approximately 3-year intervals vs. approximately 6-year intervals) and during two seasons (wet season vs. dry season) over a 12- to 13-year period. We found no consistent effect of fire season or frequency on the density of lightly to moderately decayed or heavily decayed snags, suggesting that variation in these elements of the fire regime at the scale we considered is relatively unimportant in the dynamics of snag populations. However, our confidence in these findings is limited by small sample sizes, potentially confounding effects of unmeasured variation in fire behavior and effects (e.g., intensity, severity, synergy with drought cycles) and wide variation in responses within a treatment level. The generalizing of our findings is also limited by the narrow range of treatment levels considered. Future experiments incorporating a wider range of fire regimes and directly quantifying fire intensity would prove useful in identifying more clearly the role of fire in shaping the dynamics of snag populations.

Baseline estimation from simultaneous satellite laser tracking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dedes, George C.

1987-01-01

Simultaneous Range Differences (SRDs) to Lageos are obtained by dividing the observing stations into pairs with quasi-simultaneous observations. For each of those pairs the station with the least number of observations is identified, and at its observing epochs interpolated ranges for the alternate station are generated. The SRD observables are obtained by subtracting the actually observed laser range of the station having the least number of observations from the interpolated ranges of the alternate station. On the basis of these observables semidynamic single baseline solutions were performed. The aim of these solutions is to further develop and implement the SRD method in the real data environment, to assess its accuracy, its advantages and disadvantages as related to the range dynamic mode methods, when the baselines are the only parameters of interest. Baselines, using simultaneous laser range observations to Lageos, were also estimated through the purely geometric method. These baselines formed the standards the standards of comparison in the accuracy assessment of the SRD method when compared to that of the range dynamic mode methods. On the basis of this comparison it was concluded that for baselines of regional extent the SRD method is very effective, efficient, and at least as accurate as the range dynamic mode methods, and that on the basis of a simple orbital modeling and a limited orbit adjustment. The SRD method is insensitive to the inconsistencies affecting the terrestrial reference frame and simultaneous adjustment of the Earth Rotation Parameters (ERPs) is not necessary.

Characterization of 3-Dimensional PET Systems for Accurate Quantification of Myocardial Blood Flow.

PubMed

Renaud, Jennifer M; Yip, Kathy; Guimond, Jean; Trottier, Mikaël; Pibarot, Philippe; Turcotte, Eric; Maguire, Conor; Lalonde, Lucille; Gulenchyn, Karen; Farncombe, Troy; Wisenberg, Gerald; Moody, Jonathan; Lee, Benjamin; Port, Steven C; Turkington, Timothy G; Beanlands, Rob S; deKemp, Robert A

2017-01-01

Three-dimensional (3D) mode imaging is the current standard for PET/CT systems. Dynamic imaging for quantification of myocardial blood flow with short-lived tracers, such as 82 Rb-chloride, requires accuracy to be maintained over a wide range of isotope activities and scanner counting rates. We proposed new performance standard measurements to characterize the dynamic range of PET systems for accurate quantitative imaging. 82 Rb or 13 N-ammonia (1,100-3,000 MBq) was injected into the heart wall insert of an anthropomorphic torso phantom. A decaying isotope scan was obtained over 5 half-lives on 9 different 3D PET/CT systems and 1 3D/2-dimensional PET-only system. Dynamic images (28 × 15 s) were reconstructed using iterative algorithms with all corrections enabled. Dynamic range was defined as the maximum activity in the myocardial wall with less than 10% bias, from which corresponding dead-time, counting rates, and/or injected activity limits were established for each scanner. Scatter correction residual bias was estimated as the maximum cavity blood-to-myocardium activity ratio. Image quality was assessed via the coefficient of variation measuring nonuniformity of the left ventricular myocardium activity distribution. Maximum recommended injected activity/body weight, peak dead-time correction factor, counting rates, and residual scatter bias for accurate cardiac myocardial blood flow imaging were 3-14 MBq/kg, 1.5-4.0, 22-64 Mcps singles and 4-14 Mcps prompt coincidence counting rates, and 2%-10% on the investigated scanners. Nonuniformity of the myocardial activity distribution varied from 3% to 16%. Accurate dynamic imaging is possible on the 10 3D PET systems if the maximum injected MBq/kg values are respected to limit peak dead-time losses during the bolus first-pass transit. © 2017 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

Capturing complexity in work disability research: application of system dynamics modeling methodology.

PubMed

Jetha, Arif; Pransky, Glenn; Hettinger, Lawrence J

2016-01-01

Work disability (WD) is characterized by variable and occasionally undesirable outcomes. The underlying determinants of WD outcomes include patterns of dynamic relationships among health, personal, organizational and regulatory factors that have been challenging to characterize, and inadequately represented by contemporary WD models. System dynamics modeling (SDM) methodology applies a sociotechnical systems thinking lens to view WD systems as comprising a range of influential factors linked by feedback relationships. SDM can potentially overcome limitations in contemporary WD models by uncovering causal feedback relationships, and conceptualizing dynamic system behaviors. It employs a collaborative and stakeholder-based model building methodology to create a visual depiction of the system as a whole. SDM can also enable researchers to run dynamic simulations to provide evidence of anticipated or unanticipated outcomes that could result from policy and programmatic intervention. SDM may advance rehabilitation research by providing greater insights into the structure and dynamics of WD systems while helping to understand inherent complexity. Challenges related to data availability, determining validity, and the extensive time and technical skill requirements for model building may limit SDM's use in the field and should be considered. Contemporary work disability (WD) models provide limited insight into complexity associated with WD processes. System dynamics modeling (SDM) has the potential to capture complexity through a stakeholder-based approach that generates a simulation model consisting of multiple feedback loops. SDM may enable WD researchers and practitioners to understand the structure and behavior of the WD system as a whole, and inform development of improved strategies to manage straightforward and complex WD cases.

Global sensitivity analysis of a dynamic agroecosystem model under different irrigation treatments

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Savings in consumptive use through limited or deficit irrigation in agriculture has become an increasingly viable source of additional water for places with high population growth such as the Colorado Front Range, USA. Crop models provide a mechanism to evaluate various management methods without pe...

A Land-Use-Planning Simulation Using Google Earth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bodzin, Alec M.; Cirucci, Lori

2009-01-01

Google Earth (GE) is proving to be a valuable tool in the science classroom for understanding the environment and making responsible environmental decisions (Bodzin 2008). GE provides learners with a dynamic mapping experience using a simple interface with a limited range of functions. This interface makes geospatial analysis accessible and…

Conceptual Resources for Questioning "Child as Educator"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burman, Erica

2013-01-01

This paper critically evaluates the ways we look to children to educate us and explores how we might depart from that dynamic, exploring how a range of conceptual frameworks from historical and cultural studies and psychoanalysis might contribute to understanding the problematic of childhood, its problems and its limitations. While "child as…

Color transfer between high-dynamic-range images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hristova, Hristina; Cozot, Rémi; Le Meur, Olivier; Bouatouch, Kadi

2015-09-01

Color transfer methods alter the look of a source image with regards to a reference image. So far, the proposed color transfer methods have been limited to low-dynamic-range (LDR) images. Unlike LDR images, which are display-dependent, high-dynamic-range (HDR) images contain real physical values of the world luminance and are able to capture high luminance variations and finest details of real world scenes. Therefore, there exists a strong discrepancy between the two types of images. In this paper, we bridge the gap between the color transfer domain and the HDR imagery by introducing HDR extensions to LDR color transfer methods. We tackle the main issues of applying a color transfer between two HDR images. First, to address the nature of light and color distributions in the context of HDR imagery, we carry out modifications of traditional color spaces. Furthermore, we ensure high precision in the quantization of the dynamic range for histogram computations. As image clustering (based on light and colors) proved to be an important aspect of color transfer, we analyze it and adapt it to the HDR domain. Our framework has been applied to several state-of-the-art color transfer methods. Qualitative experiments have shown that results obtained with the proposed adaptation approach exhibit less artifacts and are visually more pleasing than results obtained when straightforwardly applying existing color transfer methods to HDR images.

Climatic extremes improve predictions of spatial patterns of tree species

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zimmermann, N.E.; Yoccoz, N.G.; Edwards, T.C.; Meier, E.S.; Thuiller, W.; Guisan, Antoine; Schmatz, D.R.; Pearman, P.B.

2009-01-01

Understanding niche evolution, dynamics, and the response of species to climate change requires knowledge of the determinants of the environmental niche and species range limits. Mean values of climatic variables are often used in such analyses. In contrast, the increasing frequency of climate extremes suggests the importance of understanding their additional influence on range limits. Here, we assess how measures representing climate extremes (i.e., interannual variability in climate parameters) explain and predict spatial patterns of 11 tree species in Switzerland. We find clear, although comparably small, improvement (+20% in adjusted D2, +8% and +3% in cross-validated True Skill Statistic and area under the receiver operating characteristics curve values) in models that use measures of extremes in addition to means. The primary effect of including information on climate extremes is a correction of local overprediction and underprediction. Our results demonstrate that measures of climate extremes are important for understanding the climatic limits of tree species and assessing species niche characteristics. The inclusion of climate variability likely will improve models of species range limits under future conditions, where changes in mean climate and increased variability are expected.

Dynamic Disorder in Quasi-Equilibrium Enzymatic Systems

PubMed Central

Chaudhury, Srabanti; Igoshin, Oleg A.

2010-01-01

Conformations and catalytic rates of enzymes fluctuate over a wide range of timescales. Despite these fluctuations, there exist some limiting cases in which the enzymatic catalytic rate follows the macroscopic rate equation such as the Michaelis-Menten law. In this paper we investigate the applicability of macroscopic rate laws for fluctuating enzyme systems in which catalytic transitions are slower than ligand binding-dissociation reactions. In this quasi-equilibrium limit, for an arbitrary reaction scheme we show that the catalytic rate has the same dependence on ligand concentrations as obtained from mass-action kinetics even in the presence of slow conformational fluctuations. These results indicate that the timescale of conformational dynamics – no matter how slow – will not affect the enzymatic rate in quasi-equilibrium limit. Our numerical results for two enzyme-catalyzed reaction schemes involving multiple substrates and inhibitors further support our general theory. PMID:20808776

Hybrid Ion-Detector/Data-Acquisition System for a TOF-MS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burton, William D., Jr.; Schultz, J. Albert; Vaughn, Valentine; McCully, Michael; Ulrich, Steven; Egan, Thomas F.

2006-01-01

A modified ion-detector/data-acquisition system has been devised to increase the dynamic range of a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS) that, previously, included a microchannel-plate detector and a data-acquisition system based on counting pulses and time-tagging them by use of a time-to-digital converter (TDC). The dynamic range of the TOF-MS was limited by saturation of the microchannel plate detector, which can handle no more than a few million counts per second. The modified system includes (1) a combined microchannel plate/discrete ion multiplier and (2) a hybrid data-acquisition system that simultaneously performs analog current or voltage measurements and multianode single-ion-pulse-counting time-of-flight measurements to extend the dynamic range of a TDC into the regime in which a mass peak comprises multiple ions arriving simultaneously at the detector. The multianode data are used to determine, in real time, whether the detector is saturated. When saturation is detected, the data-acquisition system selectively enables circuitry that simultaneously determines the ion-peak intensity by measuring the time profile of the analog current or voltage detector-output signal.

Evaluation of dynamic balance among community-dwelling older adult fallers: a generalizability study of the limits of stability test.

PubMed

Clark, S; Rose, D J

2001-04-01

To establish reliability estimates of the 75% Limits of Stability Test (75% LOS test) when administered to community-dwelling older adults with a history of falls. Generalizability theory was used to estimate both the relative contribution of identified error sources to the total measurement error and generalizability coefficients. A random effects repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess consistency of LOS test movement variables across both days and targets. A motor control research laboratory in a university setting. Fifty community-dwelling older adults with 2 or more falls in the previous year. Spatial and temporal measures of dynamic balance derived from the 75% LOS test included average movement velocity, maximum center of gravity (COG) excursion, end-point COG excursion, and directional control. Estimated generalizability coefficients for 2 testing days ranged from.58 to.87. Total variance in LOS test measures attributable to inconsistencies in day-to-day test performance (Day and Subject x Day facets) ranged from 2.5% to 8.4%. The ANOVA results indicated that no significant differences were observed in the LOS test variables across the 2 testing days. The 75% LOS test administered to older adult fallers on 2 consecutive days provides consistent and reliable measures of dynamic balance.

Theoretical design and analysis of multivolume digital assays with wide dynamic range validated experimentally with microfluidic digital PCR.

PubMed

Kreutz, Jason E; Munson, Todd; Huynh, Toan; Shen, Feng; Du, Wenbin; Ismagilov, Rustem F

2011-11-01

This paper presents a protocol using theoretical methods and free software to design and analyze multivolume digital PCR (MV digital PCR) devices; the theory and software are also applicable to design and analysis of dilution series in digital PCR. MV digital PCR minimizes the total number of wells required for "digital" (single molecule) measurements while maintaining high dynamic range and high resolution. In some examples, multivolume designs with fewer than 200 total wells are predicted to provide dynamic range with 5-fold resolution similar to that of single-volume designs requiring 12,000 wells. Mathematical techniques were utilized and expanded to maximize the information obtained from each experiment and to quantify performance of devices and were experimentally validated using the SlipChip platform. MV digital PCR was demonstrated to perform reliably, and results from wells of different volumes agreed with one another. No artifacts due to different surface-to-volume ratios were observed, and single molecule amplification in volumes ranging from 1 to 125 nL was self-consistent. The device presented here was designed to meet the testing requirements for measuring clinically relevant levels of HIV viral load at the point-of-care (in plasma, <500 molecules/mL to >1,000,000 molecules/mL), and the predicted resolution and dynamic range was experimentally validated using a control sequence of DNA. This approach simplifies digital PCR experiments, saves space, and thus enables multiplexing using separate areas for each sample on one chip, and facilitates the development of new high-performance diagnostic tools for resource-limited applications. The theory and software presented here are general and are applicable to designing and analyzing other digital analytical platforms including digital immunoassays and digital bacterial analysis. It is not limited to SlipChip and could also be useful for the design of systems on platforms including valve-based and droplet-based platforms. In a separate publication by Shen et al. (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2011, DOI: 10.1021/ja2060116), this approach is used to design and test digital RT-PCR devices for quantifying RNA.

Comparison of glomerular filtration rate determined by use of single-slice dynamic computed tomography and scintigraphy in cats.

PubMed

Schmidt, David M; Scrivani, Peter V; Dykes, Nathan L; Goldstein, Richard M; Erb, Hollis N; Reeves, Anthony P

2012-04-01

To compare estimation of glomerular filtration rate determined via conventional methods (ie, scintigraphy and plasma clearance of technetium Tc 99m pentetate) and dynamic single-slice computed tomography (CT). 8 healthy adult cats. Scintigraphy, plasma clearance testing, and dynamic CT were performed on each cat on the same day; order of examinations was randomized. Separate observers performed GFR calculations for scintigraphy, plasma clearance testing, or dynamic CT. Methods were compared via Bland-Altman plots and considered interchangeable and acceptable when the 95% limits of agreement (mean difference between methods ± 1.96 SD of the differences) were ≤ 0.7 mL/min/kg. Global GFR differed < 0.7 mL/min/kg in 5 of 8 cats when comparing plasma clearance testing and dynamic CT; the limits of agreement were 1.4 and -1.7 mL/min/kg. The mean ± SD difference was -0.2 ± 0.8 mL/min/kg, and the maximum difference was 1.6 mL/min/kg. The mean ± SD difference (absolute value) for percentage filtration by individual kidneys was 2.4 ± 10.5% when comparing scintigraphy and dynamic CT; the maximum difference was 20%, and the limits of agreement were 18% and 23% (absolute value). GFR estimation via dynamic CT exceeded the definition for acceptable clinical use, compared with results for conventional methods, which was likely attributable to sample size and preventable technical complications. Because 5 of 8 cats had comparable values between methods, further investigation of dynamic CT in a larger sample population with a wide range of GFR values should be performed.

Synchronous digitization for high dynamic range lock-in amplification in beam-scanning microscopy

PubMed Central

Muir, Ryan D.; Sullivan, Shane Z.; Oglesbee, Robert A.; Simpson, Garth J.

2014-01-01

Digital lock-in amplification (LIA) with synchronous digitization (SD) is shown to provide significant signal to noise (S/N) and linear dynamic range advantages in beam-scanning microscopy measurements using pulsed laser sources. Direct comparisons between SD-LIA and conventional LIA in homodyne second harmonic generation measurements resulted in S/N enhancements consistent with theoretical models. SD-LIA provided notably larger S/N enhancements in the limit of low light intensities, through the smooth transition between photon counting and signal averaging developed in previous work. Rapid beam scanning instrumentation with up to video rate acquisition speeds minimized photo-induced sample damage. The corresponding increased allowance for higher laser power without sample damage is advantageous for increasing the observed signal content. PMID:24689588

On the relationships between higher and lower bit-depth system measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burks, Stephen D.; Haefner, David P.; Doe, Joshua M.

2018-04-01

The quality of an imaging system can be assessed through controlled laboratory objective measurements. Currently, all imaging measurements require some form of digitization in order to evaluate a metric. Depending on the device, the amount of bits available, relative to a fixed dynamic range, will exhibit quantization artifacts. From a measurement standpoint, measurements are desired to be performed at the highest possible bit-depth available. In this correspondence, we described the relationship between higher and lower bit-depth measurements. The limits to which quantization alters the observed measurements will be presented. Specifically, we address dynamic range, MTF, SiTF, and noise. Our results provide guidelines to how systems of lower bit-depth should be characterized and the corresponding experimental methods.

Finite-element approach to Brownian dynamics of polymers.

PubMed

Cyron, Christian J; Wall, Wolfgang A

2009-12-01

In the last decades simulation tools for Brownian dynamics of polymers have attracted more and more interest. Such simulation tools have been applied to a large variety of problems and accelerated the scientific progress significantly. However, the currently most frequently used explicit bead models exhibit severe limitations, especially with respect to time step size, the necessity of artificial constraints and the lack of a sound mathematical foundation. Here we present a framework for simulations of Brownian polymer dynamics based on the finite-element method. This approach allows simulating a wide range of physical phenomena at a highly attractive computational cost on the basis of a far-developed mathematical background.

Multiple-viewing-zone integral imaging using a dynamic barrier array for three-dimensional displays.

PubMed

Choi, Heejin; Min, Sung-Wook; Jung, Sungyong; Park, Jae-Hyeung; Lee, Byoungho

2003-04-21

In spite of many advantages of integral imaging, the viewing zone in which an observer can see three-dimensional images is limited within a narrow range. Here, we propose a novel method to increase the number of viewing zones by using a dynamic barrier array. We prove our idea by fabricating and locating the dynamic barrier array between a lens array and a display panel. By tilting the barrier array, it is possible to distribute images for each viewing zone. Thus, the number of viewing zones can be increased with an increment of the states of the barrier array tilt.

Dynamical instability of a charged gaseous cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharif, M.; Mumtaz, Saadia

2017-10-01

In this paper, we discuss dynamical instability of a charged dissipative cylinder under radial oscillations. For this purpose, we follow the Eulerian and Lagrangian approaches to evaluate linearized perturbed equation of motion. We formulate perturbed pressure in terms of adiabatic index by applying the conservation of baryon numbers. A variational principle is established to determine characteristic frequencies of oscillation which define stability criteria for a gaseous cylinder. We compute the ranges of radii as well as adiabatic index for both charged and uncharged cases in Newtonian and post-Newtonian limits. We conclude that dynamical instability occurs in the presence of charge if the gaseous cylinder contracts to the radius R*.

Nitrogen and phosphorus limitation over long-term ecosystem development in terrestrial ecosystems.

PubMed

Menge, Duncan N L; Hedin, Lars O; Pacala, Stephen W

2012-01-01

Nutrient limitation to net primary production (NPP) displays a diversity of patterns as ecosystems develop over a range of timescales. For example, some ecosystems transition from N limitation on young soils to P limitation on geologically old soils, whereas others appear to remain N limited. Under what conditions should N limitation and P limitation prevail? When do transitions between N and P limitation occur? We analyzed transient dynamics of multiple timescales in an ecosystem model to investigate these questions. Post-disturbance dynamics in our model are controlled by a cascade of rates, from plant uptake (very fast) to litter turnover (fast) to plant mortality (intermediate) to plant-unavailable nutrient loss (slow) to weathering (very slow). Young ecosystems are N limited when symbiotic N fixation (SNF) is constrained and P weathering inputs are high relative to atmospheric N deposition and plant N:P demand, but P limited under opposite conditions. In the absence of SNF, N limitation is likely to worsen through succession (decades to centuries) because P is mineralized faster than N. Over long timescales (centuries and longer) this preferential P mineralization increases the N:P ratio of soil organic matter, leading to greater losses of plant-unavailable N versus P relative to plant N:P demand. These loss dynamics favor N limitation on older soils despite the rising organic matter N:P ratio. However, weathering depletion favors P limitation on older soils when continual P inputs (e.g., dust deposition) are low, so nutrient limitation at the terminal equilibrium depends on the balance of these input and loss effects. If NPP switches from N to P limitation over long time periods, the transition time depends most strongly on the P weathering rate. At all timescales SNF has the capacity to overcome N limitation, so nutrient limitation depends critically on limits to SNF.

Comparison of high temperature, high frequency core loss and dynamic B-H loops of a 2V-49Fe-49Co and a grain oriented 3Si-Fe alloy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wieserman, W. R.; Schwarze, G. E.; Niedra, J. M.

1992-01-01

The design of power magnetic components such as transformers, inductors, motors, and generators, requires specific knowledge about the magnetic and electrical characteristics of the magnetic materials used in these components. Limited experimental data exists that characterizes the performance of soft magnetic materials for the combined conditions of high temperature and high frequency over a wide flux density range. An experimental investigation of a 2V-49-Fe-49Co (Supermendur) and a grain oriented 3 Si-Fe (Magnesil) alloy was conducted over the temperature range of 23 to 300 C and frequency range of 0.1 to 10 kHz. The effects of temperature, frequency, and maximum flux density on the core loss and dynamic B-H loops for sinusoidal voltage excitation conditions are examined for each of these materials. A comparison of the core loss of these two materials is also made over the temperature and frequency range investigated.

Self-consistent approach to many-body localization and subdiffusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prelovšek, P.; Herbrych, J.

2017-07-01

An analytical theory, based on the perturbative treatment of the disorder and extended into a self-consistent set of equations for the dynamical density correlations, is developed and applied to the prototype one-dimensional model of many-body localization. Results show a qualitative agreement with the numerically obtained dynamical structure factor in the whole range of frequencies and wave vectors, as well as across the transition to nonergodic behavior. The theory reveals the singular nature of the one-dimensional problem, whereby on the ergodic side the dynamics is subdiffusive with dynamical conductivity σ (ω ) ∝|ω| α , i.e., with vanishing dc limit σ0=0 and α <1 varying with disorder, while we get α >1 in the localized phase.

Spatiotemporal analysis of turbulent jets enabled by 100-kHz, 100-ms burst-mode particle image velocimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Joseph D.; Jiang, Naibo; Slipchenko, Mikhail N.; Mance, Jason G.; Meyer, Terrence R.; Roy, Sukesh; Gord, James R.

2016-12-01

100-kHz particle image velocimetry (PIV) is demonstrated using a double-pulsed, burst-mode laser with a burst duration up to 100 ms. This enables up to 10,000 time-sequential vector fields for capturing a temporal dynamic range spanning over three orders of magnitude in high-speed turbulent flows. Pulse doublets with inter-pulse spacing of 2 µs and repetition rate of 100 kHz are generated using a fiber-based oscillator and amplified through an all-diode-pumped, burst-mode amplifier. A physics-based model of pulse doublet amplification in the burst-mode amplifier is developed and used to accurately predict oscillator pulse width and pulse intensity inputs required to generate equal-energy pulse doublets at 532 nm for velocity measurements. The effect of PIV particle response and high-speed-detector limitations on the spatial and temporal resolution are estimated in subsonic turbulent jets. An effective spatial resolution of 266-275 µm and temporal resolution of 10 µs are estimated from the 8 × 8 pixel correlation window and inter-doublet time spacing, respectively. This spatiotemporal resolution is sufficient for quantitative assessment of integral time and length scales in highly turbulent jets with Reynolds numbers in the range 15,000-50,000. The temporal dynamic range of the burst-mode PIV measurement is 1200, limited by the 85-ms high-energy portion of the burst and 30-kHz high-frequency noise limit.

Optimization of Dynamic Aperture of PEP-X Baseline Design

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

Wang, Min-Huey; /SLAC; Cai, Yunhai

2010-08-23

SLAC is developing a long-range plan to transfer the evolving scientific programs at SSRL from the SPEAR3 light source to a much higher performing photon source. Storage ring design is one of the possibilities that would be housed in the 2.2-km PEP-II tunnel. The design goal of PEPX storage ring is to approach an optimal light source design with horizontal emittance less than 100 pm and vertical emittance of 8 pm to reach the diffraction limit of 1-{angstrom} x-ray. The low emittance design requires a lattice with strong focusing leading to high natural chromaticity and therefore to strong sextupoles. Themore » latter caused reduction of dynamic aperture. The dynamic aperture requirement for horizontal injection at injection point is about 10 mm. In order to achieve the desired dynamic aperture the transverse non-linearity of PEP-X is studied. The program LEGO is used to simulate the particle motion. The technique of frequency map is used to analyze the nonlinear behavior. The effect of the non-linearity is tried to minimize at the given constrains of limited space. The details and results of dynamic aperture optimization are discussed in this paper.« less

Cortical Entropy, Mutual Information and Scale-Free Dynamics in Waking Mice.

PubMed

Fagerholm, Erik D; Scott, Gregory; Shew, Woodrow L; Song, Chenchen; Leech, Robert; Knöpfel, Thomas; Sharp, David J

2016-10-01

Some neural circuits operate with simple dynamics characterized by one or a few well-defined spatiotemporal scales (e.g. central pattern generators). In contrast, cortical neuronal networks often exhibit richer activity patterns in which all spatiotemporal scales are represented. Such "scale-free" cortical dynamics manifest as cascades of activity with cascade sizes that are distributed according to a power-law. Theory and in vitro experiments suggest that information transmission among cortical circuits is optimized by scale-free dynamics. In vivo tests of this hypothesis have been limited by experimental techniques with insufficient spatial coverage and resolution, i.e., restricted access to a wide range of scales. We overcame these limitations by using genetically encoded voltage imaging to track neural activity in layer 2/3 pyramidal cells across the cortex in mice. As mice recovered from anesthesia, we observed three changes: (a) cortical information capacity increased, (b) information transmission among cortical regions increased and (c) neural activity became scale-free. Our results demonstrate that both information capacity and information transmission are maximized in the awake state in cortical regions with scale-free network dynamics. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.

Probing the role of long-range interactions in the dynamics of a long-range Kitaev chain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Anirban; Dutta, Amit

2017-09-01

We study the role of long-range interactions (more precisely, the long-range superconducting gap term) on the nonequilibrium dynamics considering a long-range p -wave superconducting chain in which the superconducting term decays with distance between two sites in a power-law fashion characterized by an exponent α . We show that the Kibble-Zurek scaling exponent, dictating the power-law decay of the defect density in the final state reached following a slow (in comparison to the time scale associated with the minimum gap in the spectrum of the Hamiltonian) quenching of the chemical potential μ across a quantum critical point, depends nontrivially on the exponent α as long as α <2 ; on the other hand, for α >2 , we find that the exponent saturates to the corresponding well-known value of 1 /2 expected for the short-range model. Furthermore, studying the dynamical quantum phase transitions manifested in the nonanalyticities in the rate function of the return possibility I (t ) in subsequent temporal evolution following a sudden change in μ , we show the existence of a new region; in this region, we find three instants of cusp singularities in I (t ) associated with a single sector of Fisher zeros. Notably, the width of this region shrinks as α increases and vanishes in the limit α →2 , indicating that this special region is an artifact of the long-range nature of the Hamiltonian.

Visualizing long-term single-molecule dynamics in vivo by stochastic protein labeling.

PubMed

Liu, Hui; Dong, Peng; Ioannou, Maria S; Li, Li; Shea, Jamien; Pasolli, H Amalia; Grimm, Jonathan B; Rivlin, Patricia K; Lavis, Luke D; Koyama, Minoru; Liu, Zhe

2018-01-09

Our ability to unambiguously image and track individual molecules in live cells is limited by packing of multiple copies of labeled molecules within the resolution limit. Here we devise a universal genetic strategy to precisely control copy number of fluorescently labeled molecules in a cell. This system has a dynamic range of ∼10,000-fold, enabling sparse labeling of proteins expressed at different abundance levels. Combined with photostable labels, this system extends the duration of automated single-molecule tracking by two orders of magnitude. We demonstrate long-term imaging of synaptic vesicle dynamics in cultured neurons as well as in intact zebrafish. We found axon initial segment utilizes a "waterfall" mechanism gating synaptic vesicle transport polarity by promoting anterograde transport processivity. Long-time observation also reveals that transcription factor hops between clustered binding sites in spatially restricted subnuclear regions, suggesting that topological structures in the nucleus shape local gene activities by a sequestering mechanism. This strategy thus greatly expands the spatiotemporal length scales of live-cell single-molecule measurements, enabling new experiments to quantitatively understand complex control of molecular dynamics in vivo.

Mitigating the Hook Effect in Lateral Flow Sandwich Immunoassays Using Real-Time Reaction Kinetics.

PubMed

Rey, Elizabeth G; O'Dell, Dakota; Mehta, Saurabh; Erickson, David

2017-05-02

The quantification of analyte concentrations using lateral flow assays is a low-cost and user-friendly alternative to traditional lab-based assays. However, sandwich-type immunoassays are often limited by the high-dose hook effect, which causes falsely low results when analytes are present at very high concentrations. In this paper, we present a reaction kinetics-based technique that solves this problem, significantly increasing the dynamic range of these devices. With the use of a traditional sandwich lateral flow immunoassay, a portable imaging device, and a mobile interface, we demonstrate the technique by quantifying C-reactive protein concentrations in human serum over a large portion of the physiological range. The technique could be applied to any hook effect-limited sandwich lateral flow assay and has a high level of accuracy even in the hook effect range.

Charge carrier dynamics in PMMA-LiClO4 based polymer electrolytes plasticized with different plasticizers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, P.; Ghosh, A.

2017-07-01

We have studied the charge carrier dynamics in poly(methylmethacrylate)-LiClO4 polymer electrolytes plasticized with different plasticizers such as ethylene carbonate (EC), propylene carbonate (PC), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and dimethyl carbonate (DMC). We have measured the broadband complex conductivity spectra of these electrolytes in the frequency range of 0.01 Hz-3 GHz and in the temperature range of 203 K-363 K and analyzed the conductivity spectra in the framework of the random barrier model by taking into account the contribution of the electrode polarization observed at low frequencies and/or at high temperatures. It is observed that the temperature dependences of the ionic conductivity and relaxation time follow the Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher relation for all plasticized electrolytes. We have also performed the scaling of the conductivity spectra, which indicates that the charge carrier dynamics is almost independent of temperature and plasticizers in a limited frequency range. The existence of nearly constant loss in these electrolytes has been observed at low temperatures and/or high frequencies. We have studied the dielectric relaxation in these electrolytes using electric modulus formalism and obtained the stretched exponent and the decay function. We have observed less cooperative ion dynamics in electrolytes plasticized with DMC compared to electrolytes plasticized with EC, PC, and PEG.

The role of shear and tensile failure in dynamically triggered landslides

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gipprich, T.L.; Snieder, R.K.; Jibson, R.W.; Kimman, W.

2008-01-01

Dynamic stresses generated by earthquakes can trigger landslides. Current methods of landslide analysis such as pseudo-static analysis and Newmark's method focus on the effects of earthquake accelerations on the landslide mass to characterize dynamic landslide behaviour. One limitation of these methods is their use Mohr-Coulomb failure criteria, which only accounts for shear failure, but the role of tensile failure is not accounted for. We develop a limit-equilibrium model to investigate the dynamic stresses generated by a given ground motion due to a plane wave and use this model to assess the role of shear and tensile failure in the initiation of slope instability. We do so by incorporating a modified Griffith failure envelope, which combines shear and tensile failure into a single criterion. Tests of dynamic stresses in both homogeneous and layered slopes demonstrate that two modes of failure exist, tensile failure in the uppermost meters of a slope and shear failure at greater depth. Further, we derive equations that express the dynamic stress in the near-surface in the acceleration measured at the surface. These equations are used to approximately define the depth range for each mechanism of failure. The depths at which these failure mechanisms occur suggest that shear and tensile failure might collaborate in generating slope failure. ?? 2007 The Authors Journal compilation ?? 2007 RAS.

Reaction rates for mesoscopic reaction-diffusion kinetics

DOE PAGES

Hellander, Stefan; Hellander, Andreas; Petzold, Linda

2015-02-23

The mesoscopic reaction-diffusion master equation (RDME) is a popular modeling framework frequently applied to stochastic reaction-diffusion kinetics in systems biology. The RDME is derived from assumptions about the underlying physical properties of the system, and it may produce unphysical results for models where those assumptions fail. In that case, other more comprehensive models are better suited, such as hard-sphere Brownian dynamics (BD). Although the RDME is a model in its own right, and not inferred from any specific microscale model, it proves useful to attempt to approximate a microscale model by a specific choice of mesoscopic reaction rates. In thismore » paper we derive mesoscopic scale-dependent reaction rates by matching certain statistics of the RDME solution to statistics of the solution of a widely used microscopic BD model: the Smoluchowski model with a Robin boundary condition at the reaction radius of two molecules. We also establish fundamental limits on the range of mesh resolutions for which this approach yields accurate results and show both theoretically and in numerical examples that as we approach the lower fundamental limit, the mesoscopic dynamics approach the microscopic dynamics. Finally, we show that for mesh sizes below the fundamental lower limit, results are less accurate. Thus, the lower limit determines the mesh size for which we obtain the most accurate results.« less

Reaction rates for mesoscopic reaction-diffusion kinetics

PubMed Central

Hellander, Stefan; Hellander, Andreas; Petzold, Linda

2016-01-01

The mesoscopic reaction-diffusion master equation (RDME) is a popular modeling framework frequently applied to stochastic reaction-diffusion kinetics in systems biology. The RDME is derived from assumptions about the underlying physical properties of the system, and it may produce unphysical results for models where those assumptions fail. In that case, other more comprehensive models are better suited, such as hard-sphere Brownian dynamics (BD). Although the RDME is a model in its own right, and not inferred from any specific microscale model, it proves useful to attempt to approximate a microscale model by a specific choice of mesoscopic reaction rates. In this paper we derive mesoscopic scale-dependent reaction rates by matching certain statistics of the RDME solution to statistics of the solution of a widely used microscopic BD model: the Smoluchowski model with a Robin boundary condition at the reaction radius of two molecules. We also establish fundamental limits on the range of mesh resolutions for which this approach yields accurate results and show both theoretically and in numerical examples that as we approach the lower fundamental limit, the mesoscopic dynamics approach the microscopic dynamics. We show that for mesh sizes below the fundamental lower limit, results are less accurate. Thus, the lower limit determines the mesh size for which we obtain the most accurate results. PMID:25768640

Comparison of two microextraction methods based on solidification of floating organic droplet for the determination of multiclass analytes in river water samples by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry using Central Composite Design.

PubMed

Asati, Ankita; Satyanarayana, G N V; Patel, Devendra K

2017-09-01

Two low density organic solvents based liquid-liquid microextraction methods, namely Vortex assisted liquid-liquid microextraction based on solidification of floating organic droplet (VALLME-SFO) and Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on solidification of floating organic droplet(DLLME-SFO) have been compared for the determination of multiclass analytes (pesticides, plasticizers, pharmaceuticals and personal care products) in river water samples by using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The effect of various experimental parameters on the efficiency of the two methods and their optimum values were studied with the aid of Central Composite Design (CCD) and Response Surface Methodology(RSM). Under optimal conditions, VALLME-SFO was validated in terms of limit of detection, limit of quantification, dynamic linearity range, determination of coefficient, enrichment factor and extraction recovery for which the respective values were (0.011-0.219ngmL -1 ), (0.035-0.723ngmL -1 ), (0.050-0.500ngmL -1 ), (R 2 =0.992-0.999), (40-56), (80-106%). However, when the DLLME-SFO method was validated under optimal conditions, the range of values of limit of detection, limit of quantification, dynamic linearity range, determination of coefficient, enrichment factor and extraction recovery were (0.025-0.377ngmL -1 ), (0.083-1.256ngmL -1 ), (0.100-1.000ngmL -1 ), (R 2 =0.990-0.999), (35-49), (69-98%) respectively. Interday and intraday precisions were calculated as percent relative standard deviation (%RSD) and the values were ≤15% for VALLME-SFO and DLLME-SFO methods. Both methods were successfully applied for determining multiclass analytes in river water samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Real-Time Quantum Dynamics of Long-Range Electronic Excitation Transfer in Plasmonic Nanoantennas.

PubMed

Ilawe, Niranjan V; Oviedo, M Belén; Wong, Bryan M

2017-08-08

Using large-scale, real-time, quantum dynamics calculations, we present a detailed analysis of electronic excitation transfer (EET) mechanisms in a multiparticle plasmonic nanoantenna system. Specifically, we utilize real-time, time-dependent, density functional tight binding (RT-TDDFTB) to provide a quantum-mechanical description (at an electronic/atomistic level of detail) for characterizing and analyzing these systems, without recourse to classical approximations. We also demonstrate highly long-range electronic couplings in these complex systems and find that the range of these couplings is more than twice the conventional cutoff limit considered by Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based approaches. Furthermore, we attribute these unusually long-ranged electronic couplings to the coherent oscillations of conduction electrons in plasmonic nanoparticles. This long-range nature of plasmonic interactions has important ramifications for EET; in particular, we show that the commonly used "nearest-neighbor" FRET model is inadequate for accurately characterizing EET even in simple plasmonic antenna systems. These findings provide a real-time, quantum-mechanical perspective for understanding EET mechanisms and provide guidance in enhancing plasmonic properties in artificial light-harvesting systems.

Noise-induced transitions and shifts in a climate-vegetation feedback model.

PubMed

Alexandrov, Dmitri V; Bashkirtseva, Irina A; Ryashko, Lev B

2018-04-01

Motivated by the extremely important role of the Earth's vegetation dynamics in climate changes, we study the stochastic variability of a simple climate-vegetation system. In the case of deterministic dynamics, the system has one stable equilibrium and limit cycle or two stable equilibria corresponding to two opposite (cold and warm) climate-vegetation states. These states are divided by a separatrix going across a point of unstable equilibrium. Some possible stochastic scenarios caused by different externally induced natural and anthropogenic processes inherit properties of deterministic behaviour and drastically change the system dynamics. We demonstrate that the system transitions across its separatrix occur with increasing noise intensity. The climate-vegetation system therewith fluctuates, transits and localizes in the vicinity of its attractor. We show that this phenomenon occurs within some critical range of noise intensities. A noise-induced shift into the range of smaller global average temperatures corresponding to substantial oscillations of the Earth's vegetation cover is revealed. Our analysis demonstrates that the climate-vegetation interactions essentially contribute to climate dynamics and should be taken into account in more precise and complex models of climate variability.

JESTR: Jupiter Exploration Science in the Time Regime

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noll, Keith S.; Simon-Miller, A. A.; Wong, M. H.; Choi, D. S.

2012-01-01

Solar system objects are inherently time-varying with changes that occur on timescales ranging from seconds to years. For all planets other than the Earth, temporal coverage of atmospheric phenomena is limited and sparse. Many important atmospheric phenomena, especially those related to atmospheric dynamics, can be studied in only very limited ways with current data. JESTR is a mission concept that would remedy this gap in our exploration of the solar system by ncar-continuous imaging and spectral monitoring of Jupiter over a multi-year mission lifetime.

Expanded home ranges in a peripheral population: Space use by endangered Mt. Graham red squirrels

Treesearch

John L. Koprowski; Sarah R. B. King; Melissa J. Merrick

2008-01-01

Peripheral populations are often of increased conservation value; however, knowledge of the ecological and evolutionary consequences of a peripheral location is poor. Spatial dynamics are often interpreted as strategies to maximize access to fitness-limiting resources. Red squirrels Tamiasciurus hudsonicus are territorial in western portions of their...

MAVRIC Flutter Model Transonic Limit Cycle Oscillation Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, John W.; Schuster, David M.; Spain, Charles V.; Keller, Donald F.; Moses, Robert W.

2001-01-01

The Models for Aeroelastic Validation Research Involving Computation semi-span wind-tunnel model (MAVRIC-I), a business jet wing-fuselage flutter model, was tested in NASA Langley's Transonic Dynamics Tunnel with the goal of obtaining experimental data suitable for Computational Aeroelasticity code validation at transonic separation onset conditions. This research model is notable for its inexpensive construction and instrumentation installation procedures. Unsteady pressures and wing responses were obtained for three wingtip configurations of clean, tipstore, and winglet. Traditional flutter boundaries were measured over the range of M = 0.6 to 0.9 and maps of Limit Cycle Oscillation (LCO) behavior were made in the range of M = 0.85 to 0.95. Effects of dynamic pressure and angle-of-attack were measured. Testing in both R134a heavy gas and air provided unique data on Reynolds number, transition effects, and the effect of speed of sound on LCO behavior. The data set provides excellent code validation test cases for the important class of flow conditions involving shock-induced transonic flow separation onset at low wing angles, including LCO behavior.

Performance evaluation of objective quality metrics for HDR image compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valenzise, Giuseppe; De Simone, Francesca; Lauga, Paul; Dufaux, Frederic

2014-09-01

Due to the much larger luminance and contrast characteristics of high dynamic range (HDR) images, well-known objective quality metrics, widely used for the assessment of low dynamic range (LDR) content, cannot be directly applied to HDR images in order to predict their perceptual fidelity. To overcome this limitation, advanced fidelity metrics, such as the HDR-VDP, have been proposed to accurately predict visually significant differences. However, their complex calibration may make them difficult to use in practice. A simpler approach consists in computing arithmetic or structural fidelity metrics, such as PSNR and SSIM, on perceptually encoded luminance values but the performance of quality prediction in this case has not been clearly studied. In this paper, we aim at providing a better comprehension of the limits and the potentialities of this approach, by means of a subjective study. We compare the performance of HDR-VDP to that of PSNR and SSIM computed on perceptually encoded luminance values, when considering compressed HDR images. Our results show that these simpler metrics can be effectively employed to assess image fidelity for applications such as HDR image compression.

Dynamical sensitivity control of a single-spin quantum sensor.

PubMed

Lazariev, Andrii; Arroyo-Camejo, Silvia; Rahane, Ganesh; Kavatamane, Vinaya Kumar; Balasubramanian, Gopalakrishnan

2017-07-26

The Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) defect in diamond is a unique quantum system that offers precision sensing of nanoscale physical quantities at room temperature beyond the current state-of-the-art. The benchmark parameters for nanoscale magnetometry applications are sensitivity, spectral resolution, and dynamic range. Under realistic conditions the NV sensors controlled by conventional sensing schemes suffer from limitations of these parameters. Here we experimentally show a new method called dynamical sensitivity control (DYSCO) that boost the benchmark parameters and thus extends the practical applicability of the NV spin for nanoscale sensing. In contrast to conventional dynamical decoupling schemes, where π pulse trains toggle the spin precession abruptly, the DYSCO method allows for a smooth, analog modulation of the quantum probe's sensitivity. Our method decouples frequency selectivity and spectral resolution unconstrained over the bandwidth (1.85 MHz-392 Hz in our experiments). Using DYSCO we demonstrate high-accuracy NV magnetometry without |2π| ambiguities, an enhancement of the dynamic range by a factor of 4 · 10 3 , and interrogation times exceeding 2 ms in off-the-shelf diamond. In a broader perspective the DYSCO method provides a handle on the inherent dynamics of quantum systems offering decisive advantages for NV centre based applications notably in quantum information and single molecule NMR/MRI.

Quantum mechanical force fields for condensed phase molecular simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giese, Timothy J.; York, Darrin M.

2017-09-01

Molecular simulations are powerful tools for providing atomic-level details into complex chemical and physical processes that occur in the condensed phase. For strongly interacting systems where quantum many-body effects are known to play an important role, density-functional methods are often used to provide the model with the potential energy used to drive dynamics. These methods, however, suffer from two major drawbacks. First, they are often too computationally intensive to practically apply to large systems over long time scales, limiting their scope of application. Second, there remain challenges for these models to obtain the necessary level of accuracy for weak non-bonded interactions to obtain quantitative accuracy for a wide range of condensed phase properties. Quantum mechanical force fields (QMFFs) provide a potential solution to both of these limitations. In this review, we address recent advances in the development of QMFFs for condensed phase simulations. In particular, we examine the development of QMFF models using both approximate and ab initio density-functional models, the treatment of short-ranged non-bonded and long-ranged electrostatic interactions, and stability issues in molecular dynamics calculations. Example calculations are provided for crystalline systems, liquid water, and ionic liquids. We conclude with a perspective for emerging challenges and future research directions.

Living on the Edge: Parasite Prevalence Changes Dramatically across a Range Edge in an Invasive Gecko.

PubMed

Coates, Andrew; Barnett, Louise K; Hoskin, Conrad; Phillips, Ben L

2017-02-01

Species interactions can determine range limits, and parasitism is the most intimate of such interactions. Intriguingly, the very conditions on range edges likely change host-parasite dynamics in nontrivial ways. Range edges are often associated with clines in host density and with environmental transitions, both of which may affect parasite transmission. On advancing range edges, founder events and fitness/dispersal costs of parasitism may also cause parasites to be lost on range edges. Here we examine the prevalence of three species of parasite across the range edge of an invasive gecko, Hemidactylus frenatus, in northeastern Australia. The gecko's range edge spans the urban-woodland interface at the edge of urban areas. Across this edge, gecko abundance shows a steep decline, being lower in the woodland. Two parasite species (a mite and a pentastome) are coevolved with H. frenatus, and these species become less prevalent as the geckos become less abundant. A third species of parasite (another pentastome) is native to Australia and has no coevolutionary history with H. frenatus. This species became more prevalent as the geckos become less abundant. These dramatic shifts in parasitism (occurring over 3.5 km) confirm that host-parasite dynamics can vary substantially across the range edge of this gecko host.

Design considerations for a new, high resolution Micro-Angiographic Fluoroscope based on a CMOS sensor (MAF-CMOS).

PubMed

Loughran, Brendan; Swetadri Vasan, S N; Singh, Vivek; Ionita, Ciprian N; Jain, Amit; Bednarek, Daniel R; Titus, Albert; Rudin, Stephen

2013-03-06

The detectors that are used for endovascular image-guided interventions (EIGI), particularly for neurovascular interventions, do not provide clinicians with adequate visualization to ensure the best possible treatment outcomes. Developing an improved x-ray imaging detector requires the determination of estimated clinical x-ray entrance exposures to the detector. The range of exposures to the detector in clinical studies was found for the three modes of operation: fluoroscopic mode, high frame-rate digital angiographic mode (HD fluoroscopic mode), and DSA mode. Using these estimated detector exposure ranges and available CMOS detector technical specifications, design requirements were developed to pursue a quantum limited, high resolution, dynamic x-ray detector based on a CMOS sensor with 50 μm pixel size. For the proposed MAF-CMOS, the estimated charge collected within the full exposure range was found to be within the estimated full well capacity of the pixels. Expected instrumentation noise for the proposed detector was estimated to be 50-1,300 electrons. Adding a gain stage such as a light image intensifier would minimize the effect of the estimated instrumentation noise on total image noise but may not be necessary to ensure quantum limited detector operation at low exposure levels. A recursive temporal filter may decrease the effective total noise by 2 to 3 times, allowing for the improved signal to noise ratios at the lowest estimated exposures despite consequent loss in temporal resolution. This work can serve as a guide for further development of dynamic x-ray imaging prototypes or improvements for existing dynamic x-ray imaging systems.

An LC-IMS-MS Platform Providing Increased Dynamic Range for High-Throughput Proteomic Studies

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

Baker, Erin Shammel; Livesay, Eric A.; Orton, Daniel J.

2010-02-05

A high-throughput approach and platform using 15 minute reversed-phase capillary liquid chromatography (RPLC) separations in conjunction with ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry (IMS-MS) measurements was evaluated for the rapid analysis of complex proteomics samples. To test the separation quality of the short LC gradient, a sample was prepared by spiking twenty reference peptides at varying concentrations from 1 ng/mL to 10 µg/mL into a tryptic digest of mouse blood plasma and analyzed with both a LC-Linear Ion Trap Fourier Transform (FT) MS and LC-IMS-TOF MS. The LC-FT MS detected thirteen out of the twenty spiked peptides that had concentrations ≥100 ng/mL.more » In contrast, the drift time selected mass spectra from the LC-IMS-TOF MS analyses yielded identifications for nineteen of the twenty peptides with all spiking level present. The greater dynamic range of the LC-IMS-TOF MS system could be attributed to two factors. First, the LC-IMS-TOF MS system enabled drift time separation of the low concentration spiked peptides from the high concentration mouse peptide matrix components, reducing signal interference and background, and allowing species to be resolved that would otherwise be obscured by other components. Second, the automatic gain control (AGC) in the linear ion trap of the hybrid FT MS instrument limits the number of ions that are accumulated to reduce space charge effects, but in turn limits the achievable dynamic range compared to the TOF detector.« less

Characterization of Combustion Dynamics, Detection, and Prevention of an Unstable Combustion State Based on a Complex-Network Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gotoda, Hiroshi; Kinugawa, Hikaru; Tsujimoto, Ryosuke; Domen, Shohei; Okuno, Yuta

2017-04-01

Complex-network theory has attracted considerable attention for nearly a decade, and it enables us to encompass our understanding of nonlinear dynamics in complex systems in a wide range of fields, including applied physics and mechanical, chemical, and electrical engineering. We conduct an experimental study using a pragmatic online detection methodology based on complex-network theory to prevent a limiting unstable state such as blowout in a confined turbulent combustion system. This study introduces a modified version of the natural visibility algorithm based on the idea of a visibility limit to serve as a pragmatic online detector. The average degree of the modified version of the natural visibility graph allows us to detect the onset of blowout, resulting in online prevention.

NMR contributions to structural dynamics studies of intrinsically disordered proteins☆

PubMed Central

Konrat, Robert

2014-01-01

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are characterized by substantial conformational plasticity. Given their inherent structural flexibility X-ray crystallography is not applicable to study these proteins. In contrast, NMR spectroscopy offers unique opportunities for structural and dynamic studies of IDPs. The past two decades have witnessed significant development of NMR spectroscopy that couples advances in spin physics and chemistry with a broad range of applications. This article will summarize key advances in basic physical-chemistry and NMR methodology, outline their limitations and envision future R&D directions. PMID:24656082

Progress on Fault Mechanisms for Gear Transmissions in Coal Cutting Machines: From Macro to Nano Models.

PubMed

Jiang, Yu; Zhang, Xiaogang; Zhang, Chao; Li, Zhixiong; Sheng, Chenxing

2017-04-01

Numerical modeling has been recognized as the dispensable tools for mechanical fault mechanism analysis. Techniques, ranging from macro to nano levels, include the finite element modeling boundary element modeling, modular dynamic modeling, nano dynamic modeling and so forth. This work firstly reviewed the progress on the fault mechanism analysis for gear transmissions from the tribological and dynamic aspects. Literature review indicates that the tribological and dynamic properties were separately investigated to explore the fault mechanism in gear transmissions. However, very limited work has been done to address the links between the tribological and dynamic properties and scarce researches have been done for coal cutting machines. For this reason, the tribo-dynamic coupled model was introduced to bridge the gap between the tribological and dynamic models in fault mechanism analysis for gear transmissions in coal cutting machines. The modular dynamic modeling and nano dynamic modeling techniques are expected to establish the links between the tribological and dynamic models. Possible future research directions using the tribo dynamic coupled model were summarized to provide potential references for researchers in the field.

Reliability and Construct Validity of Limits of Stability Test in Adolescents Using a Portable Forceplate System.

PubMed

Alsalaheen, Bara; Haines, Jamie; Yorke, Amy; Broglio, Steven P

2015-12-01

To examine the reliability, convergent, and discriminant validity of the limits of stability (LOS) test to assess dynamic postural stability in adolescents using a portable forceplate system. Cross-sectional reliability observational study. School setting. Adolescents (N=36) completed all measures during the first session. To examine the reliability of the LOS test, a subset of 15 participants repeated the LOS test after 1 week. Not applicable. Outcome measurements included the LOS test, Balance Error Scoring System, Instrumented Balance Error Scoring System, and Modified Clinical Test for Sensory Interaction on Balance. A significant relation was observed among LOS composite scores (r=.36-.87, P<.05). However, no relation was observed between LOS and static balance outcome measurements. The reliability of the LOS composite scores ranged from moderate to good (intraclass correlation coefficient model 2,1=.73-.96). The results suggest that the LOS composite scores provide unique information about dynamic postural stability, and the LOS test completed at 100% of the theoretical limit appeared to be a reliable test of dynamic postural stability in adolescents. Clinicians should use dynamic balance measurement as part of their balance assessment and should not use static balance testing (eg, Balance Error Scoring System) to make inferences about dynamic balance, especially when balance assessment is used to determine rehabilitation outcomes, or when making return to play decisions after injury. Copyright © 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Short-term dynamic behavior of Escherichia coli in response to successive glucose pulses on glucose-limited chemostat cultures.

PubMed

Sunya, Sirichai; Bideaux, Carine; Molina-Jouve, Carole; Gorret, Nathalie

2013-04-15

The effect of repeated glucose perturbations on dynamic behavior of Escherichia coli DPD2085, yciG::LuxCDABE reporter strain, was studied and characterized on a short-time scale using glucose-limited chemostat cultures at dilution rates close to 0.18h(-1). The substrate disturbances were applied on independent steady-state cultures, firstly using a single glucose pulse under different aeration conditions and secondly using repeated glucose pulses under fully aerobic condition. The dynamic responses of E. coli to a single glucose pulse of different intensities (0.25 and 0.6gL(-1)) were significantly similar at macroscopic level, revealing the independency of the macroscopic microbial behavior to the perturbation intensity in the range of tested glucose concentrations. The dynamic responses of E. coli to repeated glucose pulses to simulate fluctuating environments between glucose-limited and glucose-excess conditions were quantified; similar behavior regarding respiration and by-product formations was observed, except for the first perturbation denoted by an overshoot of the specific oxygen uptake rate in the first minutes after the pulse. In addition, transcriptional induction of yciG promoter gene involved in general stress response, σ(S), was monitored through the bioluminescent E. coli strain. This study aims to provide and compare short-term quantitative kinetics data describing the dynamic behavior of E. coli facing repeated transient substrate conditions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Renormalization Group and Its Applications to Generating Coarse-Grained Models of Large Biological Molecular Systems.

PubMed

Koehl, Patrice; Poitevin, Frédéric; Navaza, Rafael; Delarue, Marc

2017-03-14

Understanding the dynamics of biomolecules is the key to understanding their biological activities. Computational methods ranging from all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to coarse-grained normal-mode analyses based on simplified elastic networks provide a general framework to studying these dynamics. Despite recent successes in studying very large systems with up to a 100,000,000 atoms, those methods are currently limited to studying small- to medium-sized molecular systems due to computational limitations. One solution to circumvent these limitations is to reduce the size of the system under study. In this paper, we argue that coarse-graining, the standard approach to such size reduction, must define a hierarchy of models of decreasing sizes that are consistent with each other, i.e., that each model contains the information of the dynamics of its predecessor. We propose a new method, Decimate, for generating such a hierarchy within the context of elastic networks for normal-mode analysis. This method is based on the concept of the renormalization group developed in statistical physics. We highlight the details of its implementation, with a special focus on its scalability to large systems of up to millions of atoms. We illustrate its application on two large systems, the capsid of a virus and the ribosome translation complex. We show that highly decimated representations of those systems, containing down to 1% of their original number of atoms, still capture qualitatively and quantitatively their dynamics. Decimate is available as an OpenSource resource.

Natural Selection in Large Populations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desai, Michael

2011-03-01

I will discuss theoretical and experimental approaches to the evolutionary dynamics and population genetics of natural selection in large populations. In these populations, many mutations are often present simultaneously, and because recombination is limited, selection cannot act on them all independently. Rather, it can only affect whole combinations of mutations linked together on the same chromosome. Methods common in theoretical population genetics have been of limited utility in analyzing this coupling between the fates of different mutations. In the past few years it has become increasingly clear that this is a crucial gap in our understanding, as sequence data has begun to show that selection appears to act pervasively on many linked sites in a wide range of populations, including viruses, microbes, Drosophila, and humans. I will describe approaches that combine analytical tools drawn from statistical physics and dynamical systems with traditional methods in theoretical population genetics to address this problem, and describe how experiments in budding yeast can help us directly observe these evolutionary dynamics.

A new approach of the Star Excursion Balance Test to assess dynamic postural control in people complaining from chronic ankle instability.

PubMed

Pionnier, Raphaël; Découfour, Nicolas; Barbier, Franck; Popineau, Christophe; Simoneau-Buessinger, Emilie

2016-03-01

The purpose of this study was to quantitatively and qualitatively assess dynamic balance with accuracy in individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI). To this aim, a motion capture system was used while participants performed the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT). Reached distances for the 8 points of the star were automatically computed, thereby excluding any dependence to the experimenter. In addition, new relevant variables were also computed, such as absolute time needed to reach each distance, lower limb ranges of motion during unipodal stance, as well as absolute error of pointing. Velocity of the center of pressure and range of variation of ground reaction forces have also been assessed during the unipodal phase of the SEBT thanks to force plates. CAI group exhibited smaller reached distances and greater absolute error of pointing than the control group (p<0.05). Moreover, the ranges of motion of lower limbs joints, the velocity of the center of pressure and the range of variation of the ground reaction forces were all significantly smaller in the CAI group (p<0.05). These reduced quantitative and qualitative performances highlighted a lower dynamic postural control. The limited body movements and accelerations during the unipodal stance in the CAI group could highlight a protective strategy. The present findings could help clinicians to better understand the motor strategies used by CAI patients during dynamic balance and may guide the rehabilitation process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Real-time maritime scene simulation for ladar sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christie, Chad L.; Gouthas, Efthimios; Swierkowski, Leszek; Williams, Owen M.

2011-06-01

Continuing interest exists in the development of cost-effective synthetic environments for testing Laser Detection and Ranging (ladar) sensors. In this paper we describe a PC-based system for real-time ladar scene simulation of ships and small boats in a dynamic maritime environment. In particular, we describe the techniques employed to generate range imagery accompanied by passive radiance imagery. Our ladar scene generation system is an evolutionary extension of the VIRSuite infrared scene simulation program and includes all previous features such as ocean wave simulation, the physically-realistic representation of boat and ship dynamics, wake generation and simulation of whitecaps, spray, wake trails and foam. A terrain simulation extension is also under development. In this paper we outline the development, capabilities and limitations of the VIRSuite extensions.

ColorChecker at the beach: dangers of sunburn and glare

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCann, John

2014-01-01

In High-Dynamic-Range (HDR) imaging, optical veiling glare sets the limits of accurate scene information recorded by a camera. But, what happens at the beach? Here we have a Low-Dynamic-Range (LDR) scene with maximal glare. Can we calibrate a camera at the beach and not be burnt? We know that we need sunscreen and sunglasses, but what about our cameras? The effect of veiling glare is scene-dependent. When we compare RAW camera digits with spotmeter measurements we find significant differences. As well, these differences vary, depending on where we aim the camera. When we calibrate our camera at the beach we get data that is valid for only that part of that scene. Camera veiling glare is an issue in LDR scenes in uniform illumination with a shaded lens.

Simple scaling laws for the evaporation of droplets pinned on pillars: Transfer-rate- and diffusion-limited regimes.

PubMed

Hernandez-Perez, Ruth; García-Cordero, José L; Escobar, Juan V

2017-12-01

The evaporation of droplets can give rise to a wide range of interesting phenomena in which the dynamics of the evaporation are crucial. In this work, we find simple scaling laws for the evaporation dynamics of axisymmetric droplets pinned on millimeter-sized pillars. Different laws are found depending on whether evaporation is limited by the diffusion of vapor molecules or by the transfer rate across the liquid-vapor interface. For the diffusion-limited regime, we find that a mass-loss rate equal to 3/7 of that of a free-standing evaporating droplet brings a good balance between simplicity and physical correctness. We also find a scaling law for the evaporation of multicomponent solutions. The scaling laws found are validated against experiments of the evaporation of droplets of (1) water, (2) blood plasma, and (3) a mixture of water and polyethylene glycol, pinned on acrylic pillars of different diameters. These results shed light on the macroscopic dynamics of evaporation on pillars as a first step towards the understanding of other complex phenomena that may be taking place during the evaporation process, such as particle transport and chemical reactions.

Simple scaling laws for the evaporation of droplets pinned on pillars: Transfer-rate- and diffusion-limited regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernandez-Perez, Ruth; García-Cordero, José L.; Escobar, Juan V.

2017-12-01

The evaporation of droplets can give rise to a wide range of interesting phenomena in which the dynamics of the evaporation are crucial. In this work, we find simple scaling laws for the evaporation dynamics of axisymmetric droplets pinned on millimeter-sized pillars. Different laws are found depending on whether evaporation is limited by the diffusion of vapor molecules or by the transfer rate across the liquid-vapor interface. For the diffusion-limited regime, we find that a mass-loss rate equal to 3/7 of that of a free-standing evaporating droplet brings a good balance between simplicity and physical correctness. We also find a scaling law for the evaporation of multicomponent solutions. The scaling laws found are validated against experiments of the evaporation of droplets of (1) water, (2) blood plasma, and (3) a mixture of water and polyethylene glycol, pinned on acrylic pillars of different diameters. These results shed light on the macroscopic dynamics of evaporation on pillars as a first step towards the understanding of other complex phenomena that may be taking place during the evaporation process, such as particle transport and chemical reactions.

An Ongoing Program of Radial Velocities of Nearby Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sperauskas, J.; Boyle, R. P.; Harlow, J.; Jahreiss, H.; Upgren, A. R.

2003-12-01

The lists of stars found by Vyssotsky at the McCormick Observatory and the Fourth Edition of the Catalog of Nearby Stars (CNS4) complement each other. Each was limited in a different way, but together they can be used to evaluate sources of systematic error in either of them. The lists of Vyssotsky comprise almost 900 stars, brighter than a limiting visual magnitude of about 11.5. and thus form a magnitude-limited sample. The CNS4 includes all stars believed to be within 25 parsecs of the Sun, and thus forms a distance-limited group. Limits in magnitude are prone to the Malmquist bias by which stars of a given range in magnitude may average spuriously brighter than stars within a given distance range appropriate for the mean distance modulus. The CNS4 stars may be subject to a slight Lutz-Kelker effect. This also requires a correction that depends mainly on the ratios of the standard errors in the distances to the stars, to the distances, themselves. This is a status report on a survey seeking completeness in the six dynamical properties (positions along the three orthogonal axes, and their first time-derivatives). Parallax, proper motion and radial velocity are the stellar properties required for this information and, as is frequently the case among sets of faint stars, the radial velocities are not always available. We seek to obtain radial velocities for a full dynamical picture for more than one thousand nearby stars of which some two-thirds have been observed. It would be most desirable to follow with age-related measures for all stars

Dynamic Load Balancing Based on Constrained K-D Tree Decomposition for Parallel Particle Tracing

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

Zhang, Jiang; Guo, Hanqi; Yuan, Xiaoru

Particle tracing is a fundamental technique in flow field data visualization. In this work, we present a novel dynamic load balancing method for parallel particle tracing. Specifically, we employ a constrained k-d tree decomposition approach to dynamically redistribute tasks among processes. Each process is initially assigned a regularly partitioned block along with duplicated ghost layer under the memory limit. During particle tracing, the k-d tree decomposition is dynamically performed by constraining the cutting planes in the overlap range of duplicated data. This ensures that each process is reassigned particles as even as possible, and on the other hand the newmore » assigned particles for a process always locate in its block. Result shows good load balance and high efficiency of our method.« less

Time correlation functions of simple liquids: A new insight on the underlying dynamical processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garberoglio, Giovanni; Vallauri, Renzo; Bafile, Ubaldo

2018-05-01

Extensive molecular dynamics simulations of liquid sodium have been carried out to evaluate correlation functions of several dynamical quantities. We report the results of a novel analysis of the longitudinal and transverse correlation functions obtained by evaluating directly their self- and distinct contributions at different wavevectors k. It is easily recognized that the self-contribution remains close to its k → 0 limit, which turns out to be exactly the autocorrelation function of the single particle velocity. The wavevector dependence of the longitudinal and transverse spectra and their self- and distinct parts is also presented. By making use of the decomposition of the velocity autocorrelation spectrum in terms of longitudinal and transverse parts, our analysis is able to recognize the effect of different dynamical processes in different frequency ranges.

The performance and limitations of FPGA-based digital servos for atomic, molecular, and optical physics experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Shi Jing; Fajeau, Emma; Liu, Lin Qiao; Jones, David J.; Madison, Kirk W.

2018-02-01

In this work, we address the advantages, limitations, and technical subtleties of employing field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based digital servos for high-bandwidth feedback control of lasers in atomic, molecular, and optical physics experiments. Specifically, we provide the results of benchmark performance tests in experimental setups including noise, bandwidth, and dynamic range for two digital servos built with low and mid-range priced FPGA development platforms. The digital servo results are compared to results obtained from a commercially available state-of-the-art analog servo using the same plant for control (intensity stabilization). The digital servos have feedback bandwidths of 2.5 MHz, limited by the total signal latency, and we demonstrate improvements beyond the transfer function offered by the analog servo including a three-pole filter and a two-pole filter with phase compensation to suppress resonances. We also discuss limitations of our FPGA-servo implementation and general considerations when designing and using digital servos.

The performance and limitations of FPGA-based digital servos for atomic, molecular, and optical physics experiments.

PubMed

Yu, Shi Jing; Fajeau, Emma; Liu, Lin Qiao; Jones, David J; Madison, Kirk W

2018-02-01

In this work, we address the advantages, limitations, and technical subtleties of employing field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based digital servos for high-bandwidth feedback control of lasers in atomic, molecular, and optical physics experiments. Specifically, we provide the results of benchmark performance tests in experimental setups including noise, bandwidth, and dynamic range for two digital servos built with low and mid-range priced FPGA development platforms. The digital servo results are compared to results obtained from a commercially available state-of-the-art analog servo using the same plant for control (intensity stabilization). The digital servos have feedback bandwidths of 2.5 MHz, limited by the total signal latency, and we demonstrate improvements beyond the transfer function offered by the analog servo including a three-pole filter and a two-pole filter with phase compensation to suppress resonances. We also discuss limitations of our FPGA-servo implementation and general considerations when designing and using digital servos.

Dynamic Properties of Human Tympanic Membrane Based on Frequency-Temperature Superposition

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiangming; Gan, Rong Z.

2012-01-01

The human tympanic membrane (TM) transfers sound in the ear canal into the mechanical vibration of the ossicles in the middle ear. The dynamic properties of TM directly affect the middle ear transfer function. The static or quasi-static mechanical properties of TM were reported in the literature, but the dynamic properties of TM over the auditory frequency range are very limited. In this paper, a new method was developed to measure the dynamic properties of human TM using the Dynamic-Mechanical Analyzer (DMA). The test was conducted at the frequency range of 1 to 40 Hz at three different temperatures: 5°, 25° and 37°C. The frequency-temperature superposition was applied to extend the testing frequency range to a much higher level (at least 3800 Hz). The generalized linear solid model was employed to describe the constitutive relation of the TM. The storage modulus E’ and the loss modulus E” were obtained from 11 specimens. The mean storage modulus was 15.1 MPa at 1 Hz and 27.6 MPa at 3800 Hz. The mean loss modulus was 0.28 MPa at 1 Hz and 4.1 MPa at 3800 Hz. The results show that the frequency-temperature superposition is a feasible approach to study the dynamic properties of the ear soft tissues. The dynamic properties of human TM obtained in this study provide a better description of the damping behavior of ear tissues. The properties can be transferred into the finite element (FE) model of the human ear to replace the Rayleigh type damping. The data reported here contribute to the biomechanics of the middle ear and improve the accuracy of the FE model for the human ear. PMID:22820983

Dynamic Performance Investigation of A Spar-Type Floating Wind Turbine Under Different Sea Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Han; Hu, Zhi-qiang; Meng, Xiang-yin

2018-06-01

Both numerical calculation and model test are important techniques to study and forecast the dynamic responses of the floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT). However, both the methods have their own limitations at present. In this study, the dynamic responses of a 5 MW OC3 spar-type floating wind turbine designed for a water depth of 200 m are numerically investigated and validated by a 1:50 scaled model test. Moreover, the discrepancies between the numerical calculations and model tests are obtained and discussed. According to the discussions, it is found that the surge and pitch are coupled with the mooring tensions, but the heave is independent of them. Surge and pitch are mainly induced by wave under wind wave conditions. Wind and current will induce the low-frequency average responses, while wave will induce the fluctuation ranges of the responses. In addition, wave will induce the wavefrequency responses but wind and current will restrain the ranges of the responses.

The dynamic-response characteristics of a 35 degree swept-wing airplane as determined from flight measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Triplett, William C; Brown, Stuart C; Smith, G Allan

1955-01-01

The longitudinal and lateral-directional dynamic-response characteristics of a 35 degree swept-wing fighter-type airplane determined from flight measurements are presented and compared with predictions based on theoretical studies and wind-tunnel data. Flights were made at an altitude of 35,000 feet covering the Mach number range of 0.50 to 1.04. A limited amount of lateral-directional data were also obtained at 10,000 feet. The flight consisted essentially of recording transient responses to pilot-applied pulsed motions of each of the three primary control surfaces. These transient data were converted into frequency-response form by means of the Fourier transformation and compared with predicted responses calculated from the basic equations. Experimentally determined transfer functions were used for the evaluation of the stability derivatives that have the greatest effect on the dynamic response of the airplane. The values of these derivatives, in most cases, agreed favorably with predictions over the Mach number range of the test.

Electronic coarse graining enhances the predictive power of molecular simulation allowing challenges in water physics to be addressed

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

Cipcigan, Flaviu S., E-mail: flaviu.cipcigan@ed.ac.uk; National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LW; Sokhan, Vlad P.

One key factor that limits the predictive power of molecular dynamics simulations is the accuracy and transferability of the input force field. Force fields are challenged by heterogeneous environments, where electronic responses give rise to biologically important forces such as many-body polarisation and dispersion. The importance of polarisation in the condensed phase was recognised early on, as described by Cochran in 1959 [Philosophical Magazine 4 (1959) 1082–1086] [32]. Currently in molecular simulation, dispersion forces are treated at the two-body level and in the dipole limit, although the importance of three-body terms in the condensed phase was demonstrated by Barker inmore » the 1980s [Phys. Rev. Lett. 57 (1986) 230–233] [72]. One approach for treating both polarisation and dispersion on an equal basis is to coarse grain the electrons surrounding a molecular moiety to a single quantum harmonic oscillator (cf. Hirschfelder, Curtiss and Bird 1954 [The Molecular Theory of Gases and Liquids (1954)] [37]). The approach, when solved in strong coupling beyond the dipole limit, gives a description of long-range forces that includes two- and many-body terms to all orders. In the last decade, the tools necessary to implement the strong coupling limit have been developed, culminating in a transferable model of water with excellent predictive power across the phase diagram. Transferability arises since the environment automatically identifies the important long range interactions, rather than the modeler through a limited set of expressions. Here, we discuss the role of electronic coarse-graining in predictive multiscale materials modelling and describe the first implementation of the method in a general purpose molecular dynamics software: QDO-MD. - Highlights: • Electronic coarse graining unites many-body dispersion and polarisation beyond the dipole limit. • It consists of replacing the electrons of a molecule using a quantum harmonic oscillator, called a Quantum Drude Oscillator. • We present the first general implementation of Quantum Drude Oscillators in the molecular dynamics package QDO-MD. • We highlight the successful construction of a new, transferable molecular model of water: QDO-water. - Graphical abstract:.« less

Optical method for high magnification imaging and video recording of live cells at sub-micron resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romo, Jaime E., Jr.

Optical microscopy, the most common technique for viewing living microorganisms, is limited in resolution by Abbe's criterion. Recent microscopy techniques focus on circumnavigating the light diffraction limit by using different methods to obtain the topography of the sample. Systems like the AFM and SEM provide images with fields of view in the nanometer range with high resolvable detail, however these techniques are expensive, and limited in their ability to document live cells. The Dino-Lite digital microscope coupled with the Zeiss Axiovert 25 CFL microscope delivers a cost-effective method for recording live cells. Fields of view ranging from 8 microns to 300 microns with fair resolution provide a reliable method for discovering native cell structures at the nanoscale. In this report, cultured HeLa cells are recorded using different optical configurations resulting in documentation of cell dynamics at high magnification and resolution.

Infrared Emission from Kilonovae: The Case of the Nearby Short Hard Burst GRB 160821B

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

Kasliwal, Mansi M.; Lau, Ryan M.; Korobkin, Oleg

We present constraints on Ks-band emission from one of the nearest short hard gamma-ray bursts, GRB 160821B, at z = 0.16, at three epochs. We detect a red relativistic afterglow from the jetted emission in the first epoch but do not detect any excess kilonova emission in the second two epochs. We compare upper limits obtained with Keck I/MOSFIRE to multi-dimensional radiative transfer models of kilonovae, that employ composition-dependent nuclear heating and LTE opacities of heavy elements. We discuss eight models that combine toroidal dynamical ejecta and two types of wind and one model with dynamical ejecta only. We alsomore » discuss simple, empirical scaling laws of predicted emission as a function of ejecta mass and ejecta velocity. Our limits for GRB 160821B constrain the ejecta mass to be lower than 0.03 M {sub ⊙} for velocities greater than 0.1 c. At the distance sensitivity range of advanced LIGO, similar ground-based observations would be sufficiently sensitive to the full range of predicted model emission including models with only dynamical ejecta. The color evolution of these models shows that I – K color spans 7–16 mag, which suggests that even relatively shallow infrared searches for kilonovae could be as constraining as optical searches.« less

Infrared Emission from Kilonovae: The Case of the Nearby Short Hard Burst GRB 160821B

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

Kasliwal, Mansi M.; Korobkin, Oleg; Lau, Ryan M.

In this paper, we present constraints on Ks-band emission from one of the nearest short hard gamma-ray bursts, GRB 160821B, at z = 0.16, at three epochs. We detect a red relativistic afterglow from the jetted emission in the first epoch but do not detect any excess kilonova emission in the second two epochs. We compare upper limits obtained with Keck I/MOSFIRE to multi-dimensional radiative transfer models of kilonovae, that employ composition-dependent nuclear heating and LTE opacities of heavy elements. We discuss eight models that combine toroidal dynamical ejecta and two types of wind and one model with dynamical ejectamore » only. We also discuss simple, empirical scaling laws of predicted emission as a function of ejecta mass and ejecta velocity. Our limits for GRB 160821B constrain the ejecta mass to be lower than 0.03 M ⊙ for velocities greater than 0.1 c. At the distance sensitivity range of advanced LIGO, similar ground-based observations would be sufficiently sensitive to the full range of predicted model emission including models with only dynamical ejecta. Finally, the color evolution of these models shows that I–K color spans 7–16 mag, which suggests that even relatively shallow infrared searches for kilonovae could be as constraining as optical searches.« less

Infrared Emission from Kilonovae: The Case of the Nearby Short Hard Burst GRB 160821B

DOE PAGES

Kasliwal, Mansi M.; Korobkin, Oleg; Lau, Ryan M.; ...

2017-07-12

In this paper, we present constraints on Ks-band emission from one of the nearest short hard gamma-ray bursts, GRB 160821B, at z = 0.16, at three epochs. We detect a red relativistic afterglow from the jetted emission in the first epoch but do not detect any excess kilonova emission in the second two epochs. We compare upper limits obtained with Keck I/MOSFIRE to multi-dimensional radiative transfer models of kilonovae, that employ composition-dependent nuclear heating and LTE opacities of heavy elements. We discuss eight models that combine toroidal dynamical ejecta and two types of wind and one model with dynamical ejectamore » only. We also discuss simple, empirical scaling laws of predicted emission as a function of ejecta mass and ejecta velocity. Our limits for GRB 160821B constrain the ejecta mass to be lower than 0.03 M ⊙ for velocities greater than 0.1 c. At the distance sensitivity range of advanced LIGO, similar ground-based observations would be sufficiently sensitive to the full range of predicted model emission including models with only dynamical ejecta. Finally, the color evolution of these models shows that I–K color spans 7–16 mag, which suggests that even relatively shallow infrared searches for kilonovae could be as constraining as optical searches.« less

Penrose high-dynamic-range imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jia; Bai, Chenyan; Lin, Zhouchen; Yu, Jian

2016-05-01

High-dynamic-range (HDR) imaging is becoming increasingly popular and widespread. The most common multishot HDR approach, based on multiple low-dynamic-range images captured with different exposures, has difficulties in handling camera and object movements. The spatially varying exposures (SVE) technology provides a solution to overcome this limitation by obtaining multiple exposures of the scene in only one shot but suffers from a loss in spatial resolution of the captured image. While aperiodic assignment of exposures has been shown to be advantageous during reconstruction in alleviating resolution loss, almost all the existing imaging sensors use the square pixel layout, which is a periodic tiling of square pixels. We propose the Penrose pixel layout, using pixels in aperiodic rhombus Penrose tiling, for HDR imaging. With the SVE technology, Penrose pixel layout has both exposure and pixel aperiodicities. To investigate its performance, we have to reconstruct HDR images in square pixel layout from Penrose raw images with SVE. Since the two pixel layouts are different, the traditional HDR reconstruction methods are not applicable. We develop a reconstruction method for Penrose pixel layout using a Gaussian mixture model for regularization. Both quantitative and qualitative results show the superiority of Penrose pixel layout over square pixel layout.

Early College and Dual Enrollment Challenges: Inroads and Impediments to Access

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howley, Aimee; Howley, Marged D.; Howley, Craig B.; Duncan, Tom

2013-01-01

In recent years, some school reformers have come to see early college and dual enrollment as mechanisms for increasing the academic engagement and performance of a range of students beyond those exhibiting high academic achievement or ability. Despite purported benefits, research on the dynamics of such programs is limited. This case study adds to…

Dynamics of dense direct-seeded stands of southern pines

Treesearch

J.C.G. Goelz

2006-01-01

Direct seeding of southern pines is an effective method of artificial regeneration, producing extremely dense stands when survival exceeds expectations. Long-term studies of dense direct-seeded stands provide ideal data for exploring development of stands as they approach the limit of maximum stand density. I present data from seven studies with ages of stands ranging...

Pseudo-dynamic source characterization accounting for rough-fault effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galis, Martin; Thingbaijam, Kiran K. S.; Mai, P. Martin

2016-04-01

Broadband ground-motion simulations, ideally for frequencies up to ~10Hz or higher, are important for earthquake engineering; for example, seismic hazard analysis for critical facilities. An issue with such simulations is realistic generation of radiated wave-field in the desired frequency range. Numerical simulations of dynamic ruptures propagating on rough faults suggest that fault roughness is necessary for realistic high-frequency radiation. However, simulations of dynamic ruptures are too expensive for routine applications. Therefore, simplified synthetic kinematic models are often used. They are usually based on rigorous statistical analysis of rupture models inferred by inversions of seismic and/or geodetic data. However, due to limited resolution of the inversions, these models are valid only for low-frequency range. In addition to the slip, parameters such as rupture-onset time, rise time and source time functions are needed for complete spatiotemporal characterization of the earthquake rupture. But these parameters are poorly resolved in the source inversions. To obtain a physically consistent quantification of these parameters, we simulate and analyze spontaneous dynamic ruptures on rough faults. First, by analyzing the impact of fault roughness on the rupture and seismic radiation, we develop equivalent planar-fault kinematic analogues of the dynamic ruptures. Next, we investigate the spatial interdependencies between the source parameters to allow consistent modeling that emulates the observed behavior of dynamic ruptures capturing the rough-fault effects. Based on these analyses, we formulate a framework for pseudo-dynamic source model, physically consistent with the dynamic ruptures on rough faults.

Debris Dispersion Model Using Java 3D

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thirumalainambi, Rajkumar; Bardina, Jorge

2004-01-01

This paper describes web based simulation of Shuttle launch operations and debris dispersion. Java 3D graphics provides geometric and visual content with suitable mathematical model and behaviors of Shuttle launch. Because the model is so heterogeneous and interrelated with various factors, 3D graphics combined with physical models provides mechanisms to understand the complexity of launch and range operations. The main focus in the modeling and simulation covers orbital dynamics and range safety. Range safety areas include destruct limit lines, telemetry and tracking and population risk near range. If there is an explosion of Shuttle during launch, debris dispersion is explained. The shuttle launch and range operations in this paper are discussed based on the operations from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA.

Revealing glacier flow and surge dynamics from animated satellite image sequences: examples from the Karakoram

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, F.

2015-04-01

Although animated images are very popular on the Internet, they have so far found only limited use for glaciological applications. With long time-series of satellite images becoming increasingly available and glaciers being well recognized for their rapid changes and variable flow dynamics, animated sequences of multiple satellite images reveal glacier dynamics in a time-lapse mode, making the otherwise slow changes of glacier movement visible and understandable for a wide public. For this study animated image sequences were created from freely available image quick-looks of orthorectified Landsat scenes for four regions in the central Karakoram mountain range. The animations play automatically in a web-browser and might help to demonstrate glacier flow dynamics for educational purposes. The animations revealed highly complex patterns of glacier flow and surge dynamics over a 15-year time period (1998-2013). In contrast to other regions, surging glaciers in the Karakoram are often small (around 10 km2), steep, debris free, and advance for several years at comparably low annual rates (a few hundred m a-1). The advance periods of individual glaciers are generally out of phase, indicating a limited climatic control on their dynamics. On the other hand, nearly all other glaciers in the region are either stable or slightly advancing, indicating balanced or even positive mass budgets over the past few years to decades.

Effects of range-wide variation in climate and isolation on floral traits and reproductive output of Clarkia pulchella.

PubMed

Bontrager, Megan; Angert, Amy L

2016-01-01

Plant mating systems and geographic range limits are conceptually linked by shared underlying drivers, including landscape-level heterogeneity in climate and in species' abundance. Studies of how geography and climate interact to affect plant traits that influence mating system and population dynamics can lend insight to ecological and evolutionary processes shaping ranges. Here, we examined how spatiotemporal variation in climate affects reproductive output of a mixed-mating annual, Clarkia pulchella. We also tested the effects of population isolation and climate on mating-system-related floral traits across the range. We measured reproductive output and floral traits on herbarium specimens collected across the range of C. pulchella. We extracted climate data associated with specimens and derived a population isolation metric from a species distribution model. We then examined how predictors of reproductive output and floral traits vary among populations of increasing distance from the range center. Finally, we tested whether reproductive output and floral traits vary with increasing distance from the center of the range. Reproductive output decreased as summer precipitation decreased, and low precipitation may contribute to limiting the southern and western range edges of C. pulchella. High spring and summer temperatures are correlated with low herkogamy, but these climatic factors show contrasting spatial patterns in different quadrants of the range. Limiting factors differ among different parts of the range. Due to the partial decoupling of geography and environment, examining relationships between climate, reproductive output, and mating-system-related floral traits reveals spatial patterns that might be missed when focusing solely on geographic position. © 2016 Botanical Society of America.

Litter decomposition, N2-fixer abundance, and microbial dynamics govern tropical dry forest recovery to land use change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trierweiler, A.; Powers, J. S.; Xu, X.; Gei, M. G.; Medvigy, D.

2017-12-01

As one of the most threatened tropical biomes, Seasonal Dry Tropical Forests (TDF) have undergone extensive land-use change. However, some areas are undergoing recovery into secondary forests. Despite their broad distribution (42% of tropical forests), they are under-studied compared to wet tropical forests and our understanding of their biogeochemical cycling and belowground processes are limited. Here, we use models along with field measurements to improve our understanding of nutrient cycling and limitation in secondary TDFs. We ask (1) Is there modeling evidence that tropical dry forests can become nutrient limited? (2) What are the most important mechanisms employed to avoid nutrient limitation? (3) How might climate change alter biogeochemical cycling and nutrient limitation in recovering TDF? We use a new version of the Ecosystem Demography (ED2) model that has been recently parameterized for TDFs and incorporates a range of plant functional groups (including deciduousness and N2-fixation) and multiple resource constraints (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and water). In the model, plants then can dynamically adjust their carbon allocation and nutrient acquisition strategies using N2-fixing bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi according to the nutrient limitation status. We ran the model for a nutrient gradient of field sites in Costa Rica and explored the sensitivity of nutrient limitation to key mechanisms including litter respiration, N resorption, N2-fixation, and overflow respiration. Future runs will evaluate how CO2 and climate change affect recovering TDFs. We found increasing nutrient limitation across the nutrient gradient of sites. Nitrogen limitation dominated the nutrient limitation signal. In the model, forest litter accumulation was negatively correlated with site fertility in Costa Rican forests. Our sensitivity analyses indicate that N2-fixer abundance, decomposition rates, and adding more explicit microbial dynamics are key factors in overcoming this limitation. These insights improve our understanding of how TDFs function and are especially relevant to the management of recovering secondary TDFs by highlighting potential bottlenecks in the recovery process.

Effects of sample injection amount and time-of-flight mass spectrometric detection dynamic range on metabolome analysis by high-performance chemical isotope labeling LC-MS.

PubMed

Zhou, Ruokun; Li, Liang

2015-04-06

The effect of sample injection amount on metabolome analysis in a chemical isotope labeling (CIL) liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) platform was investigated. The performance of time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometers with and without a high-dynamic-range (HD) detection system was compared in the analysis of (12)C2/(13)C2-dansyl labeled human urine samples. An average of 1635 ± 21 (n = 3) peak pairs or putative metabolites was detected using the HD-TOF-MS, compared to 1429 ± 37 peak pairs from a conventional or non-HD TOF-MS. In both instruments, signal saturation was observed. However, in the HD-TOF-MS, signal saturation was mainly caused by the ionization process, while in the non-HD TOF-MS, it was caused by the detection process. To extend the MS detection range in the non-HD TOF-MS, an automated switching from using (12)C to (13)C-natural abundance peaks for peak ratio calculation when the (12)C peaks are saturated has been implemented in IsoMS, a software tool for processing CIL LC-MS data. This work illustrates that injecting an optimal sample amount is important to maximize the metabolome coverage while avoiding the sample carryover problem often associated with over-injection. A TOF mass spectrometer with an enhanced detection dynamic range can also significantly increase the number of peak pairs detected. In chemical isotope labeling (CIL) LC-MS, relative metabolite quantification is done by measuring the peak ratio of a (13)C2-/(12)C2-labeled peak pair for a given metabolite present in two comparative samples. The dynamic range of peak ratio measurement does not need to be very large, as only subtle changes of metabolite concentrations are encountered in most metabolomic studies where relative metabolome quantification of different groups of samples is performed. However, the absolute concentrations of different metabolites can be very different, requiring a technique to provide a wide detection dynamic range to allow the detection of as many peak pairs as possible. In this work, we demonstrated that controlling the sample injection amount into LC-MS was critical to achieve the optimal detectability while avoiding sample carry-over problem. In addition, the use of a high-dynamic-range TOF system increased the number of peak pairs detected, compared to a conventional TOF system. We also investigated the ionization and detection saturation factors limiting the dynamic range of detection. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Protein dynamics in health and disease. Guest Editors: Pierre Thibault and Anne-Claude Gingras. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Sound Therapy-Based Intervention to Expand the Auditory Dynamic Range for Loudness among Persons with Sensorineural Hearing Losses: Case Evidence Showcasing Treatment Efficacy

PubMed Central

Formby, Craig; Sherlock, LaGuinn P.; Hawley, Monica L.; Gold, Susan L.

2017-01-01

Case evidence is presented that highlights the clinical relevance and significance of a novel sound therapy-based treatment. This intervention has been shown to be efficacious in a randomized controlled trial for promoting expansion of the dynamic range for loudness and increased sound tolerance among persons with sensorineural hearing losses. Prior to treatment, these individuals were unable to use aided sound effectively because of their limited dynamic ranges. These promising treatment effects are shown in this article to be functionally significant, giving rise to improved speech understanding and enhanced hearing aid benefit and satisfaction, and, in turn, to enhanced quality of life posttreatment. These posttreatment sound therapy effects also are shown to be sustained, in whole or part, with aided environmental sound and to be dependent on specialized counseling to maximize treatment benefit. Importantly, the treatment appears to be efficacious for hearing-impaired persons with primary hyperacusis (i.e., abnormally reduced loudness discomfort levels [LDLs]) and for persons with loudness recruitment (i.e., LDLs within the typical range), which suggests the intervention should generalize across most individuals with reduced dynamic ranges owing to sensorineural hearing loss. An exception presented in this article is for a person describing the perceptual experience of pronounced loudness adaptation, which apparently rendered the sound therapy inaudible and ineffectual for this individual. Ultimately, these case examples showcase the enormous potential of a surprisingly simple sound therapy intervention, which has utility for virtually all audiologists to master and empower the adaptive plasticity of the auditory system to achieve remarkable treatment benefits for large numbers of individuals with sensorineural hearing losses. PMID:28286368

Automated assessment of blood flow in developing embryonic hearts by extending dynamic range of Doppler OCT using a MHz FDML swept laser source (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elahi, Sahar; Thrane, Lars; Rollins, Andrew M.; Jenkins, Michael W.

2017-02-01

Altered hemodynamics in developing embryonic hearts lead to congenital heart diseases, motivating close monitoring of blood flow over several stages of development. Doppler OCT can assess blood flow in tubular hearts, but the maximum velocity increases drastically during the period of cardiac cushion (valve precursors) formation. Therefore, the limited dynamic range of Doppler OCT velocity measurement makes it difficult to conduct longitudinal studies without phase wrapping at high velocities or loss of sensitivity to slow velocities. We have built a high-speed OCT system using an FDML laser (Optores GmbH, Germany) at a sweep rate of 1.68 MHz (axial resolution - 12 μm, sensitivity - 105 dB, phase stability - 17 mrad). The speed of this OCT system allows us to acquire high-density B-scans to obtain an extended velocity dynamic range without sacrificing the frame rate. The extended dynamic range within a frame is achieved by varying the A-scan interval at which the phase difference is found, enabling detection of velocities ranging from tens of microns per second to hundreds of mm per second. The extra lines in a frame can also be utilized to improve the structural and Doppler images via complex averaging. In structural images where presence of blood causes additional scattering, complex averaging helps retrieve features located deeper in the tissue. Moreover, high-density frames can be registered to 4D volumes to determine the orthogonal direction of flow and calculate shear stress. In conclusion, our high-speed OCT system will enable automated Doppler imaging of embryonic hearts in cohort studies.

Nuclei and the Unitary Limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammer, H.-W.

2018-07-01

Few-body systems with large scattering length display universal properties which are independent of the details of short-distance dynamics. These features include universal correlations between few-body observables and a geometric spectrum of three- and higher-body bound states. They can be observed in a wide range of systems from ultracold atoms to hadrons and nuclei. In this contribution, we review universality in nuclei dominated by few-body physics. In particular, we discuss halo nuclei and the description of light nuclei in a strict expansion around the unitary limit of infinite scattering length.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Large area KX quasar catalogue (Maddox+, 2012)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maddox, N.; Hewett, P. C.; Peroux, C.; Nestor, D. B.; Wisotzki, L.

2013-05-01

In order to maximize the dynamic range of the survey in absolute magnitude at fixed redshift, while ensuring adequate sampling of the brightest quasars, a 'wedding cake' survey geometry is adopted. Thus, the entire survey area is complete to the brightest limits, with a smaller subregion complete to fainter magnitudes and the smallest subregion complete to the faintest limits. Observations of the survey area utilized four telescopes (NTT, VLT, CA 2.2m and CA 3.5m) over three observing semesters between 2009 May and 2010 July. (2 data files).

Spread spectrum phase modulation for coherent X-ray diffraction imaging.

PubMed

Zhang, Xuesong; Jiang, Jing; Xiangli, Bin; Arce, Gonzalo R

2015-09-21

High dynamic range, phase ambiguity and radiation limited resolution are three challenging issues in coherent X-ray diffraction imaging (CXDI), which limit the achievable imaging resolution. This paper proposes a spread spectrum phase modulation (SSPM) method to address the aforementioned problems in a single strobe. The requirements on phase modulator parameters are presented, and a practical implementation of SSPM is discussed via ray optics analysis. Numerical experiments demonstrate the performance of SSPM under the constraint of available X-ray optics fabrication accuracy, showing its potential to real CXDI applications.

Cooling rate effects in sodium silicate glasses: Bridging the gap between molecular dynamics simulations and experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xin; Song, Weiying; Yang, Kai; Krishnan, N. M. Anoop; Wang, Bu; Smedskjaer, Morten M.; Mauro, John C.; Sant, Gaurav; Balonis, Magdalena; Bauchy, Mathieu

2017-08-01

Although molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are commonly used to predict the structure and properties of glasses, they are intrinsically limited to short time scales, necessitating the use of fast cooling rates. It is therefore challenging to compare results from MD simulations to experimental results for glasses cooled on typical laboratory time scales. Based on MD simulations of a sodium silicate glass with varying cooling rate (from 0.01 to 100 K/ps), here we show that thermal history primarily affects the medium-range order structure, while the short-range order is largely unaffected over the range of cooling rates simulated. This results in a decoupling between the enthalpy and volume relaxation functions, where the enthalpy quickly plateaus as the cooling rate decreases, whereas density exhibits a slower relaxation. Finally, we show that, using the proper extrapolation method, the outcomes of MD simulations can be meaningfully compared to experimental values when extrapolated to slower cooling rates.

Transfer Entropy and Transient Limits of Computation

PubMed Central

Prokopenko, Mikhail; Lizier, Joseph T.

2014-01-01

Transfer entropy is a recently introduced information-theoretic measure quantifying directed statistical coherence between spatiotemporal processes, and is widely used in diverse fields ranging from finance to neuroscience. However, its relationships to fundamental limits of computation, such as Landauer's limit, remain unknown. Here we show that in order to increase transfer entropy (predictability) by one bit, heat flow must match or exceed Landauer's limit. Importantly, we generalise Landauer's limit to bi-directional information dynamics for non-equilibrium processes, revealing that the limit applies to prediction, in addition to retrodiction (information erasure). Furthermore, the results are related to negentropy, and to Bremermann's limit and the Bekenstein bound, producing, perhaps surprisingly, lower bounds on the computational deceleration and information loss incurred during an increase in predictability about the process. The identified relationships set new computational limits in terms of fundamental physical quantities, and establish transfer entropy as a central measure connecting information theory, thermodynamics and theory of computation. PMID:24953547

Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRA at 1.5 T for detection of arteriovenous shunting before and after Onyx embolization of cerebral arteriovenous malformations.

PubMed

Nogueira, Raul G; Bayrlee, Ahmad; Hirsch, Joshua A; Yoo, Albert J; Copen, William A

2013-10-01

Conventional non-invasive angiographic techniques for evaluating cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations (cAVMs) after embolization treatment are limited by their inability to acquire time-resolved images. We describe the use of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in the evaluation of residual arteriovenous shunting in cAVMs following Onyx embolization. Six subjects who underwent multimodal MR imaging including dynamic MRA after different stages of endovascular treatment with Onyx were included. Each MRA was assessed for the presence of residual arteriovenous shunting. The results were compared with digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Mean age was 41 years (range, 25-63) and the mean maximum AVM diameter was 5.3 cm (range, 4.7-6.0). Fourteen dynamic MRA were performed using a 1.5 T scanner. Arteriovenous shunting was detected in thirteen of fourteen patients by both dynamic MRA and DSA, with complete agreement between the two techniques. The only MRA without detectable residual arteriovenous shunting was for a subject who had complete treatment with no residual cAVM as confirmed by the DSA images. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRA is a promising non-invasive modality in identifying residual arteriovenous shunting after different stages of AVM embolization, achieving 100% agreement in this small study. Embolization with Onyx caused no significant image artifact. Copyright © 2013 by the American Society of Neuroimaging.

Molecular motors interacting with their own tracks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Artyomov, Max N.; Morozov, Alexander Yu.; Kolomeisky, Anatoly B.

2008-04-01

Dynamics of molecular motors that move along linear lattices and interact with them via reversible destruction of specific lattice bonds is investigated theoretically by analyzing exactly solvable discrete-state “burnt-bridge” models. Molecular motors are viewed as diffusing particles that can asymmetrically break or rebuild periodically distributed weak links when passing over them. Our explicit calculations of dynamic properties show that coupling the transport of the unbiased molecular motor with the bridge-burning mechanism leads to a directed motion that lowers fluctuations and produces a dynamic transition in the limit of low concentration of weak links. Interaction between the backward biased molecular motor and the bridge-burning mechanism yields a complex dynamic behavior. For the reversible dissociation the backward motion of the molecular motor is slowed down. There is a change in the direction of the molecular motor’s motion for some range of parameters. The molecular motor also experiences nonmonotonic fluctuations due to the action of two opposing mechanisms: the reduced activity after the burned sites and locking of large fluctuations. Large spatial fluctuations are observed when two mechanisms are comparable. The properties of the molecular motor are different for the irreversible burning of bridges where the velocity and fluctuations are suppressed for some concentration range, and the dynamic transition is also observed. Dynamics of the system is discussed in terms of the effective driving forces and transitions between different diffusional regimes.

Enhanced sampling techniques in molecular dynamics simulations of biological systems.

PubMed

Bernardi, Rafael C; Melo, Marcelo C R; Schulten, Klaus

2015-05-01

Molecular dynamics has emerged as an important research methodology covering systems to the level of millions of atoms. However, insufficient sampling often limits its application. The limitation is due to rough energy landscapes, with many local minima separated by high-energy barriers, which govern the biomolecular motion. In the past few decades methods have been developed that address the sampling problem, such as replica-exchange molecular dynamics, metadynamics and simulated annealing. Here we present an overview over theses sampling methods in an attempt to shed light on which should be selected depending on the type of system property studied. Enhanced sampling methods have been employed for a broad range of biological systems and the choice of a suitable method is connected to biological and physical characteristics of the system, in particular system size. While metadynamics and replica-exchange molecular dynamics are the most adopted sampling methods to study biomolecular dynamics, simulated annealing is well suited to characterize very flexible systems. The use of annealing methods for a long time was restricted to simulation of small proteins; however, a variant of the method, generalized simulated annealing, can be employed at a relatively low computational cost to large macromolecular complexes. Molecular dynamics trajectories frequently do not reach all relevant conformational substates, for example those connected with biological function, a problem that can be addressed by employing enhanced sampling algorithms. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Recent developments of molecular dynamics. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Towards a microchannel-based X-ray detector with two-dimensional spatial and time resolution and high dynamic range

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

Adams, Bernhard W.; Mane, Anil U.; Elam, Jeffrey W.

X-ray detectors that combine two-dimensional spatial resolution with a high time resolution are needed in numerous applications of synchrotron radiation. Most detectors with this combination of capabilities are based on semiconductor technology and are therefore limited in size. Furthermore, the time resolution is often realised through rapid time-gating of the acquisition, followed by a slower readout. Here, a detector technology is realised based on relatively inexpensive microchannel plates that uses GHz waveform sampling for a millimeter-scale spatial resolution and better than 100 ps time resolution. The technology is capable of continuous streaming of time- and location-tagged events at rates greatermore » than 10 7events per cm 2. Time-gating can be used for improved dynamic range.« less

Importing super-resolution imaging into nanoscale puzzles of materials dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, John; Tsang, Chi Hang Boyce; Wilson, William; Granick, Steve

2014-03-01

A limitation of the exciting recent advances in sub-diffraction microscopy is that they focus on imaging rather than dynamical changes. We are engaged in extending this technique beyond the usual biological applications to address materials problems instead. To this end, we employ stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy, which relies on selectively turning off fluorescence emitters through stimulated emission, allowing only a small subset of emitters to be detected, such that the excitation spot size can be downsized to tens of nanometers. By coupling the STED excitation scheme to fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS), diffusive processes are studied with nanoscale resolution. Here, we demonstrate the benefits of such experimental capabilities in a diverse range of complex systems, ranging from the diffusion of nano-objects in crowded 3D environments to the study of polymer diffusion on 2D surfaces.

WHATCH’EM: A Weather-Driven Energy Balance Model for Determining Water Height and Temperature in Container Habitats for Aedes aegypti

PubMed Central

Steinhoff, Daniel F.; Monaghan, Andrew J.; Eisen, Lars; Barlage, Michael J.; Hopson, Thomas M.; Tarakidzwa, Isaac; Ortiz-Rosario, Karielys; Lozano-Fuentes, Saul; Hayden, Mary H.; Bieringer, Paul E.; Welsh Rodríguez, Carlos M.

2017-01-01

The mosquito virus vector Aedes (Ae.) aegypti exploits a wide range of containers as sites for egg laying and development of the immature life stages, yet the approaches for modeling meteorologically sensitive container water dynamics have been limited. This study introduces the Water Height and Temperature in Container Habitats Energy Model (WHATCH’EM), a state-of-the-science, physically based energy balance model of water height and temperature in containers that may serve as development sites for mosquitoes. The authors employ WHATCH’EM to model container water dynamics in three cities along a climatic gradient in México ranging from sea level, where Ae. aegypti is highly abundant, to ~2100 m, where Ae. aegypti is rarely found. When compared with measurements from a 1-month field experiment in two of these cities during summer 2013, WHATCH’EM realistically simulates the daily mean and range of water temperature for a variety of containers. To examine container dynamics for an entire season, WHATCH’EM is also driven with field-derived meteorological data from May to September 2011 and evaluated for three commonly encountered container types. WHATCH’EM simulates the highly nonlinear manner in which air temperature, humidity, rainfall, clouds, and container characteristics (shape, size, and color) determine water temperature and height. Sunlight exposure, modulated by clouds and shading from nearby objects, plays a first-order role. In general, simulated water temperatures are higher for containers that are larger, darker, and receive more sunlight. WHATCH’EM simulations will be helpful in understanding the limiting meteorological and container-related factors for proliferation of Ae. aegypti and may be useful for informing weather-driven early warning systems for viruses transmitted by Ae. aegypti. PMID:29123363

Refractive index-based detection of gradient elution liquid chromatography using chip-integrated microring resonator arrays.

PubMed

Wade, James H; Bailey, Ryan C

2014-01-07

Refractive index-based sensors offer attractive characteristics as nondestructive and universal detectors for liquid chromatographic separations, but a small dynamic range and sensitivity to minor thermal perturbations limit the utility of commercial RI detectors for many potential applications, especially those requiring the use of gradient elutions. As such, RI detectors find use almost exclusively in sample abundant, isocratic separations when interfaced with high-performance liquid chromatography. Silicon photonic microring resonators are refractive index-sensitive optical devices that feature good sensitivity and tremendous dynamic range. The large dynamic range of microring resonators allows the sensors to function across a wide spectrum of refractive indices, such as that encountered when moving from an aqueous to organic mobile phase during a gradient elution, a key analytical advantage not supported in commercial RI detectors. Microrings are easily configured into sensor arrays, and chip-integrated control microrings enable real-time corrections of thermal drift. Thermal controls allow for analyses at any temperature and, in the absence of rigorous temperature control, obviates extended detector equilibration wait times. Herein, proof of concept isocratic and gradient elution separations were performed using well-characterized model analytes (e.g., caffeine, ibuprofen) in both neat buffer and more complex sample matrices. These experiments demonstrate the ability of microring arrays to perform isocratic and gradient elutions under ambient conditions, avoiding two major limitations of commercial RI-based detectors and maintaining comparable bulk RI sensitivity. Further benefit may be realized in the future through selective surface functionalization to impart degrees of postcolumn (bio)molecular specificity at the detection phase of a separation. The chip-based and microscale nature of microring resonators also make it an attractive potential detection technology that could be integrated within lab-on-a-chip and microfluidic separation devices.

Photon spectroscopy by picoseconds differential Geiger-mode Si photomultiplier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Masanobu; Hernandez, Keegan; Robinson, J. Paul

2018-02-01

The pixel array silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) is known as an excellent photon sensor with picoseconds avalanche process with the capacity for millions amplification of photoelectrons. In addition, a higher quantum efficiency(QE), small size, low bias voltage, light durability are attractive features for biological applications. The primary disadvantage is the limited dynamic range due to the 50ns recharge process and a high dark count which is an additional hurdle. We have developed a wide dynamic Si photon detection system applying ultra-fast differentiation signal processing, temperature control by thermoelectric device and Giga photon counter with 9 decimal digits dynamic range. The tested performance is six orders of magnitude with 600ps pulse width and sub-fW sensitivity. Combined with 405nm laser illumination and motored monochromator, Laser Induced Fluorescence Photon Spectrometry (LIPS) has been developed with a scan range from 200 900nm at maximum of 500nm/sec and 1nm FWHM. Based on the Planck equation E=hν, this photon counting spectrum provides a fundamental advance in spectral analysis by digital processing. Advantages include its ultimate sensitivity, theoretical linearity, as well as quantitative and logarithmic analysis without use of arbitrary units. Laser excitation is also useful for evaluation of photobleaching or oxidation in materials by higher energy illumination. Traditional typical photocurrent detection limit is about 1pW which includes millions of photons, however using our system it is possible to evaluate the photon spectrum and determine background noise and auto fluorescence(AFL) in optics in any cytometry or imaging system component. In addition, the photon-stream digital signal opens up a new approach for picosecond time-domain analysis. Photon spectroscopy is a powerful method for analysis of fluorescence and optical properties in biology.

Generalized extended Lagrangian Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics

DOE PAGES

Niklasson, Anders M. N.; Cawkwell, Marc J.

2014-10-29

Extended Lagrangian Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics based on Kohn-Sham density functional theory is generalized in the limit of vanishing self-consistent field optimization prior to the force evaluations. The equations of motion are derived directly from the extended Lagrangian under the condition of an adiabatic separation between the nuclear and the electronic degrees of freedom. We show how this separation is automatically fulfilled and system independent. The generalized equations of motion require only one diagonalization per time step and are applicable to a broader range of materials with improved accuracy and stability compared to previous formulations.

Thermal evaluation of advanced solar dynamic heat receiver performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crane, Roger A.

1989-01-01

The thermal performance of a variety of concepts for thermal energy storage as applied to solar dynamic applications is discussed. It is recognized that designs providing large thermal gradients or large temperature swings during orbit are susceptible to early mechanical failure. Concepts incorporating heat pipe technology may encounter operational limitations over sufficiently large ranges. By reviewing the thermal performance of basic designs, the relative merits of the basic concepts are compared. In addition the effect of thermal enhancement and metal utilization as applied to each design provides a partial characterization of the performance improvements to be achieved by developing these technologies.

Stability Limits and Dynamics of Nonaxisymmetric Liquid Bridges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexander, J. Iwan D.

1998-01-01

Theoretical and experimental investigation of the stability of nonaxisymmetric and nonaxisymmetric bridges contained between equal and unequal radii disks as a function of Bond and Weber number with emphasis on the transition from unstable axisymmetric to stable nonaxisymmetric shapes. Numerical analysis of the stability of nonaxisymmetric bridges for various orientations of the gravity vector for equal and unequal disks. Experimental and theoretical investigation of large (nonaxisymmetric) oscillations and breaking of liquid bridges. This project involves both experimental and theoretical work. Static and dynamic experiments are conducted in a Plateau tank which makes a range of static Bond numbers accessible.

A simple criterion for determining the dynamical stability of three-body systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Black, D. C.

1982-01-01

Coplanar, prograde three-body systems (TBS) are discussed, emphasizing the specification of general criteria for determining whether such systems are dynamically stable. It is shown that the Graziani-Black (1981) criteria provide a quantitatively accurate characterization of the onset of dynamic instability for values of the dimensionless mass ranging from one millionth to one million. Harrington's (1977) general criterion and the Graziani-Black criterion are compared with results from analytic work that spans a 12-orders-of-magnitude variation in the mass ratios of the TBS components. Comparison of the Graziani-Black criteria with data for eight well-studied triple-star systems indicates that the observed lower limit for the ratio of periastron distance of the tertiary orbit to the semimajor axis of the binary orbit is due to dynamical instability rather than to cosmogonic processes.

Instability and dynamics of volatile thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Hangjie; Witelski, Thomas P.

2018-02-01

Volatile viscous fluids on partially wetting solid substrates can exhibit interesting interfacial instabilities and pattern formation. We study the dynamics of vapor condensation and fluid evaporation governed by a one-sided model in a low-Reynolds-number lubrication approximation incorporating surface tension, intermolecular effects, and evaporative fluxes. Parameter ranges for evaporation-dominated and condensation-dominated regimes and a critical case are identified. Interfacial instabilities driven by the competition between the disjoining pressure and evaporative effects are studied via linear stability analysis. Transient pattern formation in nearly flat evolving films in the critical case is investigated. In the weak evaporation limit unstable modes of finite-amplitude nonuniform steady states lead to rich droplet dynamics, including flattening, symmetry breaking, and droplet merging. Numerical simulations show that long-time behaviors leading to evaporation or condensation are sensitive to transitions between filmwise and dropwise dynamics.

Estimating the boundaries of a limit cycle in a 2D dynamical system using renormalization group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Ayan; Das, Debapriya; Banerjee, Dhruba; Bhattacharjee, Jayanta K.

2018-04-01

While the plausibility of formation of limit cycle has been a well studied topic in context of the Poincare-Bendixson theorem, studies on estimates in regard to the possible size and shape of the limit cycle seem to be scanty in the literature. In this paper we present a pedagogical study of some aspects of the size of this limit cycle using perturbative renormalization group by doing detailed and explicit calculations upto second order for the Selkov model for glycolytic oscillations. This famous model is well known to lead to a limit cycle for certain ranges of values of the parameters involved in the problem. Within the tenets of the approximations made, reasonable agreement with the numerical plots can be achieved.

Membrane transporters studied by EPR spectroscopy: structure determination and elucidation of functional dynamics.

PubMed

Mullen, Anna; Hall, Jenny; Diegel, Janika; Hassan, Isa; Fey, Adam; MacMillan, Fraser

2016-06-15

During their mechanistic cycles membrane transporters often undergo extensive conformational changes, sampling a range of orientations, in order to complete their function. Such membrane transporters present somewhat of a challenge to conventional structural studies; indeed, crystallization of membrane-associated proteins sometimes require conditions that vary vastly from their native environments. Moreover, this technique currently only allows for visualization of single selected conformations during any one experiment. EPR spectroscopy is a magnetic resonance technique that offers a unique opportunity to study structural, environmental and dynamic properties of such proteins in their native membrane environments, as well as readily sampling their substrate-binding-induced dynamic conformational changes especially through complementary computational analyses. Here we present a review of recent studies that utilize a variety of EPR techniques in order to investigate both the structure and dynamics of a range of membrane transporters and associated proteins, focusing on both primary (ABC-type transporters) and secondary active transporters which were key interest areas of the late Professor Stephen Baldwin to whom this review is dedicated. © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

ALICE—An advanced reflectometer for static and dynamic experiments in magnetism at synchrotron radiation facilities

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

Abrudan, R.; Helmholtz-Zentrum-Berlin for Materials and Energy, 12489 Berlin; Brüssing, F.

2015-06-15

We report on significant developments of a high vacuum reflectometer (diffractometer) and spectrometer for soft x-ray synchrotron experiments which allows conducting a wide range of static and dynamic experiments. Although the chamber named ALICE was designed for the analysis of magnetic hetero- and nanostructures via resonant magnetic x-ray scattering, the instrument is not limited to this technique. The versatility of the instrument was testified by a series of pilot experiments. Static measurements involve the possibility to use scattering and spectroscopy synchrotron based techniques (photon-in photon-out, photon-in electron-out, and coherent scattering). Dynamic experiments require either laser or magnetic field pulses tomore » excite the spin system followed by x-ray probe in the time domain from nano- to femtosecond delay times. In this temporal range, the demagnetization/remagnetization dynamics and magnetization precession in a number of magnetic materials (metals, alloys, and magnetic multilayers) can be probed in an element specific manner. We demonstrate here the capabilities of the system to host a variety of experiments, featuring ALICE as one of the most versatile and demanded instruments at the Helmholtz Center in Berlin-BESSY II synchrotron center in Berlin, Germany.« less

Quantum measurement-induced dynamics of many-body ultracold bosonic and fermionic systems in optical lattices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazzucchi, Gabriel; Kozlowski, Wojciech; Caballero-Benitez, Santiago F.; Elliott, Thomas J.; Mekhov, Igor B.

2016-02-01

Trapping ultracold atoms in optical lattices enabled numerous breakthroughs uniting several disciplines. Coupling these systems to quantized light leads to a plethora of new phenomena and has opened up a new field of study. Here we introduce an unusual additional source of competition in a many-body strongly correlated system: We prove that quantum backaction of global measurement is able to efficiently compete with intrinsic short-range dynamics of an atomic system. The competition becomes possible due to the ability to change the spatial profile of a global measurement at a microscopic scale comparable to the lattice period without the need of single site addressing. In coherence with a general physical concept, where new competitions typically lead to new phenomena, we demonstrate nontrivial dynamical effects such as large-scale multimode oscillations, long-range entanglement, and correlated tunneling, as well as selective suppression and enhancement of dynamical processes beyond the projective limit of the quantum Zeno effect. We demonstrate both the breakup and protection of strongly interacting fermion pairs by measurement. Such a quantum optical approach introduces into many-body physics novel processes, objects, and methods of quantum engineering, including the design of many-body entangled environments for open systems.

Widely tunable telecom MEMS-VCSEL for terahertz photomixing.

PubMed

Haidar, Mohammad Tanvir; Preu, Sascha; Paul, Sujoy; Gierl, Christian; Cesar, Julijan; Emsia, Ali; Küppers, Franko

2015-10-01

We report frequency-tunable terahertz (THz) generation with a photomixer driven by an ultra-broadband tunable micro-electro-mechanical system vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (MEMS-VCSEL) and a fixed-wavelength VCSEL, as well as a tunable MEMS-VCSEL mixed with a distributed feedback (DFB) diode. A total frequency span of 3.4 THz is covered in direct detection mode and 3.23 THz in the homodyne mode. The tuning range is solely limited by the dynamic range of the photomixers and the Schottky diode/photoconductor used in the experiment.

The role of Frenkel defect diffusion in dynamic annealing in ion-irradiated Si

DOE PAGES

Wallace, J. B.; Aji, L. B. Bayu; Martin, A. A.; ...

2017-01-06

The formation of stable radiation damage in crystalline solids often proceeds via complex dynamic annealing processes, involving migration and interaction of ballistically-generated point defects. The dominant dynamic annealing processes, however, remain unknown even for crystalline Si. Here, we use a pulsed ion beam method to study defect dynamics in Si bombarded in the temperature range from -20 to 140 °C with 500 keV Ar ions. Results reveal a defect relaxation time constant of ~10–0.2 ms, which decreases monotonically with increasing temperature. The dynamic annealing rate shows an Arrhenius dependence with two well-defined activation energies of 73 ± 5 meV andmore » 420 ± 10 meV, below and above 60 °C, respectively. Rate theory modeling, bench-marked against this data, suggests a crucial role of both vacancy and interstitial diffusion, with the dynamic annealing rate limited by the migration and interaction of vacancies.« less

The role of Frenkel defect diffusion in dynamic annealing in ion-irradiated Si

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

Wallace, J. B.; Aji, L. B. Bayu; Martin, A. A.

The formation of stable radiation damage in crystalline solids often proceeds via complex dynamic annealing processes, involving migration and interaction of ballistically-generated point defects. The dominant dynamic annealing processes, however, remain unknown even for crystalline Si. Here, we use a pulsed ion beam method to study defect dynamics in Si bombarded in the temperature range from -20 to 140 °C with 500 keV Ar ions. Results reveal a defect relaxation time constant of ~10–0.2 ms, which decreases monotonically with increasing temperature. The dynamic annealing rate shows an Arrhenius dependence with two well-defined activation energies of 73 ± 5 meV andmore » 420 ± 10 meV, below and above 60 °C, respectively. Rate theory modeling, bench-marked against this data, suggests a crucial role of both vacancy and interstitial diffusion, with the dynamic annealing rate limited by the migration and interaction of vacancies.« less

The role of Frenkel defect diffusion in dynamic annealing in ion-irradiated Si

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallace, J. B.; Aji, L. B. Bayu; Martin, A. A.; Shin, S. J.; Shao, L.; Kucheyev, S. O.

2017-01-01

The formation of stable radiation damage in crystalline solids often proceeds via complex dynamic annealing processes, involving migration and interaction of ballistically-generated point defects. The dominant dynamic annealing processes, however, remain unknown even for crystalline Si. Here, we use a pulsed ion beam method to study defect dynamics in Si bombarded in the temperature range from -20 to 140 °C with 500 keV Ar ions. Results reveal a defect relaxation time constant of ~10-0.2 ms, which decreases monotonically with increasing temperature. The dynamic annealing rate shows an Arrhenius dependence with two well-defined activation energies of 73 ± 5 meV and 420 ± 10 meV, below and above 60 °C, respectively. Rate theory modeling, bench-marked against this data, suggests a crucial role of both vacancy and interstitial diffusion, with the dynamic annealing rate limited by the migration and interaction of vacancies.

Oscillations and Multiple Equilibria in Microvascular Blood Flow.

PubMed

Karst, Nathaniel J; Storey, Brian D; Geddes, John B

2015-07-01

We investigate the existence of oscillatory dynamics and multiple steady-state flow rates in a network with a simple topology and in vivo microvascular blood flow constitutive laws. Unlike many previous analytic studies, we employ the most biologically relevant models of the physical properties of whole blood. Through a combination of analytic and numeric techniques, we predict in a series of two-parameter bifurcation diagrams a range of dynamical behaviors, including multiple equilibria flow configurations, simple oscillations in volumetric flow rate, and multiple coexistent limit cycles at physically realizable parameters. We show that complexity in network topology is not necessary for complex behaviors to arise and that nonlinear rheology, in particular the plasma skimming effect, is sufficient to support oscillatory dynamics similar to those observed in vivo.

Analysis methods for wind turbine control and electrical system dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinrichsen, E. N.

1995-01-01

The integration of new energy technologies into electric power systems requires methods which recognize the full range of dynamic events in both the new generating unit and the power system. Since new energy technologies are initially perceived as small contributors to large systems, little attention is generally paid to system integration, i.e. dynamic events in the power system are ignored. As a result, most new energy sources are only capable of base-load operation, i.e. they have no load following or cycling capability. Wind turbines are no exception. Greater awareness of this implicit (and often unnecessary) limitation is needed. Analysis methods are recommended which include very low penetration (infinite bus) as well as very high penetration (stand-alone) scenarios.

The Relationship Between Intensity Coding and Binaural Sensitivity in Adults With Cochlear Implants.

PubMed

Todd, Ann E; Goupell, Matthew J; Litovsky, Ruth Y

Many bilateral cochlear implant users show sensitivity to binaural information when stimulation is provided using a pair of synchronized electrodes. However, there is large variability in binaural sensitivity between and within participants across stimulation sites in the cochlea. It was hypothesized that within-participant variability in binaural sensitivity is in part affected by limitations and characteristics of the auditory periphery which may be reflected by monaural hearing performance. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between monaural and binaural hearing performance within participants with bilateral cochlear implants. Binaural measures included dichotic signal detection and interaural time difference discrimination thresholds. Diotic signal detection thresholds were also measured. Monaural measures included dynamic range and amplitude modulation detection. In addition, loudness growth was compared between ears. Measures were made at three stimulation sites per listener. Greater binaural sensitivity was found with larger dynamic ranges. Poorer interaural time difference discrimination was found with larger difference between comfortable levels of the two ears. In addition, poorer diotic signal detection thresholds were found with larger differences between the dynamic ranges of the two ears. No relationship was found between amplitude modulation detection thresholds or symmetry of loudness growth and the binaural measures. The results suggest that some of the variability in binaural hearing performance within listeners across stimulation sites can be explained by factors nonspecific to binaural processing. The results are consistent with the idea that dynamic range and comfortable levels relate to peripheral neural survival and the width of the excitation pattern which could affect the fidelity with which central binaural nuclei process bilateral inputs.

Elements and elasmobranchs: hypotheses, assumptions and limitations of elemental analysis.

PubMed

McMillan, M N; Izzo, C; Wade, B; Gillanders, B M

2017-02-01

Quantifying the elemental composition of elasmobranch calcified cartilage (hard parts) has the potential to answer a range of ecological and biological questions, at both the individual and population level. Few studies, however, have employed elemental analyses of elasmobranch hard parts. This paper provides an overview of the range of applications of elemental analysis in elasmobranchs, discussing the assumptions and potential limitations in cartilaginous fishes. It also reviews the available information on biotic and abiotic factors influencing patterns of elemental incorporation into hard parts of elasmobranchs and provides some comparative elemental assays and mapping in an attempt to fill knowledge gaps. Directions for future experimental research are highlighted to better understand fundamental elemental dynamics in elasmobranch hard parts. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Carbohydrate and alditol analysis by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography coupled with electrochemical detection at a cobalt-modified electrode.

PubMed

Casella, Innocenzo G; Contursi, Michela

2003-07-01

A cobalt oxyhydroxide film dispersed on a carbon electrode surface was characterized and proposed as an amperometric sensor for determination of alditols and carbohydrates in flowing streams. Complex mixtures of carbohydrates were separated by anion-exchange chromatography using a moderately alkaline solution as mobile phase. The cobalt modified electrode (GC-Co) was employed under a constant applied potential of 0.5 V (vs Ag/AgCl). Under these experimental conditions the detection limits (S/N=3) for all analyzed electroactive molecules ranged between 0.3 micromol L(-1) and 1.5 micromol L(-1) and the dynamic linear ranges spanned generally three orders of magnitude above the relevant detection limits. Analytical determinations of carbohydrates and alditols in red and white wines, are reported.

Use of LANDSAT imagery for wildlife habitat mapping in northeast and eastcentral Alaska

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laperriere, A. J. (Principal Investigator)

1976-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Indications are that Alaskan scenes dated later than about September 5th are unsuitable for vegetational analyses. Such fall data exhibit a limited dynamic range relative to summer scenes and the informational content of the data is reduced such that discrimination between many vegetation types is no longer possible.

A fast integrated mobility spectrometer for rapid measurement of sub-micrometer aerosol size distribution, Part I: Design and model evaluation

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

Wang, Jian; Pikridas, Michael; Spielman, Steven R.

This study discusses, a fast integrated mobility spectrometer (FIMS) was previously developed to characterize submicron aerosol size distributions at a frequency of 1 Hz and with high size resolution and counting statistics. However, the dynamic size range of the FIMS was limited to one decade in particle electrical mobility. It was proposed that the FIMS dynamic size range can be greatly increased by using a spatially varying electric field. This electric field creates regions with drastically different field strengths in the separator, such that particles of a wide diameter range can be simultaneously classified and subsequently measured. A FIMS incorporatingmore » this spatially varying electric field is developed. This paper describes the theoretical frame work and numerical simulations of the FIMS with extended dynamic size range, including the spatially varying electric field, particle trajectories, activation of separated particles in the condenser, and the transfer function, transmission efficiency, and mobility resolution. The influences of the particle Brownian motion on FIMS transfer function and mobility resolution are examined. The simulation results indicate that the FIMS incorporating the spatially varying electric field is capable of measuring aerosol size distribution from 8 to 600 nm with high time resolution. As a result, the experimental characterization of the FIMS is presented in an accompanying paper.« less

A fast integrated mobility spectrometer for rapid measurement of sub-micrometer aerosol size distribution, Part I: Design and model evaluation

DOE PAGES

Wang, Jian; Pikridas, Michael; Spielman, Steven R.; ...

2017-06-01

This study discusses, a fast integrated mobility spectrometer (FIMS) was previously developed to characterize submicron aerosol size distributions at a frequency of 1 Hz and with high size resolution and counting statistics. However, the dynamic size range of the FIMS was limited to one decade in particle electrical mobility. It was proposed that the FIMS dynamic size range can be greatly increased by using a spatially varying electric field. This electric field creates regions with drastically different field strengths in the separator, such that particles of a wide diameter range can be simultaneously classified and subsequently measured. A FIMS incorporatingmore » this spatially varying electric field is developed. This paper describes the theoretical frame work and numerical simulations of the FIMS with extended dynamic size range, including the spatially varying electric field, particle trajectories, activation of separated particles in the condenser, and the transfer function, transmission efficiency, and mobility resolution. The influences of the particle Brownian motion on FIMS transfer function and mobility resolution are examined. The simulation results indicate that the FIMS incorporating the spatially varying electric field is capable of measuring aerosol size distribution from 8 to 600 nm with high time resolution. As a result, the experimental characterization of the FIMS is presented in an accompanying paper.« less

Synthetic analog computation in living cells.

PubMed

Daniel, Ramiz; Rubens, Jacob R; Sarpeshkar, Rahul; Lu, Timothy K

2013-05-30

A central goal of synthetic biology is to achieve multi-signal integration and processing in living cells for diagnostic, therapeutic and biotechnology applications. Digital logic has been used to build small-scale circuits, but other frameworks may be needed for efficient computation in the resource-limited environments of cells. Here we demonstrate that synthetic analog gene circuits can be engineered to execute sophisticated computational functions in living cells using just three transcription factors. Such synthetic analog gene circuits exploit feedback to implement logarithmically linear sensing, addition, ratiometric and power-law computations. The circuits exhibit Weber's law behaviour as in natural biological systems, operate over a wide dynamic range of up to four orders of magnitude and can be designed to have tunable transfer functions. Our circuits can be composed to implement higher-order functions that are well described by both intricate biochemical models and simple mathematical functions. By exploiting analog building-block functions that are already naturally present in cells, this approach efficiently implements arithmetic operations and complex functions in the logarithmic domain. Such circuits may lead to new applications for synthetic biology and biotechnology that require complex computations with limited parts, need wide-dynamic-range biosensing or would benefit from the fine control of gene expression.

Voltammetric behavior of dopamine at a glassy carbon electrode modified with NiFe(2)O(4) magnetic nanoparticles decorated with multiwall carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Ensafi, Ali A; Arashpour, B; Rezaei, B; Allafchian, Ali R

2014-06-01

Voltammetric behavior of dopamine was studied on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified-NiFe(2)O(4) magnetic nanoparticles decorated with multiwall carbon nanotubes. Impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry were used to characterize the behavior of dopamine at the surface of modified-GCE. The modified electrode showed a synergic effect toward the oxidation of dopamine. The oxidation peak current is increased linearly with the dopamine concentration (at pH7.0) in wide dynamic ranges of 0.05-6.0 and 6.0-100μmolL(-1) with a detection limit of 0.02μmolL(-1), using differential pulse voltammetry. The selectivity of the method was studied and the results showed that the modified electrode is free from interference of organic compounds especially ascorbic acid, uric acid, cysteine and urea. Its applicability in the determination of dopamine in pharmaceutical, urine samples and human blood serum was also evaluated. The proposed electrochemical sensor has appropriate properties such as high selectivity, low detection limit and wide linear dynamic range when compared with that of the previous reported papers for dopamine detection. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electronic coarse graining enhances the predictive power of molecular simulation allowing challenges in water physics to be addressed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cipcigan, Flaviu S.; Sokhan, Vlad P.; Crain, Jason; Martyna, Glenn J.

2016-12-01

One key factor that limits the predictive power of molecular dynamics simulations is the accuracy and transferability of the input force field. Force fields are challenged by heterogeneous environments, where electronic responses give rise to biologically important forces such as many-body polarisation and dispersion. The importance of polarisation in the condensed phase was recognised early on, as described by Cochran in 1959 [Philosophical Magazine 4 (1959) 1082-1086] [32]. Currently in molecular simulation, dispersion forces are treated at the two-body level and in the dipole limit, although the importance of three-body terms in the condensed phase was demonstrated by Barker in the 1980s [Phys. Rev. Lett. 57 (1986) 230-233] [72]. One approach for treating both polarisation and dispersion on an equal basis is to coarse grain the electrons surrounding a molecular moiety to a single quantum harmonic oscillator (cf. Hirschfelder, Curtiss and Bird 1954 [The Molecular Theory of Gases and Liquids (1954)] [37]). The approach, when solved in strong coupling beyond the dipole limit, gives a description of long-range forces that includes two- and many-body terms to all orders. In the last decade, the tools necessary to implement the strong coupling limit have been developed, culminating in a transferable model of water with excellent predictive power across the phase diagram. Transferability arises since the environment automatically identifies the important long range interactions, rather than the modeller through a limited set of expressions. Here, we discuss the role of electronic coarse-graining in predictive multiscale materials modelling and describe the first implementation of the method in a general purpose molecular dynamics software: QDO_MD.

Climate change and Ixodes tick-borne diseases of humans

PubMed Central

Ostfeld, Richard S.; Brunner, Jesse L.

2015-01-01

The evidence that climate warming is changing the distribution of Ixodes ticks and the pathogens they transmit is reviewed and evaluated. The primary approaches are either phenomenological, which typically assume that climate alone limits current and future distributions, or mechanistic, asking which tick-demographic parameters are affected by specific abiotic conditions. Both approaches have promise but are severely limited when applied separately. For instance, phenomenological approaches (e.g. climate envelope models) often select abiotic variables arbitrarily and produce results that can be hard to interpret biologically. On the other hand, although laboratory studies demonstrate strict temperature and humidity thresholds for tick survival, these limits rarely apply to field situations. Similarly, no studies address the influence of abiotic conditions on more than a few life stages, transitions or demographic processes, preventing comprehensive assessments. Nevertheless, despite their divergent approaches, both mechanistic and phenomenological models suggest dramatic range expansions of Ixodes ticks and tick-borne disease as the climate warms. The predicted distributions, however, vary strongly with the models' assumptions, which are rarely tested against reasonable alternatives. These inconsistencies, limited data about key tick-demographic and climatic processes and only limited incorporation of non-climatic processes have weakened the application of this rich area of research to public health policy or actions. We urge further investigation of the influence of climate on vertebrate hosts and tick-borne pathogen dynamics. In addition, testing model assumptions and mechanisms in a range of natural contexts and comparing their relative importance as competing models in a rigorous statistical framework will significantly advance our understanding of how climate change will alter the distribution, dynamics and risk of tick-borne disease. PMID:25688022

Heterogeneous distributional responses to climate warming: evidence from rodents along a subtropical elevational gradient.

PubMed

Wen, Zhixin; Wu, Yi; Ge, Deyan; Cheng, Jilong; Chang, Yongbin; Yang, Zhisong; Xia, Lin; Yang, Qisen

2017-04-20

Understanding whether species' elevational range is shifting in response to directional changes in climate and whether there is a predictable pattern in that response is one of the major challenges in ecology. However, so far very little is known about the distributional responses of subtropical species to climate change, especially for small mammals. In this study, we examined the elevational range shifts at three range points (upper and lower range limits and abundance-weighted range centre) of rodents over a 30-year period (1986 to 2014-2015), in a subtropical forest of Southwest China. We also examined the influences of four ecological traits (body mass, habitat breadth, diet and daily activity pattern) on the upslope shifts in species' abundance-weighted range centres. Despite the warming trend between 1986 and 2015, the 11 rodent species in analysis displayed heterogeneous dynamics at each of the three range points. Species which have larger body sizes and narrower habitat breadths, show both diurnal and nocturnal activities and more specialized dietary requirements, are more likely to exhibit upslope shifts in abundance-weighted range centres. Species' distributional responses can be heterogeneous even though there are directional changes in climate. Our study indicates that climate-induced alleviation of competition and lag in response may potentially drive species' range shift, which may not conform to the expectation from climate change. Difference in traits can lead to different range dynamics. Our study also illustrates the merit of multi-faceted assessment in studying elevational range shifts.

Recent range expansion of a terrestrial orchid corresponds with climate-driven variation in its population dynamics.

PubMed

van der Meer, Sascha; Jacquemyn, Hans; Carey, Peter D; Jongejans, Eelke

2016-06-01

The population dynamics and distribution limits of plant species are predicted to change as the climate changes. However, it remains unclear to what extent climate variables affect population dynamics, which vital rates are most sensitive to climate change, and whether the same vital rates drive population dynamics in different populations. In this study, we used long-term demographic data from two populations of the terrestrial orchid Himantoglossum hircinum growing at the northern edge of their geographic range to quantify the influence of climate change on demographic vital rates. Integral projection models were constructed to study how climate conditions between 1991 and 2006 affected population dynamics and to assess how projected future climate change will affect the long-term viability of this species. Based on the parameterised vital rate functions and the observed climatic conditions, one of the studied populations had an average population growth rate above 1 (λ = 1.04), while the other was declining at ca. 3 % year(-1) (λ = 0.97). Variation in temperature and precipitation mainly affected population growth through their effect on survival and fecundity. Based on UK Climate Projection 2009 estimates of future climate conditions for three greenhouse gas emission scenarios, population growth rates are expected to increase in one of the studied populations. Overall, our results indicate that the observed changes in climatic conditions appeared to be beneficial to the long-term survival of the species in the UK and suggest that they may have been the driving force behind the current range expansion of H. hircinum in England.

Single-layer HDR video coding with SDR backward compatibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lasserre, S.; François, E.; Le Léannec, F.; Touzé, D.

2016-09-01

The migration from High Definition (HD) TV to Ultra High Definition (UHD) is already underway. In addition to an increase of picture spatial resolution, UHD will bring more color and higher contrast by introducing Wide Color Gamut (WCG) and High Dynamic Range (HDR) video. As both Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) and HDR devices will coexist in the ecosystem, the transition from Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) to HDR will require distribution solutions supporting some level of backward compatibility. This paper presents a new HDR content distribution scheme, named SL-HDR1, using a single layer codec design and providing SDR compatibility. The solution is based on a pre-encoding HDR-to-SDR conversion, generating a backward compatible SDR video, with side dynamic metadata. The resulting SDR video is then compressed, distributed and decoded using standard-compliant decoders (e.g. HEVC Main 10 compliant). The decoded SDR video can be directly rendered on SDR displays without adaptation. Dynamic metadata of limited size are generated by the pre-processing and used to reconstruct the HDR signal from the decoded SDR video, using a post-processing that is the functional inverse of the pre-processing. Both HDR quality and artistic intent are preserved. Pre- and post-processing are applied independently per picture, do not involve any inter-pixel dependency, and are codec agnostic. Compression performance, and SDR quality are shown to be solidly improved compared to the non-backward and backward-compatible approaches, respectively using the Perceptual Quantization (PQ) and Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) Opto-Electronic Transfer Functions (OETF).

Electrospun Fibro-porous Polyurethane Coatings for Implantable Glucose Biosensors

PubMed Central

Wang, Ning; Burugapalli, Krishna; Song, Wenhui; Halls, Justin; Moussy, Francis; Ray, Asim; Zheng, Yudong

2012-01-01

This study reports methods for coating miniature implantable glucose biosensors with electrospun polyurethane (PU) membranes, their effects on sensor function and efficacy as mass-transport limiting membranes. For electrospinning fibres directly on sensor surface, both static and dynamic collector systems, were designed and tested. Optimum collector configurations were first ascertained by FEA modelling. Both static and dynamic collectors allowed complete covering of sensors, but it was the dynamic collector that produced uniform fibro-porous PU coatings around miniature ellipsoid biosensors. The coatings had random fibre orientation and their uniform thickness increased linearly with increasing electrospinning time. The effects of coatings having an even spread of submicron fibre diameters and sub-100μm thicknesses on glucose biosensor function were investigated. Increasing thickness and fibre diameters caused a statistically insignificant decrease in sensor sensitivity for the tested electrospun coatings. The sensors’ linearity for the glucose detection range of 2 to 30mM remained unaffected. The electrospun coatings also functioned as mass-transport limiting membranes by significantly increasing the linearity, replacing traditional epoxy-PU outer coating. To conclude, electrospun coatings, having controllable fibro-porous structure and thicknesses, on miniature ellipsoid glucose biosensors were demonstrated to have minimal effect on pre-implantation sensitivity and also to have mass-transport limiting ability. PMID:23146433

An improved triangulation laser rangefinder using a custom CMOS HDR linear image sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liscombe, Michael

3-D triangulation laser rangefinders are used in many modern applications, from terrain mapping to biometric identification. Although a wide variety of designs have been proposed, laser speckle noise still provides a fundamental limitation on range accuracy. These works propose a new triangulation laser rangefinder designed specifically to mitigate the effects of laser speckle noise. The proposed rangefinder uses a precision linear translator to laterally reposition the imaging system (e.g., image sensor and imaging lens). For a given spatial location of the laser spot, capturing N spatially uncorrelated laser spot profiles is shown to improve range accuracy by a factor of N . This technique has many advantages over past speckle-reduction technologies, such as a fixed system cost and form factor, and the ability to virtually eliminate laser speckle noise. These advantages are made possible through spatial diversity and come at the cost of increased acquisition time. The rangefinder makes use of the ICFYKWG1 linear image sensor, a custom CMOS sensor developed at the Vision Sensor Laboratory (York University). Tests are performed on the image sensor's innovative high dynamic range technology to determine its effects on range accuracy. As expected, experimental results have shown that the sensor provides a trade-off between dynamic range and range accuracy.

Atomistic details of protein dynamics and the role of hydration water

DOE PAGES

Khodadadi, Sheila; Sokolov, Alexei P.

2016-05-04

The importance of protein dynamics for their biological activity is nowwell recognized. Different experimental and computational techniques have been employed to study protein dynamics, hierarchy of different processes and the coupling between protein and hydration water dynamics. But, understanding the atomistic details of protein dynamics and the role of hydration water remains rather limited. Based on overview of neutron scattering, molecular dynamic simulations, NMR and dielectric spectroscopy results we present a general picture of protein dynamics covering time scales from faster than ps to microseconds and the influence of hydration water on different relaxation processes. Internal protein dynamics spread overmore » a wide time range fromfaster than picosecond to longer than microseconds. We suggest that the structural relaxation in hydrated proteins appears on the microsecond time scale, while faster processes present mostly motion of side groups and some domains. Hydration water plays a crucial role in protein dynamics on all time scales. It controls the coupled protein-hydration water relaxation on 10 100 ps time scale. Our process defines the friction for slower protein dynamics. Analysis suggests that changes in amount of hydration water affect not only general friction, but also influence significantly the protein's energy landscape.« less

Atomistic details of protein dynamics and the role of hydration water

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

Khodadadi, Sheila; Sokolov, Alexei P.

The importance of protein dynamics for their biological activity is nowwell recognized. Different experimental and computational techniques have been employed to study protein dynamics, hierarchy of different processes and the coupling between protein and hydration water dynamics. But, understanding the atomistic details of protein dynamics and the role of hydration water remains rather limited. Based on overview of neutron scattering, molecular dynamic simulations, NMR and dielectric spectroscopy results we present a general picture of protein dynamics covering time scales from faster than ps to microseconds and the influence of hydration water on different relaxation processes. Internal protein dynamics spread overmore » a wide time range fromfaster than picosecond to longer than microseconds. We suggest that the structural relaxation in hydrated proteins appears on the microsecond time scale, while faster processes present mostly motion of side groups and some domains. Hydration water plays a crucial role in protein dynamics on all time scales. It controls the coupled protein-hydration water relaxation on 10 100 ps time scale. Our process defines the friction for slower protein dynamics. Analysis suggests that changes in amount of hydration water affect not only general friction, but also influence significantly the protein's energy landscape.« less

Measuring water level in rivers and lakes from lightweight Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bandini, Filippo; Jakobsen, Jakob; Olesen, Daniel; Reyna-Gutierrez, Jose Antonio; Bauer-Gottwein, Peter

2017-05-01

The assessment of hydrologic dynamics in rivers, lakes, reservoirs and wetlands requires measurements of water level, its temporal and spatial derivatives, and the extent and dynamics of open water surfaces. Motivated by the declining number of ground-based measurement stations, research efforts have been devoted to the retrieval of these hydraulic properties from spaceborne platforms in the past few decades. However, due to coarse spatial and temporal resolutions, spaceborne missions have several limitations when assessing the water level of terrestrial surface water bodies and determining complex water dynamics. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can fill the gap between spaceborne and ground-based observations, and provide high spatial resolution and dense temporal coverage data, in quick turn-around time, using flexible payload design. This study focused on categorizing and testing sensors, which comply with the weight constraint of small UAVs (around 1.5 kg), capable of measuring the range to water surface. Subtracting the measured range from the vertical position retrieved by the onboard Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, we can determine the water level (orthometric height). Three different ranging payloads, which consisted of a radar, a sonar and an in-house developed camera-based laser distance sensor (CLDS), have been evaluated in terms of accuracy, precision, maximum ranging distance and beam divergence. After numerous flights, the relative accuracy of the overall system was estimated. A ranging accuracy better than 0.5% of the range and a maximum ranging distance of 60 m were achieved with the radar. The CLDS showed the lowest beam divergence, which is required to avoid contamination of the signal from interfering surroundings for narrow fields of view. With the GNSS system delivering a relative vertical accuracy better than 3-5 cm, water level can be retrieved with an overall accuracy better than 5-7 cm.

Doubly differential star-16-QAM for fast wavelength switching coherent optical packet transceiver.

PubMed

Liu, Fan; Lin, Yi; Walsh, Anthony J; Yu, Yonglin; Barry, Liam P

2018-04-02

A coherent optical packet transceiver based on doubly differential star 16-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (DD-star-16-QAM) is presented for spectrally and energy efficient reconfigurable networks. The coding and decoding processes for this new modulation format are presented, simulations and experiments are then performed to investigate the performance of the DD-star-16-QAM in static and dynamic scenarios. The static results show that the influence of frequency offset (FO) can be cancelled out by doubly differential (DD) coding and the correction range is only limited by the electronic bandwidth of the receivers. In the dynamic scenario with a time-varying FO and linewidth, the DD-star-16-QAM can overcome the time-varying FO, and the switching time of around 70 ns is determined by the time it takes the dynamic linewidth to reach the requisite level. This format can thus achieve a shorter waiting time after switching tunable lasers than the commonly used square-16-QAM, in which the transmission performance is limited by the frequency transients after the wavelength switch.

Angular Declination and the Dynamic Perception of Egocentric Distance

PubMed Central

Gajewski, Daniel A.; Philbeck, John W.; Wirtz, Philip W.; Chichka, David

2014-01-01

The extraction of the distance between an object and an observer is fast when angular declination is informative, as it is with targets placed on the ground. To what extent does angular declination drive performance when viewing time is limited? Participants judged target distances in a real-world environment with viewing durations ranging from 36–220 ms. An important role for angular declination was supported by experiments showing that the cue provides information about egocentric distance even on the very first glimpse, and that it supports a sensitive response to distance in the absence of other useful cues. Performance was better at 220 ms viewing durations than for briefer glimpses, suggesting that the perception of distance is dynamic even within the time frame of a typical eye fixation. Critically, performance in limited viewing trials was better when preceded by a 15 second preview of the room without a designated target. The results indicate that the perception of distance is powerfully shaped by memory from prior visual experience with the scene. A theoretical framework for the dynamic perception of distance is presented. PMID:24099588

Gas Bubble Dynamics under Mechanical Vibrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohagheghian, Shahrouz; Elbing, Brian

2017-11-01

The scientific community has a limited understanding of the bubble dynamics under mechanical oscillations due to over simplification of Navier-Stockes equation by neglecting the shear stress tensor and not accounting for body forces when calculating the acoustic radiation force. The current work experimental investigates bubble dynamics under mechanical vibration and resulting acoustic field by measuring the bubble size and velocity using high-speed imaging. The experimental setup consists of a custom-designed shaker table, cast acrylic bubble column, compressed air injection manifold and an optical imaging system. The mechanical vibrations resulted in accelerations between 0.25 to 10 times gravitational acceleration corresponding to frequency and amplitude range of 8 - 22Hz and 1 - 10mm respectively. Throughout testing the void fraction was limited to <5%. The bubble size is larger than resonance size and smaller than acoustic wavelength. The amplitude of acoustic pressure wave was estimated using the definition of Bjerknes force in combination with Rayleigh-Plesset equation. Physical behavior of the system was capture and classified. Bubble size, velocity as well as size and spatial distribution will be presented.

Magnetic susceptibility, nanorheology, and magnetoviscosity of magnetic nanoparticles in viscoelastic environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilg, Patrick; Evangelopoulos, Apostolos E. A. S.

2018-03-01

While magnetic nanoparticles suspended in Newtonian solvents (ferrofluids) have been intensively studied in recent years, the effects of viscoelasticity of the surrounding medium on the nanoparticle dynamics are much less understood. Here we investigate a mesoscopic model for the orientational dynamics of isolated magnetic nanoparticles subject to external fields, viscous and viscoelastic friction, as well as the corresponding random torques. We solve the model analytically in the overdamped limit for weak viscoelasticity. By comparison to Brownian dynamics simulations we establish the limits of validity of the analytical solution. We find that viscoelasticity not only slows down the magnetization relaxation, shifts the peak of the imaginary magnetic susceptibility χ″ to lower frequencies, and increases the magnetoviscosity but also leads to nonexponential relaxation and a broadening of χ″. The model we study also allows us to test a recent proposal for using magnetic susceptibility measurements as a nanorheological tool using a variant of the Germant-DiMarzio-Bishop relation. We find for the present model and certain parameter ranges that the relation of the magnetic susceptibility to the shear modulus is satisfied to a good approximation.

Dynamic emulation modelling for the optimal operation of water systems: an overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castelletti, A.; Galelli, S.; Giuliani, M.

2014-12-01

Despite sustained increase in computing power over recent decades, computational limitations remain a major barrier to the effective and systematic use of large-scale, process-based simulation models in rational environmental decision-making. Whereas complex models may provide clear advantages when the goal of the modelling exercise is to enhance our understanding of the natural processes, they introduce problems of model identifiability caused by over-parameterization and suffer from high computational burden when used in management and planning problems. As a result, increasing attention is now being devoted to emulation modelling (or model reduction) as a way of overcoming these limitations. An emulation model, or emulator, is a low-order approximation of the process-based model that can be substituted for it in order to solve high resource-demanding problems. In this talk, an overview of emulation modelling within the context of the optimal operation of water systems will be provided. Particular emphasis will be given to Dynamic Emulation Modelling (DEMo), a special type of model complexity reduction in which the dynamic nature of the original process-based model is preserved, with consequent advantages in a wide range of problems, particularly feedback control problems. This will be contrasted with traditional non-dynamic emulators (e.g. response surface and surrogate models) that have been studied extensively in recent years and are mainly used for planning purposes. A number of real world numerical experiences will be used to support the discussion ranging from multi-outlet water quality control in water reservoir through erosion/sedimentation rebalancing in the operation of run-off-river power plants to salinity control in lake and reservoirs.

Dispersal of sticky particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reddy, Ramana; Kumar, Sanjeev

2007-12-01

In this paper, we show through simulations that when sticky particles are broken continually, particles are dispersed into fine dust only if they are present in a narrow range of volume fractions. The upper limit of this range is 0.20 in the 2D and 0.10 in the 3D space. An increase in the dimensionality of space reduces the upper limit nearly by a factor of two. This scaling holds for dispersal of particles in hyperdimensional space of dimensions up to ten, the maximum dimension studied in this work. The maximum values of volume fractions obtained are significantly lower than those required for close packing and random packing of discs in 2D and spheres in 3D space. These values are also smaller than those required for critical phenomena of cluster percolation. The results obtained are attributed to merger cascades of sticky particles, triggered by breakup events. A simple theory that incorporates this cascade is developed to quantitatively explain the observed scaling of the upper limit with the dimensionality of space. The theory also captures the dynamics of the dispersal process in the corresponding range of particle volume fractions. The theory suggests that cascades of order one and two predominantly decide the upper limit for complete dispersal of particles.

Evaluation of the External RNA Controls Consortium (ERCC) reference material using a modified Latin square design.

PubMed

Pine, P Scott; Munro, Sarah A; Parsons, Jerod R; McDaniel, Jennifer; Lucas, Anne Bergstrom; Lozach, Jean; Myers, Timothy G; Su, Qin; Jacobs-Helber, Sarah M; Salit, Marc

2016-06-24

Highly multiplexed assays for quantitation of RNA transcripts are being used in many areas of biology and medicine. Using data generated by these transcriptomic assays requires measurement assurance with appropriate controls. Methods to prototype and evaluate multiple RNA controls were developed as part of the External RNA Controls Consortium (ERCC) assessment process. These approaches included a modified Latin square design to provide a broad dynamic range of relative abundance with known differences between four complex pools of ERCC RNA transcripts spiked into a human liver total RNA background. ERCC pools were analyzed on four different microarray platforms: Agilent 1- and 2-color, Illumina bead, and NIAID lab-made spotted microarrays; and two different second-generation sequencing platforms: the Life Technologies 5500xl and the Illumina HiSeq 2500. Individual ERCC controls were assessed for reproducible performance in signal response to concentration among the platforms. Most demonstrated linear behavior if they were not located near one of the extremes of the dynamic range. Performance issues with any individual ERCC transcript could be attributed to detection limitations, platform-specific target probe issues, or potential mixing errors. Collectively, these pools of spike-in RNA controls were evaluated for suitability as surrogates for endogenous transcripts to interrogate the performance of the RNA measurement process of each platform. The controls were useful for establishing the dynamic range of the assay, as well as delineating the useable region of that range where differential expression measurements, expressed as ratios, would be expected to be accurate. The modified Latin square design presented here uses a composite testing scheme for the evaluation of multiple performance characteristics: linear performance of individual controls, signal response within dynamic range pools of controls, and ratio detection between pairs of dynamic range pools. This compact design provides an economical sample format for the evaluation of multiple external RNA controls within a single experiment per platform. These results indicate that well-designed pools of RNA controls, spiked into samples, provide measurement assurance for endogenous gene expression studies.

Comparison of the Chiron Quantiplex branched DNA (bDNA) assay and the Abbott Genostics solution hybridization assay for quantification of hepatitis B viral DNA.

PubMed

Kapke, G E; Watson, G; Sheffler, S; Hunt, D; Frederick, C

1997-01-01

Several assays for quantification of DNA have been developed and are currently used in research and clinical laboratories. However, comparison of assay results has been difficult owing to the use of different standards and units of measurements as well as differences between assays in dynamic range and quantification limits. Although a few studies have compared results generated by different assays, there has been no consensus on conversion factors and thorough analysis has been precluded by small sample size and limited dynamic range studied. In this study, we have compared the Chiron branched DNA (bDNA) and Abbott liquid hybridization assays for quantification of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in clinical specimens and have derived conversion factors to facilitate comparison of assay results. Additivity and variance stabilizing (AVAS) regression, a form of non-linear regression analysis, was performed on assay results for specimens from HBV clinical trials. Our results show that there is a strong linear relationship (R2 = 0.96) between log Chiron and log Abbott assay results. Conversion factors derived from regression analyses were found to be non-constant and ranged from 6-40. Analysis of paired assay results below and above each assay's limit of quantification (LOQ) indicated that a significantly (P < 0.01) larger proportion of observations were below the Abbott assay LOQ but above the Chiron assay LOQ, indicating that the Chiron assay is significantly more sensitive than the Abbott assay. Testing of replicate specimens showed that the Chiron assay consistently yielded lower per cent coefficients of variance (% CVs) than the Abbott assay, indicating that the Chiron assay provides superior precision.

High time-resolved radon progeny measurements in the Arctic region (Svalbard islands, Norway): results and potentialities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salzano, Roberto; Pasini, Antonello; Ianniello, Antonietta; Mazzola, Mauro; Traversi, Rita; Udisti, Roberto

2018-05-01

The estimation of radon progeny in the Arctic region represents a scientific challenge due to the required low limit of detection in consideration of the limited radon emanation associated with permafrost dynamics. This preliminary study highlighted, for the first time above 70° N, the possibility to monitor radon progeny in the Arctic region with a higher time resolution. The composition of the radon progeny offered the opportunity to identify air masses dominated by long-range transport, in presence or absence of near-constant radon progeny instead of long- and short-lived progenies. Furthermore, the different ratio between radon and thoron progenies evidenced the contributions of local emissions and atmospheric stability. Two different emanation periods were defined in accordance with the permafrost dynamics at the ground and several accumulation windows were recognized coherently to the meteo-climatic conditions occurring at the study site.

Analog-to-digital conversion to accommodate the dynamics of live music in hearing instruments.

PubMed

Hockley, Neil S; Bahlmann, Frauke; Fulton, Bernadette

2012-09-01

Hearing instrument design focuses on the amplification of speech to reduce the negative effects of hearing loss. Many amateur and professional musicians, along with music enthusiasts, also require their hearing instruments to perform well when listening to the frequent, high amplitude peaks of live music. One limitation, in most current digital hearing instruments with 16-bit analog-to-digital (A/D) converters, is that the compressor before the A/D conversion is limited to 95 dB (SPL) or less at the input. This is more than adequate for the dynamic range of speech; however, this does not accommodate the amplitude peaks present in live music. The hearing instrument input compression system can be adjusted to accommodate for the amplitudes present in music that would otherwise be compressed before the A/D converter in the hearing instrument. The methodology behind this technological approach will be presented along with measurements to demonstrate its effectiveness.

The interplay of climate and land use change affects the distribution of EU bumblebees.

PubMed

Marshall, Leon; Biesmeijer, Jacobus C; Rasmont, Pierre; Vereecken, Nicolas J; Dvorak, Libor; Fitzpatrick, Una; Francis, Frédéric; Neumayer, Johann; Ødegaard, Frode; Paukkunen, Juho P T; Pawlikowski, Tadeusz; Reemer, Menno; Roberts, Stuart P M; Straka, Jakub; Vray, Sarah; Dendoncker, Nicolas

2018-01-01

Bumblebees in Europe have been in steady decline since the 1900s. This decline is expected to continue with climate change as the main driver. However, at the local scale, land use and land cover (LULC) change strongly affects the occurrence of bumblebees. At present, LULC change is rarely included in models of future distributions of species. This study's objective is to compare the roles of dynamic LULC change and climate change on the projected distribution patterns of 48 European bumblebee species for three change scenarios until 2100 at the scales of Europe, and Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg (BENELUX). We compared three types of models: (1) only climate covariates, (2) climate and static LULC covariates and (3) climate and dynamic LULC covariates. The climate and LULC change scenarios used in the models include, extreme growth applied strategy (GRAS), business as might be usual and sustainable European development goals. We analysed model performance, range gain/loss and the shift in range limits for all bumblebees. Overall, model performance improved with the introduction of LULC covariates. Dynamic models projected less range loss and gain than climate-only projections, and greater range loss and gain than static models. Overall, there is considerable variation in species responses and effects were most pronounced at the BENELUX scale. The majority of species were predicted to lose considerable range, particularly under the extreme growth scenario (GRAS; overall mean: 64% ± 34). Model simulations project a number of local extinctions and considerable range loss at the BENELUX scale (overall mean: 56% ± 39). Therefore, we recommend species-specific modelling to understand how LULC and climate interact in future modelling. The efficacy of dynamic LULC change should improve with higher thematic and spatial resolution. Nevertheless, current broad scale representations of change in major land use classes impact modelled future distribution patterns. © 2017 The Authors. Global Change Biology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Dynamic-Tracking Directional Wireless Antennas for Low Powered Applications that Require Reliable Extended Range Operations in Time Critical Scenarios

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

Scott G. Bauer; Matthew O. Anderson; James R. Hanneman

2005-10-01

The proven value of DOD Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) will ultimately transition to National and Homeland Security missions that require real-time aerial surveillance, situation awareness, force protection, and sensor placement. Public services first responders who routinely risk personal safety to assess and report a situation for emergency actions will likely be the first to benefit from these new unmanned technologies. ‘Packable’ or ‘Portable’ small class UAVs will be particularly useful to the first responder. They require the least amount of training, no fixed infrastructure, and are capable of being launched and recovered from the point of emergency. All UAVs requiremore » wireless communication technologies for real- time applications. Typically on a small UAV, a low bandwidth telemetry link is required for command and control (C2), and systems health monitoring. If the UAV is equipped with a real-time Electro-Optical or Infrared (EO/Ir) video camera payload, a dedicated high bandwidth analog/digital link is usually required for reliable high-resolution imagery. In most cases, both the wireless telemetry and real-time video links will be integrated into the UAV with unity gain omni-directional antennas. With limited on-board power and payload capacity, a small UAV will be limited with the amount of radio-frequency (RF) energy it transmits to the users. Therefore, ‘packable’ and ‘portable’ UAVs will have limited useful operational ranges for first responders. This paper will discuss the limitations of small UAV wireless communications. The discussion will present an approach of utilizing a dynamic ground based real-time tracking high gain directional antenna to provide extend range stand-off operation, potential RF channel reuse, and assured telemetry and data communications from low-powered UAV deployed wireless assets.« less

Enhanced reaction kinetics and reactive mixing scale dynamics in mixing fronts under shear flow for arbitrary Damköhler numbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bandopadhyay, Aditya; Le Borgne, Tanguy; Méheust, Yves; Dentz, Marco

2017-02-01

Mixing fronts, where fluids of different chemical compositions mix with each other, are known to represent hotspots of chemical reaction in hydrological systems. These fronts are typically subjected to velocity gradients, ranging from the pore scale due to no slip boundary conditions at fluid solid interfaces, to the catchment scale due to permeability variations and complex geometry of the Darcy velocity streamlines. A common trait of these processes is that the mixing interface is strained by shear. Depending on the Péclet number Pe , which represents the ratio of the characteristic diffusion time to the characteristic shear time, and the Damköhler number Da , which represents the ratio of the characteristic diffusion time to the characteristic reaction time, the local reaction rates can be strongly impacted by the dynamics of the mixing interface. So far, this impact has been characterized mostly either in kinetics-limited or in mixing-limited conditions, that is, for either low or high Da. Here the coupling of shear flow and chemical reactivity is investigated for arbitrary Damköhler numbers, for a bimolecular reaction and an initial interface with separated reactants. Approximate analytical expressions for the global production rate and reactive mixing scale are derived based on a reactive lamella approach that allows for a general coupling between stretching enhanced mixing and chemical reactions. While for Pe < Da , reaction kinetics and stretching effects are decoupled, a scenario which we name "weak stretching", for Pe > Da , we uncover a "strong stretching" scenario where new scaling laws emerge from the interplay between reaction kinetics, diffusion, and stretching. The analytical results are validated against numerical simulations. These findings shed light on the effect of flow heterogeneity on the enhancement of chemical reaction and the creation of spatially localized hotspots of reactivity for a broad range of systems ranging from kinetic limited to mixing limited situations.

Clustering Effects on Dynamics in Ionomer Solutions: A Neutron Spin Echo Insight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perahia, Dvora; Wijesinghe, Sidath; Senanayake, Manjula; Wickramasinghe, Anuradhi; Mohottalalage, Supun S.; Ohl, Michael

Ionizable blocks in ionomers associate into aggregates serving as physical cross-links and concurrently form transport pathways. The dynamics of ionomers underline their functionality. Incorporating small numbers of ionic groups into polymers significantly constraint their dynamics. Recent computational studies demonstrated a direct correlation between ionic cluster morphology and polymer dynamics. Here using neutron spin echo, we probe the segmental dynamics of polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) as the degree of sulfonation of the PSS and the solution dielectrics are varied. Specifically, 20Wt% PSS of 11,000 g/mol with polydispersity of 1.02 with 3% and 9% sulfonation were studies in toluene (dielectric constant ɛ = 2.8), a good solvent for polystyrene, and with 5Wt% of ethanol (ɛ = 24.3l) added. The dynamic structure factor S(q,t) was analyzed with a single exponential except for a limited q range where two time constants associated with constraint and mobile segments were detected. S(q,t) exhibits several distinctive time and length scales for the dynamics with a crossover appearing at the length scale of the ionic clusters. NSF DMR 1611136.

Combustion Efficiency, Flameout Operability Limits and General Design Optimization for Integrated Ramjet-Scramjet Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mbagwu, Chukwuka Chijindu

High speed, air-breathing hypersonic vehicles encounter a varied range of engine and operating conditions traveling along cruise/ascent missions at high altitudes and dynamic pressures. Variations of ambient pressure, temperature, Mach number, and dynamic pressure can affect the combustion conditions in conflicting ways. Computations were performed to understand propulsion tradeoffs that occur when a hypersonic vehicle travels along an ascent trajectory. Proper Orthogonal Decomposition methods were applied for the reduction of flamelet chemistry data in an improved combustor model. Two operability limits are set by requirements that combustion efficiency exceed selected minima and flameout be avoided. A method for flameout prediction based on empirical Damkohler number measurements is presented. Operability limits are plotted that define allowable flight corridors on an altitude versus flight Mach number performance map; fixed-acceleration ascent trajectories were considered for this study. Several design rules are also presented for a hypersonic waverider with a dual-mode scramjet engine. Focus is placed on ''vehicle integration" design, differing from previous ''propulsion-oriented" design optimization. The well-designed waverider falls between that of an aircraft (high lift-to-drag ratio) and a rocket (high thrust-to-drag ratio). 84 variations of an X-43-like vehicle were run using the MASIV scramjet reduced order model to examine performance tradeoffs. Informed by the vehicle design study, variable-acceleration trajectory optimization was performed for three constant dynamic pressures ascents. Computed flameout operability limits were implemented as additional constraints to the optimization problem. The Michigan-AFRL Scramjet In-Vehicle (MASIV) waverider model includes finite-rate chemistry, applied scaling laws for 3-D turbulent mixing, ram-scram transition and an empirical value of the flameout Damkohler number. A reduced-order modeling approach is justified (in lieu of higher-fidelity computational simulations) because all vehicle forces are computed multiple thousands of times to generate multi-dimensional performance maps. The findings of this thesis work present a number of compelling conclusions. It is found that the ideal operating conditions of a scramjet engine are heavily dependent on the ambient and combustor pressure (and less strongly on temperature). Combustor pressures of approximately 1.0 bar or greater achieve the highest combustion efficiency, in line with industry standards of more than 0.5 bar. Ascent trajectory analysis of combustion efficiency and lean-limit flameout dictate best operation at higher dynamic pressures and lower altitudes, but these goals are traded off by current structural limitations whereby dynamic pressures must remain below 100 kPa. Hypersonic waverider designs varied between an "airplane" and a "rocket" are found to have better performance with the latter design, with controllability and minimum elevon/rudder surface area as a stability constraint for the vehicle trim. Ultimately, these findings are beneficial and contribute to the overall understanding of dynamically stable waverider vehicles at hypersonic speeds. These types of vehicles have a range of applications from technology demonstration, to earth-to-low orbit payload transit, to most compellingly another step in the development and realization of viable supersonic commercial transport.

Transitions between homogeneous phases of polar active liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dauchot, Olivier; Nguyen Thu Lam, Khanh Dang; Schindler, Michael; EC2M Team; PCT Team

2015-03-01

Polar active liquids, composed of aligning self-propelled particle exhibit large scale collective motion. Simulations of Vicsek-like models of constant-speed point particles, aligning with their neighbors in the presence of noise, have revealed the existence of a transition towards a true long range order polar-motion phase. Generically, the homogenous polar state is unstable; non-linear propagative structures develop; and the transition is discontinuous. The long range dynamics of these systems has been successfully captured using various scheme of kinetic theories. However the complexity of the dynamics close to the transition has somewhat hindered more basics questions. Is there a simple way to predict the existence and the order of a transition to collective motion for a given microscopic dynamics? What would be the physically meaningful and relevant quantity to answer this question? Here, we tackle these questions, restricting ourselves to the study of the homogeneous phases of polar active liquids in the low density limit and obtain a very intuitive understanding of the conditions which particle interaction must satisfy to induce a transition towards collective motion.

Measurement of high-dynamic range x-ray Thomson scattering spectra for the characterization of nano-plasmas at LCLS

DOE PAGES

MacDonald, M. J.; Gorkhover, T.; Bachmann, B.; ...

2016-08-08

Atomic clusters can serve as ideal model systems for exploring ultrafast (~100 fs) laser-driven ionization dynamics of dense matter on the nanometer scale. Resonant absorption of optical laser pulses enables heating to temperatures on the order of 1 keV at near solid density conditions. To date, direct probing of transient states of such nano plasmas was limited to coherent x-ray imaging. Here we present the first measurement of spectrally-resolved incoherent x-ray scattering from clusters, enabling measurements of transient temperature, densities and ionization. Single shot x-ray Thomson scatterings signals were recorded at 120 Hz using a crystal spectrometer in combination withmore » a single-photon counting and energy-dispersive pnCCD. A precise pump laser collimation scheme enabled recording near background-free scattering spectra from Ar clusters with an unprecedented dynamic range of more than 3 orders of magnitude. As a result, such measurements are important for understanding collective effects in laser-matter interactions on femtosecond timescales, opening new routes for the development of schemes for their ultrafast control.« less

Measurement of high-dynamic range x-ray Thomson scattering spectra for the characterization of nano-plasmas at LCLS

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

MacDonald, M. J., E-mail: macdonm@umich.edu; SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025; Gorkhover, T.

2016-11-15

Atomic clusters can serve as ideal model systems for exploring ultrafast (∼100 fs) laser-driven ionization dynamics of dense matter on the nanometer scale. Resonant absorption of optical laser pulses enables heating to temperatures on the order of 1 keV at near solid density conditions. To date, direct probing of transient states of such nano-plasmas was limited to coherent x-ray imaging. Here we present the first measurement of spectrally resolved incoherent x-ray scattering from clusters, enabling measurements of transient temperature, densities, and ionization. Single shot x-ray Thomson scattering signals were recorded at 120 Hz using a crystal spectrometer in combination withmore » a single-photon counting and energy-dispersive pnCCD. A precise pump laser collimation scheme enabled recording near background-free scattering spectra from Ar clusters with an unprecedented dynamic range of more than 3 orders of magnitude. Such measurements are important for understanding collective effects in laser-matter interactions on femtosecond time scales, opening new routes for the development of schemes for their ultrafast control.« less

Microsomal metabolism of calycosin, formononetin and drug-drug interactions by dynamic microdialysis sampling and HPLC-DAD-MS analysis.

PubMed

Wen, Xiao-Dong; Qi, Lian-Wen; Li, Bin; Li, Ping; Yi, Ling; Wang, Ya-Qiong; Liu, E-Hu; Yang, Xiao-Lin

2009-08-15

A dynamic microdialysis sampling method with liquid chromatography-diode array detection and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-DAD-TOF/MS) analysis was developed to investigate rat microsomal metabolisms of calycosin and formononetin, and their drug-drug interactions. Two hydroxylated metabolites from calycosin, and three hydroxylated or 4'-O-demethylated derivatives from formononetin were detected and identified after co-incubation with microsomes. Calibration curves offered linear ranges of two orders of magnitude with r(2)>0.999 for calycosin, formononetin and daidzein. The quantitative LC method provides a range of 0.028-0.034microg/mL for limits of detection, overall precision less than 5% and accuracy less than 3% by RSD. Besides, calycosin and formononetin were found to produce the depressive effect on the CYP450 enzyme reaction, and inhibit phase I enzyme reaction of each other when they are concurrent. Dynamic microdialysis sampling with LC-DAD-TOF/MS analysis developed in this work is a powerful tool for in vitro metabolism studies of drugs and metabolic interactions.

Anomaly in the dynamic strength of austenitic stainless steel 12Cr19Ni10Ti under shock wave loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garkushin, G. V.; Kanel, G. I.; Razorenov, S. V.; Savinykh, A. S.

2017-07-01

Measurement results for the shock wave compression profiles of 12Cr19Ni10Ti steel and its dynamic strength in the strain rate range 105-106 s-1 are presented. The protracted viscous character of the spall fracture is revealed. With the previously obtained data taken into account, the measurement results are described by a polynomial relation, which can be used to construct the fracture kinetics. On the lower boundary of the range, the resistance to spall fracture is close to the value of the true strength of the material under standard low-rate strain conditions; on the upper boundary, the spall strength is more than twice greater than this quantity. An increase in the temperature results in a decrease in both the dynamic limit of elasticity and the spall fracture strength of steel. The most interesting result is the anomaly in the dependence of the spall fracture strength on the duration of the shock wave compression pulse, which is related to the formation of deformation martensite near the growing discontinuities.

A simplified guide for charged aerosol detection of non-chromophoric compounds-Analytical method development and validation for the HPLC assay of aerosol particle size distribution for amikacin.

PubMed

Soliven, Arianne; Haidar Ahmad, Imad A; Tam, James; Kadrichu, Nani; Challoner, Pete; Markovich, Robert; Blasko, Andrei

2017-09-05

Amikacin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic lacking a UV chromophore, was developed into a drug product for delivery by inhalation. A robust method for amikacin assay analysis and aerosol particle size distribution (aPSD) determination, with comparable performance to the conventional UV detector was developed using a charged aerosol detector (CAD). The CAD approach involved more parameters for optimization than UV detection due to its sensitivity to trace impurities, non-linear response and narrow dynamic range of signal versus concentration. Through careful selection of the power transformation function value and evaporation temperature, a wider linear dynamic range, improved signal-to-noise ratio and high repeatability were obtained. The influences of mobile phase grade and glassware binding of amikacin during sample preparation were addressed. A weighed (1/X 2 ) least square regression was used for the calibration curve. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) and limit of detection (LOD) for this method were determined to be 5μg/mL and 2μg/mL, respectively. The method was validated over a concentration range of 0.05-2mg/mL. The correlation coefficient for the peak area versus concentration was 1.00 and the y-intercept was 0.2%. The recovery accuracies of triplicate preparations at 0.05, 1.0, and 2.0mg/mL were in the range of 100-101%. The relative standard deviation (S rel ) of six replicates at 1.0mg/mL was 1%, and S rel of five injections at the limit of quantitation was 4%. A robust HPLC-CAD method was developed and validated for the determination of the aPSD for amikacin. The CAD method development produced a simplified procedure with minimal variability in results during: routine operation, transfer from one instrument to another, and between different analysts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Swept-source based, single-shot, multi-detectable velocity range Doppler optical coherence tomography

PubMed Central

Meemon, Panomsak; Rolland, Jannick P.

2010-01-01

Phase-Resolved Doppler Optical Coherence Tomography (PR-DOCT) allows visualization and characterization of the location, direction, velocity, and profile of flow activity embedded in a static sample structure. The detectable Velocity Dynamic Range (VDR) of each particular PR-DOCT system is governed by a detectable Doppler phase shift, a flow angle, and an acquisition time interval used to determine the Doppler phase shift. In general, the lower boundary of the detectable Doppler phase shift is limited by the phase stability of the system, while the upper boundary is limited by the π phase ambiguity. For a given range of detectable Doppler phase shift, shortening the acquisition duration will increase not only the maximum detectable velocity but unfortunately also the minimum detectable velocity, which may lead to the invisibility of a slow flow. In this paper, we present an alternative acquisition scheme for PR-DOCT that extends the lower limit of the velocity dynamic range, while maintaining the maximum detectable velocity, hence increasing the overall VDR of PR-DOCT system. The essence of the approach is to implement a technique of multi-scale measurement to simultaneously acquire multiple VDRs in a single measurement. We demonstrate an example of implementation of the technique in a dual VDR DOCT, where two Doppler maps having different detectable VDRs were simultaneously detected, processed, and displayed in real time. One was a fixed VDR DOCT capable of measuring axial velocity of up to 10.9 mm/s without phase unwrapping. The other was a variable VDR DOCT capable of adjusting its detectable VDR to reveal slow flow information down to 11.3 μm/s. The technique is shown to effectively extend the overall detectable VDR of the PR-DOCT system. Examples of real time Doppler imaging of an African frog tadpole are demonstrated using the dual-VDR DOCT system. PMID:21258521

The fresnel interferometric imager

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koechlin, Laurent; Serre, Denis; Deba, Paul; Pelló, Roser; Peillon, Christelle; Duchon, Paul; Gomez de Castro, Ana Ines; Karovska, Margarita; Désert, Jean-Michel; Ehrenreich, David; Hebrard, Guillaume; Lecavelier Des Etangs, Alain; Ferlet, Roger; Sing, David; Vidal-Madjar, Alfred

2009-03-01

The Fresnel Interferometric Imager has been proposed to the European Space Agency (ESA) Cosmic Vision plan as a class L mission. This mission addresses several themes of the CV Plan: Exoplanet study, Matter in extreme conditions, and The Universe taking shape. This paper is an abridged version of the original ESA proposal. We have removed most of the technical and financial issues, to concentrate on the instrumental design and astrophysical missions. The instrument proposed is an ultra-lightweight telescope, featuring a novel optical concept based on diffraction focussing. It yields high dynamic range images, while releasing constraints on positioning and manufacturing of the main optical elements. This concept should open the way to very large apertures in space. In this two spacecraft formation-flying instrument, one spacecraft holds the focussing element: the Fresnel interferometric array; the other spacecraft holds the field optics, focal instrumentation, and detectors. The Fresnel array proposed here is a 3.6 ×3.6 m square opaque foil punched with 105 to 106 void “subapertures”. Focusing is achieved with no other optical element: the shape and positioning of the subapertures (holes in the foil) is responsible for beam combining by diffraction, and 5% to 10% of the total incident light ends up into a sharp focus. The consequence of this high number of subapertures is high dynamic range images. In addition, as it uses only a combination of vacuum and opaque material, this focussing method is potentially efficient over a very broad wavelength domain. The focal length of such diffractive focussing devices is wavelength dependent. However, this can be corrected. We have tested optically the efficiency of the chromatism correction on artificial sources (500 < λ < 750 nm): the images are diffraction limited, and the dynamic range measured on an artificial double source reaches 6.2 10 - 6. We have also validated numerical simulation algorithms for larger Fresnel interferometric arrays. These simulations yield a dynamic range (rejection factor) close to 10 - 8 for arrays such as the 3.6 m one we propose. A dynamic range of 10 - 8 allows detection of objects at contrasts as high as than 10 - 9 in most of the field. The astrophysical applications cover many objects in the IR, visible an UV domains. Examples are presented, taking advantage of the high angular resolution and dynamic range capabilities of this concept.

Linking killer whale survival and prey abundance: food limitation in the oceans' apex predator?

PubMed Central

Ford, John K. B.; Ellis, Graeme M.; Olesiuk, Peter F.; Balcomb, Kenneth C.

2010-01-01

Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are large predators that occupy the top trophic position in the world's oceans and as such may have important roles in marine ecosystem dynamics. Although the possible top-down effects of killer whale predation on populations of their prey have received much recent attention, little is known of how the abundance of these predators may be limited by bottom-up processes. Here we show, using 25 years of demographic data from two populations of fish-eating killer whales in the northeastern Pacific Ocean, that population trends are driven largely by changes in survival, and that survival rates are strongly correlated with the availability of their principal prey species, Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Our results suggest that, although these killer whales may consume a variety of fish species, they are highly specialized and dependent on this single salmonid species to an extent that it is a limiting factor in their population dynamics. Other ecologically specialized killer whale populations may be similarly constrained to a narrow range of prey species by culturally inherited foraging strategies, and thus are limited in their ability to adapt rapidly to changing prey availability. PMID:19755531

Linking killer whale survival and prey abundance: food limitation in the oceans' apex predator?

PubMed

Ford, John K B; Ellis, Graeme M; Olesiuk, Peter F; Balcomb, Kenneth C

2010-02-23

Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are large predators that occupy the top trophic position in the world's oceans and as such may have important roles in marine ecosystem dynamics. Although the possible top-down effects of killer whale predation on populations of their prey have received much recent attention, little is known of how the abundance of these predators may be limited by bottom-up processes. Here we show, using 25 years of demographic data from two populations of fish-eating killer whales in the northeastern Pacific Ocean, that population trends are driven largely by changes in survival, and that survival rates are strongly correlated with the availability of their principal prey species, Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Our results suggest that, although these killer whales may consume a variety of fish species, they are highly specialized and dependent on this single salmonid species to an extent that it is a limiting factor in their population dynamics. Other ecologically specialized killer whale populations may be similarly constrained to a narrow range of prey species by culturally inherited foraging strategies, and thus are limited in their ability to adapt rapidly to changing prey availability.

Test techniques for determining laser ranging system performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zagwodzki, T. W.

1981-01-01

Procedures and results of an on going test program intended to evaluate laser ranging system performance levels in the field as well as in the laboratory are summarized. Tests show that laser ranging system design requires consideration of time biases and RMS jitters of individual system components. All simple Q switched lasers tested were found to be inadequate for 10 centimeter ranging systems. Timing discriminators operating over a typical 100:1 dynamic signal range may introduce as much as 7 to 9 centimeters of range bias. Time interval units commercially available today are capable of half centimeter performance and are adequate for all field systems currently deployed. Photomultipliers tested show typical tube time biases of one centimeter with single photoelectron transit time jitter of approximately 10 centimeters. Test results demonstrate that NASA's Mobile Laser Ranging System (MOBLAS) receiver configuration is limiting system performance below the 100 photoelectron level.

Optical Nonlinearities in Semiconductors for Limiting.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Yuan-Yen

I have conducted detailed experimental and theoretical studies of the nonlinear optical properties of semiconductor materials useful for optical limiting. I have constructed optical limiters utilizing two-photon absorption along with photogenerated carrier defocusing as well as the bound electronic nonlinearity using the semiconducting material ZnSe. I have optimized the focusing geometry to achieve a large dynamic range while maintaining a low limiting energy for the device. The ZnSe monolithic optical limiter has achieved a limiting energy as low as 13 nJ (corresponding to 300W peak power) and a dynamic range as large as 10 ^5 at 532 nm using psec pulses. Theoretical analysis showed that the ZnSe device has a broad-band response covering the wavelength range from 550 nm to 800 nm. Moreover, I found that existing theoretical models (e.g. the Auston model and the band-resonant model using Boltzmann statistics) adequately describe the photo-generated carriers refractive nonlinearity in ZnSe. Material nonlinear optical parameters, such as the two-photon absorption coefficient beta _2 = 5.5 cm/GW, the refraction per unit carrier density sigma_{rm n} = -0.8cdot 10^ {-21}cm^3 and the bound electronic refraction n_2 = -4cdot 10^{ -11}esu, have been measured via time-integrated beam distortion experiments in the near field. A numerical code has been written to simulate the beam distortion in order to extract the previously mentioned material parameters. In addition, I have performed time-resolved distortion measurements that provide an intuitive picture of the carrier generation process via two-photon absorption. I also characterized the optical nonlinearities in a ZnSe Fabry-Perot thin film structure (an interference filter). I concluded that the nonlinear absorption alone in the thin film is insufficient to build an effective optical limiter, as it did not show a net change in refraction using psec pulses. An innovative numerical program was developed to simulate the nonlinear beam propagation inside the Fabry-Perot structure. For comparison, pump-probe experiments were performed using both thin film and bulk ZnSe. The results showed relatively long carrier lifetimes (>300 psec) in both samples. A numerical code was written to fit the pump-probe experimental results. The fitting yielded that carrier lifetimes (recombination through traps), radiative decay rate, two-photon absorption coefficient as well as the free carrier absorption coefficient for ZnSe bulk material.

Nonlinear dynamic range transformation in visual communication channels.

PubMed

Alter-Gartenberg, R

1996-01-01

The article evaluates nonlinear dynamic range transformation in the context of the end-to-end continuous-input/discrete processing/continuous-display imaging process. Dynamic range transformation is required when we have the following: (i) the wide dynamic range encountered in nature is compressed into the relatively narrow dynamic range of the display, particularly for spatially varying irradiance (e.g., shadow); (ii) coarse quantization is expanded to the wider dynamic range of the display; and (iii) nonlinear tone scale transformation compensates for the correction in the camera amplifier.

Weakly Nonergodic Dynamics in the Gross-Pitaevskii Lattice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mithun, Thudiyangal; Kati, Yagmur; Danieli, Carlo; Flach, Sergej

2018-05-01

The microcanonical Gross-Pitaevskii (also known as the semiclassical Bose-Hubbard) lattice model dynamics is characterized by a pair of energy and norm densities. The grand canonical Gibbs distribution fails to describe a part of the density space, due to the boundedness of its kinetic energy spectrum. We define Poincaré equilibrium manifolds and compute the statistics of microcanonical excursion times off them. The tails of the distribution functions quantify the proximity of the many-body dynamics to a weakly nonergodic phase, which occurs when the average excursion time is infinite. We find that a crossover to weakly nonergodic dynamics takes place inside the non-Gibbs phase, being unnoticed by the largest Lyapunov exponent. In the ergodic part of the non-Gibbs phase, the Gibbs distribution should be replaced by an unknown modified one. We relate our findings to the corresponding integrable limit, close to which the actions are interacting through a short range coupling network.

Optical Antenna-Based Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy to Probe the Nanoscale Dynamics of Biological Membranes.

PubMed

Winkler, Pamina M; Regmi, Raju; Flauraud, Valentin; Brugger, Jürgen; Rigneault, Hervé; Wenger, Jérôme; García-Parajo, María F

2018-01-04

The plasma membrane of living cells is compartmentalized at multiple spatial scales ranging from the nano- to the mesoscale. This nonrandom organization is crucial for a large number of cellular functions. At the nanoscale, cell membranes organize into dynamic nanoassemblies enriched by cholesterol, sphingolipids, and certain types of proteins. Investigating these nanoassemblies known as lipid rafts is of paramount interest in fundamental cell biology. However, this goal requires simultaneous nanometer spatial precision and microsecond temporal resolution, which is beyond the reach of common microscopes. Optical antennas based on metallic nanostructures efficiently enhance and confine light into nanometer dimensions, breaching the diffraction limit of light. In this Perspective, we discuss recent progress combining optical antennas with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) to monitor microsecond dynamics at nanoscale spatial dimensions. These new developments offer numerous opportunities to investigate lipid and protein dynamics in both mimetic and native biological membranes.

Dynamically variable negative stiffness structures.

PubMed

Churchill, Christopher B; Shahan, David W; Smith, Sloan P; Keefe, Andrew C; McKnight, Geoffrey P

2016-02-01

Variable stiffness structures that enable a wide range of efficient load-bearing and dexterous activity are ubiquitous in mammalian musculoskeletal systems but are rare in engineered systems because of their complexity, power, and cost. We present a new negative stiffness-based load-bearing structure with dynamically tunable stiffness. Negative stiffness, traditionally used to achieve novel response from passive structures, is a powerful tool to achieve dynamic stiffness changes when configured with an active component. Using relatively simple hardware and low-power, low-frequency actuation, we show an assembly capable of fast (<10 ms) and useful (>100×) dynamic stiffness control. This approach mitigates limitations of conventional tunable stiffness structures that exhibit either small (<30%) stiffness change, high friction, poor load/torque transmission at low stiffness, or high power active control at the frequencies of interest. We experimentally demonstrate actively tunable vibration isolation and stiffness tuning independent of supported loads, enhancing applications such as humanoid robotic limbs and lightweight adaptive vibration isolators.

General solution to inhomogeneous dephasing and smooth pulse dynamical decoupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Junkai; Deng, Xiu-Hao; Russo, Antonio; Barnes, Edwin

2018-03-01

In order to achieve the high-fidelity quantum control needed for a broad range of quantum information technologies, reducing the effects of noise and system inhomogeneities is an essential task. It is well known that a system can be decoupled from noise or made insensitive to inhomogeneous dephasing dynamically by using carefully designed pulse sequences based on square or delta-function waveforms such as Hahn spin echo or CPMG. However, such ideal pulses are often challenging to implement experimentally with high fidelity. Here, we uncover a new geometrical framework for visualizing all possible driving fields, which enables one to generate an unlimited number of smooth, experimentally feasible pulses that perform dynamical decoupling or dynamically corrected gates to arbitrarily high order. We demonstrate that this scheme can significantly enhance the fidelity of single-qubit operations in the presence of noise and when realistic limitations on pulse rise times and amplitudes are taken into account.

Dynamical effects in Bragg coherent x-ray diffraction imaging of finite crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shabalin, A. G.; Yefanov, O. M.; Nosik, V. L.; Bushuev, V. A.; Vartanyants, I. A.

2017-08-01

We present simulations of Bragg coherent x-ray diffractive imaging (CXDI) data from finite crystals in the frame of the dynamical theory of x-ray diffraction. The developed approach is based on a numerical solution of modified Takagi-Taupin equations and can be applied for modeling of a broad range of x-ray diffraction experiments with finite three-dimensional crystals of arbitrary shape also in the presence of strain. We performed simulations for nanocrystals of a cubic and hemispherical shape of different sizes and provided a detailed analysis of artifacts in the Bragg CXDI reconstructions introduced by the dynamical diffraction. Based on our theoretical analysis we developed an analytical procedure to treat effects of refraction and absorption in the reconstruction. Our results elucidate limitations for the kinematical approach in the Bragg CXDI and suggest a natural criterion to distinguish between kinematical and dynamical cases in coherent x-ray diffraction on a finite crystal.

On investigating social dynamics in tactical opportunistic mobile networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Wei; Li, Yong

2014-06-01

The efficiency of military mobile network operations at the tactical edge is challenging due to the practical Disconnected, Intermittent, and Limited (DIL) environments at the tactical edge which make it hard to maintain persistent end-to-end wireless network connectivity. Opportunistic mobile networks are hence devised to depict such tactical networking scenarios. Social relations among warfighters in tactical opportunistic mobile networks are implicitly represented by their opportunistic contacts via short-range radios, but were inappropriately considered as stationary over time by the conventional wisdom. In this paper, we develop analytical models to probabilistically investigate the temporal dynamics of this social relationship, which is critical to efficient mobile communication in the battlespace. We propose to formulate such dynamics by developing various sociological metrics, including centrality and community, with respect to the opportunistic mobile network contexts. These metrics investigate social dynamics based on the experimentally validated skewness of users' transient contact distributions over time.

Performance comparison for Barnes model 12-1000, Exotech model 100, and Ideas Inc. Biometer Mark 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, B. (Principal Investigator)

1981-01-01

Results of tests show that all channels of all instruments, except channel 3 of the Biometer Mark 2, were stable in response to input signals were linear, and were adequately stable in response to temperature changes. The Biometer Mark 2 is labelled with an inappropriate description of the units measured and the dynamic range is a inappropriate for field measurements causing unnecessarily high fractional errors. This instrument is, therefore, quantization limited. The dynamic range and noise performance of the Model 12-1000 are appropriate for remote sensing field research. The field of view and performance of the Model 100A and the Model 12-1000 are satisfactory. The Biometer Mark 2 has not, as yet, been satisfactorily equipped with an acceptable field of view determining device. Neither the widely used aperture plate nor the 24 deg cone are acceptable.

Electrically tunable metasurface perfect absorbers for ultrathin mid-infrared optical modulators.

PubMed

Yao, Yu; Shankar, Raji; Kats, Mikhail A; Song, Yi; Kong, Jing; Loncar, Marko; Capasso, Federico

2014-11-12

Dynamically reconfigurable metasurfaces open up unprecedented opportunities in applications such as high capacity communications, dynamic beam shaping, hyperspectral imaging, and adaptive optics. The realization of high performance metasurface-based devices remains a great challenge due to very limited tuning ranges and modulation depths. Here we show that a widely tunable metasurface composed of optical antennas on graphene can be incorporated into a subwavelength-thick optical cavity to create an electrically tunable perfect absorber. By switching the absorber in and out of the critical coupling condition via the gate voltage applied on graphene, a modulation depth of up to 100% can be achieved. In particular, we demonstrated ultrathin (thickness < λ0/10) high speed (up to 20 GHz) optical modulators over a broad wavelength range (5-7 μm). The operating wavelength can be scaled from the near-infrared to the terahertz by simply tailoring the metasurface and cavity dimensions.

Analysis of transistor and snubber turn-off dynamics in high-frequency high-voltage high-power converters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, P. M.; Wilson, T. G.; Owen, H. A., Jr.

1982-01-01

Dc to dc converters which operate reliably and efficiently at switching frequencies high enough to effect substantial reductions in the size and weight of converter energy storage elements are studied. A two winding current or voltage stepup (buck boost) dc-to-dc converter power stage submodule designed to operate in the 2.5-kW range, with an input voltage range of 110 to 180 V dc, and an output voltage of 250 V dc is emphasized. In order to assess the limitations of present day component and circuit technologies, a design goal switching frequency of 10 kHz was maintained. The converter design requirements represent a unique combination of high frequency, high voltage, and high power operation. The turn off dynamics of the primary circuit power switching transistor and its associated turn off snubber circuitry are investigated.

Analysis of transistor and snubber turn-off dynamics in high-frequency high-voltage high-power converters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, P. M.; Wilson, T. G.; Owen, H. A., Jr.

Dc to dc converters which operate reliably and efficiently at switching frequencies high enough to effect substantial reductions in the size and weight of converter energy storage elements are studied. A two winding current or voltage stepup (buck boost) dc-to-dc converter power stage submodule designed to operate in the 2.5-kW range, with an input voltage range of 110 to 180 V dc, and an output voltage of 250 V dc is emphasized. In order to assess the limitations of present day component and circuit technologies, a design goal switching frequency of 10 kHz was maintained. The converter design requirements represent a unique combination of high frequency, high voltage, and high power operation. The turn off dynamics of the primary circuit power switching transistor and its associated turn off snubber circuitry are investigated.

Green autofluorescence, a double edged monitoring tool for bacterial growth and activity in micro-plates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mihalcescu, Irina; Van-Melle Gateau, Mathilde; Chelli, Bernard; Pinel, Corinne; Ravanat, Jean-Luc

2015-12-01

The intrinsic green autofluorescence of an Escherichia coli culture has long been overlooked and empirically corrected in green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter experiments. We show here, by using complementary methods of fluorescence analysis and HPLC, that this autofluorescence, principally arise from the secreted flavins in the external media. The cells secrete roughly 10 times more than what they keep inside. We show next that the secreted flavin fluorescence can be used as a complementary method in measuring the cell concentration particularly when the classical method, based on optical density measure, starts to fail. We also demonstrate that the same external flavins limit the dynamical range of GFP quantification and can lead to a false interpretation of lower global dynamic range of expression than what really happens. In the end we evaluate different autofluorescence correction methods to extract the real GFP signal.

Ultra-sensitive all-fibre photothermal spectroscopy with large dynamic range

PubMed Central

Jin, Wei; Cao, Yingchun; Yang, Fan; Ho, Hoi Lut

2015-01-01

Photothermal interferometry is an ultra-sensitive spectroscopic means for trace chemical detection in gas- and liquid-phase materials. Previous photothermal interferometry systems used free-space optics and have limitations in efficiency of light–matter interaction, size and optical alignment, and integration into photonic circuits. Here we exploit photothermal-induced phase change in a gas-filled hollow-core photonic bandgap fibre, and demonstrate an all-fibre acetylene gas sensor with a noise equivalent concentration of 2 p.p.b. (2.3 × 10−9 cm−1 in absorption coefficient) and an unprecedented dynamic range of nearly six orders of magnitude. The realization of photothermal interferometry with low-cost near infrared semiconductor lasers and fibre-based technology allows a class of optical sensors with compact size, ultra sensitivity and selectivity, applicability to harsh environment, and capability for remote and multiplexed multi-point detection and distributed sensing. PMID:25866015

Application of spin-exchange relaxation-free magnetometry to the Cosmic Axion Spin Precession Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Tao; Kimball, Derek F. Jackson; Sushkov, Alexander O.; Aybas, Deniz; Blanchard, John W.; Centers, Gary; Kelley, Sean R. O.'; Wickenbrock, Arne; Fang, Jiancheng; Budker, Dmitry

2018-03-01

The Cosmic Axion Spin Precession Experiment (CASPEr) seeks to measure oscillating torques on nuclear spins caused by axion or axion-like-particle (ALP) dark matter via nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques. A sample spin-polarized along a leading magnetic field experiences a resonance when the Larmor frequency matches the axion/ALP Compton frequency, generating precessing transverse nuclear magnetization. Here we demonstrate a Spin-Exchange Relaxation-Free (SERF) magnetometer with sensitivity ≈ 1 fT /√{ Hz } and an effective sensing volume of 0.1 cm3 that may be useful for NMR detection in CASPEr. A potential drawback of SERF-magnetometer-based NMR detection is the SERF's limited dynamic range. Use of a magnetic flux transformer to suppress the leading magnetic field is considered as a potential method to expand the SERF's dynamic range in order to probe higher axion/ALP Compton frequencies.

A Human-in-the Loop Exploration of the Dynamic Airspace Configuration Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Homola, Jeffrey; Lee, Paul U.; Prevot, Thomas; Lee, Hwasoo; Kessell, Angela; Brasil, Connie; Smith, Nancy

2010-01-01

An exploratory human-in-the-loop study was conducted to better understand the impact of Dynamic Airspace Configuration (DAC) on air traffic controllers. To do so, a range of three progressively more aggressive algorithmic approaches to sectorizations were chosen. Sectorizations from these algorithms were used to test and quantify the range of impact on the controller and traffic. Results show that traffic count was more equitably distributed between the four test sectors and duration of counts over MAP were progressively lower as the magnitude of boundary change increased. However, taskload and workload were also shown to increase with the increase in aggressiveness and acceptability of the boundary changes decreased. Overall, simulated operations of the DAC concept did not appear to compromise safety. Feedback from the participants highlighted the importance of limiting some aspects of boundary changes such as amount of volume gained or lost and the extent of change relative to the initial airspace design.

Enhanced Hydrate Nucleation Near the Limit of Stability.

PubMed

Jimenez-Angeles, Felipe; Firoozabadi, Abbas

2015-03-30

Clathrate hydrates are crystalline structures composed of small guest molecules trapped into cages formed by hydrogen-bonded water molecules. In hydrate nucleation, water and the guest molecules may stay in a metastable fluid mixture for a long period. Metastability is broken if the concentration of the guest is above certain limit. We perform molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of supersaturated water-propane solutions close to the limit of stability. We show that hydrate nucleation can be very fast in a very narrow range of composition at moderate temperatures. Propane density fluctuations near the fluid-fluid demixing are coupled with crystallization producing en- hanced nucleation rates. This is the first report of propane-hydrate nucleation by MD simulations. We observe motifs of the crystalline structure II in line with experiments and new hydrate cages not reported in the literature. Our study relates nucleation to the fluid-fluid spinodal decomposition and demonstration that the enhanced nucleation phenomenon is more general than short range attractive interactions as suggested in nucleation of proteins.

Design of multihundredwatt DIPS for robotic space missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bents, D. J.; Geng, S. M.; Schreiber, J. G.; Withrow, C. A.; Schmitz, P. C.; Mccomas, Thomas J.

1991-01-01

Design of a dynamic isotope power system (DIPS) general purpose heat source (GPHS) and small free piston Stirling engine (FPSE) is being pursued as a potential lower cost alternative to radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTG's). The design is targeted at the power needs of future unmanned deep space and planetary surface exploration missions ranging from scientific probes to SEI precursor missions. These are multihundredwatt missions. The incentive for any dynamic system is that it can save fuel which reduces cost and radiological hazard. However, unlike a conventional DIPS based on turbomachinery converions, the small Stirling DIPS can be advantageously scaled to multihundred watt unit size while preserving size and weight competitiveness with RTG's. Stirling conversion extends the range where dynamic systems are competitive to hundreds of watts (a power range not previously considered for dynamic systems). The challenge of course is to demonstrate reliability similar to RTG experience. Since the competative potential of FPSE as an isotope converter was first identified, work has focused on the feasibility of directly integrating GPHS with the Stirling heater head. Extensive thermal modeling of various radiatively coupled heat source/heater head geometries were performed using data furnished by the developers of FPSE and GPHS. The analysis indicates that, for the 1050 K heater head configurations considered, GPHS fuel clad temperatures remain within safe operating limits under all conditions including shutdown of one engine. Based on these results, preliminary characterizations of multihundred watt units were established.

47 CFR 73.756 - System specifications for double-sideband (DBS) modulated emissions in the HF broadcasting service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

.... Nominal carrier frequencies shall be integral multiples of 5 kHz. (2) Audio-frequency band. The upper limit of the audio-frequency band (at—3 dB) of the transmitter shall not exceed 4.5 kHz and the lower... processing. If audio-frequency signal processing is used, the dynamic range of the modulating signal shall be...

47 CFR 73.756 - System specifications for double-sideband (DBS) modulated emissions in the HF broadcasting service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

.... Nominal carrier frequencies shall be integral multiples of 5 kHz. (2) Audio-frequency band. The upper limit of the audio-frequency band (at—3 dB) of the transmitter shall not exceed 4.5 kHz and the lower... processing. If audio-frequency signal processing is used, the dynamic range of the modulating signal shall be...

47 CFR 73.756 - System specifications for double-sideband (DBS) modulated emissions in the HF broadcasting service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

.... Nominal carrier frequencies shall be integral multiples of 5 kHz. (2) Audio-frequency band. The upper limit of the audio-frequency band (at—3 dB) of the transmitter shall not exceed 4.5 kHz and the lower... processing. If audio-frequency signal processing is used, the dynamic range of the modulating signal shall be...

47 CFR 73.756 - System specifications for double-sideband (DBS) modulated emissions in the HF broadcasting service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

.... Nominal carrier frequencies shall be integral multiples of 5 kHz. (2) Audio-frequency band. The upper limit of the audio-frequency band (at—3 dB) of the transmitter shall not exceed 4.5 kHz and the lower... processing. If audio-frequency signal processing is used, the dynamic range of the modulating signal shall be...

Research on Aero-Thermodynamic Distortion Induced Structural Dynamic Response of Multi-Stage Compressor Blading.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-15

However. only very engineering limited experimental data exists to assess the Director, Thermal Sciences and range of validity and to direct the... experimental results of Goldstein et. al. "A 1111 and also the Navier Stokes numerical solutions of Morihara 1121. Diffuser The predicted stream function...Unsteady Aerodynamic Interactions in a Multistage Compressor............................................................ 53 I APPENDIX VI. Experimental

Modeling and Error Analysis of a Superconducting Gravity Gradiometer.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-08-01

fundamental limit to instrument - -1- sensitivity is the thermal noise of the sensor . For the gradiometer design outlined above, the best sensitivity...Mapoles at Stanford. Chapter IV determines the relation between dynamic range, the sensor Q, and the thermal noise of the cryogenic accelerometer. An...C.1 Accelerometer Optimization (1) Development and optimization of the loaded diaphragm sensor . (2) Determination of the optimal values of the

Learning in Neural Networks: VLSI Implementation Strategies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duong, Tuan Anh

1995-01-01

Fully-parallel hardware neural network implementations may be applied to high-speed recognition, classification, and mapping tasks in areas such as vision, or can be used as low-cost self-contained units for tasks such as error detection in mechanical systems (e.g. autos). Learning is required not only to satisfy application requirements, but also to overcome hardware-imposed limitations such as reduced dynamic range of connections.

Improving homogeneity by dynamic speed limit systems.

PubMed

van Nes, Nicole; Brandenburg, Stefan; Twisk, Divera

2010-05-01

Homogeneity of driving speeds is an important variable in determining road safety; more homogeneous driving speeds increase road safety. This study investigates the effect of introducing dynamic speed limit systems on homogeneity of driving speeds. A total of 46 subjects twice drove a route along 12 road sections in a driving simulator. The speed limit system (static-dynamic), the sophistication of the dynamic speed limit system (basic roadside, advanced roadside, and advanced in-car) and the situational condition (dangerous-non-dangerous) were varied. The homogeneity of driving speed, the rated credibility of the posted speed limit and the acceptance of the different dynamic speed limit systems were assessed. The results show that the homogeneity of individual speeds, defined as the variation in driving speed for an individual subject along a particular road section, was higher with the dynamic speed limit system than with the static speed limit system. The more sophisticated dynamic speed limit system tested within this study led to higher homogeneity than the less sophisticated systems. The acceptance of the dynamic speed limit systems used in this study was positive, they were perceived as quite useful and rather satisfactory. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Analytical method and comparison for static and dynamic headspace gas chromatography of anisole in water].

PubMed

Zhang, Yan; Qian, Jie-feng; Liu, Lan-xia; Zhao, Hui-qin

2013-01-01

To establish and compare the method of static headspace gas chromatography hydrogen flame detector (static headspace method) and purge and trap gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (dynamic headspace method) of anisole in water. Nitrogen gas was used as carrier gas in the static headspace method, 5 g NaCl as matrix modifier was added into 10 ml water. The sample was balanced with high speed vibration at 75°C for 30 min, and anisole was detected by gas chromatography and quantified with external standard. Helium was used as carrier gas in dynamic headspace method, 5.0 ml water and 0.004 mg/L internal standard fluorobenzene was purged into the purge and trap apparatus. After purging, trapping and desorption, anisole was detected by the gas chromatography-mass spectrograph, confirmed by the retention time and comparison of mass-spectrogram in spectrum library and quantified with internal standard. The repeatability and sensitivity of assay were evaluated. A good linear range for anisole was observed in static headspace gas chromatography and dynamic headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, within the range of 10 - 500 µg/L and 0.5 - 60.0 µg/L respectively. The linear regression equation was Y = 782.150X + 1.3446 and Y = 0.0358X - 0.0209 respectively, both the correlation coefficient ≥ 0.999. The detection limit (LOD) were 0.002 µg/L and 0.110 µg/L, the lower limit of quantitation (LOQ) were 0.006 µg/L and 0.350 µg/L, the relative standard deviation (RSD) were 1.8% - 2.3% and 2.0% - 3.4%, and the spiking recovery were 93% - 101% and 96% - 101% respectively. The methods of static headspace gas chromatography and dynamic headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry are simple and can measure anisole in water quickly, sensitively and accurately.

Coupling and uncoupling of triglyceride and beta-carotene production by Dunaliella salina under nitrogen limitation and starvation.

PubMed

Bonnefond, Hubert; Moelants, Nina; Talec, Amélie; Mayzaud, Patrick; Bernard, Olivier; Sciandra, Antoine

2017-01-01

Nitrogen starvation and limitation are known to induce important physiological changes especially in lipid metabolism of microalgae (triglycerides, membrane lipids, beta-carotene, etc.). Although little information is available for Dunaliella salina , it is a promising microalga for biofuel production and biotechnological applications due to its ability to accumulate lipid together with beta-carotene. Batch and chemostat experiments with various degrees of nitrogen limitation, ranging from starvation to nitrogen-replete conditions, were carried out to study carbon storage dynamics (total carbon, lipids, and beta-carotene) in steady state cultures of D. salina . A new protocol was developed in order to manage the very high beta-carotene concentrations and to more accurately separate and quantify beta-carotene and triglycerides by chromatography. Biomass evolution was appropriately described by the Droop model on the basis of the nitrogen quota dynamics. Triglycerides and beta-carotene were both strongly anti-correlated with nitrogen quota highlighting their carbon sink function in nitrogen depletion conditions. Moreover, these two valuable molecules were correlated each other for nitrogen replete conditions or moderated nitrogen limitations (N:C ratio higher than 0.04). Under nitrogen starvation, i.e., for very low N:C ratio, the dynamic revealed, for the first time, uncoupled part (higher triglyceride accumulation than beta-carotene), possibly because of shortage in key proteins involved in the stabilization of lipid droplets. This study motivates the accurate control of the microalgal nitrogen quota in order to optimize lipid productivity.

Method for enhancing the resolving power of ion mobility separations over a limited mobility range

DOEpatents

Shvartsburg, Alexandre A; Tang, Keqi; Smith, Richard D

2014-09-23

A method for raising the resolving power, specificity, and peak capacity of conventional ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed. Ions are separated in a dynamic electric field comprising an oscillatory field wave and opposing static field, or at least two counter propagating waves with different parameters (amplitude, profile, frequency, or speed). As the functional dependencies of mean drift velocity on the ion mobility in a wave and static field or in unequal waves differ, only single species is equilibrated while others drift in either direction and are mobility-separated. An ion mobility spectrum over a limited range is then acquired by measuring ion drift times through a fixed distance inside the gas-filled enclosure. The resolving power in the vicinity of equilibrium mobility substantially exceeds that for known traveling-wave or drift-tube IMS separations, with spectra over wider ranges obtainable by stitching multiple segments. The approach also enables low-cutoff, high-cutoff, and bandpass ion mobility filters.

Post-hit dynamics of price limit hits in the Chinese stock markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Ting; Wang, Yue; Li, Ming-Xia

2017-01-01

Price limit trading rules are useful to cool off traders short-term trading mania on individual stocks. The price dynamics approaching the limit boards are known as the magnet effect. However, the price dynamics after opening price limit hits are not well investigated. Here, we provide a detailed analysis on the price dynamics after the hits of up-limit or down-limit is open based on all A-share stocks traded in the Chinese stock markets. A "W" shape is found in the expected return, which reveals high probability of a continuous price limit hit on the following day. We also find that price dynamics after opening limit hits are dependent on the market trends. The time span of continuously hitting the price limit is found to an influence factor of the expected profit after the limit hit is open. Our analysis provides a better understanding of the price dynamics around the limit boards and contributes potential practical values for investors.

Design and performance of clock-recovery GaAs ICs for high-speed optical communication systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imai, Yuhki; Sano, Eiichi; Nakamura, Makoto; Ishihara, Noboru; Kikuchi, Hiroyuki; Ono, Takashi

1993-05-01

Design and performance of clock-recovery GaAs ICs are presented. Four kinds of ICs were developed: a limiting amplifier, a tuning amplifier, a rectifier, and a differentiator. The cascaded limiting amplifier together with a tuning amplifier achieved a 58-dB gain and a 10-degree phase deviation with 20-dB input dynamic range at 10 GHz. A clock-recovery circuit successfully extracts a low-jitter 10-GHz clock signal of 1-dBm constant power from 10-Gb/s NRZ pseudorandom bit streams using a pulse pattern generator.

Slow Lévy flights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyer, Denis; Pineda, Inti

2016-02-01

Among Markovian processes, the hallmark of Lévy flights is superdiffusion, or faster-than-Brownian dynamics. Here we show that Lévy laws, as well as Gaussian distributions, can also be the limit distributions of processes with long-range memory that exhibit very slow diffusion, logarithmic in time. These processes are path dependent and anomalous motion emerges from frequent relocations to already visited sites. We show how the central limit theorem is modified in this context, keeping the usual distinction between analytic and nonanalytic characteristic functions. A fluctuation-dissipation relation is also derived. Our results may have important applications in the study of animal and human displacements.

A Multiscale Survival Process for Modeling Human Activity Patterns.

PubMed

Zhang, Tianyang; Cui, Peng; Song, Chaoming; Zhu, Wenwu; Yang, Shiqiang

2016-01-01

Human activity plays a central role in understanding large-scale social dynamics. It is well documented that individual activity pattern follows bursty dynamics characterized by heavy-tailed interevent time distributions. Here we study a large-scale online chatting dataset consisting of 5,549,570 users, finding that individual activity pattern varies with timescales whereas existing models only approximate empirical observations within a limited timescale. We propose a novel approach that models the intensity rate of an individual triggering an activity. We demonstrate that the model precisely captures corresponding human dynamics across multiple timescales over five orders of magnitudes. Our model also allows extracting the population heterogeneity of activity patterns, characterized by a set of individual-specific ingredients. Integrating our approach with social interactions leads to a wide range of implications.

Spinfoam cosmology with the proper vertex amplitude

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vilensky, Ilya

2017-11-01

The proper vertex amplitude is derived from the Engle-Pereira-Rovelli-Livine vertex by restricting to a single gravitational sector in order to achieve the correct semi-classical behaviour. We apply the proper vertex to calculate a cosmological transition amplitude that can be viewed as the Hartle-Hawking wavefunction. To perform this calculation we deduce the integral form of the proper vertex and use extended stationary phase methods to estimate the large-volume limit. We show that the resulting amplitude satisfies an operator constraint whose classical analogue is the Hamiltonian constraint of the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmology. We find that the constraint dynamically selects the relevant family of coherent states and demonstrate a similar dynamic selection in standard quantum mechanics. We investigate the effects of dynamical selection on long-range correlations.

Variable optical attenuator and dynamic mode group equalizer for few mode fibers.

PubMed

Blau, Miri; Weiss, Israel; Gerufi, Jonathan; Sinefeld, David; Bin-Nun, Moran; Lingle, Robert; Grüner-Nielsen, Lars; Marom, Dan M

2014-12-15

Variable optical attenuation (VOA) for three-mode fiber is experimentally presented, utilizing an amplitude spatial light modulator (SLM), achieving up to -28dB uniform attenuation for all modes. Using the ability to spatially vary the attenuation distribution with the SLM, we also achieve up to 10dB differential attenuation between the fiber's two supported mode group (LP₀₁ and LP₁₁). The spatially selective attenuation serves as the basis of a dynamic mode-group equalizer (DME), potentially gain-balancing mode dependent optical amplification. We extend the experimental three mode DME functionality with a performance analysis of a fiber supporting 6 spatial modes in four mode groups. The spatial modes' distribution and overlap limit the available dynamic range and performance of the DME in the higher mode count case.

Calculated Low-Speed Steady and Time-Dependent Aerodynamic Derivatives for Several Different Wings Using a Discrete Vortex Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riley, Donald R.

2016-01-01

Calculated numerical values for some aerodynamic terms and stability Derivatives for several different wings in unseparated inviscid incompressible flow were made using a discrete vortex method involving a limited number of horseshoe vortices. Both longitudinal and lateral-directional derivatives were calculated for steady conditions as well as for sinusoidal oscillatory motions. Variables included the number of vortices used and the rotation axis/moment center chordwise location. Frequencies considered were limited to the range of interest to vehicle dynamic stability (kb <.24 ). Comparisons of some calculated numerical results with experimental wind-tunnel measurements were in reasonable agreement in the low angle-of-attack range considering the differences existing between the mathematical representation and experimental wind-tunnel models tested. Of particular interest was the presence of induced drag for the oscillatory condition.

The Focusing Optics X-ray Solar Imager (FOXSI) sounding rocket, first flight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christe, Steven; Glesener, L.; Ishikawa, S.; Ramsey, B.; Takahashi, T.; Watanabe, S.; Saito, S.; Lin, R. P.; Krucker, S.

2013-07-01

Understanding electron acceleration in solar flares requires X-ray studies with greater sensitivity and dynamic range than are available with current solar hard X-ray observers (i.e. the RHESSI spacecraft). RHESSI employs an indirect Fourier imaging method that is intrinsically limited in dynamic range and therefore can rarely image faint coronal flare sources in the presence of bright footpoints. With greater sensitivity and dynamic range, electron acceleration sites in the corona could be studied in great detail. Both these capabilities can be advanced by the use of direct focusing optics. The recently flown Focusing Optics X-ray Solar Imager (FOXSI) sounding rocket payload demonstrates the feasibility and usefulness of hard X-ray focusing optics for observations of solar hard X-rays. FOXSI features grazing-incidence replicated nickel optics made by the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and fine-pitch silicon strip detectors developed by the Astro-H team at JAXA/ISAS. FOXSI flew successfully on November 2, 2012, producing images and spectra of a microflare and performing a search for nonthermal emission (4-15 keV) from nanoflares in the quiet Sun. Nanoflares are a candidate for providing the required energy to heat the solar corona to its high temperature of a few million degrees. A future satellite version of FOXSI, featuring similar optics and detectors, could make detailed observations of hard X-rays from flare-accelerated electrons, identifying and characterizing particle acceleration sites and mapping out paths of energetic electrons as they leave these sites and propagate throughout the solar corona.Abstract (2,250 Maximum Characters): Understanding electron acceleration in solar flares requires X-ray studies with greater sensitivity and dynamic range than are available with current solar hard X-ray observers (i.e. the RHESSI spacecraft). RHESSI employs an indirect Fourier imaging method that is intrinsically limited in dynamic range and therefore can rarely image faint coronal flare sources in the presence of bright footpoints. With greater sensitivity and dynamic range, electron acceleration sites in the corona could be studied in great detail. Both these capabilities can be advanced by the use of direct focusing optics. The recently flown Focusing Optics X-ray Solar Imager (FOXSI) sounding rocket payload demonstrates the feasibility and usefulness of hard X-ray focusing optics for observations of solar hard X-rays. FOXSI features grazing-incidence replicated nickel optics made by the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and fine-pitch silicon strip detectors developed by the Astro-H team at JAXA/ISAS. FOXSI flew successfully on November 2, 2012, producing images and spectra of a microflare and performing a search for nonthermal emission (4-15 keV) from nanoflares in the quiet Sun. Nanoflares are a candidate for providing the required energy to heat the solar corona to its high temperature of a few million degrees. A future satellite version of FOXSI, featuring similar optics and detectors, could make detailed observations of hard X-rays from flare-accelerated electrons, identifying and characterizing particle acceleration sites and mapping out paths of energetic electrons as they leave these sites and propagate throughout the solar corona.

Complex dynamics of memristive circuits: Analytical results and universal slow relaxation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caravelli, F.; Traversa, F. L.; Di Ventra, M.

2017-02-01

Networks with memristive elements (resistors with memory) are being explored for a variety of applications ranging from unconventional computing to models of the brain. However, analytical results that highlight the role of the graph connectivity on the memory dynamics are still few, thus limiting our understanding of these important dynamical systems. In this paper, we derive an exact matrix equation of motion that takes into account all the network constraints of a purely memristive circuit, and we employ it to derive analytical results regarding its relaxation properties. We are able to describe the memory evolution in terms of orthogonal projection operators onto the subspace of fundamental loop space of the underlying circuit. This orthogonal projection explicitly reveals the coupling between the spatial and temporal sectors of the memristive circuits and compactly describes the circuit topology. For the case of disordered graphs, we are able to explain the emergence of a power-law relaxation as a superposition of exponential relaxation times with a broad range of scales using random matrices. This power law is also universal, namely independent of the topology of the underlying graph but dependent only on the density of loops. In the case of circuits subject to alternating voltage instead, we are able to obtain an approximate solution of the dynamics, which is tested against a specific network topology. These results suggest a much richer dynamics of memristive networks than previously considered.

Dynamics of individual perceptual decisions

PubMed Central

Clark, Torin K.; Lu, Yue M.; Karmali, Faisal

2015-01-01

Perceptual decision making is fundamental to a broad range of fields including neurophysiology, economics, medicine, advertising, law, etc. Although recent findings have yielded major advances in our understanding of perceptual decision making, decision making as a function of time and frequency (i.e., decision-making dynamics) is not well understood. To limit the review length, we focus most of this review on human findings. Animal findings, which are extensively reviewed elsewhere, are included when beneficial or necessary. We attempt to put these various findings and data sets, which can appear to be unrelated in the absence of a formal dynamic analysis, into context using published models. Specifically, by adding appropriate dynamic mechanisms (e.g., high-pass filters) to existing models, it appears that a number of otherwise seemingly disparate findings from the literature might be explained. One hypothesis that arises through this dynamic analysis is that decision making includes phasic (high pass) neural mechanisms, an evidence accumulator and/or some sort of midtrial decision-making mechanism (e.g., peak detector and/or decision boundary). PMID:26467513

Dynamic Stability Testing of the Genesis Sample Return Capsule

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheatwood, F. McNeil; Winchenbach, Gerald L.; Hathaway, Wayne; Chapman, Gary

2000-01-01

This paper documents a series of free flight tests of a scale model of the Genesis Sample Return Capsule. These tests were conducted in the Aeroballistic Research Facility (ARF), located at Eglin AFB, FL, during April 1999 and were sponsored by NASA Langley Research Center. Because these blunt atmospheric entry shapes tend to experience small angle of attack dynamic instabilities (frequently leading to limit cycle motions), the primary purpose of the present tests was to determine the dynamic stability characteristics of the Genesis configuration. The tests were conducted over a Mach number range of 1.0 to 4.5. The results for this configuration indicate that the models were dynamically unstable at low angles of attack for all Mach numbers tested. At Mach numbers below 2.5, the models were also unstable at the higher angles of attack (above 15 deg), and motion amplitudes of up to 40 deg were experienced. Above Mach 2.5, the models were dynamically stable at the higher angles of attack.

Parity-time symmetry breaking in magnetic systems

DOE PAGES

Galda, Alexey; Vinokur, Valerii M.

2016-07-14

The understanding of out-of-equilibrium physics, especially dynamic instabilities and dynamic phase transitions, is one of the major challenges of contemporary science, spanning the broadest wealth of research areas that range from quantum optics to living organisms. By focusing on nonequilibrium dynamics of an open dissipative spin system, we introduce a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian approach, in which non-Hermiticity reflects dissipation and deviation from equilibrium. The imaginary part of the proposed spin Hamiltonian describes the effects of Gilbert damping and applied Slonczewski spin-transfer torque. In the classical limit, our approach reproduces Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert-Slonczewski dynamics of a large macrospin. Here, we reveal the spin-transfer torque-drivenmore » parity-time symmetry-breaking phase transition corresponding to a transition from precessional to exponentially damped spin dynamics. Micromagnetic simulations for nanoscale ferromagnetic disks demonstrate the predicted effect. These findings can pave the way to a general quantitative description of out-of-equilibrium phase transitions driven by spontaneous parity-time symmetry breaking.« less

A family of dynamic models for large-eddy simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carati, D.; Jansen, K.; Lund, T.

1995-01-01

Since its first application, the dynamic procedure has been recognized as an effective means to compute rather than prescribe the unknown coefficients that appear in a subgrid-scale model for Large-Eddy Simulation (LES). The dynamic procedure is usually used to determine the nondimensional coefficient in the Smagorinsky (1963) model. In reality the procedure is quite general and it is not limited to the Smagorinsky model by any theoretical or practical constraints. The purpose of this note is to consider a generalized family of dynamic eddy viscosity models that do not necessarily rely on the local equilibrium assumption built into the Smagorinsky model. By invoking an inertial range assumption, it will be shown that the coefficients in the new models need not be nondimensional. This additional degree of freedom allows the use of models that are scaled on traditionally unknown quantities such as the dissipation rate. In certain cases, the dynamic models with dimensional coefficients are simpler to implement, and allow for a 30% reduction in the number of required filtering operations.

Development and testing of laser Doppler system components for wake vortex monitoring. Volume 1: Scanner development, laboratory and field testing and system modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, D. J.; Krause, M. C.; Coffey, E. W.; Huang, C. C.; Edwards, B. B.; Shrider, K. R.; Jetton, J. L.; Morrison, L. K.

1974-01-01

A servo-controlled range/elevation scanner for the laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) was developed and tested in the field to assess its performance in detecting and monitoring aircraft trailing vortices in an airport environment. The elevation scanner provides a capability to manually point the LDV telescope at operator chosen angles from 3.2 deg. to 89.6 deg within 0.2 deg, or to automatically scan the units between operator chosen limits at operator chosen rates of 0.1 Hz to 0.5 Hz. The range scanner provides a capability to manually adjust the focal point of the system from a range of 32 meters to a range of 896 meters under operator control, or to scan between operator chosen limits and at rates from 0.1 Hz to 6.9 Hz. The scanner controls are designed to allow simulataneous range and elevation scanning so as to provide finger scan patterns, arc scan patterns, and vertical line scan patterns. The development and testing of the unit is discussed, along with a fluid dynamic model of the wake vortex developed in a laser Doppler vortex sensor simulation program.

Characteristics of a dynamic holographic sensor for shape control of a large reflector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welch, Sharon S.; Cox, David E.

1991-01-01

Design of a distributed holographic interferometric sensor for measuring the surface displacement of a large segmented reflector is proposed. The reflector's surface is illuminated by laser light of two wavelengths and volume holographic gratings are formed in photorefractive crystals of the wavefront returned from the surface. The sensor is based on holographic contouring with a multiple frequency source. It is shown that the most stringent requirement of temporal stability affects both the temporal resolution and the dynamic range. Principal factor which limit the sensor performance include the response time of photorefractive crystal, laser power required to write a hologram, and the size of photorefractive crystal.

Analysis of various descent trajectories for a hypersonic-cruise, cold-wall research airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawing, P. L.

1975-01-01

The probable descent operating conditions for a hypersonic air-breathing research airplane were examined. Descents selected were cruise angle of attack, high dynamic pressure, high lift coefficient, turns, and descents with drag brakes. The descents were parametrically exercised and compared from the standpoint of cold-wall (367 K) aircraft heat load. The descent parameters compared were total heat load, peak heating rate, time to landing, time to end of heat pulse, and range. Trends in total heat load as a function of cruise Mach number, cruise dynamic pressure, angle-of-attack limitation, pull-up g-load, heading angle, and drag-brake size are presented.

Comparison of full-field interferometric measurement techniques applied to small vibration amplitudes determination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Styk, Adam

2014-07-01

Classical time-averaging and stroboscopic interferometry are widely used for MEMS/MOEMS dynamic behavior investigations. Unfortunately both methods require an amplitude magnitude of at least 0.19λ to be able to detect resonant frequency of the object. Moreover the precision of measurement is limited. That puts strong constrains on the type of element to be tested. In this paper the comparison of two methods of microobject vibration measurements that overcome aforementioned problems are presented. Both methods maintain high speed measurement time and extend the range of amplitudes to be measured (below 0.19λ), moreover can be easily applied to MEMS/MOEMS dynamic parameters measurements.

A variable-collimation display system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batchko, Robert; Robinson, Sam; Schmidt, Jack; Graniela, Benito

2014-03-01

Two important human depth cues are accommodation and vergence. Normally, the eyes accommodate and converge or diverge in tandem; changes in viewing distance cause the eyes to simultaneously adjust both focus and orientation. However, ambiguity between accommodation and vergence cues is a well-known limitation in many stereoscopic display technologies. This limitation also arises in state-of-the-art full-flight simulator displays. In current full-flight simulators, the out-the-window (OTW) display (i.e., the front cockpit window display) employs a fixed collimated display technology which allows the pilot and copilot to perceive the OTW training scene without angular errors or distortions; however, accommodation and vergence cues are limited to fixed ranges (e.g., ~ 20 m). While this approach works well for long-range, the ambiguity of depth cues at shorter range hinders the pilot's ability to gauge distances in critical maneuvers such as vertical take-off and landing (VTOL). This is the first in a series of papers on a novel, variable-collimation display (VCD) technology that is being developed under NAVY SBIR Topic N121-041 funding. The proposed VCD will integrate with rotary-wing and vertical take-off and landing simulators and provide accurate accommodation and vergence cues for distances ranging from approximately 3 m outside the chin window to ~ 20 m. A display that offers dynamic accommodation and vergence could improve pilot safety and training, and impact other applications presently limited by lack of these depth cues.

Locating the source of diffusion in complex networks by time-reversal backward spreading.

PubMed

Shen, Zhesi; Cao, Shinan; Wang, Wen-Xu; Di, Zengru; Stanley, H Eugene

2016-03-01

Locating the source that triggers a dynamical process is a fundamental but challenging problem in complex networks, ranging from epidemic spreading in society and on the Internet to cancer metastasis in the human body. An accurate localization of the source is inherently limited by our ability to simultaneously access the information of all nodes in a large-scale complex network. This thus raises two critical questions: how do we locate the source from incomplete information and can we achieve full localization of sources at any possible location from a given set of observable nodes. Here we develop a time-reversal backward spreading algorithm to locate the source of a diffusion-like process efficiently and propose a general locatability condition. We test the algorithm by employing epidemic spreading and consensus dynamics as typical dynamical processes and apply it to the H1N1 pandemic in China. We find that the sources can be precisely located in arbitrary networks insofar as the locatability condition is assured. Our tools greatly improve our ability to locate the source of diffusion in complex networks based on limited accessibility of nodal information. Moreover, they have implications for controlling a variety of dynamical processes taking place on complex networks, such as inhibiting epidemics, slowing the spread of rumors, pollution control, and environmental protection.

Locating the source of diffusion in complex networks by time-reversal backward spreading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Zhesi; Cao, Shinan; Wang, Wen-Xu; Di, Zengru; Stanley, H. Eugene

2016-03-01

Locating the source that triggers a dynamical process is a fundamental but challenging problem in complex networks, ranging from epidemic spreading in society and on the Internet to cancer metastasis in the human body. An accurate localization of the source is inherently limited by our ability to simultaneously access the information of all nodes in a large-scale complex network. This thus raises two critical questions: how do we locate the source from incomplete information and can we achieve full localization of sources at any possible location from a given set of observable nodes. Here we develop a time-reversal backward spreading algorithm to locate the source of a diffusion-like process efficiently and propose a general locatability condition. We test the algorithm by employing epidemic spreading and consensus dynamics as typical dynamical processes and apply it to the H1N1 pandemic in China. We find that the sources can be precisely located in arbitrary networks insofar as the locatability condition is assured. Our tools greatly improve our ability to locate the source of diffusion in complex networks based on limited accessibility of nodal information. Moreover, they have implications for controlling a variety of dynamical processes taking place on complex networks, such as inhibiting epidemics, slowing the spread of rumors, pollution control, and environmental protection.

Solvent-shared pairs of densely charged ions induce intense but short-range supra-additive slowdown of water rotation.

PubMed

Vila Verde, Ana; Santer, Mark; Lipowsky, Reinhard

2016-01-21

The question "Can ions exert supra-additive effects on water dynamics?" has had several opposing answers from both simulation and experiment. We address this ongoing controversy by investigating water reorientation in aqueous solutions of two salts with large (magnesium sulfate) and small (cesium chloride) effects on water dynamics using molecular dynamics simulations and classical, polarizable models. The salt models are reparameterized to reproduce properties of both dilute and concentrated solutions. We demonstrate that water rotation in concentrated MgSO4 solutions is unexpectedly slow, in agreement with experiment, and that the slowdown is supra-additive: the observed slowdown is larger than that predicted by assuming that the resultant of the extra forces induced by the ions on the rotating water molecules tilts the free energy landscape associated with water rotation. Supra-additive slow down is very intense but short-range, and is strongly ion-specific: in contrast to the long-range picture initially proposed based on experiment, we find that intense supra-additivity is limited to water molecules directly bridging two ions in solvent-shared ion pair configuration; in contrast to a non-ion-specific origin to supra-additive effects proposed from simulations, we find that the magnitude of supra-additive slowdown strongly depends on the identity of the cations and anions. Supra-additive slowdown of water dynamics requires long-lived solvent-shared ion pairs; long-lived ion pairs should be typical for salts of multivalent ions. We discuss the origin of the apparent disagreement between the various studies on this topic and show that the short-range cooperative slowdown scenario proposed here resolves the existing controversy.

Computational and Mathematical Modeling of Coupled Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berggren, Susan Anne Elizabeth

This research focuses on conducting an extensive computational investigation and mathematical analysis into the average voltage response of arrays of Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices (SQUIDs). These arrays will serve as the basis for the development of a sensitive, low noise, significantly lower Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) antenna integrated with Low-Noise Amplifier (LNA) using the SQUID technology. The goal for this antenna is to be capable of meeting all requirements for Guided Missile Destroyers (DDG) 1000 class ships for Information Operations/Signals Intelligence (IO/SIGINT) applications in Very High Frequency/Ultra High Frequency (V/UHF) bands. The device will increase the listening capability of receivers by moving technology into a new regime of energy detection allowing wider band, smaller size, more sensitive, stealthier systems. The smaller size and greater sensitivity will allow for ships to be “de-cluttered” of their current large dishes and devices, replacing everything with fewer and smaller SQUID antenna devices. The fewer devices present on the deck of a ship, the more invisible the ship will be to enemy forces. We invent new arrays of SQUIDs, optimized for signal detection with very high dynamic range and excellent spur-free dynamic range, while maintaining extreme small size (and low radar cross section), wide bandwidth, and environmentally noise limited sensitivity, effectively shifting the bottle neck of receiver systems forever away from the antenna itself deeper into the receiver chain. To accomplish these goals we develop and validate mathematical models for different designs of SQUID arrays and use them to invent a new device and systems design. This design is capable of significantly exceeding, per size weight and power, state-of-the-art receiver system measures of performance, such as bandwidth, sensitivity, dynamic range, and spurious-free dynamic range.

The Relationship Between Intensity Coding and Binaural Sensitivity in Adults With Cochlear Implants

PubMed Central

Todd, Ann E.; Goupell, Matthew J.; Litovsky, Ruth Y.

2016-01-01

Objectives Many bilateral cochlear implant users show sensitivity to binaural information when stimulation is provided using a pair of synchronized electrodes. However, there is large variability in binaural sensitivity between and within participants across stimulation sites in the cochlea. It was hypothesized that within-participant variability in binaural sensitivity is in part affected by limitations and characteristics of the auditory periphery which may be reflected by monaural hearing performance. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between monaural and binaural hearing performance within participants with bilateral cochlear implants. Design Binaural measures included dichotic signal detection and interaural time difference discrimination thresholds. Diotic signal detection thresholds were also measured. Monaural measures included dynamic range and amplitude modulation detection. In addition, loudness growth was compared between ears. Measures were made at three stimulation sites per listener. Results Greater binaural sensitivity was found with larger dynamic ranges. Poorer interaural time difference discrimination was found with larger difference between comfortable levels of the two ears. In addition, poorer diotic signal detection thresholds were found with larger differences between the dynamic ranges of the two ears. No relationship was found between amplitude modulation detection thresholds or symmetry of loudness growth and the binaural measures. Conclusions The results suggest that some of the variability in binaural hearing performance within listeners across stimulation sites can be explained by factors non-specific to binaural processing. The results are consistent with the idea that dynamic range and comfortable levels relate to peripheral neural survival and the width of the excitation pattern which could affect the fidelity with which central binaural nuclei process bilateral inputs. PMID:27787393

Dielectric Study of Alcohols Using Broadband Terahertz Time Domain Spectroscopy (THz-TDS).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Sohini; Saha, Debasis; Banerjee, Sneha; Mukherjee, Arnab; Mandal, Pankaj

2016-06-01

Broadband Terahertz-Time Domain Spectroscopy (THz-TDS) (1-10 THz) has been utilized to study the complex dielectric properties of methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, and 1-octanol. Previous reports on dielectric study of alcohols were limited to 5 THz. At THz (1 THz = 33.33 wn = 4 meV) frequency range (0.1 to 15 THz), the molecular reorientation and several intermolecular vibrations (local oscillation of dipoles) may coexist and contribute to the overall liquid dynamics. We find that the Debye type relaxations barely contribute beyond 1 THz, rather three harmonic oscillators dominate the entire spectral range. To get insights on the modes responsible for the observed absorption in THz frequency range, we performed all atom molecular dynamics (MD) using OPLS force field and ab initio quantum calculations. Combined experimental and theoretical study reveal that the complex dielectric functions of alcohols have contribution from a) alkyl group oscillation within H-bonded network ( 1 THz), b) intermolecular H-bond stretching ( 5 THz) , and c) librational motions in alcohols. The present work, therefore, complements all previous studies on alcohols at lower frequencies and provides a clear picture on them in a broad spectral range from microwave to 10 THz.

Drift mode accelerometry for spaceborne gravity measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conklin, John W.

2015-11-01

A drift mode accelerometer is a precision instrument for spacecraft that overcomes much of the acceleration noise and readout dynamic range limitations of traditional electrostatic accelerometers. It has the potential of achieving acceleration noise performance similar to that of drag-free systems over a restricted frequency band without the need for external drag-free control or continuous spacecraft propulsion. Like traditional accelerometers, the drift mode accelerometer contains a high-density test mass surrounded by an electrode housing, which can control and sense all six degrees of freedom of the test mass. Unlike traditional accelerometers, the suspension system is operated with a low duty cycle so that the limiting suspension force noise only acts over brief, known time intervals, which can be neglected in the data analysis. The readout is performed using a laser interferometer which is immune to the dynamic range limitations of even the best voltage references typically used to determine the inertial acceleration of electrostatic accelerometers. The drift mode accelerometer is a novel offshoot of the like-named operational mode of the LISA Pathfinder spacecraft, in which its test mass suspension system is cycled on and off to estimate the acceleration noise associated with the front-end electronics. This paper presents the concept of a drift mode accelerometer, describes the operation of such a device, develops models for its performance with respect to non-drag-free satellite geodesy and gravitational wave missions, and discusses plans for testing the performance of a prototype sensor in the laboratory using torsion pendula.

Photometric Calibration and Image Stitching for a Large Field of View Multi-Camera System

PubMed Central

Lu, Yu; Wang, Keyi; Fan, Gongshu

2016-01-01

A new compact large field of view (FOV) multi-camera system is introduced. The camera is based on seven tiny complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor sensor modules covering over 160° × 160° FOV. Although image stitching has been studied extensively, sensor and lens differences have not been considered in previous multi-camera devices. In this study, we have calibrated the photometric characteristics of the multi-camera device. Lenses were not mounted on the sensor in the process of radiometric response calibration to eliminate the influence of the focusing effect of uniform light from an integrating sphere. Linearity range of the radiometric response, non-linearity response characteristics, sensitivity, and dark current of the camera response function are presented. The R, G, and B channels have different responses for the same illuminance. Vignetting artifact patterns have been tested. The actual luminance of the object is retrieved by sensor calibration results, and is used to blend images to make panoramas reflect the objective luminance more objectively. This compensates for the limitation of stitching images that are more realistic only through the smoothing method. The dynamic range limitation of can be resolved by using multiple cameras that cover a large field of view instead of a single image sensor with a wide-angle lens. The dynamic range is expanded by 48-fold in this system. We can obtain seven images in one shot with this multi-camera system, at 13 frames per second. PMID:27077857

Dynamic Stability Analysis of Blunt Body Entry Vehicles Using Time-Lagged Aftbody Pitching Moments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kazemba, Cole D.; Braun, Robert D.; Schoenenberger, Mark; Clark, Ian G.

2013-01-01

This analysis defines an analytic model for the pitching motion of blunt bodies during atmospheric entry. The proposed model is independent of the pitch damping sum coefficient present in the standard formulation of the equations of motion describing pitch oscillations of a decelerating blunt body, instead using the principle of a time-lagged aftbody moment as the forcing function for oscillation divergence. Four parameters, all with intuitive physical relevance, are introduced to fully define the aftbody moment and the associated time delay. It is shown that the dynamic oscillation responses typical to blunt bodies can be produced using hysteresis of the aftbody moment in place of the pitch damping coefficient. The approach used in this investigation is shown to be useful in understanding the governing physical mechanisms for blunt body dynamic stability and in guiding vehicle and mission design requirements. A validation case study using simulated ballistic range test data is conducted. From this, parameter identification is carried out through the use of a least squares optimizing routine. Results show good agreement with the limited existing literature for the parameters identified, suggesting that the model proposed could be validated by an experimental ballistic range test series. The trajectories produced by the identified parameters were found to match closely those from the MER ballistic range tests for a wide array of initial conditions and can be identified with a reasonable number of ballistic range shots and computational effort.

Automatic Adaptation to Fast Input Changes in a Time-Invariant Neural Circuit

PubMed Central

Bharioke, Arjun; Chklovskii, Dmitri B.

2015-01-01

Neurons must faithfully encode signals that can vary over many orders of magnitude despite having only limited dynamic ranges. For a correlated signal, this dynamic range constraint can be relieved by subtracting away components of the signal that can be predicted from the past, a strategy known as predictive coding, that relies on learning the input statistics. However, the statistics of input natural signals can also vary over very short time scales e.g., following saccades across a visual scene. To maintain a reduced transmission cost to signals with rapidly varying statistics, neuronal circuits implementing predictive coding must also rapidly adapt their properties. Experimentally, in different sensory modalities, sensory neurons have shown such adaptations within 100 ms of an input change. Here, we show first that linear neurons connected in a feedback inhibitory circuit can implement predictive coding. We then show that adding a rectification nonlinearity to such a feedback inhibitory circuit allows it to automatically adapt and approximate the performance of an optimal linear predictive coding network, over a wide range of inputs, while keeping its underlying temporal and synaptic properties unchanged. We demonstrate that the resulting changes to the linearized temporal filters of this nonlinear network match the fast adaptations observed experimentally in different sensory modalities, in different vertebrate species. Therefore, the nonlinear feedback inhibitory network can provide automatic adaptation to fast varying signals, maintaining the dynamic range necessary for accurate neuronal transmission of natural inputs. PMID:26247884

Evaluating competing forces constraining glacial grounding-line stability (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Powell, R. D.

2013-12-01

Stability of grounding lines of marine-terminating glaciers and ice sheets is of concern due to their importance in governing rates of ice mass loss and consequent sea level rise during global warming. Although processes are similar at tidewater and floating grounding zones their relative magnitudes in terms of their influence on grounding-line stability vary between these two end members. Processes considered Important for this discussion are ice dynamics, ice surface melting and crevassing, ocean dynamics, subglacial sediment and water dynamics, and subglacial bed geometries. Models have continued to improve in their representation of these complex interactions but reliable field measurements and data continue to be hard earned and too few to properly constrain the range of boundary conditions in this complicated system. Some data will be presented covering a range of regimes from Alaska, Svalbard and Antarctica. Certainly more data are required on subglacial sediment/water dynamics and fluxes to fully represent the spectrum of glacial regimes and to assess the significance of grounding-zone sediment systems in counteracting the other processes to force grounding-line stability. Especially important here is constraining the duration of the stability that could be maintained by sediment flux - present data appear to show that it is likely to be a limited period.

Direct identification of predator-prey dynamics in gyrokinetic simulations

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

Kobayashi, Sumire, E-mail: sumire.kobayashi@lpp.polytechnique.fr; Gürcan, Özgür D; Diamond, Patrick H.

2015-09-15

The interaction between spontaneously formed zonal flows and small-scale turbulence in nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations is explored in a shearless closed field line geometry. It is found that when clear limit cycle oscillations prevail, the observed turbulent dynamics can be quantitatively captured by a simple Lotka-Volterra type predator-prey model. Fitting the time traces of full gyrokinetic simulations by such a reduced model allows extraction of the model coefficients. Scanning physical plasma parameters, such as collisionality and density gradient, it was observed that the effective growth rates of turbulence (i.e., the prey) remain roughly constant, in spite of the higher and varyingmore » level of primary mode linear growth rates. The effective growth rate that was extracted corresponds roughly to the zonal-flow-modified primary mode growth rate. It was also observed that the effective damping of zonal flows (i.e., the predator) in the parameter range, where clear predator-prey dynamics is observed, (i.e., near marginal stability) agrees with the collisional damping expected in these simulations. This implies that the Kelvin-Helmholtz-like instability may be negligible in this range. The results imply that when the tertiary instability plays a role, the dynamics becomes more complex than a simple Lotka-Volterra predator prey.« less

Ab Initio Calculations of Transport in Titanium and Aluminum Mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, Nicholas; Novak, Brian; Tam, Ka Ming; Moldovan, Dorel; Jarrell, Mark

In classical molecular dynamics simulations, the self-diffusion and shear viscosity of titanium about the melting point have fallen within the ranges provided by experimental data. However, the experimental data is difficult to collect and has been rather scattered, making it of limited value for the validation of these calculations. By using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations within the density functional theory framework, the classical molecular dynamics data can be validated. The dynamical data from the ab initio molecular dynamics can also be used to calculate new potentials for use in classical molecular dynamics, allowing for more accurate classical dynamics simulations for the liquid phase. For metallic materials such as titanium and aluminum alloys, these calculations are very valuable due to an increasing demand for the knowledge of their thermophysical properties that drive the development of new materials. For example, alongside knowledge of the surface tension, viscosity is an important input for modeling the additive manufacturing process at the continuum level. We are developing calculations of the viscosity along with the self-diffusion for aluminum, titanium, and titanium-aluminum alloys with ab initio molecular dynamics. Supported by the National Science Foundation through cooperative agreement OIA-1541079 and the Louisiana Board of Regents.

Constitutive modeling and dynamic softening mechanism during hot deformation of an ultra-pure 17%Cr ferritic stainless steel stabilized with Nb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Fei; Liu, Zhenyu; Misra, R. D. K.; Liu, Haitao; Yu, Fuxiao

2014-09-01

The hot deformation behavior of an ultra-pure 17%Cr ferritic stainless steel was studied in the temperature range of 750-1000 °C and strain rates of 0.5 to 10 s-1 using isothermal hot compression tests in a thermomechanical simulator. The microstructural evolution was investigated using electron backscattered diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. A modified constitutive equation considering the effect of strain on material constant was developed, which predicted the flow stress for the deformation conditions studied, except at 950 °C in 1 s-1 and 900 °C in 10 s-1. Decreasing deformation temperature and increasing strain was beneficial in refining the microstructure. Decreasing deformation temperature, the in-grain shear bands appeared in the microstructure. It is suggested that the dynamic softening mechanism is closely related to deformation temperature. At low deformation temperature, dynamic recovery was major softening mechanism and no dynamic recrystallization occurred. At high deformation temperature, dynamic softening was explained in terms of efficient dynamic recovery and limited continuous dynamic recrystallization. A drop in the flow stress was not found due to very small fraction of new grains nucleated during dynamic recrystallization.

Underestimation of myocardial blood flow by dynamic perfusion CT: Explanations by two-compartment model analysis and limited temporal sampling of dynamic CT.

PubMed

Ishida, Masaki; Kitagawa, Kakuya; Ichihara, Takashi; Natsume, Takahiro; Nakayama, Ryohei; Nagasawa, Naoki; Kubooka, Makiko; Ito, Tatsuro; Uno, Mio; Goto, Yoshitaka; Nagata, Motonori; Sakuma, Hajime

2016-01-01

Previous studies using dynamic perfusion CT and volume perfusion CT (VPCT) software consistently underestimated the stress myocardial blood flow (MBF) in normal myocardium to be 1.1-1.4 ml/min/g, whilst the O 15-water PET studies demonstrated the normal stress MBF of 3-5 ml/min/g. We hypothesized that the MBF determined by VPCT (MBF-VPCT) is actually presenting the blood-to-myocardium transfer constant, K1. In this study, we determined K1 using Patlak plot (K1-Patlak) and compared the results with MBF-VPCT. 17 patients (66 ± 9 years, 7 males) with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) underwent stress dynamic perfusion CT, followed by rest coronary CT angiography (CTA). Arterial input and myocardial output curves were analyzed with Patlak plot to quantify myocardial K1. Significant CAD was defined as >50% stenosis on CTA. A simulation study was also performed to investigate the influence of limited temporal sampling in dynamic CT acquisition on K1 using the undersampling data generated from MRI. There were 3 patients with normal CTA, 7 patients with non-significant CAD, and 7 patients with significant CAD. K1-patlak was 0.98 ± 0.35 (range 0.22-1.67) ml/min/g, whereas MBF-VPCT was 0.83 ± 0.23 (range 0.34-1.40) ml/min/g. There was a linear relationship between them: (MBF-VPCT) = 0.58 x (K1-patlak) + 0.27 (r(2) = 0.65, p < 0.001). The simulation study done on MRI data demonstrated that Patlak plot substantially underestimated true K1 by 41% when true K1 was 2.0 ml/min/g with the temporal sampling of 2RR for arterial input and 4RR for myocardial output functions. The results of our study are generating hypothesis that MBF-VPCT is likely to be calculating K1-patlak equivalent, not MBF. In addition, these values may be substantially underestimated because of limited temporal sampling rate. Copyright © 2016 Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Detection-dependent kinetics as a probe of folding landscape microstructure.

PubMed

Yang, Wei Yuan; Gruebele, Martin

2004-06-30

The folding landscapes of polypeptides and proteins exhibit a hierarchy of local minima. The causes range from proline isomerization all the way down to microstructure in the free energy caused by residual frustration inherent in even the best 20 amino acid design. The corresponding time scales range from hours to submicroseconds. The smallest microstructures are difficult to detect. We have measured the folding/unfolding kinetics of the engineered trpzip2 peptide at different tryptophan fluorescence wavelengths, each yielding a different rate. Wavelength-dependent folding kinetics on 0.1-2 mus time scales show that different microstructures with a range of solvent exposure and local dynamics are populated. We estimate a lower limit for the roughness of the free energy surface based on the range of rates observed.

The Virtue of Just Enough Stress: A Molecular Model

PubMed Central

Bishopric, Nanette H.

2012-01-01

Molecular biology emphasizes the study of all-or-nothing phenomena and molecular events with a large dynamic range. However, many important physiologic parameters in the clinical setting are tightly constrained (e.g., serum sodium concentration, body mass, venous oxygen saturation, sleep duration). Stress responses exhibit both a wide dynamic range and a potential for important effects at a “just-enough” threshold activation level. Stress responses occur in a number of body systems (e.g., neuropsychiatric, immune, cardiovascular) and are essential for short-term damage control, but also must be tightly constrained in range and duration to permit the organism to walk the narrow homeostatic path to long-term survival. Using an example of a newly appreciated stress-responsive molecule in the heart, acetyltransferase p300, as well as examples from the literature, this article discusses the advantages of self-limited stress, the adverse effects of sustained stress, and the built-in mechanisms that feed back on and terminate stress signals, and advances a hypothesis regarding stress as a pharmacological target in the heart. PMID:23303984

Minimal feedback to a rhythm generator improves the robustness to slope variations of a compass biped.

PubMed

Spitz, Jonathan; Evstrachin, Alexandrina; Zacksenhouse, Miriam

2015-08-20

In recent years there has been a growing interest in the field of dynamic walking and bio-inspired robots. However, while walking and running on a flat surface have been studied extensively, walking dynamically over terrains with varying slope remains a challenge. Previously we developed an open loop controller based on a central pattern generator (CPG). The controller applied predefined torque patterns to a compass-gait biped, and achieved stable gaits over a limited range of slopes. In this work, this range is greatly extended by applying a once per cycle feedback to the CPG controller. The terrain's slope is measured and used to modify both the CPG frequency and the torque amplitude once per step. A multi-objective optimization algorithm was used to tune the controller parameters for a simulated CB model. The resulting controller successfully traverses terrains with slopes ranging from +7° to -8°, comparable to most slopes found in human constructed environments. Gait stability was verified by computing the linearized Poincaré Map both numerically and analytically.

Determination of phenylalanine isotope ratio enrichment by liquid chromatography/time- of-flight mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Wu, Zhanpin; Zhang, Xiao-Jun; Cody, Robert B; Wolfe, Robert R

2004-01-01

The application of time-of-flight mass spectrometry to isotope ratio measurements has been limited by the relatively low dynamic range of the time-to-digital converter detectors available on commercial LC/ToF-MS systems. Here we report the measurement of phenylalanine isotope ratio enrichment by using a new LC/ToF-MS system with wide dynamic range. Underivatized phenylalanine was injected onto a C18 column directly with 0.1% formic acid/acetonitrile as the mobile phase. The optimal instrument parameters for the time-of-flight mass spectrometer were determined by tuning the instrument with a phenylalanine standard. The accuracy of the isotope enrichment measurement was determined by the injection of standard solutions with known isotope ratios ranging from 0.02% to 9.2%. A plot of the results against the theoretical values gave a linear curve with R2 of 0.9999. The coefficient of variation for the isotope ratio measurement was below 2%. The method is simple, rapid, and accurate and presents an attractive alternative to traditional GC/MS applications.

Dynamical Constraints on the Seasonal Migration of the ITCZ Using a Moist GCM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faulk, S.; Mitchell, J.; Bordoni, S.

2015-12-01

One of the most prominent features of the Earth's large-scale circulation in low latitudes is the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), where tropical precipitation is concentrated in a relatively narrow latitudinal band that moves seasonally. On Earth, the ITCZ is limited to low latitudes; however on Mars and Titan, it has been argued that analagous convergence zones can migrate significantly off the equator into the summer hemisphere, perhaps even reaching the summer pole in the case of Titan. Previous studies of the ITCZ's extent have focused primarily on thermodynamics, particularly emphasizing its collocation with maximum moist static energy (MSE) and its response to local surface heat capacity. Here, we focus on the dynamical mechanisms controlling ITCZ migrations, examining the ITCZ's extent through the perspective of the momentum budget rather than through thermal forces or land-sea changes. We study a wide range of atmospheric circulations with an idealized General Circulation Model (GCM), in which an atmospheric model with idealized physics is coupled to an aquaplanet slab ocean of fixed depth and top-of-atmosphere insolation is varied seasonally as well as held fixed at the pole in "eternal solstice" runs. We explore a range of surface heat capacities and rotation rates, keeping all other parameters Earth-like. We find that for rotation rates ΩE/8 and slower, the seasonal ITCZ reaches the summer pole. Additionally, in contrast to previous thermodynamic arguments, we find that the ITCZ does not follow the maximum MSE, remaining at low latitudes in the eternal solstice case for Earth's rotation rate. Furthermore, we find that significantly decreasing the surface heat capacity does little to extend the ITCZ's summer migration off the equator. These results suggest that the ITCZ may be more controlled by dynamical mechanisms than previously thought; however, we also find that baroclinic instability, often invoked as a limiter on the extent of the summer Hadley cell, appears to play only a minor role in limiting the ITCZ's extent. We develop a theory for constraining the ITCZ's position based on top-of-atmosphere energetics and boundary layer dynamics, offering a new perspective on the seasonal weather patterns of terrestrial planets.

Riverine habitat dynamics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jacobson, R.B.

2013-01-01

The physical habitat template is a fundamental influence on riverine ecosystem structure and function. Habitat dynamics refers to the variation in habitat through space and time as the result of varying discharge and varying geomorphology. Habitat dynamics can be assessed at spatial scales ranging from the grain (the smallest resolution at which an organism relates to its environment) to the extent (the broadest resolution inclusive of all space occupied during its life cycle). In addition to a potentially broad range of spatial scales, assessments of habitat dynamics may include dynamics of both occupied and nonoccupied habitat patches because of process interactions among patches. Temporal aspects of riverine habitat dynamics can be categorized into hydrodynamics and morphodynamics. Hydrodynamics refers to habitat variation that results from changes in discharge in the absence of significant change of channel morphology and at generally low sediment-transport rates. Hydrodynamic assessments are useful in cases of relatively high flow exceedance (percent of time a flow is equaled or exceeded) or high critical shear stress, conditions that are applicable in many studies of instream flows. Morphodynamics refers to habitat variation resulting from changes to substrate conditions or channel/floodplain morphology. Morphodynamic assessments are necessary when channel and floodplain boundary conditions have been significantly changed, generally by relatively rare flood events or in rivers with low critical shear stress. Morphodynamic habitat variation can be particularly important as disturbance mechanisms that mediate population growth or for providing conditions needed for reproduction, such as channel-migration events that erode cutbanks and provide new pointbar surfaces for germination of riparian trees. Understanding of habitat dynamics is increasing in importance as societal goals shift toward restoration of riverine ecosystems. Effective investment in restoration strategies requires that the role of physical habitat is correctly diagnosed and that restoration activities address true habitat limitations, including the role of dynamic habitats.

Exploring Anomalous Polarization Dynamics in Organometallic Halide Perovskites

DOE PAGES

Ahmadi, Mahshid; Collins, Liam; Puretzky, Alexander; ...

2018-01-22

Organometallic halide perovskites (OMHPs) have attracted broad attention as prospective materials for optoelectronic applications. Among the many anomalous properties of these materials, of special interest are the ferroelectric properties including both classical and relaxor-like components, as a potential origin of slow dynamics, field enhancement, and anomalous mobilities. Here, ferroelectric properties of the three representative OMHPs are explored, including FAPb xSn 1–xI 3 (x = 0, x = 0.85) and FA 0.85MA 0.15PbI 3 using band excitation piezoresponse force microscopy and contact mode Kelvin probe force microscopy, providing insight into long- and short-range dipole and charge dynamics in these materials andmore » probing ferroelectric density of states. Furthermore, second-harmonic generation in thin films of OMHPs is observed, providing a direct information on the noncentrosymmetric polarization in such materials. Overall, the data provide strong evidence for the presence of ferroelectric domains in these systems; however, the domain dynamics is suppressed by fast ion dynamics. These materials hence present the limit of ferroelectric materials with spontaneous polarization dynamically screened by ionic and electronic carriers.« less

Study of the dynamics of poly(ethylene oxide) by combining molecular dynamic simulations and neutron scattering experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brodeck, M.; Alvarez, F.; Arbe, A.; Juranyi, F.; Unruh, T.; Holderer, O.; Colmenero, J.; Richter, D.

2009-03-01

We performed quasielastic neutron scattering experiments and atomistic molecular dynamics simulations on a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) homopolymer system above the melting point. The excellent agreement found between both sets of data, together with a successful comparison with literature diffraction results, validates the condensed-phase optimized molecular potentials for atomistic simulation studies (COMPASS) force field used to produce our dynamic runs and gives support to their further analysis. This provided direct information on magnitudes which are not accessible from experiments such as the radial probability distribution functions of specific atoms at different times and their moments. The results of our simulations on the H-motions and different experiments indicate that in the high-temperature range investigated the dynamics is Rouse-like for Q-values below ≈0.6 Å-1. We then addressed the single chain dynamic structure factor with the simulations. A mode analysis, not possible directly experimentally, reveals the limits of applicability of the Rouse model to PEO. We discuss the possible origins for the observed deviations.

Study of the dynamics of poly(ethylene oxide) by combining molecular dynamic simulations and neutron scattering experiments.

PubMed

Brodeck, M; Alvarez, F; Arbe, A; Juranyi, F; Unruh, T; Holderer, O; Colmenero, J; Richter, D

2009-03-07

We performed quasielastic neutron scattering experiments and atomistic molecular dynamics simulations on a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) homopolymer system above the melting point. The excellent agreement found between both sets of data, together with a successful comparison with literature diffraction results, validates the condensed-phase optimized molecular potentials for atomistic simulation studies (COMPASS) force field used to produce our dynamic runs and gives support to their further analysis. This provided direct information on magnitudes which are not accessible from experiments such as the radial probability distribution functions of specific atoms at different times and their moments. The results of our simulations on the H-motions and different experiments indicate that in the high-temperature range investigated the dynamics is Rouse-like for Q-values below approximately 0.6 A(-1). We then addressed the single chain dynamic structure factor with the simulations. A mode analysis, not possible directly experimentally, reveals the limits of applicability of the Rouse model to PEO. We discuss the possible origins for the observed deviations.

Exploring Anomalous Polarization Dynamics in Organometallic Halide Perovskites

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

Ahmadi, Mahshid; Collins, Liam; Puretzky, Alexander

Organometallic halide perovskites (OMHPs) have attracted broad attention as prospective materials for optoelectronic applications. Among the many anomalous properties of these materials, of special interest are the ferroelectric properties including both classical and relaxor-like components, as a potential origin of slow dynamics, field enhancement, and anomalous mobilities. Here, ferroelectric properties of the three representative OMHPs are explored, including FAPb xSn 1–xI 3 (x = 0, x = 0.85) and FA 0.85MA 0.15PbI 3 using band excitation piezoresponse force microscopy and contact mode Kelvin probe force microscopy, providing insight into long- and short-range dipole and charge dynamics in these materials andmore » probing ferroelectric density of states. Furthermore, second-harmonic generation in thin films of OMHPs is observed, providing a direct information on the noncentrosymmetric polarization in such materials. Overall, the data provide strong evidence for the presence of ferroelectric domains in these systems; however, the domain dynamics is suppressed by fast ion dynamics. These materials hence present the limit of ferroelectric materials with spontaneous polarization dynamically screened by ionic and electronic carriers.« less

Faster poleward range shifts in moths with more variable colour patterns

PubMed Central

Forsman, Anders; Betzholtz, Per-Eric; Franzén, Markus

2016-01-01

Range shifts have been documented in many organisms, and climate change has been implicated as a contributing driver of latitudinal and altitudinal range modifications. However, little is known about what species trait(s) allow for faster environmental tracking and improved capacity for distribution expansions. We used data for 416 species of moths, and show that range limits in Sweden have shifted to the north by on average 52.4 km per decade between 1973 and 2014. When also including non-expanding species, average expansion rate was 23.2 km per decade. The rate of boundary shifts increased with increasing levels of inter-individual variation in colour patterns and decreased with increasing latitude. The association with colour patterns indicate that variation in this functionally important trait enables species to cope with novel and changing conditions. Northern range limits also increased with average abundance and decreased with increasing year-to-year abundance fluctuations, implicating production of dispersers as a driver of range dynamics. Studies of terrestrial animals show that rates of poleward shifts differ between taxonomic groups, increase over time, and depend on study duration and latitude. Knowledge of how distribution shifts change with time, location, and species characteristics may improve projections of responses to climate change and aid the protection of biodiversity. PMID:27808116

Faster poleward range shifts in moths with more variable colour patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forsman, Anders; Betzholtz, Per-Eric; Franzén, Markus

2016-11-01

Range shifts have been documented in many organisms, and climate change has been implicated as a contributing driver of latitudinal and altitudinal range modifications. However, little is known about what species trait(s) allow for faster environmental tracking and improved capacity for distribution expansions. We used data for 416 species of moths, and show that range limits in Sweden have shifted to the north by on average 52.4 km per decade between 1973 and 2014. When also including non-expanding species, average expansion rate was 23.2 km per decade. The rate of boundary shifts increased with increasing levels of inter-individual variation in colour patterns and decreased with increasing latitude. The association with colour patterns indicate that variation in this functionally important trait enables species to cope with novel and changing conditions. Northern range limits also increased with average abundance and decreased with increasing year-to-year abundance fluctuations, implicating production of dispersers as a driver of range dynamics. Studies of terrestrial animals show that rates of poleward shifts differ between taxonomic groups, increase over time, and depend on study duration and latitude. Knowledge of how distribution shifts change with time, location, and species characteristics may improve projections of responses to climate change and aid the protection of biodiversity.

Propagule Limitation, Disparate Habitat Quality, and Variation in Phenotypic Selection at a Local Species Range Boundary

PubMed Central

Moore, Kara A.; Stanton, Maureen L.

2014-01-01

Adaptation to novel conditions beyond current range boundaries requires the presence of suitable sites within dispersal range, but may be impeded when emigrants encounter poor habitat and sharply different selection pressures. We investigated fine-scale spatial heterogeneity in ecological dynamics and selection at a local population boundary of the annual plant Gilia tricolor. In two years, we planted G. tricolor seeds in core habitat, margin habitat at the edge of the local range, and exterior habitat in order to measure spatial and temporal variation in habitat quality, opportunity for selection, and selection on phenotypic traits. We found a striking decline in average habitat quality with distance from the population core, yet some migrant seeds were successful in suitable, unoccupied microsites at and beyond the range boundary. Total and direct selection on four out of five measured phenotypic traits varied across habitat zones, as well as between years. Moreover, the margin habitat often exerted unique selection pressures that were not intermediate between core and exterior habitats. This study reveals that a combination of ecological and evolutionary forces, including propagule limitation, variation in habitat quality and spatial heterogeneity in phenotypic selection may reduce opportunities for adaptive range expansion, even across a very local population boundary. PMID:24717472

Comprehensive mapping and characteristic regimes of aerosol effects on the formation and evolution of pyro-convective clouds

DOE PAGES

Chang, D.; Cheng, Y.; Reutter, P.; ...

2015-09-21

Here, a recent parcel model study (Reutter et al., 2009) showed three deterministic regimes of initial cloud droplet formation, characterized by different ratios of aerosol concentrations ( N CN) to updraft velocities. This analysis, however, did not reveal how these regimes evolve during the subsequent cloud development. To address this issue, we employed the Active Tracer High Resolution Atmospheric Model (ATHAM) with full microphysics and extended the model simulation from the cloud base to the entire column of a single pyro-convective mixed-phase cloud. A series of 2-D simulations (over 1000) were performed over a wide range of N CN andmore » dynamic conditions. The integrated concentration of hydrometeors over the full spatial and temporal scales was used to evaluate the aerosol and dynamic effects. The results show the following. (1) The three regimes for cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activation in the parcel model (namely aerosol-limited, updraft-limited, and transitional regimes) still exist within our simulations, but net production of raindrops and frozen particles occurs mostly within the updraft-limited regime. (2) Generally, elevated aerosols enhance the formation of cloud droplets and frozen particles. The response of raindrops and precipitation to aerosols is more complex and can be either positive or negative as a function of aerosol concentrations. The most negative effect was found for values of N CN of ~ 1000 to 3000 cm –3. (3) The nonlinear properties of aerosol–cloud interactions challenge the conclusions drawn from limited case studies in terms of their representativeness, and ensemble studies over a wide range of aerosol concentrations and other influencing factors are strongly recommended for a more robust assessment of the aerosol effects.« less

Effect of dispersal at range edges on the structure of species ranges

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bahn, V.; O'Connor, R.J.; Krohn, W.B.

2006-01-01

Range edges are of particular interest to ecology because they hold key insights into the limits of the realized niche and associated population dynamics. A recent feature of Oikos summarized the state of the art on range edge ecology. While the typical question is what causes range edges, another important question is how range edges influence the distribution of abundances across a species geographic range when dispersal is present. We used a single species population dynamics model on a coupled-lattice to determine the effects of dispersal on peripheral populations as compared to populations at the core of the range. In the absence of resource gradients, the reduced neighborhood and thus lower connectivity or higher isolation among populations at the range edge alone led to significantly lower population sizes in the periphery of the range than in the core. Lower population sizes mean higher extinction risks and lower adaptability at the range edge, which could inhibit or slow range expansions, and thus effectively stabilize range edges. The strength of this effect depended on the potential population growth rate and the maximum dispersal distance. Lower potential population growth rates led to a stronger effect of dispersal resulting in a higher difference in population sizes between the two areas. The differential effect of dispersal on population sizes at the core and periphery of the range in the absence of resource gradients implies that traditional, habitat-based distribution models could result in misleading conclusions about the habitat quality in the periphery. Lower population sizes at the periphery are also relevant to conservation, because habitat removal not only eliminates populations but also creates new edges. Populations bordering these new edges may experience declines, due to their increased isolation. ?? OIKOS.

Comparative analysis of 2D spatio-temporal visualisation techniques for the pulsed THz-radiation field using an electro-optic crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ushakov, A. A.; Chizhov, P. A.; Bukin, V. V.; Garnov, S. V.; Savel'ev, A. B.

2018-05-01

Two 2D techniques for visualising the field of pulsed THz radiation ('shadow' and 'interferometric'), which are based on the linear electro-optical effect with application of a ZnTe detector crystal 1 × 1 cm in size, are compared. The noise level and dynamic range for the aforementioned techniques are analysed and their applicability limits are discussed.

Hydrogen-oxygen auxiliary propulsion for the space shuttle. Volume 1: High pressure thrusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

Technology for long life, high performing, gaseous hydrogen-gaseous oxygen rocket engines suitable for auxiliary propulsion was provided by a combined analytical and experimental program. Propellant injectors, fast response valves, igniters, and regeneratively and film-cooled thrust chambers were tested over a wide range of operating conditions. Data generated include performance, combustion efficiency, thermal characteristics film cooling effectiveness, dynamic response in pulsing, and cycle life limitations.

Reconstructing fire history of lodgepole pine on Chagoopa Plateau, Sequoia National Park, California

Treesearch

Anthony C. Caprio

2008-01-01

Information on fire’s role in pre-twentieth-century lodgepole pine forests of the southern Sierra Nevada is limited. It has generally been assumed that fire plays only a minor role in lodgepole’s dynamics unlike in other portions of its range. This assertion was examined by sampling fire-scarred trees and reconstructing fire history in monospecific stands of lodgepole...

Nonlinear Optical Fiber Arrays for Limiting Application

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-05

Absorption [ RSA ], Two-Photon Absorption [TPA] and Excited State Absorption [ESA] or Nonlinear Scattering properties [NS] (e.g. carbon black suspension...practical implementation: I. "Saturation Effect and Dynamic Range" - In general, RSA materials have low switching threshold (<<pJ), but are (linearly...transition between the molecular levels involved, RSA materials can be easily ’bleached’, i.e. the absorption electronic state is depopulated by the laser. TPA

Infrared dynamics of minimal walking technicolor

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

Del Debbio, Luigi; Lucini, Biagio; Patella, Agostino

2010-07-01

We study the gauge sector of minimal walking technicolor, which is an SU(2) gauge theory with n{sub f}=2 flavors of Wilson fermions in the adjoint representation. Numerical simulations are performed on lattices N{sub t}xN{sub s}{sup 3}, with N{sub s} ranging from 8 to 16 and N{sub t}=2N{sub s}, at fixed {beta}=2.25, and varying the fermion bare mass m{sub 0}, so that our numerical results cover the full range of fermion masses from the quenched region to the chiral limit. We present results for the string tension and the glueball spectrum. A comparison of mesonic and gluonic observables leads to themore » conclusion that the infrared dynamics is given by an SU(2) pure Yang-Mills theory with a typical energy scale for the spectrum sliding to zero with the fermion mass. The typical mesonic mass scale is proportional to and much larger than this gluonic scale. Our findings are compatible with a scenario in which the massless theory is conformal in the infrared. An analysis of the scaling of the string tension with the fermion mass toward the massless limit allows us to extract the chiral condensate anomalous dimension {gamma}{sub *}, which is found to be {gamma}{sub *}=0.22{+-}0.06.« less

High speed direct imaging of thin metal film ablation by movie-mode dynamic transmission electron microscopy

PubMed Central

Hihath, Sahar; Santala, Melissa K.; Cen, Xi; Campbell, Geoffrey; van Benthem, Klaus

2016-01-01

Obliteration of matter by pulsed laser beams is not only prevalent in science fiction movies, but finds numerous technological applications ranging from additive manufacturing over machining of micro- and nanostructured features to health care. Pulse lengths ranging from femtoseconds to nanoseconds are utilized at varying laser beam energies and pulse lengths, and enable the removal of nanometric volumes of material. While the mechanisms for removal of material by laser irradiation, i.e., laser ablation, are well understood on the micrometer length scale, it was previously impossible to directly observe obliteration processes on smaller scales due to experimental limitations for the combination of nanometer spatial and nanosecond temporal resolution. Here, we report the direct observation of metal thin film ablation from a solid substrate through dynamic transmission electron microscopy. Quantitative analysis reveals liquid-phase dewetting of the thin-film, followed by hydrodynamic sputtering of nano- to submicron sized metal droplets. We discovered unexpected fracturing of the substrate due to evolving thermal stresses. This study confirms that hydrodynamic sputtering remains a valid mechanism for droplet expulsion on the nanoscale, while irradiation induced stress fields represent limit laser processing of nanostructured materials. Our results allow for improved safety during laser ablation in manufacturing and medical applications. PMID:26965073

High speed direct imaging of thin metal film ablation by movie-mode dynamic transmission electron microscopy

DOE PAGES

Hihath, Sahar; Santala, Melissa K.; Cen, Xi; ...

2016-03-11

Obliteration of matter by pulsed laser beams is not only prevalent in science fiction movies, but finds numerous technological applications ranging from additive manufacturing over machining of micro- and nanostructured features to health care. Pulse lengths ranging from femtoseconds to nanoseconds are utilized at varying laser beam energies and pulse lengths, and enable the removal of nanometric volumes of material. While the mechanisms for removal of material by laser irradiation, i.e., laser ablation, are well understood on the micrometer length scale, it was previously impossible to directly observe obliteration processes on smaller scales due to experimental limitations for the combinationmore » of nanometer spatial and nanosecond temporal resolution. Here, we report the direct observation of metal thin film ablation from a solid substrate through dynamic transmission electron microscopy. Quantitative analysis reveals liquid-phase dewetting of the thin-film, followed by hydrodynamic sputtering of nano- to submicron sized metal droplets. We discovered unexpected fracturing of the substrate due to evolving thermal stresses. This study confirms that hydrodynamic sputtering remains a valid mechanism for droplet expulsion on the nanoscale, while irradiation induced stress fields represent limit laser processing of nanostructured materials. Ultimately, our results allow for improved safety during laser ablation in manufacturing and medical applications.« less

High speed direct imaging of thin metal film ablation by movie-mode dynamic transmission electron microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hihath, Sahar; Santala, Melissa K.; Cen, Xi; Campbell, Geoffrey; van Benthem, Klaus

2016-03-01

Obliteration of matter by pulsed laser beams is not only prevalent in science fiction movies, but finds numerous technological applications ranging from additive manufacturing over machining of micro- and nanostructured features to health care. Pulse lengths ranging from femtoseconds to nanoseconds are utilized at varying laser beam energies and pulse lengths, and enable the removal of nanometric volumes of material. While the mechanisms for removal of material by laser irradiation, i.e., laser ablation, are well understood on the micrometer length scale, it was previously impossible to directly observe obliteration processes on smaller scales due to experimental limitations for the combination of nanometer spatial and nanosecond temporal resolution. Here, we report the direct observation of metal thin film ablation from a solid substrate through dynamic transmission electron microscopy. Quantitative analysis reveals liquid-phase dewetting of the thin-film, followed by hydrodynamic sputtering of nano- to submicron sized metal droplets. We discovered unexpected fracturing of the substrate due to evolving thermal stresses. This study confirms that hydrodynamic sputtering remains a valid mechanism for droplet expulsion on the nanoscale, while irradiation induced stress fields represent limit laser processing of nanostructured materials. Our results allow for improved safety during laser ablation in manufacturing and medical applications.

High speed direct imaging of thin metal film ablation by movie-mode dynamic transmission electron microscopy.

PubMed

Hihath, Sahar; Santala, Melissa K; Cen, Xi; Campbell, Geoffrey; van Benthem, Klaus

2016-03-11

Obliteration of matter by pulsed laser beams is not only prevalent in science fiction movies, but finds numerous technological applications ranging from additive manufacturing over machining of micro- and nanostructured features to health care. Pulse lengths ranging from femtoseconds to nanoseconds are utilized at varying laser beam energies and pulse lengths, and enable the removal of nanometric volumes of material. While the mechanisms for removal of material by laser irradiation, i.e., laser ablation, are well understood on the micrometer length scale, it was previously impossible to directly observe obliteration processes on smaller scales due to experimental limitations for the combination of nanometer spatial and nanosecond temporal resolution. Here, we report the direct observation of metal thin film ablation from a solid substrate through dynamic transmission electron microscopy. Quantitative analysis reveals liquid-phase dewetting of the thin-film, followed by hydrodynamic sputtering of nano- to submicron sized metal droplets. We discovered unexpected fracturing of the substrate due to evolving thermal stresses. This study confirms that hydrodynamic sputtering remains a valid mechanism for droplet expulsion on the nanoscale, while irradiation induced stress fields represent limit laser processing of nanostructured materials. Our results allow for improved safety during laser ablation in manufacturing and medical applications.

A Short-Range Distance Sensor with Exceptional Linearity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simmons, Steven; Youngquist, Robert

2013-01-01

A sensor has been demonstrated that can measure distance over a total range of about 300 microns to an accuracy of about 0.1 nm (resolution of about 0.01 nm). This represents an exceptionally large dynamic range of operation - over 1,000,000. The sensor is optical in nature, and requires the attachment of a mirror to the object whose distance is being measured. This work resulted from actively developing a white light interferometric system to be used to measure the depths of defects in the Space Shuttle Orbiter windows. The concept was then applied to measuring distance. The concept later expanded to include spectrometer calibration. In summary, broadband (i.e., white) light is launched into a Michelson interferometer, one mirror of which is fixed and one of which is attached to the object whose distance is to be measured. The light emerging from the interferometer has traveled one of two distances: either the distance to the fixed mirror and back, or the distance to the moving mirror and back. These two light beams mix and produce an interference pattern where some wavelengths interfere constructively and some destructively. Sending this light into a spectrometer allows this interference pattern to be analyzed, yielding the net distance difference between the two paths. The unique feature of this distance sensor is its ability to measure accurately distance over a dynamic range of more than one million, the ratio of its range (about 300 microns) to its accuracy (about 0.1 nanometer). Such a large linear operating range is rare and arises here because both amplitude and phase-matching algorithms contribute to the performance. The sensor is limited by the need to attach a mirror of some kind to the object being tracked, and by the fairly small total range, but the exceptional dynamic range should make it of interest.

The Dominance of Dynamic Barlike Instabilities in the Evolution of a Massive Stellar Core Collapse That ``Fizzles''

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imamura, James N.; Durisen, Richard H.

2001-03-01

Core collapse in a massive rotating star may halt at subnuclear density if the core contains angular momentum J>~1049 g cm2 s-1. An aborted collapse can lead to the formation of a rapidly rotating equilibrium object, which, because of its high electron fraction, Ye>0.4, and high entropy per baryon, Sb/k~1-2, is secularly and dynamically stable. The further evolution of such a ``fizzler'' is driven by deleptonization and cooling of the hot, dense material. These processes cause the fizzler both to contract toward neutron star densities and to spin up, driving it toward instability points of the barlike modes. Using linear stability analyses to study the latter case, we find that the stability properties of fizzlers are similar to those of Maclaurin spheroids and polytropes despite the nonpolytropic nature and extreme compressibility of the fizzler equation of state. For fizzlers with the specific angular momentum distribution of the Maclaurin spheroids, secular and dynamic barlike instabilities set in at T/|W|~0.14 and 0.27, respectively, where T is the rotational kinetic energy and W is the gravitational energy of the fizzler, the same limits as found for Maclaurin spheroids. For fizzlers in which angular momentum is more concentrated toward the equator, the secular stability limits drop dramatically. For the most extreme angular momentum distribution we consider, the secular stability limit for the barlike modes falls to T/|W|~0.038, compared with T/|W|~0.09-0.10 for the most extreme polytropic cases known previously (Imamura et al.). For fixed equation-of-state parameters, the secular and dynamic stability limits occur at roughly constant mass over the range of typical fizzler central densities. Deleptonization and cooling decrease the limiting masses on timescales shorter than the growth time for secular instability. Consequently, unless an evolving fizzler reaches neutron star densities first, it will always encounter dynamic barlike instabilities before secular instabilities have time to grow. Quasi-linear analysis shows that the angular momentum loss during the early nonlinear evolution of the dynamic barlike instability is dominated by Newtonian self-interaction gravitational torques rather than by the emission of gravitational wave (GW) radiation. GW emission may dominate after the initial dynamic evolutionary phase ends. Nonlinear hydrodynamics simulations with a proper equation of state will be required to determine the ultimate outcome of such evolutions and to refine predictions of GW production by barlike instabilities.

Dynamic Range Across Music Genres and the Perception of Dynamic Compression in Hearing-Impaired Listeners

PubMed Central

Kirchberger, Martin

2016-01-01

Dynamic range compression serves different purposes in the music and hearing-aid industries. In the music industry, it is used to make music louder and more attractive to normal-hearing listeners. In the hearing-aid industry, it is used to map the variable dynamic range of acoustic signals to the reduced dynamic range of hearing-impaired listeners. Hence, hearing-aided listeners will typically receive a dual dose of compression when listening to recorded music. The present study involved an acoustic analysis of dynamic range across a cross section of recorded music as well as a perceptual study comparing the efficacy of different compression schemes. The acoustic analysis revealed that the dynamic range of samples from popular genres, such as rock or rap, was generally smaller than the dynamic range of samples from classical genres, such as opera and orchestra. By comparison, the dynamic range of speech, based on recordings of monologues in quiet, was larger than the dynamic range of all music genres tested. The perceptual study compared the effect of the prescription rule NAL-NL2 with a semicompressive and a linear scheme. Music subjected to linear processing had the highest ratings for dynamics and quality, followed by the semicompressive and the NAL-NL2 setting. These findings advise against NAL-NL2 as a prescription rule for recorded music and recommend linear settings. PMID:26868955

Dynamic Range Across Music Genres and the Perception of Dynamic Compression in Hearing-Impaired Listeners.

PubMed

Kirchberger, Martin; Russo, Frank A

2016-02-10

Dynamic range compression serves different purposes in the music and hearing-aid industries. In the music industry, it is used to make music louder and more attractive to normal-hearing listeners. In the hearing-aid industry, it is used to map the variable dynamic range of acoustic signals to the reduced dynamic range of hearing-impaired listeners. Hence, hearing-aided listeners will typically receive a dual dose of compression when listening to recorded music. The present study involved an acoustic analysis of dynamic range across a cross section of recorded music as well as a perceptual study comparing the efficacy of different compression schemes. The acoustic analysis revealed that the dynamic range of samples from popular genres, such as rock or rap, was generally smaller than the dynamic range of samples from classical genres, such as opera and orchestra. By comparison, the dynamic range of speech, based on recordings of monologues in quiet, was larger than the dynamic range of all music genres tested. The perceptual study compared the effect of the prescription rule NAL-NL2 with a semicompressive and a linear scheme. Music subjected to linear processing had the highest ratings for dynamics and quality, followed by the semicompressive and the NAL-NL2 setting. These findings advise against NAL-NL2 as a prescription rule for recorded music and recommend linear settings. © The Author(s) 2016.

Complex structural dynamics of nanocatalysts revealed in Operando conditions by correlated imaging and spectroscopy probes

DOE PAGES

Li, Y.; Zakharov, D.; Zhao, S.; ...

2015-06-29

Understanding how heterogeneous catalysts change size, shape and structure during chemical reactions is limited by the paucity of methods for studying catalytic ensembles in working state, that is, in operando conditions. Here by a correlated use of synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy in operando conditions, we quantitatively describe the complex structural dynamics of supported Pt catalysts exhibited during an exemplary catalytic reaction—ethylene hydrogenation. This work exploits a microfabricated catalytic reactor compatible with both probes. The results demonstrate dynamic transformations of the ensemble of Pt clusters that spans a broad size range throughout changing reaction conditions. Lastly,more » this method is generalizable to quantitative operando studies of complex systems using a wide variety of X-ray and electron-based experimental probes.« less

Parametrization and Optimization of Gaussian Non-Markovian Unravelings for Open Quantum Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Megier, Nina; Strunz, Walter T.; Viviescas, Carlos; Luoma, Kimmo

2018-04-01

We derive a family of Gaussian non-Markovian stochastic Schrödinger equations for the dynamics of open quantum systems. The different unravelings correspond to different choices of squeezed coherent states, reflecting different measurement schemes on the environment. Consequently, we are able to give a single shot measurement interpretation for the stochastic states and microscopic expressions for the noise correlations of the Gaussian process. By construction, the reduced dynamics of the open system does not depend on the squeezing parameters. They determine the non-Hermitian Gaussian correlation, a wide range of which are compatible with the Markov limit. We demonstrate the versatility of our results for quantum information tasks in the non-Markovian regime. In particular, by optimizing the squeezing parameters, we can tailor unravelings for improving entanglement bounds or for environment-assisted entanglement protection.

Operational fitness of box truss antennas in response to dynamic slewing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bachtell, E. E.; Bettadapur, S. S.; Schartel, W. A.; Karanian, L. A.

1985-01-01

A parametric study was performed to define slewing capability of large satellites along with associated system changes or subsystem weight and complexity impacts. The satellite configuration and structural arrangement from the Earth Observation Spacecraft (EOS) study was used as the baseline spacecraft. Varying slew rates, settling times, damping, maneuver frequencies, and attitude hold times provided the data required to establish applicability to a wide range of potential missions. The key elements of the study are: (1) determine the dynamic transient response of the antenna system; (2) calculate the system errors produced by the dynamic response; (3) determine if the antenna has exceeded operational requirements at completion of the slew, and if so; (4) determine when the antenna has settled to the operational requirements. The slew event is not considered complete until the antenna is within operational limits.

An analog neural hardware implementation using charge-injection multipliers and neutron-specific gain control.

PubMed

Massengill, L W; Mundie, D B

1992-01-01

A neural network IC based on a dynamic charge injection is described. The hardware design is space and power efficient, and achieves massive parallelism of analog inner products via charge-based multipliers and spatially distributed summing buses. Basic synaptic cells are constructed of exponential pulse-decay modulation (EPDM) dynamic injection multipliers operating sequentially on propagating signal vectors and locally stored analog weights. Individually adjustable gain controls on each neutron reduce the effects of limited weight dynamic range. A hardware simulator/trainer has been developed which incorporates the physical (nonideal) characteristics of actual circuit components into the training process, thus absorbing nonlinearities and parametric deviations into the macroscopic performance of the network. Results show that charge-based techniques may achieve a high degree of neural density and throughput using standard CMOS processes.

Low noise and conductively cooled microchannel plates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feller, W. B.

1990-01-01

Microchannel plate (MCP) dynamic range has recently been enhanced for both very low and very high input flux conditions. Improvements in MCP manufacturing technology reported earlier have led to MCPs with substantially reduced radioisotope levels, giving dramatically lower internal background-counting rates. An update is given on the Galileo low noise MCP. Also, new results in increasing the MCP linear counting range for high input flux densities are presented. By bonding the active face of a very low resistance MCP (less than 1 megaohm) to a substrate providing a conductive path for heat transport, the bias current limit (hence, MCP output count rate limit) can be increased up to two orders of magnitude. Normal pulse-counting MCP operation was observed at bias currents of several mA when a curved-channel MCP (80:1) was bonded to a ceramic multianode substrate; the MCP temperature rise above ambient was less than 40 C.

Organic electrochemical transistor based immunosensor for prostate specific antigen (PSA) detection using gold nanoparticles for signal amplification.

PubMed

Kim, Duck-Jin; Lee, Nae-Eung; Park, Joon-Shik; Park, In-Jun; Kim, Jung-Gu; Cho, Hyoung J

2010-07-15

We demonstrated a highly sensitive organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) based immunosensor with a low detection limit for prostate specific antigen/alpha1-antichymotrypsin (PSA-ACT) complex. The poly(styrenesulfonate) doped poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT:PSS) based OECT with secondary antibody conjugated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) provided a detection limit of the PSA-ACT complex as low as 1pg/ml, as well as improved sensitivity and a dynamic range, due to the role of AuNPs in the signal amplification. The sensor performances were particularly improved in the lower concentration range where the detection is clinically important for the preoperative diagnosis and screening of prostate cancer. This result shows that the OECT-based immunosensor can be used as a transducer platform acceptable to the point-of-care (POC) diagnostic systems and demonstrates adaptability of organic electronics to clinical applications. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dissipative processes under the shock compression of glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savinykh, A. S.; Kanel, G. I.; Cherepanov, I. A.; Razorenov, S. V.

2016-03-01

New experimental data on the behavior of the K8 and TF1 glasses under shock-wave loading conditions are obtained. It is found that the propagation of shock waves is close to the self-similar one in the maximum compression stress range 4-12 GPa. Deviations from a general deformation diagram, which are related to viscous dissipation, take place when the final state of compression is approached. The parameter region in which failure waves form in glass is found not to be limited to the elastic compression stress range, as was thought earlier. The failure front velocity increases with the shock compression stress. Outside the region covered by a failure wave, the glasses demonstrate a high tensile dynamic strength (6-7 GPa) in the case of elastic compression, and this strength is still very high after transition through the elastic limit in a compression wave.

Aggregation-fragmentation-diffusion model for trail dynamics

DOE PAGES

Kawagoe, Kyle; Huber, Greg; Pradas, Marc; ...

2017-07-21

We investigate statistical properties of trails formed by a random process incorporating aggregation, fragmentation, and diffusion. In this stochastic process, which takes place in one spatial dimension, two neighboring trails may combine to form a larger one, and also one trail may split into two. In addition, trails move diffusively. The model is defined by two parameters which quantify the fragmentation rate and the fragment size. In the long-time limit, the system reaches a steady state, and our focus is the limiting distribution of trail weights. We find that the density of trail weight has power-law tail P(w)~w –γ formore » small weight w. We obtain the exponent γ analytically and find that it varies continuously with the two model parameters. In conclusion, the exponent γ can be positive or negative, so that in one range of parameters small-weight trails are abundant and in the complementary range they are rare.« less

Rapid mapping of polarization switching through complete information acquisition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Somnath, Suhas; Belianinov, Alex; Kalinin, Sergei V.; Jesse, Stephen

2016-12-01

Polarization switching in ferroelectric and multiferroic materials underpins a broad range of current and emergent applications, ranging from random access memories to field-effect transistors, and tunnelling devices. Switching in these materials is exquisitely sensitive to local defects and microstructure on the nanometre scale, necessitating spatially resolved high-resolution studies of these phenomena. Classical piezoresponse force microscopy and spectroscopy, although providing necessary spatial resolution, are fundamentally limited in data acquisition rates and energy resolution. This limitation stems from their two-tiered measurement protocol that combines slow (~1 s) switching and fast (~10 kHz-1 MHz) detection waveforms. Here we develop an approach for rapid probing of ferroelectric switching using direct strain detection of material response to probe bias. This approach, facilitated by high-sensitivity electronics and adaptive filtering, enables spectroscopic imaging at a rate 3,504 times faster the current state of the art, achieving high-veracity imaging of polarization dynamics in complex microstructures.

Removing Grit During Wastewater Treatment: CFD Analysis of HDVS Performance.

PubMed

Meroney, Robert N; Sheker, Robert E

2016-05-01

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was used to simulate the grit and sand separation effectiveness of a typical hydrodynamic vortex separator (HDVS) system. The analysis examined the influences on the separator efficiency of: flow rate, fluid viscosities, total suspended solids (TSS), and particle size and distribution. It was found that separator efficiency for a wide range of these independent variables could be consolidated into a few curves based on the particle fall velocity to separator inflow velocity ratio, Ws/Vin. Based on CFD analysis it was also determined that systems of different sizes with length scale ratios ranging from 1 to 10 performed similarly when Ws/Vin and TSS were held constant. The CFD results have also been compared to a limited range of experimental data.

CFD comparison with centrifugal compressor measurements on a wide operating range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Sausse, P.; Fabrie, P.; Arnou, D.; Clunet, F.

2013-04-01

Centrifugal compressors are widely used in industrial applications thanks to their high efficiency. They are able to provide a wide operating range before reaching the flow barrier or surge limits. Performances and range are described by compressor maps obtained experimentally. After a description of performance test rig, this article compares measured centrifugal compressor performances with computational fluid dynamics results. These computations are performed at steady conditions with R134a refrigerant as fluid. Navier-Stokes equations, coupled with k-ɛ turbulence model, are solved by the commercial software ANSYS-CFX by means of volume finite method. Input conditions are varied in order to calculate several speed lines. Theoretical isentropic efficiency and theoretical surge line are finally compared to experimental data.

Mammal population regulation, keystone processes and ecosystem dynamics.

PubMed Central

Sinclair, A R E

2003-01-01

The theory of regulation in animal populations is fundamental to understanding the dynamics of populations, the causes of mortality and how natural selection shapes the life history of species. In mammals, the great range in body size allows us to see how allometric relationships affect the mode of regulation. Resource limitation is the fundamental cause of regulation. Top-down limitation through predators is determined by four factors: (i). body size; (ii). the diversity of predators and prey in the system; (iii). whether prey are resident or migratory; and (iv). the presence of alternative prey for predators. Body size in mammals has two important consequences. First, mammals, particularly large species, can act as keystones that determine the diversity of an ecosystem. I show how keystone processes can, in principle, be measured using the example of the wildebeest in the Serengeti ecosystem. Second, mammals act as ecological landscapers by altering vegetation succession. Mammals alter physical structure, ecological function and species diversity in most terrestrial biomes. In general, there is a close interaction between allometry, population regulation, life history and ecosystem dynamics. These relationships are relevant to applied aspects of conservation and pest management. PMID:14561329

Application of physics engines in virtual worlds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norman, Mark; Taylor, Tim

2002-03-01

Dynamic virtual worlds potentially can provide a much richer and more enjoyable experience than static ones. To realize such worlds, three approaches are commonly used. The first of these, and still widely applied, involves importing traditional animations from a modeling system such as 3D Studio Max. This approach is therefore limited to predefined animation scripts or combinations/blends thereof. The second approach involves the integration of some specific-purpose simulation code, such as car dynamics, and is thus generally limited to one (class of) application(s). The third approach involves the use of general-purpose physics engines, which promise to enable a range of compelling dynamic virtual worlds and to considerably speed up development. By far the largest market today for real-time simulation is computer games, revenues exceeding those of the movie industry. Traditionally, the simulation is produced by game developers in-house for specific titles. However, off-the-shelf middleware physics engines are now available for use in games and related domains. In this paper, we report on our experiences of using middleware physics engines to create a virtual world as an interactive experience, and an advanced scenario where artificial life techniques generate controllers for physically modeled characters.

Angular declination and the dynamic perception of egocentric distance.

PubMed

Gajewski, Daniel A; Philbeck, John W; Wirtz, Philip W; Chichka, David

2014-02-01

The extraction of the distance between an object and an observer is fast when angular declination is informative, as it is with targets placed on the ground. To what extent does angular declination drive performance when viewing time is limited? Participants judged target distances in a real-world environment with viewing durations ranging from 36-220 ms. An important role for angular declination was supported by experiments showing that the cue provides information about egocentric distance even on the very first glimpse, and that it supports a sensitive response to distance in the absence of other useful cues. Performance was better at 220-ms viewing durations than for briefer glimpses, suggesting that the perception of distance is dynamic even within the time frame of a typical eye fixation. Critically, performance in limited viewing trials was better when preceded by a 15-s preview of the room without a designated target. The results indicate that the perception of distance is powerfully shaped by memory from prior visual experience with the scene. A theoretical framework for the dynamic perception of distance is presented. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Some conservation issues for the dynamical cores of NWP and climate models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thuburn, J.

2008-03-01

The rationale for designing atmospheric numerical model dynamical cores with certain conservation properties is reviewed. The conceptual difficulties associated with the multiscale nature of realistic atmospheric flow, and its lack of time-reversibility, are highlighted. A distinction is made between robust invariants, which are conserved or nearly conserved in the adiabatic and frictionless limit, and non-robust invariants, which are not conserved in the limit even though they are conserved by exactly adiabatic frictionless flow. For non-robust invariants, a further distinction is made between processes that directly transfer some quantity from large to small scales, and processes involving a cascade through a continuous range of scales; such cascades may either be explicitly parameterized, or handled implicitly by the dynamical core numerics, accepting the implied non-conservation. An attempt is made to estimate the relative importance of different conservation laws. It is argued that satisfactory model performance requires spurious sources of a conservable quantity to be much smaller than any true physical sources; for several conservable quantities the magnitudes of the physical sources are estimated in order to provide benchmarks against which any spurious sources may be measured.

Numerical integration of the extended variable generalized Langevin equation with a positive Prony representable memory kernel.

PubMed

Baczewski, Andrew D; Bond, Stephen D

2013-07-28

Generalized Langevin dynamics (GLD) arise in the modeling of a number of systems, ranging from structured fluids that exhibit a viscoelastic mechanical response, to biological systems, and other media that exhibit anomalous diffusive phenomena. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations that include GLD in conjunction with external and/or pairwise forces require the development of numerical integrators that are efficient, stable, and have known convergence properties. In this article, we derive a family of extended variable integrators for the Generalized Langevin equation with a positive Prony series memory kernel. Using stability and error analysis, we identify a superlative choice of parameters and implement the corresponding numerical algorithm in the LAMMPS MD software package. Salient features of the algorithm include exact conservation of the first and second moments of the equilibrium velocity distribution in some important cases, stable behavior in the limit of conventional Langevin dynamics, and the use of a convolution-free formalism that obviates the need for explicit storage of the time history of particle velocities. Capability is demonstrated with respect to accuracy in numerous canonical examples, stability in certain limits, and an exemplary application in which the effect of a harmonic confining potential is mapped onto a memory kernel.

High dynamic range image acquisition based on multiplex cameras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Hairui; Sun, Huayan; Zhang, Tinghua

2018-03-01

High dynamic image is an important technology of photoelectric information acquisition, providing higher dynamic range and more image details, and it can better reflect the real environment, light and color information. Currently, the method of high dynamic range image synthesis based on different exposure image sequences cannot adapt to the dynamic scene. It fails to overcome the effects of moving targets, resulting in the phenomenon of ghost. Therefore, a new high dynamic range image acquisition method based on multiplex cameras system was proposed. Firstly, different exposure images sequences were captured with the camera array, using the method of derivative optical flow based on color gradient to get the deviation between images, and aligned the images. Then, the high dynamic range image fusion weighting function was established by combination of inverse camera response function and deviation between images, and was applied to generated a high dynamic range image. The experiments show that the proposed method can effectively obtain high dynamic images in dynamic scene, and achieves good results.

Oligonucleotide-functionalized gold nanoparticles-enhanced QCM-D sensor for mercury(II) ions with high sensitivity and tunable dynamic range.

PubMed

Chen, Qiang; Wu, Xiaojie; Wang, Dingzhong; Tang, Wei; Li, Na; Liu, Feng

2011-06-21

A quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) sensor was developed for highly sensitive and specific detection of mercury(II) ions (Hg(2+)) with a tunable dynamic range, using oligonucleotide-functionalized gold nanoparticles (GNPs) for both frequency and dissipation amplification. The fabrication of the sensor employed a 'sandwich-type' strategy, and formation of T-Hg(2+)-T structures in linker DNA reduced the hybridization of the GNPs-tagged DNA on the gold electrode, which could be used as the molecular switch for Hg(2+) sensing. This QCM-D mercury sensor showed a linear response of 10-200 nM, with detection limits of 4 nM and 7 nM for frequency and dissipation measurements, respectively. Moreover, the dynamic range of the sensor could be tuned by simply altering the concentration of linker DNA without designing new sensors in the cases where detection of Hg(2+) at different levels is required. This sensor afforded excellent selectivity toward Hg(2+) compared with other potential coexisting metal ions. The feasibility of the sensor was demonstrated by analyzing Hg(2+)-spiked tap- and lake-water samples with satisfactory recoveries. The proposed approach extended the application of the QCM-D system in metal ions sensing, and could be adopted for the detection of other analytes when complemented with the use of functional DNA structures.

Dynamics of open quantum systems by interpolation of von Neumann and classical master equations, and its application to quantum annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadowaki, Tadashi

2018-02-01

We propose a method to interpolate dynamics of von Neumann and classical master equations with an arbitrary mixing parameter to investigate the thermal effects in quantum dynamics. The two dynamics are mixed by intervening to continuously modify their solutions, thus coupling them indirectly instead of directly introducing a coupling term. This maintains the quantum system in a pure state even after the introduction of thermal effects and obtains not only a density matrix but also a state vector representation. Further, we demonstrate that the dynamics of a two-level system can be rewritten as a set of standard differential equations, resulting in quantum dynamics that includes thermal relaxation. These equations are equivalent to the optical Bloch equations at the weak coupling and asymptotic limits, implying that the dynamics cause thermal effects naturally. Numerical simulations of ferromagnetic and frustrated systems support this idea. Finally, we use this method to study thermal effects in quantum annealing, revealing nontrivial performance improvements for a spin glass model over a certain range of annealing time. This result may enable us to optimize the annealing time of real annealing machines.

Study of wrap-rib antenna design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wade, W. D.; Sinha, A.; Singh, R.

1979-01-01

The results of a parametric design study conducted to develop the significant characteristics and technology limitations of space deployable antenna systems with aperture sizes ranging from 50 up to 300 m and F/D ratios between 0.5 and 3.0 are presented. Wrap/rib type reflectors of both the prime and offset fed geometry and associated feed support structures were considered. The significant constraints investigated as limitations on achievable aperture were inherent manufacturability, orbit dynamic and thermal stability, antenna weight, and antenna stowed volume. A data base, resulting in the defined maximum achievable aperture size as a function of diameter, frequency and estimated cost, was formed.

Dynamic, spatial models of parasite transmission in wildlife: Their structure, applications and remaining challenges.

PubMed

White, Lauren A; Forester, James D; Craft, Meggan E

2018-05-01

Individual differences in contact rate can arise from host, group and landscape heterogeneity and can result in different patterns of spatial spread for diseases in wildlife populations with concomitant implications for disease control in wildlife of conservation concern, livestock and humans. While dynamic disease models can provide a better understanding of the drivers of spatial spread, the effects of landscape heterogeneity have only been modelled in a few well-studied wildlife systems such as rabies and bovine tuberculosis. Such spatial models tend to be either purely theoretical with intrinsic limiting assumptions or individual-based models that are often highly species- and system-specific, limiting the breadth of their utility. Our goal was to review studies that have utilized dynamic, spatial models to answer questions about pathogen transmission in wildlife and identify key gaps in the literature. We begin by providing an overview of the main types of dynamic, spatial models (e.g., metapopulation, network, lattice, cellular automata, individual-based and continuous-space) and their relation to each other. We investigate different types of ecological questions that these models have been used to explore: pathogen invasion dynamics and range expansion, spatial heterogeneity and pathogen persistence, the implications of management and intervention strategies and the role of evolution in host-pathogen dynamics. We reviewed 168 studies that consider pathogen transmission in free-ranging wildlife and classify them by the model type employed, the focal host-pathogen system, and their overall research themes and motivation. We observed a significant focus on mammalian hosts, a few well-studied or purely theoretical pathogen systems, and a lack of studies occurring at the wildlife-public health or wildlife-livestock interfaces. Finally, we discuss challenges and future directions in the context of unprecedented human-mediated environmental change. Spatial models may provide new insights into understanding, for example, how global warming and habitat disturbance contribute to disease maintenance and emergence. Moving forward, better integration of dynamic, spatial disease models with approaches from movement ecology, landscape genetics/genomics and ecoimmunology may provide new avenues for investigation and aid in the control of zoonotic and emerging infectious diseases. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Society.

Extrapolation of dynamic load behaviour on hydroelectric turbine blades with cyclostationary modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poirier, Marc; Gagnon, Martin; Tahan, Antoine; Coutu, André; Chamberland-lauzon, Joël

2017-01-01

In this paper, we present the application of cyclostationary modelling for the extrapolation of short stationary load strain samples measured in situ on hydraulic turbine blades. Long periods of measurements allow for a wide range of fluctuations representative of long-term reality to be considered. However, sampling over short periods limits the dynamic strain fluctuations available for analysis. The purpose of the technique presented here is therefore to generate a representative signal containing proper long term characteristics and expected spectrum starting with a much shorter signal period. The final objective is to obtain a strain history that can be used to estimate long-term fatigue behaviour of hydroelectric turbine runners.

Improved Frequency Fluctuation Model for Spectral Line Shape Calculations in Fusion Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferri, S.; Calisti, A.; Mossé, C.; Talin, B.; Lisitsa, V.

2010-10-01

A very fast method to calculate spectral line shapes emitted by plasmas accounting for charge particle dynamics and effects of an external magnetic field is proposed. This method relies on a new formulation of the Frequency Fluctuation Model (FFM), which yields to an expression of the dynamic line profile as a functional of the static distribution function of frequencies. This highly efficient formalism, not limited to hydrogen-like systems, allows to calculate pure Stark and Stark-Zeeman line shapes for a wide range of density, temperature and magnetic field values, which is of importance in plasma physics and astrophysics. Various applications of this method are presented for conditions related to fusion plasmas.

Enforcing dust mass conservation in 3D simulations of tightly coupled grains with the PHANTOM SPH code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballabio, G.; Dipierro, G.; Veronesi, B.; Lodato, G.; Hutchison, M.; Laibe, G.; Price, D. J.

2018-06-01

We describe a new implementation of the one-fluid method in the SPH code PHANTOM to simulate the dynamics of dust grains in gas protoplanetary discs. We revise and extend previously developed algorithms by computing the evolution of a new fluid quantity that produces a more accurate and numerically controlled evolution of the dust dynamics. Moreover, by limiting the stopping time of uncoupled grains that violate the assumptions of the terminal velocity approximation, we avoid fatal numerical errors in mass conservation. We test and validate our new algorithm by running 3D SPH simulations of a large range of disc models with tightly and marginally coupled grains.

Skidmore Clips of Neutral and Expressive Scenarios (SCENES): Novel dynamic stimuli for social cognition research.

PubMed

Schofield, Casey A; Weeks, Justin W; Taylor, Lea; Karnedy, Colten

2015-12-30

Social cognition research has relied primarily on photographic emotional stimuli. Such stimuli likely have limited ecological validity in terms of representing real world social interactions. The current study presents evidence for the validity of a new stimuli set of dynamic social SCENES (Skidmore Clips of Emotional and Neutral Expressive Scenarios). To develop these stimuli, ten undergraduate theater students were recruited to portray members of an audience. This audience was configured to display (seven) varying configurations of social feedback, ranging from unequivocally approving to unequivocally disapproving (including three different versions of balanced/neutral scenes). Validity data were obtained from 383 adult participants recruited from Amazon's Mechanical Turk. Each participant viewed three randomly assigned scenes and provided a rating of the perceived criticalness of each scene. Results indicate that the SCENES reflect the intended range of emotionality, and pairwise comparisons suggest that the SCENES capture distinct levels of critical feedback. Overall, the SCENES stimuli set represents a publicly available (www.scenesstimuli.com) resource for researchers interested in measuring social cognition in the presence of dynamic and naturalistic social stimuli. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Random walks of colloidal probes in viscoelastic materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Manas; Mason, Thomas G.

2014-04-01

To overcome limitations of using a single fixed time step in random walk simulations, such as those that rely on the classic Wiener approach, we have developed an algorithm for exploring random walks based on random temporal steps that are uniformly distributed in logarithmic time. This improvement enables us to generate random-walk trajectories of probe particles that span a highly extended dynamic range in time, thereby facilitating the exploration of probe motion in soft viscoelastic materials. By combining this faster approach with a Maxwell-Voigt model (MVM) of linear viscoelasticity, based on a slowly diffusing harmonically bound Brownian particle, we rapidly create trajectories of spherical probes in soft viscoelastic materials over more than 12 orders of magnitude in time. Appropriate windowing of these trajectories over different time intervals demonstrates that random walk for the MVM is neither self-similar nor self-affine, even if the viscoelastic material is isotropic. We extend this approach to spatially anisotropic viscoelastic materials, using binning to calculate the anisotropic mean square displacements and creep compliances along different orthogonal directions. The elimination of a fixed time step in simulations of random processes, including random walks, opens up interesting possibilities for modeling dynamics and response over a highly extended temporal dynamic range.

A Computational Approach for Modeling Neutron Scattering Data from Lipid Bilayers

DOE PAGES

Carrillo, Jan-Michael Y.; Katsaras, John; Sumpter, Bobby G.; ...

2017-01-12

Biological cell membranes are responsible for a range of structural and dynamical phenomena crucial to a cell's well-being and its associated functions. Due to the complexity of cell membranes, lipid bilayer systems are often used as biomimetic models. These systems have led to signficant insights into vital membrane phenomena such as domain formation, passive permeation and protein insertion. Experimental observations of membrane structure and dynamics are, however, limited in resolution, both spatially and temporally. Importantly, computer simulations are starting to play a more prominent role in interpreting experimental results, enabling a molecular under- standing of lipid membranes. Particularly, the synergymore » between scattering experiments and simulations offers opportunities for new discoveries in membrane physics, as the length and time scales probed by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations parallel those of experiments. We also describe a coarse-grained MD simulation approach that mimics neutron scattering data from large unilamellar lipid vesicles over a range of bilayer rigidity. Specfically, we simulate vesicle form factors and membrane thickness fluctuations determined from small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and neutron spin echo (NSE) experiments, respectively. Our simulations accurately reproduce trends from experiments and lay the groundwork for investigations of more complex membrane systems.« less

Binaural model-based dynamic-range compression.

PubMed

Ernst, Stephan M A; Kortlang, Steffen; Grimm, Giso; Bisitz, Thomas; Kollmeier, Birger; Ewert, Stephan D

2018-01-26

Binaural cues such as interaural level differences (ILDs) are used to organise auditory perception and to segregate sound sources in complex acoustical environments. In bilaterally fitted hearing aids, dynamic-range compression operating independently at each ear potentially alters these ILDs, thus distorting binaural perception and sound source segregation. A binaurally-linked model-based fast-acting dynamic compression algorithm designed to approximate the normal-hearing basilar membrane (BM) input-output function in hearing-impaired listeners is suggested. A multi-center evaluation in comparison with an alternative binaural and two bilateral fittings was performed to assess the effect of binaural synchronisation on (a) speech intelligibility and (b) perceived quality in realistic conditions. 30 and 12 hearing impaired (HI) listeners were aided individually with the algorithms for both experimental parts, respectively. A small preference towards the proposed model-based algorithm in the direct quality comparison was found. However, no benefit of binaural-synchronisation regarding speech intelligibility was found, suggesting a dominant role of the better ear in all experimental conditions. The suggested binaural synchronisation of compression algorithms showed a limited effect on the tested outcome measures, however, linking could be situationally beneficial to preserve a natural binaural perception of the acoustical environment.

Dynamic range in small-world networks of Hodgkin-Huxley neurons with chemical synapses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batista, C. A. S.; Viana, R. L.; Lopes, S. R.; Batista, A. M.

2014-09-01

According to Stevens' law the relationship between stimulus and response is a power-law within an interval called the dynamic range. The dynamic range of sensory organs is found to be larger than that of a single neuron, suggesting that the network structure plays a key role in the behavior of both the scaling exponent and the dynamic range of neuron assemblies. In order to verify computationally the relationships between stimulus and response for spiking neurons, we investigate small-world networks of neurons described by the Hodgkin-Huxley equations connected by chemical synapses. We found that the dynamic range increases with the network size, suggesting that the enhancement of the dynamic range observed in sensory organs, with respect to single neurons, is an emergent property of complex network dynamics.

Quercus suber range dynamics by ecological niche modelling: from the Last Interglacial to present time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vessella, Federico; Simeone, Marco Cosimo; Schirone, Bartolomeo

2015-07-01

Ecological Niche Modelling (ENM) is widely used to depict species potential occurrence according to environmental variables under different climatic scenarios. We tested the ENM approach to infer past range dynamics of cork oak, a keystone species of the Mediterranean Biome, from 130 ka to the present time. Hindcasting implications would deal with a better species risk assessment and conservation management for the future. We modelled present and past occurrence of cork oak using seven ENM algorithms, starting from 63,733 spatially unique presence points at 30 arc-second resolution. Fourteen environmental variables were used and four time slices were considered (Last Interglacial, Last Glacial Maximum, mid-Holocene and present time). A threshold-independent evaluation of the goodness-of-fit of the models was evaluated by means of ROC curve and fossil or historical evidences were used to validate the results. Four weighted average maps depicted the dynamics of area suitability for cork oak in the last 130 ka. The derived species autoecology allowed its long-term occurrence in the Mediterranean without striking range reduction or shifting. Fossil and historical post-processing validation support the modelled past spatial extension and a neglected species presence at Levantine until the recent time. Despite the severe climatic oscillation since the Last Glacial Maximum, cork oak potential distribution area experienced limited range changes, confirming its strong link with the Mediterranean Basin. The ecological amplitude of Quercus suber could be therefore adopted as a reference to trace the Mediterranean bioclimate area. A better knowledge of the past events of Mediterranean vegetation, a wider range of study species and environmental determinants are essential to inform us about its current state, its sensitivity to human impact and the potential responses to future changes.

Suspended-Sediment Impacts on Light-limited Productivity in the Delaware Estuary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McSweeney, J.; Chant, R. J.; Wilkin, J.; Sommerfield, C. K.

2016-12-01

The Delaware Estuary has a history of high anthropogenic nutrient loadings, but has been classified as a high-nutrient, low-growth system due persistent light limitations caused by turbidity. While the biogeochemical implications of light limitation in turbid estuaries has been well-studied, there has been minimal effort focused on the connectivity between hydrodynamics, sediment dynamics, and light-limitation. Our understanding of sediment dynamics in the Delaware Estuary has advanced significantly in the last decade, and this study provides insight about how the spatiotemporal variability of the estuarine turbidity maximum controls the light available for primary productivity. This analysis uses data from eight along-estuary cruises from March, June, September, and December 2010 and 2011 to look at the seasonality of suspended sediment and chlorophyll distributions. By estimating the absorption due to sediment under a range of environmental conditions, we describe how the movement of the turbidity maximum affects light availability. We also use an idealized 2-dimensional Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) numerical model to evaluate how river discharge and spring-neap variability modulate the location of phytoplankton blooms. We conclude that high river flows and neap tides can drive stratification that is strong enough to prevent sediment from being resuspended into the surface layer, thus providing light conditions favorable for primary productivity. This study sheds light on the importance of sediment in the limiting primary productivity, and the role of stratification in promoting production, highlighting the potential limitations of biogeochemical models that do not account for sediment absorption.

Signal-to-noise limitations in white light holography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ribak, Erez; Breckinridge, James B.; Roddier, Claude; Roddier, Francois

1988-01-01

A simple derivation is given for the SNR in images reconstructed from incoherent holograms. Dependence is shown to be on the hologram SNR, object complexity, and the number of pixels in the detector. Reconstruction of involved objects becomes possible with high-dynamic-range detectors such as CCDs. White-light holograms have been produced by means of a rotational shear interferometer combined with a chromatic corrector. A digital inverse transform recreated the object.

Land-based lidar mapping: a new surveying technique to shed light on rapid topographic change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Collins, Brian D.; Kayen, Robert

2006-01-01

The rate of natural change in such dynamic environments as rivers and coastlines can sometimes overwhelm the monitoring capacity of conventional surveying methods. In response to this limitation, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists are pioneering new applications of light detection and ranging (lidar), a laser-based scanning technology that promises to greatly increase our ability to track rapid topographic changes and manage their impact on affected communities.

Study of auxiliary propulsion requirements for large space systems, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, W. W.; Machles, G. W.

1983-01-01

A range of single shuttle launched large space systems were identified and characterized including a NASTRAN and loading dynamics analysis. The disturbance environment, characterization of thrust level and APS mass requirements, and a study of APS/LSS interactions were analyzed. State-of-the-art capabilities for chemical and ion propulsion were compared with the generated propulsion requirements to assess the state-of-the-art limitations and benefits of enhancing current technology.

Determination of the V- I characteristic of NbTi wires in a wide resistivity range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Musenich, R.; Fabbricatore, P.; Farinon, S.; Greco, M.

2004-01-01

The voltage-current curve of superconducting wires and cables is generally directly measured within the resistivity range 10 -15-10 -12 Ω m being limited by the sensitivity and the Joule dissipation. Indirect measurements, based on the current decay in a superconducting loop, allow the determination of the curve in lower resistivity regions. Using a loop made with a Cu-NbTi wire we performed indirect V- I measurements in the range 10 -19-10 -16 Ω m. The comparison of the curves obtained by the direct and indirect method allows the experimental verification of the power law describing the transition of the superconducting wire to the normal state in a wide resistivity range. The law is discussed and justified on the basis of the superconductor behaviour in the flux creep dynamic regime.

Magnetic merging in colliding flux tubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zweibel, Ellen G.; Rhoads, James E.

1995-01-01

We develop an analytical theory of reconnection between colliding, twisted magnetic flux tubes. Our analysis is restricted to direct collisions between parallel tubes and is based on the collision dynamics worked out by Bogdan (1984). We show that there is a range of collision velocities for which neutral point reconnection of the Parker-Sweet type can occur, and a smaller range for which reconnection leads to coalescence. Mean velocities within the solar convection zone are probably significantly greater than the upper limit for coalescence. This suggests that the majority of flux tube collisions do not result in merging, unless the frictional coupling of the tubes to the background flow is extremely strong.

Development of a new dynamic gas flow-control system in the pressure range of 1 Pa-133 Pa

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

Hong, S. S.; Chung, J. W.; Khan, Wakil

2011-12-15

A new flow-control system (FCS-705) has been developed at Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science. The system is intended for calibration of vacuum gauges in the pressure range of 1 Pa-133 Pa by comparison method. This paper describes some basic characteristics of the system including; (1) the design and construction of the system, (2) the generation of stable pressures in the chamber, (3) achieving high upstream pressure limit by installing a short duct in the by-pass pumping line, and (4) investigation of the gas flow regimes within the short duct.

Analog-to-Digital Conversion to Accommodate the Dynamics of Live Music in Hearing Instruments

PubMed Central

Bahlmann, Frauke; Fulton, Bernadette

2012-01-01

Hearing instrument design focuses on the amplification of speech to reduce the negative effects of hearing loss. Many amateur and professional musicians, along with music enthusiasts, also require their hearing instruments to perform well when listening to the frequent, high amplitude peaks of live music. One limitation, in most current digital hearing instruments with 16-bit analog-to-digital (A/D) converters, is that the compressor before the A/D conversion is limited to 95 dB (SPL) or less at the input. This is more than adequate for the dynamic range of speech; however, this does not accommodate the amplitude peaks present in live music. The hearing instrument input compression system can be adjusted to accommodate for the amplitudes present in music that would otherwise be compressed before the A/D converter in the hearing instrument. The methodology behind this technological approach will be presented along with measurements to demonstrate its effectiveness. PMID:23258618

Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy at Micromolar Concentrations without Optical Nanoconfinement

DOE PAGES

Laurence, Ted A.; Ly, Sonny; Bourguet, Feliza; ...

2014-08-14

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) is an important technique for studying biochemical interactions dynamically that may be used in vitro and in cell-based studies. It is generally claimed that FCS may only be used at nM concentrations. We show that this general consensus is incorrect and that the limitation to nM concentrations is not fundamental but due to detector limits as well as laser fluctuations. With a high count rate detector system and applying laser fluctuation corrections, we demonstrate FCS measurements up to 38 μM with the same signal-to-noise as at lower concentrations. Optical nanoconfinement approaches previously used to increase themore » concentration range of FCS are not necessary, and further increases above 38 μM may be expected using detectors and detector arrays with higher saturation rates and better laser fluctuation corrections. This approach greatly widens the possibilities of dynamic measurements of biochemical interactions using FCS at physiological concentrations.« less

The Temporal Dynamics of Arc Expression Regulate Cognitive Flexibility.

PubMed

Wall, Mark J; Collins, Dawn R; Chery, Samantha L; Allen, Zachary D; Pastuzyn, Elissa D; George, Arlene J; Nikolova, Viktoriya D; Moy, Sheryl S; Philpot, Benjamin D; Shepherd, Jason D; Müller, Jürgen; Ehlers, Michael D; Mabb, Angela M; Corrêa, Sonia A L

2018-06-27

Neuronal activity regulates the transcription and translation of the immediate-early gene Arc/Arg3.1, a key mediator of synaptic plasticity. Proteasome-dependent degradation of Arc tightly limits its temporal expression, yet the significance of this regulation remains unknown. We disrupted the temporal control of Arc degradation by creating an Arc knockin mouse (ArcKR) where the predominant Arc ubiquitination sites were mutated. ArcKR mice had intact spatial learning but showed specific deficits in selecting an optimal strategy during reversal learning. This cognitive inflexibility was coupled to changes in Arc mRNA and protein expression resulting in a reduced threshold to induce mGluR-LTD and enhanced mGluR-LTD amplitude. These findings show that the abnormal persistence of Arc protein limits the dynamic range of Arc signaling pathways specifically during reversal learning. Our work illuminates how the precise temporal control of activity-dependent molecules, such as Arc, regulates synaptic plasticity and is crucial for cognition. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Learning dynamics in social dilemmas

PubMed Central

Macy, Michael W.; Flache, Andreas

2002-01-01

The Nash equilibrium, the main solution concept in analytical game theory, cannot make precise predictions about the outcome of repeated mixed-motive games. Nor can it tell us much about the dynamics by which a population of players moves from one equilibrium to another. These limitations, along with concerns about the cognitive demands of forward-looking rationality, have motivated efforts to explore backward-looking alternatives to analytical game theory. Most of the effort has been invested in evolutionary models of population dynamics. We shift attention to a learning-theoretic alternative. Computational experiments with adaptive agents identify a fundamental solution concept for social dilemmas–−stochastic collusion–−based on a random walk from a self-limiting noncooperative equilibrium into a self-reinforcing cooperative equilibrium. However, we show that this solution is viable only within a narrow range of aspiration levels. Below the lower threshold, agents are pulled into a deficient equilibrium that is a stronger attractor than mutual cooperation. Above the upper threshold, agents are dissatisfied with mutual cooperation. Aspirations that adapt with experience (producing habituation to stimuli) do not gravitate into the window of viability; rather, they are the worst of both worlds. Habituation destabilizes cooperation and stabilizes defection. Results from the two-person problem suggest that applications to multiplex and embedded relationships will yield unexpected insights into the global dynamics of cooperation in social dilemmas. PMID:12011402

Rate limit of protein elastic response is tether dependent.

PubMed

Berkovich, Ronen; Hermans, Rodolfo I; Popa, Ionel; Stirnemann, Guillaume; Garcia-Manyes, Sergi; Berne, Bruce J; Fernandez, Julio M

2012-09-04

The elastic restoring force of tissues must be able to operate over the very wide range of loading rates experienced by living organisms. It is surprising that even the fastest events involving animal muscle tissues do not surpass a few hundred hertz. We propose that this limit is set in part by the elastic dynamics of tethered proteins extending and relaxing under a changing load. Here we study the elastic dynamics of tethered proteins using a fast force spectrometer with sub-millisecond time resolution, combined with Brownian and Molecular Dynamics simulations. We show that the act of tethering a polypeptide to an object, an inseparable part of protein elasticity in vivo and in experimental setups, greatly reduces the attempt frequency with which the protein samples its free energy. Indeed, our data shows that a tethered polypeptide can traverse its free-energy landscape with a surprisingly low effective diffusion coefficient D(eff) ~ 1,200 nm(2)/s. By contrast, our Molecular Dynamics simulations show that diffusion of an isolated protein under force occurs at D(eff) ~ 10(8) nm(2)/s. This discrepancy is attributed to the drag force caused by the tethering object. From the physiological time scales of tissue elasticity, we calculate that tethered elastic proteins equilibrate in vivo with D(eff) ~ 10(4)-10(6) nm(2)/s which is two to four orders magnitude smaller than the values measured for untethered proteins in bulk.

Dynamic Yielding and Spall Behavior of Commercially Pure Grade 4 Titanium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thadhani, Naresh; Whelchel, R. L.; Sanders, Tom; Mehkote, D. S.; Iyer, K. A.; Georgia Instiutute of Technology Collaboration; Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Labortaory Collaboration

2015-06-01

The dynamic yielding and fracture (spalling) of commercially pure (grade 4) titanium are investigated using symmetric plate impact experiments over a peak stress range of 5.6 GPa to 12.5 GPa, using the 80-mm single-stage gas-gun. VISAR rear free surface velocity profiles display both a Hugoniot elastic limit (HEL) and a velocity pullback, which are indicative of dynamic compressive yielding and tensile fracture (spalling), respectively. The HEL values appear to show a slight decrease with peak stress from 2.2 GPa to 2.0 GPa along with a corresponding increase in twinning observed in recovered impacted samples. The spall strength on the other hand increases with peak stress from a value of 3.3 GPa to 3.8 GPa and shows a good power law fit with the decompression strain rate. The differing responses in dynamic yield and fracture behavior suggest that void nucleation may be the dominant mechanism affecting the spall strength of grade 4 titanium.

Dynamically stable multiply quantized vortices in dilute Bose-Einstein condensates

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

Huhtamaeki, J. A. M.; Virtanen, S. M. M.; Moettoenen, M.

2006-12-15

Multiquantum vortices in dilute atomic Bose-Einstein condensates confined in long cigar-shaped traps are known to be both energetically and dynamically unstable. They tend to split into single-quantum vortices even in the ultralow temperature limit with vanishingly weak dissipation, which has also been confirmed in the recent experiments [Y. Shin et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 160406 (2004)] utilizing the so-called topological phase engineering method to create multiquantum vortices. We study the stability properties of multiquantum vortices in different trap geometries by solving the Bogoliubov excitation spectra for such states. We find that there are regions in the trap asymmetry andmore » condensate interaction strength plane in which the splitting instability of multiquantum vortices is suppressed, and hence they are dynamically stable. For example, the doubly quantized vortex can be made dynamically stable even in spherical traps within a wide range of interaction strength values. We expect that this suppression of vortex-splitting instability can be experimentally verified.« less

Dynamically variable negative stiffness structures

PubMed Central

Churchill, Christopher B.; Shahan, David W.; Smith, Sloan P.; Keefe, Andrew C.; McKnight, Geoffrey P.

2016-01-01

Variable stiffness structures that enable a wide range of efficient load-bearing and dexterous activity are ubiquitous in mammalian musculoskeletal systems but are rare in engineered systems because of their complexity, power, and cost. We present a new negative stiffness–based load-bearing structure with dynamically tunable stiffness. Negative stiffness, traditionally used to achieve novel response from passive structures, is a powerful tool to achieve dynamic stiffness changes when configured with an active component. Using relatively simple hardware and low-power, low-frequency actuation, we show an assembly capable of fast (<10 ms) and useful (>100×) dynamic stiffness control. This approach mitigates limitations of conventional tunable stiffness structures that exhibit either small (<30%) stiffness change, high friction, poor load/torque transmission at low stiffness, or high power active control at the frequencies of interest. We experimentally demonstrate actively tunable vibration isolation and stiffness tuning independent of supported loads, enhancing applications such as humanoid robotic limbs and lightweight adaptive vibration isolators. PMID:26989771

Chandrasekhar's dynamical friction and non-extensive statistics

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

Silva, J.M.; Lima, J.A.S.; De Souza, R.E.

2016-05-01

The motion of a point like object of mass M passing through the background potential of massive collisionless particles ( m || M ) suffers a steady deceleration named dynamical friction. In his classical work, Chandrasekhar assumed a Maxwellian velocity distribution in the halo and neglected the self gravity of the wake induced by the gravitational focusing of the mass M . In this paper, by relaxing the validity of the Maxwellian distribution due to the presence of long range forces, we derive an analytical formula for the dynamical friction in the context of the q -nonextensive kinetic theory. Inmore » the extensive limiting case ( q = 1), the classical Gaussian Chandrasekhar result is recovered. As an application, the dynamical friction timescale for Globular Clusters spiraling to the galactic center is explicitly obtained. Our results suggest that the problem concerning the large timescale as derived by numerical N -body simulations or semi-analytical models can be understood as a departure from the standard extensive Maxwellian regime as measured by the Tsallis nonextensive q -parameter.« less

The gravity model of labor migration behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexandr, Tarasyev; Alexandr, Tarasyev

2017-07-01

In this article, we present a dynamic inter-regional model, that is based on the gravity approach to migration and describes in continuous time the labor force dynamics between a number of conjugate regions. Our modification of the gravity migration model allows to explain the migration processes and to display the impact of migration on the regional economic development both for regions of origin and attraction. The application of our model allows to trace the dependency between salaries levels, total workforce, the number of vacancies and the number unemployed people in simulated regions. Due to the gravity component in our model the accuracy of prediction for migration flows is limited by the distance range between analyzed regions, so this model is tested on a number of conjugate neighbor regions. Future studies will be aimed at development of a multi-level dynamic model, which allows to construct a forecast for unemployment and vacancies trends on the first modeling level and to use these identified parameters on the second level for describing dynamic trajectories of migration flows.

Property evolution during vitrification of dimethacrylate photopolymer networks

PubMed Central

Abu-Elenain, Dalia; Lewis, Steven H.; Stansbury, Jeffrey W.

2013-01-01

Objectives This study seeks to correlate the interrelated properties of conversion, shrinkage, modulus and stress as dimethacrylate networks transition from rubbery to glassy states during photopolymerization. Methods An unfilled BisGMA/TEGDMA resin was photocured for various irradiation intervals (7–600 s) to provide controlled levels of immediate conversion, which was monitored continuously for 10 min. Fiber optic near-infrared spectroscopy permitted coupling of real-time conversion measurement with dynamic polymerization shrinkage (linometer), modulus (dynamic mechanical analyzer) and stress (tensometer) development profiles. Results The varied irradiation conditions produced final conversion ranging from 6 % to more than 60 %. Post-irradiation conversion (dark cure) was quite limited when photopolymerization was interrupted either at very low or very high levels of conversion while significant dark cure contributions were possible for photocuring reactions suspended within the post-gel, rubbery regime. Analysis of conversion-based property evolution during and subsequent to photocuring demonstrated that the shrinkage rate increased significantly at about 40 % conversion followed by late-stage suppression in the conversion-dependent shrinkage rate that begins at about 45–50 % conversion. The gradual vitrification process over this conversion range is evident based on the broad but well-defined inflection in the modulus versus conversion data. As limiting conversion is approached, modulus and, to a somewhat lesser extent, stress rise precipitously as a result of vitrification with the stress profile showing little if any late-stage suppression as seen with shrinkage. Significance Near the limiting conversion for this model resin, the volumetric polymerization shrinkage rate slows while an exponential rise in modulus promotes the vitrification process that appears to largely dictate stress development. PMID:24080378

Stationary moments, diffusion limits, and extinction times for logistic growth with random catastrophes.

PubMed

Schlomann, Brandon H

2018-06-06

A central problem in population ecology is understanding the consequences of stochastic fluctuations. Analytically tractable models with Gaussian driving noise have led to important, general insights, but they fail to capture rare, catastrophic events, which are increasingly observed at scales ranging from global fisheries to intestinal microbiota. Due to mathematical challenges, growth processes with random catastrophes are less well characterized and it remains unclear how their consequences differ from those of Gaussian processes. In the face of a changing climate and predicted increases in ecological catastrophes, as well as increased interest in harnessing microbes for therapeutics, these processes have never been more relevant. To better understand them, I revisit here a differential equation model of logistic growth coupled to density-independent catastrophes that arrive as a Poisson process, and derive new analytic results that reveal its statistical structure. First, I derive exact expressions for the model's stationary moments, revealing a single effective catastrophe parameter that largely controls low order statistics. Then, I use weak convergence theorems to construct its Gaussian analog in a limit of frequent, small catastrophes, keeping the stationary population mean constant for normalization. Numerically computing statistics along this limit shows how they transform as the dynamics shifts from catastrophes to diffusions, enabling quantitative comparisons. For example, the mean time to extinction increases monotonically by orders of magnitude, demonstrating significantly higher extinction risk under catastrophes than under diffusions. Together, these results provide insight into a wide range of stochastic dynamical systems important for ecology and conservation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A multi-MHz single-shot data acquisition scheme with high dynamic range: pump-probe X-ray experiments at synchrotrons.

PubMed

Britz, Alexander; Assefa, Tadesse A; Galler, Andreas; Gawelda, Wojciech; Diez, Michael; Zalden, Peter; Khakhulin, Dmitry; Fernandes, Bruno; Gessler, Patrick; Sotoudi Namin, Hamed; Beckmann, Andreas; Harder, Manuel; Yavaş, Hasan; Bressler, Christian

2016-11-01

The technical implementation of a multi-MHz data acquisition scheme for laser-X-ray pump-probe experiments with pulse limited temporal resolution (100 ps) is presented. Such techniques are very attractive to benefit from the high-repetition rates of X-ray pulses delivered from advanced synchrotron radiation sources. Exploiting a synchronized 3.9 MHz laser excitation source, experiments in 60-bunch mode (7.8 MHz) at beamline P01 of the PETRA III storage ring are performed. Hereby molecular systems in liquid solutions are excited by the pulsed laser source and the total X-ray fluorescence yield (TFY) from the sample is recorded using silicon avalanche photodiode detectors (APDs). The subsequent digitizer card samples the APD signal traces in 0.5 ns steps with 12-bit resolution. These traces are then processed to deliver an integrated value for each recorded single X-ray pulse intensity and sorted into bins according to whether the laser excited the sample or not. For each subgroup the recorded single-shot values are averaged over ∼10 7  pulses to deliver a mean TFY value with its standard error for each data point, e.g. at a given X-ray probe energy. The sensitivity reaches down to the shot-noise limit, and signal-to-noise ratios approaching 1000 are achievable in only a few seconds collection time per data point. The dynamic range covers 100 photons pulse -1 and is only technically limited by the utilized APD.

Neutron star mergers as a probe of modifications of general relativity with finite-range scalar forces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sagunski, Laura; Zhang, Jun; Johnson, Matthew C.; Lehner, Luis; Sakellariadou, Mairi; Liebling, Steven L.; Palenzuela, Carlos; Neilsen, David

2018-03-01

Observations of gravitational radiation from compact binary systems provide an unprecedented opportunity to test general relativity in the strong field dynamical regime. In this paper, we investigate how future observations of gravitational radiation from binary neutron star mergers might provide constraints on finite-range forces from a universally coupled massive scalar field. Such scalar degrees of freedom (d.o.f.) are a characteristic feature of many extensions of general relativity. For concreteness, we work in the context of metric f (R ) gravity, which is equivalent to general relativity and a universally coupled scalar field with a nonlinear potential whose form is fixed by the choice of f (R ). In theories where neutron stars (or other compact objects) obtain a significant scalar charge, the resulting attractive finite-range scalar force has implications for both the inspiral and merger phases of binary systems. We first present an analysis of the inspiral dynamics in Newtonian limit, and forecast the constraints on the mass of the scalar and charge of the compact objects for the Advanced LIGO gravitational wave observatory. We then perform a comparative study of binary neutron star mergers in general relativity with those of a one-parameter model of f (R ) gravity using fully relativistic hydrodynamical simulations. These simulations elucidate the effects of the scalar on the merger and postmerger dynamics. We comment on the utility of the full waveform (inspiral, merger, postmerger) to probe different regions of parameter space for both the particular model of f (R ) gravity studied here and for finite-range scalar forces more generally.

Breaking through the false coincidence barrier in electron–ion coincidence experiments

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

Osborn, David L.; Hayden, Carl C.; Hemberger, Patrick

Photoelectron Photoion Coincidence (PEPICO) spectroscopy holds the promise of a universal, isomer-selective, and sensitive analytical technique for time-resolved quantitative analysis of bimolecular chemical reactions. Unfortunately, its low dynamic range of ~10 3 has largely precluded its use for this purpose, where a dynamic range of at least 10 5 is generally required. This limitation is due to the false coincidence background common to all coincidence experiments, especially at high count rates. Electron/ion pairs emanating from separate ionization events but arriving within the ion time of flight (TOF) range of interest constitute the false coincidence background. Although this background has uniformmore » intensity at every m/z value, the Poisson scatter in the false coincidence background obscures small signals. In this paper, temporal ion deflection coupled with a position-sensitive ion detector enables suppression of the false coincidence background, increasing the dynamic range in the PEPICO TOF mass spectrum by 2–3 orders of magnitude. The ions experience a time-dependent electric deflection field at a well-defined fraction of their time of flight. This deflection defines an m/z- and ionization-time dependent ion impact position for true coincidences, whereas false coincidences appear randomly outside this region and can be efficiently suppressed. When cold argon clusters are ionized, false coincidence suppression allows us to observe species up to Ar 9 +, whereas Ar 4 + is the largest observable cluster under traditional operation. As a result, this advance provides mass-selected photoelectron spectra for fast, high sensitivity quantitative analysis of reacting systems.« less

Multitarget, quantitative nanoplasmonic electrical field-enhanced resonating device (NE2RD) for diagnostics.

PubMed

Inci, Fatih; Filippini, Chiara; Baday, Murat; Ozen, Mehmet Ozgun; Calamak, Semih; Durmus, Naside Gozde; Wang, ShuQi; Hanhauser, Emily; Hobbs, Kristen S; Juillard, Franceline; Kuang, Ping Ping; Vetter, Michael L; Carocci, Margot; Yamamoto, Hidemi S; Takagi, Yuko; Yildiz, Umit Hakan; Akin, Demir; Wesemann, Duane R; Singhal, Amit; Yang, Priscilla L; Nibert, Max L; Fichorova, Raina N; Lau, Daryl T-Y; Henrich, Timothy J; Kaye, Kenneth M; Schachter, Steven C; Kuritzkes, Daniel R; Steinmetz, Lars M; Gambhir, Sanjiv S; Davis, Ronald W; Demirci, Utkan

2015-08-11

Recent advances in biosensing technologies present great potential for medical diagnostics, thus improving clinical decisions. However, creating a label-free general sensing platform capable of detecting multiple biotargets in various clinical specimens over a wide dynamic range, without lengthy sample-processing steps, remains a considerable challenge. In practice, these barriers prevent broad applications in clinics and at patients' homes. Here, we demonstrate the nanoplasmonic electrical field-enhanced resonating device (NE(2)RD), which addresses all these impediments on a single platform. The NE(2)RD employs an immunodetection assay to capture biotargets, and precisely measures spectral color changes by their wavelength and extinction intensity shifts in nanoparticles without prior sample labeling or preprocessing. We present through multiple examples, a label-free, quantitative, portable, multitarget platform by rapidly detecting various protein biomarkers, drugs, protein allergens, bacteria, eukaryotic cells, and distinct viruses. The linear dynamic range of NE(2)RD is five orders of magnitude broader than ELISA, with a sensitivity down to 400 fg/mL This range and sensitivity are achieved by self-assembling gold nanoparticles to generate hot spots on a 3D-oriented substrate for ultrasensitive measurements. We demonstrate that this precise platform handles multiple clinical samples such as whole blood, serum, and saliva without sample preprocessing under diverse conditions of temperature, pH, and ionic strength. The NE(2)RD's broad dynamic range, detection limit, and portability integrated with a disposable fluidic chip have broad applications, potentially enabling the transition toward precision medicine at the point-of-care or primary care settings and at patients' homes.

Multitarget, quantitative nanoplasmonic electrical field-enhanced resonating device (NE2RD) for diagnostics

PubMed Central

Inci, Fatih; Filippini, Chiara; Ozen, Mehmet Ozgun; Calamak, Semih; Durmus, Naside Gozde; Wang, ShuQi; Hanhauser, Emily; Hobbs, Kristen S.; Juillard, Franceline; Kuang, Ping Ping; Vetter, Michael L.; Carocci, Margot; Yamamoto, Hidemi S.; Takagi, Yuko; Yildiz, Umit Hakan; Akin, Demir; Wesemann, Duane R.; Singhal, Amit; Yang, Priscilla L.; Nibert, Max L.; Fichorova, Raina N.; Lau, Daryl T.-Y.; Henrich, Timothy J.; Kaye, Kenneth M.; Schachter, Steven C.; Kuritzkes, Daniel R.; Steinmetz, Lars M.; Gambhir, Sanjiv S.; Davis, Ronald W.; Demirci, Utkan

2015-01-01

Recent advances in biosensing technologies present great potential for medical diagnostics, thus improving clinical decisions. However, creating a label-free general sensing platform capable of detecting multiple biotargets in various clinical specimens over a wide dynamic range, without lengthy sample-processing steps, remains a considerable challenge. In practice, these barriers prevent broad applications in clinics and at patients’ homes. Here, we demonstrate the nanoplasmonic electrical field-enhanced resonating device (NE2RD), which addresses all these impediments on a single platform. The NE2RD employs an immunodetection assay to capture biotargets, and precisely measures spectral color changes by their wavelength and extinction intensity shifts in nanoparticles without prior sample labeling or preprocessing. We present through multiple examples, a label-free, quantitative, portable, multitarget platform by rapidly detecting various protein biomarkers, drugs, protein allergens, bacteria, eukaryotic cells, and distinct viruses. The linear dynamic range of NE2RD is five orders of magnitude broader than ELISA, with a sensitivity down to 400 fg/mL This range and sensitivity are achieved by self-assembling gold nanoparticles to generate hot spots on a 3D-oriented substrate for ultrasensitive measurements. We demonstrate that this precise platform handles multiple clinical samples such as whole blood, serum, and saliva without sample preprocessing under diverse conditions of temperature, pH, and ionic strength. The NE2RD’s broad dynamic range, detection limit, and portability integrated with a disposable fluidic chip have broad applications, potentially enabling the transition toward precision medicine at the point-of-care or primary care settings and at patients’ homes. PMID:26195743

Breaking through the false coincidence barrier in electron–ion coincidence experiments

DOE PAGES

Osborn, David L.; Hayden, Carl C.; Hemberger, Patrick; ...

2016-10-31

Photoelectron Photoion Coincidence (PEPICO) spectroscopy holds the promise of a universal, isomer-selective, and sensitive analytical technique for time-resolved quantitative analysis of bimolecular chemical reactions. Unfortunately, its low dynamic range of ~10 3 has largely precluded its use for this purpose, where a dynamic range of at least 10 5 is generally required. This limitation is due to the false coincidence background common to all coincidence experiments, especially at high count rates. Electron/ion pairs emanating from separate ionization events but arriving within the ion time of flight (TOF) range of interest constitute the false coincidence background. Although this background has uniformmore » intensity at every m/z value, the Poisson scatter in the false coincidence background obscures small signals. In this paper, temporal ion deflection coupled with a position-sensitive ion detector enables suppression of the false coincidence background, increasing the dynamic range in the PEPICO TOF mass spectrum by 2–3 orders of magnitude. The ions experience a time-dependent electric deflection field at a well-defined fraction of their time of flight. This deflection defines an m/z- and ionization-time dependent ion impact position for true coincidences, whereas false coincidences appear randomly outside this region and can be efficiently suppressed. When cold argon clusters are ionized, false coincidence suppression allows us to observe species up to Ar 9 +, whereas Ar 4 + is the largest observable cluster under traditional operation. As a result, this advance provides mass-selected photoelectron spectra for fast, high sensitivity quantitative analysis of reacting systems.« less

Information processing via physical soft body

PubMed Central

Nakajima, Kohei; Hauser, Helmut; Li, Tao; Pfeifer, Rolf

2015-01-01

Soft machines have recently gained prominence due to their inherent softness and the resulting safety and resilience in applications. However, these machines also have disadvantages, as they respond with complex body dynamics when stimulated. These dynamics exhibit a variety of properties, including nonlinearity, memory, and potentially infinitely many degrees of freedom, which are often difficult to control. Here, we demonstrate that these seemingly undesirable properties can in fact be assets that can be exploited for real-time computation. Using body dynamics generated from a soft silicone arm, we show that they can be employed to emulate desired nonlinear dynamical systems. First, by using benchmark tasks, we demonstrate that the nonlinearity and memory within the body dynamics can increase the computational performance. Second, we characterize our system’s computational capability by comparing its task performance with a standard machine learning technique and identify its range of validity and limitation. Our results suggest that soft bodies are not only impressive in their deformability and flexibility but can also be potentially used as computational resources on top and for free. PMID:26014748

High Power Intermodulation Measurements up to 30 W of High Temperature Superconducting Filters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilker, Charles; Carter, Charles F., III; Shen, Zhi-Yuan

1999-01-01

We have demonstrated a high power intermodulation measurement set-up capable of delivering 30 W in each of two fundamental tones. For closely spaced frequencies (less than 35 MHz), the dynamic range of the measurement is limited by the nonlinear performance of the mixer in the front end of the HP71210C spectrum analyzer. A tunable TE(sub 011) mode copper cavity was fabricated in which one of the endwalls could be adjusted shifting its resonant frequency between 5.7 and 6.6 GHz. Since the Q-value of this cavity is high, greater than 10(exp 4), and its bandwidth is small, less than 1 MHz, it can be used to attenuate the two fundamental tones relative to one of the harmonic tones, which greatly enhances the dynamic range of the measurement. This set-up can be used to measure the two-tone intermodulation distortion of any passive microwave device, e.g. a HTS filter, a connector, a cable, etc., over a frequency range of 5.9 to 6.4 GHz and a power range of 0.1 to 30 W. The third order intercept (TOI) of a prototype HTS filter measured at powers up to 30 W was +81.3 dBm.

Correlation of the Trim Limits of Stability Obtained for a PB2Y-3 Flying Boat and a 1/8-Size Powered Dynamic Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garrison, Charlie C.; Hacskaylo, Andrew

1947-01-01

Tests of a PB2Y-3 flying boat were made at the U.S> Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, Md., to determine its hydrodynamic trim limits of stability. Corresponding tests were also made of a 1/8-size powered dynamic model of the same flying boat in Langley tank no. 1. During the tank tests, the full-size testing procedure was reproduced as closely as possible in order to obtain data for a direct correlation of the results. As a nominal gross load of 66,000 pounds, the lower trim limits of the full-size and model were in good agreement above a speed of 80 feet per second. As the speed decreased below 80 feet per second, the difference between the model trim limits and full-scale trim limits gradually became larger. The upper trim limit of the model with flaps deflected 0 deg was higher than that of the full-size, but the difference was small over the speed range compared. At flap deflections greater than 0 deg, it was not possible to trim either the model of the airplane to the upper limit with the center of gravity at 28 percent of the mean aerodynamic chord. The decrease in the lower trim limits with increase in flap deflection showed good agreement for the airplane and model. The lower trim limits obtained at different gross loads for the full-size airplane were reduced to approximately a single curve by plotting trim against the square root of C(sub delta (sub o)) divided by C(sub V).

Phosphorescent nanosensors for in vivo tracking of histamine levels.

PubMed

Cash, Kevin J; Clark, Heather A

2013-07-02

Continuously tracking bioanalytes in vivo will enable clinicians and researchers to profile normal physiology and monitor diseased states. Current in vivo monitoring system designs are limited by invasive implantation procedures and biofouling, limiting the utility of these tools for obtaining physiologic data. In this work, we demonstrate the first success in optically tracking histamine levels in vivo using a modular, injectable sensing platform based on diamine oxidase and a phosphorescent oxygen nanosensor. Our new approach increases the range of measurable analytes by combining an enzymatic recognition element with a reversible nanosensor capable of measuring the effects of enzymatic activity. We use these enzyme nanosensors (EnzNS) to monitor the in vivo histamine dynamics as the concentration rapidly increases and decreases due to administration and clearance. The EnzNS system measured kinetics that match those reported from ex vivo measurements. This work establishes a modular approach to in vivo nanosensor design for measuring a broad range of potential target analytes. Simply replacing the recognition enzyme, or both the enzyme and nanosensor, can produce a new sensor system capable of measuring a wide range of specific analytical targets in vivo.

Lower Current Large Deviations for Zero-Range Processes on a Ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chleboun, Paul; Grosskinsky, Stefan; Pizzoferrato, Andrea

2017-04-01

We study lower large deviations for the current of totally asymmetric zero-range processes on a ring with concave current-density relation. We use an approach by Jensen and Varadhan which has previously been applied to exclusion processes, to realize current fluctuations by travelling wave density profiles corresponding to non-entropic weak solutions of the hyperbolic scaling limit of the process. We further establish a dynamic transition, where large deviations of the current below a certain value are no longer typically attained by non-entropic weak solutions, but by condensed profiles, where a non-zero fraction of all the particles accumulates on a single fixed lattice site. This leads to a general characterization of the rate function, which is illustrated by providing detailed results for four generic examples of jump rates, including constant rates, decreasing rates, unbounded sublinear rates and asymptotically linear rates. Our results on the dynamic transition are supported by numerical simulations using a cloning algorithm.

Dynamic range considerations for EUV MAMA detectors. [Extreme UV Multianode Microchannel Array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Illing, Rainer M. E.; Bybee, Richard L.; Timothy, J. G.

1990-01-01

The multianode microchannel array (MAMA) has been chosen as the detector for two instruments on the ESA/NASA Solar Heliospheric Observatory. The response of the MAMA to the two extreme types of solar spectra, disk and corona, have been modeled with a view toward evaluating dynamic range effects present. The method of MAMA operation is discussed, with emphasis given to modeling the effect of electron cloud charge spreading to several detector anodes and amplifiers (n-fold events). Representative synthetic EUV spectra have been created. The detector response to these spectra is modeled by dissecting the input photon radiation field across the detector array into contributions to the various amplifier channels. The results of this dissection are shown for spectral regions across the entire wavelength region of interest. These results are used to identify regions in which total array photon counting rate or individual amplifier rate may exceed the design limits. This allows the design or operational modes to be tailored to eliminate the problem areas.

Digital Moiré based transient interferometry and its application in optical surface measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, Qun; Tan, Yifeng; Wang, Shaopu; Hu, Yao

2017-10-01

Digital Moiré based transient interferometry (DMTI) is an effective non-contact testing methods for optical surfaces. In DMTI system, only one frame of real interferogram is experimentally captured for the transient measurement of the surface under test (SUT). When combined with partial compensation interferometry (PCI), DMTI is especially appropriate for the measurement of aspheres with large apertures, large asphericity or different surface parameters. Residual wavefront is allowed in PCI, so the same partial compensator can be applied to the detection of multiple SUTs. Excessive residual wavefront aberration results in spectrum aliasing, and the dynamic range of DMTI is limited. In order to solve this problem, a method based on wavelet transform is proposed to extract phase from the fringe pattern with spectrum aliasing. Results of simulation demonstrate the validity of this method. The dynamic range of Digital Moiré technology is effectively expanded, which makes DMTI prospective in surface figure error measurement for intelligent fabrication of aspheric surfaces.

Digital holographic microscopy applied to measurement of a flow in a T-shaped micromixer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ooms, T. A.; Lindken, R.; Westerweel, J.

2009-12-01

In this paper, we describe measurements of a three-dimensional (3D) flow in a T-shaped micromixer by means of digital holographic microscopy. Imaging tracer particles in a microscopic flow with conventional microscopy is accompanied by a small depth-of-field, which hinders true volumetric flow measurements. In holographic microscopy, the depth of the measurement domain does not have this limitation because any desired image plane can be reconstructed after recording. Our digital holographic microscope (DHM) consists of a conventional in-line recording system with an added magnifying optical element. The measured flow velocity and the calculated vorticity illustrate four streamwise vortices in the micromixer outflow channel. Because the investigated flow is stationary and strongly 3D, the DHM performance (i.e. accuracy and resolution) can be precisely investigated. The obtained Dynamic spatial range and Dynamic velocity range are larger than 20 and 30, respectively. High-speed multiple-frame measurements illustrate the capability to simultaneously track about 80 particles in a volumetric measurement domain.

Dynamic microwave assisted extraction coupled with dispersive micro-solid-phase extraction of herbicides in soybeans.

PubMed

Li, Na; Wu, Lijie; Nian, Li; Song, Ying; Lei, Lei; Yang, Xiao; Wang, Kun; Wang, Zhibing; Zhang, Liyuan; Zhang, Hanqi; Yu, Aimin; Zhang, Ziwei

2015-09-01

Non-polar solvent dynamic microwave assisted extraction was firstly applied to the treatment of high-fat soybean samples. In the dispersive micro-solid-phase extraction (D-µ-SPE), the herbicides in the high-fat extract were directly adsorbed on metal-organic frameworks MIL-101(Cr). The effects of several experimental parameters, including extraction solvent, microwave absorption medium, microwave power, volume and flow rate of extraction solvent, amount of MIL-101(Cr), and D-µ-SPE time, were investigated. At the optimal conditions, the limits of detection for the herbicides ranged from 1.56 to 2.00 μg kg(-1). The relative recoveries of the herbicides were in the range of 91.1-106.7%, and relative standard deviations were equal to or lower than 6.7%. The present method was simple, rapid and effective. A large amount of fat was also removed. This method was demonstrated to be suitable for treatment of high-fat samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

CubeSats in Hydrology: Ultrahigh-Resolution Insights Into Vegetation Dynamics and Terrestrial Evaporation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCabe, M. F.; Aragon, B.; Houborg, R.; Mascaro, J.

2017-12-01

Satellite-based remote sensing has generally necessitated a trade-off between spatial resolution and temporal frequency, affecting the capacity to observe fast hydrological processes and rapidly changing land surface conditions. An avenue for overcoming these spatiotemporal restrictions is the concept of using constellations of satellites, as opposed to the mission focus exemplified by the more conventional space-agency approach to earth observation. Referred to as CubeSats, these platforms offer the potential to provide new insights into a range of earth system variables and processes. Their emergence heralds a paradigm shift from single-sensor launches to an operational approach that envisions tens to hundreds of small, lightweight, and comparatively inexpensive satellites placed into a range of low earth orbits. Although current systems are largely limited to sensing in the optical portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, we demonstrate the opportunity and potential that CubeSats present the hydrological community via the retrieval of vegetation dynamics and terrestrial evaporation and foreshadow future sensing capabilities.

A study of numerical methods for hyperbolic conservation laws with stiff source terms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leveque, R. J.; Yee, H. C.

1988-01-01

The proper modeling of nonequilibrium gas dynamics is required in certain regimes of hypersonic flow. For inviscid flow this gives a system of conservation laws coupled with source terms representing the chemistry. Often a wide range of time scales is present in the problem, leading to numerical difficulties as in stiff systems of ordinary differential equations. Stability can be achieved by using implicit methods, but other numerical difficulties are observed. The behavior of typical numerical methods on a simple advection equation with a parameter-dependent source term was studied. Two approaches to incorporate the source term were utilized: MacCormack type predictor-corrector methods with flux limiters, and splitting methods in which the fluid dynamics and chemistry are handled in separate steps. Various comparisons over a wide range of parameter values were made. In the stiff case where the solution contains discontinuities, incorrect numerical propagation speeds are observed with all of the methods considered. This phenomenon is studied and explained.

Chicago's water market: Dynamics of demand, prices and scarcity rents

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ipe, V.C.; Bhagwat, S.B.

2002-01-01

Chicago and its suburbs are experiencing an increasing demand for water from a growing population and economy and may experience water scarcity in the near future. The Chicago metropolitan area has nearly depleted its groundwater resources to a point where interstate conflicts with Wisconsin could accompany an increased reliance on those sources. Further, the withdrawals from Lake Michigan is limited by the Supreme Court decree. The growing demand and indications of possible scarcity suggest a need to reexamine the pricing policies and the dynamics of demand. The study analyses the demand for water and develops estimates of scarcity rents for water in Chicago. The price and income elasticities computed at the means are -0.002 and 0.0002 respectively. The estimated scarcity rents ranges from $0.98 to $1.17 per thousand gallons. The results indicate that the current prices do not fully account for the scarcity rents and suggest a current rate with in the range $1.53 to $1.72 per thousand gallons.

High dynamic range bio-molecular ion microscopy with the Timepix detector.

PubMed

Jungmann, Julia H; MacAleese, Luke; Visser, Jan; Vrakking, Marc J J; Heeren, Ron M A

2011-10-15

Highly parallel, active pixel detectors enable novel detection capabilities for large biomolecules in time-of-flight (TOF) based mass spectrometry imaging (MSI). In this work, a 512 × 512 pixel, bare Timepix assembly combined with chevron microchannel plates (MCP) captures time-resolved images of several m/z species in a single measurement. Mass-resolved ion images from Timepix measurements of peptide and protein standards demonstrate the capability to return both mass-spectral and localization information of biologically relevant analytes from matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) on a commercial ion microscope. The use of a MCP-Timepix assembly delivers an increased dynamic range of several orders of magnitude. The Timepix returns defined mass spectra already at subsaturation MCP gains, which prolongs the MCP lifetime and allows the gain to be optimized for image quality. The Timepix peak resolution is only limited by the resolution of the in-pixel measurement clock. Oligomers of the protein ubiquitin were measured up to 78 kDa. © 2011 American Chemical Society

High temperature dynamic engine seal technology development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinetz, Bruce M.; Dellacorte, Christopher; Machinchick, Michael; Mutharasan, Rajakkannu; Du, Guang-Wu; Ko, Frank; Sirocky, Paul J.; Miller, Jeffrey H.

1992-01-01

Combined cycle ramjet/scramjet engines being designed for advanced hypersonic vehicles, including the National Aerospace Plane (NASP), require innovative high temperature dynamic seals to seal the sliding interfaces of the articulated engine panels. New seals are required that will operate hot (1200 to 2000 F), seal pressures ranging from 0 to 100 psi, remain flexible to accommodate significant sidewall distortions, and resist abrasion over the engine's operational life. This report reviews the recent high temperature durability screening assessments of a new braided rope seal concept, braided of emerging high temperature materials, that shows promise of meeting many of the seal demands of hypersonic engines. The paper presents durability data for: (1) the fundamental seal building blocks, a range of candidate ceramic fiber tows; and for (2) braided rope seal subelements scrubbed under engine simulated sliding, temperature, and preload conditions. Seal material/architecture attributes and limitations are identified through the investigations performed. The paper summarizes the current seal technology development status and presents areas in which future work will be performed.

Fast Crystallization of the Phase Change Compound GeTe by Large-Scale Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

PubMed

Sosso, Gabriele C; Miceli, Giacomo; Caravati, Sebastiano; Giberti, Federico; Behler, Jörg; Bernasconi, Marco

2013-12-19

Phase change materials are of great interest as active layers in rewritable optical disks and novel electronic nonvolatile memories. These applications rest on a fast and reversible transformation between the amorphous and crystalline phases upon heating, taking place on the nanosecond time scale. In this work, we investigate the microscopic origin of the fast crystallization process by means of large-scale molecular dynamics simulations of the phase change compound GeTe. To this end, we use an interatomic potential generated from a Neural Network fitting of a large database of ab initio energies. We demonstrate that in the temperature range of the programming protocols of the electronic memories (500-700 K), nucleation of the crystal in the supercooled liquid is not rate-limiting. In this temperature range, the growth of supercritical nuclei is very fast because of a large atomic mobility, which is, in turn, the consequence of the high fragility of the supercooled liquid and the associated breakdown of the Stokes-Einstein relation between viscosity and diffusivity.

Surface hopping with a manifold of electronic states. II. Application to the many-body Anderson-Holstein model

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

Dou, Wenjie; Subotnik, Joseph E.; Nitzan, Abraham

We investigate a simple surface hopping (SH) approach for modeling a single impurity level coupled to a single phonon and an electronic (metal) bath (i.e., the Anderson-Holstein model). The phonon degree of freedom is treated classically with motion along–and hops between–diabatic potential energy surfaces. The hopping rate is determined by the dynamics of the electronic bath (which are treated implicitly). For the case of one electronic bath, in the limit of small coupling to the bath, SH recovers phonon relaxation to thermal equilibrium and yields the correct impurity electron population (as compared with numerical renormalization group). For the case ofmore » out of equilibrium dynamics, SH current-voltage (I-V) curve is compared with the quantum master equation (QME) over a range of parameters, spanning the quantum region to the classical region. In the limit of large temperature, SH and QME agree. Furthermore, we can show that, in the limit of low temperature, the QME agrees with real-time path integral calculations. As such, the simple procedure described here should be useful in many other contexts.« less

Computationally Efficient Multiconfigurational Reactive Molecular Dynamics

PubMed Central

Yamashita, Takefumi; Peng, Yuxing; Knight, Chris; Voth, Gregory A.

2012-01-01

It is a computationally demanding task to explicitly simulate the electronic degrees of freedom in a system to observe the chemical transformations of interest, while at the same time sampling the time and length scales required to converge statistical properties and thus reduce artifacts due to initial conditions, finite-size effects, and limited sampling. One solution that significantly reduces the computational expense consists of molecular models in which effective interactions between particles govern the dynamics of the system. If the interaction potentials in these models are developed to reproduce calculated properties from electronic structure calculations and/or ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, then one can calculate accurate properties at a fraction of the computational cost. Multiconfigurational algorithms model the system as a linear combination of several chemical bonding topologies to simulate chemical reactions, also sometimes referred to as “multistate”. These algorithms typically utilize energy and force calculations already found in popular molecular dynamics software packages, thus facilitating their implementation without significant changes to the structure of the code. However, the evaluation of energies and forces for several bonding topologies per simulation step can lead to poor computational efficiency if redundancy is not efficiently removed, particularly with respect to the calculation of long-ranged Coulombic interactions. This paper presents accurate approximations (effective long-range interaction and resulting hybrid methods) and multiple-program parallelization strategies for the efficient calculation of electrostatic interactions in reactive molecular simulations. PMID:25100924

EVERY INTERACTING DOUBLE WHITE DWARF BINARY MAY MERGE

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

Shen, Ken J.

2015-05-20

Interacting double white dwarf (WD) binaries can give rise to a wide variety of astrophysical outcomes ranging from faint thermonuclear and Type Ia supernovae to the formation of neutron stars and stably accreting AM Canum Venaticorum systems. One key factor affecting the final outcome is whether mass transfer remains dynamically stable or instead diverges, leading to the tidal disruption of the donor and the merger of the binary. It is typically thought that for low ratios of the donor mass to the accretor mass, mass transfer remains stable, especially if accretion occurs via a disk. In this Letter, we examinemore » low mass ratio double WD binaries and find that the initial phase of hydrogen-rich mass transfer leads to a classical nova-like outburst on the accretor. Dynamical friction within the expanding nova shell shrinks the orbit and causes the mass transfer rate to increase dramatically above the accretor's Eddington limit, possibly resulting in a binary merger. If the binary survives the first hydrogen-rich nova outbursts, dynamical friction within the subsequent helium-powered nova shells pushes the system even more strongly toward merger. While further calculations are necessary to confirm this outcome for the entire range of binaries previously thought to be dynamically stable, it appears likely that most, if not all, interacting double WD binaries will merge during the course of their evolution.« less

Juno observes the dynamics of Jupiter's atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ingersoll, Andrew P.; Juno Science Team

2017-10-01

Jupiter is a photogenic planet, but our knowledge of the deep atmosphere is limited. Remote sensing observations have traditionally probed within and above the cloud tops, which are in the 0.5-1.0 bar pressure range. Dynamical models have focused on explaining this data set. Microwave observations from Earth probe down to the 5-10 bar range, which overlaps with the predicted base of the water cloud. The Galileo probe yielded data on winds, composition, temperature gradients, clouds, radiant flux, and lightning down to 22 bars, but only at one place on the planet. Further, the traditional observations are constrained to cover low and middle latitudes. In contrast, Juno's camera and infrared radiometer, JunoCam and JIRAM, have yielded images of the poles that show cyclonic vortices in polygonal arrangements. Juno's microwave radiometer yields latitude-altitude cross sections that show dynamical features of the ammonia distribution down to 50-100 bars. And Jupiter's gravity field yields information about the winds at thousands of km depth, where the pressures are tens of kbars. In this talk I will summarize the Juno observations that pertain to the dynamics of Jupiter's atmosphere and I will offer some of my own interpretations. The new data raise as many questions as answers, but that is as it should be. As Ed Stone said during a Voyager encounter, "If we knew all the answers before we got there, we wouldn't be learning anything."

Expression, crosslinking, and developing modulus master curves of recombinant resilin.

PubMed

Khandaker, Md Shahriar K; Dudek, Daniel M; Beers, Eric P; Dillard, David A

2017-05-01

Resilin is a disordered elastomeric protein found in specialized regions of insect cuticles, where low stiffness and high resilience are required. Having a wide range of functions that vary among insect species, resilin operates across a wide frequency range, from 5Hz for locomotion to 13kHz for sound production. We synthesize and crosslink a recombinant resilin from clone-1 (exon-1+exon-2) of the gene, and determine the water content (approximately 80wt%) and dynamic mechanical properties, along with estimating surface energies relevant for adhesion. Dynamic moduli master curves have been developed, by applying the time-temperature superposition principle (TTSP) and time-temperature concentration superposition principle (TTCSP), and compared with reported master curves for natural resilin from locusts, dragonflies, and cockroaches. To our knowledge, this is the first time dynamic moduli master curves have been developed to explore the dynamic mechanical properties of recombinant resilin and compare with resilin behavior. The resulting master curves show that the synthetic resilin undergoes a pronounced transition with increasing ethanol concentrations, with the storage modulus increasing by approximately three orders of magnitude. Although possibly a glass transition, alternate explanations include the formation of intramolecular hydrogen bonds or that the chitin binding domain (ChBD) in exon-2 might change the secondary structure of the normally disordered exon-1 into more ordered conformations that limit deformation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evolution of a natural debris flow: In situ measurements of flow dynamics, video imagery, and terrestrial laser scanning

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCoy, S.W.; Kean, J.W.; Coe, J.A.; Staley, D.M.; Wasklewicz, T.A.; Tucker, G.E.

2010-01-01

Many theoretical and laboratory studies have been undertaken to understand debris-flow processes and their associated hazards. However, complete and quantitative data sets from natural debris flows needed for confirmation of these results are limited. We used a novel combination of in situ measurements of debris-flow dynamics, video imagery, and pre- and postflow 2-cm-resolution digital terrain models to study a natural debris-flow event. Our field data constrain the initial and final reach morphology and key flow dynamics. The observed event consisted of multiple surges, each with clear variation of flow properties along the length of the surge. Steep, highly resistant, surge fronts of coarse-grained material without measurable pore-fluid pressure were pushed along by relatively fine-grained and water-rich tails that had a wide range of pore-fluid pressures (some two times greater than hydrostatic). Surges with larger nonequilibrium pore-fluid pressures had longer travel distances. A wide range of travel distances from different surges of similar size indicates that dynamic flow properties are of equal or greater importance than channel properties in determining where a particular surge will stop. Progressive vertical accretion of multiple surges generated the total thickness of mapped debris-flow deposits; nevertheless, deposits had massive, vertically unstratified sedimentological textures. ?? 2010 Geological Society of America.

A Dual-Colour Architecture for Pump-Probe Spectroscopy of Ultrafast Magnetization Dynamics in the Sub-10-femtosecond Range.

PubMed

Gonçalves, C S; Silva, A S; Navas, D; Miranda, M; Silva, F; Crespo, H; Schmool, D S

2016-03-15

Current time-resolution-limited dynamic measurements clearly show the need for improved techniques to access processes on the sub-10-femtosecond timescale. To access this regime, we have designed and constructed a state-of-the-art time-resolved magneto-optic Kerr effect apparatus, based on a new dual-color scheme, for the measurement of ultrafast demagnetization and precessional dynamics in magnetic materials. This system can operate well below the current temporal ranges reported in the literature, which typically lie in the region of around 50 fs and above. We have used a dual-colour scheme, based on ultra broadband hollow-core fibre and chirped mirror pulse compression techniques, to obtain unprecedented sub-8-fs pump and probe pulse durations at the sample plane. To demonstrate the capabilities of this system for ultrafast demagnetization and precessional dynamics studies, we have performed measurements in a ferrimagnetic GdFeCo thin film. Our study has shown that the magnetization shows a sudden drop within the first picosecond after the pump pulse, a fast recovery (remagnetization) within a few picoseconds, followed by a clear oscillation or precession during a slower magnetization recovery. Moreover, we have experimentally confirmed for the first time that a sub-10-fs pulse is able to efficiently excite a magnetic system such as GdFeCo.

Integrating atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, experiments, and network analysis to study protein dynamics: strength in unity.

PubMed

Papaleo, Elena

2015-01-01

In the last years, we have been observing remarkable improvements in the field of protein dynamics. Indeed, we can now study protein dynamics in atomistic details over several timescales with a rich portfolio of experimental and computational techniques. On one side, this provides us with the possibility to validate simulation methods and physical models against a broad range of experimental observables. On the other side, it also allows a complementary and comprehensive view on protein structure and dynamics. What is needed now is a better understanding of the link between the dynamic properties that we observe and the functional properties of these important cellular machines. To make progresses in this direction, we need to improve the physical models used to describe proteins and solvent in molecular dynamics, as well as to strengthen the integration of experiments and simulations to overcome their own limitations. Moreover, now that we have the means to study protein dynamics in great details, we need new tools to understand the information embedded in the protein ensembles and in their dynamic signature. With this aim in mind, we should enrich the current tools for analysis of biomolecular simulations with attention to the effects that can be propagated over long distances and are often associated to important biological functions. In this context, approaches inspired by network analysis can make an important contribution to the analysis of molecular dynamics simulations.

Climate warming is associated with smaller body size and shorter lifespans in moose near their southern range limit.

PubMed

Hoy, Sarah R; Peterson, Rolf O; Vucetich, John A

2018-06-01

Despite the importance of body size for individual fitness, population dynamics and community dynamics, the influence of climate change on growth and body size is inadequately understood, particularly for long-lived vertebrates. Although temporal trends in body size have been documented, it remains unclear whether these changes represent the adverse impact of climate change (environmental stress constraining phenotypes) or its mitigation (via phenotypic plasticity or evolution). Concerns have also been raised about whether climate change is indeed the causal agent of these phenotypic shifts, given the length of time-series analysed and that studies often do not evaluate - and thereby sufficiently rule out - other potential causes. Here, we evaluate evidence for climate-related changes in adult body size (indexed by skull size) over a 4-decade period for a population of moose (Alces alces) near the southern limit of their range whilst also considering changes in density, predation, and human activities. In particular, we document: (i) a trend of increasing winter temperatures and concurrent decline in skull size (decline of 19% for males and 13% for females) and (ii) evidence of a negative relationship between skull size and winter temperatures during the first year of life. These patterns could be plausibly interpreted as an adaptive phenotypic response to climate warming given that latitudinal/temperature clines are often accepted as evidence of adaptation to local climate. However, we also observed: (iii) that moose with smaller skulls had shorter lifespans, (iv) a reduction in lifespan over the 4-decade study period, and (v) a negative relationship between lifespan and winter temperatures during the first year of life. Those observations indicate that this phenotypic change is not an adaptive response to climate change. However, this decline in lifespan was not accompanied by an obvious change in population dynamics, suggesting that climate change may affect population dynamics and life-histories differently. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

ELM Dynamics in TCV H-modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Degeling, A. W.; Martin, Y. R.; Lister, J. B.; Llobet, X.; Bak, P. E.

2003-06-01

TCV (Tokamak à Configuration Variable, R = 0.88 m, a < 0.25 m, BT < 1.54 T) is a highly elongated tokamak, capable of producing limited and diverted plasmas, with the primary aim of investigating the effects of plasma shape and current profile on tokamak physics and performance. L-mode to H-mode transitions are regularly obtained in TCV over a wide range of configurations. Under most conditions, the H-mode is ELM-free and terminates in a high density disruption. The conditions required for a transition to an ELMy H-mode were investigated in detail, and a reliable gateway in parameter space for the transition was identified. Once established, the ELMy H-mode is robust to changes in plasma current, elongation, divertor geometry and plasma density over ranges that are much wider than the size of the gateway in these parameters. There exists marked irregularity in the time interval between consecutive ELMs. Transient signatures in the time-series revealing the existence of an underlying chaotic dynamical system are repeatedly observed in a sizable group of discharges [1]. The properties of these signatures (called unstable periodic orbits, or UPOs) are found to vary systematically with parameters such as the plasma current, density and inner plasma — wall gap. A link has also been established between the dynamics of ELMs and sawteeth in TCV: under certain conditions a clear preference is observed in the phase between ELMs and sawtooth crashes, and the ratio of the ELM frequency (felm) to sawtooth frequency (fst) is found to prefer simple rational values (e.g. 1/1, 2/1 or 1/2). An attempt to control the ELM dynamics was made by applying a perturbation signal to the radial field coils used for vertical stabilisation. Phase synchronisation was found with the external perturbation, and felm was found to track limited scans in the driver frequency about the unperturbed value, albeit with intermittent losses in phase lock.

Past and future demographic dynamics of alpine species: limited genetic consequences despite dramatic range contraction in a plant from the Spanish Sierra Nevada.

PubMed

Blanco-Pastor, J L; Fernández-Mazuecos, M; Vargas, P

2013-08-01

Anthropogenic global climate change is expected to cause severe range contractions among alpine plants. Alpine areas in the Mediterranean region are of special concern because of the high abundance of endemic species with narrow ranges. This study combined species distribution models, population structure analyses and Bayesian skyline plots to trace the past and future distribution and diversity of Linaria glacialis, an endangered narrow endemic species that inhabits summits of Sierra Nevada (Spain). The results showed that: (i) the habitat of this alpine-Mediterranean species in Sierra Nevada suffered little changes during glacial and interglacial stages of late Quaternary; (ii) climatic oscillations in the last millennium (Medieval Warm Period and Little Ice Age) moderately affected the demographic trends of L. glacialis; (iii) future warming conditions will cause severe range contractions; and (iv) genetic diversity will not diminish at the same pace as the distribution range. As a consequence of the low population structure of this species, genetic impoverishment in the alpine zones of Sierra Nevada should be limited during range contraction. We conclude that maintenance of large effective population sizes via high mutation rates and high levels of gene flow may promote the resilience of alpine plant species when confronted with global warming. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

ASSESSMENT OF DYNAMIC PRA TECHNIQUES WITH INDUSTRY AVERAGE COMPONENT PERFORMANCE DATA

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

Yadav, Vaibhav; Agarwal, Vivek; Gribok, Andrei V.

In the nuclear industry, risk monitors are intended to provide a point-in-time estimate of the system risk given the current plant configuration. Current risk monitors are limited in that they do not properly take into account the deteriorating states of plant equipment, which are unit-specific. Current approaches to computing risk monitors use probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) techniques, but the assessment is typically a snapshot in time. Living PRA models attempt to address limitations of traditional PRA models in a limited sense by including temporary changes in plant and system configurations. However, information on plant component health are not considered. Thismore » often leaves risk monitors using living PRA models incapable of conducting evaluations with dynamic degradation scenarios evolving over time. There is a need to develop enabling approaches to solidify risk monitors to provide time and condition-dependent risk by integrating traditional PRA models with condition monitoring and prognostic techniques. This paper presents estimation of system risk evolution over time by integrating plant risk monitoring data with dynamic PRA methods incorporating aging and degradation. Several online, non-destructive approaches have been developed for diagnosing plant component conditions in nuclear industry, i.e., condition indication index, using vibration analysis, current signatures, and operational history [1]. In this work the component performance measures at U.S. commercial nuclear power plants (NPP) [2] are incorporated within the various dynamic PRA methodologies [3] to provide better estimates of probability of failures. Aging and degradation is modeled within the Level-1 PRA framework and is applied to several failure modes of pumps and can be extended to a range of components, viz. valves, generators, batteries, and pipes.« less

Comparison of the transient responses of Escherichia coli to a glucose pulse of various intensities.

PubMed

Sunya, Sirichai; Delvigne, Frank; Uribelarrea, Jean-Louis; Molina-Jouve, Carole; Gorret, Nathalie

2012-08-01

Dynamic stimulus-responses of Escherichia coli DPD2085, yciG::LuxCDABE reporter strain, to glucose pulses of different intensities (0.08, 0.4 and 1 g L(-1)) were compared using glucose-limited chemostat cultures at dilution rate close to 0.15 h(-1). After at least five residence times, the steady-state cultures were disturbed by a pulse of glucose, engendering conditions of glucose excess with concomitant oxygen limitation. In all conditions, glucose consumption, acetate and formate accumulations followed a linear relationship with time. The resulting specific uptake and production rates as well as respiratory rates were rapidly increased within the first seconds, which revealed a high ability of E. coli strain to modulate its metabolism to a new environment. For transition from glucose-excess to glucose-limited conditions, the cells rapidly re-established its pseudo-steady state. The dynamics of transient responses at the macroscopic viewpoint were shown to be independent on the glucose pulse intensity in the tested range. On the contrary, the E. coli biosensor yciG::luxCDABE revealed a transcriptional induction of yciG gene promoter depending on the quantities of the glucose added, through in situ and online monitoring of the bioluminescence emitted by the cells. Despite many studies describing the dynamics of the transient response of E. coli to glucose perturbations, it is the first time that a direct comparison is reported, using the same experimental design (strain, medium and experimental set up), to study the impact of the glucose pulse intensity on the dynamics of microbial behaviour regarding growth, respiration and metabolite productions.

Markov Dynamics as a Zooming Lens for Multiscale Community Detection: Non Clique-Like Communities and the Field-of-View Limit

PubMed Central

Schaub, Michael T.; Delvenne, Jean-Charles; Yaliraki, Sophia N.; Barahona, Mauricio

2012-01-01

In recent years, there has been a surge of interest in community detection algorithms for complex networks. A variety of computational heuristics, some with a long history, have been proposed for the identification of communities or, alternatively, of good graph partitions. In most cases, the algorithms maximize a particular objective function, thereby finding the ‘right’ split into communities. Although a thorough comparison of algorithms is still lacking, there has been an effort to design benchmarks, i.e., random graph models with known community structure against which algorithms can be evaluated. However, popular community detection methods and benchmarks normally assume an implicit notion of community based on clique-like subgraphs, a form of community structure that is not always characteristic of real networks. Specifically, networks that emerge from geometric constraints can have natural non clique-like substructures with large effective diameters, which can be interpreted as long-range communities. In this work, we show that long-range communities escape detection by popular methods, which are blinded by a restricted ‘field-of-view’ limit, an intrinsic upper scale on the communities they can detect. The field-of-view limit means that long-range communities tend to be overpartitioned. We show how by adopting a dynamical perspective towards community detection [1], [2], in which the evolution of a Markov process on the graph is used as a zooming lens over the structure of the network at all scales, one can detect both clique- or non clique-like communities without imposing an upper scale to the detection. Consequently, the performance of algorithms on inherently low-diameter, clique-like benchmarks may not always be indicative of equally good results in real networks with local, sparser connectivity. We illustrate our ideas with constructive examples and through the analysis of real-world networks from imaging, protein structures and the power grid, where a multiscale structure of non clique-like communities is revealed. PMID:22384178

Image dynamic range test and evaluation of Gaofen-2 dual cameras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhenhua; Gan, Fuping; Wei, Dandan

2015-12-01

In order to fully understand the dynamic range of Gaofen-2 satellite data and support the data processing, application and next satellites development, in this article, we evaluated the dynamic range by calculating some statistics such as maximum ,minimum, average and stand deviation of four images obtained at the same time by Gaofen-2 dual cameras in Beijing area; then the maximum ,minimum, average and stand deviation of each longitudinal overlap of PMS1,PMS2 were calculated respectively for the evaluation of each camera's dynamic range consistency; and these four statistics of each latitudinal overlap of PMS1,PMS2 were calculated respectively for the evaluation of the dynamic range consistency between PMS1 and PMS2 at last. The results suggest that there is a wide dynamic range of DN value in the image obtained by PMS1 and PMS2 which contains rich information of ground objects; in general, the consistency of dynamic range between the single camera images is in close agreement, but also a little difference, so do the dual cameras. The consistency of dynamic range between the single camera images is better than the dual cameras'.

Super-Resolution Microscopy Techniques and Their Potential for Applications in Radiation Biophysics.

PubMed

Eberle, Jan Philipp; Rapp, Alexander; Krufczik, Matthias; Eryilmaz, Marion; Gunkel, Manuel; Erfle, Holger; Hausmann, Michael

2017-01-01

Fluorescence microscopy is an essential tool for imaging tagged biological structures. Due to the wave nature of light, the resolution of a conventional fluorescence microscope is limited laterally to about 200 nm and axially to about 600 nm, which is often referred to as the Abbe limit. This hampers the observation of important biological structures and dynamics in the nano-scaled range ~10 nm to ~100 nm. Consequentially, various methods have been developed circumventing this limit of resolution. Super-resolution microscopy comprises several of those methods employing physical and/or chemical properties, such as optical/instrumental modifications and specific labeling of samples. In this article, we will give a brief insight into a variety of selected optical microscopy methods reaching super-resolution beyond the Abbe limit. We will survey three different concepts in connection to biological applications in radiation research without making a claim to be complete.

Flight Controllability Limits and Related Human Transfer Functions as Determined from Simulator and Flight Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, Lawrence W., Jr.; Day, Richard E.

1961-01-01

A simulator study and flight tests were performed to determine the levels of static stability and damping necessary to enable a pilot to control the longitudinal and lateral-directional dynamics of a vehicle for short periods of time. Although a basic set of aerodynamic characteristics was used, the study was conducted so that the results would be applicable to a wide range of flight conditions and configurations. Novel piloting techniques were found which enabled the pilot to control the vehicle at conditions that were otherwise uncontrollable. The influence of several critical factors in altering the controllability limits was also investigated. Several human transfer functions were used which gave fairly good representations of the controllability limits determined experimentally for the short-period longitudinal, directional, and lateral modes. A transfer function with approximately the same gain and phase angle as the pilot at the controlling frequencies along the controllability limits was also derived.

Extension of the Viscous Collision Limiting Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Technique to Multiple Species

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liechty, Derek S.; Burt, Jonathan M.

2016-01-01

There are many flows fields that span a wide range of length scales where regions of both rarefied and continuum flow exist and neither direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) nor computational fluid dynamics (CFD) provide the appropriate solution everywhere. Recently, a new viscous collision limited (VCL) DSMC technique was proposed to incorporate effects of physical diffusion into collision limiter calculations to make the low Knudsen number regime normally limited to CFD more tractable for an all-particle technique. This original work had been derived for a single species gas. The current work extends the VCL-DSMC technique to gases with multiple species. Similar derivations were performed to equate numerical and physical transport coefficients. However, a more rigorous treatment of determining the mixture viscosity is applied. In the original work, consideration was given to internal energy non-equilibrium, and this is also extended in the current work to chemical non-equilibrium.

A Molecular Dynamics Simulation of the Turbulent Couette Minimal Flow Unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Edward

2016-11-01

What happens to turbulent motions below the Kolmogorov length scale? In order to explore this question, a 300 million molecule Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation is presented for the minimal Couette channel in which turbulence can be sustained. The regeneration cycle and turbulent statistics show excellent agreement to continuum based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) at Re=400. As MD requires only Newton's laws and a form of inter-molecular potential, it captures a much greater range of phenomena without requiring the assumptions of Newton's law of viscosity, thermodynamic equilibrium, fluid isotropy or the limitation of grid resolution. The fundamental nature of MD means it is uniquely placed to explore the nature of turbulent transport. A number of unique insights from MD are presented, including energy budgets, sub-grid turbulent energy spectra, probability density functions, Lagrangian statistics and fluid wall interactions. EPSRC Post Doctoral Prize Fellowship.

Dynamic nuclear magnetic resonance field sensing with part-per-trillion resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gross, Simon; Barmet, Christoph; Dietrich, Benjamin E.; Brunner, David O.; Schmid, Thomas; Pruessmann, Klaas P.

2016-12-01

High-field magnets of up to tens of teslas in strength advance applications in physics, chemistry and the life sciences. However, progress in generating such high fields has not been matched by corresponding advances in magnetic field measurement. Based mostly on nuclear magnetic resonance, dynamic high-field magnetometry is currently limited to resolutions in the nanotesla range. Here we report a concerted approach involving tailored materials, magnetostatics and detection electronics to enhance the resolution of nuclear magnetic resonance sensing by three orders of magnitude. The relative sensitivity thus achieved amounts to 1 part per trillion (10-12). To exemplify this capability we demonstrate the direct detection and relaxometry of nuclear polarization and real-time recording of dynamic susceptibility effects related to human heart function. Enhanced high-field magnetometry will generally permit a fresh look at magnetic phenomena that scale with field strength. It also promises to facilitate the development and operation of high-field magnets.

Live-Cell Imaging of F-Actin Dynamics During Fertilization in Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Susaki, Daichi; Maruyama, Daisuke; Yelagandula, Ramesh; Berger, Frederic; Kawashima, Tomokazu

2017-01-01

Fertilization comprises a complex series of cellular processes leading to the fusion of a male and female gamete. Many studies have been carried out to investigate each step of fertilization in plants; however, our comprehensive understanding of all the sequential events during fertilization is still limited. This is largely due to difficulty in investigating events in the female gametophyte, which is deeply embedded in the maternal tissue. Recent advances in confocal microcopy assisted by fluorescent marker lines have contributed to visualizing subcellular dynamics in real time during fertilization in vivo. In this chapter, we describe a method focusing on the investigation of F-actin dynamics in the central cell during male gamete nuclear migration. This method also allows the study of a wide range of early sexual reproduction events, from pollen tube guidance to the early stage of seed development.