[Wildlife damage mitigation in agricultural crops in a Bolivian montane forest].

PubMed

Perez, Eddy; Pacheco, Luis F

2014-12-01

Wildlife is often blamed for causing damage to human activities, including agricultural practices and the result may be a conflict between human interests and species conservation. A formal assessment of the magnitude of damage is necessary to adequately conduct management practices and an assessment of the efficiency of different management practices is necessary to enable managers to mitigate the conflict with rural people. This study was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of agricultural management practices and controlled hunting in reducing damage to subsistence annual crops at the Cotapata National Park and Natural Area of Integrated Management. The design included seven fields with modified agricultural practices, four fields subjected to control hunting, and five fields held as controls. We registered cultivar type, density, frequency of visiting species to the field, crops lost to wildlife, species responsible for damage, and crop biomass. Most frequent species in the fields were Dasyprocta punctata and Dasypus novemcinctus. Hunted plots were visited 1.6 times more frequently than agriculturally managed plots. Crop lost to wildlife averaged 7.28% at agriculturally managed plots, 4.59% in plots subjected to hunting, and 27.61% in control plots. Species mainly responsible for damage were Pecari tajacu, D. punctata, and Sapajus apella. We concluded that both management strategies were effective to reduce damage by >50% as compared to unmanaged crop plots.

Frequency dependent electrical characteristics of ferroelectric Pb{4.0}K{1.0}Li{1.0}Nb{10}O{30} ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao, K. S.; Krishna, P. M.; Prasad, D. M.; Latha, T. S.; Hussain, M.

2007-09-01

Dielectric, impedance, modulus and conductivity studies were performed over temperature 35 °C 600 °C and frequency 45 Hz 5 MHz range on the Lead Potassium Lithium Niobate (Pb{4.0}K{1.0}Li{1.0}Nb{10}O{30}, PKLN) ceramics. These studies established the conduction ion motion and polarization mechanism in the material. The dispersive dielectric loss at high temperature reveals the ionic conductivity. From frequency variation of \\varepsilonl response the pre-factor A(T) and critical exponent n(T) are evaluated, and are used in Jonscher's dielectric dispersion relation for \\varepsilon ' to fit with the experimental data. Complex impedance plots showed a non Debye type relaxation, are used to evaluate the grain and grain boundary conduction and relaxation activation energies. DC and ac conduction activation energies are estimated from Arrhenius plots. Occupancy of Li+ for C-sites gave a completely filled structure and enhanced the phase transition temperature to 520 °C compared to PKN. This is supported by the conduction activation energy in ferro region is more than the para region. Also, the dc conductivity characterized from bulk resistance and M^ll peak frequency. Polaron hoping mechanism at room temperature has been confirmed via the linear variation of the plot log (σ ac-σ dc) as a function of log ω 2. Stretched exponential parameter, β (0 < β ≤slant 1) has been evaluated from impedance plots, interpreted as a result of correlated motions between the Li+ ions and distribution of dielectric relaxation. Compared the results from different techniques, and discussed the conduction mechanism in the material.

Encoding of a spectrally-complex communication sound in the bullfrog's auditory nerve.

PubMed

Schwartz, J J; Simmons, A M

1990-02-01

1. A population study of eighth nerve responses in the bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana, was undertaken to analyze how the eighth nerve codes the complex spectral and temporal structure of the species-specific advertisement call over a biologically-realistic range of intensities. Synthetic advertisement calls were generated by Fourier synthesis and presented to individual eighth nerve fibers of anesthetized bullfrogs. Fiber responses were analyzed by calculating rate responses based on post-stimulus-time (PST) histograms and temporal responses based on Fourier transforms of period histograms. 2. At stimulus intensities of 70 and 80 dB SPL, normalized rate responses provide a fairly good representation of the complex spectral structure of the stimulus, particularly in the low- and mid-frequency range. At higher intensities, rate responses saturate, and very little of the spectral structure of the complex stimulus can be seen in the profile of rate responses of the population. 3. Both AP and BP fibers phase-lock strongly to the fundamental (100 Hz) of the complex stimulus. These effects are relatively resistant to changes in stimulus intensity. Only a small number of fibers synchronize to the low-frequency spectral energy in the stimulus. The underlying spectral complexity of the stimulus is not accurately reflected in the timing of fiber firing, presumably because firing is 'captured' by the fundamental frequency. 4. Plots of average localized synchronized rate (ALSR), which combine both spectral and temporal information, show a similar, low-pass shape at all stimulus intensities. ALSR plots do not generally provide an accurate representation of the structure of the advertisement call. 5. The data suggest that anuran peripheral auditory fibers may be particularly sensitive to the amplitude envelope of sounds.

Pyrotechnic shock measurement and data analysis requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Albers, L.

1975-01-01

A study of laboratory measurement and analysis of pyrotechnic shock prompted by a discrepancy in preliminary Mariner Jupiter/Saturn shock test data is reported. It is shown that before generating shock response plots from any recorded pyrotechnic event, a complete review of each instrumentation and analysis system must be made. In addition, the frequency response capability of the tape recorder used should be as high as possible; the discrepancies in the above data were due to inadequate frequency response in the FM tape recorders. The slew rate of all conditioning amplifiers and input converters must be high enough to prevent signal distortion at maximum input voltage; amplifier ranges should be selected so that the input pulse is approximately 50% of full scale; the Bessel response type should be chosen for digital shock analysis if antialiasing filters are employed; and transducer selection must consider maximum acceleration limit, mounted resonance frequency, flat clean mounting surfaces, base bending sensitivity, and proper torque.

Vegetation of Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana-Recent plant communities with comparison to a three-decade-old survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Howard, Rebecca J.; Michot, Thomas C.; Allain, Larry

2011-01-01

Shifts in plant community composition and structure can affect the quality of habitat for wildlife species. Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Louisiana was established in 1937 with a primary goal of providing habitat for wintering waterfowl species. A large freshwater impoundment constructed on the refuge to improve waterfowl habitat value was completed in 1943. About 10 years after construction was completed, staff at the refuge became concerned that emergent vegetation cover was increasing in the impoundment over time while open water areas, which are critical as foraging and resting areas for waterfowl, were decreasing. To document vegetation change over time, we collected information on plant community species composition for comparison to similar data collected in 1973. A total of 84 sampling plots was established in 2006 within the impoundment to coincide as closely as possible to plots sampled in the earlier study. Plant species composition and cover were recorded at each plot in the summers of 2006 and 2007. Change between sampling events separated by more than three decades was determined by comparing the frequency of occurrence of 20 species identified in 1973 to their frequency in 2006 and 2007. Interannual variation was determined by comparing plot data between 2006 and 2007. In plots dominated by emergent vegetation, it was found that Bacopa caroliniana, Eleocharis equisetoides, Leersia hexandra, Panicum hemitomon, and Sagittaria lancifolia were significantly less frequent in 2006 and 2007 than in 1973. The frequency of Brasenia schreberi, Cabomba caroliniana, Nitella gracilis, and Nymphoides aquatica was significantly lower in 2006 and 2007 than in 1973 in plots dominated by floating-leaved plants, submersed plants, or open water. In 2007, Hydrocotyle sp. and Sacciolepis striata were more frequent than in 1973 in emergent vegetation plots, and Utricularia sp. was more frequent in submersed or open-water plots. We documented interannual variation by an increase in species richness, the Shannon diversity index, and evenness of species distribution within plots in 2007 compared to 2006. The total cover by species did not differ between years, but the frequency of seven species was greater in 2007 compared to 2006 while the frequency of unvegetated surface was lower. Results indicated that the occurrence of some species varied between both 2006 and 2007 and 1973, but the lack of complete data from the 1973 study limits confidence in this conclusion. The interannual variation documented between 2006 and 2007 may be due to several factors, including a response to weather conditions or to recovery from the impacts of Hurricane Rita, which impacted Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge in the fall of 2005 and likely raised salinity levels in the impoundment. More information is needed to determine if the interannual variation identified in the plant communities of Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge between 2006 and 2007 was unusual or represents normal variation.

Pattern reversal responses in man and cat: a comparison.

PubMed

Schuurmans, R P; Berninger, T

1984-01-01

In 42 enucleated and arterially perfused cat eyes, graded potentials were recorded from the retina (ERG) and from the optic nerve ( ONR ) in response to checker-board stimuli, reversing at a low temporal frequency in a square wave mode. The ERG and ONR responses show an almost perfect duplication of the response to each reversal of the pattern and exhibit, in contrast to luminance responses, striking similarities in response characteristics such as amplitude, wave shape and time course. Furthermore, the amplitude versus check size plots coincide in both responses. In cat, pattern reversal responses can be recorded from 74 to 9 min of arc, correlating to the cat's visual resolution. In man, almost identical responses can be recorded for the pattern ERG. However, in accordance with the difference in visual resolution in man and cat, a parallel shift for the human pattern reversal ERG response to higher spatial frequencies is observed.

Forest disturbance spurs growth of modeling and technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bohrer, G.; Matheny, A. M.; Mirfenderesgi, G.; Morin, T. H.; Rey Sanchez, A. C.; Gough, C. M.; Vogel, C. S.; Nadelhoffer, K. J.; Curtis, P.

2016-12-01

As new opportunities for scientific exploration open, needs for data generate a drive for innovative developments of new research tools. The Forest Accelerated Succession ExperimenT (FASET) was enacted in 2007, continuous flux observations at the University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS) since 2000. FASET is a large-scale ecological experiment testing the immediate and intermediate term effects of disturbance, and eventually, the role of succession and community composition on forest flux dynamics. Decades-long tree-level observations in the UMBS forest, combined with the long term flux observations allowed us to match the bottom-up accumulated response of individual trees with the top-down whole-plot response measured from the flux tower. However, data describing tree-level canopy structure and hydrological response over an entire plot were not readily available. Unintentionally, FASET became both a motivation and a test-bed for new research tools and approaches. We expanded the operation and analysis approach for a portable canopy LiDARfor 3-D measurements meter-scale canopy structure. We matched canopy LiDAR measurements with root measurements from ground penetrating radar. To study the hydrological effects of the disturbance, we instrumented a large number of trees with Granier-style sap flux sensors. We further developed an approach to use frequency domain reflectometry sensors for continuous measurements of tree water content. We developed an approach to combine plot census, allometry and sap-flux observations in a bottom-up fashion to compare with plot-level EC transpiration rates. We found that while the transpirational water demand in the disturbance plot increased, overall evapotranspiration decreased. This decrease, however, is not uniform across species. A new individual-plant to ecosystem scale hydrodynamic model (FETCH2) demonstrates how specific traits translate to intra-daily differences in plot-level transpiration dynamics.

Six-Year Nitrogen-Water Interaction Shifts the Frequency Distribution and Size Inequality of the First-Order Roots of Fraxinus mandschurica in a Mixed Mature Pinus koraiensis Forest.

PubMed

Wang, Cunguo; Geng, Zhenzhen; Chen, Zhao; Li, Jiandong; Guo, Wei; Zhao, Tian-Hong; Cao, Ying; Shen, Si; Jin, Daming; Li, Mai-He

2017-01-01

The variation in fine root traits in terms of size inequality at the individual root level can be identified as a strategy for adapting to the drastic changes in soil water and nutrient availabilities. The Gini and Lorenz asymmetry coefficients have been applied to describe the overall degree of size inequality, which, however, are neglected when conventional statistical means are calculated. Here, we used the Gini coefficient, Lorenz asymmetry coefficient and statistical mean in an investigation of Fraxinus mandschurica roots in a mixed mature Pinus koraiensis forest on Changbai Mountain, China. We analyzed 967 individual roots to determine the responses of length, diameter and area of the first-order roots and of branching intensity to 6 years of nitrogen addition (N), rainfall reduction (W) and their combination (NW). We found that first-order roots had a significantly greater average length and area but had smaller Gini coefficients in NW plots compared to in control plots (CK). Furthermore, the relationship between first-order root length and branching intensity was negative in CK, N, and W plots but positive in NW plots. The Lorenz asymmetry coefficient was >1 for the first-order root diameter in NW and W plots as well as for branching intensity in N plots. The bimodal frequency distribution of the first-order root length in NW plots differed clearly from the unimodal one in CK, N, and W plots. These results demonstrate that not only the mean but also the variation and the distribution mode of the first-order roots of F. mandschurica respond to soil nitrogen and water availability. The changes in size inequality of the first-order root traits suggest that Gini and Lorenz asymmetry coefficients can serve as informative parameters in ecological investigations of roots to improve our ability to predict how trees will respond to a changing climate at the individual root level.

Six-Year Nitrogen–Water Interaction Shifts the Frequency Distribution and Size Inequality of the First-Order Roots of Fraxinus mandschurica in a Mixed Mature Pinus koraiensis Forest

PubMed Central

Wang, Cunguo; Geng, Zhenzhen; Chen, Zhao; Li, Jiandong; Guo, Wei; Zhao, Tian-Hong; Cao, Ying; Shen, Si; Jin, Daming; Li, Mai-He

2017-01-01

The variation in fine root traits in terms of size inequality at the individual root level can be identified as a strategy for adapting to the drastic changes in soil water and nutrient availabilities. The Gini and Lorenz asymmetry coefficients have been applied to describe the overall degree of size inequality, which, however, are neglected when conventional statistical means are calculated. Here, we used the Gini coefficient, Lorenz asymmetry coefficient and statistical mean in an investigation of Fraxinus mandschurica roots in a mixed mature Pinus koraiensis forest on Changbai Mountain, China. We analyzed 967 individual roots to determine the responses of length, diameter and area of the first-order roots and of branching intensity to 6 years of nitrogen addition (N), rainfall reduction (W) and their combination (NW). We found that first-order roots had a significantly greater average length and area but had smaller Gini coefficients in NW plots compared to in control plots (CK). Furthermore, the relationship between first-order root length and branching intensity was negative in CK, N, and W plots but positive in NW plots. The Lorenz asymmetry coefficient was >1 for the first-order root diameter in NW and W plots as well as for branching intensity in N plots. The bimodal frequency distribution of the first-order root length in NW plots differed clearly from the unimodal one in CK, N, and W plots. These results demonstrate that not only the mean but also the variation and the distribution mode of the first-order roots of F. mandschurica respond to soil nitrogen and water availability. The changes in size inequality of the first-order root traits suggest that Gini and Lorenz asymmetry coefficients can serve as informative parameters in ecological investigations of roots to improve our ability to predict how trees will respond to a changing climate at the individual root level. PMID:29018474

The relationship between dielectrophoretic and impedance response of dielectric particles immersed in aqueous media

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

Bahaj, A.E.; Bailey, A.G.

1985-09-01

Dielectrophoretic force measurements on isolated 50-..mu..m diameter particles of divinylbenzene (DVB) suspended in aqueous solutions show that force is dependent on relaxation mechanisms present at the particle-liquid interface. Measurements on single particles have been extended to measurements on populations of particles. The impedance of aqueous suspensions of particles contained in a gold-plated electrode test cell has been measured over a range of frequency. Data are presented in the form of Cole-Cole plots. It is shown that the dielectrophoretic response of single particles can be related to the frequency-dependent impedance behavior of suspensions of similar particles.

Modelling switching-time effects in high-frequency power conditioning networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Owen, H. A.; Sloane, T. H.; Rimer, B. H.; Wilson, T. G.

1979-01-01

Power transistor networks which switch large currents in highly inductive environments are beginning to find application in the hundred kilohertz switching frequency range. Recent developments in the fabrication of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors in the power device category have enhanced the movement toward higher switching frequencies. Models for switching devices and of the circuits in which they are imbedded are required to properly characterize the mechanisms responsible for turning on and turning off effects. Easily interpreted results in the form of oscilloscope-like plots assist in understanding the effects of parametric studies using topology oriented computer-aided analysis methods.

Compensated control loops for a 30-cm ion thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robson, R. R.

1976-01-01

The vaporizer dynamic control characteristics of a 30-cm diameter mercury ion thruster were determined by operating the thruster in an open loop steady state mode and then introducing a small sinusoidal signal on the main, cathode, or neutralizer vaporizer current and observing the response of the beam current, discharge voltage, and neutralizer keeper voltage, respectively. This was done over a range of frequencies and operating conditions. From these data, Bode plots for gain and phase were made and mathematical models were obtained. The Bode plots and mathematical models were analyzed for stability and appropriate compensation networks determined. The compensated control loops were incorporated into a power processor and operated with a thruster. The time responses of the compensated loops to changes in set points and recovery from arc conditions are presented.

Electromagnetic probes of molecular motors in the electron transport chains of mitochondria and chloroplasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, J. H., Jr.; Nawarathna, D.; Vajrala, V.; Gardner, J.; Widger, W. R.

2005-12-01

We report on measurements of harmonics generated by whole cells, mitochondria, and chloroplasts in response to applied sinusoidal electric fields. The frequency- and amplitude-dependence of the induced harmonics exhibit features that correlate with physiological processes. Budding yeast (S. cerevisiae) cells produce numerous harmonics, the amplitudes of which depend strongly on frequency. When the second or third harmonic amplitude is plotted vs. applied frequency, we observe two peaks, around 3 kHz and 12 kHz, which are suppressed by respiratory inhibitors. We observe similar peaks when measuring the harmonic response of B. indicas, a relative of the mitochondrial ancestor. In uncoupled mitochondria, in which most of the electron transport chain is active but the ATP-synthase molecular turbine is inactive, only one (lower frequency) of the two peaks is present. Finally, we find that harmonics generated by chloroplasts depend dramatically on incident light, and vanish in the absence of light.

Characterizing Oscillatory Bursts in Single-Trial EEG Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knuth, K. H.; Shah, A. S.; Lakatos, P.; Schroeder, C. E.

2004-01-01

Oscillatory bursts in numerous bands ranging from low (theta) to high frequencies (e.g., gamma) undoubtedly play an important role in cortical dynamics. Largely because of the inadequacy of existing analytic techniques. however, oscillatory bursts and their role in cortical processing remains poorly understood. To study oscillatory bursts effectively one must be able to isolate them and characterize them in the single trial. We describe a series of straightforward analysis techniques that produce useful indices of burst characteristics. First, stimulus-evoked responses are estimated using Differentially Variable Component Analysis (dVCA), and are subtracted from the single-trial. The single-trial characteristics of the evoked responses are stored to identify possible correlations with burst activity. Time-frequency (T-F), or wavelet, analyses are then applied to the single trial residuals. While T-F plots have been used in recent studies to identify and isolate bursts, we go further by fitting each burst in the T-F plot with a two-dimensional Gaussian. This provides a set of burst characteristics, such as, center time. burst duration, center frequency. frequency dispersion. and amplitude, all of which contribute to the accurate characterization of the individual burst. The burst phase can also be estimated. Burst characteristics can be quantified with several standard techniques (e.g.. histogramming and clustering), as well as Bayesian techniques (e.g., blocking) to allow a more parametric description analysis of the characteristics of oscillatory bursts, and the relationships of specific parameters to cortical excitability and stimulus integration.

PLATSIM: A Simulation and Analysis Package for Large-Order Flexible Systems. Version 2.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maghami, Peiman G.; Kenny, Sean P.; Giesy, Daniel P.

1997-01-01

The software package PLATSIM provides efficient time and frequency domain analysis of large-order generic space platforms. PLATSIM can perform open-loop analysis or closed-loop analysis with linear or nonlinear control system models. PLATSIM exploits the particular form of sparsity of the plant matrices for very efficient linear and nonlinear time domain analysis, as well as frequency domain analysis. A new, original algorithm for the efficient computation of open-loop and closed-loop frequency response functions for large-order systems has been developed and is implemented within the package. Furthermore, a novel and efficient jitter analysis routine which determines jitter and stability values from time simulations in a very efficient manner has been developed and is incorporated in the PLATSIM package. In the time domain analysis, PLATSIM simulates the response of the space platform to disturbances and calculates the jitter and stability values from the response time histories. In the frequency domain analysis, PLATSIM calculates frequency response function matrices and provides the corresponding Bode plots. The PLATSIM software package is written in MATLAB script language. A graphical user interface is developed in the package to provide convenient access to its various features.

Frequency analysis of stress relaxation dynamics in model asphalts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masoori, Mohammad; Greenfield, Michael L.

2014-09-01

Asphalt is an amorphous or semi-crystalline material whose mechanical performance relies on viscoelastic responses to applied strain or stress. Chemical composition and its effect on the viscoelastic properties of model asphalts have been investigated here by computing complex modulus from molecular dynamics simulation results for two different model asphalts whose compositions each resemble the Strategic Highway Research Program AAA-1 asphalt in different ways. For a model system that contains smaller molecules, simulation results for storage and loss modulus at 443 K reach both the low and high frequency scaling limits of the Maxwell model. Results for a model system composed of larger molecules (molecular weights 300-900 g/mol) with longer branches show a quantitatively higher complex modulus that decreases significantly as temperature increases over 400-533 K. Simulation results for its loss modulus approach the low frequency scaling limit of the Maxwell model at only the highest temperature simulated. A Black plot or van Gurp-Palman plot of complex modulus vs. phase angle for the system of larger molecules suggests some overlap among results at different temperatures for less high frequencies, with an interdependence consistent with the empirical Christensen-Anderson-Marasteanu model. Both model asphalts are thermorheologically complex at very high frequencies, where they show a loss peak that appears to be independent of temperature and density.

Nonlinear model updating applied to the IMAC XXXII Round Robin benchmark system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurt, Mehmet; Moore, Keegan J.; Eriten, Melih; McFarland, D. Michael; Bergman, Lawrence A.; Vakakis, Alexander F.

2017-05-01

We consider the application of a new nonlinear model updating strategy to a computational benchmark system. The approach relies on analyzing system response time series in the frequency-energy domain by constructing both Hamiltonian and forced and damped frequency-energy plots (FEPs). The system parameters are then characterized and updated by matching the backbone branches of the FEPs with the frequency-energy wavelet transforms of experimental and/or computational time series. The main advantage of this method is that no nonlinearity model is assumed a priori, and the system model is updated solely based on simulation and/or experimental measured time series. By matching the frequency-energy plots of the benchmark system and its reduced-order model, we show that we are able to retrieve the global strongly nonlinear dynamics in the frequency and energy ranges of interest, identify bifurcations, characterize local nonlinearities, and accurately reconstruct time series. We apply the proposed methodology to a benchmark problem, which was posed to the system identification community prior to the IMAC XXXII (2014) and XXXIII (2015) Conferences as a "Round Robin Exercise on Nonlinear System Identification". We show that we are able to identify the parameters of the non-linear element in the problem with a priori knowledge about its position.

Influence of computer work under time pressure on cardiac activity.

PubMed

Shi, Ping; Hu, Sijung; Yu, Hongliu

2015-03-01

Computer users are often under stress when required to complete computer work within a required time. Work stress has repeatedly been associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. The present study examined the effects of time pressure workload during computer tasks on cardiac activity in 20 healthy subjects. Heart rate, time domain and frequency domain indices of heart rate variability (HRV) and Poincaré plot parameters were compared among five computer tasks and two rest periods. Faster heart rate and decreased standard deviation of R-R interval were noted in response to computer tasks under time pressure. The Poincaré plot parameters showed significant differences between different levels of time pressure workload during computer tasks, and between computer tasks and the rest periods. In contrast, no significant differences were identified for the frequency domain indices of HRV. The results suggest that the quantitative Poincaré plot analysis used in this study was able to reveal the intrinsic nonlinear nature of the autonomically regulated cardiac rhythm. Specifically, heightened vagal tone occurred during the relaxation computer tasks without time pressure. In contrast, the stressful computer tasks with added time pressure stimulated cardiac sympathetic activity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analyzing Feedback Control Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauer, Frank H.; Downing, John P.

1987-01-01

Interactive controls analysis (INCA) program developed to provide user-friendly environment for design and analysis of linear control systems, primarily feedback control. Designed for use with both small- and large-order systems. Using interactive-graphics capability, INCA user quickly plots root locus, frequency response, or time response of either continuous-time system or sampled-data system. Configuration and parameters easily changed, allowing user to design compensation networks and perform sensitivity analyses in very convenient manner. Written in Pascal and FORTRAN.

Nonlinear Dot Plots.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Nils; Weiskopf, Daniel

2018-01-01

Conventional dot plots use a constant dot size and are typically applied to show the frequency distribution of small data sets. Unfortunately, they are not designed for a high dynamic range of frequencies. We address this problem by introducing nonlinear dot plots. Adopting the idea of nonlinear scaling from logarithmic bar charts, our plots allow for dots of varying size so that columns with a large number of samples are reduced in height. For the construction of these diagrams, we introduce an efficient two-way sweep algorithm that leads to a dense and symmetrical layout. We compensate aliasing artifacts at high dot densities by a specifically designed low-pass filtering method. Examples of nonlinear dot plots are compared to conventional dot plots as well as linear and logarithmic histograms. Finally, we include feedback from an expert review.

Belowground Response to Drought in a Tropical Forest Soil. II. Change in Microbial Function Impacts Carbon Composition

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

Bouskill, Nicholas J.; Wood, Tana E.; Baran, Richard

Climate model projections for tropical regions show clear perturbation of precipitation patterns leading to increased frequency and severity of drought in some regions. Previous work has shown declining soil moisture to be a strong driver of changes in microbial trait distribution, however, the feedback of any shift in functional potential on ecosystem properties related to carbon cycling are poorly understood. Here we show that drought-induced changes in microbial functional diversity and activity shape, and are in turn shaped by, the composition of dissolved and soil-associated carbon. We also demonstrate that a shift in microbial functional traits that favor the productionmore » of hygroscopic compounds alter the efflux of carbon dioxide following soil rewetting. Under drought the composition of the dissolved organic carbon pool changed in a manner consistent with a microbial metabolic response. We hypothesize that this microbial ecophysiological response to changing soil moisture elevates the intracellular carbon demand stimulating extracellular enzyme production, that prompts the observed decline in more complex carbon compounds (e.g., cellulose and lignin). Furthermore, a metabolic response to drought appeared to condition (biologically and physically) the soil, notably through the production of polysaccharides, particularly in experimental plots that had been pre-exposed to a short-term drought. This hysteretic response, in addition to an observed drought-related decline in phosphorus concentration, may have been responsible for a comparatively modest CO 2 efflux following wet-up in drought plots relative to control plots.« less

Belowground Response to Drought in a Tropical Forest Soil. II. Change in Microbial Function Impacts Carbon Composition

PubMed Central

Bouskill, Nicholas J.; Wood, Tana E.; Baran, Richard; Hao, Zhao; Ye, Zaw; Bowen, Ben P.; Lim, Hsiao Chien; Nico, Peter S.; Holman, Hoi-Ying; Gilbert, Benjamin; Silver, Whendee L.; Northen, Trent R.; Brodie, Eoin L.

2016-01-01

Climate model projections for tropical regions show clear perturbation of precipitation patterns leading to increased frequency and severity of drought in some regions. Previous work has shown declining soil moisture to be a strong driver of changes in microbial trait distribution, however, the feedback of any shift in functional potential on ecosystem properties related to carbon cycling are poorly understood. Here we show that drought-induced changes in microbial functional diversity and activity shape, and are in turn shaped by, the composition of dissolved and soil-associated carbon. We also demonstrate that a shift in microbial functional traits that favor the production of hygroscopic compounds alter the efflux of carbon dioxide following soil rewetting. Under drought the composition of the dissolved organic carbon pool changed in a manner consistent with a microbial metabolic response. We hypothesize that this microbial ecophysiological response to changing soil moisture elevates the intracellular carbon demand stimulating extracellular enzyme production, that prompts the observed decline in more complex carbon compounds (e.g., cellulose and lignin). Furthermore, a metabolic response to drought appeared to condition (biologically and physically) the soil, notably through the production of polysaccharides, particularly in experimental plots that had been pre-exposed to a short-term drought. This hysteretic response, in addition to an observed drought-related decline in phosphorus concentration, may have been responsible for a comparatively modest CO2 efflux following wet-up in drought plots relative to control plots. PMID:27014243

Belowground Response to Drought in a Tropical Forest Soil. II. Change in Microbial Function Impacts Carbon Composition

DOE PAGES

Bouskill, Nicholas J.; Wood, Tana E.; Baran, Richard; ...

2016-03-15

Climate model projections for tropical regions show clear perturbation of precipitation patterns leading to increased frequency and severity of drought in some regions. Previous work has shown declining soil moisture to be a strong driver of changes in microbial trait distribution, however, the feedback of any shift in functional potential on ecosystem properties related to carbon cycling are poorly understood. Here we show that drought-induced changes in microbial functional diversity and activity shape, and are in turn shaped by, the composition of dissolved and soil-associated carbon. We also demonstrate that a shift in microbial functional traits that favor the productionmore » of hygroscopic compounds alter the efflux of carbon dioxide following soil rewetting. Under drought the composition of the dissolved organic carbon pool changed in a manner consistent with a microbial metabolic response. We hypothesize that this microbial ecophysiological response to changing soil moisture elevates the intracellular carbon demand stimulating extracellular enzyme production, that prompts the observed decline in more complex carbon compounds (e.g., cellulose and lignin). Furthermore, a metabolic response to drought appeared to condition (biologically and physically) the soil, notably through the production of polysaccharides, particularly in experimental plots that had been pre-exposed to a short-term drought. This hysteretic response, in addition to an observed drought-related decline in phosphorus concentration, may have been responsible for a comparatively modest CO 2 efflux following wet-up in drought plots relative to control plots.« less

Harmonic Phase Responses of Radio Frequency Electronics: Wireline Test

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

sinusoids to port 1; the output from port 1 (forward-traveling wave) is measured as A1. The N-VNA measures the reflection back into port 1 (reverse...2 different input power levels: –10 and 0 dBm. In all of the reported data, frequency is given in Hz, f = ω/2π. Figures 3–15 contain measured data...for 6 targets and the no-target (open-circuit) case. In Figs. 4–15, the upper plot is data measured when the target is directly connected to port 1

Oak savanna restoration: Oak response to fire and thinning through 28 years

Treesearch

Ronald E. Masters; Jack R. Waymire

2012-01-01

We used a small plot study on Pushmataha Wildlife Management Area in southeast Oklahoma to determine the efficacy of fire frequency and thinning as management tools for restoration of oak savanna, oak woodlands, pine-bluestem woodlands, and pine savanna for application on a landscape scale. On selected experimental units, we initially reduced stand density to favor...

Time series analysis of forest carbon dynamics: recovery of Pinus palustris physiology following a prescribed fire

Treesearch

G. Starr; C. L. Staudhammer; H. W. Loescher; R. Mitchell; A. Whelan; J. K. Hiers; J. J. O’Brien

2015-01-01

Frequency and intensity of fire determines the structure and regulates the function of savanna ecosystems worldwide, yet our understanding of prescribed fire impacts on carbon in these systems is rudimentary. We combined eddy covariance (EC) techniques and fuel consumption plots to examine the short-term response of longleaf pine forest carbon dynamics to one...

Temperature dependent x-ray diffraction and dielectric studies of multiferroic GaFeO{sub 3}

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

Kumar, Rajeev; Mall, Ashish Kumar, E-mail: ashishm@iitk.ac.in; Gupta, Rajeev

2016-05-06

Polycrystalline GaFeO{sub 3} (GFO) samples were synthesized by sol-gel method. The structural and dielectric properties of GaFeO{sub 3} ceramic have been investigated by a combination of XRD and permittivity measurement. The X-ray diffraction spectra shows single phase orthorhombically distorted perovskite structure with Pc2{sub 1}n symmetry over a wide range of temperature 300 K to 600 K, with no evidence of any phase transition. Refined lattice parameters (a, b, c and V) increases with increasing temperature. Temperature dependent dielectric properties were investigated in the frequency range from 100Hz–5MHz. Impedance spectroscopy study on the sample showed that the dielectric constant and acmore » conductivity with frequency increases on increasing the temperature. Cole-Cole plots suggest that the response from grain is dominant at low temperature whereas grain boundary response overcomes as temperature increases. The relaxation activation energy (calculated from Cole-Cole plots) value is found to be 0.32 eV for the grain boundary. We believe that the oxygen ion vacancies play an important role in conduction processes at higher temperatures.« less

Critical speeds and forced response solutions for active magnetic bearing turbomachinery, part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rawal, D.; Keesee, J.; Kirk, R. Gordon

1991-01-01

The need for better performance of turbomachinery with active magnetic bearings has necessitated a study of such systems for accurate prediction of their vibrational characteristics. A modification of existing transfer matrix methods for rotor analysis is presented to predict the response of rotor systems with active magnetic bearings. The position of the magnetic bearing sensors is taken into account and the effect of changing sensor position on the vibrational characteristics of the rotor system is studied. The modified algorithm is validated using a simpler Jeffcott model described previously. The effect of changing from a rotating unbalance excitation to a constant excitation in a single plane is also studied. A typical eight stage centrifugal compressor rotor is analyzed using the modified transfer matrix code. The results for a two mass Jeffcott model were presented previously. The results obtained by running this model with the transfer matrix method were compared with the results of the Jeffcott analysis for the purposes of verification. Also included are plots of amplitude versus frequency for the eight stage centrifugal compressor rotor. These plots demonstrate the significant influence that sensor location has on the amplitude and critical frequencies of the rotor system.

Analysis of shielded CPW discontinuities with air-bridges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dib, N. I.; Katehi, P. B.; Ponchak, George E.

1992-01-01

The effect of air-bridges on the performance of various coplanar waveguides (CPW) discontinuities is studied. Specifically, the coupled open-end CPW's and the short-end shunt CPW stub discontinuities are considered. The high frequency effect of the air-bridge is evaluated using a hybrid technique. At first, the frequency dependent equivalent circuit of the planar discontinuity without the air-bridge is derived using the Space Domain Integral Equation (SDIE) method. Then, the circuit is modified by incorporating the air-bridge's parasitic inductance and capacitance which are evaluated using a simple quasi-static model. The frequency response of each discontinuity with and without the air-bridge is studied and the scattering parameters are plotted in the frequency range 30-50 GHz for typical CPW dimensions.

Vegetation resurvey is robust to plot location uncertainty

PubMed Central

Kopecký, Martin; Macek, Martin

2017-01-01

Aim Resurveys of historical vegetation plots are increasingly used for the assessment of decadal changes in plant species diversity and composition. However, historical plots are usually relocated only approximately. This potentially inflates temporal changes and undermines results. Location Temperate deciduous forests in Central Europe. Methods To explore if robust conclusions can be drawn from resurvey studies despite location uncertainty, we compared temporal changes in species richness, frequency, composition and compositional heterogeneity between exactly and approximately relocated plots. We hypothesized that compositional changes should be lower and changes in species richness should be less variable on exactly relocated plots, because pseudo-turnover inflates temporal changes on approximately relocated plots. Results Temporal changes in species richness were not more variable and temporal changes in species composition and compositional heterogeneity were not higher on approximately relocated plots. Moreover, the frequency of individual species changed similarly on both plot types. Main conclusions The resurvey of historical vegetation plots is robust to uncertainty in original plot location and, when done properly, provides reliable evidence of decadal changes in plant communities. This provides important background for other resurvey studies and opens up the possibility for large-scale assessments of plant community change. PMID:28503083

Integrated tools for control-system analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ostroff, Aaron J.; Proffitt, Melissa S.; Clark, David R.

1989-01-01

The basic functions embedded within a user friendly software package (MATRIXx) are used to provide a high level systems approach to the analysis of linear control systems. Various control system analysis configurations are assembled automatically to minimize the amount of work by the user. Interactive decision making is incorporated via menu options and at selected points, such as in the plotting section, by inputting data. There are five evaluations such as the singular value robustness test, singular value loop transfer frequency response, Bode frequency response, steady-state covariance analysis, and closed-loop eigenvalues. Another section describes time response simulations. A time response for random white noise disturbance is available. The configurations and key equations used for each type of analysis, the restrictions that apply, the type of data required, and an example problem are described. One approach for integrating the design and analysis tools is also presented.

Evaluation of space shuttle main engine fluid dynamic frequency response characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gardner, T. G.

1980-01-01

In order to determine the POGO stability characteristics of the space shuttle main engine liquid oxygen (LOX) system, the fluid dynamic frequency response functions between elements in the SSME LOX system was evaluated, both analytically and experimentally. For the experimental data evaluation, a software package was written for the Hewlett-Packard 5451C Fourier analyzer. The POGO analysis software is documented and consists of five separate segments. Each segment is stored on the 5451C disc as an individual program and performs its own unique function. Two separate data reduction methods, a signal calibration, coherence or pulser signal based frequency response function blanking, and automatic plotting features are included in the program. The 5451C allows variable parameter transfer from program to program. This feature is used to advantage and requires only minimal user interface during the data reduction process. Experimental results are included and compared with the analytical predictions in order to adjust the general model and arrive at a realistic simulation of the POGO characteristics.

Investigation, development and application of optimal output feedback theory. Volume 2: Development of an optimal, limited state feedback outer-loop digital flight control system for 3-D terminal area operation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broussard, J. R.; Halyo, N.

1984-01-01

This report contains the development of a digital outer-loop three dimensional radio navigation (3-D RNAV) flight control system for a small commercial jet transport. The outer-loop control system is designed using optimal stochastic limited state feedback techniques. Options investigated using the optimal limited state feedback approach include integrated versus hierarchical control loop designs, 20 samples per second versus 5 samples per second outer-loop operation and alternative Type 1 integration command errors. Command generator tracking techniques used in the digital control design enable the jet transport to automatically track arbitrary curved flight paths generated by waypoints. The performance of the design is demonstrated using detailed nonlinear aircraft simulations in the terminal area, frequency domain multi-input sigma plots, frequency domain single-input Bode plots and closed-loop poles. The response of the system to a severe wind shear during a landing approach is also presented.

The effect of prescribed burning on plant rarity in a temperate forest.

PubMed

Patykowski, John; Holland, Greg J; Dell, Matt; Wevill, Tricia; Callister, Kate; Bennett, Andrew F; Gibson, Maria

2018-02-01

Rare species can play important functional roles, but human-induced changes to disturbance regimes, such as fire, can inadvertently affect these species. We examined the influence of prescribed burns on the recruitment and diversity of plant species within a temperate forest in southeastern Australia, with a focus on species that were rare prior to burning. Floristic composition was compared among plots in landscapes before and after treatment with prescribed burns differing in the extent of area burnt and season of burn (before-after, control-impact design). Floristic surveys were conducted before burns, at the end of a decade of drought, and 3 years postburn. We quantified the effect of prescribed burns on species grouped by their frequency within the landscape before burning (common, less common, and rare) and their life-form attributes (woody perennials, perennial herbs or geophytes, and annual herbs). Burn treatment influenced the response of rare species. In spring-burn plots, the recruitment of rare annual herbs was promoted, differentiating this treatment from both autumn-burn and unburnt plots. In autumn-burn plots, richness of rare species increased across all life-form groups, although composition remained statistically similar to control plots. Richness of rare woody perennials increased in control plots. For all other life-form and frequency groups, the floristic composition of landscapes changed between survey years, but there was no effect of burn treatment, suggesting a likely effect of rainfall on species recruitment. A prescribed burn can increase the occurrence of rare species in a landscape, but burn characteristics can affect the promotion of different life-form groups and thus affect functional diversity. Drought-breaking rain likely had an overarching effect on floristic composition during our study, highlighting that weather can play a greater role in influencing recruitment and diversity in plant communities than a prescribed burn.

Fire recurrence effects on aboveground plant and soil carbon stocks in Mediterranean shrublands with Aleppo pine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herman, J.; den Ouden, J.; Mohren, G. M. J.; Retana, J.; Serrasolses, I.

2009-04-01

Changes in fire regime due to intensification of human influence during the last decades led to changes in vegetation structure and composition, productivity and carbon sink strength of Mediterranean shrublands and forests. It is anticipated that further climate warming and lower precipitation will enhance fire frequency, having consequences for the carbon budget and carbon storage in Mediterranean ecosystems. The purpose of this study was to determine whether fire recurrence modifies aboveground plant and soil carbon stocks, soil organic carbon content and total soil nitrogen content in shrublands with Aleppo pine on the Garraf Massif in Catalonia (Spain). Stands differing in fire frequency (1, 2 and 3 fires since 1957) were examined 13 years after the stand-replacing fire of 1994 and compared with control stands which were free of fire since 1957. Recurrent fires led to a decrease in total ecosystem carbon stocks. Control sites stored 12203 g m-2C which was 3.5, 5.0 and 5.5 times more than sites that burned 1, 2 and 3 times respectively. Carbon stored in the aboveground biomass exceeded soil carbon stocks in control plots, while soils were the dominant carbon pool in burned plots. An increasing fire frequency from 1 to 2 fires decreased total soil carbon stock. Control soils stored 3551 g m-2C, of which 70 % was recovered over 13 years in once burned soils and approximately 50 % in soils that had 2 or 3 fires. The soil litter (LF) layer carbon stock decreased with increasing fire frequency from 1 to 2 fires, whereas humus (H) layer and upper mineral soil carbon stocks did not change consistently with fire frequency. Fire decreased the organic carbon content in LF and H horizons, however no significant effect of fire frequency was found. Increasing fire frequency from 1 to 2 fires caused a decrease in the organic carbon content in the upper mineral soil. Total soil N content and C/N ratios were not significantly impacted by fire frequency. Recurrent fires had the greatest impact on aboveground plant carbon stocks. Aboveground plants in control plots amounted to 8652 g m-2C, of which 93 % was stored in trees, while carbon storage in the most frequently burned sites was only 509 g m-2C. Shrub carbon varied barely between fire frequencies, corroborating the high resilience of resprouting shrub species to fire recurrence. The most striking result was the immense decrease in Aleppo pine carbon stock which varied between 7770 g m-2in control plots and 25.6 g m-2in 3-fires plots. Differences between control and burned plots are principally explained by the age of the plots. The decrease in Aleppo pine carbon stock within burned plots was not associated with a growth reduction, but was due to a decrease in stem density. The results indeed indicate that the recruitment of Aleppo pine on more frequently burned plots is obstructed due to cumulative effects of short fire return-intervals (

Thermal history effects on electrical relaxation and conductivity for potassium silicate glass with low alkali concentrations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Angel, Paul W.; Hann, Raiford E.; Cooper, Alfred R.

1993-01-01

Electrical response measurements from 10 Hz to 100 kHz between 120 and 540 C were made on potassium-silicate glasses with alkali oxide contents of 2, 3, 5 and 10 mol percent. Low alkali content glasses were chosen in order to try to reduce the Coulombic interactions between alkali ions to the point that frozen structural effects from the glass could be observed. Conductivity and electrical relaxation responses for both annealed and quenched glasses of the same composition were compared. Lower DC conductivity (sigma(sub DC)) activation energies were measured for the quenched compared to the annealed glasses. The two glasses with the lowest alkali contents exhibited a non-Arrhenius concave up curvature in the log(sigma(sub DC)) against 1/T plots, which decreased upon quenching. A sharp decrease in sigma(sub DC) was observed for glasses containing K2O concentrations of 5 mol percent or less. The log modulus loss peak (M'') maximum frequency plots against 1/T all showed Arrhenius behavior for both annealed and quenched samples. The activation energies for these plots closely agreed with the sigma(sub DC) activation energies. A sharp increase in activation energy was observed for both series as the potassium oxide concentration decreased. Changes in the electrical response are attributed to structural effects due to different alkali concentrations. Differences between the annealed and quenched response are linked to a change in the distribution of activation energies (DAE).

Determining the location of buried plastic water pipes from measurements of ground surface vibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muggleton, J. M.; Brennan, M. J.; Gao, Y.

2011-09-01

‘Mapping the Underworld' is a UK-based project, which aims to create a multi-sensor device that combines complementary technologies for remote buried utility service detection and location. One of the technologies to be incorporated in the device is low-frequency vibro-acoustics, and techniques for detecting buried infrastructure, in particular plastic water pipes, are being investigated. One of the proposed techniques involves excitation of the pipe at some known location with concurrent vibrational mapping of the ground surface in order to infer the location of the remainder of the pipe. In this paper, measurements made on a dedicated pipe rig are reported. Frequency response measurements relating vibrational velocity on the ground to the input excitation were acquired. Contour plots of the unwrapped phase revealed the location of the pipe to within 0.1-0.2 m. Magnitude contour plots revealed the excitation point and also the location of the pipe end. By examining the unwrapped phase gradients along a line above the pipe, it was possible to identify the wave-type within the pipe responsible for the ground surface vibration. Furthermore, changes in the ground surface phase speed computed using this method enabled the location of the end of the pipe to be confirmed.

An alternative representation of the receptance: The 'elliptical plane' and its modal properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montalvão, Diogo; Amafabia, Daerefa-a. Mitsheal

2018-03-01

Modal Identification from Frequency Response Functions (FRFs) has been extensively investigated up to the point its research reached a stagnation state. Yet, a new approach to determine the modal damping factors from FRFs was recently proposed, showing that there still is scope for new findings in the field. Contrary to other modal identification methods which are based on the dynamic motion governing equations, the method used the dissipated energy per cycle of vibration as a starting point. For lightly damped systems with conveniently spaced modes, it produced quite accurate results, especially when compared to the well-known method of the inverse. The method used a plot of the sine of the phase of the receptance against its amplitude, whereby damping was determined from the slope of a linear fit to the resulting plot. In this paper, it is shown that this plot has other (perhaps more important) special properties that were not explored before. Near resonant frequencies, its shape is elliptical, whereby the real and imaginary parts of the modal constants can be determined from numerical curve-fitting. This finding allowed developing a new method which formulation is presented in this paper. The method is discussed through numerical and experimental examples. Although the intention is not to present a new modal identification method that is superior to other existing ones (like the method of the inverse or those based on the Nyquist plot), the authors believe that this new representation of the receptance and its properties may bring valuable insights for other researchers in the field.

Vibration of a hydrostatic gas bearing due to supply pressure oscillations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Branch, H. D.; Watkins, C. B.; Eronini, I. E.

1984-01-01

The vibration of a statically loaded, inherently compensated hydrostatic journal bearing due to oscillating supply pressure is investigated. Both angular and radial vibration modes are analyzed. The time-dependent Reynolds equation governing the pressure distribution between the oscillating journal and the sleeve is solved numerically together with the journal equation of motion to obtain the response characteristics of the bearing. The Reynolds equation and the equation of motion are simplified by applying regular perturbation theory for small displacements. The results presented include Bode plots of bearing oscillation gain and phase for a particular bearing configuration for various combinations of parameters over a range of frequencies, including the resonant frequency. The results are compared with the results of an earlier study involving the response of a similar bearing to oscillating exhaust pressure.

Continuous functional magnetic resonance imaging reveals dynamic nonlinearities of "dose-response" curves for finger opposition.

PubMed

Berns, G S; Song, A W; Mao, H

1999-07-15

Linear experimental designs have dominated the field of functional neuroimaging, but although successful at mapping regions of relative brain activation, the technique assumes that both cognition and brain activation are linear processes. To test these assumptions, we performed a continuous functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) experiment of finger opposition. Subjects performed a visually paced bimanual finger-tapping task. The frequency of finger tapping was continuously varied between 1 and 5 Hz, without any rest blocks. After continuous acquisition of fMRI images, the task-related brain regions were identified with independent components analysis (ICA). When the time courses of the task-related components were plotted against tapping frequency, nonlinear "dose- response" curves were obtained for most subjects. Nonlinearities appeared in both the static and dynamic sense, with hysteresis being prominent in several subjects. The ICA decomposition also demonstrated the spatial dynamics with different components active at different times. These results suggest that the brain response to tapping frequency does not scale linearly, and that it is history-dependent even after accounting for the hemodynamic response function. This implies that finger tapping, as measured with fMRI, is a nonstationary process. When analyzed with a conventional general linear model, a strong correlation to tapping frequency was identified, but the spatiotemporal dynamics were not apparent.

EDDIE Seismology: Introductory spectral analysis for undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soule, D. C.; Gougis, R.; O'Reilly, C.

2016-12-01

We present a spectral seismology lesson in which students use spectral analysis to describe the frequency of seismic arrivals based on a conceptual presentation of waveforms and filters. The goal is for students to surpass basic waveform terminology and relate a time domain signals to their conjugates in the frequency domain. Although seismology instruction commonly engages students in analysis of authentic seismological data, this is less true for lower-level undergraduate seismology instruction due to coding barriers to many seismological analysis tasks. To address this, our module uses Seismic Canvas (Kroeger, 2015; https://seiscode.iris.washington.edu/projects/seismiccanvas), a graphically interactive application for accessing, viewing and analyzing waveform data, which we use to plot earthquake data in the time domain. Once students are familiarized with the general components of the waveform (i.e. frequency, wavelength, amplitude and period), they use Seismic Canvas to transform the data into the frequency domain. Bypassing the mathematics of Fourier Series allows focus on conceptual understanding by plotting and manipulating seismic data in both time and frequency domains. Pre/post-tests showed significant improvements in students' use of seismograms and spectrograms to estimate the frequency content of the primary wave, which demonstrated students' understanding of frequency and how data on the spectrogram and seismogram are related. Students were also able to identify the time and frequency of the largest amplitude arrival, indicating understanding of amplitude and use of a spectrogram as an analysis tool. Students were also asked to compare plots of raw data and the same data filtered with a high-pass filter, and identify the filter used to create the second plot. Students demonstrated an improved understanding of how frequency content can be removed from a signal in the spectral domain.

Possible Electromagnetic Effects on Abnormal Animal Behavior Before an Earthquake

PubMed Central

Hayakawa, Masashi

2013-01-01

Simple Summary Possible electromagnetic effects on abnormal animal behavior before earthquakes. Abstract The former statistical properties summarized by Rikitake (1998) on unusual animal behavior before an earthquake (EQ) have first been presented by using two parameters (epicentral distance (D) of an anomaly and its precursor (or lead) time (T)). Three plots are utilized to characterize the unusual animal behavior; (i) EQ magnitude (M) versus D, (ii) log T versus M, and (iii) occurrence histogram of log T. These plots are compared with the corresponding plots for different seismo-electromagnetic effects (radio emissions in different frequency ranges, seismo-atmospheric and -ionospheric perturbations) extensively obtained during the last 15–20 years. From the results of comparisons in terms of three plots, it is likely that lower frequency (ULF (ultra-low-frequency, f ≤ 1 Hz) and ELF (extremely-low-frequency, f ≤ a few hundreds Hz)) electromagnetic emissions exhibit a very similar temporal evolution with that of abnormal animal behavior. It is also suggested that a quantity of field intensity multiplied by the persistent time (or duration) of noise would play the primary role in abnormal animal behavior before an EQ. PMID:26487307

Testing the Amazon savannization hypothesis: fire effects on invasion of a neotropical forest by native cerrado and exotic pasture grasses

PubMed Central

Silvério, Divino V.; Brando, Paulo M.; Balch, Jennifer K.; Putz, Francis E.; Nepstad, Daniel C.; Oliveira-Santos, Claudinei; Bustamante, Mercedes M. C.

2013-01-01

Changes in climate and land use that interact synergistically to increase fire frequencies and intensities in tropical regions are predicted to drive forests to new grass-dominated stable states. To reveal the mechanisms for such a transition, we established 50 ha plots in a transitional forest in the southwestern Brazilian Amazon to different fire treatments (unburned, burned annually (B1yr) or at 3-year intervals (B3yr)). Over an 8-year period since the commencement of these treatments, we documented: (i) the annual rate of pasture and native grass invasion in response to increasing fire frequency; (ii) the establishment of Brachiaria decumbens (an African C4 grass) as a function of decreasing canopy cover and (iii) the effects of grass fine fuel on fire intensity. Grasses invaded approximately 200 m from the edge into the interiors of burned plots (B1yr: 4.31 ha; B3yr: 4.96 ha) but invaded less than 10 m into the unburned plot (0.33 ha). The probability of B. decumbens establishment increased with seed availability and decreased with leaf area index. Fine fuel loads along the forest edge were more than three times higher in grass-dominated areas, which resulted in especially intense fires. Our results indicate that synergies between fires and invasive C4 grasses jeopardize the future of tropical forests. PMID:23610179

Nonlinear dynamic modeling of a simple flexible rotor system subjected to time-variable base motions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Liqiang; Wang, Jianjun; Han, Qinkai; Chu, Fulei

2017-09-01

Rotor systems carried in transportation system or under seismic excitations are considered to have a moving base. To study the dynamic behavior of flexible rotor systems subjected to time-variable base motions, a general model is developed based on finite element method and Lagrange's equation. Two groups of Euler angles are defined to describe the rotation of the rotor with respect to the base and that of the base with respect to the ground. It is found that the base rotations would cause nonlinearities in the model. To verify the proposed model, a novel test rig which could simulate the base angular-movement is designed. Dynamic experiments on a flexible rotor-bearing system with base angular motions are carried out. Based upon these, numerical simulations are conducted to further study the dynamic response of the flexible rotor under harmonic angular base motions. The effects of base angular amplitude, rotating speed and base frequency on response behaviors are discussed by means of FFT, waterfall, frequency response curve and orbits of the rotor. The FFT and waterfall plots of the disk horizontal and vertical vibrations are marked with multiplications of the base frequency and sum and difference tones of the rotating frequency and the base frequency. Their amplitudes will increase remarkably when they meet the whirling frequencies of the rotor system.

Recurrence plot analysis of nonstationary data: the understanding of curved patterns.

PubMed

Facchini, A; Kantz, H; Tiezzi, E

2005-08-01

Recurrence plots of the calls of the Nomascus concolor (Western black crested gibbon) and Hylobates lar (White-handed gibbon) show characteristic circular, curved, and hyperbolic patterns superimposed to the main temporal scale of the signal. It is shown that these patterns are related to particular nonstationarities in the signal. Some of them can be reproduced by artificial signals like frequency modulated sinusoids and sinusoids with time divergent frequency. These modulations are too faint to be resolved by conventional time-frequency analysis with similar precision. Therefore, recurrence plots act as a magnifying glass for the detection of multiple temporal scales in slightly modulated signals. The detected phenomena in these acoustic signals can be explained in the biomechanical context by taking in account the role of the muscles controlling the vocal folds.

Predicting cotton yield of small field plots in a cotton breeding program using UAV imagery data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maja, Joe Mari J.; Campbell, Todd; Camargo Neto, Joao; Astillo, Philip

2016-05-01

One of the major criteria used for advancing experimental lines in a breeding program is yield performance. Obtaining yield performance data requires machine picking each plot with a cotton picker, modified to weigh individual plots. Harvesting thousands of small field plots requires a great deal of time and resources. The efficiency of cotton breeding could be increased significantly while the cost could be decreased with the availability of accurate methods to predict yield performance. This work is investigating the feasibility of using an image processing technique using a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) camera mounted on a small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (sUAV) to collect normal RGB images in predicting cotton yield on small plot. An orthonormal image was generated from multiple images and used to process multiple, segmented plots. A Gaussian blur was used to eliminate the high frequency component of the images, which corresponds to the cotton pixels, and used image subtraction technique to generate high frequency pixel images. The cotton pixels were then separated using k-means cluster with 5 classes. Based on the current work, the calculated percentage cotton area was computed using the generated high frequency image (cotton pixels) divided by the total area of the plot. Preliminary results showed (five flights, 3 altitudes) that cotton cover on multiple pre-selected 227 sq. m. plots produce an average of 8% which translate to approximately 22.3 kgs. of cotton. The yield prediction equation generated from the test site was then use on a separate validation site and produced a prediction error of less than 10%. In summary, the results indicate that a COTS camera with an appropriate image processing technique can produce results that are comparable to expensive sensors.

Small-scale rotor test rig capabilities for testing vibration alleviation algorithms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacklin, Stephen A.; Leyland, Jane Anne

1987-01-01

A test was conducted to assess the capabilities of a small scale rotor test rig for implementing higher harmonic control and stability augmentation algorithms. The test rig uses three high speed actuators to excite the swashplate over a range of frequencies. The actuator position signals were monitored to measure the response amplitudes at several frequencies. The ratio of response amplitude to excitation amplitude was plotted as a function of frequency. In addition to actuator performance, acceleration from six accelerometers placed on the test rig was monitored to determine whether a linear relationship exists between the harmonics of N/Rev control input and the least square error (LSE) identification technique was used to identify local and global transfer matrices for two rotor speeds at two batch sizes each. It was determined that the multicyclic control computer system interfaced very well with the rotor system and kept track of the input accelerometer signals and their phase angles. However, the current high speed actuators were found to be incapable of providing sufficient control authority at the higher excitation frequencies.

Inductive sensor performance in partial discharges and noise separation by means of spectral power ratios.

PubMed

Ardila-Rey, Jorge Alfredo; Rojas-Moreno, Mónica Victoria; Martínez-Tarifa, Juan Manuel; Robles, Guillermo

2014-02-19

Partial discharge (PD) detection is a standardized technique to qualify electrical insulation in machines and power cables. Several techniques that analyze the waveform of the pulses have been proposed to discriminate noise from PD activity. Among them, spectral power ratio representation shows great flexibility in the separation of the sources of PD. Mapping spectral power ratios in two-dimensional plots leads to clusters of points which group pulses with similar characteristics. The position in the map depends on the nature of the partial discharge, the setup and the frequency response of the sensors. If these clusters are clearly separated, the subsequent task of identifying the source of the discharge is straightforward so the distance between clusters can be a figure of merit to suggest the best option for PD recognition. In this paper, two inductive sensors with different frequency responses to pulsed signals, a high frequency current transformer and an inductive loop sensor, are analyzed to test their performance in detecting and separating the sources of partial discharges.

Preliminary results on passive eddy current damper technology for SSME turbomachinery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cunningham, R. E.

1985-01-01

Some preliminary results have been obtained for the dynamic response of a rotor operating over a speed range of 800 to 10,000 rpm. Amplitude frequency plots show the lateral vibratory response of an unbalanced rotor with and without external damping. The mode of damping is by means of eddy currents generated with 4 c shaped permanent magnets installed at the lower bearing of a vertically oriented rotor. The lower ball bearing and its damper assembly are totally immersed in liquid nitrogen at a temperature of -197 deg C (-320 deg F). These preliminary results for a referenced or base line passive eddy current damper assembly show that the amplitude of synchronous vibration is reduced at the resonant frequency. Measured damping coefficients were calculated to phi = .086; this compares with a theoretically calculated value of phi = .079.

Software design to calculate and simulate the mechanical response of electromechanical lifts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrera, I.; Romero, E.

2016-05-01

Lift engineers and lift companies which are involved in the design process of new products or in the research and development of improved components demand a predictive tool of the lift slender system response before testing expensive prototypes. A method for solving the movement of any specified lift system by means of a computer program is presented. The mechanical response of the lift operating in a user defined installation and configuration, for a given excitation and other configuration parameters of real electric motors and its control system, is derived. A mechanical model with 6 degrees of freedom is used. The governing equations are integrated step by step through the Meden-Kutta algorithm in the MATLAB platform. Input data consists on the set point speed for a standard trip and the control parameters of a number of controllers and lift drive machines. The computer program computes and plots very accurately the vertical displacement, velocity, instantaneous acceleration and jerk time histories of the car, counterweight, frame, passengers/loads and lift drive in a standard trip between any two floors of the desired installation. The resulting torque, rope tension and deviation of the velocity plot with respect to the setpoint speed are shown. The software design is implemented in a demo release of the computer program called ElevaCAD. Further on, the program offers the possibility to select the configuration of the lift system and the performance parameters of each component. In addition to the overall system response, detailed information of transients, vibrations of the lift components, ride quality levels, modal analysis and frequency spectrum (FFT) are plotted.

Temperate rain forest species partition fine-scale gradients in light availability based on their leaf mass per area (LMA)

PubMed Central

Fajardo, Alex; Siefert, Andrew

2016-01-01

Background and Aims Ecologists are increasingly using plant functional traits to predict community assembly, but few studies have linked functional traits to species’ responses to fine-scale resource gradients. In this study, it was tested whether saplings of woody species partition fine-scale gradients in light availability based on their leaf mass per area (LMA) in three temperate rain forests and one Mediterranean forest in southern Chile. Methods LMA was measured under field conditions of all woody species contained in approx. 60 plots of 2 m2 in each site, and light availability, computed as the gap light index (GLI), was determined. For each site, species’ pairwise differences in mean LMA (Δ LMA) and abundance-weighted mean GLI (Δ light response) of 2 m2 plots were calculated and it was tested whether they were positively related using Mantel tests, i.e. if species with different LMA values differed in their response to light availability. Additionally linear models were fitted to the relationship between plot-level mean LMA and GLI across plots for each site. Key Results A positive and significant relationship was found between species’ pairwise differences in mean LMA and differences in light response across species for all temperate rain forests, but not for the Mediterranean forest. The results also indicated a significant positive interspecific link between LMA and light availability for all forests. This is in contrast to what is traditionally reported and to expectations from the leaf economics spectrum. Conclusions In environments subjected to light limitation, interspecific differences in a leaf trait (LMA) can explain the fine-scale partitioning of light availability gradients by woody plant species. This niche partitioning potentially facilitates species coexistence at the within-community level. The high frequency of evergreen shade-intolerant species in these forests may explain the positive correlation between light availability and LMA. PMID:27604280

Comparison Tools for Assessing the Microgravity Environment of Missions, Carriers and Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeLombard, Richard; McPherson, Kevin; Moskowitz, Milton; Hrovat, Ken

1997-01-01

The Principal Component Spectral Analysis and the Quasi-steady Three-dimensional Histogram techniques provide the means to describe the microgravity acceleration environment of an entire mission on a single plot. This allows a straight forward comparison of the microgravity environment between missions, carriers, and conditions. As shown in this report, the PCSA and QTH techniques bring both the range and median of the microgravity environment onto a single page for an entire mission or another time period or condition of interest. These single pages may then be used to compare similar analyses of other missions, time periods or conditions. The PCSA plot is based on the frequency distribution of the vibrational energy and is normally used for an acceleration data set containing frequencies above the lowest natural frequencies of the vehicle. The QTH plot is based on the direction and magnitude of the acceleration and is normally used for acceleration data sets with frequency content less than 0.1 Hz. Various operating conditions are made evident by using PCSA and QTH plots. Equipment operating either full or part time with sufficient magnitude to be considered a disturbance is very evident as well as equipment contributing to the background acceleration environment. A source's magnitude and/or frequency variability is also evident by the source's appearance on a PCSA plot. The PCSA and QTH techniques are valuable tools for extracting useful information from acceleration data taken over large spans of time. This report shows that these techniques provide a tool for comparison between different sets of microgravity acceleration data, for example different missions, different activities within a mission, and/or different attitudes within a mission. These techniques, as well as others, may be employed in order to derive useful information from acceleration data.

Poincaré plot analysis of autocorrelation function of RR intervals in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Chuang, Shin-Shin; Wu, Kung-Tai; Lin, Chen-Yang; Lee, Steven; Chen, Gau-Yang; Kuo, Cheng-Deng

2014-08-01

The Poincaré plot of RR intervals (RRI) is obtained by plotting RRIn+1 against RRIn. The Pearson correlation coefficient (ρRRI), slope (SRRI), Y-intercept (YRRI), standard deviation of instantaneous beat-to-beat RRI variability (SD1RR), and standard deviation of continuous long-term RRI variability (SD2RR) can be defined to characterize the plot. Similarly, the Poincaré plot of autocorrelation function (ACF) of RRI can be obtained by plotting ACFk+1 against ACFk. The corresponding Pearson correlation coefficient (ρACF), slope (SACF), Y-intercept (YACF), SD1ACF, and SD2ACF can be defined similarly to characterize the plot. By comparing the indices of Poincaré plots of RRI and ACF between patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and patients with patent coronary artery (PCA), we found that the ρACF and SACF were significantly larger, whereas the RMSSDACF/SDACF and SD1ACF/SD2ACF were significantly smaller in AMI patients. The ρACF and SACF correlated significantly and negatively with normalized high-frequency power (nHFP), and significantly and positively with normalized very low-frequency power (nVLFP) of heart rate variability in both groups of patients. On the contrary, the RMSSDACF/SDACF and SD1ACF/SD2ACF correlated significantly and positively with nHFP, and significantly and negatively with nVLFP and low-/high-frequency power ratio (LHR) in both groups of patients. We concluded that the ρACF, SACF, RMSSDACF/SDACF, and SD1ACF/SD2ACF, among many other indices of ACF Poincaré plot, can be used to differentiate between patients with AMI and patients with PCA, and that the increase in ρACF and SACF and the decrease in RMSSDACF/SDACF and SD1ACF/SD2ACF suggest an increased sympathetic and decreased vagal modulations in both groups of patients.

Frequency stability of on-orbit GPS Block-I and Block-II Navstar clocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCaskill, Thomas B.; Reid, Wilson G.; Buisson, James A.

On-orbit analysis of the Global Positioning System (GPS) Block-I and Block-II Navstar clocks has been performed by the Naval Research Laboratory using a multi-year database. The Navstar clock phase-offset measurements were computed from pseudorange measurements made by the five GPS monitor sites and from the U.S. Naval Observatory precise-time site using single or dual frequency GPS receivers. Orbital data was obtained from the Navstar broadcast ephemeris and from the best-fit, postprocessed orbital ephemerides supplied by the Naval Surface Weapons Center or by the Defense Mapping Agency. Clock performance in the time domain is characterized using frequency-stability profiles with sample times that vary from 1 to 100 days. Composite plots of Navstar frequency stability and time-prediction uncertainty are included as a summary of clock analysis results. The analysis includes plots of the clock phase offset and frequency offset histories with the eclipse seasons superimposed on selected plots to demonstrate the temperature sensitivity of one of the Block-I Navstar rubidium clocks. The potential impact on navigation and on transferring precise time of the degradation in the long-term frequency stability of the rubidium clocks is discussed.

Advanced Bode Plot Techniques for Ultrasonic Transducers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeAngelis, D. A.; Schulze, G. W.

The Bode plot, displayed as either impedance or admittance versus frequency, is the most basic test used by ultrasonic transducer designers. With simplicity and ease-of-use, Bode plots are ideal for baseline comparisons such as spacing of parasitic modes or impedance, but quite often the subtleties that manifest as poor process control are hard to interpret or are nonexistence. In-process testing of transducers is time consuming for quantifying statistical aberrations, and assessments made indirectly via the workpiece are difficult. This research investigates the use of advanced Bode plot techniques to compare ultrasonic transducers with known "good" and known "bad" process performance, with the goal of a-priori process assessment. These advanced techniques expand from the basic constant voltage versus frequency sweep to include constant current and constant velocity interrogated locally on transducer or tool; they also include up and down directional frequency sweeps to quantify hysteresis effects like jumping and dropping phenomena. The investigation focuses solely on the common PZT8 piezoelectric material used with welding transducers for semiconductor wire bonding. Several metrics are investigated such as impedance, displacement/current gain, velocity/current gain, displacement/voltage gain and velocity/voltage gain. The experimental and theoretical research methods include Bode plots, admittance loops, laser vibrometry and coupled-field finite element analysis.

Parametric study of two planar high power flexible solar array concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garba, J. A.; Kudija, D. A.; Zeldin, B.; Costogue, E. N.

1978-01-01

The design parameters examined were: frequency, aspect ratio, packaging constraints, and array blanket flatness. Specific power-to-mass ratios for both solar arrays as a function of array frequency and array width were developed and plotted. Summaries of the baseline design data, developed equations, the computer program operation, plots of the parameters, and the process for using the information as a design manual are presented.

Advanced probabilistic methods for quantifying the effects of various uncertainties in structural response

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nagpal, Vinod K.

1988-01-01

The effects of actual variations, also called uncertainties, in geometry and material properties on the structural response of a space shuttle main engine turbopump blade are evaluated. A normal distribution was assumed to represent the uncertainties statistically. Uncertainties were assumed to be totally random, partially correlated, and fully correlated. The magnitude of these uncertainties were represented in terms of mean and variance. Blade responses, recorded in terms of displacements, natural frequencies, and maximum stress, was evaluated and plotted in the form of probabilistic distributions under combined uncertainties. These distributions provide an estimate of the range of magnitudes of the response and probability of occurrence of a given response. Most importantly, these distributions provide the information needed to estimate quantitatively the risk in a structural design.

Ecotoxicological Study of Insecticide Effects on Arthropods in Common Bean

PubMed Central

de Barros, Emerson Cristi; Ventura, Hudson Vaner; Gontijo, Pablo Costa; Pereira, Renata Ramos; Picanço, Marcelo Coutinho

2015-01-01

Arthropods are an important group of macroorganisms that work to maintain ecosystem health. Despite the agricultural benefits of chemical control against arthropod pests, insecticides can cause environmental damage. We examined the effects of one and two applications of the insecticides chlorfenapyr (0.18 liters a.i. ha-1) and methamidophos (0.45 liters a.i. ha-1), both independently and in combination, on arthropods in plots of common bean. The experiment was repeated for two growing seasons. Principal response curve, richness estimator, and Shannon–Wiener diversity index analyses were performed. The insecticides generally affected the frequency, richness, diversity, and relative abundance of the arthropods. In addition, the arthropods did not experience recovery after the insecticide applications. The results suggest that the insecticide impacts were sufficiently drastic to eliminate many taxa from the studied common bean plots. PMID:25700537

Cowbird removals unexpectedly increase productivity of a brood parasite and the songbird host.

PubMed

Kosciuch, Karl L; Sandercock, Brett K

2008-03-01

Generalist brood parasites reduce productivity and population growth of avian hosts and have been implicated in population declines of several songbirds of conservation concern. To estimate the demographic effects of brood parasitism on Bell's Vireos (Vireo bellii), we removed Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) in a replicated switchback experimental design. Cowbird removals decreased parasitism frequency from 77% and 85% at unmanipulated plots to 58% and 47% at removal plots in 2004 and 2005, respectively. Vireo productivity per pair was higher at cowbird removal plots when years were pooled (mean = 2.6 +/- 0.2 [SE] young per pair) compared to unmanipulated plots (1.2 +/- 0.1). Nest desertion frequency was lower at cowbird removal plots (35% of parasitized nests) compared to unmanipulated plots (69%) because removal of host eggs was the proximate cue for nest desertion, and vireos experienced lower rates of egg loss at cowbird removal plots. Nest success was higher among unparasitized than parasitized nests, and parasitized nests at cowbird removal plots had a higher probability of success than parasitized nests at unmanipulated plots. Unexpectedly, cowbird productivity from vireo pairs was higher at cowbird removal plots (mean = 0.3 +/- 0.06 young per pair) than at unmanipulated plots (0.1 +/- 0.03) because fewer parasitized nests were deserted and the probability of nest success was higher. Our study provides the first evidence that increases in cowbird productivity may be an unintended consequence of cowbird control programs, especially during the initial years of trapping when parasitism may only be moderately reduced. Thus, understanding the demographic impacts of cowbird removals requires an informed understanding of the behavioral ecology of host-parasite interactions.

Tracking Servobridge Detector. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-12-15

34 _ - b[ Section 1 ABSTRACT 1.0 General This report is in three volumes - Volume I describes technically the Tracking Servo Bridge Detector in final...28 4.1.9.2 Typical Pulse Generator ....... ............... ... 29 4.1.10 Unlock Alarm .......... ..................... .... 30 4.1.11.1 DC...46 4.3.8.4 RF Oucput Harmonic Distortion vs. Frequency Plot . . .. 48 4.3.8.5 Generator Input Level Limits vs. Frequency Plot. . . .. 49 4.3.8.6 RF

Blunted autonomic response in cluster headache patients.

PubMed

Barloese, Mads; Brinth, Louise; Mehlsen, Jesper; Jennum, Poul; Lundberg, Helena Inez Sofia; Jensen, Rigmor

2015-12-01

Cluster headache (CH) is a disabling headache disorder with chronobiological features. The posterior hypothalamus is involved in CH pathophysiology and is a hub for autonomic control. We studied autonomic response to the head-up tilt table test (HUT) including heart rate variability (HRV) in CH patients and compared results to healthy controls. Twenty-seven episodic and chronic CH patients and an equal number of age-, sex- and BMI-matched controls were included. We analyzed responses to HUT in the time and frequency domain and by non-linear analysis. CH patients have normal cardiovascular responses compared to controls but increased blood pressure. In the frequency analysis CH patients had a smaller change in the normalized low- (LF) (2.89 vs. 13.38, p < 0.05) and high-frequency (HF) (-2.86 vs. -13.38, p < 0.05) components as well as the LF/HF ratio (0.81 vs. 2.62, p < 0.05) in response to tilt. In the Poincaré plot, the change in ratio between long- and short-term variation was lower in patients (SD1/SD2, -0.05 vs. -0.17, p < 0.05). CH patients show decreased autonomic response to HUT compared to healthy controls. This can be interpreted as dysregulation in the posterior hypothalamus and supports a theory of central autonomic mechanisms involvement in CH. © International Headache Society 2015.

Comparative study of Poincaré plot analysis using short electroencephalogram signals during anaesthesia with spectral edge frequency 95 and bispectral index.

PubMed

Hayashi, K; Yamada, T; Sawa, T

2015-03-01

The return or Poincaré plot is a non-linear analytical approach in a two-dimensional plane, where a timed signal is plotted against itself after a time delay. Its scatter pattern reflects the randomness and variability in the signals. Quantification of a Poincaré plot of the electroencephalogram has potential to determine anaesthesia depth. We quantified the degree of dispersion (i.e. standard deviation, SD) along the diagonal line of the electroencephalogram-Poincaré plot (named as SD1/SD2), and compared SD1/SD2 values with spectral edge frequency 95 (SEF95) and bispectral index values. The regression analysis showed a tight linear regression equation with a coefficient of determination (R(2) ) value of 0.904 (p < 0.0001) between the Poincaré index (SD1/SD2) and SEF95, and a moderate linear regression equation between SD1/SD2 and bispectral index (R(2)  = 0.346, p < 0.0001). Quantification of the Poincaré plot tightly correlates with SEF95, reflecting anaesthesia-dependent changes in electroencephalogram oscillation. © 2014 The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.

Development of Matlab Simulink model for dynamics analysis of passive suspension system for lightweight vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamali, M. S.; Ismail, K. A.; Taha, Z.; Aiman, M. F.

2017-10-01

In designing suitable isolators to reduce unwanted vibration in vehicles, the response from a mathematical model which characterizes the transmissibility ratio of the input and output of the vehicle is required. In this study, a Matlab Simulink model is developed to study the dynamic behaviour performance of passive suspension system for a lightweight electric vehicle. The Simulink model is based on the two degrees of freedom system quarter car model. The model is compared to the theoretical plots of the transmissibility ratios between the amplitudes of the displacements and accelerations of the sprung and unsprung masses to the amplitudes of the ground, against the frequencies at different damping values. It was found that the frequency responses obtained from the theoretical calculations and from the Simulink simulation is comparable to each other. Hence, the model may be extended to a full vehicle model.

155-mm M795 Aerofuze Test at the KOFA Range, Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, 19 May 2015

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-01

public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions...including spin, pitch, yaw, and 3-axis acceleration in real time , data is relayed to a ground station using an integrated S-band transmitter. One unit...19.5 to 19.6 sec after time of fire 23 24 STFT spectrogram of magnetometer data during flight with peak frequency curve traced 24 25 Plots of battery

A joint probability approach for coincidental flood frequency analysis at ungauged basin confluences

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

Wang, Cheng

2016-03-12

A reliable and accurate flood frequency analysis at the confluence of streams is of importance. Given that long-term peak flow observations are often unavailable at tributary confluences, at a practical level, this paper presents a joint probability approach (JPA) to address the coincidental flood frequency analysis at the ungauged confluence of two streams based on the flow rate data from the upstream tributaries. One case study is performed for comparison against several traditional approaches, including the position-plotting formula, the univariate flood frequency analysis, and the National Flood Frequency Program developed by US Geological Survey. It shows that the results generatedmore » by the JPA approach agree well with the floods estimated by the plotting position and univariate flood frequency analysis based on the observation data.« less

Soil microbial and nutrient responses to 7 years of seasonally altered precipitation in a Chihuahuan Desert grassland.

PubMed

Bell, Colin W; Tissue, David T; Loik, Michael E; Wallenstein, Matthew D; Acosta-Martinez, Veronica; Erickson, Richard A; Zak, John C

2014-05-01

Soil microbial communities in Chihuahuan Desert grasslands generally experience highly variable spatiotemporal rainfall patterns. Changes in precipitation regimes can affect belowground ecosystem processes such as decomposition and nutrient cycling by altering soil microbial community structure and function. The objective of this study was to determine if increased seasonal precipitation frequency and magnitude over a 7-year period would generate a persistent shift in microbial community characteristics and soil nutrient availability. We supplemented natural rainfall with large events (one/winter and three/summer) to simulate increased precipitation based on climate model predictions for this region. We observed a 2-year delay in microbial responses to supplemental precipitation treatments. In years 3-5, higher microbial biomass, arbuscular mycorrhizae abundance, and soil enzyme C and P acquisition activities were observed in the supplemental water plots even during extended drought periods. In years 5-7, available soil P was consistently lower in the watered plots compared to control plots. Shifts in soil P corresponded to higher fungal abundances, microbial C utilization activity, and soil pH. This study demonstrated that 25% shifts in seasonal rainfall can significantly influence soil microbial and nutrient properties, which in turn may have long-term effects on nutrient cycling and plant P uptake in this desert grassland. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Comparison of the frequency response characteristics of catheter-mounted piezoelectric and micromanometric phonotransducers.

PubMed

Garcia, J C; Layton, S A; Rubal, B J

1989-05-01

This study compares the frequency response characteristics of catheter-mounted piezoelectric sound transducers with micromanometric transducers. The tip of a 8F catheter with two piezoelectric transducers and two micromanometers was inserted into a water-filled chamber that had a speaker fixed at one end. The speaker was driven by a power amplifier and sine wave generator. The outputs of the transducers were connected to a low-level amplifier. The piezoelectric transducer behaved as a tunable high-pass filter that could be modified by altering the input impedance of the low level amplifier; the frequency response characteristics were examined at five input impedances ranging from 0.96 to 11.8 megohms. The peak-to-peak outputs of the piezoelectric and pressure transducers were recorded at frequency ranges from DC to 1 kHz with a wide-band oscilloscope. The ratio of the outputs from the piezotransducer and micromanometer (Vph/Vpr) was plotted vs. frequency for each input impedance and analyzed to determine the piezotransducer's output resistance and equivalent capacitance; roll-off frequencies were then calculated. The equivalent capacitance of the piezo-element was determined to be 500-700 picofarads. Series capacitance acted with network resistance to produce a predictable frequency-dependent change in signal amplitude and phase angle. The inherent noise of the pressure transducer was found to be approximately 0.2 mm Hg, while the noise of the piezoelectric transducer was immeasurably low. The piezoelectric phonotransducers were superior to micromanometer transducers in their higher gain and lower noise, suggesting that these transducers may prove useful to physiologic and clinical studies for measuring intravascular sound.

Test and Evaluation of the Time/Frequency Collision Avoidance System Concept.

DTIC Science & Technology

1973-09-01

cumulative distributions were then plotted on “normal” graph paper , i.e., graph paper on whit..h a normal distribution will plot as a straight line...apparent problems. 6-8 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ CIMP TER SEVEN CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDAT IONS 7. 1 CONCLUSIONS The time/frequency technique for...instrumentation due to waiting for an event that will not occur , there are time—outs that cause the process to step past the event in questions . In this

Grassland productivity in response to nutrient additions and herbivory is scale-dependent

PubMed Central

Baldwin, Douglas C.; Naithani, Kusum J.

2016-01-01

Vegetation response to nutrient addition can vary across space, yet studies that explicitly incorporate spatial pattern into experimental approaches are rare. To explore whether there are unique spatial scales (grains) at which grass response to nutrients and herbivory is best expressed, we imposed a large (∼3.75 ha) experiment in a South African coastal grassland ecosystem. In two of six 60 × 60 m grassland plots, we imposed a scaled sampling design in which fertilizer was added in replicated sub-plots (1 × 1 m, 2 × 2 m, and 4 × 4 m). The remaining plots either received no additions or were fertilized evenly across the entire area. Three of the six plots were fenced to exclude herbivory. We calculated empirical semivariograms for all plots one year following nutrient additions to determine whether the scale of grass response (biomass and nutrient concentrations) corresponded to the scale of the sub-plot additions and compared these results to reference plots (unfertilized or unscaled) and to plots with and without herbivory. We compared empirical semivariogram parameters to parameters from semivariograms derived from a set of simulated landscapes (neutral models). Empirical semivariograms showed spatial structure in plots that received multi-scaled nutrient additions, particularly at the 2 × 2 m grain. The level of biomass response was predicted by foliar P concentration and, to a lesser extent, N, with the treatment effect of herbivory having a minimal influence. Neutral models confirmed the length scale of the biomass response and indicated few differences due to herbivory. Overall, we conclude that interpretation of nutrient limitation in grasslands is dependent on the grain used to measure grass response and that herbivory had a secondary effect. PMID:27920956

Powder X-ray diffraction, infrared and conductivity studies of AgSbMP{sub 3}O{sub 12} (M = Al, Ga, Fe and Cr)

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

Rambabu, G.; Anantharamulu, N.; Koteswara Rao, K.

2008-06-03

New Nasicon type of compounds of composition AgSbMP{sub 3}O{sub 12} (M = Al, Ga, Fe and Cr) are synthesized by solid-state method. All the compounds crystallize in the hexagonal lattice with space group R3-barc. The infrared spectra of these compounds show characteristic bands due to PO{sub 4} group. The frequency independent conductivity of these compounds shows Arrhenius type behavior and the activation energy for conduction is in the range 0.40-0.55 eV. Frequency independent conductivity ({sigma}{sub dc}) studies and frequency dependent ({sigma}{sub ac}) impedance measurements correlate well. The Cole-Cole plots do not show any spikes on the lower frequency side indicatingmore » negligible electrode effects. The activation energies obtained from the plots of log {sigma}{sub dc}T versus 1/T, log {sigma}{sub ac}(0) versus 1/T and log {tau} versus 1/T are approximately the same. The peak width at half height for electric modulus (M'') plot is {approx}1.24 decades for all samples, which is close to 1.14 decades observed for Debye solid. The height of electric modulus (M'') obtained from the experimental plots are close to that of M'' (max) = C{sub 0}/2C indicating the Debye nature of the samples.« less

Comparison Tools for Assessing the Microgravity Environment of Space Missions, Carriers and Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeLombard, Richard; Hrovat, Kenneth; Moskowitz, Milton; McPherson, Kevin M.

1998-01-01

The microgravity environment of the NASA Shuttles and Russia's Mir space station have been measured by specially designed accelerometer systems. The need for comparisons between different missions, vehicles, conditions, etc. has been addressed by the two new processes described in this paper. The Principal Component Spectral Analysis (PCSA) and Quasi-steady Three-dimensional Histogram QTH techniques provide the means to describe the microgravity acceleration environment of a long time span of data on a single plot. As described in this paper, the PCSA and QTH techniques allow both the range and the median of the microgravity environment to be represented graphically on a single page. A variety of operating conditions may be made evident by using PCSA or QTH plots. The PCSA plot can help to distinguish between equipment operating full time or part time, as well as show the variability of the magnitude and/or frequency of an acceleration source. A QTH plot summarizes the magnitude and orientation of the low-frequency acceleration vector. This type of plot can show the microgravity effects of attitude, altitude, venting, etc.

Plotting equation for gaussian percentiles and a spreadsheet program for generating probability plots

USGS Publications Warehouse

Balsillie, J.H.; Donoghue, J.F.; Butler, K.M.; Koch, J.L.

2002-01-01

Two-dimensional plotting tools can be of invaluable assistance in analytical scientific pursuits, and have been widely used in the analysis and interpretation of sedimentologic data. We consider, in this work, the use of arithmetic probability paper (APP). Most statistical computer applications do not allow for the generation of APP plots, because of apparent intractable nonlinearity of the percentile (or probability) axis of the plot. We have solved this problem by identifying an equation(s) for determining plotting positions of Gaussian percentiles (or probabilities), so that APP plots can easily be computer generated. An EXCEL example is presented, and a programmed, simple-to-use EXCEL application template is hereby made publicly available, whereby a complete granulometric analysis including data listing, moment measure calculations, and frequency and cumulative APP plots, is automatically produced.

Impedance study of undoped, polycrystalline diamond layers obtained by HF CVD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paprocki, Kazimierz; Fabisiak, Kazimerz; Dychalska, Anna; Szybowicz, Mirosław; Dudkowiak, Alina; Iskaliyeva, Aizhan

2017-04-01

In this paper, we report results of impedance measurements in polycrystalline diamond films deposited on n-Si using HF CVD method. The temperature was changed from 170 K up to RT and the scan frequency from 42 Hz to 5 MHz. The results of impedance measurement of the real and imaginary parts were presented in the form of a Cole-Cole plot in the complex plane. In the temperatures below RT, the observed impedance response of polycrystalline diamond was in the form of a single semicircular form. In order to interpret the observed response, a double resistor-capacitor parallel circuit model was used which allow for interpretation physical mechanisms responsible for such behavior. The impedance results were correlated with Raman spectroscopy measurements.

Consistency of patterns in concentration‐discharge plots

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chanat, Jeffrey G.; Rice, Karen C.; Hornberger, George M.

2002-01-01

Concentration‐discharge (c‐Q) plots have been used to infer how flow components such as event water, soil water, and groundwater mix to produce the observed episodic hydrochemical response of small catchments. Because c‐Q plots are based only on observed streamflow and solute concentration, their interpretation requires assumptions about the relative volume, hydrograph timing, and solute concentration of the streamflow end‐members. Evans and Davies [1998] present a taxonomy of c‐Q loops resulting from three‐component conservative mixing. Their analysis, based on a fixed template of end‐member hydrograph volume, timing, and concentration, suggests a unique relationship between c‐Q loop form and the rank order of end‐member concentrations. Many catchments exhibit variability in component contributions to storm flow in response to antecedent conditions or rainfall characteristics, but the effects of such variation on c‐Q relationships have not been studied systematically. Starting with a “baseline” condition similar to that assumed by Evans and Davies [1998], we use a simple computer model to characterize the variability in c‐Q plot patterns resulting from variation in end‐member volume, timing, and solute concentration. Variability in these three factors can result in more than one c‐Q loop shape for a given rank order of end‐member solute concentrations. The number of resulting hysteresis patterns and their relative frequency depends on the rank order of solute concentrations and on their separation in absolute value. In ambiguous cases the c‐Q loop shape is determined by the relative “prominence” of the event water versus soil water components. This “prominence” is broadly defined as a capacity to influence the total streamflow concentration and may result from a combination of end‐member volume, timing, or concentration. The modeling results indicate that plausible hydrological variability in field situations can confound the interpretation of c‐Q plots, even when fundamental end‐member mixing assumptions are satisfied.

Inductive Sensor Performance in Partial Discharges and Noise Separation by Means of Spectral Power Ratios

PubMed Central

Ardila-Rey, Jorge Alfredo; Rojas-Moreno, Mónica Victoria; Martínez-Tarifa, Juan Manuel; Robles, Guillermo

2014-01-01

Partial discharge (PD) detection is a standardized technique to qualify electrical insulation in machines and power cables. Several techniques that analyze the waveform of the pulses have been proposed to discriminate noise from PD activity. Among them, spectral power ratio representation shows great flexibility in the separation of the sources of PD. Mapping spectral power ratios in two-dimensional plots leads to clusters of points which group pulses with similar characteristics. The position in the map depends on the nature of the partial discharge, the setup and the frequency response of the sensors. If these clusters are clearly separated, the subsequent task of identifying the source of the discharge is straightforward so the distance between clusters can be a figure of merit to suggest the best option for PD recognition. In this paper, two inductive sensors with different frequency responses to pulsed signals, a high frequency current transformer and an inductive loop sensor, are analyzed to test their performance in detecting and separating the sources of partial discharges. PMID:24556674

DSS 13 frequency stability tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Otoshi, T. Y.; Franco, M. M.

1987-01-01

In a previous article, the results of frequency stability tests at DSS 13 were presented in table form for tau = 1000 s for the test period May 1985 through March 1986. This article is a continuation of that initial report and presents specially selected Allan sigma (square root of variance) plots of each of the subsystem test previously reported. An additional result obtained from tests performed during July 1986 was included for completeness. The Allan sigma plots are useful in that frequency stability information is not only given for tau = 1000 s, but for tau values in the regions of 1, 100, 500, and 2000 s as well.

Analysis of flexible aircraft longitudinal dynamics and handling qualities. Volume 2: Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waszak, M. R.; Schmidt, D. K.

1985-01-01

Two analysis methods are applied to a family of flexible aircraft in order to investigate how and when structural (especially dynamic aeroelastic) effects affect the dynamic characteristics of aircraft. The first type of analysis is an open loop modal analysis technique. This method considers the effect of modal residue magnitudes on determining vehicle handling qualities. The second method is a pilot in the loop analysis procedure that considers several closed loop system characteristics. Both analyses indicated that dynamic aeroelastic effects caused a degradation in vehicle tracking performance, based on the evaluation of some simulation results. Volume 2 consists of the presentation of the state variable models of the flexible aircraft configurations used in the analysis applications mode shape plots for the structural modes, numerical results from the modal analysis frequency response plots from the pilot in the loop analysis and a listing of the modal analysis computer program.

SIG: a general-purpose signal processing program

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

Lager, D.; Azevedo, S.

1986-02-01

SIG is a general-purpose signal processing, analysis, and display program. Its main purpose is to perform manipulations on time- and frequency-domain signals. It also accommodates other representations for data such as transfer function polynomials. Signal processing operations include digital filtering, auto/cross spectral density, transfer function/impulse response, convolution, Fourier transform, and inverse Fourier transform. Graphical operations provide display of signals and spectra, including plotting, cursor zoom, families of curves, and multiple viewport plots. SIG provides two user interfaces with a menu mode for occasional users and a command mode for more experienced users. Capability exits for multiple commands per line, commandmore » files with arguments, commenting lines, defining commands, automatic execution for each item in a repeat sequence, etc. SIG is presently available for VAX(VMS), VAX (BERKELEY 4.2 UNIX), SUN (BERKELEY 4.2 UNIX), DEC-20 (TOPS-20), LSI-11/23 (TSX), and DEC PRO 350 (TSX). 4 refs., 2 figs.« less

Dielectric spectroscopy of Ag-starch nanocomposite films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meena; Sharma, Annu

2018-04-01

In the present work Ag-starch nanocomposite films were fabricated via chemical reduction route. The formation of Ag nanoparticles was confirmed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Further the effect of varying concentration of Ag nanoparticles on the dielectric properties of starch has been studied. The frequency response of dielectric constant (ε‧), dielectric loss (ε″) and dissipation factor tan(δ) has been studied in the frequency range of 100 Hz to 1 MHz. Dielectric data was further analysed using Cole-Cole plots. The dielectric constant of starch was found to be 4.4 which decreased to 2.35 in Ag-starch nanocomposite film containing 0.50 wt% of Ag nanoparticles. Such nanocomposites with low dielectric constant have potential applications in microelectronic technologies.

Precipitation frequency alters peatland ecosystem structure and CO2 exchange: Contrasting effects on moss, sedge, and shrub communities.

PubMed

Radu, Danielle D; Duval, Tim P

2018-05-01

Climate projections forecast a redistribution of seasonal precipitation for much of the globe into fewer, larger events spaced between longer dry periods, with negligible changes in seasonal rainfall totals. This intensification of the rainfall regime is expected to alter near-surface water availability, which will affect plant performance and carbon uptake. This could be especially important in peatland systems, where large stores of carbon are tightly coupled to water surpluses limiting decomposition. Here, we examined the role of precipitation frequency on vegetation growth and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) balances for communities dominated by a Sphagnum moss, a sedge, and an ericaceous shrub in a cool temperate poor fen. Field plots and laboratory monoliths received one of three rainfall frequency treatments, ranging from one event every three days to one event every 14 days, while total rain delivered in a two-week cycle and the entire season to each treatment remained the same. Separating incident rain into fewer but larger events increased vascular cover in all peatland communities: vascular plant cover increased 6× in the moss-dominated plots, nearly doubled in the sedge plots, and tripled in the shrub plots in Low-Frequency relative to High-Frequency treatments. Gross ecosystem productivity was lowest in moss communities receiving low-frequency rain, but higher in sedge and shrub communities under the same conditions. Net ecosystem exchange followed this pattern: fewer events with longer dry periods increased CO 2 flux to the atmosphere from the moss while vascular plant-dominated communities became more of a sink for CO 2 . Results of this study suggest that changes to rainfall frequency already occurring and predicted to continue will lead to increased vascular plant cover in peatlands and will impact their carbon-sink function. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Absolute calibration technique for broadband ultrasonic transducers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yost, William T. (Inventor); Cantrell, John H. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

Calibrating an ultrasonic transducer can be performed with a reduced number of calculations and testing. A wide-band pulser is connected to an ultrasonic transducer under test to generate ultrasonic waves in a liquid. A single frequency is transmitted to the electrostatic acoustic transducer (ESAT) and the voltage change produced is monitored. Then a broadband ultrasonic pulse is generated by the ultrasonic transducer and received by the ESAT. The output of the ESAT is amplified and input to a digitized oscilloscope for fast Fourier transform. The resulting plot is normalized with the monitored signal from the single frequency pulse. The plot is then corrected for characteristics of the membrane and diffraction effects. The transfer function of the final plot is determined. The transfer function gives the final sensitivity of the ultrasonic transducer as a function of frequency. The advantage of the system is the speed of calibrating the transducer by a reduced number of measurements and removal of the membrane and diffraction effects.

Conductivity and dielectric behaviour of PEO-based solid nanocomposite polymer electrolytes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, Suriani; Mohd Yasin, Siti Mariah; Nee, Ng Meng; Ahmad, Roslina; Johan, Mohd Rafie

2012-03-01

In this research, thin films of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) blend with lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF) salt and ethylene carbonate (EC) as plasticiser and carbon nanotube (CNT) as filler, are prepared using solution casting method. The conductivity and dielectric response of the nanocomposite polymer electrolyte systems are studied within the broad frequency range of 5 Hz-5 MHz and within a temperature range of 298-373 K. The conductivity-temperature plots are observed to be of Arrhenius nature. The dielectric behaviour is analysed using the dielectric permittivity (ɛr and ɛi), loss tangent (tanδ) and electric modulus (Mi and Mr) of the samples. It is observed that the dielectric permittivity rises sharply towards low frequencies due to electrode polarisation effects. The maxima of the loss tangent (tanδ) shifts towards higher frequencies and the height of the peak increases with increasing temperature.

Impedance and modulus spectroscopic study of nano hydroxyapatite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jogiya, B. V.; Jethava, H. O.; Tank, K. P.; Raviya, V. R.; Joshi, M. J.

2016-05-01

Hydroxyapatite (Ca10 (PO4)6 (OH)2, HAP) is the main inorganic component of the hard tissues in bones and also important material for orthopedic and dental implant applications. Nano HAP is of great interest due to its various bio-medical applications. In the present work the nano HAP was synthesized by using surfactant mediated approach. Structure and morphology of the synthesized nano HAP was examined by the Powder XRD and TEM. Impedance study was carried out on pelletized sample in a frequency range of 100Hz to 20MHz at room temperature. The variation of dielectric constant, dielectric loss, and a.c. conductivity with frequency of applied field was studied. The Nyquist plot as well as modulus plot was drawn. The Nyquist plot showed two semicircle arcs, which indicated the presence of grain and grain boundary effect in the sample. The typical behavior of the Nyquist plot was represented by equivalent circuit having two parallel RC combinations in series.

Dielectric Relaxation In Complex Perovskite Sm(Ni{sub 1/2}Ti{sub 1/2})O{sub 3}

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

Kumar, Nishant; Prasad, S.; Sinha, T. P.

2011-11-22

The complex perovskite oxide Samarium nickel titenate, Sm(Ni{sub 1/2}Ti{sub 1/2})O{sub 3}(SNT) is synthesized by a solid-state reaction technique. The X-ray diffraction of the sample at room temperature shows a monoclinic phase. The scanning micrograph of the sample shows the average grain size{approx_equal}0.6{mu}m The field dependence of dielectric response and the loss tangent of the sample are measured in a frequency range from 100Hz to 1MHz and in a temperature range from 313 K to 673 K. An analysis of the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric permittivity with frequency is performed, assuming a distribution of relaxation times as confirmedmore » by Cole-Cole plots. The frequency dependent electrical data are analyzed in the framework of conductivity formalism. The frequency dependent conductivity data are fitted to the universal power law. All these formalisms provided for qualitative similarities in the relaxation times.« less

Mineral exploration with ERTS imagery. [Colorado

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nicolais, S. M.

1974-01-01

Ten potential target areas for metallic mineral exploration were selected on the basis of a photo-lineament interpretation of the ERTS image 1172-17141 in central Colorado. An evaluation of bias indicated that prior geologic knowledge of the region had little, if any, effect on target selection. In addition, a contoured plot of the frequency of photo-lineament intersections was made to determine what relationships exist between the photo-lineaments and mineral districts. Comparison of this plot with a plot of the mineral districts indicates that areas with a high frequency of intersections commonly coincide with known mineral districts. The results of this experiment suggest that photo-lineaments are fractures or fracture-controlled features, and their distribution may be a guide to metallic mineral deposits in Colorado, and probably other areas as well.

The acoustic response of a propeller subjected to gusts incident from various inflow angles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jonkouski, G. C.; Horne, W. C.; Soderman, P. T.

1983-01-01

The acoustic effect of perturbing the inflow field of a propeller was studied. The perturbation was caused by a jet of air blowing into the propeller disc from various angles, creating spanwise and chordwise flow disturbances along the blades. The effects of the gust angle, speed and turbulence, and propeller rpm and thrust are shown with narrowband spectra and directivity plots of the acoustic field. A prediction method for the peaks of the harmonics of the blade passing frequency for various gust and propeller conditions is presented.

Scanner observations of cool stars from 3400 to 11,000 A.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fay, T.; Honeycutt, R. K.

1972-01-01

Evaluation of photoelectric scans of the M supergiant alpha Ori and the carbon stars 19 Psc, W Ori, and DS Peg made at 20-A resolution from 3400 to 6000 A and at 40-A resolution from 6000 to 11,000 A. The data are corrected for atmospheric extinction and for the instrumental response to obtain plots of log flux per unit frequency interval versus wavelength. The dominant spectral features are due to C2, CN, and TiO; the variation of these features with spectral class is pointed out.

Comparison effects and dielectric properties of different dose methylene-blue-doped hydrogels.

PubMed

Yalçın, O; Coşkun, R; Okutan, M; Öztürk, M

2013-08-01

The dielectric properties of methylene blue (MB)-doped hydrogels were investigated by impedance spectroscopy. The real part (ε') and the imaginary part (ε") of the complex dielectric constant and the energy loss tangent/dissipation factor (tan δ) were measured in the frequency range of 10 Hz to 100 MHz at room temperature for pH 5.5 value. Frequency variations of the resistance, the reactance, and the impedance of the samples have also been investigated. The dielectric permittivity of the MB-doped hydrogels is sensitive to ionic conduction and electrode polarization in low frequency. Furthermore, the dielectric behavior in high-frequency parts was attributed to the Brownian motion of the hydrogen bonds. The ionic conduction for MB-doped samples was prevented for Cole-Cole plots, while the Cole-Cole plots for pure sample show equivalent electrical circuit. The alternative current (ac) conductivity increases with the increasing MB concentration and the frequency.

Avionics electromagnetic interference immunity and environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clarke, C. A.

1986-01-01

Aircraft electromagnetic spectrum and radio frequency (RF) field strengths are charted, profiling the higher levels of electromagnetic voltages encountered by the commercial aircraft wiring. Selected military, urban, and rural electromagnetic field levels are plotted and provide a comparison of radiation amplitudes. Low frequency magnetic fields and electric fields from 400 H(Z) power systems are charted versus frequency and wire separation to indicate induced voltages on adjacent or neighboring circuits. Induced EMI levels and attenuation characteristics of electric, magnetic, RF fields, and transients are plotted and graphed for common types of wire circuits. The significance of wire circuit returns and shielding is emphasized to highlight the techniques that help block the paths of electromagnetic interference and maintain avionic interface signal quality.

Chronic N enrichment and drought alter plant cover and community composition in a Mediterranean-type semi-arid shrubland.

PubMed

Vourlitis, George L

2017-05-01

Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition has caused a decline in native plant species and an increase in exotic plant species in many terrestrial ecosystems; however, vegetation change depends on the rate and/or duration of N input, individual species responses, interactions with other resources, and ecosystem properties such as species richness and canopy cover, soil texture, pH, and/or disturbance regime. Native shrub and exotic forb responses to N enrichment were evaluated over a 13-year field experiment in a mature coastal sage scrub (CSS) shrubland of southern California to test the hypothesis that dry-season N input will cause a decline in native shrubs and an increase in exotic annuals. Nitrogen enrichment caused the dominant native shrubs, Artemisia californica and Salvia mellifera, to respond differently, with A. californica initially increasing with N input but declining thereafter and S. mellifera declining consistently over the 13-year-period. Both species exhibited higher canopy dieback during drought conditions, especially in N plots. Brassica nigra, an exotic annual, invaded N plots significantly more than control plots, but only after 10 years of N addition and a prolonged drought, which increased native shrub canopy dieback. These results indicate a possible synergism between N enrichment and drought on native shrub and exotic forb abundance, which would have important implications for plant diversity in semi-arid shrublands of southwest US that are anticipated to experience an increase in anthropogenic N enrichment and the frequency and duration of drought.

Tracking Second Thoughts: Continuous and Discrete Revision Processes during Visual Lexical Decision

PubMed Central

Barca, Laura; Pezzulo, Giovanni

2015-01-01

We studied the dynamics of lexical decisions by asking participants to categorize lexical and nonlexical stimuli and recording their mouse movements toward response buttons during the choice. In a previous report we revealed greater trajectory curvature and attraction to competitors for Low Frequency words and Pseudowords. This analysis did not clarify whether the trajectory curvature in the two conditions was due to a continuous dynamic competition between the response alternatives or if a discrete revision process (a "change of mind") took place during the choice from an initially selected response to the opposite one. To disentangle these two possibilities, here we analyse the velocity and acceleration profiles of mouse movements during the choice. Pseudowords' peak movement velocity occurred with 100ms delay with respect to words and Letters Strings. Acceleration profile for High and Low Frequency words and Letters Strings exhibited a butterfly plot with one acceleration peak at 400ms and one deceleration peak at 650ms. Differently, Pseudowords' acceleration profile had double positive peaks (at 400 and 600ms) followed by movement deceleration, in correspondence with changes in the decision from lexical to nonlexical response buttons. These results speak to different online processes during the categorization of Low Frequency words and Pseudowords, with a continuous competition process for the former and a discrete revision process for the latter. PMID:25699992

Structural-acoustic coupling in aircraft fuselage structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mathur, Gopal P.; Simpson, Myles A.

1992-01-01

Results of analytical and experimental investigations of structural-acoustic coupling phenomenon in an aircraft fuselage are described. The structural and acoustic cavity modes of DC-9 fuselage were determined using a finite element approach to vibration analysis. Predicted structural and acoustic dispersion curves were used to determine possible occurrences of structural-acoustic coupling for the fuselage. An aft section of DC-9 aircraft fuselage, housed in an anechoic chamber, was used for experimental investigations. The test fuselage was excited by a shaker and vibration response and interior sound field were measured using accelerometer and microphone arrays. The wavenumber-frequency structural and cavity response maps were generated from the measured data. Analysis and interpretation of the spatial plots and wavenumber maps provided the required information on modal characteristics, fuselage response and structural-acoustic coupling.

Airborne urban/suburban noise measurements at 121.5/243 MHz

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, R. E.; Hill, J. S.

1977-01-01

An airborne measurement of the terrestrial, radio-frequency (RF) noise environment over U.S. metropolitan urban/suburban areas has been made at the 121.5/243 MHz emergency-distress search and rescue (S&R) communications frequencies. Profile contour plots of antenna-noise temperature for U.S.A. East Coast and mid-west urban/suburban areas is presented for daytime/nighttime observations at 121.5/243 MHz. These plots are helpful for compiling radio-noise environment maps; in turn useful for designing satellite-aided, emergency-distress search and rescue communication systems.

Modal Analysis of MARS Solar Panel and Planar Vibrations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simonyan, Andranik; Williams, R. Brett

2007-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the modal analysis of MARS solar panels and the planar vibrations. Included are views of the solar panels mock-up assembly, a view of the test seup,a view of the plot from the test, with the raw numbers of the frequencies in Hz values with the mode number, the spatial acceleration plots of Center sub panel at resonant frequencies, predictions from the Finite element models, an explanation of the two test that were done on the plate and the results from both tests,

Jitter Controller Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lansdowne, Chatwin; Schlensinger, Adam

2011-01-01

Sinusoidal jitter is produced by simply modulating a clock frequency sinusoidally with a given frequency and amplitude. But this can be expressed as phase jitter, frequency jitter, or cycle-to-cycle jitter, rms or peak, absolute units, or normalized to the base clock frequency. Jitter using other waveforms requires calculating and downloading these waveforms to an arbitrary waveform generator, and helping the user manage relationships among phase jitter crest factor, frequency jitter crest factor, and cycle-to-cycle jitter (CCJ) crest factor. Software was developed for managing these relationships, automatically configuring the generator, and saving test results documentation. Tighter management of clock jitter and jitter sensitivity is required by new codes that further extend the already high performance of space communication links, completely correcting symbol error rates higher than 10 percent, and therefore typically requiring demodulation and symbol synchronization hardware to operating at signal-to-noise ratios of less than one. To accomplish this, greater demands are also made on transmitter performance, and measurement techniques are needed to confirm performance. It was discovered early that sinusoidal jitter can be stepped on a grid such that one can connect points by constant phase jitter, constant frequency jitter, or constant cycle-cycle jitter. The tool automates adherence to a grid while also allowing adjustments off-grid. Also, the jitter can be set by the user on any dimension and the others are calculated. The calculations are all recorded, allowing the data to be rapidly plotted or re-plotted against different interpretations just by changing pointers to columns. A key advantage is taking data on a carefully controlled grid, which allowed a single data set to be post-analyzed many different ways. Another innovation was building a software tool to provide very tight coupling between the generator and the recorded data product, and the operator's worksheet. Together, these allowed the operator to sweep the jitter stimulus quickly along any of three dimensions and focus on the response of the system under test (response was jitter transfer ratio, or performance degradation to the symbol or codeword error rate). Additionally, managing multi-tone and noise waveforms automated a tedious manual process, and provided almost instantaneous decision- making control over test flow. The code was written in LabVIEW, and calls Agilent instrument drivers to write to the generator hardware.

Cover/Frequency (CF)

Treesearch

John F. Caratti

2006-01-01

The FIREMON Cover/Frequency (CF) method is used to assess changes in plant species cover and frequency for a macroplot. This method uses multiple quadrats to sample within-plot variation and quantify statistically valid changes in plant species cover, height, and frequency over time. Because it is difficult to estimate cover in quadrats for larger plants, this method...

An experimental assessment of vehicle disturbance effects on migratory shorebirds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tarr, Nathan M.; Simons, T.R.; Pollock, K.H.

2010-01-01

Off-road vehicle (ORV) traffic is one of several forms of disturbance thought to affect shorebirds at migration stopover sites. Attempts to measure disturbance effects on shorebird habitat use and behavior at stopover sites are difficult because ORV disturbance is frequently confounded with habitat and environmental factors. We used a before-after-control-impact experimental design to isolate effects of vehicle disturbance from shorebird responses to environmental and habitat factors. We manipulated disturbance levels within beach closures along South Core Banks, North Carolina, USA, and measured changes in shorebird abundance and location, as well as the activity of one focal species, the sanderling (Calidris alba), within paired control and impact plots. We applied a discrete treatment level of one flee-response-inducing event every 10 minutes on impact plots. We found that disturbance reduced total shorebird and black-bellied plover (Pluvialis squatarola) abundance and reduced relative use of microhabitat zones above the swash zone (wet sand and dry sand) by sanderlings, black-bellied plovers, willets (Tringa semipalmata), and total shorebirds. Sanderlings and total shorebirds increased use of the swash zone in response to vehicle disturbance. Disturbance reduced use of study plots by sanderlings for resting and increased sanderling activity, but we did not detect an effect of vehicle disturbance on sanderling foraging activity. We provide the first estimates of how a discrete level of disturbance affects shorebird distributions among ocean beach microhabitats. Our findings provide a standard to which managers can compare frequency and intensity of disturbance events at other shorebird stopover and roosting sites and indicate that limiting disturbance will contribute to use of a site by migratory shorebirds. ?? 2010 The Wildlife Society.

Effect of removal of hesperis matronalis (Dame's rocket) on species cover of forest understory vegetation in NW indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pavlovic, N.B.; Leicht-Young, S. A.; Frohnapple, K.J.; Grundel, R.

2009-01-01

Exotic invasive plant species differ in their effects on indigenous vegetation as evidenced by research evaluating community response to their removal. We used a removal approach to quantify the response of a mesic woodland to the removal versus retention of an invasive plant, Hesperis matronalis (dame's rocket) from paired treatment plots over 3 y. Cover of H. matronalis did not differ between control and treatment plots prior to removal, declined in the removal plots and remained significantly lower in cover compared to the control plots. Removal did not significantly affect species richness and species diversity (evenness, Shannon and Simpson) at the plot scale, but did result in increased species richness overall in the removal plots in the last sampling year when compared to control plots. Non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination analysis indicated a significant compositional change in the spring plant composition of plots over the 3 y, reflecting an increase in exotic woody species. Exotic woody plants, especially Rosa multiflora and Euonymus alatus, increased in cover in response to H. matronalis removal. In the 3 y, neither native nor exotic forbs, nor native woody plants responded to the removal of H. matronalis in a statistically significant manner. The increasing cover of woody invasive plants in response to the removal of H. matronalis has important management implications for restoration of degraded communities.

System and method for constructing filters for detecting signals whose frequency content varies with time

DOEpatents

Qian, S.; Dunham, M.E.

1996-11-12

A system and method are disclosed for constructing a bank of filters which detect the presence of signals whose frequency content varies with time. The present invention includes a novel system and method for developing one or more time templates designed to match the received signals of interest and the bank of matched filters use the one or more time templates to detect the received signals. Each matched filter compares the received signal x(t) with a respective, unique time template that has been designed to approximate a form of the signals of interest. The robust time domain template is assumed to be of the order of w(t)=A(t)cos(2{pi}{phi}(t)) and the present invention uses the trajectory of a joint time-frequency representation of x(t) as an approximation of the instantaneous frequency function {phi}{prime}(t). First, numerous data samples of the received signal x(t) are collected. A joint time frequency representation is then applied to represent the signal, preferably using the time frequency distribution series. The joint time-frequency transformation represents the analyzed signal energy at time t and frequency f, P(t,f), which is a three-dimensional plot of time vs. frequency vs. signal energy. Then P(t,f) is reduced to a multivalued function f(t), a two dimensional plot of time vs. frequency, using a thresholding process. Curve fitting steps are then performed on the time/frequency plot, preferably using Levenberg-Marquardt curve fitting techniques, to derive a general instantaneous frequency function {phi}{prime}(t) which best fits the multivalued function f(t). Integrating {phi}{prime}(t) along t yields {phi}{prime}(t), which is then inserted into the form of the time template equation. A suitable amplitude A(t) is also preferably determined. Once the time template has been determined, one or more filters are developed which each use a version or form of the time template. 7 figs.

A method to associate all possible combinations of genetic and environmental factors using GxE landscape plot.

PubMed

Nagaie, Satoshi; Ogishima, Soichi; Nakaya, Jun; Tanaka, Hiroshi

2015-01-01

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and linkage analysis has identified many single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related to disease. There are many unknown SNPs whose minor allele frequencies (MAFs) as low as 0.005 having intermediate effects with odds ratio between 1.5~3.0. Low frequency variants having intermediate effects on disease pathogenesis are believed to have complex interactions with environmental factors called gene-environment interactions (GxE). Hence, we describe a model using 3D Manhattan plot called GxE landscape plot to visualize the association of p-values for gene-environment interactions (GxE). We used the Gene-Environment iNteraction Simulator 2 (GENS2) program to simulate interactions between two genetic loci and one environmental factor in this exercise. The dataset used for training contains disease status, gender, 20 environmental exposures and 100 genotypes for 170 subjects, and p-values were calculated by Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel chi-squared test on known data. Subsequently, we created a 3D GxE landscape plot of negative logarithm of the association of p-values for all the possible combinations of genetic and environmental factors with their hierarchical clustering. Thus, the GxE landscape plot is a valuable model to predict association of p-values for GxE and similarity among genotypes and environments in the context of disease pathogenesis. GxE - Gene-environment interactions, GWAS - Genome-wide association study, MAFs - Minor allele frequencies, SNPs - Single nucleotide polymorphisms, EWAS - Environment-wide association study, FDR - False discovery rate, JPT+CHB - HapMap population of Japanese in Tokyo, Japan - Han Chinese in Beijing.

Loblolly pine growth response to mid-rotational treatments in an Eastern Texas plantation

Treesearch

Mohammad M. Bataineh; Amanda L. Bataineh; Brian P. Oswald; Kenneth W. Farrish; Hans M. Williams

2006-01-01

The effects of mid-rotational treatments (herbicide, prescribed burn, combination of herbicide and burn, and fertilization) on growth of loblolly pine were evaluated. Five replicates were established in a split-plot experimental design with fertilizer treatments as the whole-plot factor and competition control treatments as the sub-plot factor. Growth response was...

Nonlinear electromagnetic responses of active membrane protein complexes in live cells and organelles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nawarathna, Dharmakirthi

The response of biological cells to an applied oscillating electric field contains both linear and nonlinear components (eg. induced harmonics). Such noninvasive measurements can be used to study active processes taking place inside the cells. The measurement of induced harmonics is the tool used for the study described here. A highly sensitive superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) is used to detect the response at low frequencies, which greatly reduces electrode polarization effects. At high frequencies, a four- probe method is used. At low frequencies, harmonic generation by budding yeast cells in response to a sinusoidal electric field is reported, which is seen to be minimal when the field amplitude is less than a threshold value. Surprisingly, sodium metavanadate, an inhibitor of P-type ATPases and glucose, a substrate of P-type ATPase responsible for nonlinear response in yeast, reduces the threshold field amplitude, increasing harmonic generation at low amplitudes while reducing it at large amplitudes. We have thus proposed a model that explicitly introduces a threshold field, similar to those observed in density waves, where fields above threshold drive charge transport through an energy landscape with multiple wells, and in Coulomb blockade tunnel junctions, recently exploited to define the current standard. At high frequencies, the induced harmonics exhibit pronounced features that depend on the specific organism. Budding yeast (S. cerevisiae ) cells produce numerous harmonics. When the second or third harmonic amplitude is plotted vs. applied frequency, we observe two peaks, around 3 kHz and 12 kHz, which are suppressed by the respiratory inhibitor potassium cyanide. We then measured the response to oscillatory electric fields of intact bovine heart mitochondria, a reproducible second harmonic (at ˜3-4 kHz applied frequency) was detected. Further, with coupled mouse mitochondria, an ADP sensitive peak (˜ 12-15 kHz applied frequency) was observed, possibly due to the F0 domain of ATP synthase. Finally, harmonics generated by chloroplasts, the plant organelles responsible for photosynthesis, were measured, which are similar in structure and function to mitochondria, depend dramatically on incident light, and vanish in the absence of light. Using spinach chloroplasts, light sensitive peaks were detected in the range of 0--12 kHz, again suggesting that these harmonics are indicative of electron processes in the light harvesting complexes, reaction center, and/or photosynthetic electron transport chain.

Closed-form eigensolutions of nonviscously, nonproportionally damped systems based on continuous damping sensitivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lázaro, Mario

2018-01-01

In this paper, nonviscous, nonproportional, vibrating structures are considered. Nonviscously damped systems are characterized by dissipative mechanisms which depend on the history of the response velocities via hereditary kernel functions. Solutions of the free motion equation lead to a nonlinear eigenvalue problem involving mass, stiffness and damping matrices. Viscoelasticity leads to a frequency dependence of this latter. In this work, a novel closed-form expression to estimate complex eigenvalues is derived. The key point is to consider the damping model as perturbed by a continuous fictitious parameter. Assuming then the eigensolutions as function of this parameter, the computation of the eigenvalues sensitivity leads to an ordinary differential equation, from whose solution arises the proposed analytical formula. The resulting expression explicitly depends on the viscoelasticity (frequency derivatives of the damping function), the nonproportionality (influence of the modal damping matrix off-diagonal terms). Eigenvectors are obtained using existing methods requiring only the corresponding eigenvalue. The method is validated using a numerical example which compares proposed with exact ones and with those determined from the linear first order approximation in terms of the damping matrix. Frequency response functions are also plotted showing that the proposed approach is valid even for moderately or highly damped systems.

The Effects of Selected Modelling Parameters on the Computed Optical Frequency Signatures of Naval Platforms

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-01

Contrast signature plots for the simple wireframe model with user-defined thermal boundary conditions and an exhaust plume ...boundary conditions but no exhaust plume ................................................................................. 25 A.3. Contrast signature...plots for the simple wireframe model with no user-defined thermal boundary conditions or exhaust plume

Study of the Effect on Ionic Conductivity and Structral Morphology of the SR Doped Lanthanum Gallate Solid Electrolyte

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sood, Kapil; Singh, K.; Pandey, O. P.

2013-07-01

In the present study, lanthanum gallate and Sr-doped lanthanum gallate samples were prepared by conventional solid state reaction method. The phase conformation has been performed by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) study. The elemental composition has been confirmed using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. Ac conductivity of the samples has been measured in the frequency range 0.1-106 Hz and from 50-800 °C. The impedance plots among real and complex impedances at particular temperature have been discussed. The behavior shows the effect of bulk and grain boundary effects of the doped sample. The impedance plots with frequency have been analyzed. The plots have been well fitted to equivalent circuit model. The conductivity shows the Arrhenius type of behavior. The activation energy has been calculated from the plots and represents that the conductivity through the material is mainly ionic. The structural morphology of the samples has been investigated using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The micrograph shows that the porosity and grain size both decreases with Sr-doping.

Impact of Altered Precipitation Patterns on Plant Productivity and Soil Respiration in a Northern Great Plains Grassland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haase, L.; Flanagan, L. B.

2017-12-01

Precipitation patterns are expected to shift towards larger but fewer rain events, with longer intermittent dry periods, associated with climate change. The larger rain events may compensate for and help to mitigate climate change effects on key ecosystem functions such as plant productivity and soil respiration in semi-arid grasslands. We experimentally manipulated the amount and frequency of simulated precipitation added to trenched, treatment plots that were covered by rain shelters, and measured the response in plant productivity and soil respiration in a native, grassland ecosystem near Lethbridge, Alberta. We compared the observed responses to the predictions of a conceptual ecosystem response model developed by Knapp et al. 2008 (BioScience 58: 811-821). Two experiments were conducted during 14 weeks of the growing season from May-August. The first experiment (normal amount) applied total growing season precipitation of 180 mm (climate normal), and the second experiment (reduced amount) applied total precipitation of 90 mm. In both experiments, precipitation was applied at two frequencies, 1 rain event every week (normal frequency) and 1 rain event every two weeks (reduced frequency). In the normal amount experiment, the average rain event was 12.8 mm for the normal frequency treatment and 25.8 mm for the reduced frequency treatment. In the reduced amount experiment, the average rain event was 6.4 mm for the normal frequency treatment and 12.8 mm for the reduced frequency treatment. We hypothesized that larger but fewer rain events would result in increased plant productivity and soil respiration for both experiments. Plant greenness values calculated from digital photographs were used as a proxy for plant productivity, and showed significantly higher values for the normal vs. reduced amount experiment. Soil respiration rate also showed significantly higher values for the normal vs. reduced amount experiment. No significant treatment effect could be detected between the normal vs. reduced frequency treatments in both experiments for either the plant greenness or soil respiration measurements. The results of this study have implications for understanding the mechanisms underlying ecosystem responses to anticipated precipitation change in the Great Plains.

Design optimization of condenser microphone: a design of experiment perspective.

PubMed

Tan, Chee Wee; Miao, Jianmin

2009-06-01

A well-designed condenser microphone backplate is very important in the attainment of good frequency response characteristics--high sensitivity and wide bandwidth with flat response--and low mechanical-thermal noise. To study the design optimization of the backplate, a 2(6) factorial design with a single replicate, which consists of six backplate parameters and four responses, has been undertaken on a comprehensive condenser microphone model developed by Zuckerwar. Through the elimination of insignificant parameters via normal probability plots of the effect estimates, the projection of an unreplicated factorial design into a replicated one can be performed to carry out an analysis of variance on the factorial design. The air gap and slot have significant effects on the sensitivity, mechanical-thermal noise, and bandwidth while the slot/hole location interaction has major influence over the latter two responses. An organized and systematic approach of designing the backplate is summarized.

Development of carbon response trajectories using FIA plot data and FVS growth simulator: challenges of a large scale simulation project

Treesearch

James B. McCarter; Sean Healey

2015-01-01

The Forest Carbon Management Framework (ForCaMF) integrates Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) plot inventory data, disturbance histories, and carbon response trajectories to develop estimates of disturbance and management effects on carbon pools for the National Forest System. All appropriate FIA inventory plots are simulated using the Forest Vegetation Simulator (...

Recovery of biological soil crust richness and cover 12-16 years after wildfires in Idaho, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Root, Heather T.; Brinda, John C.; Dodson, E. Kyle

2017-09-01

Changing fire regimes in western North America may impact biological soil crust (BSC) communities that influence many ecosystem functions, such as soil stability and C and N cycling. However, longer-term effects of wildfire on BSC abundance, species richness, functional groups, and ecosystem functions after wildfire (i.e., BSC resilience) are still poorly understood. We sampled BSC lichen and bryophyte communities at four sites in Idaho, USA, within foothill steppe communities that included wildfires from 12 to 16 years old. We established six plots outside each burn perimeter and compared them with six plots of varying severity within each fire perimeter at each site. BSC cover was most strongly negatively impacted by wildfire at sites that had well-developed BSC communities in adjacent unburned plots. BSC species richness was estimated to be 65 % greater in unburned plots compared with burned plots, and fire effects did not vary among sites. In contrast, there was no evidence that vascular plant functional groups or fire severity (as measured by satellite metrics differenced normalized burn ratio (dNBR) or relativized differenced normalized burn ratio (RdNBR)) significantly affected longer-term BSC responses. Three large-statured BSC functional groups that may be important in controlling wind and water erosion (squamulose lichens, vagrant lichens, and tall turf mosses) exhibited a significant decrease in abundance in burned areas relative to adjacent unburned areas. The decreases in BSC cover and richness along with decreased abundance of several functional groups suggest that wildfire can negatively impact ecosystem function in these semiarid ecosystems for at least 1 to 2 decades. This is a concern given that increased fire frequency is predicted for the region due to exotic grass invasion and climate change.

Dielectric relaxation and conduction mechanism studies of BNT-BT-BKT ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandrasekhar, M.; Khatua, Dipak Kumar; Pattanayak, Ranjit; Kumar, P.

2017-12-01

Electrical properties of 0.884Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-0.036BaTiO3-0.08Bi0.5K0.5TiO3 ceramic samples were investigated in 100Hz to 1 MHz frequency range and in 200-450 °C temperature range using impedance spectroscopy technique. Real part of impedance versus frequency plots in lower frequency region revealed its PTCR behavior and NTCR behaviors in higher frequency region. Impedance study also suggested the presence of non-Debye type relaxation mechanism. Cole-Cole plots suggested two relaxation regions, in which grain and grain, grain boundary effects were prominent in lower and high temperature regions, respectively. DC conductivity followed Arrhenius law with an activation energy of ∼0.79 and 1.2 eV, which suggested that the charge carrier were cation vacancies in lower temperature region whereas cation vacancies and oxygen vacancies in higher temperature region.

Flow dynamic environment data base development for the SSME

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sundaram, C. V.

1985-01-01

The fluid flow-induced vibration of the Space Shuttle main engine (SSME) components are being studied with a view to correlating the frequency characteristics of the pressure fluctuations in a rocket engine to its operating conditions and geometry. An overview of the data base development for SSME test firing results and the interactive computer software used to access, retrieve, and plot or print the results selectively for given thrust levels, engine numbers, etc., is presented. The various statistical methods available in the computer code for data analysis are discussed. Plots of test data, nondimensionalized using parameters such as fluid flow velocities, densities, and pressures, are presented. Results are compared with those available in the literature. Correlations between the resonant peaks observed at higher frequencies in power spectral density plots with pump geometry and operating conditions are discussed. An overview of the status of the investigation is presented and future directions are discussed.

Evaluation method for corrosion level of rebar in RC with electrical impedance measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sasamoto, Akira

2018-04-01

The author reported that the impedance measurement using the 4-terminal method on the RC surface for diagnosing corrosion of internal rebar. The difference between the maximum value at 0.01 Hz and the minimum value around 10 Hz indicates the corrosion level of rebar in that report. This is successive report on a signal processing method for estimating the corrosion level by the measured impedance data to obtain more high accuracy. In the dielectric, a graph of frequency and dielectric constant (Cole-Cole plot diagram by KS Cole and RH Cole article of 1941) draws a shape of circle if the dielectric is independent of frequency but it draws a shape of ellipse in reality due to frequency dependency. Havriliak and Negami have also presented Havriliak-Negami model which introduced parameter into dielectric constant equation which deforms Cole-Cole plot diagram and showed that acquired dielectric data of polymer materials fit to this model with proper parameters. In this report, we first consider electric model connected with resistance and capacitance as a rough model of RC concrete. If the capacitance in this model circuit has some loss of dielectric, it is stated that graph in impedance plot is expected to take as similar deformation in the dielectric Cole-Cole plot. Then a numerical optimization computer code for obtaining parameters in the Cole-Cole plot diagram and Havriliak-Negami model is constructed, and the correlation between the deformation parameter of each model and corrosion is shown by this code. These results are feasibility study for diagnosis of corrosion level of rebar by associated parameters to a shape of impedance graph.

Rotordynamics on the PC: Transient Analysis With ARDS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fleming, David P.

1997-01-01

Personal computers can now do many jobs that formerly required a large mainframe computer. An example is NASA Lewis Research Center's program Analysis of RotorDynamic Systems (ARDS), which uses the component mode synthesis method to analyze the dynamic motion of up to five rotating shafts. As originally written in the early 1980's, this program was considered large for the mainframe computers of the time. ARDS, which was written in Fortran 77, has been successfully ported to a 486 personal computer. Plots appear on the computer monitor via calls programmed for the original CALCOMP plotter; plots can also be output on a standard laser printer. The executable code, which uses the full array sizes of the mainframe version, easily fits on a high-density floppy disk. The program runs under DOS with an extended memory manager. In addition to transient analysis of blade loss, step turns, and base acceleration, with simulation of squeeze-film dampers and rubs, ARDS calculates natural frequencies and unbalance response.

Acoustic fingerprints of photoacoustic contrast agents for molecular imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonald, Michael A.; Jankovic, Ladislav; Shahzad, Khalid; Burcher, Michael; Li, King C. P.

2007-02-01

Protein nanospheres capable of frequency controlled oscillation in response to laser stimulation are presented as contrast agents for photoacoustic imaging. Incident laser energy absorbed by dye-labeled protein nanospheres causes thermoelastically generated sound production. Plotted A-line graphs reveal a distinctive morphology and greater than 2 orders of magnitude increase in signal amplitude subsequent to converting labeled proteins into nanospheres. Evidence of nonlinearity and enhancement of ultrasound backscatter indicate a potential use in contrast-enhanced harmonic imaging. Photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging of protein nanospheres in phantom vessels show enhanced contrast at low concentration and clear delineation of the phantom vessel wall.

Physiological and morphological responses of pine and willow saplings to post-fire salvage logging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Millions, E. L.; Letts, M. G.; Harvey, T.; Rood, S. B.

2015-12-01

With global warming, forest fires may be increasing in frequency, and post-fire salvage logging may become more common. The ecophysiological impacts of this practice on tree saplings remain poorly understood. In this study, we examined the physiological and morphological impacts of increased light intensity, due to post-fire salvage logging, on the conifer Pinus contorta (pine) and deciduous broadleaf Salix lucida (willow) tree and shrub species in the Crowsnest Pass region of southern Alberta. Photosynthetic gas-exchange and plant morphological measurements were taken throughout the summer of 2013 on approximately ten year-old saplings of both species. Neither species exhibited photoinhibition, but different strategies were observed to acclimate to increased light availability. Willow saplings were able to slightly elevate their light-saturated rate of net photosynthesis (Amax) when exposed to higher photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD), thus increasing their growth rate. Willow also exhibited increased leaf inclination angles and leaf mass per unit area (LMA), to decrease light interception in the salvage-logged plot. By contrast, pine, which exhibited lower Amax and transpiration (E), but higher water-use efficiency (WUE = Amax/E) than willow, increased the rate at which electrons were moved through and away from the photosynthetic apparatus in order to avoid photoinhibition. Acclimation indices were higher in willow saplings, consistent with the hypothesis that species with short-lived foliage exhibit greater acclimation. LMA was higher in pine saplings growing in the logged plot, but whole-plant and branch-level morphological acclimation was limited and more consistent with a response to decreased competition in the logged plot, which had much lower stand density.

Modifying rainfall patterns in a Mediterranean shrubland: system design, plant responses, and experimental burning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parra, Antonio; Ramírez, David A.; Resco, Víctor; Velasco, Ángel; Moreno, José M.

2012-11-01

Global warming is projected to increase the frequency and intensity of droughts in the Mediterranean region, as well as the occurrence of large fires. Understanding the interactions between drought, fire and plant responses is therefore important. In this study, we present an experiment in which rainfall patterns were modified to simulate various levels of drought in a Mediterranean shrubland of central Spain dominated by Cistus ladanifer, Erica arborea and Phillyrea angustifolia. A system composed of automatic rainout shelters with an irrigation facility was used. It was designed to be applied in vegetation 2 m tall, treat relatively large areas (36 m2), and be quickly dismantled to perform experimental burning and reassembled back again. Twenty plots were subjected to four rainfall treatments from early spring: natural rainfall, long-term average rainfall (2 months drought), moderate drought (25% reduction from long-term rainfall, 5 months drought) and severe drought (45% reduction, 7 months drought). The plots were burned in late summer, without interfering with rainfall manipulations. Results indicated that rainfall manipulations caused differences in soil moisture among treatments, leading to reduced water availability and growth of C. ladanifer and E. arborea in the drought treatments. However, P. angustifolia was not affected by the manipulations. Rainout shelters had a negligible impact on plot microenvironment. Experimental burns were of high fire intensity, without differences among treatments. Our system provides a tool to study the combined effects of drought and fire on vegetation, which is important to assess the threats posed by climate change in Mediterranean environments.

Modifying rainfall patterns in a Mediterranean shrubland: system design, plant responses, and experimental burning.

PubMed

Parra, Antonio; Ramírez, David A; Resco, Víctor; Velasco, Ángel; Moreno, José M

2012-11-01

Global warming is projected to increase the frequency and intensity of droughts in the Mediterranean region, as well as the occurrence of large fires. Understanding the interactions between drought, fire and plant responses is therefore important. In this study, we present an experiment in which rainfall patterns were modified to simulate various levels of drought in a Mediterranean shrubland of central Spain dominated by Cistus ladanifer, Erica arborea and Phillyrea angustifolia. A system composed of automatic rainout shelters with an irrigation facility was used. It was designed to be applied in vegetation 2 m tall, treat relatively large areas (36 m2), and be quickly dismantled to perform experimental burning and reassembled back again. Twenty plots were subjected to four rainfall treatments from early spring: natural rainfall, long-term average rainfall (2 months drought), moderate drought (25% reduction from long-term rainfall, 5 months drought) and severe drought (45% reduction, 7 months drought). The plots were burned in late summer, without interfering with rainfall manipulations. Results indicated that rainfall manipulations caused differences in soil moisture among treatments, leading to reduced water availability and growth of C. ladanifer and E. arborea in the drought treatments. However, P. angustifolia was not affected by the manipulations. Rainout shelters had a negligible impact on plot microenvironment. Experimental burns were of high fire intensity, without differences among treatments. Our system provides a tool to study the combined effects of drought and fire on vegetation, which is important to assess the threats posed by climate change in Mediterranean environments.

Understory Responses to Fertilization to Eroded Kisatchie Soil in Louisiana

Treesearch

Ronald E. Thill; John C. Bellemore

1988-01-01

Responses of native vegetation growing on highly eroded Kisatchie soil to a May 1982 application of 672 kg/ha of 16-30-l 3 fertilizer were monitored on two sites through 1985. Herbage increased from 1,133 kg/ha on control plots to 4,956 kg/ha on fertilized plots by August of the first year. Litter accumulations on treated plots provided excellent soil protection...

Average Stand Age from Forest Inventory Plots Does Not Describe Historical Fire Regimes in Ponderosa Pine and Mixed-Conifer Forests of Western North America.

PubMed

Stevens, Jens T; Safford, Hugh D; North, Malcolm P; Fried, Jeremy S; Gray, Andrew N; Brown, Peter M; Dolanc, Christopher R; Dobrowski, Solomon Z; Falk, Donald A; Farris, Calvin A; Franklin, Jerry F; Fulé, Peter Z; Hagmann, R Keala; Knapp, Eric E; Miller, Jay D; Smith, Douglas F; Swetnam, Thomas W; Taylor, Alan H

Quantifying historical fire regimes provides important information for managing contemporary forests. Historical fire frequency and severity can be estimated using several methods; each method has strengths and weaknesses and presents challenges for interpretation and verification. Recent efforts to quantify the timing of historical high-severity fire events in forests of western North America have assumed that the "stand age" variable from the US Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program reflects the timing of historical high-severity (i.e. stand-replacing) fire in ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests. To test this assumption, we re-analyze the dataset used in a previous analysis, and compare information from fire history records with information from co-located FIA plots. We demonstrate that 1) the FIA stand age variable does not reflect the large range of individual tree ages in the FIA plots: older trees comprised more than 10% of pre-stand age basal area in 58% of plots analyzed and more than 30% of pre-stand age basal area in 32% of plots, and 2) recruitment events are not necessarily related to high-severity fire occurrence. Because the FIA stand age variable is estimated from a sample of tree ages within the tree size class containing a plurality of canopy trees in the plot, it does not necessarily include the oldest trees, especially in uneven-aged stands. Thus, the FIA stand age variable does not indicate whether the trees in the predominant size class established in response to severe fire, or established during the absence of fire. FIA stand age was not designed to measure the time since a stand-replacing disturbance. Quantification of historical "mixed-severity" fire regimes must be explicit about the spatial scale of high-severity fire effects, which is not possible using FIA stand age data.

Average Stand Age from Forest Inventory Plots Does Not Describe Historical Fire Regimes in Ponderosa Pine and Mixed-Conifer Forests of Western North America

PubMed Central

Stevens, Jens T.; Safford, Hugh D.; North, Malcolm P.; Fried, Jeremy S.; Gray, Andrew N.; Brown, Peter M.; Dolanc, Christopher R.; Dobrowski, Solomon Z.; Falk, Donald A.; Farris, Calvin A.; Franklin, Jerry F.; Fulé, Peter Z.; Hagmann, R. Keala; Knapp, Eric E.; Miller, Jay D.; Smith, Douglas F.; Swetnam, Thomas W.; Taylor, Alan H.

2016-01-01

Quantifying historical fire regimes provides important information for managing contemporary forests. Historical fire frequency and severity can be estimated using several methods; each method has strengths and weaknesses and presents challenges for interpretation and verification. Recent efforts to quantify the timing of historical high-severity fire events in forests of western North America have assumed that the “stand age” variable from the US Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program reflects the timing of historical high-severity (i.e. stand-replacing) fire in ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests. To test this assumption, we re-analyze the dataset used in a previous analysis, and compare information from fire history records with information from co-located FIA plots. We demonstrate that 1) the FIA stand age variable does not reflect the large range of individual tree ages in the FIA plots: older trees comprised more than 10% of pre-stand age basal area in 58% of plots analyzed and more than 30% of pre-stand age basal area in 32% of plots, and 2) recruitment events are not necessarily related to high-severity fire occurrence. Because the FIA stand age variable is estimated from a sample of tree ages within the tree size class containing a plurality of canopy trees in the plot, it does not necessarily include the oldest trees, especially in uneven-aged stands. Thus, the FIA stand age variable does not indicate whether the trees in the predominant size class established in response to severe fire, or established during the absence of fire. FIA stand age was not designed to measure the time since a stand-replacing disturbance. Quantification of historical “mixed-severity” fire regimes must be explicit about the spatial scale of high-severity fire effects, which is not possible using FIA stand age data. PMID:27196621

Monitoring water content dynamics of biological soil crusts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Young, Michael H.; Fenstermaker, Lynn F.; Belnap, Jayne

2017-01-01

Biological soil crusts (hereafter, “biocrusts”) dominate soil surfaces in nearly all dryland environments. To better understand the influence of water content on carbon (C) exchange, we assessed the ability of dual-probe heat-pulse (DPHP) sensors, installed vertically and angled, to measure changes in near-surface water content. Four DPHP sensors were installed in each of two research plots (eight sensors total) that differed by temperature treatment (control and heated). Responses were compared to horizontally installed water content measurements made with three frequency-domain reflectometry (FDR) sensors in each plot at 5-cm depth. The study was conducted near Moab, Utah, from April through September 2009. Results showed significant differences between sensor technologies: peak water content differences from the DPHP sensors were approximately three times higher than those from the FDR sensors; some of the differences can be explained by the targeted monitoring of biocrust material in the shorter DPHP sensor and by potential signal loss from horizontally installed FDR sensors, or by an oversampling of deeper soil. C-exchange estimates using the DPHP sensors showed a net C loss of 69 and 76 g C m−2 in control and heated plots, respectively. The study illustrates the potential for using the more sensitive data from shallow installations for estimating C exchange in biocrusts.

System and method for constructing filters for detecting signals whose frequency content varies with time

DOEpatents

Qian, Shie; Dunham, Mark E.

1996-01-01

A system and method for constructing a bank of filters which detect the presence of signals whose frequency content varies with time. The present invention includes a novel system and method for developing one or more time templates designed to match the received signals of interest and the bank of matched filters use the one or more time templates to detect the received signals. Each matched filter compares the received signal x(t) with a respective, unique time template that has been designed to approximate a form of the signals of interest. The robust time domain template is assumed to be of the order of w(t)=A(t)cos{2.pi..phi.(t)} and the present invention uses the trajectory of a joint time-frequency representation of x(t) as an approximation of the instantaneous frequency function {.phi.'(t). First, numerous data samples of the received signal x(t) are collected. A joint time frequency representation is then applied to represent the signal, preferably using the time frequency distribution series (also known as the Gabor spectrogram). The joint time-frequency transformation represents the analyzed signal energy at time t and frequency .function., P(t,f), which is a three-dimensional plot of time vs. frequency vs. signal energy. Then P(t,f) is reduced to a multivalued function f(t), a two dimensional plot of time vs. frequency, using a thresholding process. Curve fitting steps are then performed on the time/frequency plot, preferably using Levenberg-Marquardt curve fitting techniques, to derive a general instantaneous frequency function .phi.'(t) which best fits the multivalued function f(t), a trajectory of the joint time-frequency domain representation of x(t). Integrating .phi.'(t) along t yields .phi.(t), which is then inserted into the form of the time template equation. A suitable amplitude A(t) is also preferably determined. Once the time template has been determined, one or more filters are developed which each use a version or form of the time template.

Nesting songbirds assess spatial heterogeneity of predatory chipmunks by eavesdropping on their vocalizations.

PubMed

Emmering, Quinn C; Schmidt, Kenneth A

2011-11-01

1. Information benefits organisms living in a heterogeneous world by reducing uncertainty associated with decision making. For breeding passerines, information reliably associated with nest failure, such as predator activity, can be used to adjust breeding decisions leading to higher reproductive success. 2. Predator vocalizations may provide a source of current information for songbirds to assess spatial heterogeneity in risk that enables them to make appropriate nest-site and territory placement decisions. 3. To determine whether ground-nesting passerines eavesdrop on a common nest predator, the eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus), we conducted a playback experiment to create spatial heterogeneity in perceived predation risk. We established three types of playback plots broadcasting: (i) chipmunk vocalizations (increased risk), (ii) frog calls (procedural control) and (iii) no playback (silent control). We conducted point counts from plot centres to compare bird activity among treatments and measured the distance of two ground-nesting species' nests, ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) and veery (Catharus fuscescens), from playback stations. 4. Ground-nesting birds significantly reduced their activities up to 30 m from plot centres in response to playbacks of chipmunk calls suggesting an adjustment of territory placement or a reduction of overt behaviours (e.g. singing frequency). In contrast, less vulnerable canopy-nesting species showed no effect across experimental plots. Correspondingly, veeries and ovenbirds nested significantly further from chipmunk playback stations relative to control stations. Interestingly, the magnitude of this response was more than twice as high in ovenbirds than in veeries. 5. Our findings indicate that some breeding passerines may eavesdrop on predator communication, providing an explanation for how some birds assess spatial heterogeneity in predation risk to make breeding site decisions. Thus, heterospecific eavesdropping may be a common feature of predator-prey interactions that allows birds to avoid nest predators in space and provide greater stability to predator-prey dynamics. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2011 British Ecological Society.

Ground vibration test results of a JetStar airplane using impulsive sine excitation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kehoe, Michael W.; Voracek, David F.

1989-01-01

Structural excitation is important for both ground vibration and flight flutter testing. The structural responses caused by this excitation are analyzed to determine frequency, damping, and mode shape information. Many excitation waveforms have been used throughout the years. The use of impulsive sine (sin omega t)/omega t as an excitation waveform for ground vibration testing and the advantages of using this waveform for flight flutter testing are discussed. The ground vibration test results of a modified JetStar airplane using impulsive sine as an excitation waveform are compared with the test results of the same airplane using multiple-input random excitation. The results indicated that the structure was sufficiently excited using the impulsive sine waveform. Comparisons of input force spectrums, mode shape plots, and frequency and damping values for the two methods of excitation are presented.

Thermal conductivity measurement of fluids using the 3ω method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Seung-Min

2009-02-01

We have developed a procedure to measure the thermal conductivity of dielectric liquids and gases using a steady state ac hot wire method in which a thin metal wire is used as a heater and thermometer. The temperature response of the heater wire was measured in a four-probe geometry using an electronic circuit developed for the conventional 3ω method. The measurements have been performed in the frequency range from 1 mHz to 1 kHz. We devised a method to transform the raw data into well-known linear logarithmic frequency dependence plot. After the transformation, an optimal frequency region of the thermal conductivity data was clearly determined as has been done with the data from thin metal film heater. The method was tested with air, water, ethanol, mono-, and tetraethylene glycol. Volumetric heat capacity of the fluids was also calculated with uncertainty and the capability as a probe for metal-liquid thermal boundary conductance was discussed.

Demodulation RFI statistics for a 3-stage op amp LED circuit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whalen, James J.

An experiment has been performed to demonstrate the feasibility of combining several methods of electromagnetic-compatibility analysis. The part of the experiment that demonstrates how RF signals cause interference in an audio-frequency (AF) circuit and how the interference can be suppressed is described. The circuit includes three operational amplifiers (op amps) and a light-emitting diode (LED). A 50 percent amplitude-modulated (AM) radio-frequency-interference (RFI) signal is used, varied over the range from 0.1 to 400 MHz. The AM frequency is 1 kHz. The RFI is injected into the inverting input of the first op amp, and the 1-kHz demodulation response of the amplifier is amplified by the second and third op amps and lights the LED to provide a visual display of the existence of RFI. An RFI suppression capacitor was added to reduce the RFI. The demodulation RFI results are presented as scatter plots for 35 741 op amps. Mean values and standard deviations are also shown.

Niche modelling of marsh plants based on occurrence and abundance data.

PubMed

Lou, Yanjing; Gao, Chuanyu; Pan, Yanwen; Xue, Zhenshan; Liu, Ying; Tang, Zhanhui; Jiang, Ming; Lu, Xianguo; Rydin, Håkan

2018-03-01

The information of species' response (optimum or critical limits along environmental gradients) is a key to understanding ecological questions and to design management plans. A large number of plots (762) from 70 transects of 13 wetland sites in Northeast China were sampled along flooding gradient from marsh to wet meadow. Species response (abundance and occurrence) to flooding were modelled with Generalized Additive Models for 21 dominant plant species. We found that 20 of 21 species showed a significant response to flooding for the occurrence and abundance models, and four types of response were found: monotonically increasing, monotonically decreasing, skewed unimodal and symmetric unimodal. The species with monotonically increasing response have the deepest flooding optimum and widest niche width, followed by those with unimodal curve, and the monotonically decreasing ones have the smallest values. The optima and niche width (whether based on occurrence or abundance models) both significantly correlated with the frequency, but not with mean abundance. Abundance models outperformed occurrence models based on goodness of fit. The abundance models predicted a rather sharp shift from dominance of helophytes (Carex pseudo-curaica and C. lasiocarpa) to wet meadow species (Calamagrostis angustifolia and Carex appendiculata) if water levels drop from about 10cm above soil surface to below the surface. The defined optima and niche width based on the abundance models can be applied to better instruct restoration management. Given the time required to collect abundance data, an efficient strategy could be to monitor occurrence in many plots and abundance in a subset of these. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interpreting Observations of Large-Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances by Ionospheric Sounders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pederick, L. H.; Cervera, M. A.; Harris, T. J.

2017-12-01

From July to October 2015, the Australian Defence Science and Technology Group conducted an experiment during which a vertical incidence sounder (VIS) was set up at Alice Springs Airport. During September 2015 this VIS observed the passage of many large-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs). By plotting the measured virtual heights across multiple frequencies as a function of time, the passage of the TID can be clearly displayed. Using this plotting method, we show that all the TIDs observed during the campaign by the VIS at Alice Springs show an apparent downward phase progression of the crests and troughs. The passage of the TID can be more clearly interpreted by plotting the true height of iso-ionic contours across multiple plasma frequencies; the true heights can be obtained by inverting each ionogram to obtain an electron density profile. These plots can be used to measure the vertical phase speed of a TID and also reveal a time lag between events seen in true height compared to virtual height. To the best of our knowledge, this style of analysis has not previously been applied to other swept-frequency sounder observations. We develop a simple model to investigate the effect of the passage of a large-scale TID on a VIS. The model confirms that for a TID with a downward vertical phase progression, the crests and troughs will appear earlier in virtual height than in true height and will have a smaller apparent speed in true height than in virtual height.

Runoff initiation, soil detachment and connectivity are enhanced as a consequence of vineyards plantations.

PubMed

Cerdà, A; Keesstra, S D; Rodrigo-Comino, J; Novara, A; Pereira, P; Brevik, E; Giménez-Morera, A; Fernández-Raga, M; Pulido, M; di Prima, S; Jordán, A

2017-11-01

Rainfall-induced soil erosion is a major threat, especially in agricultural soils. In the Mediterranean belt, vineyards are affected by high soil loss rates, leading to land degradation. Plantation of new vines is carried out after deep ploughing, use of heavy machinery, wheel traffic, and trampling. Those works result in soil physical properties changes and contribute to enhanced runoff rates and increased soil erosion rates. The objective of this paper is to assess the impact of the plantation of vineyards on soil hydrological and erosional response under low frequency - high magnitude rainfall events, the ones that under the Mediterranean climatic conditions trigger extreme soil erosion rates. We determined time to ponding, Tp; time to runoff, Tr; time to runoff outlet, Tro; runoff rate, and soil loss under simulated rainfall (55 mm h -1 , 1 h) at plot scale (0.25 m 2 ) to characterize the runoff initiation and sediment detachment. In recent vine plantations (<1 year since plantation; R) compared to old ones (>50 years; O). Slope gradient, rock fragment cover, soil surface roughness, bulk density, soil organic matter content, soil water content and plant cover were determined. Plantation of new vineyards largely impacted runoff rates and soil erosion risk at plot scale in the short term. Tp, Tr and Tro were much shorter in R plots. Tr-Tp and Tro-Tr periods were used as connectivity indexes of water flow, and decreased to 77.5 and 33.2% in R plots compared to O plots. Runoff coefficients increased significantly from O (42.94%) to R plots (71.92%) and soil losses were approximately one order of magnitude lower (1.8 and 12.6 Mg ha -1 h -1 for O and R plots respectively). Soil surface roughness and bulk density are two key factors that determine the increase in connectivity of flows and sediments in recently planted vineyards. Our results confirm that plantation of new vineyards strongly contributes to runoff initiation and sediment detachment, and those findings confirms that soil erosion control strategies should be applied immediately after or during the plantation of vines. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of open-field experimental warming on the growth of two-year-old Pinus densiflora and Abies holophylla seedlings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, S.; Son, Y.; Lee, S.; Jo, W.; Yoon, T.; Park, C.; Ko, S.; Kim, J.; Han, S.; Jung, Y.

2012-12-01

Temperature increase due to climate change is expected to affect tree growth and distribution [Way and Oren, 2010]. The responses of trees to warming vary with tree species, ontogenic stages, tree life forms, and biomes. Especially, seedling stage is a vulnerable period for tree survival and competition [Saxe et al., 2007] and thus research on effects of temperature increase on seedling stage is needed. We aimed to examine the responses of coniferous seedlings to future temperature increase by conducting an open-field warming experiment. An experimental warming set-up using infra-red heater was built in 2011 and the temperature in warming plots has been regulated to 3°C higher than that of control plots constantly. The seeds of Pinus densiflora and Abies holophylla were planted in each 1 m × 1 m plot (n=3) in April, 2012. Seedling growth, root collar diameter (RCD) and height of 45 individuals of each plot were measured in June and July, 2012. The survival rate of seedlings was also measured. Survival rate of P. densiflora was lower in warming plots (93.3%) than in control plots (100.0%, p<0.05) and that of A. holophylla was also decreased in warming plots (79.3%) than in control plots (97.0%, p<0.01). RCD and height of P. densiflora seedlings were not significantly different between control and warming plots, however, height of A. holophylla was significantly higher in warming plots in June and July (p<0.01). Comparatively, RCD of A. holophylla was only higher in control plots in June. While there is still a lack of case studies on the growth of seedlings under experimental warming, a few studies reported increased seedling growth [Yin et al., 2008] or and no difference [Han et al., 2009] in warming plots. Different responses of seedling growth between two species of the current study might be derived from species-specific acclimation to temperature increase and/or other limiting factors [Way and Oren, 2010]. This result is, to our knowledge, unprecedented and will contribute to the knowledge of species-specific growth response of tree species and to development of model predicting species distribution in future climate regime. Future work on physiological traits of seedlings and analysis on environmental factors will provide mechanism of seedling response to increased temperature. [This work was supported by 'Korea Forest Service (S111112L080110)'.

TrackPlot Enhancements: Support for Multiple Animal Tracks and Gyros

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-30

visualization and kinematic analysis of marine animal movements derived from archival tag data. Tags are supported that have sensors for pressure, acceleration...1 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. TrackPlot Enhancements: Support for Multiple Animal ...in combination with accelerometer and magnetometer data. 2) the extraction and frequency analysis of accelerations and rotation in animal

Fire frequency and tree canopy structure influence plant species diversity in a forest-grassland ecotone

Treesearch

David W. Peterson; Peter B. Reich

2008-01-01

Disturbances and environmental heterogeneity are two factors thought to influence plant species diversity, but their effects are still poorly understood in many ecosystems. We surveyed understory vegetation and measured tree canopy cover on permanent plots spanning an experimental fire frequency gradient to test fire frequency and tree canopy effects on plant species...

Size effects on electrical properties of chemically grown zinc oxide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rathod, K. N.; Joshi, Zalak; Dhruv, Davit; Gadani, Keval; Boricha, Hetal; Joshi, A. D.; Solanki, P. S.; Shah, N. A.

2018-03-01

In the present article, we study ZnO nanoparticles grown by cost effective sol–gel technique for various electrical properties. Structural studies performed by x-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed hexagonal unit cell phase with no observed impurities. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and particle size analyzer showed increased average particle size due to agglomeration effect with higher sintering. Dielectric constant (ε‧) decreases with increase in frequency because of the disability of dipoles to follow higher electric field. With higher sintering, dielectric constant reduced owing to the important role of increased formation of oxygen vacancy defects. Universal dielectric response (UDR) was verified by straight line fitting of log (fε‧) versus log (f) plots. All samples exhibit UDR behavior and with higher sintering more contribution from crystal cores. Impedance studies suggest an important role of boundary density while Cole–Cole (Z″ versus Z‧) plots have been studied for the relaxation behavior of the samples. Average normalized change (ANC) in impedance has been studied for all the samples wherein boundaries play an important role. Frequency dependent electrical conductivity has been understood on the basis of Jonscher’s universal power law. Jonscher’s law fits suggest that conduction of charge carrier is possible in the context of correlated barrier hopping (CBH) mechanism for lower temperature sintered sample while for higher temperature sintered ZnO samples, Maxwell–Wagner (M–W) relaxation process has been determined.

Response-only method for damage detection of beam-like structures using high accuracy frequencies with auxiliary mass spatial probing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Shuncong; Oyadiji, S. Olutunde; Ding, Kang

2008-04-01

This paper proposes a new approach based on auxiliary mass spatial probing using spectral centre correction method (SCCM), to provide a simple solution for damage detection by just using the response time history of beam-like structures. The natural frequencies of a damaged beam with a traversing auxiliary mass change due to change in the inertia of the beam as the auxiliary mass is traversed along the beam, as well as the point-to-point variations in the flexibility of the beam. Therefore the auxiliary mass can enhance the effects of the crack on the dynamics of the beam and, therefore, facilitate the identification and location of damage in the beam. That is, the auxiliary mass can be used to probe the dynamic characteristic of the beam by traversing the mass from one end of the beam to the other. However, it is impossible to obtain accurate modal frequencies by the direct operation of the fast Fourier transform (FFT) of the response data of the structure because the frequency spectrum can be only calculated from limited sampled time data which results in the well-known leakage effect. SCCM is identical to the energy centrobaric correction method (ECCM) which is a practical and effective method used in rotating mechanical fault diagnosis and which resolves the shortcoming of FFT and can provide high accuracy estimate of frequency, amplitude and phase. In the present work, the modal responses of damaged simply supported beams with auxiliary mass are computed using the finite element method (FEM). The graphical plots of the natural frequencies calculated by SCCM versus axial location of auxiliary mass are obtained. However, it is difficult to locate the crack directly from the curve of natural frequencies. A simple and fast method, the derivatives of natural frequency curve, is proposed in the paper which can provide crack information for damage detection of beam-like structures. The efficiency and practicability of the proposed method is illustrated via numerical simulation. For real cases, experimental noise is expected to corrupt the response data and, ultimately, the natural frequencies of beam-like structures. Therefore, the response data with a normally distributed random noise is also studied. Also, the effects of crack depth, auxiliary mass and damping ratios on the proposed method are investigated. From the simulated results, the efficiency and robustness of the proposed method is demonstrated. The results show that the proposed method has low computational cost and high precision.

Fire Effects on Microbial Dynamics and C, N, and P Cycling in Larch Forests of the Siberian Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ludwig, S.; Alexander, H. D.; Mann, P. J.; Natali, S.; Schade, J. D.

2013-12-01

Arctic forest ecosystems are warming at an accelerated rate relative to lower latitudes, with global implications for C cycling within these regions. As climate continues to warm and dry, wildfire frequency and severity are predicted to increase, creating a positive feedback to climate warming. Because soil microbes regulate carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere, it is important to understand microbial response to fires, particularly in the understudied larch forests in the Siberian Arctic. In this project, we created experimental burn plots in a mature larch forest in the Kolyma River watershed of Northeastern Siberia. Plots were burned at several treatments: control (no burn), low, moderate, and severe. After 1 day, 8 days and 1 year post-fire, we measured CO2 flux from the plots, and measured dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), NH4, NO3, PO4, and chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) from soil leachates. Furthermore, we measured extracellular activity of four enzymes involved in soil C and nutrient cycling (leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), β-glucosidase, phosphatase, and phenol oxidase). Both 1 day and 8 days post-fire DOC, TDN, NH4, and PO4 all increased with burn severity, but by 1 year they were similar to control plots. The aromaticity and molecular weight of DOM decreased with fire severity. One day post-fire we observed a spike in phenol oxidase activity in the severe burns only, and a decline in β-glucosidase and phosphatase activity. By 8 days post-fire all enzyme activities were at the level of the control plots. 1 year post-fire LAP, β-glucosidase, and phosphatase all decreased with fire severity, parallel to a decrease in CO2 flux by fire severity. Ratios of enzymatic activity 1 year post-fire reflect a switch of resource allocation from P acquiring to N acquiring activities in more severe fires. Our results show an immediate microbial response to the short-term effects of fire severity that reflects both a change in nutrient use and the form and concentration of C being processed, and a response to long-term effects of fire severity that show further changes in nutrient use and overall decreased microbial activity. These findings highlight the importance of changing fire regimes on soil dynamics with implications for forest re-growth, soil-atmospheric feedbacks, and terrestrial inputs to aquatic ecosystems.

Beat frequency interference pattern characteristics study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ott, J. H.; Rice, J. S.

1981-01-01

The frequency spectra and corresponding beat frequencies created by the relative motions between multiple Solar Power Satellites due to solar wind, lunar gravity, etc. were analyzed. The results were derived mathematically and verified through computer simulation. Frequency spectra plots were computer generated. Detailed computations were made for the seven following locations in the continental US: Houston, Tx.; Seattle, Wa.; Miami, Fl.; Chicago, Il.; New York, NY; Los Angeles, Ca.; and Barberton, Oh.

The rainfall plot: its motivation, characteristics and pitfalls.

PubMed

Domanska, Diana; Vodák, Daniel; Lund-Andersen, Christin; Salvatore, Stefania; Hovig, Eivind; Sandve, Geir Kjetil

2017-05-18

A visualization referred to as rainfall plot has recently gained popularity in genome data analysis. The plot is mostly used for illustrating the distribution of somatic cancer mutations along a reference genome, typically aiming to identify mutation hotspots. In general terms, the rainfall plot can be seen as a scatter plot showing the location of events on the x-axis versus the distance between consecutive events on the y-axis. Despite its frequent use, the motivation for applying this particular visualization and the appropriateness of its usage have never been critically addressed in detail. We show that the rainfall plot allows visual detection even for events occurring at high frequency over very short distances. In addition, event clustering at multiple scales may be detected as distinct horizontal bands in rainfall plots. At the same time, due to the limited size of standard figures, rainfall plots might suffer from inability to distinguish overlapping events, especially when multiple datasets are plotted in the same figure. We demonstrate the consequences of plot congestion, which results in obscured visual data interpretations. This work provides the first comprehensive survey of the characteristics and proper usage of rainfall plots. We find that the rainfall plot is able to convey a large amount of information without any need for parameterization or tuning. However, we also demonstrate how plot congestion and the use of a logarithmic y-axis may result in obscured visual data interpretations. To aid the productive utilization of rainfall plots, we demonstrate their characteristics and potential pitfalls using both simulated and real data, and provide a set of practical guidelines for their proper interpretation and usage.

Using the Arduino with MakerPlot software for the display of resonance curves characterisic of a series LCR circuit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atkin, Keith

2016-11-01

This paper shows how very simple circuitry attached to an Arduino microcontroller can be used for the measurement of both frequency and amplitude of a sinusoidal signal. It is also shown how the addition of a readily available software package, MakerPlot, can facilitate the display and investigation of resonance curves for a series LCR circuit.

Dynamic characteristics of a hydrostatic gas bearing driven by oscillating exhaust pressure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watkins, C. B.; Eronini, I. E.; Branch, H. D.

1984-01-01

Vibration of a statically loaded, inherently compensated hydrostatic journal bearing due to oscillating exhaust pressure is investigated. Both angular and radial vibration modes are analyzed. The time-dependent Reynolds equation governing the pressure distribution between the oscillating journal and sleeve is solved together with the journal equation of motion to obtain the response characteristics of the bearing. The Reynolds equation and the equation of motion are simplified by applying regular perturbation theory for small displacements. The numerical solutions of the perturbation equations are obtained by discretizing the pressure field using finite-difference aproximations with a discrete, nonuniform line-source model which excludes effects due to feeding hole volume. An iterative scheme is used to simultaneously satisfy the equations of motion for the journal. The results presented include Bode plots of bearing-oscillation gain and phase for a particular bearing configuration for various combinations of parameters over a range of frequencies, including the resonant frequency.

Dielectric monitoring of carbon nanotube network formation in curing thermosetting nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battisti, A.; Skordos, A. A.; Partridge, I. K.

2009-08-01

This paper focuses on monitoring of carbon nanotube (CNT) network development during the cure of unsaturated polyester nanocomposites by means of electrical impedance spectroscopy. A phenomenological model of the dielectric response is developed using equivalent circuit analysis. The model comprises two parallel RC elements connected in series, each of them giving rise to a semicircular arc in impedance complex plane plots. An established inverse modelling methodology is utilized for the estimation of the parameters of the corresponding equivalent circuit. This allows a quantification of the evolution of two separate processes corresponding to the two parallel RC elements. The high frequency process, which is attributed to CNT aggregates, shows a monotonic decrease in characteristic time during the cure. In contrast, the low frequency process, which corresponds to inter-aggregate phenomena, shows a more complex behaviour explained by the interplay between conductive network development and the cross-linking of the polymer.

Runoff and erosion response of simulated waste burial covers in a semi-arid environment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bent, G.C.; Goff, B.F.; Rightmire, K.G.; Sidle, R.C.

1999-01-01

Control of runoff (reducing infiltration) and erosion at shallow land burials is necessary in order to assure environmentally safe disposal of low-level radioactive-waste and other waste products. This study evaluated the runoff and erosion response of two perennial grass species on simulated waste burial covers at Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). Rainfall simulations were applied to three plots covered by crested wheatgrass [Agropyron desertorum (Fischer ex Link) Shultes], three plots covered by streambank wheatgrass [Elymus lanceolatus (Scribner and Smith) Gould spp. lanceolatus], and one bare plot. Average total runoff for rainfall simulations in 1987, 1989, and 1990 was 42 percent greater on streambank wheatgrass plots than on crested wheatgrass plots. Average total soil loss for rainfall simulations in 1987 and 1990 was 105 percent greater on streambank wheatgrass plots than on crested wheatgrass plots. Total runoff and soil loss from natural rainfall and snowmelt events during 1987 were 25 and 105 percent greater, respectively, on streambank wheatgrass plots than on crested wheatgrass plots. Thus, crested wheatgrass appears to be better suited in revegetation of waste burial covers at INEEL than streambank wheatgrass due to its much lower erosion rate and only slightly higher infiltration rate (lower runoff rate).

Ecosystem Reversals of Fortune in Response to Long-Term Experimental N Deposition.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vourlitis, G. L.

2017-12-01

Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition has the capacity to alter terrestrial ecosystem structure and function; however, short-term (months-years) responses may be fundamentally different than long-term (years-decades) responses. Here the results of a 14 year field N addition experiment are reported for two different Southern Californian semi-arid shrublands, a post-fire chaparral and a mature coastal sage scrub (CSS), that have been exposed to 50 kgN ha-1 yr-1 since 2003. Since >90% of the anthropogenic N in this region consists of dry deposition, N was added during the late-summer or early-fall each year to assess how dry N inputs alter ecosystem processes. Both shrublands experienced complete reversals in their response to experimental N input. For example, post-fire chaparral plots exposed to added N had significantly lower net primary production (NPP) than control plots over the first 3 years of the experiment, but thereafter, the NPP in N plots increased consistently each year and became significantly higher than in control plots after 7 years of N fertilization. In CSS, NPP and the abundance of Artemisia californica, a co-dominant shrub, increased significantly in N plots over the first 6 years, but thereafter, NPP and the abundance of A. californica and Salvia mellifera, the other co-dominant shrub, declined. Now the N plots have a lower NPP and are dominated by the invasive annual Brassica nigra. These transient responses, and interactions between N accumulation and other factors such as post-fire succession (chaparral) and chronic drought (CSS), would have been missed if the experiment was ended after the end of a typical funding cycle, and highlighting the importance of long-duration field experiments in assessing ecosystem responses to chronic N enrichment.

Circular Probable Error for Circular and Noncircular Gaussian Impacts

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

1M simulated impacts ph(k)=mean(imp(:,1).^2+imp(:,2).^2<=CEP^2); % hit frequency on CEP end phit (j)=mean(ph...avg 100 hit frequencies to “incr n” end % GRAPHICS plot(i, phit ,’r-’); % error exponent versus Ph estimate

Flutter Boundary Identification From Simulation Time Histories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, Myles; Goggin, P. J.

1997-01-01

While there has been much recent progress in simulating nonlinear aeroelastic systems, and in predicting many of the aeroelastic phenomena of concern in transport aircraft design (i.e. transonic flutter buckets), the utility of a simulation in generating an understanding of the flutter behavior is limited. This is due in part to the high cost of generating these simulations; and the implied limitation on the number of conditions that can be analyzed, but there are also some difficulties introduced by the very nature of a simulation. Flutter engineers have traditionally worked in the frequency domain, and are accustomed to describing the flutter behavior of an airplane in terms of its V-G and V-F (or Q-G and Q-F) plots and flutter mode shapes. While the V-G and V-F plots give information about how the dynamic response of an airplane changes as the airspeed is increased, the simulation only gives information about one isolated condition (Mach, airspeed, altitude, etc.). Therefore, where a traditional flutter analysis can let the engineer determine an airspeed at which an airplane becomes unstable, while a simulation only serves as a binary check: either the airplane is fluttering at this condition, or it is not. In this document, a new technique is described in which system identification is used to easily extract modal frequencies and damping ratios from simulation time histories, and shows how the identified parameters can be used to determine the variation in frequency and dampin,o ratio as the airspeed is changed. This technique not only provides the flutter engineer with added insight into the aeroelastic behavior of the airplane, but it allows calculation of flutter mode shapes, and allows estimation of flutter boundaries while minimizing the number of simulations required.

Automated mesostructural analyses using GIS, Beta test: Paleozoic structures from the New Jersey Great Valley region

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

Herman, G.C.; French, M.A.; Monteverde, D.H.

1993-03-01

An automated method has been developed for representing outcrop data on geologic structures on maps. Using a MS-DOS custom database management system in conjunction with the ARC/INFO Geographic Information System (GIS), trends of geologic structures are plotted with user-specific symbols. The length of structural symbols can be frequency-weighted based on collective values from structural domains. The PC-based data manager is the NJGS Field data Management System (FMS) Version 2.0 which includes sort, output, and analysis functions for structural data input in either azimuth or quadrant form. Program options include lineament sorting, data output to other data management and analysis software,more » and a circular histogram (rose diagram) routine for trend frequency analysis. Trends can be displayed with either half-or full-rose diagrams using either 10[degree] sectors or one degree spikes for strike, trend, or dip azimuth readings. Scalar and vector statistics are both included. For the mesostructural analysis, ASCII files containing the station number, structural trend and inclination, and plot-symbol-length value are downloaded from FMS and uploaded into an ARC/INFO macro which sequentially plots the information. Plots can be generated in conjunction with any complimentary GIS coverage for various types of spatial analyses. Mesostructural plots can be used for regional tectonic analyses, for hydrogeologic analysis of fractured bedrock aquifers, or for ground-truthing data from fracture-trace or lineament analyses.« less

Real-world exhaust temperature and engine load distributions of on-road heavy-duty diesel vehicles in various vocations.

PubMed

Boriboonsomsin, Kanok; Durbin, Thomas; Scora, George; Johnson, Kent; Sandez, Daniel; Vu, Alexander; Jiang, Yu; Burnette, Andrew; Yoon, Seungju; Collins, John; Dai, Zhen; Fulper, Carl; Kishan, Sandeep; Sabisch, Michael; Jackson, Doug

2018-06-01

Real-world vehicle and engine activity data were collected from 90 heavy-duty vehicles in California, United States, most of which have engine model year 2010 or newer and are equipped with selective catalytic reduction (SCR). The 90 vehicles represent 19 different groups defined by a combination of vocational use and geographic region. The data were collected using advanced data loggers that recorded vehicle speed, position (latitude and longitude), and more than 170 engine and aftertreatment parameters (including engine load and exhaust temperature) at the frequency of one Hz. This article presents plots of real-world exhaust temperature and engine load distributions for the 19 vehicle groups. In each plot, both frequency distribution and cumulative frequency distribution are shown. These distributions are generated using the aggregated data from all vehicle samples in each group.

Parsimonious nonstationary flood frequency analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serago, Jake M.; Vogel, Richard M.

2018-02-01

There is now widespread awareness of the impact of anthropogenic influences on extreme floods (and droughts) and thus an increasing need for methods to account for such influences when estimating a frequency distribution. We introduce a parsimonious approach to nonstationary flood frequency analysis (NFFA) based on a bivariate regression equation which describes the relationship between annual maximum floods, x, and an exogenous variable which may explain the nonstationary behavior of x. The conditional mean, variance and skewness of both x and y = ln (x) are derived, and combined with numerous common probability distributions including the lognormal, generalized extreme value and log Pearson type III models, resulting in a very simple and general approach to NFFA. Our approach offers several advantages over existing approaches including: parsimony, ease of use, graphical display, prediction intervals, and opportunities for uncertainty analysis. We introduce nonstationary probability plots and document how such plots can be used to assess the improved goodness of fit associated with a NFFA.

Scaling and the frequency dependence of Nyquist plot maxima of the electrical impedance of the human thigh.

PubMed

Shiffman, Carl

2017-11-30

To define and elucidate the properties of reduced-variable Nyquist plots. Non-invasive measurements of the electrical impedance of the human thigh. A retrospective analysis of the electrical impedances of 154 normal subjects measured over the past decade shows that 'scaling' of the Nyquist plots for human thigh muscles is a property shared by healthy thigh musculature, irrespective of subject and the length of muscle segment. Here the term scaling signifies the near and sometimes 'perfect' coalescence of the separate X versus R plots into one 'reduced' Nyquist plot by the simple expedient of dividing R and X by X m , the value of X at the reactance maximum. To the extent allowed by noise levels one can say that there is one 'universal' reduced Nyquist plot for the thigh musculature of healthy subjects. There is one feature of the Nyquist curves which is not 'universal', however, namely the frequency f m at which the maximum in X is observed. That is found to vary from 10 to 100 kHz. depending on subject and segment length. Analysis shows, however, that the mean value of 1/f m is an accurately linear function of segment length, though there is a small subject-to-subject random element as well. Also, following the recovery of an otherwise healthy victim of ankle fracture demonstrates the clear superiority of measurements above about 800 kHz, where scaling is not observed, in contrast to measurements below about 400 kHz, where scaling is accurately obeyed. The ubiquity of 'scaling' casts new light on the interpretation of impedance results as they are used in electrical impedance myography and bioelectric impedance analysis.

Lagged segmented Poincaré plot analysis for risk stratification in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

PubMed

Voss, Andreas; Fischer, Claudia; Schroeder, Rico; Figulla, Hans R; Goernig, Matthias

2012-07-01

The objectives of this study were to introduce a new type of heart-rate variability analysis improving risk stratification in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and to provide additional information about impaired heart beat generation in these patients. Beat-to-beat intervals (BBI) of 30-min ECGs recorded from 91 DCM patients and 21 healthy subjects were analyzed applying the lagged segmented Poincaré plot analysis (LSPPA) method. LSPPA includes the Poincaré plot reconstruction with lags of 1-100, rotating the cloud of points, its normalized segmentation adapted to their standard deviations, and finally, a frequency-dependent clustering. The lags were combined into eight different clusters representing specific frequency bands within 0.012-1.153 Hz. Statistical differences between low- and high-risk DCM could be found within the clusters II-VIII (e.g., cluster IV: 0.033-0.038 Hz; p = 0.0002; sensitivity = 85.7 %; specificity = 71.4 %). The multivariate statistics led to a sensitivity of 92.9 %, specificity of 85.7 % and an area under the curve of 92.1 % discriminating these patient groups. We introduced the LSPPA method to investigate time correlations in BBI time series. We found that LSPPA contributes considerably to risk stratification in DCM and yields the highest discriminant power in the low and very low-frequency bands.

Mapping U.S. forest biomass using nationwide forest inventory data and moderate resolution information

Treesearch

J. A. Blackard; M. V. Finco; E. H. Helmer; G. R. Holden; M. L. Hoppus; D.M. Jacobs; A. J. Lister; G. G. Moisen; M. D. Nelson; R. Riemann; B. Ruefenacht; D. Salajanu; D. L. Weyermann; K. C. Winterberger; T. J. Brandeis; R. L. Czaplewski; R. E. McRoberts; P. L. Patterson; R. P. Tymcio

2008-01-01

A spatially explicit dataset of aboveground live forest biomass was made from ground measured inventory plots for the conterminous U.S., Alaska and Puerto Rico. The plot data are from the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program. To scale these plot data to maps, we developed models relating field-measured response variables to plot attributes...

The use of Cole-Cole plots to compare two multifrequency bioimpedance instruments.

PubMed

Stroud, D B; Cornish, B H; Thomas, B J; Ward, L C

1995-10-01

Two commercially available multifrequency bioimpedance spectrometers (Xitron 4000B and SEAC SFB3) were compared by performing measurements on a set of electronic circuits and by studying 14 healthy volunteers. Output data were plotted as reactance versus resistance and fitted with a semi-circle using a least squares fitting program. In tests with six electronic circuits both instruments produced impedance loci that were well described by semicircular Cole-Cole plots, though there were some minor discrepancies using the Xitron instrument at frequencies above 150 kHz. When tested on the volunteers the SEAC instrument gave very good fits (RMSE = 1.5 Omega) to a semi-circle from 5-600 kHz on all volunteers. The Xitron instrument gave excellent fits to the semi-circle between 5 and 55 kHz (RMSE = 0.7 Omega) but above 55 kHz the phase measurements stayed constant or even increased, confirming the anomalous behaviour reported by other authors. The conclusions to be drawn are that the semicircular plots predicted by the Cole-Cole theory give a very good description of multifrequency impedance data recorded by the SEAC SFB3 instrument, on human subjects, for frequencies between 5 and 600 kHz. The Xitron 4000B is not able to reproduce the theoretically expected results in humans above 55 kHz.

Post-Fire Recovery in Coastal Sage Scrub: Seed Rain and Community Trajectory.

PubMed

Conlisk, Erin; Swab, Rebecca; Martínez-Berdeja, Alejandra; Daugherty, Matthew P

2016-01-01

Disturbance is a primary mechanism structuring ecological communities. However, human activity has the potential to alter the frequency and intensity of natural disturbance regimes, with subsequent effects on ecosystem processes. In Southern California, human development has led to increased fire frequency close to urban areas that can form a positive feedback with invasive plant spread. Understanding how abiotic and biotic factors structure post-fire plant communities is a critical component of post-fire management and restoration. In this study we considered a variety of mechanisms affecting post-fire vegetation recovery in Riversidean sage scrub. Comparing recently burned plots to unburned plots, we found that burning significantly reduced species richness and percent cover of exotic vegetation the first two years following a 100-hectare wildfire. Seed rain was higher in burned plots, with more native forb seeds, while unburned plots had more exotic grass seeds. Moreover, there were significant correlations between seed rain composition and plant cover composition the year prior and the year after. Collectively, this case study suggests that fire can alter community composition, but there was not compelling evidence of a vegetation-type conversion. Instead, the changes in the community composition were temporary and convergence in community composition was apparent within two years post-fire.

Model for spontaneous frequency sweeping of an Alfvén wave in a toroidal plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ge; Berk, H. L.

2012-05-01

We study the frequency chirping signals arising from spontaneously excited toroidial Alfvén eigenmode (TAE) waves that are being driven by an inverted energetic particle distribution whose free energy is tapped from the generic particle/wave resonance interaction. Initially a wave is excited inside the Alfvén gap with a frequency determined from the linear tip model of Rosenbluth, Berk and Van dam (RBV) [1]. Hole/clumps structures are formed and are observed to chirp towards lower energy states. We find that the chirping signals from clump enter the Alfvén continuum which eventually produce more rapid chirping signals. The accuracy of the adiabatic approximation for the mode evolution is tested and verified by demonstrating that a WKB-like decomposition of the time response for the field phase and amplitude agree with the data. Plots of the phase space structure correlate well with the chirping dependent shape of the separatrix structure. A novel aspect of the simulation is that it performed close to the wave frame of the phase space structure, which enables the numerical time step to remain the same during the simulation, independent of the rest frame frequency.

Behavioral responses of cotton mice (Peromyscus gossypinus) to large amounts of coarse woody debris.

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

Hinkleman, Travis M.

Hinkleman, Travis M. 2004. MS Thesis. Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina. 62 pp. Coarse woody debris (CWD) is any log, snag, or downed branch >10 cm in diameter. As a major structural feature of forest ecosystems, CWD serves as an important habitat component for a variety of organisms. Rodents frequently use CWD for travel routes and daytime refugia. Although rodents are known to use CWD extensively and selectively, the use and selection of CWD by rodents may vary according to the abundance of CWD. The purpose of this project was to determine the effect of CWD abundance on the habitatmore » use patterns of a common terrestrial rodent, the cotton mouse (Peromyscus gossypinus). I tracked cotton mice with fluorescent pigments and radiotelemetry in 6 plots, situated in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stands, with manipulated levels of woody debris. Treatment plots had 6x the amount of woody debris as control plots. I determined log use and movement patterns from the paths produced by powder-tracking, and I identified daytime refugia by radio-tracking. Travel along logs was almost exclusively associated with the surface of logs (91%). The proportion of a movement path associated with logs was not the best predictor of path complexity; rather, the sex of the individual was the only significant indicator of relative displacement (i.e., males moved farther from the point of release than females) and vegetation cover was the only significant predictor of mean turning angle (i.e., increasing vegetation cover yielded more convoluted paths). Mice used logs to a greater extent on treatment plots (23.7%) than mice on control plots (4.8%). Mice on treatment plots used logs with less decay, less ground contact, and more bark than logs used by mice on control plots. Differences in log use patterns were largely a result of the attributes of available logs, but mice used logs selectively on treatment plots. Refuges were highly associated with woody debris, including refuges in rotting stumps (65%), root boles (13%), brush piles (8%), and logs (7%). Mice used different frequencies of refuge types between treatments; root bole and brush pile refuges were used more on treatment plots whereas stump and log refuges were used more on control plots. Refuge type, log volume, and tree basal area were significant predictors of refuge selection on control plots whereas refuge type and size were significant predictors of refuge selection on treatment plots. Refuges were significantly more dispersed on treatment plots. Mice used refuges more intensely and switched refuges less in the winter than the summer, regardless of woody debris abundance. The extensive and selective use of logs by cotton mice suggests that logs may be an important resource. However, logs are not a critical habitat component. Over half of the paths on control plots were not associated with logs, and logs were used infrequently as refuges. Nonetheless, refuges were highly associated with woody debris (e.g., stumps, root boles), which suggests that woody debris may be a critical habitat component.« less

A fast hidden line algorithm for plotting finite element models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, G. K.

1982-01-01

Effective plotting of finite element models requires the use of fast hidden line plot techniques that provide interactive response. A high speed hidden line technique was developed to facilitate the plotting of NASTRAN finite element models. Based on testing using 14 different models, the new hidden line algorithm (JONES-D) appears to be very fast: its speed equals that for normal (all lines visible) plotting and when compared to other existing methods it appears to be substantially faster. It also appears to be very reliable: no plot errors were observed using the new method to plot NASTRAN models. The new algorithm was made part of the NPLOT NASTRAN plot package and was used by structural analysts for normal production tasks.

Nitrogen supply modulates the effect of changes in drying-rewetting frequency on soil C and N cycling and greenhouse gas exchange.

PubMed

Morillas, Lourdes; Durán, Jorge; Rodríguez, Alexandra; Roales, Javier; Gallardo, Antonio; Lovett, Gary M; Groffman, Peter M

2015-10-01

Climate change and atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition are two of the most important global change drivers. However, the interactions of these drivers have not been well studied. We aimed to assess how the combined effect of soil N additions and more frequent soil drying-rewetting events affects carbon (C) and N cycling, soil:atmosphere greenhouse gas (GHG) exchange, and functional microbial diversity. We manipulated the frequency of soil drying-rewetting events in soils from ambient and N-treated plots in a temperate forest and calculated the Orwin & Wardle Resistance index to compare the response of the different treatments. Increases in drying-rewetting cycles led to reductions in soil NO3- levels, potential net nitrification rate, and soil : atmosphere GHG exchange, and increases in NH4+ and total soil inorganic N levels. N-treated soils were more resistant to changes in the frequency of drying-rewetting cycles, and this resistance was stronger for C- than for N-related variables. Both the long-term N addition and the drying-rewetting treatment altered the functionality of the soil microbial population and its functional diversity. Our results suggest that increasing the frequency of drying-rewetting cycles can affect the ability of soil to cycle C and N and soil : atmosphere GHG exchange and that the response to this increase is modulated by soil N enrichment. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Species-specific transpiration responses to intermediate disturbance in a northern hardwood forest: Transpiration response to disturbance

DOE PAGES

Matheny, Ashley M.; Bohrer, Gil; Vogel, Christoph S.; ...

2014-12-04

Intermediate disturbances shape forest structure and composition, which may in turn alter carbon, nitrogen, and water cycling. We used a large-scale experiment in a forest in northern lower Michigan where we prescribed an intermediate disturbance by stem girdling all canopy-dominant early successional trees to simulate an accelerated age-related senescence associated with natural succession.Using 3 years of eddy covariance and sap flux measurements in the disturbed area and an adjacent control plot, we analyzed disturbance-induced changes to plot level and species-specific transpiration and stomatal conductance. We found transpiration to be ~15% lower in disturbed plots than in unmanipulated control plots. However,more » species-specific responses to changes in microclimate varied. While red oak and white pine showed increases in stomatal conductance during post disturbance (62.5 and 132.2%, respectively), redmaple reduced stomatal conductance by 36.8%. We used the hysteresis between sap flux and vapor pressure deficit to quantify diurnal hydraulic stress incurred by each species in both plots. Red oak, a ring porousanisohydric species, demonstrated the largest mean relative hysteresis, while red maple, bigtooth aspen, andpaper birch, all diffuse porous species, had the lowest relative hysteresis. We employed the Penman-Monteithmodel for LE to demonstrate that these species-specific responses to disturbance are not well captured using current modeling strategies and that accounting for changes to leaf area index and plot microclimate are insufffcient to fully describe the effects of disturbance on transpiration.« less

The concentration of fear: mice's behavioural and physiological stress responses to different degrees of predation risk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez-González, Beatriz; Planillo, Aimara; Navarro-Castilla, Álvaro; Barja, Isabel

2018-02-01

Predation is an unavoidable and dangerous fact in the lifetime of prey animals and some sign of the proximity of a predator may be enough to trigger a response in the prey. We investigated whether different degrees of predation risk by red foxes ( Vulpes vulpes) evoke behavioural and physiological stress responses in wood mice ( Apodemus sylvaticus) . We examined the variation in mice responses due to individual factors (sex and reproductive status) and related them to the concentration of the volatile compounds from fox faeces over time. In our experiment, we introduced predation cues into four plots, each subjected to a different concentration treatment (0, 10, 50 and 100% concentration of fresh faeces of red fox), based on the following outline: initial odourless phase 0, phase1 in which predation treatment was renewed daily, and phase 2 in which we renewed the treatment only on the first day. Wood mice were live trapped during all three phases and the physiological response was measured non-invasively by analysing faecal corticosterone metabolites (FCM) in freshly collected faeces. Data were analysed by Generalized Linear Mixed Models. Overall, males were trapped less often than females, and reproductively active individuals from both sexes avoided traps more than non-reproductively active individuals, especially in medium- and high- concentration plots. Variations in FCM concentrations were explained by plot, the interaction between plot and treatment phase, and the interaction between the treatment phase and the reproductive status. During phase 1, we detected a significant rise in FCM levels that increased with predator faecal odour concentration. Additionally, reproductively active individuals showed a strong physiological response during both phases 1 and 2 in all plots, except the control plot. Our results indicated that wood mice are able to discriminate different degrees of predation risk, which allows them to trigger gradual changes in their behavioural and physiological stress responses.

The concentration of fear: mice's behavioural and physiological stress responses to different degrees of predation risk.

PubMed

Sánchez-González, Beatriz; Planillo, Aimara; Navarro-Castilla, Álvaro; Barja, Isabel

2018-01-31

Predation is an unavoidable and dangerous fact in the lifetime of prey animals and some sign of the proximity of a predator may be enough to trigger a response in the prey. We investigated whether different degrees of predation risk by red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) evoke behavioural and physiological stress responses in wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus). We examined the variation in mice responses due to individual factors (sex and reproductive status) and related them to the concentration of the volatile compounds from fox faeces over time. In our experiment, we introduced predation cues into four plots, each subjected to a different concentration treatment (0, 10, 50 and 100% concentration of fresh faeces of red fox), based on the following outline: initial odourless phase 0, phase1 in which predation treatment was renewed daily, and phase 2 in which we renewed the treatment only on the first day. Wood mice were live trapped during all three phases and the physiological response was measured non-invasively by analysing faecal corticosterone metabolites (FCM) in freshly collected faeces. Data were analysed by Generalized Linear Mixed Models. Overall, males were trapped less often than females, and reproductively active individuals from both sexes avoided traps more than non-reproductively active individuals, especially in medium- and high- concentration plots. Variations in FCM concentrations were explained by plot, the interaction between plot and treatment phase, and the interaction between the treatment phase and the reproductive status. During phase 1, we detected a significant rise in FCM levels that increased with predator faecal odour concentration. Additionally, reproductively active individuals showed a strong physiological response during both phases 1 and 2 in all plots, except the control plot. Our results indicated that wood mice are able to discriminate different degrees of predation risk, which allows them to trigger gradual changes in their behavioural and physiological stress responses.

Alternative pathways to landscape transformation: Invasive grasses, burn severity and fire frequency in arid ecosystems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Klinger, Robert C.; Brooks, Matthew L.

2017-01-01

Arid ecosystems are often vulnerable to transformation to invasive-dominated states following fire, but data on persistence of these states are sparse. The grass/fire cycle is a feedback process between invasive annual grasses and fire frequency that often leads to the formation of alternative vegetation states dominated by the invasive grasses. However, other components of fire regimes, such as burn severity, also have the potential to produce long-term vegetation transformations. Our goal was to evaluate the influence of both fire frequency and burn severity on the transformation of woody-dominated communities to communities dominated by invasive grasses in major elevation zones of the Mojave Desert of western North America.We used a chronosequence design to collect data on herbaceous and woody cover at 229 unburned reference plots and 578 plots that burned between 1972 and 2010. We stratified the plots by elevation zone (low, mid, high), fire frequency (1–3 times) and years post-fire (YPF; 1–5, 6–10, 11–20 and 21–40 YPF). Burn severity for each plot was estimated by the difference normalized burn ratio.We identified two broad post-fire successional pathways. One was an outcome of fire frequency, resulting in a strong potential transformation via the grass/fire cycle. The second pathway was driven by burn severity, the critical aspect being that long-term transformation of a community could occur from just one fire in areas that burned at high or sometimes moderate severity. Dominance by invasive grasses was most likely to occur in low-and high-elevation communities; cover of native herbaceous species was often greater than that of invasive grasses in the mid-elevation zone.Synthesis. Invasive grasses can dominate a site that burned only one time in many decades at high severity, or a site that burned at low severity but multiple times in the same time period. However, high burn severity may predispose areas to more frequent fire because they have relatively high cover of invasive annual grass, suggesting burn severity and fire frequency have both independent and synergistic effects. Resilience in vegetation structure following fire in many arid communities may be limited to a narrow window of low burn severity in areas that have not burned in many decades.

Organic semiconductor photodiode based on indigo carmine/n-Si for optoelectronic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganesh, V.; Manthrammel, M. Aslam; Shkir, Mohd.; Yahia, I. S.; Zahran, H. Y.; Yakuphanoglu, F.; AlFaify, S.

2018-06-01

The fabrication of indigo carmine/n-Si photodiode has been done, and a robust dark and photocurrent-voltage ( I- V), capacitance vs. voltage ( C-V) and conductance vs. voltage ( G-V) studies were done over a wide range of applied voltage and frequencies. The surface morphology was assessed by atomic force microscope (AFM), and the grain size was measured to be about 66 nm. The reverse current increased with both increasing illumination intensity and bias potential, whereas the forward current increased exponentially with bias potential. The responsivity value was also calculated. Barrier height and ideality factor of diode were estimated through a log (I) vs log (V) plot, and obtained to be 0.843 and 4.75 eV, respectively. The Vbi values are found between 0.95 and 1.2V for frequencies ranging between 100 kHz and 1 MHz. The value of R s is found to be lower at higher frequencies which may be due to a certain distribution of localized interface states. A strong frequency and voltage dependency were observed for interface states density N ss in the present indigo carmine/n-Si photodiode, and this explained the observed capacitance and resistance variation with frequency. These results suggest that the fabricated diode has the potential to be applied in optoelectronic devices.

Cole-Davidson dynamics of simple chain models.

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

Dotson, Taylor C.; McCoy, John Dwane; Adolf, Douglas Brian

2008-10-01

Rotational relaxation functions of the end-to-end vector of short, freely jointed and freely rotating chains were determined from molecular dynamics simulations. The associated response functions were obtained from the one-sided Fourier transform of the relaxation functions. The Cole-Davidson function was used to fit the response functions with extensive use being made of Cole-Cole plots in the fitting procedure. For the systems studied, the Cole-Davidson function provided remarkably accurate fits [as compared to the transform of the Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts (KWW) function]. The only appreciable deviations from the simulation results were in the high frequency limit and were due to ballistic or freemore » rotation effects. The accuracy of the Cole-Davidson function appears to be the result of the transition in the time domain from stretched exponential behavior at intermediate time to single exponential behavior at long time. Such a transition can be explained in terms of a distribution of relaxation times with a well-defined longest relaxation time. Since the Cole-Davidson distribution has a sharp cutoff in relaxation time (while the KWW function does not), it makes sense that the Cole-Davidson would provide a better frequency-domain description of the associated response function than the KWW function does.« less

Insect herbivory and plant adaptation in an early successional community.

PubMed

Agrawal, Anurag A; Hastings, Amy P; Fines, Daniel M; Bogdanowicz, Steve; Huber, Meret

2018-05-01

To address the role of insect herbivores in adaptation of plant populations and the persistence of selection through succession, we manipulated herbivory in a long-term field experiment. We suppressed insects in half of 16 plots over nine years and examined the genotypic structure and chemical defense of common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), a naturally colonizing perennial apomictic plant. Insect suppression doubled dandelion abundance in the first few years, but had negligible effects thereafter. Using microsatellite DNA markers, we genotyped >2500 plants and demonstrate that insect suppression altered the genotypic composition of plots in both sampling years. Phenotypic and genotypic estimates of defensive terpenes and phenolics from the field plots allowed us to infer phenotypic plasticity and the response of dandelion populations to insect-mediated natural selection. The effects of insect suppression on plant chemistry were, indeed, driven both by plasticity and plant genotypic identity. In particular, di-phenolic inositol esters were more abundant in plots exposed to herbivory (due to the genotypic composition of the plots) and were also induced in response to herbivory. This field experiment thus demonstrates evolutionary sorting of plant genotypes in response to insect herbivores that was in same direction as the plastic defensive response within genotypes. © 2018 The Author(s). Evolution © 2018 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

MEMS electromagnetic energy harvesters with multiple resonances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelatury, Sudarshan R.; Gray, Robert

2014-06-01

There is going on a flurry of research activity in the development of effcient energy harvesters from all branches of energy conversion. The need for developing self-powered wireless sensors and actuators to be employed in unmanned combat vehicles also seems to grow steadily. These vehicles are inducted into perilous war zones for silent watch missions. Energy management is sometimes carried out using misson-aware energy expenditure strategies. Also, when there is a requirement for constant monitoring of events, the sensors and the subsystems of combat vehicles require energy harvesters that can operate over a discrete set of spot frequencies. This paper attempts to review some of the recent techniques and the energy harvesting devices based on electromagnetic and electromechanical principles. In particular, we shall discuss the design and performance of a MEMS-harvester that exhibits multiple resonances. Frequency response of a simulated electromagnetic harvester is plotted. It has three dominant peaks at three different resonant frequencies. Variation in the load power in the normalized units as a function of load is found, which determines the matched load resistance.

Correlation of Neuromarketing to Neurology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Ashutosh; Shreyam, Richa; Garg, Ridhi; Sayed, Tabassum

2017-08-01

The aim of this research work is to identify the most preferred brand of soap in New Delhi through wireless EEG signal through Neuromarketing. A group of four major soap brand advertisements i.e. Pears, Lux, Cinthol and Dove are considered for this research. The advertisement (video) of above these brands are used to stimulate the subjects (9 male and 9 female with age range of 22-30 years) The brain signal responses for the stimuli were collected using a 14 channel wireless headset with a sampling frequency of 128 Hz. The acquired signals are preprocessed using fourth order Butterworth band pass filter. Then feature extraction is done to extract desired features from the EEG signal. The mean value and then power of mean value of each soap brand is calculated. The frequency spectrum of above soap brands is obtained through time-frequency analysis using Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT). The results so obtained are plotted in graphs for final analysis. The present experimental results are analyzed and it is indicated that the subjects are mostly inspired on Dove brand of soap compared to other brands.

SIG. Signal Processing, Analysis, & Display

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

Hernandez, J.; Lager, D.; Azevedo, S.

1992-01-22

SIG is a general-purpose signal processing, analysis, and display program. Its main purpose is to perform manipulations on time and frequency-domain signals. However, it has been designed to ultimately accommodate other representations for data such as multiplexed signals and complex matrices. Two user interfaces are provided in SIG; a menu mode for the unfamiliar user and a command mode for more experienced users. In both modes errors are detected as early as possible and are indicated by friendly, meaningful messages. An on-line HELP package is also included. A variety of operations can be performed on time and frequency-domain signals includingmore » operations on the samples of a signal, operations on the entire signal, and operations on two or more signals. Signal processing operations that can be performed are digital filtering (median, Bessel, Butterworth, and Chebychev), ensemble average, resample, auto and cross spectral density, transfer function and impulse response, trend removal, convolution, Fourier transform and inverse window functions (Hamming, Kaiser-Bessel), simulation (ramp, sine, pulsetrain, random), and read/write signals. User definable signal processing algorithms are also featured. SIG has many options including multiple commands per line, command files with arguments, commenting lines, defining commands, and automatic execution for each item in a `repeat` sequence. Graphical operations on signals and spectra include: x-y plots of time signals; real, imaginary, magnitude, and phase plots of spectra; scaling of spectra for continuous or discrete domain; cursor zoom; families of curves; and multiple viewports.« less

SIG. Signal Processing, Analysis, & Display

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

Hernandez, J.; Lager, D.; Azevedo, S.

1992-01-22

SIG is a general-purpose signal processing, analysis, and display program. Its main purpose is to perform manipulations on time-and frequency-domain signals. However, it has been designed to ultimately accommodate other representations for data such as multiplexed signals and complex matrices. Two user interfaces are provided in SIG - a menu mode for the unfamiliar user and a command mode for more experienced users. In both modes errors are detected as early as possible and are indicated by friendly, meaningful messages. An on-line HELP package is also included. A variety of operations can be performed on time and frequency-domain signals includingmore » operations on the samples of a signal, operations on the entire signal, and operations on two or more signals. Signal processing operations that can be performed are digital filtering (median, Bessel, Butterworth, and Chebychev), ensemble average, resample, auto and cross spectral density, transfer function and impulse response, trend removal, convolution, Fourier transform and inverse window functions (Hamming, Kaiser-Bessel), simulation (ramp, sine, pulsetrain, random), and read/write signals. User definable signal processing algorithms are also featured. SIG has many options including multiple commands per line, command files with arguments, commenting lines, defining commands, and automatic execution for each item in a repeat sequence. Graphical operations on signals and spectra include: x-y plots of time signals; real, imaginary, magnitude, and phase plots of spectra; scaling of spectra for continuous or discrete domain; cursor zoom; families of curves; and multiple viewports.« less

Signal Processing, Analysis, & Display

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

Lager, Darrell; Azevado, Stephen

1986-06-01

SIG is a general-purpose signal processing, analysis, and display program. Its main purpose is to perform manipulations on time- and frequency-domain signals. However, it has been designed to ultimately accommodate other representations for data such as multiplexed signals and complex matrices. Two user interfaces are provided in SIG - a menu mode for the unfamiliar user and a command mode for more experienced users. In both modes errors are detected as early as possible and are indicated by friendly, meaningful messages. An on-line HELP package is also included. A variety of operations can be performed on time- and frequency-domain signalsmore » including operations on the samples of a signal, operations on the entire signal, and operations on two or more signals. Signal processing operations that can be performed are digital filtering (median, Bessel, Butterworth, and Chebychev), ensemble average, resample, auto and cross spectral density, transfer function and impulse response, trend removal, convolution, Fourier transform and inverse window functions (Hamming, Kaiser-Bessel), simulation (ramp, sine, pulsetrain, random), and read/write signals. User definable signal processing algorithms are also featured. SIG has many options including multiple commands per line, command files with arguments,commenting lines, defining commands, and automatic execution for each item in a repeat sequence. Graphical operations on signals and spectra include: x-y plots of time signals; real, imaginary, magnitude, and phase plots of spectra; scaling of spectra for continuous or discrete domain; cursor zoom; families of curves; and multiple viewports.« less

SIG. Signal Processing, Analysis, & Display

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

Hernandez, J.; Lager, D.; Azevedo, S.

1992-01-22

SIG is a general-purpose signal processing, analysis, and display program. Its main purpose is to perform manipulations on time- and frequency-domain signals. However, it has been designed to ultimately accommodate other representations for data such as multiplexed signals and complex matrices. Two user interfaces are provided in SIG - a menu mode for the unfamiliar user and a command mode for more experienced users. In both modes errors are detected as early as possible and are indicated by friendly, meaningful messages. An on-line HELP package is also included. A variety of operations can be performed on time- and frequency-domain signalsmore » including operations on the samples of a signal, operations on the entire signal, and operations on two or more signals. Signal processing operations that can be performed are digital filtering (median, Bessel, Butterworth, and Chebychev), ensemble average, resample, auto and cross spectral density, transfer function and impulse response, trend removal, convolution, Fourier transform and inverse window functions (Hamming, Kaiser-Bessel), simulation (ramp, sine, pulsetrain, random), and read/write signals. User definable signal processing algorithms are also featured. SIG has many options including multiple commands per line, command files with arguments,commenting lines, defining commands, and automatic execution for each item in a repeat sequence. Graphical operations on signals and spectra include: x-y plots of time signals; real, imaginary, magnitude, and phase plots of spectra; scaling of spectra for continuous or discrete domain; cursor zoom; families of curves; and multiple viewports.« less

WINTERING YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS (DENDROICA CORONATA) TRACK MANIPULATED ABUNDANCE OF MYRICA CERIFERA FRUITS

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

K.L. Borgmann; S.F. Pearson; D.J. Levey

2004-01-01

Borgmann, K.L., S.F. Pearson, D.J. Levey, and C.H. Greenberg. 2004. Wintering yellow-rumped warblers (Dendroica coronata) track manipulated abundance of Myrica cerifera fruits. The Auk 121(1):74-87. Abstract: Food availability during winter may determine habitat use and limit populations of overwintering birds, yet its importance is difficult to judge because few studies have experimentally tested the response of nonbreeding birds to changes in resource abundance. We experimentally examined the link between fruit availability and habitat use by manipulating winter abundance of Myrica cerifera L. (Myricaceae) fruits in managed longleaf (Pinus palustris) and loblolly (P. taeda) pine stands in South Carolina. Myrica ceriferamore » is a common understory shrub in the southeastern United States and provides lipid-rich fruit in late winter (February and March), when insects and other fruits are scarce. On treatment plots, we covered fruiting M. cerifera shrubs with netting in early winter to prevent birds from eating their fruits. In late February, when M. cerifera fruit crops were largely depleted elsewhere on our study site, we uncovered the shrubs and documented the response of the bird community to those patches of high fruit availability. Relative to control plots, total bird abundance (excluding the most common species, Yellow-rumped Warbler [Dendroica coronata]) and species richness did not change after net removal. Yellow-rumped Warblers, however, became significantly more abundant on treatment plots after net removal, which suggests that they track M. cerifera fruit abundance. We suggest that M. cerifera plays a role in determining the local distribution of wintering Yellow-rumped Warblers at our study site. To put these results into a management context, we also examined the effect of prescribed fire frequencies on M. cerifera fruit production. Across pine stands with different fire regimes, M. cerifera fruit abundance increased with the number of years since burning. It takes 4-6 years for individuals to recover sufficiently from a burn to produce large quantities of fruit. Thus, shorter intervals between burns will reduce winter fruit availability. Taken together, these results suggest that within those pine plantations, the local winter distribution of at least one common migratory bird is closely tied to fruit abundance, which in turn is tied to the frequency of prescribed fires.« less

Preparation Characterization and Electrical Study of New Polymeric Mixture (Consist of Three Polymers) Nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

AL-Abodi, Entisar E.; Farouk, Azhar

2018-05-01

By using hummers’ method, graphene oxide (GO) was synthesized and by reducing it gave reduced graphene oxide (RGO). The polymeric blend contain three polymers; Poly Aniline (PANI), Poly Vinyl Acetate( PVAc),and Pecten(Pc) wich have been prepared at studied amount. The composites for above polymers with various concentrations of, graphene oxide (GO) and with reduced graphene oxide (RGO)were prepared, and than pour into films(chips). The dielectric constant properties of chips were measured, which its point the electrical conductivity values for the prepared chips increase with increasing of frequency. As well, the electrical conductivity is research in terms of the Arrhenius plot, it is plotted against the reverse temperature for the prepared films at different applied frequencies.

PhyloGeoViz: a web-based program that visualizes genetic data on maps.

PubMed

Tsai, Yi-Hsin E

2011-05-01

The first step of many population genetic studies is the simple visualization of allele frequencies on a landscape. This basic data exploration can be challenging without proprietary software, and the manual plotting of data is cumbersome and unfeasible at large sample sizes. I present an open source, web-based program that plots any kind of frequency or count data as pie charts in Google Maps (Google Inc., Mountain View, CA). Pie polygons are then exportable to Google Earth (Google Inc.), a free Geographic Information Systems platform. Import of genetic data into Google Earth allows phylogeographers access to a wealth of spatial information layers integral to forming hypotheses and understanding patterns in the data. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Landscape patterns of understory composition and richness across a moisture and nitrogen mineralization gradient in Ohio (U.S.A.) Quercus forests

Treesearch

Todd F. Hutchinson; Ralph E.J. Boerner; Louis R. Iverson; Steve Sutherland; Elaine Kennedy Sutherland

1999-01-01

This study quantified relationships of understory vascular plant species composition and richness along environmental gradients over a broad spatial scale in second-growth oak forests in eastern North America. Species frequencies were recorded in 108 25 x 25 m plots in four study sites extending over 70 km in southern Ohio, U.S.A. The plots were stratified into three...

Rapid response of soil fungal communities to low and high intensity fire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Jane E.; Cowan, Ariel D.; Reazin, Chris; Jumpponen, Ari

2016-04-01

Contemporary fires have created high-severity burn areas exceeding historical distributions in forests in the western United States. Until recently, the response of soil ecosystems to high intensity burns has been largely unknown. In complementary studies, we investigated the environmental effect of extreme soil heating, such that occurs with the complete combustion of large down wood during wildfires, on soil fungi and nutrients. We used TRFLP and next generation sequencing (Illumina MiSeq) to investigate the fungal communities. During the burning of large down wood, temperatures lethal to fungi were detected at 0-cm, 5-cm, and 10-cm depths in soils compared to 0-cm depth in soils receiving low intensity broadcast burns. We compared the soil fungal diversity in ten high intensity burned plots paired with adjacent low intensity burned plots before and one week after at 0-10 cm soil depth. Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling (NMS) ordinations and analyses of taxon frequencies reveal a substantial community turnover and corresponding near complete replacement of the dominant basidiomycetes by ascomycetes in high intensity burns. These coarse-level taxonomic responses were primarily attributable to a few fire-responsive (phoenicoid) fungi, particularly Pyronema sp. and Morchella sp., whose frequencies increased more than 100-fold following high intensity burns. Pinus ponderosa seedlings planted one week post-burn were harvested after four months for EMF root tip analysis. We found: a) greater differences in soil properties and nutrients in high intensity burned soils compared to low intensity burned and unburned soils; b) no differences in EMF richness and diversity; and c) weak differences in community composition based on relative abundance between unburned and either burn treatments. These results confirm the combustion of large downed wood can alter the soil environment directly beneath it. However, an EMF community similar to low burned soils recolonized high burned soils within one growing season. Community results from both burn treatments suggest an increase in patchy spatial distribution of EMF. The importance of incorporating mixed fire effects in fuel management practices will help to provide EMF refugia for dry forest regeneration. Our studies highlight the strong and rapid fungal community responses to fires and differences among fires of different severities. We theorize that quick initiation of EMF recolonization is possible depending on the size of high burn patches, proximity of low and unburned soil, and survival of nearby hosts.

Application of Time-Frequency Representations To Non-Stationary Radar Cross Section

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

The three- dimensional plot produced by a TFR allows one to determine which spectral components of a signal vary with time [25... a range bin ( of width cT 2 ) from the stepped frequency waveform. 2. Cancel the clutter (stationary components) by zeroing out points associated with ...generating an infinite number of bilinear Time Frequency distributions based on a generalized equation and a change- able

Comparison of manual scaled and predicted foE and foF1 critical frequencies. Technical report

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

Gamache, R.R.; Kersey, W.T.

1990-07-01

The CCIR and Titheridge foE critical frequency prediction routines were tested by comparison with 1875 manually scaled values. The foF1 critical frequency prediction routine of Millman et al was tested by comparison with 1005 manually scaled values. Plots and statistics of the comparisons are presented and discussed. From the results recommendations are made to help improve autoscaling.

Geophysical characterization of soil moisture spatial patterns in a tillage experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez, G.; Vanderlinden, K.; Giráldez, J. V.; Muriel, J. L.

2009-04-01

Knowledge on the spatial soil moisture pattern can improve the characterisation of the hydrological response of either field-plots or small watersheds. Near-surface geophysical methods, such as electromagnetic induction (EMI), provide a means to map such patterns using non-invasive and non-destructive measurements of the soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa. In this study ECa was measured using an EMI sensor and used to characterize spatially the hydrologic response of a cropped field to an intense shower. The study site is part of a long-term tillage experiment in Southern Spain in which Conventional Tillage (CT), Direct Drilling (DD) and Minimum Tillage (MT) are being evaluated since 1982. Soil ECa was measured before and after a rain event of 115 mm, near the soil surface and at deeper depth (ECas and ECad, respectively) using the EM38-DD EMI sensor. Simultaneously, elevation data were collected at each sampling point to generate a Digital Elevation Model (DEM). Soil moisture during the first survey was close to permanent wilting point and near field capacity during the second survey. For the first survey, both ECas and ECad, were higher in the CT and MT than in the DD plots. After the rain event, rill erosion appeared only in CT and MT plots were soil was uncovered, matching the drainage lines obtained from the DEM. Apparent electrical conductivity increased all over the field plot with higher increments in the DD plots. These plots showed the highest ECas and ECad values, in contrast to the spatial pattern found during the first sampling. Difference maps obtained from the two ECas and ECad samplings showed a clear difference between DD plots and CT and MT plots due to their distinct hydrologic response. Water infiltration was higher in the soil of the DD plots than in the MT and CT plots, as reflected by their ECad increment. Higher ECa increments were observed in the depressions of the terrain, where water and sediments accumulated. On the contrary, the most elevated places of the field showed lower ECa increments. When soil is wet topography dominates the hydrologic response of the field, while under drier conditions, hydraulic conductivity controls the soil water dynamics. These results show that when static soil properties, e.g. clay content, are spatially uniform, ECa can detect changes in dynamic properties like soil moisture content, characterizing their spatial pattern.

Monaural and binaural response properties of neurons in the inferior colliculus of the rabbit: effects of sodium pentobarbital.

PubMed

Kuwada, S; Batra, R; Stanford, T R

1989-02-01

1. We studied the effects of sodium pentobarbital on 22 neurons in the inferior colliculus (IC) of the rabbit. We recorded changes in the sensitivity of these neurons to monaural stimulation and to ongoing interaural time differences (ITDs). Monaural stimuli were tone bursts at or near the neuron's best frequency. The ITD was varied by delivering tones that differed by 1 Hz to the two ears, resulting in a 1-Hz binaural beat. 2. We assessed a neuron's ITD sensitivity by calculating three measures from the responses to binaural beats: composite delay, characteristic delay (CD), and characteristic phase (CP). To obtain the composite delay, we first derived period histograms by averaging, showing the response at each stimulating frequency over one period of the beat frequency. Second, the period histograms were replotted as a function of their equivalent interaural delay and then averaged together to yield the composite delay curve. Last, we calculated the composite peak or trough delay by fitting a parabola to the peak or trough of this composite curve. The composite delay curve represents the average response to all frequencies within the neuron's responsive range, and the peak reflects the interaural delay that produces the maximum response. The CD and CP were estimated from a weighted fit of a regression line to the plot of the mean interaural phase of the response versus the stimulating frequency. The slope and phase intercept of this regression line yielded estimates of CD and CP, respectively. These two quantities are thought to reflect the mechanism of ITD sensitivity, which involves the convergence of phase-locked inputs on a binaural cell. The CD estimates the difference in the time required for the two inputs to travel from either ear to this cell, whereas the CP reflects the interaural phase difference of the inputs at this cell. 3. Injections of sodium pentobarbital at subsurgical dosages (less than 25 mg/kg) almost invariably altered the neuron's response rate, response latency, response pattern, and spontaneous activity. Most of these changes were predictable and consistent with an enhancement of inhibitory influences. For example, if the earliest response was inhibitory, later excitation was usually reduced and latency increased. If the earliest response was excitatory, the level of this excitation was unaltered or slightly enhanced, and changes in latency were minimal. 4. The neuron's response pattern also changed in a predictable way. For example, a response with an inhibitory pause could either change to a response with a longer pause or to a response with an onset only.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Method and apparatus for determining material structural integrity

DOEpatents

Pechersky, M.J.

1994-01-01

Disclosed are a nondestructive method and apparatus for determining the structural integrity of materials by combining laser vibrometry with damping analysis to determine the damping loss factor. The method comprises the steps of vibrating the area being tested over a known frequency range and measuring vibrational force and velocity vs time over the known frequency range. Vibrational velocity is preferably measured by a laser vibrometer. Measurement of the vibrational force depends on the vibration method: if an electromagnetic coil is used to vibrate a magnet secured to the area being tested, then the vibrational force is determined by the coil current. If a reciprocating transducer is used, the vibrational force is determined by a force gauge in the transducer. Using vibrational analysis, a plot of the drive point mobility of the material over the preselected frequency range is generated from the vibrational force and velocity data. Damping loss factor is derived from a plot of the drive point mobility over the preselected frequency range using the resonance dwell method and compared with a reference damping loss factor for structural integrity evaluation.

Attack Rates of Norovirus and Campylobacter Food Poisonings that Cannot Be Represented by Numeric Constant but by Plotting the Attack Rate against the Number of Patients per Incident in Cartesian Coordinates.

PubMed

Yoshikura, Hiroshi; Takeuchi, Fumihiko

2017-11-22

In norovirus and Campylobacter food poisonings, the frequencies of the number of patients per incident and that of the number of eaters per incident followed a lognormal distribution, with medians of 12-27 and 23-48 for norovirus and 5-8 and 9-21 for Campylobacter food poisonings, respectively. The lognormal frequency distribution of eaters could be simulated by assuming that people find a dish more appealing if that dish has already been found to be appealing to others. The numbers of patients and eaters per incident were not necessarily inter-correlated; the frequencies of the attack rates (number of patients/number of eaters) were distributed evenly from 0.01 to 1; that is, the attack rates of these food poisonings could not be represented by means and standard deviations. The frequency distributions of the attack rates were nevertheless not entirely disordered; plotting the attack rate against the number of patients in individual incidents produced fingerprint-like patterns that were repeatedly produced at the prefectural and national levels.

The effect of habitat modification on plant-pollinator network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aminatun, Tien; Putra, Nugroho Susetya

2017-08-01

The research aimed to determine; (1) the mutualism interaction pattern of plant-pollinator on several habitat modifications; and (2) the habitat modification which showed the most stable pattern of interaction. The study was conducted in one planting season with 20 plots which each plot had 2x2 m2 width and 2 m spacing among plots, and each plot was planted with the same variety of tomato plants, i.e. "intan". Nitrogen manipulation treatment was conducted with four kinds of fertilizers, i.e. NPK (code PU), compost (code PKM), vermicompost (code PC), and manure (code PK). Each treatment had 5 plot replications. We observed the growth of tomato plants, weed and arthropod populationstwo weekly while pollinator visitation twice a week during tomato plant flowering with counting population and visitation frequence of each pollinator on each sample of tomato plants. The nectar of tomato plant flower of each treatment was tested in laboratory to see its reducing sugar and sucrose. Oganic matter and nitrogen of the soil samples of each treatment were tested in laboratory in the beginning and the end of this research. We analized the plant-pollinator network with bipartite program in R-statistics, and the abiotic and other biotic factors with descriptive analysis. The results of the research were; (1) the mutualism interaction pattern of plant-pollinator network of four treatments were varied, and (2) The pattern of plant-pollinator network of NPK fertilizer treatment showed the more stable interaction based on analysis of interaction evenness, Shannon diversity, frequency and longevity of pollinator visitation.

Dielectric, Impedance and Conduction Behavior of Double Perovskite Pr2CuTiO6 Ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahato, Dev K.; Sinha, T. P.

2017-01-01

Polycrystalline Pr2CuTiO6 (PCT) ceramics exhibits dielectric, impedance and modulus characteristics as a possible material for microelectronic devices. PCT was synthesized through the standard solid-state reaction method. The dielectric permittivity, impedance and electric modulus of PCT have been studied in a wide frequency (100 Hz-1 MHz) and temperature (303-593 K) range. Structural analysis of the compound revealed a monoclinic phase at room temperature. Complex impedance Cole-Cole plots are used to interpret the relaxation mechanism, and grain boundary contributions towards conductivity have been estimated. From electrical modulus formalism polarization and conductivity relaxation behavior in PCT have been discussed. Normalization of the imaginary part of impedance ( Z″) and the normalized imaginary part of modulus ( M″) indicates contributions from both long-range and localized relaxation effects. The grain boundary resistance along with their relaxation frequencies are plotted in the form of an Arrhenius plot with activation energy 0.45 eV and 0.46 eV, respectively. The ac conductivity mechanism has been discussed.

40 CFR 61.32 - Emission standard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... frequency of calibration. (b) Method of sample analysis. (c) Averaging technique for determining 30-day...) Plant and sampling area plots showing emission points and sampling sites. Topographic features...

Riding and handling qualities of light aircraft: A review and analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smetana, F. O.; Summery, D. C.; Johnson, W. D.

1972-01-01

Design procedures and supporting data necessary for configuring light aircraft to obtain desired responses to pilot commands and gusts are presented. The procedures employ specializations of modern military and jet transport practice where these provide an improvement over earlier practice. General criteria for riding and handling qualities are discussed in terms of the airframe dynamics. Methods available in the literature for calculating the coefficients required for a linearized analysis of the airframe dynamics are reviewed in detail. The review also treats the relation of spin and stall to airframe geometry. Root locus analysis is used to indicate the sensitivity of airframe dynamics to variations in individual stability derivatives and to variations in geometric parameters. Computer programs are given for finding the frequencies, damping ratios, and time constants of all rigid body modes and for generating time histories of aircraft motions in response to control inputs. Appendices are included presenting the derivation of the linearized equations of motion; the stability derivatives; the transfer functions; approximate solutions for the frequency, damping ratio, and time constants; an indication of methods to be used when linear analysis is inadequate; sample calculations; and an explanation of the use of root locus diagrams and Bode plots.

Heterogeneous Molecular Catalysis of Electrochemical Reactions: Volcano Plots and Catalytic Tafel Plots.

PubMed

Costentin, Cyrille; Savéant, Jean-Michel

2017-06-14

We analyze here, in the framework of heterogeneous molecular catalysis, the reasons for the occurrence or nonoccurrence of volcanoes upon plotting the kinetics of the catalytic reaction versus the stabilization free energy of the primary intermediate of the catalytic process. As in the case of homogeneous molecular catalysis or catalysis by surface-active metallic sites, a strong motivation of such studies relates to modern energy challenges, particularly those involving small molecules, such as water, hydrogen, oxygen, proton, and carbon dioxide. This motivation is particularly pertinent for what concerns heterogeneous molecular catalysis, since it is commonly preferred to homogeneous molecular catalysis by the same molecules if only for chemical separation purposes and electrolytic cell architecture. As with the two other catalysis modes, the main drawback of the volcano plot approach is the basic assumption that the kinetic responses depend on a single descriptor, viz., the stabilization free energy of the primary intermediate. More comprehensive approaches, investigating the responses to the maximal number of experimental factors, and conveniently expressed as catalytic Tafel plots, should clearly be preferred. This is more so in the case of heterogeneous molecular catalysis in that additional transport factors in the supporting film may additionally affect the current-potential responses. This is attested by the noteworthy presence of maxima in catalytic Tafel plots as well as their dependence upon the cyclic voltammetric scan rate.

Wavelet Analysis of Nonstationary Fluctuations of Monte Carlo-Simulated Excitatory Postsynaptic Currents

PubMed Central

Aristizabal, F.; Glavinovic, M. I.

2003-01-01

Tracking spectral changes of rapidly varying signals is a demanding task. In this study, we explore on Monte Carlo-simulated glutamate-activated AMPA patch and synaptic currents whether a wavelet analysis offers such a possibility. Unlike Fourier methods that determine only the frequency content of a signal, the wavelet analysis determines both the frequency and the time. This is owing to the nature of the basis functions, which are infinite for Fourier transforms (sines and cosines are infinite), but are finite for wavelet analysis (wavelets are localized waves). In agreement with previous reports, the frequency of the stationary patch current fluctuations is higher for larger currents, whereas the mean-variance plots are parabolic. The spectra of the current fluctuations and mean-variance plots are close to the theoretically predicted values. The median frequency of the synaptic and nonstationary patch currents is, however, time dependent, though at the peak of synaptic currents, the median frequency is insensitive to the number of glutamate molecules released. Such time dependence demonstrates that the “composite spectra” of the current fluctuations gathered over the whole duration of synaptic currents cannot be used to assess the mean open time or effective mean open time of AMPA channels. The current (patch or synaptic) versus median frequency plots show hysteresis. The median frequency is thus not a simple reflection of the overall receptor saturation levels and is greater during the rise phase for the same saturation level. The hysteresis is due to the higher occupancy of the doubly bound state during the rise phase and not due to the spatial spread of the saturation disk, which remains remarkably constant. Albeit time dependent, the variance of the synaptic and nonstationary patch currents can be accurately determined. Nevertheless the evaluation of the number of AMPA channels and their single current from the mean-variance plots of patch or synaptic currents is not highly accurate owing to the varying number of the activatable AMPA channels caused by desensitization. The spatial nonuniformity of open, bound, and desensitized AMPA channels, and the time dependence and spatial nonuniformity of the glutamate concentration in the synaptic cleft, further reduce the accuracy of estimates of the number of AMPA channels from synaptic currents. In conclusion, wavelet analysis of nonstationary fluctuations of patch and synaptic currents expands our ability to determine accurately the variance and frequency of current fluctuations, demonstrates the limits of applicability of techniques currently used to evaluate the single channel current and number of AMPA channels, and offers new insights into the mechanisms involved in the generation of unitary quantal events at excitatory central synapses. PMID:14507683

Wavelet analysis of nonstationary fluctuations of Monte Carlo-simulated excitatory postsynaptic currents.

PubMed

Aristizabal, F; Glavinovic, M I

2003-10-01

Tracking spectral changes of rapidly varying signals is a demanding task. In this study, we explore on Monte Carlo-simulated glutamate-activated AMPA patch and synaptic currents whether a wavelet analysis offers such a possibility. Unlike Fourier methods that determine only the frequency content of a signal, the wavelet analysis determines both the frequency and the time. This is owing to the nature of the basis functions, which are infinite for Fourier transforms (sines and cosines are infinite), but are finite for wavelet analysis (wavelets are localized waves). In agreement with previous reports, the frequency of the stationary patch current fluctuations is higher for larger currents, whereas the mean-variance plots are parabolic. The spectra of the current fluctuations and mean-variance plots are close to the theoretically predicted values. The median frequency of the synaptic and nonstationary patch currents is, however, time dependent, though at the peak of synaptic currents, the median frequency is insensitive to the number of glutamate molecules released. Such time dependence demonstrates that the "composite spectra" of the current fluctuations gathered over the whole duration of synaptic currents cannot be used to assess the mean open time or effective mean open time of AMPA channels. The current (patch or synaptic) versus median frequency plots show hysteresis. The median frequency is thus not a simple reflection of the overall receptor saturation levels and is greater during the rise phase for the same saturation level. The hysteresis is due to the higher occupancy of the doubly bound state during the rise phase and not due to the spatial spread of the saturation disk, which remains remarkably constant. Albeit time dependent, the variance of the synaptic and nonstationary patch currents can be accurately determined. Nevertheless the evaluation of the number of AMPA channels and their single current from the mean-variance plots of patch or synaptic currents is not highly accurate owing to the varying number of the activatable AMPA channels caused by desensitization. The spatial nonuniformity of open, bound, and desensitized AMPA channels, and the time dependence and spatial nonuniformity of the glutamate concentration in the synaptic cleft, further reduce the accuracy of estimates of the number of AMPA channels from synaptic currents. In conclusion, wavelet analysis of nonstationary fluctuations of patch and synaptic currents expands our ability to determine accurately the variance and frequency of current fluctuations, demonstrates the limits of applicability of techniques currently used to evaluate the single channel current and number of AMPA channels, and offers new insights into the mechanisms involved in the generation of unitary quantal events at excitatory central synapses.

Spatial and temporal effects of drought on soil CO2 efflux in a cacao agroforestry system in Sulawesi, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Straaten, O.; Veldkamp, E.; Köhler, M.; Anas, I.

2010-04-01

Climate change induced droughts pose a serious threat to ecosystems across the tropics and sub-tropics, particularly to those areas not adapted to natural dry periods. In order to study the vulnerability of cacao (Theobroma cacao) - Gliricidia sepium agroforestry plantations to droughts a large scale throughfall displacement roof was built in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. In this 19-month experiment, we compared soil surface CO2 efflux (soil respiration) from three roof plots with three adjacent control plots. Soil respiration rates peaked at intermediate soil moisture conditions and decreased under increasingly dry conditions (drought induced), or increasingly wet conditions (as evidenced in control plots). The roof plots exhibited a slight decrease in soil respiration compared to the control plots (average 13% decrease). The strength of the drought effect was spatially variable - while some measurement chamber sites reacted strongly (responsive) to the decrease in soil water content (up to R2=0.70) (n=11), others did not react at all (non-responsive) (n=7). A significant correlation was measured between responsive soil respiration chamber sites and sap flux density ratios of cacao (R=0.61) and Gliricidia (R=0.65). Leaf litter CO2 respiration decreased as conditions became drier. The litter layer contributed approximately 3-4% of the total CO2 efflux during dry periods and up to 40% during wet periods. Within days of roof opening soil CO2 efflux rose to control plot levels. Thereafter, CO2 efflux remained comparable between roof and control plots. The cumulative effect on soil CO2 emissions over the duration of the experiment was not significantly different: the control plots respired 11.1±0.5 Mg C ha-1 yr-1, while roof plots respired 10.5±0.5 Mg C ha-1 yr-1. The relatively mild decrease measured in soil CO2 efflux indicates that this agroforestry ecosystem is capable of mitigating droughts with only minor stress symptoms.

Effects of chronic exposure in populations of Koeleria gracilis Pers. from the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, Kazakhstan.

PubMed

Geras'kin, S A; Oudalova, A A; Dikarev, V G; Dikareva, N S; Mozolin, E M; Hinton, T; Spiridonov, S I; Copplestone, D; Garnier-Laplace, J

2012-02-01

Morphological and cytogenetic abnormalities were examined in crested hairgrass (Koeleria gracilis Pers.) populations inhabiting the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site (STS), Kazakhstan. Sampling of biological material and soil was carried out during 3 years (2005-2007) at 4 sites within the STS. Activity concentrations of 10 radionuclides and 8 heavy metals content in soils were measured. Doses absorbed by plants were estimated and varied, depending on the plot, from 4 up to 265 mGy/y. The frequency of cytogenetic alterations in apical meristem of germinated seeds from the highly contaminated plot significantly exceeded the level observed at other plots with lower levels of radioactive contamination during all three years of the study. A significant excess of chromosome aberrations, typical for radiation exposure, as well as a dependence of the frequency of these types of mutations on dose absorbed by plants were revealed. The results indicate the role radioactive contamination plays in the occurrence of cytogenetic effects. However, no radiation-dependent morphological alterations were detected in the progeny of the exposed populations. Given that the crested hairgrass populations have occupied the radioactively contaminated plots for some 50 years, adaptation to the radiation stress was not evident. The findings obtained were in agreement with the benchmark values proposed in the FASSET and ERICA projects to restrict radiation impacts on biota. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A statistical package for computing time and frequency domain analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brownlow, J.

1978-01-01

The spectrum analysis (SPA) program is a general purpose digital computer program designed to aid in data analysis. The program does time and frequency domain statistical analyses as well as some preanalysis data preparation. The capabilities of the SPA program include linear trend removal and/or digital filtering of data, plotting and/or listing of both filtered and unfiltered data, time domain statistical characterization of data, and frequency domain statistical characterization of data.

A living cell quartz crystal microbalance biosensor for continuous monitoring of cytotoxic responses of macrophages to single-walled carbon nanotubes

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Numerous engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) exist and new ENMs are being developed. A challenge to nanotoxicology and environmental health and safety is evaluating toxicity of ENMs before they become widely utilized. Cellular assays remain the predominant test platform yet these methods are limited by using discrete time endpoints and reliance on organic dyes, vulnerable to interference from ENMs. Label-free, continuous, rapid response systems with biologically meaningful endpoints are needed. We have developed a device to detect and monitor in real time responses of living cells to ENMs. The device, a living cell quartz crystal microbalance biosensor (QCMB), uses macrophages adherent to a quartz crystal. The communal response of macrophages to treatments is monitored continuously as changes in crystal oscillation frequency (Δf). We report the ability of this QCMB to distinguish benign from toxic exposures and reveal unique kinetic information about cellular responses to varying doses of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Results We analyzed macrophage responses to additions of Zymosan A, polystyrene beads (PBs) (benign substances) or SWCNT (3-150 μg/ml) in the QCMB over 18 hrs. In parallel, toxicity was monitored over 24/48 hrs using conventional viability assays and histological stains to detect apoptosis. In the QCMB, a stable unchanging oscillation frequency occurred when cells alone, Zymosan A alone, PBs alone or SWCNTs without cells at the highest dose alone were used. With living cells in the QCMB, when Zymosan A, PBs or SWCNTs were added, a significant decrease in frequency occurred from 1-6 hrs. For SWCNTs, this Δf was dose-dependent. From 6-18 hrs, benign substances or low dose SWCNT (3-30 μg/ml) treatments showed a reversal of the decrease of oscillation frequency, returning to or exceeding pre-treatment levels. Cell recovery was confirmed in conventional assays. The lag time to see the Δf reversal in QCMB plots was linearly SWCNT-dose dependent. Lastly, the frequency never reversed at high dose SWCNT (100-150 μg/ml), and apoptosis/necrosis was documented in conventional 24 and 48 hr-assays. Conclusion These data suggest that the new QCMB detects and provides unique information about peak, sub-lethal and toxic exposures of living cells to ENMs before they are detected using conventional cell assays. PMID:21266033

Mapping the montane cloud forest of Taiwan using 12 year MODIS-derived ground fog frequency data.

PubMed

Schulz, Hans Martin; Li, Ching-Feng; Thies, Boris; Chang, Shih-Chieh; Bendix, Jörg

2017-01-01

Up until now montane cloud forest (MCF) in Taiwan has only been mapped for selected areas of vegetation plots. This paper presents the first comprehensive map of MCF distribution for the entire island. For its creation, a Random Forest model was trained with vegetation plots from the National Vegetation Database of Taiwan that were classified as "MCF" or "non-MCF". This model predicted the distribution of MCF from a raster data set of parameters derived from a digital elevation model (DEM), Landsat channels and texture measures derived from them as well as ground fog frequency data derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer. While the DEM parameters and Landsat data predicted much of the cloud forest's location, local deviations in the altitudinal distribution of MCF linked to the monsoonal influence as well as the Massenerhebung effect (causing MCF in atypically low altitudes) were only captured once fog frequency data was included. Therefore, our study suggests that ground fog data are most useful for accurately mapping MCF.

The effects of Bi4Ti3O12 interfacial ferroelectric layer on the dielectric properties of Au/n-Si structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gökçen, Muharrem; Yıldırım, Mert

2015-06-01

Au/n-Si metal-semiconductor (MS) and Au/Bi4Ti3O12/n-Si metal-ferroelectric-semiconductor (MFS) structures were fabricated and admittance measurements were held between 5 kHz and 1 MHz at room temperature so that dielectric properties of these structures could be investigated. The ferroelectric interfacial layer Bi4Ti3O12 decreased the polarization voltage by providing permanent dipoles at metal/semiconductor interface. Depending on different mechanisms, dispersion behavior was observed in dielectric constant, dielectric loss and loss tangent versus bias voltage plots of both MS and MFS structures. The real and imaginary parts of complex modulus of MFS structure take smaller values than those of MS structure, because permanent dipoles in ferroelectric layer cause a large spontaneous polarization mechanism. While the dispersion in AC conductivity versus frequency plots of MS structure was observed at high frequencies, for MFS structure it was observed at lower frequencies.

Introduction to Fourier Optics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huggins, Elisha

2007-01-01

Much like a physical prism, which displays the frequency components of a light wave, Fourier analysis can be thought of as a mathematical prism that can tell us what harmonics or frequency components are contained in a recording of a sound wave. We wrote the MacScope II program so that the user could not only see a plot of the harmonic amplitudes…

Disturbance-driven Changes in Soil Exoenzyme Activity and Biogeochemistry of Colorado Forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lybrand, R. A.; Gallery, R. E.; Trahan, N. A.; Dynes, E.; Moore, D. J.

2015-12-01

Forest disturbances alter rates of organic matter decomposition by microbes, which introduces uncertainty to the fate of soil carbon and aboveground carbon stocks. Quantifying soil microbial response to disturbance will reduce this uncertainty in dynamic, heterogeneous ecosystems. Here, we assessed how potential exoenzyme activities and biogeochemistry vary across Colorado landscapes disturbed by insect, fire, and flooding. We sampled 56 plots that spanned a burn severity gradient following the 2012 High Park Fire and a beetle kill chronosequence. Topsoil biogeochemistry, potential exoenzyme activity, and microbial biomass were quantified within each plot, and for a subset of 16 plots visited before and after a 2014 rainfall event. Terrain variables were generated from a LiDAR-derived DTM. Our results documented a shift in exoenzyme activity that corresponded to fire-driven changes in pH, which averaged 4.8 ± 0.2 in unburned plots to 6.3 ± 0.4 in severe burn plots. Stepwise multiple linear regressions were employed to predict exoenzyme activity using principal components derived from biogeochemical and terrain variables. The models explained up to 50% of the variance in exoenzyme activity, with the strongest relationships identified for phosphatase and the carbon degrading enzymes, β-Glucosidase and 4-MUB-β-D-cellobioside. The unexplained variance may result from the legacy of disturbance across sites. For example, burned and unburned plots presented contrasting geochemical responses to the 2014 rainfall event. Specifically, PO43- did not differ significantly between the burned and unburned plots in the pre-flood soils. Interestingly, PO43- was significantly different between the two groups in the post-flood soils due to a decrease in PO43- at the unburned plots and a slight increase at the burned plots. Similar trends were recognized for DIN and NH4+ in the burned and unburned sites yet the beetle kill plots exhibited little geochemical response pre- and post-flood. Our results demonstrate that exoenzyme activities are controlled, in part, by topography and disturbance-driven changes in biogeochemistry. Future work will examine how microclimate and disturbance history, such as undocumented flood events, contribute to soil ecological and geochemical variability across complex terrain.

Impedance and electric modulus approaches to investigate four origins of giant dielectric constant in CaCu3Ti4O12 ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Wen-Xiang

2012-03-01

The frequency dependence of electric modulus of polycrystalline CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO) ceramics has been investigated. The experimental data have also been analyzed in the complex plane of impedance and electric modulus, and a suitable equivalent circuit has been proposed to explain the dielectric response. Four dielectric responses are first distinguished in the impedance and modulus spectroscopies. The results are well interpreted in terms of a triple insulating barrier capacitor model. Using this model, these four dielectric relaxations are attributed to the domain, domain-boundary, grain-boundary, and surface layer effects with three Maxwell-Wagner relaxations. Moreover, the values of the resistance and capacitance of bulk CCTO phase, domain-boundary, grain-boundary and surface layer contributions have been calculated directly from the peak characteristics of spectroscopic plots.

Use of prescribed burning for managing natural and historic resources in Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faulkner, Jerry L.; Clebsch, Edward E. C.; Sanders, William L.

1989-09-01

The purpose of this study was to provide the National Park Service with quantitative information regarding the effect of fire on fuel loads and pest species such as Lonicera japonica, Ligustrum sinense, and Rhus radicans. Three study areas of ten plots each were located in Chickamauga Battlefield Reservation of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. Fuel weights, aboveground biomass of honeysuckle, and counts of privet and poison ivy were collected both before and after prescribed fire. Additionally, one fourth of each of 14 plots was treated with glyphosate (tradename Roundup) to test for the use of fire as a herbicide pretreatment. This was a randomized block design with subsampling. Prescribed burning did significantly (α = 0.05) reduce fuel loads and the biomass of honeysuckle on burned plots. There was a statistically different response in fuel load reduction between fall and winter burns. Poison ivy significantly increased on burned plots, while privet counts did not vary significantly. Applications of glyphosate negatively impacted all three target species. Honeysuckle appeared to be damaged more readily on untreated plots, while no difference in response was noted on privet. Significantly more poison ivy growing points were killed by herbicide applications on burned plots than on unburned plots.

SHALLOW ELECTRON TRAPS IN SINGLE CRYSTALS OF RUTILE STUDIED BY X-RAY IRRADIATION USING LOW FREQUENCY DIELECTRIC MEASUREMENTS

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

Srivastava, K.G.

1962-04-01

Defect structure in single crystals of rutile was studied by dielectric measurements at 2 cps and above, before and after irradiation with hard x rays. The results were analyzed by a Cole-Cole plot, which is a circle with its cenier shifted away from the dielectric constant axis. X irradiation shifts the center of the Cole-Cole plot toward the dielectric constant axis, indicating a decrease in distribution of relaxation times by evacuation of electrons from their shallow traps, which after release produce interfacial polarization. An attempt was also made to calculate the a-c behavior from d-c data, but the errors atmore » frequencies of measurement were toe high, thus defying comparison with experimental data. (auth)« less

Frequency modulation television analysis: Distortion analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hodge, W. H.; Wong, W. H.

1973-01-01

Computer simulation is used to calculate the time-domain waveform of standard T-pulse-and-bar test signal distorted in passing through an FM television system. The simulator includes flat or preemphasized systems and requires specification of the RF predetection filter characteristics. The predetection filters are modeled with frequency-symmetric Chebyshev (0.1-db ripple) and Butterworth filters. The computer was used to calculate distorted output signals for sixty-four different specified systems, and the output waveforms are plotted for all sixty-four. Comparison of the plotted graphs indicates that a Chebyshev predetection filter of four poles causes slightly more signal distortion than a corresponding Butterworth filter and the signal distortion increases as the number of poles increases. An increase in the peak deviation also increases signal distortion. Distortion also increases with the addition of preemphasis.

Interpretation of concentration‐discharge patterns in acid‐neutralizing capacity during storm flow in three small, forested catchments in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rice, Karen C.; Chanat, Jeffrey G.; Hornberger, George M.; Webb, James R.

2004-01-01

Episodic concentration‐discharge (c‐Q) plots are a popular tool for interpreting the hydrochemical response of small, forested catchments. Application of the method involves assuming an underlying conceptual model of runoff processes and comparing observed c‐Q looping patterns with those predicted by the model. We analyzed and interpreted c‐Q plots of acid‐neutralizing capacity (ANC) for 133 storms collected over a 7‐year period from three catchments in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. Because of their underlying lithologies the catchments represent a gradient in both hydrologic and geochemical behavior, ranging from a flashy, acidic, poorly buffered catchment to a moderate, neutral, well‐buffered catchment. The relative frequency of observed anticlockwise c‐Q loops in each catchment decreased along this gradient. Discriminant function analysis indicated that prestorm base flow ANC was an important predictor of loop rotation direction; however, the strength of the predictive relationship decreased along the same gradient. The trends were consistent with several equally plausible three‐component mixing models. Uncertainty regarding end‐member timing and relative volume and possible time variation in end‐member concentrations were key factors precluding identification of a unique model. The inconclusive results obtained on this large data set suggest that identification of underlying runoff mechanisms on the basis of a small number of c‐Q plots without additional supporting evidence is likely to be misleading.

Estimation of spectral kurtosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutawanir

2017-03-01

Rolling bearings are the most important elements in rotating machinery. Bearing frequently fall out of service for various reasons: heavy loads, unsuitable lubrications, ineffective sealing. Bearing faults may cause a decrease in performance. Analysis of bearing vibration signals has attracted attention in the field of monitoring and fault diagnosis. Bearing vibration signals give rich information for early detection of bearing failures. Spectral kurtosis, SK, is a parameter in frequency domain indicating how the impulsiveness of a signal varies with frequency. Faults in rolling bearings give rise to a series of short impulse responses as the rolling elements strike faults, SK potentially useful for determining frequency bands dominated by bearing fault signals. SK can provide a measure of the distance of the analyzed bearings from a healthy one. SK provides additional information given by the power spectral density (psd). This paper aims to explore the estimation of spectral kurtosis using short time Fourier transform known as spectrogram. The estimation of SK is similar to the estimation of psd. The estimation falls in model-free estimation and plug-in estimator. Some numerical studies using simulations are discussed to support the methodology. Spectral kurtosis of some stationary signals are analytically obtained and used in simulation study. Kurtosis of time domain has been a popular tool for detecting non-normality. Spectral kurtosis is an extension of kurtosis in frequency domain. The relationship between time domain and frequency domain analysis is establish through power spectrum-autocovariance Fourier transform. Fourier transform is the main tool for estimation in frequency domain. The power spectral density is estimated through periodogram. In this paper, the short time Fourier transform of the spectral kurtosis is reviewed, a bearing fault (inner ring and outer ring) is simulated. The bearing response, power spectrum, and spectral kurtosis are plotted to visualize the pattern of each fault. Keywords: frequency domain Fourier transform, spectral kurtosis, bearing fault

Workplace statistical literacy for teachers: interpreting box plots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierce, Robyn; Chick, Helen

2013-06-01

As a consequence of the increased use of data in workplace environments, there is a need to understand the demands that are placed on users to make sense of such data. In education, teachers are being increasingly expected to interpret and apply complex data about student and school performance, and, yet it is not clear that they always have the appropriate knowledge and experience to interpret the graphs, tables and other data that they receive. This study examined the statistical literacy demands placed on teachers, with a particular focus on box plot representations. Although box plots summarise the data in a way that makes visual comparisons possible across sets of data, this study showed that teachers do not always have the necessary fluency with the representation to describe correctly how the data are distributed in the representation. In particular, a significant number perceived the size of the regions of the box plot to be depicting frequencies rather than density, and there were misconceptions associated with outlying data that were not displayed on the plot. As well, teachers' perceptions of box plots were found to relate to three themes: attitudes, perceived value and misconceptions.

Multiscale Poincaré plots for visualizing the structure of heartbeat time series.

PubMed

Henriques, Teresa S; Mariani, Sara; Burykin, Anton; Rodrigues, Filipa; Silva, Tiago F; Goldberger, Ary L

2016-02-09

Poincaré delay maps are widely used in the analysis of cardiac interbeat interval (RR) dynamics. To facilitate visualization of the structure of these time series, we introduce multiscale Poincaré (MSP) plots. Starting with the original RR time series, the method employs a coarse-graining procedure to create a family of time series, each of which represents the system's dynamics in a different time scale. Next, the Poincaré plots are constructed for the original and the coarse-grained time series. Finally, as an optional adjunct, color can be added to each point to represent its normalized frequency. We illustrate the MSP method on simulated Gaussian white and 1/f noise time series. The MSP plots of 1/f noise time series reveal relative conservation of the phase space area over multiple time scales, while those of white noise show a marked reduction in area. We also show how MSP plots can be used to illustrate the loss of complexity when heartbeat time series from healthy subjects are compared with those from patients with chronic (congestive) heart failure syndrome or with atrial fibrillation. This generalized multiscale approach to Poincaré plots may be useful in visualizing other types of time series.

Drought effects on soil CO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Straaten, O.; Veldkamp, E.; Köhler, M.; Anas, I.

2009-12-01

Climate change induced droughts pose a serious threat to ecosystems across the tropics and sub-tropics, particularly to those areas not adapted to natural dry periods. In order to study the vulnerability of cacao (Theobroma cacao) - Gliricidia sepium agroforestry plantations to droughts a large scale throughfall displacement roof was built in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. In this 19-month replicated experiment, we measured soil surface CO2 efflux (soil respiration) in three simulated drought plots compared with three adjacent control plots. Soil respiration rates peaked at intermediate soil moisture and decreased under increasingly dry conditions (drought induced), but also decreased when soils became water saturated, as evidenced in control plots. The simulated drought plots exhibited a slight decrease in soil respiration compared to the control plots (average 13% decrease). The strength of the drought effect was spatially variable - while some measurement chamber sites reacted strongly ("responsive") to the decrease in soil water content (up to R2=0.70) (n=11), others did not react at all ("non-responsive") (n=7). The degree of soil CO2 respiration drought response was highest around cacao tree stems and decreased with distance from the stem (R2=0.22). A significant correlation was measured between "responsive" soil respiration chamber sites and sap flux density ratios of cacao (R=0.61) and Gliricidia (R=0.65). Leaf litter CO2 respiration decreased as conditions became drier. During dry periods the litter layer contributed approximately 3-4% of the total CO2 efflux and up to 40% during wet periods. A CO2 flush was recorded during the rewetting phase that lasted for approximately two weeks, during which time accumulated labile carbon stocks mineralized. The net effect on soil CO2 emissions over the duration of the experiment was neutral, control plots respired 11.1±0.5 Mg C ha-1 yr-1, while roof plots respired 10.5±0.5 Mg C ha-1 yr-1.

Seasonal and annual changes in soil respiration in relation to soil temperature, water potential and trenching.

PubMed

Lavigne, M B; Foster, R J; Goodine, G

2004-04-01

Soil respiration (rs), soil temperature (Ts) and volumetric soil water content were measured in a balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) ecosystem from 1998 to 2001. Seasonal variation in root and microbial respiration, and covariation in abiotic factors confounded interpretation of the effects of Ts and soil water potential (Psis) on rs. To minimize the confounding effect of temperature, we analyzed the effect of Psis on rs during the summers of 1998-2000 when changes in Ts were slight. Soil respiration declined 25-50% in response to modest water stress (minimum Psis of -0.6 to -0.2 MPa), and between years, there was substantial variation in the relationship between rs and Psis. In the summer of 2000, 2-m2 plots were subjected to drought for 1 month and other plots were irrigated. The relationship between summertime rs and Psis in the experimental plots was similar to that estimated from the survey data obtained during the same summer. In late spring and early autumn of 2001, 2-m2 trenched and untrenched plots were subjected to drought or exposed to rainfall. It was dry in the early autumn and there was severe soil drying (Psis of -10 MPa in untrenched plots and -2 MPa in trenched plots). In spring, rs in untrenched plots responded more to modest water stress than rs in trenched plots, indicating that root respiration is more sensitive than microbial respiration to water stress at this time of year. The response to abiotic factors differed significantly between spring and autumn in untrenched plots but not in trenched plots, indicating that root activity was greater in early autumn than in late spring, and that roots acclimated to the sustained, severe water stress experienced before and during the autumn.

Dissociations of spatial congruence effects across response measures: an examination of delta plots.

PubMed

Miller, Jeff; Roüast, Nora M

2016-09-01

Spatial congruence ("Simon") effects on reaction time (RT) and response force (RF) were studied in two experiments requiring speeded choice responses to the color of a stimulus located irrelevantly to the left or right of fixation. In Experiment 1 with unimanual responses, both RT and incorrect-hand RF were sensitive to spatial congruence, and both showed larger Simon effects following a congruent trial than following an incongruent one. RT and incorrect-hand RF were dissociated in distributional (i.e., delta plot) analyses, however. As in previous studies, the Simon effect on RT was largest for the fastest responses and diminished as RT increased (i.e., decreasing delta plot). In contrast, Simon effects on RF did not decrease for slower responses; if anything, they increased slightly. In Experiment 2 participants made bimanual responses, allowing measurement of the spatial congruence effect for each trial. Responses were both faster and more forceful with the spatially congruent hand than with the spatially incongruent one, but neither of these effects decreased for slower responses. Overall, the results demonstrate that at least some motor-level effects of irrelevant spatial location persist for slower responses.

Effects of environmental change on plant species density: Comparing predictions with experiments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gough, L.; Grace, J.B.

1999-01-01

Ideally, general ecological relationships may be used to predict responses of natural communities to environmental change, but few attempts have been made to determine the reliability of predictions based on descriptive data. Using a previously published structural equation model (SEM) of descriptive data from a coastal marsh landscape, we compared these predictions against observed changes in plant species density resulting from field experiments (manipulations of soil fertility, flooding, salinity, and mammalian herbivory) in two areas within the same marsh. In general, observed experimental responses were fairly consistent with predictions. The largest discrepancy occurred when sods were transplanted from high- to low-salinity sites and herbivores selectively consumed a particularly palatable plant species in the transplanted sods. Individual plot responses to some treatments were predicted more accurately than others. Individual fertilized plot responses were not consistent with predictions (P > 0.05), nor were fenced plots (herbivore exclosures; R2 = 0.15) compared to unfenced plots (R2 = 0.53). For the remaining treatments, predictions reasonably matched responses (R2 = 0.63). We constructed an SEM for the experimental data; it explained 60% of the variance in species density and showed that fencing and fertilization led to decreases in species density that were not predicted from treatment effects on community biomass or observed disturbance levels. These treatments may have affected the ratio of live to dead biomass, and competitive exclusion likely decreased species density in fenced and fertilized plots. We conclude that experimental validation is required to determine the predictive value of comparative relationships derived from descriptive data.

Plasma contactor research - 1991

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buchholtz, Brett; Williams, John D.; Wilbur, Paul J.

1992-01-01

A report describing the operating principles of hollow-cathode-based plasma contactors emitting or collecting electrons from an ambient plasma is summarized. Preliminary experiments conducted to determine the noise generated by these plasma contactors in the emission-current return line and in the plasma near it are described. These noise data are measured as current fluctuations in the return line and to the Langmuir probe and then analyzed using a fast Fourier transform technique. The spectral compositions of the data are characterized using power spectral density plots which are examined to identify possible noise source(s) and production mechanism(s). The precautions taken in the construction and calibration of the instrumentation to assure adequate frequency response are described. Experimental results show that line-current noise levels are typically 2 percent of the electron current being emitted or collected. However, noise levels increase to as much as 20 percent of the electron current at a few electron-collection operating conditions. The frequencies associated with most of the noise were harmonics of the 60 Hz input to system power supplies. Plasma noise had characteristics similar in magnitude and frequency to those for the return-line noise, but they contained additional features at frequencies considered to be related to ion-acoustic instabilities. Also discussed is a new probe positioning system built to facilitate future plasma-contractor research.

[Objective study of the voice quality following partial laryngectomy].

PubMed

Remacle, M; Millet, B

1991-01-01

The high resolution frequency analyzer is used for the study of the vocal quality after partial laryngectomy. The post-operative plot after speech therapy is of good quality when respecting one vocal fold. On the contrary, the heard vocal sound does not correspond to the harmonics of the fundamental frequency but to intense noise from irregular vibrations of the residual laryngeal mucosa (ventricular folds, arytenoids). High resolution frequency analysis contributes to the follow-up of the partial laryngectomy.

Real-time complication monitoring in pediatric cardiac surgery.

PubMed

Belliveau, Daniel; Burton, Hayley J; O'Blenes, Stacy B; Warren, Andrew E; Hancock Friesen, Camille L

2012-11-01

As overall mortality rates have fallen in pediatric cardiac surgical procedures, complication monitoring is becoming an increasingly important metric of patient outcome. Currently there is no standardized method available to monitor severity-adjusted complications in congenital cardiac surgical procedures. Complications associated with pediatric cardiac surgical procedures were prospectively collected from consecutive cases in a single pediatric cardiac surgical unit from October 1, 2009 to September 31, 2011. Complications were accounted for by frequency and severity and then stratified by surgical complexity, using the Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery (RACHS) method, giving an average morbidity burden per RACHS category. "Expected" morbidity burden for each RACHS category was derived from year 1 (2009-2010) data. Observed minus expected (O:E) plots were then generated for the entire series of complications from year 2 (2010-2011) data. Separate O:E plots were also created for 5 complication classes and monitored for increases. There were 181 index surgical procedures performed in 178 patients. Two hundred and seventeen complications occurred in 80 procedures. The frequency and severity of complications increased with surgical complexity. The overall O:E plot was flagged twice for unanticipated increases in severity-adjusted complications. When the class-specific O:E plots were monitored for increases, the overall flags were found to originate from increased rates of infections and cardiac/operative complications. The O:E plot provides a simple and effective system to monitor complication rates over time based on severity-adjusted complication data. Grouping complications into classes allows us to identify specific subsets of complications that can be focused on to improve patient outcomes. Copyright © 2012 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of photochemical oxidants on radial growth increment for five species of conifers in the San Bernardino National Forest

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

Ohmart, C.P.; Williams, C.B. Jr.

1979-12-01

Conifers on six vegetation plots - two sustaining severe visual oxidant injury to coniferous tree foliage, two exhibiting moderate foliar injury, and two indicating slight or no injury to foliage - were examined for loss of radial growth increment due to oxidant exposure in the San Bernardino National Forest. Five coniferous species were examined: Pinus ponderosa, P. jeffreyi, P. lambertiana, Abies concolor, and Libocedrus decurrens. P. ponderosa and A. concolor growing on the two heavily injured plots showed significant reductions in radial growth increment, whereas L. decurrens showed no response. P. jeffreyi and P. lambertiana did not occur on themore » heavily injured plots. Conifers on the other four plots exhibited no growth response to oxidant exposure. 7 references, 6 figures, 1 table.« less

Species-specific transpiration responses to intermediate disturbance in a northern hardwood forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matheny, Ashley M.; Bohrer, Gil; Vogel, Christoph S.; Morin, Timothy H.; He, Lingli; Frasson, Renato Prata de Moraes; Mirfenderesgi, Golnazalsadat; Schäfer, Karina V. R.; Gough, Christopher M.; Ivanov, Valeriy Y.; Curtis, Peter S.

2014-12-01

Intermediate disturbances shape forest structure and composition, which may in turn alter carbon, nitrogen, and water cycling. We used a large-scale experiment in a forest in northern lower Michigan where we prescribed an intermediate disturbance by stem girdling all canopy-dominant early successional trees to simulate an accelerated age-related senescence associated with natural succession. Using 3 years of eddy covariance and sap flux measurements in the disturbed area and an adjacent control plot, we analyzed disturbance-induced changes to plot level and species-specific transpiration and stomatal conductance. We found transpiration to be 15% lower in disturbed plots than in unmanipulated control plots. However, species-specific responses to changes in microclimate varied. While red oak and white pine showed increases in stomatal conductance during postdisturbance (62.5 and 132.2%, respectively), red maple reduced stomatal conductance by 36.8%. We used the hysteresis between sap flux and vapor pressure deficit to quantify diurnal hydraulic stress incurred by each species in both plots. Red oak, a ring porous anisohydric species, demonstrated the largest mean relative hysteresis, while red maple, bigtooth aspen, and paper birch, all diffuse porous species, had the lowest relative hysteresis. We employed the Penman-Monteith model for LE to demonstrate that these species-specific responses to disturbance are not well captured using current modeling strategies and that accounting for changes to leaf area index and plot microclimate are insufficient to fully describe the effects of disturbance on transpiration.

Effects of monsoon precipitation variability on the physiological response of two dominant C₄ grasses across a semiarid ecotone.

PubMed

Thomey, Michell L; Collins, Scott L; Friggens, Michael T; Brown, Renee F; Pockman, William T

2014-11-01

For the southwestern United States, climate models project an increase in extreme precipitation events and prolonged dry periods. While most studies emphasize plant functional type response to precipitation variability, it is also important to understand the physiological characteristics of dominant plant species that define plant community composition and, in part, regulate ecosystem response to climate change. We utilized rainout shelters to alter the magnitude and frequency of rainfall and measured the physiological response of the dominant C4 grasses, Bouteloua eriopoda and Bouteloua gracilis. We hypothesized that: (1) the more drought-adapted B. eriopoda would exhibit faster recovery and higher rates of leaf-level photosynthesis (A(net)) than B. gracilis, (2) A(net) would be greater under the higher average soil water content in plots receiving 30-mm rainfall events, (3) co-dominance of B. eriopoda and B. gracilis in the ecotone would lead to intra-specific differences from the performance of each species at the site where it was dominant. Throughout the study, soil moisture explained 40-70% of the variation in A(net). Consequently, differences in rainfall treatments were not evident from intra-specific physiological function without sufficient divergence in soil moisture. Under low frequency, larger rainfall events B. gracilis exhibited improved water status and longer periods of C gain than B. eriopoda. Results from this study indicate that less frequent and larger rainfall events could provide a competitive advantage to B. gracilis and influence species composition across this arid-semiarid grassland ecotone.

Severe Drought Constrains Seedling and Sapling Growth in a Puerto Rican Tropical Rainforest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alonso-Rodríguez, A. M.; Reed, S.; Cavaleri, M. A.; Uriarte, M.; Carter, K.; Bachelot, B.; Wood, T. E.

2016-12-01

Global climate change is expected to cause a significant increase in the frequency and severity of extreme climatic events such as droughts and floods. Nevertheless, the potential impacts of these events are poorly understood for tropical forest ecosystems. For Puerto Rico, 2015 was the 6th driest year on record with below average precipitation from April through September, with peak drought conditions occurring in July. Associated reductions in soil moisture persisted for several months after rain resumed. Given that water availability is known to be an important factor regulating the success of tropical seedlings, we evaluated the effects of this drought on the mortality, growth and species composition of woody understory vegetation in a wet tropical forest in Puerto Rico. Seedlings and saplings were monitored within six 12m2 plots, which are part of a field warming experiment (Tropical Responses to Altered Climate Experiment [TRACE]) designed to warm understory plants and soils by 4°C above ambient temperatures. For this study, all plots were considered replicates since measurements were made during the pre-treatment phase of the experiment. The first census was conducted during the drought (May-June 2015), and the individuals were reassessed in November 2015 and June 2016. Comparisons between the two time periods, drought (Jun2015-Nov2015) and post-drought (Nov2015-Jun2016), revealed significant differences for overall growth rates, which were lower during the drought period, but no differences in mortality, abundance, diversity or species composition. Further analyses were conducted for the most dominant species to elucidate their particular responses to drought and if these responses were related to functional traits. Our results suggest that tropical forest seedlings and saplings may limit their growth during drought conditions, and then quickly recover when conditions return to normal. This relatively rapid recovery suggests that Puerto Rican rainforest seedlings may possess a greater resistance to drought than what has been documented for other tropical regions. Future research in these plots will assess the role of experimental warming on the success, growth, and resilience of tropical forest seedlings in the context of a changing climate.

Size and frequency of natural forest disturbances and the Amazon forest carbon balance

Treesearch

F.D.B. Espirito-Santo; M. Gloor; M. Keller; Y. Malhi; S. Saatchi; B. Nelson; R.C. Oliveira Junior; C. Pereira; J. Lloyd; S. Frolking; M. Palace; Y.E. Shimabukuro; V. Duarte; A. Monteagudo Mendoza; G. Lopez-Gonzalez; T.R. Baker; T.R. Feldpausch; R.J.W. Brienen; G.P. Asner; D.S. Boyd; O.L. Phillips

2014-01-01

Forest inventory studies in the Amazon indicate a large terrestrial carbon sink. However, field plots may fail to represent forest mortality processes at landscape-scales of tropical forests. Here we characterize the frequency distribution of disturbance events in natural forests from 0.01 ha to 2,651 ha size throughout Amazonia using a novel...

Low-Speed Wind Tunnel Flow Quality Determination

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

Traverse Motor The traverse motor for the BiSlide is a NEMA Type 34D, Slo-Syn® stepper motor, allowing the operator to position items in the test... norm (w1)^2/sum(w1)^2,’k’); %% plot on log-log scale ylabel(‘RMS Power/Frequency (V^2)’) xlabel(‘Frequency (Hz)’) title(‘Power Spectrum’) end

Signal analysis by means of time-frequency (Wigner-type) distributions -- Applications to sonar and radar echoes

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

Gaunaurd, G.; Strifors, H.C.

1996-09-01

Time series data have been traditionally analyzed in either the time or the frequency domains. For signals with a time-varying frequency content, the combined time-frequency (TF) representations, based on the Cohen class of (generalized) Wigner distributions (WD`s) offer a powerful analysis tool. Using them, it is possible to: (1) trace the time-evolution of the resonance features usually present in a standard sonar cross section (SCS), or in a radar cross section (RCS) and (2) extract target information that may be difficult to even notice in an ordinary SCS or RCS. After a brief review of the fundamental properties of themore » WD, the authors discuss ways to reduce or suppress the cross term interference that appears in the WD of multicomponent systems. These points are illustrated with a variety of three-dimensional (3-D) plots of Wigner and pseudo-Wigner distributions (PWD), in which the strength of the distribution is depicted as the height of a Wigner surface with height scales measured by various color shades or pseudocolors. The authors also review studies they have made of the echoes returned by conducting or dielectric targets in the atmosphere, when they are illuminated by broadband radar pings. A TF domain analysis of these impulse radar returns demonstrates their superior informative content. These plots allow the identification of targets in an easier and clearer fashion than by the conventional RCS of narrowband systems. The authors show computed and measured plots of WD and PWD of various types of aircraft to illustrate the classification advantages of the approach at any aspect angle. They also show analogous results for metallic objects buried underground, in dielectric media, at various depths.« less

Cutoffs of Short-Term Heart Rate Variability Parameters in Brazilian Adolescents Male.

PubMed

Farah, Breno Quintella; Christofaro, Diego Giulliano Destro; Cavalcante, Bruno Remígio; Andrade-Lima, Aluísio; Germano-Soares, Antonio Henrique; Vanderlei, Luiz Carlos Marques; Lanza, Fernanda Cordoba; Ritti-Dias, Raphael Mendes

2018-05-15

A low heart rate variability (HRV) has been associated with cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents. However, no cut-off points are known for HRV parameters in this age group, making it difficult to use in clinical practice. Thus, the aims of the current study were to establish cutoffs of HRV parameters and to examine their association with cardiovascular risk in Brazilian adolescents male. For this reason, this cross-sectional study included 1152 adolescent boys (16.6 ± 1.2 years old). HRV measures of time (SD of all RR intervals, root mean square of the squared differences between adjacent normal RR intervals, and the percentage of adjacent intervals over 50 ms), frequency domains [low (LF) and high (HF) frequency], and Poincaré plot (SD1, SD2 and SD1/SD2 ratio) were assessed. Cardiovascular risk was assessed by sum of abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, overweight, and low physical activity level. The proposed cutoffs showed moderate to high sensitivity, specificity, and area under curve values (p < 0.05). HRV frequency parameters were statistically superior when compared to time-domain and Poincaré plot parameters. The binary logistic regression analysis indicated that all proposed HRV cutoffs were independently associated with a clustering of cardiovascular risk factors, with greater magnitude of HF and SD1/SD2 ratio (two or more risk factors: OR = 3.59 and 95% CI 1.76-7.34). In conclusion, proposed HRV cutoffs have moderate to high sensitivity in detecting of the cardiovascular risk factor and HRV frequency-domain were better discriminants of cardiovascular risk than time-domain and Poincaré plot parameters.

Calibration of multivariate scatter plots for exploratory analysis of relations within and between sets of variables in genomic research.

PubMed

Graffelman, Jan; van Eeuwijk, Fred

2005-12-01

The scatter plot is a well known and easily applicable graphical tool to explore relationships between two quantitative variables. For the exploration of relations between multiple variables, generalisations of the scatter plot are useful. We present an overview of multivariate scatter plots focussing on the following situations. Firstly, we look at a scatter plot for portraying relations between quantitative variables within one data matrix. Secondly, we discuss a similar plot for the case of qualitative variables. Thirdly, we describe scatter plots for the relationships between two sets of variables where we focus on correlations. Finally, we treat plots of the relationships between multiple response and predictor variables, focussing on the matrix of regression coefficients. We will present both known and new results, where an important original contribution concerns a procedure for the inclusion of scales for the variables in multivariate scatter plots. We provide software for drawing such scales. We illustrate the construction and interpretation of the plots by means of examples on data collected in a genomic research program on taste in tomato.

Measurement of surface water runoff from plots of two different sizes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joel, Abraham; Messing, Ingmar; Seguel, Oscar; Casanova, Manuel

2002-05-01

Intensities and amounts of water infiltration and runoff on sloping land are governed by the rainfall pattern and soil hydraulic conductivity, as well as by the microtopography and soil surface conditions. These components are closely interrelated and occur simultaneously, and their particular contribution may change during a rainfall event, or their effects may vary at different field scales. The scale effect on the process of infiltration/runoff was studied under natural field and rainfall conditions for two plot sizes: small plots of 0·25 m2 and large plots of 50 m2. The measurements were carried out in the central region of Chile in a piedmont most recently used as natural pastureland. Three blocks, each having one large plot and five small plots, were established. Cumulative rainfall and runoff quantities were sampled every 5 min. Significant variations in runoff responses to rainfall rates were found for the two plot sizes. On average, large plots yielded only 40% of runoff quantities produced on small plots per unit area. This difference between plot sizes was observed even during periods of continuous runoff.

Effectiveness of Conservation Measures in Reducing Runoff and Soil Loss Under Different Magnitude-Frequency Storms at Plot and Catchment Scales in the Semi-arid Agricultural Landscape.

PubMed

Zhu, T X

2016-03-01

In this study, multi-year stormflow data collected at both catchment and plot scales on an event basis were used to evaluate the efficiency of conservation. At the catchment scale, soil loss from YDG, an agricultural catchment with no conservation measures, was compared with that from CZG, an agricultural catchment with an implementation of a range of conservation measures. With an increase of storm recurrence intervals in the order of <1, 1-2, 2-5, 5-10, 10-20, and >20 years, the mean event sediment yield was 639, 1721, 5779, 15191, 19627, and 47924 t/km(2) in YDG, and was 244, 767, 3077, 4679, 8388, and 15868 t/km(2) in CZG, which represented a reduction effectiveness of 61.8, 55.4, 46.7, 69.2, 57.2, and 66.8 %, respectively. Storm events with recurrence intervals greater than 2 years contributed about two-thirds of the total runoff and sediment in both YDG and CZG catchments. At the plot scale, soil loss from one cultivated slopeland was compared with that from five conservation plots. The mean event soil loss was 1622 t/km(2) on the cultivated slopeland, in comparison to 27.7 t/km(2) on the woodland plot, 213 t/km(2) on the grassland plot, 467 t/km(2) on the alfalfa plot, 236 t/km(2) on the terraceland plot, and 642 t/km(2) on the earthbank plot. Soil loss per unit area from all the plots was significantly less than that from the catchments for storms of all categories of recurrence intervals.

Modal Damping Ratio and Optimal Elastic Moduli of Human Body Segments for Anthropometric Vibratory Model of Standing Subjects.

PubMed

Gupta, Manoj; Gupta, T C

2017-10-01

The present study aims to accurately estimate inertial, physical, and dynamic parameters of human body vibratory model consistent with physical structure of the human body that also replicates its dynamic response. A 13 degree-of-freedom (DOF) lumped parameter model for standing person subjected to support excitation is established. Model parameters are determined from anthropometric measurements, uniform mass density, elastic modulus of individual body segments, and modal damping ratios. Elastic moduli of ellipsoidal body segments are initially estimated by comparing stiffness of spring elements, calculated from a detailed scheme, and values available in literature for same. These values are further optimized by minimizing difference between theoretically calculated platform-to-head transmissibility ratio (TR) and experimental measurements. Modal damping ratios are estimated from experimental transmissibility response using two dominant peaks in the frequency range of 0-25 Hz. From comparison between dynamic response determined form modal analysis and experimental results, a set of elastic moduli for different segments of human body and a novel scheme to determine modal damping ratios from TR plots, are established. Acceptable match between transmissibility values calculated from the vibratory model and experimental measurements for 50th percentile U.S. male, except at very low frequencies, establishes the human body model developed. Also, reasonable agreement obtained between theoretical response curve and experimental response envelop for average Indian male, affirms the technique used for constructing vibratory model of a standing person. Present work attempts to develop effective technique for constructing subject specific damped vibratory model based on its physical measurements.

Analyzing Radio-Frequency Coverage for the ISS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bolen, Steven M.; Sham, Catherine C.

2007-01-01

The Interactive Coverage Analysis Tool (iCAT) is an interactive desktop computer program serving to (1) support planning of coverage, and management of usage of frequencies, of current and proposed radio communication systems on and near the International Space Station (ISS) and (2) enable definition of requirements for development of future such systems. The iCAT can also be used in design trade studies for other (both outer-space and terrestrial) communication systems. A user can enter the parameters of a communication-system link budget in a table in a worksheet. The nominal (onaxis) link values for the bit-to-noise-energy ratio, received isotropic power (RIP), carrier-to-noise ratio (C/N), power flux density (PFD), and link margin of the system are calculated and displayed in the table. Plots of field gradients for the RIP, C/N, PFD, and link margin are constructed in an ISS coordinate system, at a specified link range, for both the forward and return link parameters, and are displayed in worksheets. The forward and reverse link antenna gain patterns are also constructed and displayed. Line-of-sight (LOS) obstructions can be both incorporated into the gradient plots and displayed on separate plots.

The presence of two electron beams in a Cherenkov maser and their different behavior for generation and amplification of THz electromagnetic waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hajijamali-Arani, Zeinab; Jazi, Bahram

2017-04-01

The wave propagation in a cylindrical metallic waveguide including a dielectric tube is investigated. Two electron beams with opposite velocities are injected in the system as energy sources. It is shown that one of the electron beams is responsible for Cherenkov radiation, the other one is as the stabilizer. The dispersion relation of the waves, impedance of the waves, operating frequency of the system and time growth rate of THz waves are investigated. The effects of relative permittivity constant of dielectric tube, the geometrical dimensions, and the accelerating voltage on time growth rate are investigated. The effective factors on the frequency spectra of the waveguide will be presented too. It is obtained that the time growth rate of the waves increases with increasing the dielectric permittivity and thickness of the dielectric tube. In addition, with increasing the accelerating voltage the time growth rate has opposite behavior in some of the branches of the dispersion graphs. The power obtained in the excitation process for one branch of the dispersion graphs is presented. The graph of variations of transported power with respect to the wave frequency is plotted.

CO2 and CH4 Fluxes across Polygon Geomorphic Types, Barrow, Alaska, 2006-2010

DOE Data Explorer

Tweedie,Craig; Lara, Mark

2014-09-17

Carbon flux data are reported as Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE), Gross Ecosystem Exchange (GEE), Ecosystem Respiration (ER), and Methane (CH4) flux. Measurements were made at 82 plots across various polygon geomorphic classes at research sites on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO), the Biocomplexity Experiment site on the BEO, and the International Biological Program (IBP) site a little west of the BEO. This product is a compilation of data from 27 plots as presented in Lara et al. (2012), data from six plots presented in Olivas et al. (2010); and from 49 plots described in (Lara et al. 2014). Measurements were made during the peak of the growing seasons during 2006 to 2010. At each of the measurement plots (except Olivas et al., 2010) four different thicknesses of shade cloth were used to generate CO2 light response curves. Light response curves were used to normalize photosynthetically active radiation that is diurnally variable to a peak growing season average ~400 umolm-2sec-1. At the Olivas et al. (2010) plots, diurnal patterns were characterized by repeated sampling. CO2 measurements were made using a closed-chamber photosynthesis system and CH4 measurements were made using a photo-acoustic multi-gas analyzer. In addition, plot-level measurements for thaw depth (TD), water table depth (WTD), leaf area index (LAI), and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) are summarized by geomorphic polygon type.

Responses of small mammals to coarse woody debris in a southeastern pine forest

Treesearch

Susan C. Loeb

1999-01-01

The importance of coarse woody debris (CWD) to small mammals in a managed pine forest in South Carolina was tested experimentally during summer and autumn 1990 and winter and spring 1991-1994. Abundance and demographics of small mammals were compared between plots with abundant CWD created by a tornado (unsalvaged plots) and plots where tornado-created CWD had been...

Electroactive fluorinate-based polymers: Ferroelectric and dielectric properties

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

Yu Zhi; Chen Ang; Department of Physics and Department of Chemistry, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325

2004-12-15

The dielectric, ferroelectric, and electroactive strain behavior of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) copolymers and poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene) terpolymers is studied in a wide temperature and frequency range. The dielectric response from two dielectric polarization processes, modes A(A{sup '}) and B, and the dielectric-background contribution can be identified for these polymers by using the Cole-Cole plot method. Therefore physically reasonable parameters are obtained by fitting the relaxation time to the Vogel-Fulcher relation. On the other hand, the dielectric relaxation step and high strain decrease simultaneously with decreasing temperature; this indicates that the dielectric relaxation process and high strain behavior are strongly correlated. The electron-irradiationmore » effect in copolymers and the monomer effect in terpolymers are discussed.« less

Investigating the Impact of Wind Turbines on Distribution System Stability

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

Jain, Rishabh; Zhang, Yingchen; Hodge, Bri-Mathias

Modern wind turbines utilize power electronic converters to regulate their output and optimize their performance. Their impact on the distribution system is not as well understood as for transmission system. The novelty of this work is in studying the impact of wind turbines given its proximity to faults or severe voltage events, and the influence on system stability given its location relative to the substation (representing the conventional grid). This paper presents the frequency and voltage swing plots for various study scenarios. The responses are analyzed two fold - Steady state operation, and performance given a fault or voltage eventsmore » occurs in the system. The findings are presented, with crucial differences from transmission systems highlighted.« less

Squeezing Alters Frequency Tuning of WGM Optical Resonator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mohageg, Makan; Maleki, Lute

2010-01-01

Mechanical squeezing has been found to alter the frequency tuning of a whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) optical resonator that has an elliptical shape and is made of lithium niobate. It may be possible to exploit this effect to design reconfigurable optical filters for optical communications and for scientific experiments involving quantum electrodynamics. Some background information is prerequisite to a meaningful description of the squeezing-induced alteration of frequency tuning: The spectrum of a WGM resonator is represented by a comblike plot of intensity versus frequency. Each peak of the comblike plot corresponds to an electromagnetic mode represented by an integer mode number, and the modes are grouped into sets represented by integer mode indices. Because lithium niobate is an electro-optically active material, the WGM resonator can be tuned (that is, the resonance frequencies can be shifted) by applying a suitable bias potential. The frequency shift of each mode is quantified by a tuning rate defined as the ratio between the frequency shift and the applied potential. In the absence of squeezing, all modes exhibit the same tuning rate. This concludes the background information. It has been demonstrated experimentally that when the resonator is squeezed along part of either of its two principal axes, tuning rates differ among the groups of modes represented by different indices (see figure). The differences in tuning rates could be utilized to configure the resonance spectrum to obtain a desired effect; for example, through a combination of squeezing and electrical biasing, two resonances represented by different mode indices could be set at a specified frequency difference something that could not be done through electrical biasing alone.

The Sweetness of Aspartame: A Biochemistry Lab for Health Science Chemistry Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stein, Paul J.

1997-09-01

A laboratory exercise for Health Science Biochemistry students to study the effect of aspartame concentration on sweetness has been developed. The concentration dependence of the absorbance of aspartame at 257 nm is also studied. Data from all members of the class are averaged and plotted on the same graph as absorbance and taste rating vs. [aspartame]. The absorbance plot follows Beer's law while the taste rating plot displays the typical hyperbolic response of protein-ligand binding plots. This laboratory exercise illustrates the concept of binding saturation to students.

Microwave Comb Generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sigman, E. H.

1989-01-01

Stable reference tones aid testing and calibration of microwave receivers. Signal generator puts out stable tones in frequency range of 2 to 10 GHz at all multiples of reference input frequency, at any frequency up to 1 MHz. Called "comb generator" because spectral plot resembles comb. DC reverse-bias current switched on and off at 1 MHz to generate sharp pulses in step-recovery diode. Microwave components mounted on back of special connector containing built-in attenuator. Used in testing microwave and spread-spectrum wide-band receivers.

Young Investigator Program: Modular Paradigm for Scalable Quantum Information

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-04

For comparison, we plot the time required with direct driving (green lines) with bare Rabi frequencies 20 and 100kHz, when the electronic spin in state...from the NV center. Note that virtual transition of the electronic spin in the ms = 0 manifold result in a decrease of the effective Rabi frequency...strength [17–19]. This nuclear Rabi enhancement depends on the state of the electronic spin. The effective Rabi frequency Ω for an isolated nuclear spin

Short-term cropland responses to temperature extreme events during late winter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Simon, G.; Alberti, G.; Delle Vedove, G.; Peressotti, A.; Zaldei, A.; Miglietta, F.

2013-08-01

In recent years, several studies have focused on terrestrial ecosystem response to extreme events. Most of this research has been conducted in natural ecosystems, but few have considered agroecosystems. In this study, we investigated the impact of a manipulated warmer or cooler late winter/early spring on the carbon budget and final harvest of a soybean crop (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). Soil temperature was altered by manipulating soil albedo by covering the soil surface with a layer of inert silica gravel. We tested three treatments - cooling (Co), warming (W), mix (M) - and control (C). An automated system continuously measured soil heterotrophic respiration (Rh), soil temperature profiles, and soil water content across the entire year in each plot. Phenological phases were periodically assessed and final harvest was measured in each plot. Results showed that treatments had only a transient effect on daily Rh rates, which did not result in a total annual carbon budget significantly different from control, even though cooling showed a significant reduction in final harvest. We also observed anticipation in emergence in both W and M treatments and a delay in emergence for Co. Moreover, plant density and growth increased in W and M and decreased in Co. In conclusion, from the results of our experiment we can assert that an increase in the frequency of both heat and cold waves is unlikely to have large effects on the overall annual carbon balance of irrigated croplands.

Determining density of maize canopy. 3: Temporal considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoner, E. R.; Baumgardner, M. F.; Anuta, P. E.; Cipra, J. E.

1972-01-01

Multispectral scanner data were collected in two flights over ground cover plots at an altitude of 305 m. Eight ground reflectance panels in close proximity to the ground cover plots were used to normalize the scanner data obtained on different dates. Separate prediction equations were obtained for both flight dates for all eleven reflective wavelength bands of the multispectral scanner. Ratios of normalized scanner data were related to leaf area index over time. Normalized scanner data were used to plot relative reflectance versus wavelength for the ground cover plots. Spectral response curves were similar to those for bare soil and green vegetation as determined by laboratory measurements. The spectral response curves from the normalized scanner data indicated that reflectance in the 0.72 to 1.3 micron wavelength range increased as leaf area index increased. A decrease in reflectance was observed in the 0.65 micron chlorophyll absorption band as leaf area index increased.

Tree species' responses to throughfall removal experiments superimposed on a natural drought event in two contrasting humid temperate forests in New Hampshire, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jennings, Katie; McIntire, Cameron; Coble, Adam; Vandeboncoeur, Matthew; Rustad, Lindsay; Templer, Pamela; Absbjornsen, Heidi

2017-04-01

Climate change is likely to affect Northeastern U.S. forests through the increased frequency and severity of drought events. However, our understanding of how these humid temperate forests will respond to moderate to extreme droughts is limited. Given the important role that these forests play in providing ecosystem services and in supplying forest products, enhancing our knowledge about the impacts of drought is critical to guiding forest management and climate change adaptation efforts. We conducted 50% throughfall removal experiments at two contrasting sites in the Northeastern US (Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest and Thompson Farm, NH, USA), which were superimposed on the severe natural drought occurring in August-September 2016. Preliminary analysis suggests that the two sites respond differently to simulated drought. Pinus strobus trees at Thompson Farm reduced their transpiration rates in response to both the natural and experimental drought, particularly evident during a 5-day period at the height of the drought were transpiration nearly ceased. Both P. strobus and Quercus rubra trees increased their water use efficiency in response to reduced soil water availability, with Q. rubra allowing its midday water potential to reach more negative values, consistent with its more drought tolerant strategy compared to P. strobus. In contrast, we did not detect any significant differences in tree transpiration rates or growth in the dominant tree species, Acer rubrum, in response to the experimental drought treatment at Hubbard Brook. However, both soil respiration and fine root biomass production were lower in the drought treatment plots relative to the control plots at Hubbard Brook. We plan to continue these throughfall removal experiments for at least two more years to better understand the implications of future drought in these humid temperate forests and identify differences in species' physiological adaptations and threshold responses.

Does drought legacy alter the recovery of grassland carbon dynamics from drought?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahn, M.; Hasibeder, R.; Fuchslueger, L.; Ingrisch, J.; Ladreiter-Knauss, T.; Lair, G.; Reinthaler, D.; Richter, A.; Kaufmann, R.

2016-12-01

Climate projections suggest an increase in the frequency and the severity of extreme climatic events, such as droughts, with consequences for the carbon cycle and its feedbacks to the climate system. An important implication of increasing drought frequency is that possible legacies of previous droughts may increasingly affect ecosystem responses to new drought events, though this has been rarely tested. Based on a series of severe experimental droughts performed during nine subsequent years on a mountain grassland in the Austrian Alps, we present evidence of effects of drought legacies on the recovery of grassland carbon dynamics from drought and analyse the underlying mechanisms. Both single and recurrent droughts led to increased aboveground productivity during drought recovery relative to control plots, favoring the biomass production and leaf area of grass species more strongly than of forbs. Belowground productivity was significantly increased during recovery. This led to higher total root length, even though specific root length was strongly reduced during recovery, particularly after recurrent drought events. Following rewetting, the temperature dependence of soil respiration was increasingly diminished and the Birch effect declined with progressive recurrence of droughts. This was paralleled by a change in soil aggregate stability and soil porosity in plots repeatedly exposed to drought. Pulse-labelling experiments revealed effects of drought legacy on plant carbon uptake and belowground allocation and altered microbial turnover of recent plant-derived carbon during and after a subsequent drought. Shifts in tissue nitrogen concentration indicate that drought effects on soil nitrogen turnover and availability could play an important role in the recovery of grassland carbon dynamics following both single and recurrent droughts. In conclusion, drought legacies can alter the recovery of grassland carbon dynamics from drought, the effects increasing with increasing drought frequency and involving changes in both plant functional composition and soil structure and processes.

Does drought legacy alter the recovery of grassland carbon dynamics from drought?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahn, Michael; Hasibeder, Roland; Fuchslueger, Lucia; Ingrisch, Johannes; Ladreiter-Knauss, Thomas; Lair, Georg; Reinthaler, David; Richter, Andreas; Kaufmann, Rüdiger

2017-04-01

Climate projections suggest an increase in the frequency and the severity of extreme climatic events, such as droughts, with consequences for the carbon cycle and its feedbacks to the climate system. An important implication of increasing drought frequency is that possible legacies of previous droughts may increasingly affect ecosystem responses to new drought events, though this has been rarely tested. Based on a series of severe experimental droughts performed during nine subsequent years on a mountain grassland in the Austrian Alps, we present evidence of effects of drought legacies on the recovery of grassland carbon dynamics from drought and analyse the underlying mechanisms. Both single and recurrent droughts led to increased aboveground productivity during drought recovery relative to control plots, favoring the biomass production and leaf area of grass species more strongly than of forbs. Belowground productivity was significantly increased during recovery. This led to higher total root length, even though specific root length was strongly reduced during recovery, particularly after recurrent drought events. Following rewetting, the temperature dependence of soil respiration was increasingly diminished and the Birch effect declined with progressive recurrence of droughts. This was paralleled by a change in soil aggregate stability and soil porosity in plots repeatedly exposed to drought. Isotopic pulse-labelling experiments revealed effects of drought legacy on plant carbon uptake and belowground allocation and altered microbial turnover of recent plant-derived carbon during and after a subsequent drought. Shifts in tissue nitrogen concentration indicate that drought effects on soil nitrogen turnover and availability could play an important role in the recovery of grassland carbon dynamics following both single and recurrent droughts. In conclusion, drought legacies can alter the recovery of grassland carbon dynamics from drought, the effects increasing with increasing drought frequency and involving changes in both plant functional composition and soil structure and processes.

A Classification Scheme for Glaciological AVA Responses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Booth, A.; Emir, E.

2014-12-01

A classification scheme is proposed for amplitude vs. angle (AVA) responses as an aid to the interpretation of seismic reflectivity in glaciological research campaigns. AVA responses are a powerful tool in characterising the material properties of glacier ice and its substrate. However, before interpreting AVA data, careful true amplitude processing is required to constrain basal reflectivity and compensate amplitude decay mechanisms, including anelastic attenuation and spherical divergence. These fundamental processing steps can be difficult to design in cases of noisy data, e.g. where a target reflection is contaminated by surface wave energy (in the case of shallow glaciers) or by energy reflected from out of the survey plane. AVA methods have equally powerful usage in estimating the fluid fill of potential hydrocarbon reservoirs. However, such applications seldom use true amplitude data and instead consider qualitative AVA responses using a well-defined classification scheme. Such schemes are often defined in terms of the characteristics of best-fit responses to the observed reflectivity, e.g. the intercept (I) and gradient (G) of a linear approximation to the AVA data. The position of the response on a cross-plot of I and G then offers a diagnostic attribute for certain fluid types. We investigate the advantages in glaciology of emulating this practice, and develop a cross-plot based on the 3-term Shuey AVA approximation (using I, G, and a curvature term C). Model AVA curves define a clear lithification trend: AVA responses to stiff (lithified) substrates fall discretely into one quadrant of the cross-plot, with positive I and negative G, whereas those to fluid-rich substrates plot diagonally opposite (in the negative I and positive G quadrant). The remaining quadrants are unoccupied by plausible single-layer responses and may therefore be diagnostic of complex thin-layer reflectivity, and the magnitude and polarity of the C term serves as a further indicator of fluid content. The use of the AVA cross-plot is explored for seismic data from European Arctic glaciers, including Storglaciären and Midtre Lovénbreen, with additional examples from other published sources. The classification scheme should provide a useful reference for the initial assessment of a glaciological AVA response.

Application of a frequency distribution method for determining instars of the beet armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) from widths of cast head capsules

Treesearch

Y. Chen; S. J. Seybold

2013-01-01

Instar determination of field-collected insect larvae has generally been based on the analysis of head capsule width frequency distributions or bivariate plotting, but few studies have tested the validity of such methods. We used head capsules from exuviae of known instars of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae),...

Word frequencies: A comparison of Pareto type distributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiegand, Martin; Nadarajah, Saralees; Si, Yuancheng

2018-03-01

Mehri and Jamaati (2017) [18] used Zipf's law to model word frequencies in Holy Bible translations for one hundred live languages. We compare the fit of Zipf's law to a number of Pareto type distributions. The latter distributions are shown to provide the best fit, as judged by a number of comparative plots and error measures. The fit of Zipf's law appears generally poor.

Early response of ponderosa pine to spacing and brush: observations on a 12-year-old plantation

Treesearch

William W. Oliver

1979-01-01

Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Laws.) was planted at five different spacings, from 6 by 6 to 18 by 18 feet, on a productive site in northern California. Spacing and brush effects on tree growth were evaluated both on plots where brush was allowed to develop and on plots kept free of brush. Competition between trees in brush-free plots began during...

A discussion on the merits and limitations of using drive-by monitoring to detect localised damage in a bridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hester, David; González, Arturo

2017-06-01

Given the large number of bridges that currently have no instrumentation, there are obvious advantages in monitoring the condition of a bridge by analysing the response of a vehicle crossing it. As a result, the last two decades have seen a rise in the research attempting to solve the problem of identifying damage in a bridge from vehicle measurements. This paper examines the theoretical feasibility and practical limitations of a drive-by system in identifying damage associated to localised stiffness losses. First, the nature of the damage feature that is sought within the vehicle response needs to be characterized. For this purpose, the total vehicle response is considered to be made of 'static' and 'dynamic' components, and where the bridge has experienced a localised loss in stiffness, an additional 'damage' component. Understanding the nature of this 'damage' component is crucial to have an informed discussion on how damage can be identified and localised. Leveraging this new understanding, the authors propose a wavelet-based drive-by algorithm. By comparing the effect of the 'damage' component to other key effects defining the measurements such as 'vehicle speed', the 'road profile' and 'noise' on a wavelet contour plot, it is possible to establish if there is a frequency range where drive-by can be successful. The algorithm uses then specific frequency bands to improve the sensitivity to damage with respect to limitations imposed by Vehicle-Bridge vibrations. Recommendations on the selection of the mother wavelet and frequency band are provided. Finally, the paper discusses the impact of noise and road profile on the ability of the approach to identify damage and how periodic measurements can be effective at monitoring localised stiffness changes.

Mapping the montane cloud forest of Taiwan using 12 year MODIS-derived ground fog frequency data

PubMed Central

Li, Ching-Feng; Thies, Boris; Chang, Shih-Chieh; Bendix, Jörg

2017-01-01

Up until now montane cloud forest (MCF) in Taiwan has only been mapped for selected areas of vegetation plots. This paper presents the first comprehensive map of MCF distribution for the entire island. For its creation, a Random Forest model was trained with vegetation plots from the National Vegetation Database of Taiwan that were classified as “MCF” or “non-MCF”. This model predicted the distribution of MCF from a raster data set of parameters derived from a digital elevation model (DEM), Landsat channels and texture measures derived from them as well as ground fog frequency data derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer. While the DEM parameters and Landsat data predicted much of the cloud forest’s location, local deviations in the altitudinal distribution of MCF linked to the monsoonal influence as well as the Massenerhebung effect (causing MCF in atypically low altitudes) were only captured once fog frequency data was included. Therefore, our study suggests that ground fog data are most useful for accurately mapping MCF. PMID:28245279

Calcium spiking activity and baseline calcium levels in ROS 17/2.8 cells exposed to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF EMF).

PubMed

Shahidain, R; Mullins, R D; Sisken, J E

2001-02-01

To determine whether extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields can alter average free cytosolic calcium ion concentrations [Ca2+]i and transient increases in [Ca2+]i in populations of ROS 17/2.8 cells. Cells loaded with the calcium-selective luminescent photoprotein, aequorin, were placed in the bottom of a sample chamber, which was inserted into the gap of a previously described air gap reactor system where they were exposed either to sinusoidal magnetic fields at a variety of frequencies and flux densities or to sham conditions. Real-time recordings of photon counts due to aequorin luminescence were obtained and data were analysed with the use of probit plots. Probit plots of data obtained from cells exposed to the various magnetic fields were virtually superimposable over the data obtained for the same cultures during pre- and post-exposure sham or no-field periods. These experiments provided no evidence for any effects of ELF EMF, either positive or negative, on either average [Ca2+]i or on transient increases in [Ca2+]i.

Heart rate detection from an electronic weighing scale.

PubMed

González-Landaeta, R; Casas, O; Pallàs-Areny, R

2008-08-01

We propose a novel technique for beat-to-beat heart rate detection based on the ballistocardiographic (BCG) force signal from a subject standing on a common electronic weighing scale. The detection relies on sensing force variations related to the blood acceleration in the aorta, works even if wearing footwear and does not require any sensors attached to the body because it uses the load cells in the scale. We have devised an approach to estimate the sensitivity and frequency response of three commercial weighing scales to assess their capability to detect the BCG force signal. Static sensitivities ranged from 490 nV V(-1) N(-1) to 1670 nV V(-1) N(-1). The frequency response depended on the subject's mass but it was broad enough for heart rate estimation. We have designed an electronic pulse detection system based on off-the-shelf integrated circuits to sense heart-beat-related force variations of about 0.24 N. The signal-to-noise ratio of the main peaks of the force signal detected was higher than 30 dB. A Bland-Altman plot was used to compare the RR time intervals estimated from the ECG and BCG force signals for 17 volunteers. The error was +/-21 ms, which makes the proposed technique suitable for short-term monitoring of the heart rate.

Nonlinear viscoelastic characterization of human vocal fold tissues under large-amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS)

PubMed Central

Chan, Roger W.

2018-01-01

Viscoelastic shear properties of human vocal fold tissues were previously quantified by the shear moduli (G′ and G″). Yet these small-strain linear measures were unable to describe any nonlinear tissue behavior. This study attempted to characterize the nonlinear viscoelastic response of the vocal fold lamina propria under large-amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) with a stress decomposition approach. Human vocal fold cover and vocal ligament specimens from eight subjects were subjected to LAOS rheometric testing with a simple-shear rheometer. The empirical total stress response was decomposed into elastic and viscous stress components, based on odd-integer harmonic decomposition approach with Fourier transform. Nonlinear viscoelastic measures derived from the decomposition were plotted in Pipkin space and as rheological fingerprints to observe the onset of nonlinearity and the type of nonlinear behavior. Results showed that both the vocal fold cover and the vocal ligament experienced intercycle strain softening, intracycle strain stiffening, as well as shear thinning both intercycle and intracycle. The vocal ligament appeared to demonstrate an earlier onset of nonlinearity at phonatory frequencies, and higher sensitivity to changes in frequency and strain. In summary, the stress decomposition approach provided much better insights into the nonlinear viscoelastic behavior of the vocal fold lamina propria than the traditional linear measures. PMID:29780189

Nonlinear viscoelastic characterization of human vocal fold tissues under large-amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS).

PubMed

Chan, Roger W

2018-05-01

Viscoelastic shear properties of human vocal fold tissues were previously quantified by the shear moduli ( G' and G″ ). Yet these small-strain linear measures were unable to describe any nonlinear tissue behavior. This study attempted to characterize the nonlinear viscoelastic response of the vocal fold lamina propria under large-amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) with a stress decomposition approach. Human vocal fold cover and vocal ligament specimens from eight subjects were subjected to LAOS rheometric testing with a simple-shear rheometer. The empirical total stress response was decomposed into elastic and viscous stress components, based on odd-integer harmonic decomposition approach with Fourier transform. Nonlinear viscoelastic measures derived from the decomposition were plotted in Pipkin space and as rheological fingerprints to observe the onset of nonlinearity and the type of nonlinear behavior. Results showed that both the vocal fold cover and the vocal ligament experienced intercycle strain softening, intracycle strain stiffening, as well as shear thinning both intercycle and intracycle. The vocal ligament appeared to demonstrate an earlier onset of nonlinearity at phonatory frequencies, and higher sensitivity to changes in frequency and strain. In summary, the stress decomposition approach provided much better insights into the nonlinear viscoelastic behavior of the vocal fold lamina propria than the traditional linear measures.

Temporal Evolution of Non-equilibrium Gamma’ Precipitates in a Rapidly Quenched Nickel Base Superalloy (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

with the binomial distribution for a particular dataset. This technique is more commonly known as the Langer, Bar-on and Miller ( LBM ) method [22,23...distribution unlimited. Using the LBM method, the frequency distribution plot for a dataset corresponding to a phase separated system, exhibiting a split peak...estimated parameters (namely μ1, μ2, σ, fγ’ and fγ) obtained from the LBM plots in Fig. 5 are summarized in Table 3. The EWQ sample does not exhibit any

Accurate determination of Brillouin frequency based on cross recurrence plot analysis in Brillouin distributed fiber sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haneef, Shahna M.; Srijith, K.; Venkitesh, D.; Srinivasan, B.

2017-04-01

We propose and demonstrate the use of cross recurrence plot analysis (CRPA) to accurately determine the Brillouin shift due to strain and temperature in a Brillouin distributed fiber sensor. This signal processing technique, which is implemented in Brillouin sensors for the first time relies on apriori data i.e, the lineshape of the Brillouin gain spectrum and its similarity with the spectral features measured at different locations along the fiber. Analytical and experimental investigation of the proposed scheme is presented in this paper.

A Novel Ice Storm Experiment for Evaluating the Ecological Impacts of These Extreme Weather Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Driscoll, C. T.; Campbell, J. L.; Rustad, L.; Fahey, T.; Fahey, R. T.; Garlick, S.; Groffman, P.; Hawley, G. J.; Schaberg, P. G.

2017-12-01

Ice storms are among the most destructive natural disturbances in some regions of the world, and are an example of an extreme weather event that can profoundly disrupt ecosystem function. Despite potential dire consequences of ice storms on ecosystems and society, we are poorly positioned to predict responses because severe ice storms are infrequent and understudied. Since it is difficult to determine when and where ice storms will occur, most previous research has consisted of ad hoc attempts to characterize impacts in the wake of major icing events. To evaluate ice storm effects in a more controlled manner, we conducted a novel ice storm manipulation experiment at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire. Water was sprayed above the forest canopy in sub-freezing conditions to simulate a glaze ice event. Treatments included replicate plots that received three levels of radial ice thickness (6, 13, and 19 mm) and reference plots that were not sprayed. Additionally, two of the mid-level treatment plots received ice applications in back-to-back years to evaluate effects associated with ice storm frequency. Measures of the forest canopy, including hemispherical photography, photosynthetically active radiation, and ground-based LiDAR, indicated that the ice loads clearly damaged vegetation and opened up the canopy, allowing more light to penetrate. These changes in the canopy were reflected in measurements of fine and coarse woody debris that were commensurate with the level of icing. Soil respiration declined in the most heavily damaged plots, which we attribute to changes in root activity. Although soil solution nitrogen showed clear seasonal patterns, there was no treatment response. These results differ from the severe regional natural ice storm of 1998, which caused large leaching losses of nitrate in soil solutions and stream water during the growing season after the event, due to lack of uptake by damaged vegetation. It is not yet clear why there is a discrepancy between the results from our experiment and the natural ice storm, even though the levels of damage were comparable. It is possible that large declines in N supply observed over the last two decades have resulted in a tightening of the nitrogen cycle. Quantification of additional pools and fluxes (especially foliar N) should provide further insight.

scraps: An open-source Python-based analysis package for analyzing and plotting superconducting resonator data

DOE PAGES

Carter, Faustin Wirkus; Khaire, Trupti S.; Novosad, Valentyn; ...

2016-11-07

We present "scraps" (SuperConducting Analysis and Plotting Software), a Python package designed to aid in the analysis and visualization of large amounts of superconducting resonator data, specifically complex transmission as a function of frequency, acquired at many different temperatures and driving powers. The package includes a least-squares fitting engine as well as a Monte-Carlo Markov Chain sampler for sampling the posterior distribution given priors, marginalizing over nuisance parameters, and estimating covariances. A set of plotting tools for generating publication-quality figures is also provided in the package. Lastly, we discuss the functionality of the software and provide some examples of itsmore » utility on data collected from a niobium-nitride coplanar waveguide resonator fabricated at Argonne National Laboratory.« less

Analysis of vegetation in an Imperata grassland of Barak valley, Assam.

PubMed

Astapati, Ashim Das; Das, Ashesh Kumar

2012-09-01

Imperata grassland at Dorgakona, Barak valley, North Eastern India was analyzed for species composition and diversity pattern in relation to traditional management practices. 19 families were in the burnt and unburnt plots of the study site with Poaceae as the most dominant one. 29 species occurred in the burnt plot and 28 in the unburnt plot. Most of the species were common in both the plots. The pattern of frequency diagrams indicated that the vegetation was homogeneous. Imperata cylindrica, a rhizomatous grass was the dominant species based on density (318.75 and 304.18 nos. m(-2)), basal cover (158.22 and 148.34 cm2 m(-2)) and Importance value index (IVI) (132.64 and 138.74) for the burnt and unburnt plots respectively. Borreria pusilla was the co-dominant species constituting Imperata-Borreria assemblage of the studied grassland. It was observed that B. pusilla (162.25 nos. m(-2) and 50.37 nos. m(-2), I. cylindrica (318.75 nos. m(-2) and 304.18 nos. m(-2)) and Setaria glauca (24.70 nos. m(-2) and 16.46 nos. m(-2) were benefited from burning as shown by the values sequentially placed for burnt and unburnt plots. Certain grasses like Chrysopogon aciculatus and Sacciolepis indica were restricted to burnt plot while Oxalis corniculata showed its presence to unburnt plot. Grasses dominated the grassland as revealed by their contribution to the mean percentage cover of 72% in burnt plot and 76% in umburnt plot. The dominance-diversity curves in the study site approaches a log normal series distribution suggesting that the resources are shared by the constituent species. Seasonal pattern in diversity index suggested definite influence of climatic seasonality on species diversity; rainy season was conducive for maximum diversity (1.40 and 1.38 in the burnt and unburnt plots, respectively). Dominance increased with concentration of fewer species (0.0021 in burnt plot and 0.0055 in unbumt plot) in summer and behaves inversely to index of diversity. This study showed that the traditional management practices benefits the farmers as it promote grassland regeneration with I. cylindrica as the dominant grass.

Rounded stretched exponential for time relaxation functions.

PubMed

Powles, J G; Heyes, D M; Rickayzen, G; Evans, W A B

2009-12-07

A rounded stretched exponential function is introduced, C(t)=exp{(tau(0)/tau(E))(beta)[1-(1+(t/tau(0))(2))(beta/2)]}, where t is time, and tau(0) and tau(E) are two relaxation times. This expression can be used to represent the relaxation function of many real dynamical processes, as at long times, t>tau(0), the function converges to a stretched exponential with normalizing relaxation time, tau(E), yet its expansion is even or symmetric in time, which is a statistical mechanical requirement. This expression fits well the shear stress relaxation function for model soft soft-sphere fluids near coexistence, with tau(E)

Visualizing disease associations: graphic analysis of frequency distributions as a function of age using moving average plots (MAP) with application to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Payami, Haydeh; Kay, Denise M; Zabetian, Cyrus P; Schellenberg, Gerard D; Factor, Stewart A; McCulloch, Colin C

2010-01-01

Age-related variation in marker frequency can be a confounder in association studies, leading to both false-positive and false-negative findings and subsequently to inconsistent reproducibility. We have developed a simple method, based on a novel extension of moving average plots (MAP), which allows investigators to inspect the frequency data for hidden age-related variations. MAP uses the standard case-control association data and generates a birds-eye view of the frequency distributions across the age spectrum; a picture in which one can see if, how, and when the marker frequencies in cases differ from that in controls. The marker can be specified as an allele, genotype, haplotype, or environmental factor; and age can be age-at-onset, age when subject was last known to be unaffected, or duration of exposure. Signature patterns that emerge can help distinguish true disease associations from spurious associations due to age effects, age-varying associations from associations that are uniform across all ages, and associations with risk from associations with age-at-onset. Utility of MAP is illustrated by application to genetic and epidemiological association data for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. MAP is intended as a descriptive method, to complement standard statistical techniques. Although originally developed for age patterns, MAP is equally useful for visualizing any quantitative trait.

Biofilm monitoring using complex permittivity.

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

Altman, Susan Jeanne; McGrath, Lucas K.; Dolan, Patricia L.

2008-10-01

There is strong interest in the detection and monitoring of bio-fouling. Bio-fouling problems are common in numerous water treatments systems, medical and dental apparatus and food processing equipment. Current bio-fouling control protocols are time consuming and costly. New early detection techniques to monitor bio-forming contaminates are means to enhanced efficiency. Understanding the unique dielectric properties of biofilm development, colony forming bacteria and nutrient background will provide a basis to the effectiveness of controlling or preventing biofilm growth. Dielectric spectroscopy measurements provide values of complex permittivity, {var_epsilon}*, of biofilm formation by applying a weak alternating electric field at various frequencies. Themore » dielectric characteristic of the biofilm, {var_epsilon}{prime}, is the real component of {var_epsilon}* and measures the biofilm's unique ability to store energy. Graphically observed dependencies of {var_epsilon}{prime} to frequency indicate dielectric relaxation or dielectric dispersion behaviors that mark the particular stage of progression during the development of biofilms. In contrast, any frequency dependency of the imaginary component, {var_epsilon}{double_prime} the loss factor, is expressed as dielectric losses from the biofilm due to dipole relaxation. The tangent angle of these two component vectors is the ratio of the imaginary component to the real component, {var_epsilon}{double_prime}/{var_epsilon}{prime} and is referred to as the loss angle tangent (tan {delta}) or dielectric loss. Changes in tan {delta} are characteristic of changes in dielectric losses during various developmental stages of the films. Permittivity scans in the above figure are of biofilm growth from P. Fluorescens (10e7 CFU's at the start). Three trends are apparent from these scans, the first being a small drop in the imaginary permittivity over a 7 hours period, best seen in the Cole-Cole plot (a). The second trend is observed two hours after inoculation when the permittivity begins to increase slightly over the next 20 hours, best seen in the shift from 1000 Hz to 5000 Hz in tan {delta} at the high frequencies (c). Because of similar dielectric relaxation properties noted by the comparable size of the semicircles, plot (a), and the height of tan {delta}, plot (c), within the first 29 hours, cell activity levels did not appreciably change. The third trend is observed when the complex permittivity value drops by orders of magnitude between 29 hours and 37 hours, best seen in the log [E] plot (b), and in the drop of the dielectric loss, tan {delta}, to 0. This change in the dielectric properties in the bio environment is nearly independent of all frequencies (c) and dissimilar from the original condition when only bacteria and nutrient was present in the biofilm chambers. The semicircles in plot (a) for this period decreased below the resolution of the graph, implying a large difference in the dielectric behavior of the cells/biofilms consisting of low dielectric losses. We believe these large changes are related to the on-set of biofilms.« less

High land-use intensity exacerbates shifts in grassland vegetation composition after severe experimental drought.

PubMed

Stampfli, Andreas; Bloor, Juliette M G; Fischer, Markus; Zeiter, Michaela

2018-05-01

Climate change projections anticipate increased frequency and intensity of drought stress, but grassland responses to severe droughts and their potential to recover are poorly understood. In many grasslands, high land-use intensity has enhanced productivity and promoted resource-acquisitive species at the expense of resource-conservative ones. Such changes in plant functional composition could affect the resistance to drought and the recovery after drought of grassland ecosystems with consequences for feed productivity resilience and environmental stewardship. In a 12-site precipitation exclusion experiment in upland grassland ecosystems across Switzerland, we imposed severe edaphic drought in plots under rainout shelters and compared them with plots under ambient conditions. We used soil water potentials to scale drought stress across sites. Impacts of precipitation exclusion and drought legacy effects were examined along a gradient of land-use intensity to determine how grasslands resisted to, and recovered after drought. In the year of precipitation exclusion, aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) in plots under rainout shelters was -15% to -56% lower than in control plots. Drought effects on ANPP increased with drought severity, specified as duration of topsoil water potential ψ < -100 kPa, irrespective of land-use intensity. In the year after drought, ANPP had completely recovered, but total species diversity had declined by -10%. Perennial species showed elevated mortality, but species richness of annuals showed a small increase due to enhanced recruitment. In general, the more resource-acquisitive grasses increased at the expense of the deeper-rooted forbs after drought, suggesting that community reorganization was driven by competition rather than plant mortality. The negative effects of precipitation exclusion on forbs increased with land-use intensity. Our study suggests a synergistic impact of land-use intensification and climate change on grassland vegetation composition, and implies that biomass recovery after drought may occur at the expense of biodiversity maintenance. © 2018 The Authors. Global Change Biology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Flood-frequency analyses, Manual of Hydrology: Part 3

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dalrymple, Tate

1960-01-01

This report describes the method used by the U.S. Geological Survey to determine the magnitude and frequency of momentary peak discharges at any place on a stream, whether a gaging-station record is available or not. The method is applicable to a region of any size, as a river basin or a State, so long as the region is hydrologically homogeneous. The analysis provides two curves. The first expresses the flood discharge-time relation, showing variation of peak discharge, expressed as a ratio to the mean annual flood, with recurrence interval. The second relates the mean annual flood to the size of drainage area alone, or to the size area and other significant basin characteristics. A frequency curve may be defined for any place in the region by use of these two curves. The procedure is: (a) measure the drainage area and other appropriate basin characteristics from maps; (b) from the second curve, select the mean annual flood corresponding to the proper drainage area factors; (c) from the first curve, select ratios of peak discharge to mean annual flood for selected recurrence intervals, as 2, 10, 25, and 50 years; and (d) multiply these ratios by the mean annual flood and plot the resulting discharges of known frequency to define the frequency curve. Two reports not previously given general circulation are included as sections of this report. These are 'Plotting Positions in Frequency Analysis' by W. B. Langbein, and 'Characteristics of Frequency Curves Based on a Theoretical 1,000-Year Record' by M. A. Benson.

Population dynamics of hispid cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) across a nitrogen-amended landscape

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, J.E.; Hellgren, E.C.; Jorgensen, E.E.; Tunnell, S.J.; Engle, David M.; Leslie, David M.

2003-01-01

We conducted a mark-recapture experiment to examine the population dynamics of hispid cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) in response to low-level nitrogen amendments (16.4 kg nitrogen/ha per year) and exclosure fencing in an old-field grassland. The experimental design consisted of sixteen 0.16-ha plots with 4 replicates of each treatment combination. We predicted that densities, reproductive success, movement probabilities, and survival rates of cotton rats would be greater on nitrogen-amended plots because of greater aboveground biomass and canopy cover. Population densities of cotton rats tended to be highest on fenced nitrogen plots, but densities on unfenced nitrogen plots were similar to those on control and fenced plots. We observed no distinct patterns in survival rates, reproductive success, or movement probabilities with regard to nitrogen treatments. However, survival rates and reproductive success tended to be higher for cotton rats on fenced plots than for those on unfenced plots and this was likely attributable to decreased predation on fenced plots. As low-level nitrogen amendments continue to be applied, we predict that survival, reproduction, and population-growth rates of cotton rats on control plots, especially fenced plots with no nitrogen amendment, will eventually exceed those on nitrogen-amended plots as a result of higher plant-species diversity, greater food availability, and better quality cover.

Investigation of ODE integrators using interactive graphics. [Ordinary Differential Equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, R. L.

1978-01-01

Two FORTRAN programs using an interactive graphic terminal to generate accuracy and stability plots for given multistep ordinary differential equation (ODE) integrators are described. The first treats the fixed stepsize linear case with complex variable solutions, and generates plots to show accuracy and error response to step driving function of a numerical solution, as well as the linear stability region. The second generates an analog to the stability region for classes of non-linear ODE's as well as accuracy plots. Both systems can compute method coefficients from a simple specification of the method. Example plots are given.

Guidelines in preparing computer-generated plots for NASA technical reports with the LaRC graphics output system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, N. L.

1983-01-01

To response to a need for improved computer-generated plots that are acceptable to the Langley publication process, the LaRC Graphics Output System has been modified to encompass the publication requirements, and a guideline has been established. This guideline deals only with the publication requirements of computer-generated plots. This report explains the capability that authors of NASA technical reports can use to obtain publication--quality computer-generated plots or the Langley publication process. The rules applied in developing this guideline and examples illustrating the rules are included.

Analysis of a Split-Plot Experimental Design Applied to a Low-Speed Wind Tunnel Investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erickson, Gary E.

2013-01-01

A procedure to analyze a split-plot experimental design featuring two input factors, two levels of randomization, and two error structures in a low-speed wind tunnel investigation of a small-scale model of a fighter airplane configuration is described in this report. Standard commercially-available statistical software was used to analyze the test results obtained in a randomization-restricted environment often encountered in wind tunnel testing. The input factors were differential horizontal stabilizer incidence and the angle of attack. The response variables were the aerodynamic coefficients of lift, drag, and pitching moment. Using split-plot terminology, the whole plot, or difficult-to-change, factor was the differential horizontal stabilizer incidence, and the subplot, or easy-to-change, factor was the angle of attack. The whole plot and subplot factors were both tested at three levels. Degrees of freedom for the whole plot error were provided by replication in the form of three blocks, or replicates, which were intended to simulate three consecutive days of wind tunnel facility operation. The analysis was conducted in three stages, which yielded the estimated mean squares, multiple regression function coefficients, and corresponding tests of significance for all individual terms at the whole plot and subplot levels for the three aerodynamic response variables. The estimated regression functions included main effects and two-factor interaction for the lift coefficient, main effects, two-factor interaction, and quadratic effects for the drag coefficient, and only main effects for the pitching moment coefficient.

Diffuse phase ferroelectric vs. Polomska transition in (1-x) BiFeO3-(x) Ba Zr0.025Ti0.975O3 (0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) solid solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jha, Pardeep K.; Jha, Priyanka A.; Singh, Vikash; Kumar, Pawan; Asokan, K.; Dwivedi, R. K.

2015-01-01

Investigations on the solid solutions (1-x) BiFeO3 - (x) Ba Zr0.025Ti0.975O3 (0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) in the temperature range 300-750 K show colossal permittivity behavior and the occurrence of diffuse phase ferroelectric transition along with frequency dependent anomaly which disappears at temperature ˜450 K. For x = 0.3, these anomalies have been verified through differential scanning calorimetry and dielectric/impedance/conductivity measurements. The occurrence of peak in pyrocurrent (dPs/dT) vs. T plots also supports phase transition. With the increasing x, transition temperature decreases and diffusivity increases. This anomaly is absent at high frequencies (>100 kHz) in conductivity plots, indicating Polomska like surface phase transition, which is supported by modulus study.

Screening Adhesively Bonded Single-Lap-Joint Testing Results Using Nonlinear Calculation Parameters

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

versus displacement response for single-lap-joints bonded with damage-tolerant adhe- sives, such the polyurea adhesive plotted in Figure 2, is much...displacement response for a single-lap-joint bonded with a polyurea adhesive. Complex x-y plots are commonly fitted using the Levenberg-Marquardt...expected decrease in maximum strength for the polyurea in compar- ison to the epoxy, which could have been obtained using a traditional analysis approach

Quantitative chemical exchange saturation transfer (qCEST) MRI--RF spillover effect-corrected omega plot for simultaneous determination of labile proton fraction ratio and exchange rate.

PubMed

Sun, Phillip Zhe; Wang, Yu; Dai, ZhuoZhi; Xiao, Gang; Wu, Renhua

2014-01-01

Chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI is sensitive to dilute proteins and peptides as well as microenvironmental properties. However, the complexity of the CEST MRI effect, which varies with the labile proton content, exchange rate and experimental conditions, underscores the need for developing quantitative CEST (qCEST) analysis. Towards this goal, it has been shown that omega plot is capable of quantifying paramagnetic CEST MRI. However, the use of the omega plot is somewhat limited for diamagnetic CEST (DIACEST) MRI because it is more susceptible to direct radio frequency (RF) saturation (spillover) owing to the relatively small chemical shift. Recently, it has been found that, for dilute DIACEST agents that undergo slow to intermediate chemical exchange, the spillover effect varies little with the labile proton ratio and exchange rate. Therefore, we postulated that the omega plot analysis can be improved if RF spillover effect could be estimated and taken into account. Specifically, simulation showed that both labile proton ratio and exchange rate derived using the spillover effect-corrected omega plot were in good agreement with simulated values. In addition, the modified omega plot was confirmed experimentally, and we showed that the derived labile proton ratio increased linearly with creatine concentration (p < 0.01), with little difference in their exchange rate (p = 0.32). In summary, our study extends the conventional omega plot for quantitative analysis of DIACEST MRI. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Response to commercial thinning in a 110-year-old Douglas-fir stand.

Treesearch

Richard L. Williamson

1982-01-01

During a 19-year period after a 110-year-old Douglas-fir stand was thinned, both standard plot compilations and stem analysis showed that growth of heavily and lightly thinned stands equaled growth of stands in control plots.

Method and apparatus for determining material structural integrity

DOEpatents

Pechersky, Martin

1996-01-01

A non-destructive method and apparatus for determining the structural integrity of materials by combining laser vibrometry with damping analysis techniques to determine the damping loss factor of a material. The method comprises the steps of vibrating the area being tested over a known frequency range and measuring vibrational force and velocity as a function of time over the known frequency range. Vibrational velocity is preferably measured by a laser vibrometer. Measurement of the vibrational force depends on the vibration method. If an electromagnetic coil is used to vibrate a magnet secured to the area being tested, then the vibrational force is determined by the amount of coil current used in vibrating the magnet. If a reciprocating transducer is used to vibrate a magnet secured to the area being tested, then the vibrational force is determined by a force gauge in the reciprocating transducer. Using known vibrational analysis methods, a plot of the drive point mobility of the material over the preselected frequency range is generated from the vibrational force and velocity measurements. The damping loss factor is derived from a plot of the drive point mobility over the preselected frequency range using the resonance dwell method and compared with a reference damping loss factor for structural integrity evaluation.

Use of Irrigation to Extend the Seeding Window for Final Reclamation at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

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

TRW Environmental Safety

2000-08-01

The U.S. Department of Energy has implemented a program to investigate the feasibility of various techniques for reclaiming lands disturbed during site characterization at Yucca Mountain. As part of this program, two studies were conducted in 1997 to assess the effects of combinations of seeding date (date that seeds are planted) and supplemental irrigation on densities of native plant species at Yucca Mountain. Study objectives were to (1) determine whether the traditional seeding window (October-December) could be extended through combinations of seeding date and irrigation date, (2) determine which combination of seeding date and irrigation was most successful, and (3)more » assess the effects of irrigation versus natural precipitation on seedling establishment. In the first study, a multi-species seed mix of 16 native species was sown into plots on four dates (12/96, 2/97, 3/97, and 4/97). Irrigation treatments were control (no irrigation) or addition of 80 mm of supplemental water applied over a one month period. Plant densities were sampled in August and again in October, 1997. In the second study, Larrea tridentata and Lycium andersonii, two species that are common at Yucca Mountain, but difficult to establish from seed, were sown together into plots in January and August, 1997. Half the plots were irrigated with approximately 250 mm of water between August 18 and September 11, while the remaining plots received no irrigation (control). Plant densities were sampled in October, 1997. The August census for the multi-species mix study showed irrigated plots that were sown in February, March and April had higher plant densities and more species than plots that were not irrigated. Irrigation had no effect on plant densities on plots that were seeded in December. Plots were used again in October following 18 mm of precipitation in September. Densities of three species, Ambrosia dumosa, Hymenoclea salsola, and L. tridentata, (warm-season species) were lower on irrigated plots sown in December, February, and March, and showed no response to irrigation on plots sown in April. Therefore, early spring irrigation did not facilitate establishment of warm-season species. These results suggest that these species are dependent upon precipitation while temperatures are warm in late summer or fall. However, control plots that were seeded in December had acceptable densities of these species. A more practical approach might be to avoid irrigation costs by seeding in December and waiting for fall precipitation. The remaining species (cool-season species) showed an opposite response to supplemental water with greater densities on irrigated plots sown in February, March, and April, and no response to irrigation on plots sown in December. While these results show that irrigation can extend the seeding window for cool-season species should it be necessary, it was also apparent that if seeds are sown by late December, irrigation is not necessary to achieve acceptable plant densities.« less

Infrared heater system for warming tropical forest understory plants and soils.

PubMed

Kimball, Bruce A; Alonso-Rodríguez, Aura M; Cavaleri, Molly A; Reed, Sasha C; González, Grizelle; Wood, Tana E

2018-02-01

The response of tropical forests to global warming is one of the largest uncertainties in predicting the future carbon balance of Earth. To determine the likely effects of elevated temperatures on tropical forest understory plants and soils, as well as other ecosystems, an infrared (IR) heater system was developed to provide in situ warming for the Tropical Responses to Altered Climate Experiment (TRACE) in the Luquillo Experimental Forest in Puerto Rico. Three replicate heated 4-m-diameter plots were warmed to maintain a 4°C increase in understory vegetation compared to three unheated control plots, as sensed by IR thermometers. The equipment was larger than any used previously and was subjected to challenges different from those of many temperate ecosystem warming systems, including frequent power surges and outages, high humidity, heavy rains, hurricanes, saturated clayey soils, and steep slopes. The system was able to maintain the target 4.0°C increase in hourly average vegetation temperatures to within ± 0.1°C. The vegetation was heterogeneous and on a 21° slope, which decreased uniformity of the warming treatment on the plots; yet, the green leaves were fairly uniformly warmed, and there was little difference among 0-10 cm depth soil temperatures at the plot centers, edges, and midway between. Soil temperatures at the 40-50 cm depth increased about 3°C compared to the controls after a month of warming. As expected, the soil in the heated plots dried faster than that of the control plots, but the average soil moisture remained adequate for the plants. The TRACE heating system produced an adequately uniform warming precisely controlled down to at least 50-cm soil depth, thereby creating a treatment that allows for assessing mechanistic responses of tropical plants and soil to warming, with applicability to other ecosystems. No physical obstacles to scaling the approach to taller vegetation (i.e., trees) and larger plots were observed.

How grazing and soil quality affect native and exotic plant diversity in Rocky Mountain grasslands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stohlgren, T.J.; Schell, L.D.; Vanden, Heuvel B.

1999-01-01

We used multiscale plots to sample vascular plant diversity and soil characteristics in and adjacent to 26 long-term grazing exclosure sites in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota, USA. The exclosures were 7-60 yr old (31.2 ?? 2.5 yr, mean ?? 1 SE). Plots were also randomly placed in the broader landscape in open rangeland in the same vegetation type at each site to assess spatial variation in grazed landscapes. Consistent sampling in the nine National Parks, Wildlife Refuges, and other management units yielded data from 78 1000-m2 plots and 780 1-m2 subplots. We hypothesized that native species richness would be lower in the exclosures than in grazed sites, due to competitive exclusion in the absence of grazing. We also hypothesized that grazed sites would have higher native and exotic species richness compared to ungrazed areas, due to disturbance (i.e., the intermediate-disturbance hypothesis) and the conventional wisdom that grazing may accelerate weed invasion. Both hypotheses were soundly rejected. Although native species richness in 1-m2 subplots was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in grazed sites, we found nearly identical native or exotic species richness in 1000-m2 plots in exclosures (31.5 ?? 2.5 native and 3.1 ?? 0.5 exotic species), adjacent grazed plots (32.6 ?? 2.8 native and 3.2 ?? 0.6 exotic species), and randomly selected grazed plots (31.6 ?? 2.9 native and 3.2 ?? 0.6 exotic species). We found no significant differences in species diversity (Hill's diversity indices, N1 and N2), evenness (Hill's ratio of evenness, E5), cover of various life-forms (grasses, forbs, and shrubs), soil texture, or soil percentage of N and C between grazed and ungrazed sites at the 1000-m2 plot scale. The species lists of the long-ungrazed and adjacent grazed plots overlapped just 57.9 ?? 2.8%. This difference in species composition is commonly attributed solely to the difference in grazing regimes. However, the species lists between pairs of grazed plots (adjacent and distant 1000-m2 plots) in the same vegetation type overlapped just 48.6 ?? 3.6%, and the ungrazed plots and distant grazed plots overlapped 49.4 ?? 3.6%. Differences in vegetation and soils between grazed and ungrazed sites were minimal in most cases, but soil characteristics and elevation were strongly correlated with native and exotic plant diversity in the study region. For the 78 1000-m2 plots, 59.4% of the variance in total species richness was explained by percentage of silt (coefficient = 0.647, t = 5.107, P < 0.001), elevation (coefficient = 0.012, t = 5.084, P < 0.001), and total foliar cover (coefficient = 0.110, t = 2.104, P < 0.039). Only 12.8% of the variance in exotic species cover (log10cover) was explained by percentage of clay (coefficient = -0.011, t = -2.878, P < 0.005), native species richness (coefficient = -0.011, t = -2.156, P < 0.034), and log10N (coefficient = 2.827, t = 1.860, P < 0.067). Native species cover and exotic species richness and frequency were also significantly positively correlated with percentage of soil N at the 1000-m2 plot scale. Our research led to five broad generalizations about current levels of grazing in these Rocky Mountain grasslands: (1) grazing probably has little effect on native species richness at landscape scales; (2) grazing probably has little effect on the accelerated spread of most exotic plant species at landscape scales; (3) grazing affects local plant species and life-form composition and cover, but spatial variation is considerable; (4) soil characteristics, climate, and disturbances may have a greater effect on plant species diversity than do current levels of grazing; and (5) few plant species show consistent, directional responses to grazing or cessation of grazing.

Impact during equine locomotion: techniques for measurement and analysis.

PubMed

Burn, J F; Wilson, A; Nason, G P

1997-05-01

Impact is implicated in the development of several types of musculoskeletal injury in the horse. Characterisation of impact experienced during strenuous exercise is an important first step towards understanding the mechanism for injury. Measurement and analysis of large, short duration impacts is difficult. The measurement system must be able to record transient peaks and high frequencies accurately. The analysis technique must be able to characterise the impact signal in time and frequency. This paper presents a measurement system and analysis technique for the characterisation of large impacts. A piezo-electric accelerometer was securely mounted on the dorsal surface of the horses hoof. Saddle mounted charge amplifiers and a 20 m coaxial cable transferred these data to a PC based logging system. Data were down-loaded onto a UNIX workstation and analysed using a proprietary statistics package. The values of parameters calculated from the time series data were comparable to those of other authors. A wavelet decomposition showed that the frequency profile of the signal changed with time. While most spectral energy was seen at impact, a significant amount of energy was contained in the signal immediately following impact. Over 99% of this energy was contained in frequencies less than 1250 Hz. The sampling rate and the frequency response of a measurement system for recording impact should be chosen carefully to prevent loss or corruption of data. Time scale analysis using a wavelet decomposition is a powerful technique which can be used to characterise impact data. The use of contour plots provides a highly visual representation of the time and frequency localisation of power during impact.

Identifying highly connected counties compensates for resource limitations when evaluating national spread of an invasive pathogen.

PubMed

Sutrave, Sweta; Scoglio, Caterina; Isard, Scott A; Hutchinson, J M Shawn; Garrett, Karen A

2012-01-01

Surveying invasive species can be highly resource intensive, yet near-real-time evaluations of invasion progress are important resources for management planning. In the case of the soybean rust invasion of the United States, a linked monitoring, prediction, and communication network saved U.S. soybean growers approximately $200 M/yr. Modeling of future movement of the pathogen (Phakopsora pachyrhizi) was based on data about current disease locations from an extensive network of sentinel plots. We developed a dynamic network model for U.S. soybean rust epidemics, with counties as nodes and link weights a function of host hectarage and wind speed and direction. We used the network model to compare four strategies for selecting an optimal subset of sentinel plots, listed here in order of increasing performance: random selection, zonal selection (based on more heavily weighting regions nearer the south, where the pathogen overwinters), frequency-based selection (based on how frequently the county had been infected in the past), and frequency-based selection weighted by the node strength of the sentinel plot in the network model. When dynamic network properties such as node strength are characterized for invasive species, this information can be used to reduce the resources necessary to survey and predict invasion progress.

Learning and transfer in motor-respiratory coordination.

PubMed

Hessler, Eric E; Amazeen, Polemnia G

2014-02-01

Motor-respiratory coordination occurs naturally during exercise, but the number of coordination patterns performed between movement and breathing is limited. We investigated whether participants could acquire novel ratios (either 5:2 or 5:3). To examine complex temporal relationships between movement and breathing, we used lagged return plots that were produced by graphing relative phase against relative phase after a time delay. By the end of practice, participants performed 5:2 consistently and performed 5:3 using more stable ratios (3:2 and 2:1). Lagged return plots revealed that 5:3 learners harnessed the stable inphase and antiphase patterns to stabilize the required ratio. That strategy resulted in the performance of smaller-integer ratios in the production of 5:3 but not 5:2. Despite those differences, there was positive transfer to unpracticed ratios that was similar in both learning conditions. The time series analysis of lagged return plots revealed differences in ratio performance at transfer. Ratios whose component frequencies were farther apart, like 7:2, were performed consistently, while ratios whose component frequencies were more similar, like 5:4, elicited attraction to inphase and antiphase. The implication is that participants can combine more stable chunks of rhythmic behavior to produce more complex ratios. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Excessive exposure of sick neonates to sound during transport

PubMed Central

Buckland, L; Austin, N; Jackson, A; Inder, T

2003-01-01

Objective: To determine the levels of sound to which infants are exposed during routine transport by ambulance, aircraft, and helicopter. Design: Sound levels during 38 consecutive journeys from a regional level III neonatal intensive care unit were recorded using a calibrated data logging sound meter (Quest 2900). The meter was set to record "A" weighted slow response integrated sound levels, which emulates the response of the human ear, and "C" weighted response sound levels as a measure of total sound level exposure for all frequencies. The information was downloaded to a computer using MS HyperTerminal. The resulting data were stored, and a graphical profile was generated for each journey using SigmaPlot software. Setting: Eight journeys involved ambulance transport on country roads, 24 involved fixed wing aircraft, and four were by helicopter. Main outcome measures: Relations between decibel levels and events or changes in transport mode were established by correlating the time logged on the sound meter with the standard transport documentation sheet. Results: The highest sound levels were recorded during air transport. However, mean sound levels for all modes of transport exceeded the recommended levels for neonatal intensive care. The maximum sound levels recorded were extremely high at greater than 80 dB in the "A" weighted hearing range and greater than 120 dB in the total frequency range. Conclusions: This study raises major concerns about the excessive exposure of the sick newborn to sound during transportation. PMID:14602701

Transient coherence of media under strong phase modulation exploiting electromagnetically induced transparency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shwa, David; Katz, Nadav

2014-08-01

When quantum systems are shifted faster than their transition and coupling time scales, their susceptibility is dramatically modified. We measure the optical susceptibility of a strongly modulated electromagnetically induced transparency system. Time vs detuning plots for different pump modulation frequencies reveal a transition between an adiabatic regime where a series of smooth pulses are created and a nonadiabatic regime where a strong transient oscillating response is added. Applying a magnetic field lifts the hyperfine level degeneracy, revealing an interference effect between the different magnetic level transients. We explore the dynamics of the magnetic and nonmagnetic cases and discuss their coherent nature. We finally combine the global phase of the transmitted pulses with the transient interference to achieve broadband magnetic sensing without losing the sensitivity of a single electromagnetically induced transparency line.

Vegetation responses to natural regulation of elk in Rocky Mountain National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zeigenfuss, Linda C.; Singer, Francis J.; Bowden, David

1999-01-01

Some grazing-induced responses were detected. Grazing-resistant species such as sedges (native), timothy (exotic), and club mosses increased and the amount of bare ground increased on some grazed sites. However, the changes within this sampling program alone were not alarming. The amount of bare ground increase was minor (4%), and grass and shrub cover increased in the shrub plots. The inferential power ofthis sample design was limited to the study plots only. Other factors (climate change, succession) were not controlled for using fenced plots and the sensitivity ofthe methods and plots to detect change were limited. For example, the low number oftransects in willow was not adequate to monitor conditions on the entire winter range. Lacking controls, observed changes may have been due to other factors (climate trends, beaver dam abandonment, stream channel changes), not elk herbivory alone. We recommend using a new sampling design that would include controls, pretreatment data, random site selection, and much more replication.

Classes of Split-Plot Response Surface Designs for Equivalent Estimation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, Peter A.; Kowalski, Scott M.; Vining, G. Geoffrey

2006-01-01

When planning an experimental investigation, we are frequently faced with factors that are difficult or time consuming to manipulate, thereby making complete randomization impractical. A split-plot structure differentiates between the experimental units associated with these hard-to-change factors and others that are relatively easy-to-change and provides an efficient strategy that integrates the restrictions imposed by the experimental apparatus. Several industrial and scientific examples are presented to illustrate design considerations encountered in the restricted randomization context. In this paper, we propose classes of split-plot response designs that provide an intuitive and natural extension from the completely randomized context. For these designs, the ordinary least squares estimates of the model are equivalent to the generalized least squares estimates. This property provides best linear unbiased estimators and simplifies model estimation. The design conditions that allow for equivalent estimation are presented enabling design construction strategies to transform completely randomized Box-Behnken, equiradial, and small composite designs into a split-plot structure.

Drought effects on soil carbon dioxide production in two ecosystems in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Straaten, Oliver

2010-05-01

Drought response on soil CO2 production dynamics were examined in two tropical ecosystems in central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Large-scale throughfall displacement roofs were built in a cacao (Theobroma cacao) / Gliricidia sepium agroforestry plantation (560 m.a.s.l.) and in a sub-montane tropical rainforest (1050 m.a.s.l.) to simulate drought conditions. At each site, ecosystem drought responses from three roof plots were compared to three undisturbed control plots. Soil CO2 production was measured spatially at the soil surface and vertically within the soil profile to 2.5 m depth every two weeks. 1. The cacao / Gliricidia ecosystem exhibited a mild drought response. Here, soil CO2 production decreased by 13% in comparison to the control plots during the 13 month induced drought. The mild drought response is attributed to two reasons. First, soil CO2 efflux exhibited an inverse parabolic relationship with soil moisture (R2 = 0.32): soil CO2 efflux peaked at intermediate moisture conditions, but was low when soil conditions became dry (in the induced drought plots), and when the soil became water saturated (in the control plots). This means that respiration differences between control and roof plots may have been masked when soil moisture conditions were saturated in the control and concurrently dry in roof plots. Secondly, the shallow rooted cacao understory grown next to the deeper rooted Gliricidia overstory created a favourable set of site conditions that enabled the ecosystem to mitigate serious drought stress. The experiment had a CO2 neutral effect overall: emissions were initially reduced during the induced drought period but rebounded and surpassed the control during the five month rewetting phase, thus compensating for earlier declines. 2. In contrast, the sub-montane tropical rainforest experienced a severe decrease in soil CO2 production. Here, soil CO2 efflux decreased by an average of 39% in comparison to the control during the 24 month induced drought period. Soil moisture, the main variable controlling CO2, exhibited a strong positive linear relationship with soil CO2 production (R2 = 0.72). A two phase ecosystem drought response was observed. During the first phase, which lasted nine months, leaf litter respiration declined while the total respiration from autotrophic and belowground heterotrophic sources remained relatively unchanged, although an upward shift from the subsoil to the soil surface was measured. During the second phase of the experiment, when drought conditions intensified further (the next 16 months), belowground CO2 production from heterotrophic and autotrophic sources decreased at all soil depths. Leaf litter respiration remained negligible. Recuperation after the drought was slow in this ecosystem and did not rebound to control plot levels. In this ecosystem, the simulated drought resulted in a reduction in overall CO2 emission.

User's manual for the coupled rotor/airframe vibration analysis graphic package

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Studwell, R. E.

1982-01-01

User instructions for a graphics package for coupled rotor/airframe vibration analysis are presented. Responses to plot package messages which the user must make to activate plot package operations and options are described. Installation instructions required to set up the program on the CDC system are included. The plot package overlay structure and subroutines which have to be modified for the CDC system are also described. Operating instructions for CDC applications are included.

A new modelling and identification scheme for time-delay systems with experimental investigation: a relay feedback approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandey, Saurabh; Majhi, Somanath; Ghorai, Prasenjit

2017-07-01

In this paper, the conventional relay feedback test has been modified for modelling and identification of a class of real-time dynamical systems in terms of linear transfer function models with time-delay. An ideal relay and unknown systems are connected through a negative feedback loop to bring the sustained oscillatory output around the non-zero setpoint. Thereafter, the obtained limit cycle information is substituted in the derived mathematical equations for accurate identification of unknown plants in terms of overdamped, underdamped, critically damped second-order plus dead time and stable first-order plus dead time transfer function models. Typical examples from the literature are included for the validation of the proposed identification scheme through computer simulations. Subsequently, the comparisons between estimated model and true system are drawn through integral absolute error criterion and frequency response plots. Finally, the obtained output responses through simulations are verified experimentally on real-time liquid level control system using Yokogawa Distributed Control System CENTUM CS3000 set up.

Application of a hybrid computer to sweep frequency data processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Milner, E. J.; Bruton, W. M.

1973-01-01

A hybrid computer program is presented which can process as many as 10 channels of sweep frequency data simultaneously. The program needs only the sine sweep signal used to drive the system, and its correponding quadrature component, to process the data. It can handle a maximum frequency range of 0.5 to 500 hertz. Magnitude and phase are calculated at logarithmically spaced points covering the frequency range of interest. When the sweep is completed, these results are stored in digital form. Thus, a tabular listing and/or a plot of any processed data channel or the transfer function relating any two of them is immediately available.

Size and frequency of natural forest disturbances and the Amazon forest carbon balance

PubMed Central

Espírito-Santo, Fernando D.B.; Gloor, Manuel; Keller, Michael; Malhi, Yadvinder; Saatchi, Sassan; Nelson, Bruce; Junior, Raimundo C. Oliveira; Pereira, Cleuton; Lloyd, Jon; Frolking, Steve; Palace, Michael; Shimabukuro, Yosio E.; Duarte, Valdete; Mendoza, Abel Monteagudo; López-González, Gabriela; Baker, Tim R.; Feldpausch, Ted R.; Brienen, Roel J.W.; Asner, Gregory P.; Boyd, Doreen S.; Phillips, Oliver L.

2014-01-01

Forest inventory studies in the Amazon indicate a large terrestrial carbon sink. However, field plots may fail to represent forest mortality processes at landscape-scales of tropical forests. Here we characterize the frequency distribution of disturbance events in natural forests from 0.01 ha to 2,651 ha size throughout Amazonia using a novel combination of forest inventory, airborne lidar and satellite remote sensing data. We find that small-scale mortality events are responsible for aboveground biomass losses of ~1.7 Pg C y−1 over the entire Amazon region. We also find that intermediate-scale disturbances account for losses of ~0.2 Pg C y−1, and that the largest-scale disturbances as a result of blow-downs only account for losses of ~0.004 Pg C y−1. Simulation of growth and mortality indicates that even when all carbon losses from intermediate and large-scale disturbances are considered, these are outweighed by the net biomass accumulation by tree growth, supporting the inference of an Amazon carbon sink. PMID:24643258

Effect of cobalt doping on structural and dielectric properties of nanocrystalline LaCrO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zarrin, Naima; Husain, Shahid

2018-05-01

Pure and Co doped Lanthanum chromite (LaCrO3) nanoparticles, LaCr1-xCoxO3 (0≤x≤0.3), have been synthesized through sol-gel process and their structural, morphological and dielectric properties have been studied. X ray diffraction patterns reveal that the samples are in single phase having orthorhombic structure with Pnma space group. Structural parameters are refined by Rietveld refinement using Fullprof software. Lattice parameters and unit cell volume are found to decrease with increase in Co doping. Crystallite size is calculated using Scherrer equation and is also found to decrease with increase in Co concentration. Surface morphology is examined using SEM-EDX analysis, which confirms the formation of regular and homogeneous samples without any impurities. The value of dielectric constant (ɛ') decreases with the increase in frequency while it enhances with the increase in Co concentration. The log (ɛ'×f) versus log (f) graphs have been plotted to verify the universal dielectric response (UDR) model. All the samples follow UDR model in the low frequency range.

Size and frequency of natural forest disturbances and the Amazon forest carbon balance.

PubMed

Espírito-Santo, Fernando D B; Gloor, Manuel; Keller, Michael; Malhi, Yadvinder; Saatchi, Sassan; Nelson, Bruce; Junior, Raimundo C Oliveira; Pereira, Cleuton; Lloyd, Jon; Frolking, Steve; Palace, Michael; Shimabukuro, Yosio E; Duarte, Valdete; Mendoza, Abel Monteagudo; López-González, Gabriela; Baker, Tim R; Feldpausch, Ted R; Brienen, Roel J W; Asner, Gregory P; Boyd, Doreen S; Phillips, Oliver L

2014-03-18

Forest inventory studies in the Amazon indicate a large terrestrial carbon sink. However, field plots may fail to represent forest mortality processes at landscape-scales of tropical forests. Here we characterize the frequency distribution of disturbance events in natural forests from 0.01 ha to 2,651 ha size throughout Amazonia using a novel combination of forest inventory, airborne lidar and satellite remote sensing data. We find that small-scale mortality events are responsible for aboveground biomass losses of ~1.7 Pg C y(-1) over the entire Amazon region. We also find that intermediate-scale disturbances account for losses of ~0.2 Pg C y(-1), and that the largest-scale disturbances as a result of blow-downs only account for losses of ~0.004 Pg C y(-1). Simulation of growth and mortality indicates that even when all carbon losses from intermediate and large-scale disturbances are considered, these are outweighed by the net biomass accumulation by tree growth, supporting the inference of an Amazon carbon sink.

Plants are less negatively affected by flooding when growing in species-rich plant communities.

PubMed

Wright, Alexandra J; de Kroon, Hans; Visser, Eric J W; Buchmann, Tina; Ebeling, Anne; Eisenhauer, Nico; Fischer, Christine; Hildebrandt, Anke; Ravenek, Janneke; Roscher, Christiane; Weigelt, Alexandra; Weisser, Wolfgang; Voesenek, Laurentius A C J; Mommer, Liesje

2017-01-01

Flooding is expected to increase in frequency and severity in the future. The ecological consequences of flooding are the combined result of species-specific plant traits and ecological context. However, the majority of past flooding research has focused on individual model species under highly controlled conditions. An early summer flooding event in a grassland biodiversity experiment in Jena, Germany, provided the opportunity to assess flooding responses of 60 grassland species in monocultures and 16-species mixtures. We examined plant biomass, species-specific traits (plant height, specific leaf area (SLA), root aerenchyma, starch content) and soil porosity. We found that, on average, plant species were less negatively affected by the flood when grown in higher-diversity plots in July 2013. By September 2013, grasses were unaffected by the flood regardless of plant diversity, and legumes were severely negatively affected regardless of plant diversity. Plants with greater SLA and more root aerenchyma performed better in September. Soil porosity was higher in higher-diversity plots and had a positive effect on plant performance. As floods become more frequent and severe in the future, growing flood-sensitive plants in higher-diversity communities and in soil with greater soil aeration may attenuate the most negative effects of flooding. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

Voiceprints: Hearing for Those Who Can't?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Science News, 1979

1979-01-01

An electrical engineer and phoneticist has taught himself to read voiceprints, spectrograms that display a plot of the sound frequency of speech against time. This technique may prove useful in training the deaf to read voiceprints or to mimic natural speech. (BB)

Determination of Anaerobic Threshold by Heart Rate or Heart Rate Variability using Discontinuous Cycle Ergometry.

PubMed

Park, Sung Wook; Brenneman, Michael; Cooke, William H; Cordova, Alberto; Fogt, Donovan

The purpose was to determine if heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) responses would reflect anaerobic threshold (AT) using a discontinuous, incremental, cycle test. AT was determined by ventilatory threshold (VT). Cyclists (30.6±5.9y; 7 males, 8 females) completed a discontinuous cycle test consisting of 7 stages (6 min each with 3 min of rest between). Three stages were performed at power outputs (W) below those corresponding to a previously established AT, one at W corresponding to AT, and 3 at W above those corresponding to AT. The W at the intersection of the trend lines was considered each metric's "threshold". The averaged stage data for Ve, HR, and time- and frequency-domain HRV metrics were plotted versus W. The W at the "threshold" for the metrics of interest were compared using correlation analysis and paired-sample t -test. In all, several heart rate-related parameters accurately reflected AT with significant correlations (p≤0.05) were observed between AT W and HR, mean RR interval (MRR), low and high frequency spectral energy (LF and HR, respectively), high frequency peak (fHF), and HFxfHF metrics' threshold W (i.e., MRRTW, etc.). Differences in HR or HRV metric threshold W and AT for all subjects were less than 14 W. The steady state data from discontinuous protocols may allow for a true indication of steady-state physiologic stress responses and corresponding W at AT, compared to continuous protocols using 1-2 min exercise stages.

Changes in Tree Reproductive Traits Reduce Functional Diversity in a Fragmented Atlantic Forest Landscape

PubMed Central

Girão, Luciana Coe; Lopes, Ariadna Valentina; Tabarelli, Marcelo; Bruna, Emilio M.

2007-01-01

Functional diversity has been postulated to be critical for the maintenance of ecosystem functioning, but the way it can be disrupted by human-related disturbances remains poorly investigated. Here we test the hypothesis that habitat fragmentation changes the relative contribution of tree species within categories of reproductive traits (frequency of traits) and reduces the functional diversity of tree assemblages. The study was carried out in an old and severely fragmented landscape of the Brazilian Atlantic forest. We used published information and field observations to obtain the frequency of tree species and individuals within 50 categories of reproductive traits (distributed in four major classes: pollination systems, floral biology, sexual systems, and reproductive systems) in 10 fragments and 10 tracts of forest interior (control plots). As hypothesized, populations in fragments and control plots differed substantially in the representation of the four major classes of reproductive traits (more than 50% of the categories investigated). The most conspicuous differences were the lack of three pollination systems in fragments-pollination by birds, flies and non-flying mammals-and that fragments had a higher frequency of both species and individuals pollinated by generalist vectors. Hermaphroditic species predominate in both habitats, although their relative abundances were higher in fragments. On the contrary, self-incompatible species were underrepresented in fragments. Moreover, fragments showed lower functional diversity (H' scores) for pollination systems (−30.3%), floral types (−23.6%), and floral sizes (−20.8%) in comparison to control plots. In contrast to the overwhelming effect of fragmentation, patch and landscape metrics such as patch size and forest cover played a minor role on the frequency of traits. Our results suggest that habitat fragmentation promotes a marked shift in the relative abundance of tree reproductive traits and greatly reduces the functional diversity of tree assemblages in fragmented landscapes. PMID:17878943

Evaluating and interpreting the chemical relevance of the linear response kernel for atoms II: open shell.

PubMed

Boisdenghien, Zino; Fias, Stijn; Van Alsenoy, Christian; De Proft, Frank; Geerlings, Paul

2014-07-28

Most of the work done on the linear response kernel χ(r,r') has focussed on its atom-atom condensed form χAB. Our previous work [Boisdenghien et al., J. Chem. Theory Comput., 2013, 9, 1007] was the first effort to truly focus on the non-condensed form of this function for closed (sub)shell atoms in a systematic fashion. In this work, we extend our method to the open shell case. To simplify the plotting of our results, we average our results to a symmetrical quantity χ(r,r'). This allows us to plot the linear response kernel for all elements up to and including argon and to investigate the periodicity throughout the first three rows in the periodic table and in the different representations of χ(r,r'). Within the context of Spin Polarized Conceptual Density Functional Theory, the first two-dimensional plots of spin polarized linear response functions are presented and commented on for some selected cases on the basis of the atomic ground state electronic configurations. Using the relation between the linear response kernel and the polarizability we compare the values of the polarizability tensor calculated using our method to high-level values.

Analyzing Multiple-Choice Questions by Model Analysis and Item Response Curves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wattanakasiwich, P.; Ananta, S.

2010-07-01

In physics education research, the main goal is to improve physics teaching so that most students understand physics conceptually and be able to apply concepts in solving problems. Therefore many multiple-choice instruments were developed to probe students' conceptual understanding in various topics. Two techniques including model analysis and item response curves were used to analyze students' responses from Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE). For this study FMCE data from more than 1000 students at Chiang Mai University were collected over the past three years. With model analysis, we can obtain students' alternative knowledge and the probabilities for students to use such knowledge in a range of equivalent contexts. The model analysis consists of two algorithms—concentration factor and model estimation. This paper only presents results from using the model estimation algorithm to obtain a model plot. The plot helps to identify a class model state whether it is in the misconception region or not. Item response curve (IRC) derived from item response theory is a plot between percentages of students selecting a particular choice versus their total score. Pros and cons of both techniques are compared and discussed.

Using volcano plots and regularized-chi statistics in genetic association studies.

PubMed

Li, Wentian; Freudenberg, Jan; Suh, Young Ju; Yang, Yaning

2014-02-01

Labor intensive experiments are typically required to identify the causal disease variants from a list of disease associated variants in the genome. For designing such experiments, candidate variants are ranked by their strength of genetic association with the disease. However, the two commonly used measures of genetic association, the odds-ratio (OR) and p-value may rank variants in different order. To integrate these two measures into a single analysis, here we transfer the volcano plot methodology from gene expression analysis to genetic association studies. In its original setting, volcano plots are scatter plots of fold-change and t-test statistic (or -log of the p-value), with the latter being more sensitive to sample size. In genetic association studies, the OR and Pearson's chi-square statistic (or equivalently its square root, chi; or the standardized log(OR)) can be analogously used in a volcano plot, allowing for their visual inspection. Moreover, the geometric interpretation of these plots leads to an intuitive method for filtering results by a combination of both OR and chi-square statistic, which we term "regularized-chi". This method selects associated markers by a smooth curve in the volcano plot instead of the right-angled lines which corresponds to independent cutoffs for OR and chi-square statistic. The regularized-chi incorporates relatively more signals from variants with lower minor-allele-frequencies than chi-square test statistic. As rare variants tend to have stronger functional effects, regularized-chi is better suited to the task of prioritization of candidate genes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reptile and amphibian responses to large-scale wildfires in southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rochester, C.J.; Brehme, C.S.; Clark, D.R.; Stokes, D.C.; Hathaway, S.A.; Fisher, R.N.

2010-01-01

In 2003, southern California experienced several large fires that burned thousands of hectares of wildlife habitats and conserved lands. To investigate the effects of these fires on the reptile and amphibian communities, we compared the results from prefire herpetofauna and vegetation sampling to two years of postfire sampling across 38 burned and 17 unburned plots. The sampling plots were spread over four vegetation types and four open space areas within San Diego County. Our capture results indicated that burned chaparral and coastal sage scrub plots lost herpetofaunal species diversity after the fires and displayed a significant shift in overall community structure. Shrub and tree cover at the burned plots, averaged across the second and third postfire years, had decreased by 53 in chaparral and 75 in coastal sage scrub. Additionally, postfire herpetofauna community structure at burned plots was more similar to that found in unburned grasslands. In grassland and woodland/riparian vegetation plots, where shrub and tree cover was not significantly affected by fires, we found no differences in the herpetofaunal species diversity or community composition. At the individual species level, Sceloporus occidentalis was the most abundant reptile in these areas both before and after the fires. We saw increases in the net capture rates for several lizard species, including Aspidoscelis tigris, Phrynosoma coronatum, and Uta stansburiana in burned chaparral plots and Aspidoscelis hyperythra and U. stansburiana in burned coastal sage scrub plots. The toad, Bufo boreas, was detected at significantly fewer burned plots in chaparral after the fires. Additionally, we documented decreases in the number of plots occupied by lizards (Elgaria multicarinata), salamanders (Batrachoseps major), and snakes (Coluber constrictor, Lampropeltis getula, Pituophis catenifer, and Masticophis lateralis) in coastal sage scrub and chaparral after the fires. We discuss the individual species results as they relate to such life-history traits as the susceptibility to initial mortality, the response to the altered postfire habitat, and shifts in the availability of potential prey. We foresee that a continued unnatural fire regime will result in a simplification of the southern California reptile and amphibian communities. ?? 2010 Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.

Lichen indicator [Section 4

Treesearch

Paul L. Patterson; Susan Will-Wolf; Marie T. Trest

2009-01-01

Lichens are very responsive to environmental stressors in forests, including changes in forest structure, air quality, and climate. Each lichen species on a plot is an indicator of how lichen communities respond to ecological conditions. Individual lichen species occur erratically and even common species are often absent from plots with suitable habitat. The combined...

THE RESPONSES OF PRAIRIE DEER MICE TO A FIELD SO2 GRADIENT

EPA Science Inventory

A capture-mark-release study of deer mice (Peromyscus) was conducted on two 10-acre grassland areas (Zonal Air Pollution Systems or ZAPS) at monthly intervals from April to September 1976. Both areas were subdivided into four in-line experimental plots, with three smaller plots a...

Qualitative and quantitative estimation of comprehensive synaptic connectivity in short- and long-term cultured rat hippocampal neurons with new analytical methods inspired by Scatchard and Hill plots

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

Tanamoto, Ryo; Shindo, Yutaka; Niwano, Mariko

2016-03-18

To investigate comprehensive synaptic connectivity, we examined Ca{sup 2+} responses with quantitative electric current stimulation by indium-tin-oxide (ITO) glass electrode with transparent and high electro-conductivity. The number of neurons with Ca{sup 2+} responses was low during the application of stepwise increase of electric current in short-term cultured neurons (less than 17 days in-vitro (DIV)). The neurons cultured over 17 DIV showed two-type responses: S-shaped (sigmoid) and monotonous saturated responses, and Scatchard plots well illustrated the difference of these two responses. Furthermore, sigmoid like neural network responses over 17 DIV were altered to the monotonous saturated ones by the application ofmore » the mixture of AP5 and CNQX, specific blockers of NMDA and AMPA receptors, respectively. This alternation was also characterized by the change of Hill coefficients. These findings indicate that the neural network with sigmoid-like responses has strong synergetic or cooperative synaptic connectivity via excitatory glutamate synapses. - Highlights: • We succeed to evaluate the maturation of neural network by Scathard and Hill Plots. • Long-term cultured neurons showed two-type responses: sigmoid and monotonous. • The sigmoid-like increase indicates the cooperatevity of neural networks. • Excitatory glutamate synapses cause the cooperatevity of neural networks.« less

Longitudinal and latitudinal variations in dynamic characteristics of the MLT (70-95km): a study involving the CUJO network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manson, A.; Meek, C.; Chshyolkova, T.; Avery, S.; Thorsen, D.; MacDougall, J.; Hocking, W.; Murayama, Y.; Igarashi, K.; Namboothiri, S.; Kishore, P.

2004-02-01

. The newly-installed MFR (medium frequency radar) at Platteville (40N, 105W) has provided the opportunity and impetus to create an operational network of middle- latitude MFRs stretching from W-E. CUJO (Canada U.S. Japan Opportunity) comprises systems at London (N, 81W), Platteville (40N, 105W), Saskatoon (52N, 107W), Wakkanai (45N, 142E) and Yamagawa (31N, 131E). It offers a significant 7000km longitudinal sector in the North American-Pacific region, and a useful range of latitudes (12-14) at two longitudes. Annual climatologies involving both height and frequency versus time contour plots for periods from 8h to 30 days, show that the changes with longitude are very significant and distinctive, often exceeding the local latitudinal variations. Comparisons with models and the recent UARS-HRDI global analysis of tides are discussed. The fits of the horizontal wave numbers of the longer period oscillations are provided in unique frequency versus time contour plots and shown to be consistent with the expected dominant modes. Annual climatologies of planetary waves (16 day, 2 day) and gravity waves reveal strong seasonal and longitudinal variations.

Tropical forest carbon balance: effects of field- and satellite-based mortality regimes on the dynamics and the spatial structure of Central Amazon forest biomass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Vittorio, Alan V.; Negrón-Juárez, Robinson I.; Higuchi, Niro; Chambers, Jeffrey Q.

2014-03-01

Debate continues over the adequacy of existing field plots to sufficiently capture Amazon forest dynamics to estimate regional forest carbon balance. Tree mortality dynamics are particularly uncertain due to the difficulty of observing large, infrequent disturbances. A recent paper (Chambers et al 2013 Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. 110 3949-54) reported that Central Amazon plots missed 9-17% of tree mortality, and here we address ‘why’ by elucidating two distinct mortality components: (1) variation in annual landscape-scale average mortality and (2) the frequency distribution of the size of clustered mortality events. Using a stochastic-empirical tree growth model we show that a power law distribution of event size (based on merged plot and satellite data) is required to generate spatial clustering of mortality that is consistent with forest gap observations. We conclude that existing plots do not sufficiently capture losses because their placement, size, and longevity assume spatially random mortality, while mortality is actually distributed among differently sized events (clusters of dead trees) that determine the spatial structure of forest canopies.

Graphic report of the results from propensity score method analyses.

PubMed

Shrier, Ian; Pang, Menglan; Platt, Robert W

2017-08-01

To increase transparency in studies reporting propensity scores by using graphical methods that clearly illustrate (1) the number of participant exclusions that occur as a consequence of the analytic strategy and (2) whether treatment effects are constant or heterogeneous across propensity scores. We applied graphical methods to a real-world pharmacoepidemiologic study that evaluated the effect of initiating statin medication on the 1-year all-cause mortality post-myocardial infarction. We propose graphical methods to show the consequences of trimming and matching on the exclusion of participants from the analysis. We also propose the use of meta-analytical forest plots to show the magnitude of effect heterogeneity. A density plot with vertical lines demonstrated the proportion of subjects excluded because of trimming. A frequency plot with horizontal lines demonstrated the proportion of subjects excluded because of matching. An augmented forest plot illustrates the amount of effect heterogeneity present in the data. Our proposed techniques present additional and useful information that helps readers understand the sample that is analyzed with propensity score methods and whether effect heterogeneity is present. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dynamics of a flexible splitter plate in the wake of a circular cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shukla, S.; Govardhan, R. N.; Arakeri, J. H.

2013-08-01

Rigid splitter plates in the wake of bluff bodies are known to suppress the primary vortex shedding. In the present work, we experimentally study the problem of a flexible splitter plate in the wake of a circular cylinder. In this case, the splitter plate is free to continuously deform along its length due to the fluid forces acting on it; the flexural rigidity (EI) of the plate being an important parameter. Direct visualizations of the splitter plate motions, for very low values of flexural rigidity (EI), indicate periodic traveling wave type deformations of the splitter plate with maximum tip amplitudes of the order of 1 cylinder diameter. As the Reynolds number based on cylinder diameter is varied, two regimes of periodic splitter plate motions are found that are referred to as mode I and mode II, with a regime of aperiodic motions between them. The frequency of plate motions in both periodic modes is found to be close to the plane cylinder Strouhal number of about 0.2, while the average frequencies in the non-periodic regime are substantially lower. The measured normalized phase speed of the traveling wave for both periodic modes is also close to the convection speed of vortices in the plane cylinder wake. As the flexural rigidity of the plate (EI) is increased, the response of the plate was found to shift to the right when plotted with flow speed or Re. To better capture the effect of varying EI, we define and use a non-dimensional bending stiffness, K*, similar to the ones used in the flag flutter problem, K=EI/(0.5ρUL), where U is the free-stream velocity and L is the splitter plate length. Amplitude data for different EI cases when plotted against this parameter appear to collapse on to a single curve for a given splitter plate length. Measurements of the splitter plate motions for varying splitter plate lengths indicate that plates that are substantially larger than the formation length of the plane cylinder wake have similar responses, while shorter plates show significant differences.

Electric and Dielectric Properties of Au/ZnS-PVA/n-Si (MPS) Structures in the Frequency Range of 10-200 kHz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baraz, Nalan; Yücedağ, İbrahim; Azizian-Kalandaragh, Yashar; Ersöz, Gülçin; Orak, İkram; Altındal, Şemsettin; Akbari, Bashir; Akbari, Hossein

2017-07-01

Pure polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) capped ZnS semiconductor nanocrystals were prepared by microwave-assisted method, and the optical and structural properties of the as-prepared materials were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) techniques. The XRD pattern shows the formation of ZnS nanocrystals, and the UV-Vis spectroscopy results show a blue shift of about 1.2 eV in its band gap due to the confinement of very small nanostructures. The concentration of donor atoms ( N D), diffusion potential ( V D), Fermi energy level ( E F), and barrier height (ΦB ( C- V)) values were obtained from the reverse bias C -2- V plots for each frequency. The voltage dependent profile of series resistance ( R s) and surface states ( N ss) were also obtained using admittance and low-high frequency methods, respectively. R s- V and N ss- V plots both have distinctive peaks in the depletion region due to the spatial distribution charge at the surface states. The effect of R s and interfacial layer on the C- V and G/ ω- V characteristics was found remarkable at high frequencies. Therefore, the high frequency C- V and G/ ω- V plots were corrected to eliminate the effect of R s. The real and imaginary parts of dielectric constant ( ɛ' and ɛ″) and electric modulus ( M' and M″), loss tangent (tan δ), and ac electrical conductivity ( σ ac) were also obtained using C and G/ ω data and it was found that these parameters are indeed strong functions of frequency and applied bias voltage. Experimental results confirmed that the N ss, R s , and interfacial layer of the MPS structure are important parameters that strongly influence both the electrical and dielectric properties. The low values of N ss ( 109 eV-1 cm-2) and the value of dielectric constant ( ɛ' = 1.3) of ZnS-PVA interfacial layer even at 10 kHz are very suitable for electronic devices when compared with the SiO2. These results confirmed that the ZnS-PVA considerably improves the performance of Au/n-Si (MS) structure and also allow it to work as a capacitor, which stores electric charges or energy.

Wide band stepped frequency ground penetrating radar

DOEpatents

Bashforth, M.B.; Gardner, D.; Patrick, D.; Lewallen, T.A.; Nammath, S.R.; Painter, K.D.; Vadnais, K.G.

1996-03-12

A wide band ground penetrating radar system is described embodying a method wherein a series of radio frequency signals is produced by a single radio frequency source and provided to a transmit antenna for transmission to a target and reflection therefrom to a receive antenna. A phase modulator modulates those portions of the radio frequency signals to be transmitted and the reflected modulated signal is combined in a mixer with the original radio frequency signal to produce a resultant signal which is demodulated to produce a series of direct current voltage signals, the envelope of which forms a cosine wave shaped plot which is processed by a Fast Fourier Transform Unit 44 into frequency domain data wherein the position of a preponderant frequency is indicative of distance to the target and magnitude is indicative of the signature of the target. 6 figs.

Assessing evidence for a pervasive alteration in tropical tree communities.

PubMed

Chave, Jérôme; Condit, Richard; Muller-Landau, Helene C; Thomas, Sean C; Ashton, Peter S; Bunyavejchewin, Sarayudh; Co, Leonardo L; Dattaraja, Handanakere S; Davies, Stuart J; Esufali, Shameema; Ewango, Corneille E N; Feeley, Kenneth J; Foster, Robin B; Gunatilleke, Nimal; Gunatilleke, Savitri; Hall, Pamela; Hart, Terese B; Hernández, Consuelo; Hubbell, Stephen P; Itoh, Akira; Kiratiprayoon, Somboon; Lafrankie, James V; Loo de Lao, Suzanne; Makana, Jean-Rémy; Noor, Md Nur Supardi; Kassim, Abdul Rahman; Samper, Cristián; Sukumar, Raman; Suresh, Hebbalalu S; Tan, Sylvester; Thompson, Jill; Tongco, Ma Dolores C; Valencia, Renato; Vallejo, Martha; Villa, Gorky; Yamakura, Takuo; Zimmerman, Jess K; Losos, Elizabeth C

2008-03-04

In Amazonian tropical forests, recent studies have reported increases in aboveground biomass and in primary productivity, as well as shifts in plant species composition favouring fast-growing species over slow-growing ones. This pervasive alteration of mature tropical forests was attributed to global environmental change, such as an increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration, nutrient deposition, temperature, drought frequency, and/or irradiance. We used standardized, repeated measurements of over 2 million trees in ten large (16-52 ha each) forest plots on three continents to evaluate the generality of these findings across tropical forests. Aboveground biomass increased at seven of our ten plots, significantly so at four plots, and showed a large decrease at a single plot. Carbon accumulation pooled across sites was significant (+0.24 MgC ha(-1) y(-1), 95% confidence intervals [0.07, 0.39] MgC ha(-1) y(-1)), but lower than reported previously for Amazonia. At three sites for which we had data for multiple census intervals, we found no concerted increase in biomass gain, in conflict with the increased productivity hypothesis. Over all ten plots, the fastest-growing quartile of species gained biomass (+0.33 [0.09, 0.55] % y(-1)) compared with the tree community as a whole (+0.15 % y(-1)); however, this significant trend was due to a single plot. Biomass of slow-growing species increased significantly when calculated over all plots (+0.21 [0.02, 0.37] % y(-1)), and in half of our plots when calculated individually. Our results do not support the hypothesis that fast-growing species are consistently increasing in dominance in tropical tree communities. Instead, they suggest that our plots may be simultaneously recovering from past disturbances and affected by changes in resource availability. More long-term studies are necessary to clarify the contribution of global change to the functioning of tropical forests.

Species frequency dynamics in an old-field succession: Effects of disturbance, fertilization and scale

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gibson, D.J.; Middleton, B.A.; Foster, K.; Honu, Y.A.K.; Hoyer, E.W.; Mathis, M.

2005-01-01

Question: Can patterns of species frequency in an old-field be explained within the context of a metapopulation model? Are the patterns observed related to time, spatial scale, disturbance, and nutrient availability? Location: Upland and lowland old-fields in Illinois, USA. Method: Species richness was recorded annually for seven years following plowing of an upland and lowland old-field subject to crossed fertilizer and disturbance treatments (mowing and rototilling). Species occupancy distributions were assessed with respect to the numbers of core and satellite species. Results: In both fields, species richness became higher in disturbed plots than in undisturbed plots over time, and decreased in fertilized plots irrespective of time. A bimodal pattern of species richness consistent with the Core-satellite species (CSS) hypothesis occurred in the initial seed bank and through the course of early succession. The identity of native and exotic core species (those present in > 90% of blocks) changed with time. Some core species from the seed bank became core species in the vegetation, albeit after several years. At the scale of individual plots, a bimodal fit consistent with the CSS hypothesis applied only in year 1 and rarely thereafter. Conclusions: The CSS hypothesis provides a metapopulation perspective for understanding patterns of species richness but requires the assessment of spatial and temporal scaling effects. Regional processes (e.g. propagule availability) at the largest scale have the greatest impact influencing community structure during early secondary succession. Local processes (e.g., disturbance and soil nutrients) are more important at smaller scales and place constraints on species establishment and community structure of both native and exotic species. Under the highest intensity of disturbance, exotic species may be able to use resources unavailable to, or unused by, native species. ?? IAVS; Opulus Press.

Seasonal sediment dynamics shape temperate bedrock reef communities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Figurski, Jared D.; Freiwald, Jan; Lonhart, Steve I.; Storlazzi, Curt

2016-01-01

Mobilized seafloor sediment can impact benthic reef communities through burial, scour, and turbidity. These processes are ubiquitous in coastal oceans and, through their influence on the survival, fitness, and interactions of species, can alter the structure and function of benthic communities. In northern Monterey Bay, California, USA, as much as 30% of the seafloor is buried or exposed seasonally, making this an ideal location to test how subtidal temperate rocky reef communities vary in the presence and absence of chronic sediment-based disturbances. Designated dynamic plots were naturally inundated by sediment in summer (50 to 100% cover) and swept clean in winter, whereas designated stable plots remained free of sediment during our study. Multivariate analyses indicated significant differences in the structure of sessile and mobile communities between dynamic and stable reef habitats. For sessile species, community structure in disturbed plots was less variable in space and time than in stable plots due to the maintenance of an early successional state. In contrast, community structure of mobile species varied more in disturbed plots than in stable plots, reflecting how mobile species distribute in response to sediment dynamics. Some species were found only in these disturbed areas, suggesting that the spatial mosaic of disturbance could increase regional diversity. We discuss how the relative ability of species to tolerate disturbance at different life history stages and their ability to colonize habitat translate into community-level differences among habitats, and how this response varies between mobile and sessile communities.

Equatorial Kelvin waves: A UARS MLS view

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Canziani, Pablo O.; Holton, James R.; Fishbein, Evan; Froidevaux, Lucien; Waters, Joe W.

1994-01-01

Data from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) are used to compare two periods of Kelvin wave activity during different stages of the equatorial quasi-biennial oscillation. The analysis is carried out using an asynoptic mapping technique. A wide bandpass filter is used to isolate the frequency bands where Kelvin waves have been identified in previous studies. Time-height and time-latitude plots of the bandpassed data are used to identify Kelvin wave activity in the temperature and ozone fields. Frequency spectra of temperature and ozone amplitudes are constructed to further analyze the latitudinal and meridional distribution of Kelvin wave activity in zonal wavenumbers 1 and 2. The characteristics identified in these plots agree well with theoretical predictions and previous observations of middle atmosphere Kelvin waves. The time-height and time-latitude plots support the existence of Kelvin waves in discrete frequency bands; the slow, fast, and ultrafast Kelvin modes are all identified in the data. The characteristics of these modes do not vary much despite different mean flow conditions in the two periods examined. For the Kelvin wave-induced perturbations in ozone, the change from a transport-dominated regime below 10 hPa to a photochemically controlled regime above 10 hPa is clearly apparent in the height dependence of the phase difference between temperature and ozone. The ratios of the ozone perturbation amplitude to the temperature perturbation amplitude for the various observed Kelvin wave modes are in agreement with model estimates and LIMS (Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere) observations in the lower half of the region sampled but appear to be too large in the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere.

Species-specific photosynthetic responses of four coniferous seedlings to open-field experimental warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, S.; Yoon, S. J.; Yoon, T. K.; Han, S. H.; Lee, J.; Lee, D.; Kim, S.; Hwang, J.; Cho, M.; Son, Y.

2014-12-01

Temperature increase under climate change is expected to affect photosynthesis of tree species. Biochemical models generally suggest that the elevated temperature increases the photosynthetic carbon fixation, however, many opposing results were reported as well. We aimed to examine the photosynthetic responses of four coniferous seedlings to projected future temperature increase, by conducting an open-field warming experiment. Experimental warming set-up using infra-red heater was built in 2011 and the temperature in warming plots has been regulated to be consistently 3oC higher than that of control plots. The seeds of Abies holophylla (AH), A. koreana (AK), Pinus densiflora (PD), and P. koraiensis (PK) were planted in each 1 m × 1 m plot (n=3) in April, 2012. Monthly net photosynthetic rates (Pn; μmol CO2 m-2 s-1) of 1-year-old seedlings (n=9) from June to November, 2013 were measured using CIRAS-2 (PP-Systems, UK) and photosynthetic parameters (the apparent quantum yield; ф; µmol CO2 mol-1, the dark respiration rate; Rd; µmol CO2 mol-1, and the light compensation point; LCP; µmol mol-1 s-1) were also calculated from the light-response curve of photosynthesis in August, 2013. Chlorophyll contents were measured using DMSO extraction method. Monthly Pn was generally higher for PD and decreased for AK in warmed plots than in control plots (Fig. 1). Pn of AK and PK did not show any significant difference, however, Pn of PK in October and November increased by experimental warming. Pn of PD also showed the highest increase in November and this distinct increase of Pn in autumn might be caused by delayed cessation of photosynthesis by temperature elevation. ф and Rd in warmed plots were higher for PD and lower for AK, while LCP did not significantly differ by treatments for all species. Because ф is considered to be related to the efficiency of harvesting and using light, the change in ф might have caused the response of Pn to warming in this study. Decreases in chlorophyll contents resulted from heat stress were observed for PD and PK. We found the species-specific responses of Pn related to the change in photosynthetic parameters following experimental warming of four 1-year-old coniferous seedlings.

Mfold web server for nucleic acid folding and hybridization prediction.

PubMed

Zuker, Michael

2003-07-01

The abbreviated name, 'mfold web server', describes a number of closely related software applications available on the World Wide Web (WWW) for the prediction of the secondary structure of single stranded nucleic acids. The objective of this web server is to provide easy access to RNA and DNA folding and hybridization software to the scientific community at large. By making use of universally available web GUIs (Graphical User Interfaces), the server circumvents the problem of portability of this software. Detailed output, in the form of structure plots with or without reliability information, single strand frequency plots and 'energy dot plots', are available for the folding of single sequences. A variety of 'bulk' servers give less information, but in a shorter time and for up to hundreds of sequences at once. The portal for the mfold web server is http://www.bioinfo.rpi.edu/applications/mfold. This URL will be referred to as 'MFOLDROOT'.

Dielectric relaxation and electrical conduction mechanism in A2HoSbO6 (A=Ba, Sr, Ca) Double Perovskite Ceramics: An impedance spectroscopic analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halder, Saswata; Dutta, Alo; Sinha, T. P.

2017-03-01

The AC electrical properties of polycrystalline double perovskite oxides A2HoSbO6 (A=Ba, Sr, Ca; AHS) synthesized by solid state reaction technique has been explored by using impedance spectroscopic studies. The Rietveld refinement of the room temperature X-ray diffraction data show that Ba2HoSbO6 (BHS) has cubic phase and Sr2HoSbO6 (SHS) and Ca2HoSbO6 (CHS) crystallize in monoclinic phase. The samples show significant frequency dispersion in their dielectric properties. The polydispersive nature of the relaxation mechanism is explained by the modified Cole-Cole model. The scaling behavior of dielectric loss indicate the temperature independence of the relaxation mechanism. The magnitude of the activation energy indicates that the hopping mechanism is responsible for carrier transport in AHS. The frequency dependent conductivity spectra follow the double power law. Impedance spectroscopic data presented in the Nyquist plot (Z" versus Z‧) are used to identify an equivalent circuit along with to know the grain, grain boundary and interface contributions. The constant phase element (CPE) is used to analyze the experimental response of BHS, SHS and CHS comprehending the contribution of different microstructural features to the conduction process. The temperature dependent electrical conductivity shows a semiconducting behavior.

Dynamical density delay maps: simple, new method for visualising the behaviour of complex systems

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Physiologic signals, such as cardiac interbeat intervals, exhibit complex fluctuations. However, capturing important dynamical properties, including nonstationarities may not be feasible from conventional time series graphical representations. Methods We introduce a simple-to-implement visualisation method, termed dynamical density delay mapping (“D3-Map” technique) that provides an animated representation of a system’s dynamics. The method is based on a generalization of conventional two-dimensional (2D) Poincaré plots, which are scatter plots where each data point, x(n), in a time series is plotted against the adjacent one, x(n + 1). First, we divide the original time series, x(n) (n = 1,…, N), into a sequence of segments (windows). Next, for each segment, a three-dimensional (3D) Poincaré surface plot of x(n), x(n + 1), h[x(n),x(n + 1)] is generated, in which the third dimension, h, represents the relative frequency of occurrence of each (x(n),x(n + 1)) point. This 3D Poincaré surface is then chromatised by mapping the relative frequency h values onto a colour scheme. We also generate a colourised 2D contour plot from each time series segment using the same colourmap scheme as for the 3D Poincaré surface. Finally, the original time series graph, the colourised 3D Poincaré surface plot, and its projection as a colourised 2D contour map for each segment, are animated to create the full “D3-Map.” Results We first exemplify the D3-Map method using the cardiac interbeat interval time series from a healthy subject during sleeping hours. The animations uncover complex dynamical changes, such as transitions between states, and the relative amount of time the system spends in each state. We also illustrate the utility of the method in detecting hidden temporal patterns in the heart rate dynamics of a patient with atrial fibrillation. The videos, as well as the source code, are made publicly available. Conclusions Animations based on density delay maps provide a new way of visualising dynamical properties of complex systems not apparent in time series graphs or standard Poincaré plot representations. Trainees in a variety of fields may find the animations useful as illustrations of fundamental but challenging concepts, such as nonstationarity and multistability. For investigators, the method may facilitate data exploration. PMID:24438439

Item Vector Plots for the Multidimensional Three-Parameter Logistic Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryant, Damon; Davis, Larry

2011-01-01

This brief technical note describes how to construct item vector plots for dichotomously scored items fitting the multidimensional three-parameter logistic model (M3PLM). As multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) shows promise of being a very useful framework in the test development life cycle, graphical tools that facilitate understanding…

Aspen sprout production and water use

Treesearch

Robert S. Johnston

1969-01-01

Sprouting response and soil moisture depletion on aspen plots were compared under four experimental conditions: (a) clearcut, (b) clearcut, stumps sprayed with sodium arsenite, (c) basal injection of sodium arsenite, and (d) control. Nunbers of sprouts varied with treatment for 2 years, but after 4 years the nunbers of sprouts on all plots were about equal....

Comparative evolutionary diversity and phylogenetic structure across multiple forest dynamics plots: a mega-phylogeny approach

PubMed Central

Erickson, David L.; Jones, Frank A.; Swenson, Nathan G.; Pei, Nancai; Bourg, Norman A.; Chen, Wenna; Davies, Stuart J.; Ge, Xue-jun; Hao, Zhanqing; Howe, Robert W.; Huang, Chun-Lin; Larson, Andrew J.; Lum, Shawn K. Y.; Lutz, James A.; Ma, Keping; Meegaskumbura, Madhava; Mi, Xiangcheng; Parker, John D.; Fang-Sun, I.; Wright, S. Joseph; Wolf, Amy T.; Ye, W.; Xing, Dingliang; Zimmerman, Jess K.; Kress, W. John

2014-01-01

Forest dynamics plots, which now span longitudes, latitudes, and habitat types across the globe, offer unparalleled insights into the ecological and evolutionary processes that determine how species are assembled into communities. Understanding phylogenetic relationships among species in a community has become an important component of assessing assembly processes. However, the application of evolutionary information to questions in community ecology has been limited in large part by the lack of accurate estimates of phylogenetic relationships among individual species found within communities, and is particularly limiting in comparisons between communities. Therefore, streamlining and maximizing the information content of these community phylogenies is a priority. To test the viability and advantage of a multi-community phylogeny, we constructed a multi-plot mega-phylogeny of 1347 species of trees across 15 forest dynamics plots in the ForestGEO network using DNA barcode sequence data (rbcL, matK, and psbA-trnH) and compared community phylogenies for each individual plot with respect to support for topology and branch lengths, which affect evolutionary inference of community processes. The levels of taxonomic differentiation across the phylogeny were examined by quantifying the frequency of resolved nodes throughout. In addition, three phylogenetic distance (PD) metrics that are commonly used to infer assembly processes were estimated for each plot [PD, Mean Phylogenetic Distance (MPD), and Mean Nearest Taxon Distance (MNTD)]. Lastly, we examine the partitioning of phylogenetic diversity among community plots through quantification of inter-community MPD and MNTD. Overall, evolutionary relationships were highly resolved across the DNA barcode-based mega-phylogeny, and phylogenetic resolution for each community plot was improved when estimated within the context of the mega-phylogeny. Likewise, when compared with phylogenies for individual plots, estimates of phylogenetic diversity in the mega-phylogeny were more consistent, thereby removing a potential source of bias at the plot-level, and demonstrating the value of assessing phylogenetic relationships simultaneously within a mega-phylogeny. An unexpected result of the comparisons among plots based on the mega-phylogeny was that the communities in the ForestGEO plots in general appear to be assemblages of more closely related species than expected by chance, and that differentiation among communities is very low, suggesting deep floristic connections among communities and new avenues for future analyses in community ecology. PMID:25414723

Photosynthesis, plant growth and nitrogen nutrition in Alaskan tussock tundra: Response to experimental warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dynes, E.; Welker, J. M.; Moore, D. J.; Sullivan, P.; Ebbs, L.; Pattison, R.

2009-12-01

Temperature is predicted to rise significantly in northern latitudes over the next century. The Arctic tundra is a fragile ecosystem with low rates of photosynthesis and low nutrient mineralisation. Rising temperatures may increase photosynthetic capacity in the short term through direct stimulation of photosynthetic rates and also in the longer term due to enhanced nutrient availability. Different species and plant functional types may have different responses to warming which may have an impact on plant community structure. As part of the International Tundra Experiment (ITEX) to investigate the effects of warming on arctic vegetation, a series of open top chambers (OTCs) have been established at the Toolik Field Station (68°38’N, 149°36’W, elevation 720 m). This study employs 12 plots; 6 control plots and 6 warming plots covered with OTCs which maintain a temperature on average +1.54 °C degrees higher than ambient temperatures. The response of photosynthesis to temperature was measured using an infra-red gas analyzer (IRGA) with a cooling adaptor to manipulate leaf temperature and determine AMAX in two contrasting species, Eriophorum vaginatum (sedge) and Betula nana (shrub). Temperature within the chamber head of the IRGA was manipulated from 10 through 25 °C. We also measured the leaf area index of plots using a Decagon Accupar Ceptometer to provide insights into potential differences in canopy cover. In both OTC and control plots the photosynthetic rate of B. nana was greater than that of E. vaginatum, with the AMAX of B. nana peaking at 20.08°C and E. vaginatum peaking slightly lower at 19.7°C in the control plots. There was no apparent difference in the temperature optimum of photosynthesis of either species when exposed to the warming treatment. Although there was no difference in temperature optimum there were differences in the peak values of AMAX between treatment and control plots. In the case of B. nana, AMAX was higher in the OTCs than in the control plots with the highest rate being 17.2 μmol/m2/s in OTCs and 16.8 μmol/m2/s in control. Similarly, AMAX of E. vaginatum was also higher in OTCs with the highest rate being 10.4 μmol/m2/s in the control and 11 μmol/m2/s in the OTCs. Leaf area (LAI) was higher in the warming plots (mean = .39(0.095)) than LAI in the control plots (mean =.3 (.067)) in the control plots. This difference was significant as p<0.05. The higher photosynthetic rate and temperature optimum of photosynthesis in B. nana may indicate shrubs ability to cope with rising temperatures more efficiently than E. vagination which may lead to shifts in total leaf area and species composition.

Decrease in heart rate variability with overtraining: assessment by the Poincaré plot analysis.

PubMed

Mourot, Laurent; Bouhaddi, Malika; Perrey, Stéphane; Cappelle, Sylvie; Henriet, Marie-Thérèse; Wolf, Jean-Pierre; Rouillon, Jean-Denis; Regnard, Jacques

2004-01-01

Numerous symptoms have been associated with the overtraining syndrome (OT), including changes in autonomic function. Heart rate variability (HRV) provides non-invasive data about the autonomic regulation of heart rate in real-life conditions. The aims of the study were to: (i) characterize the HRV profile of seven athletes (OA) diagnosed as suffering of OT, compared with eight healthy sedentary (C) and eight trained (T) subjects during supine rest and 60 degrees upright, and (ii) compare the traditional time- and frequency-domain analysis assessment of HRV with the non-linear Poincaré plot analysis. In the latter each R-R interval is plotted as a function of the previous one, and the standard deviations of the instantaneous (SD1) and long-term R-R interval variability are calculated. Total power was higher in T than in C and OA both in supine (1158 +/- 1137, 6092 +/- 3554 and 2970 +/- 2947 ms2 for C, T and OA, respectively) and in upright (640 +/- 499, 1814 +/- 806 and 1092 +/- 712 ms2 for C, T and OA, respectively; P<0.05) positions. In supine position, indicators of parasympathetic activity to the sinus node were higher in T compared with C and OA (high-frequency power: 419.1 +/- 381.2, 1105.3 +/- 781.4 and 463.7 +/- 715.8 ms2 for C, T and OA, respectively; P<0.05; SD1: 29.5 +/- 18.5, 75.2 +/- 17.2 and 37.6 +/- 27.5 for C, T and OA, respectively; P<0.05). OA had a marked predominance of sympathetic activity regardless of the position (LF/HF were 0.47 +/- 0.35, 0.47 +/- 0.50 and 3.96 +/- 5.71 in supine position for C, T and OA, respectively, and 2.09 +/- 2.17, 7.22 +/- 6.82 and 12.04 +/- 10.36 in upright position for C, T and OA, respectively). The changes in HRV indexes induced by the upright posture were greater in T than in OA. The shape of the Poincaré plots allowed the distinction between the three groups, with wide and narrow shapes in T and OA, respectively, compared with C. As Poincaré plot parameters are easy to compute and associated with the 'width' of the scatter gram, they corroborate the traditional time- and frequency-domain analysis. We suggest that they could be used to indicate fatigue and/or prevent OT.

Optimizing pulsed Nd:YAG laser beam welding process parameters to attain maximum ultimate tensile strength for thin AISI316L sheet using response surface methodology and simulated annealing algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torabi, Amir; Kolahan, Farhad

2018-07-01

Pulsed laser welding is a powerful technique especially suitable for joining thin sheet metals. In this study, based on experimental data, pulsed laser welding of thin AISI316L austenitic stainless steel sheet has been modeled and optimized. The experimental data required for modeling are gathered as per Central Composite Design matrix in Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with full replication of 31 runs. Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) is considered as the main quality measure in laser welding. Furthermore, the important process parameters including peak power, pulse duration, pulse frequency and welding speed are selected as input process parameters. The relation between input parameters and the output response is established via full quadratic response surface regression with confidence level of 95%. The adequacy of the regression model was verified using Analysis of Variance technique results. The main effects of each factor and the interactions effects with other factors were analyzed graphically in contour and surface plot. Next, to maximum joint UTS, the best combinations of parameters levels were specified using RSM. Moreover, the mathematical model is implanted into a Simulated Annealing (SA) optimization algorithm to determine the optimal values of process parameters. The results obtained by both SA and RSM optimization techniques are in good agreement. The optimal parameters settings for peak power of 1800 W, pulse duration of 4.5 ms, frequency of 4.2 Hz and welding speed of 0.5 mm/s would result in a welded joint with 96% of the base metal UTS. Computational results clearly demonstrate that the proposed modeling and optimization procedures perform quite well for pulsed laser welding process.

Phonon response of some heavy Fermion systems in dynamic limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahoo, Jitendra; Shadangi, Namita; Nayak, Pratibindhya

2017-05-01

The phonon excitation spectrum of some Heavy Fermion (HF) systems in the presence of electron-phonon interaction is studied in the dynamic limit (ω≠0). The renormalized excitation phonon frequencies (ω˜ = ω/ω0) are evaluated through Periodic Anderson Model (PAM) in the presence of electron-phonon interaction using Zubarev-type double time temperature-dependent Green function. The calculated renormalized phonon energy is analyzed through the plots of (ω˜ = ω/ω0) against temperature for different system parameters like effective coupling strength ‘g’ and the position of f-level ‘d’. The observed behavior is analyzed and found to agree with the general features of HF systems found in experiments. Further, it is observed that in finite but small q-values the propagating phonons harden and change to localized peaks.

Coarse-graining time series data: Recurrence plot of recurrence plots and its application for music

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukino, Miwa; Hirata, Yoshito; Aihara, Kazuyuki

2016-02-01

We propose a nonlinear time series method for characterizing two layers of regularity simultaneously. The key of the method is using the recurrence plots hierarchically, which allows us to preserve the underlying regularities behind the original time series. We demonstrate the proposed method with musical data. The proposed method enables us to visualize both the local and the global musical regularities or two different features at the same time. Furthermore, the determinism scores imply that the proposed method may be useful for analyzing emotional response to the music.

Coarse-graining time series data: Recurrence plot of recurrence plots and its application for music.

PubMed

Fukino, Miwa; Hirata, Yoshito; Aihara, Kazuyuki

2016-02-01

We propose a nonlinear time series method for characterizing two layers of regularity simultaneously. The key of the method is using the recurrence plots hierarchically, which allows us to preserve the underlying regularities behind the original time series. We demonstrate the proposed method with musical data. The proposed method enables us to visualize both the local and the global musical regularities or two different features at the same time. Furthermore, the determinism scores imply that the proposed method may be useful for analyzing emotional response to the music.

Underwater detection of tonal signals between 0.125 and 100 kHz by harbor seals (Phoca vitulina).

PubMed

Kastelein, Ronald A; Wensveen, Paul J; Hoek, Lean; Verboom, Willem C; Terhune, John M

2009-02-01

The underwater hearing sensitivities of two 1-year-old female harbor seals were quantified in a pool built for acoustic research, using a behavioral psychoacoustic technique. The animals were trained to respond when they detected an acoustic signal and not to respond when they did not (go/no-go response). Pure tones (0.125-0.25 kHz) and narrowband frequency modulated (tonal) signals (center frequencies 0.5-100 kHz) of 900 ms duration were tested. Thresholds at each frequency were measured using the up-down staircase method and defined as the stimulus level resulting in a 50% detection rate. The audiograms of the two seals did not differ statistically: both plots showed the typical mammalian U-shape, but with a wide and flat bottom. Maximum sensitivity (54 dB re 1 microPa, rms) occurred at 1 kHz. The frequency range of best hearing (within 10 dB of maximum sensitivity) was from 0.5 to 40 kHz (6(1/3) octaves). Higher hearing thresholds (indicating poorer sensitivity) were observed below 1 and above 40 kHz. Thresholds below 4 kHz were lower than those previously described for harbor seals, which demonstrates the importance of using quiet facilities, built specifically for acoustic research, for hearing studies in marine mammals. The results suggest that under unmasked conditions many anthropogenic noise sources and sounds from conspecifics are audible to harbor seals at greater ranges than formerly believed.

The National Flood Frequency Program, version 3 : a computer program for estimating magnitude and frequency of floods for ungaged sites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ries, Kernell G.; Crouse, Michele Y.

2002-01-01

For many years, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been developing regional regression equations for estimating flood magnitude and frequency at ungaged sites. These regression equations are used to transfer flood characteristics from gaged to ungaged sites through the use of watershed and climatic characteristics as explanatory or predictor variables. Generally, these equations have been developed on a Statewide or metropolitan-area basis as part of cooperative study programs with specific State Departments of Transportation. In 1994, the USGS released a computer program titled the National Flood Frequency Program (NFF), which compiled all the USGS available regression equations for estimating the magnitude and frequency of floods in the United States and Puerto Rico. NFF was developed in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Since the initial release of NFF, the USGS has produced new equations for many areas of the Nation. A new version of NFF has been developed that incorporates these new equations and provides additional functionality and ease of use. NFF version 3 provides regression-equation estimates of flood-peak discharges for unregulated rural and urban watersheds, flood-frequency plots, and plots of typical flood hydrographs for selected recurrence intervals. The Program also provides weighting techniques to improve estimates of flood-peak discharges for gaging stations and ungaged sites. The information provided by NFF should be useful to engineers and hydrologists for planning and design applications. This report describes the flood-regionalization techniques used in NFF and provides guidance on the applicability and limitations of the techniques. The NFF software and the documentation for the regression equations included in NFF are available at http://water.usgs.gov/software/nff.html.

SpectraPLOT, Visualization Package with a User-Friendly Graphical Interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sebald, James; Macfarlane, Joseph; Golovkin, Igor

2017-10-01

SPECT3D is a collisional-radiative spectral analysis package designed to compute detailed emission, absorption, or x-ray scattering spectra, filtered images, XRD signals, and other synthetic diagnostics. The spectra and images are computed for virtual detectors by post-processing the results of hydrodynamics simulations in 1D, 2D, and 3D geometries. SPECT3D can account for a variety of instrumental response effects so that direct comparisons between simulations and experimental measurements can be made. SpectraPLOT is a user-friendly graphical interface for viewing a wide variety of results from SPECT3D simulations, and applying various instrumental effects to the simulated images and spectra. We will present SpectraPLOT's ability to display a variety of data, including spectra, images, light curves, streaked spectra, space-resolved spectra, and drilldown plasma property plots, for an argon-doped capsule implosion experiment example. Future SpectraPLOT features and enhancements will also be discussed.

Effects of elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide on biomass and carbon accumulation in a model regenerating longleaf pine community.

PubMed

Runion, G B; Davis, M A; Pritchard, S G; Prior, S A; Mitchell, R J; Torbert, H A; Rogers, H H; Dute, R R

2006-01-01

Plant species vary in response to atmospheric CO2 concentration due to differences in physiology, morphology, phenology, and symbiotic relationships. These differences make it very difficult to predict how plant communities will respond to elevated CO2. Such information is critical to furthering our understanding of community and ecosystem responses to global climate change. To determine how a simple plant community might respond to elevated CO2, a model regenerating longleaf pine community composed of five species was exposed to two CO2 regimes (ambient, 365 micromol mol(-1) and elevated, 720 micromol mol(-1)) for 3 yr. Total above- and belowground biomass was 70 and 49% greater, respectively, in CO2-enriched plots. Carbon (C) content followed a response pattern similar to biomass, resulting in a significant increase of 13.8 Mg C ha(-1) under elevated CO2. Responses of individual species, however, varied. Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) was primarily responsible for the positive response to CO2 enrichment. Wiregrass (Aristida stricta Michx.), rattlebox (Crotalaria rotundifolia Walt. Ex Gmel.), and butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa L.) exhibited negative above- and belowground biomass responses to elevated CO2, while sand post oak (Quercus margaretta Ashe) did not differ significantly between CO2 treatments. As with pine, C content followed patterns similar to biomass. Elevated CO2 resulted in alterations in community structure. Longleaf pine comprised 88% of total biomass in CO2-enriched plots, but only 76% in ambient plots. In contrast, wiregrass, rattlebox, and butterfly weed comprised 19% in ambient CO2 plots, but only 8% under high CO2. Therefore, while longleaf pine may perform well in a high CO2 world, other members of this community may not compete as well, which could alter community function. Effects of elevated CO2 on plant communities are complex, dynamic, and difficult to predict, clearly demonstrating the need for more research in this important area of global change science.

Wide band stepped frequency ground penetrating radar

DOEpatents

Bashforth, Michael B.; Gardner, Duane; Patrick, Douglas; Lewallen, Tricia A.; Nammath, Sharyn R.; Painter, Kelly D.; Vadnais, Kenneth G.

1996-01-01

A wide band ground penetrating radar system (10) embodying a method wherein a series of radio frequency signals (60) is produced by a single radio frequency source (16) and provided to a transmit antenna (26) for transmission to a target (54) and reflection therefrom to a receive antenna (28). A phase modulator (18) modulates those portion of the radio frequency signals (62) to be transmitted and the reflected modulated signal (62) is combined in a mixer (34) with the original radio frequency signal (60) to produce a resultant signal (53) which is demodulated to produce a series of direct current voltage signals (66) the envelope of which forms a cosine wave shaped plot (68) which is processed by a Fast Fourier Transform unit 44 into frequency domain data (70) wherein the position of a preponderant frequency is indicative of distance to the target (54) and magnitude is indicative of the signature of the target (54).

Flame Driving of Longitudinal Instabilities in Liquid Fueled Dump Combustors.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-07-01

plotted in Fig. 8 for the first " natural frequency of 80 Hz. As the flame length is much smaller than the acoustic wavelength at 80 Hz the pressure...velocity u and the near a pressure minimum there was a large radia- flame length . In all cases, it was Found that the tion signal at the driving...frequency. On the theory underpredicted the flame length . This may other hand, when the stabilizing wire was near a be due to the neglect of viscous and

Co-Prime Frequency and Aperture Design for HF Surveillance, Wideband Radar Imaging, and Nonstationary Array Processing

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-03-10

can be generated using only two sensors in the physical array. In case ofredundancy in the difference coarray, there is more than one antenna pair that...estimation results based on the MUSIC algorithm using multi- frequency co-prime arrays. Both proportional and nonproportional source spectra cases are...be made in this case as well. However, two differences can be noticed by comparing the RMSE plots in Figs. 11 and 13. First, the RMSE takes on lower

Characterization of Anodized Titanium Based Novel Paradigm Supercapacitors: Impact of Salt Identity and Frequency on Dielectric Values, Power, and Energy Densities

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

fire the weapon is 31 m3. Ultimately, the ideal capacitors would match the energy density of the best batteries . At this time, Lithium Ion batteries ...Discharge) .....119 Figure 115. Ragone Plot of Supercapacitors vs. Batteries with NH4Cl 30 wt% and KOH 30 wt%. Adapted from [18...charge/discharge frequency. Batteries , capacitors, and fly-wheels are all under consideration at this time; each device has its advantages and

Utilization of a Response-Surface Technique in the Study of Plant Responses to Ozone and Sulfur Dioxide Mixtures 1

PubMed Central

Ormrod, Douglas P.; Tingey, David T.; Gumpertz, Marcia L.; Olszyk, David M.

1984-01-01

A second order rotatable design was used to obtain polynomial equations describing the effects of combinations of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ozone (O3) on foliar injury and plant growth. The response surfaces derived from these equations were displayed as contour or isometric (3-dimensional) plots. The contour plots aided in the interpretation of the pollutant interactions and were judged easier to use than the isometric plots. Plants of `Grand Rapids' lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), `Cherry Belle' radish (Raphanus sativus L.), and `Alsweet' pea (Pisum sativum L.) were grown in a controlled environment chamber and exposed to seven combinations of SO2 and O3. Injury was evaluated based on visible chlorosis and necrosis and growth was evaluated as leaf area and dry weight. Covariate measurements were used to increase precision. Radish and pea had greater injury, in general, that did lettuce; all three species were sensitive to O3, and pea was most sensitive and radish least sensitive to SO2. Leaf injury responses were relatively more affected by the pollutants than were plant growth responses in radish and pea but not in lettuce. In radish, hypocotyl growth was more sensitive to the pollutants than was leaf growth. PMID:16663598

Utilization of a response-surface technique in the study of plant responses to ozone and sulfur dioxide mixtures.

PubMed

Ormrod, D P; Tingey, D T; Gumpertz, M L; Olszyk, D M

1984-05-01

A second order rotatable design was used to obtain polynomial equations describing the effects of combinations of sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) and ozone (O(3)) on foliar injury and plant growth. The response surfaces derived from these equations were displayed as contour or isometric (3-dimensional) plots. The contour plots aided in the interpretation of the pollutant interactions and were judged easier to use than the isometric plots. Plants of ;Grand Rapids' lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), ;Cherry Belle' radish (Raphanus sativus L.), and ;Alsweet' pea (Pisum sativum L.) were grown in a controlled environment chamber and exposed to seven combinations of SO(2) and O(3). Injury was evaluated based on visible chlorosis and necrosis and growth was evaluated as leaf area and dry weight. Covariate measurements were used to increase precision. Radish and pea had greater injury, in general, that did lettuce; all three species were sensitive to O(3), and pea was most sensitive and radish least sensitive to SO(2). Leaf injury responses were relatively more affected by the pollutants than were plant growth responses in radish and pea but not in lettuce. In radish, hypocotyl growth was more sensitive to the pollutants than was leaf growth.

On the correlation between bond-length change and vibrational frequency shift in halogen-bonded complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Weizhou; Zhang, Yu; Ji, Baoming; Tian, Anmin

2011-06-01

The C-Hal (Hal = Cl, Br, or I) bond-length change and the corresponding vibrational frequency shift of the C-Hal stretch upon the C-Hal ⋯Y (Y is the electron donor) halogen bond formation have been determined by using density functional theory computations. Plots of the C-Hal bond-length change versus the corresponding vibrational frequency shift of the C-Hal stretch all give straight lines. The coefficients of determination range from 0.94366 to 0.99219, showing that the correlation between the C-Hal bond-length change and the corresponding frequency shift is very good in the halogen-bonded complexes. The possible effects of vibrational coupling, computational method, and anharmonicity on the bond-length change-frequency shift correlation are discussed in detail.

Controlling the extrudate swell in melt extrusion additive manufacturing of 3D scaffolds: a designed experiment.

PubMed

Yousefi, Azizeh-Mitra; Smucker, Byran; Naber, Alex; Wyrick, Cara; Shaw, Charles; Bennett, Katelyn; Szekely, Sarah; Focke, Carlie; Wood, Katherine A

2018-02-01

Tissue engineering using three-dimensional porous scaffolds has shown promise for the restoration of normal function in injured and diseased tissues and organs. Rigorous control over scaffold architecture in melt extrusion additive manufacturing is highly restricted mainly due to pronounced variations in the deposited strand diameter upon any variations in process conditions and polymer viscoelasticity. We have designed an I-optimal, split-plot experiment to study the extrudate swell in melt extrusion additive manufacturing and to control the scaffold architecture. The designed experiment was used to generate data to relate three responses (swell, density, and modulus) to a set of controllable factors (plotting needle diameter, temperature, pressure, and the dispensing speed). The fitted regression relationships were used to optimize the three responses simultaneously. The swell response was constrained to be close to 1 while maximizing the modulus and minimizing the density. Constraining the extrudate swell to 1 generates design-driven scaffolds, with strand diameters equal to the plotting needle diameter, and allows a greater control over scaffold pore size. Hence, the modulus of the scaffolds can be fully controlled by adjusting the in-plane distance between the deposited strands. To the extent of the model's validity, we can eliminate the effect of extrudate swell in designing these scaffolds, while targeting a range of porosity and modulus appropriate for bone tissue engineering. The result of this optimization was a predicted modulus of 14 MPa and a predicted density of 0.29 g/cm 3 (porosity ≈ 75%) using polycaprolactone as scaffold material. These predicted responses corresponded to factor levels of 0.6 μm for the plotting needle diameter, plotting pressure of 2.5 bar, melt temperature of 113.5 °C, and dispensing speed of 2 mm/s. The validation scaffold enabled us to quantify the percentage difference for the predictions, which was 9.5% for the extrudate swell, 19% for the density, and 29% for the modulus.

THz frequency spectrum of protein-solvent interaction energy using a recurrence plot-based Wiener-Khinchin method.

PubMed

Karain, Wael

2016-10-01

The dynamics of a protein and the water surrounding it are coupled via nonbonded energy interactions. This coupling can exhibit a complex, nonlinear, and nonstationary nature. The THz frequency spectrum for this interaction energy characterizes both the vibration spectrum of the water hydrogen bond network, and the frequency range of large amplitude modes of proteins. We use a Recurrence Plot based Wiener-Khinchin method RPWK to calculate this spectrum, and the results are compared to those determined using the classical auto-covariance-based Wiener-Khinchin method WK. The frequency spectra for the total nonbonded interaction energy extracted from molecular dynamics simulations between the β-Lactamase Inhibitory Protein BLIP, and water molecules within a 10 Å distance from the protein surface, are calculated at 150, 200, 250, and 310 K, respectively. Similar calculations are also performed for the nonbonded interaction energy between the residues 49ASP, 53TYR, and 142PHE in BLIP, with water molecules within 10 Å from each residue respectively at 150, 200, 250, and 310 K. A comparison of the results shows that RPWK performs better than WK, and is able to detect some frequency data points that WK fails to detect. This points to the importance of using methods capable of taking the complex nature of the protein-solvent energy landscape into consideration, and not to rely on standard linear methods. In general, RPWK can be a valuable addition to the analysis tools for protein molecular dynamics simulations. Proteins 2016; 84:1549-1557. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Growth and interface properties of Au Schottky contact on ZnO grown by molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asghar, M.; Mahmood, K.; Malik, Faisal; Hasan, M. A.

2013-06-01

In this paper, we have discussed the growth of ZnO by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and interface properties of Au Schottky contacts on grown sample. After the verification of structure and surface properties by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), respectively, Au metal contact was fabricated by e-beam evaporation to study contact properties. The high value of ideality factor (2.15) and barrier height (0.61 eV) at room temperature obtained by current-voltage (I-V) characteristics suggested the presence of interface states between metal and semiconductor. To confirm this observation we carried out frequency dependent capacitance-voltage (C-V) and conductance-voltage (G-V) demonstrated that the capacitance of diode decreased with increasing frequency. The reason of this behavior is related with density of interface states, series resistance and image force lowering. The C-2-V plot drawn to calculate the carrier concentration and barrier height with values 1.4×1016 cm-3 and 0.92 eV respectively. Again, high value of barrier height obtained from C-V as compared to the value obtained from I-V measurements revealed the presence of interface states. The density of these interface states (Dit) was calculated by well known Hill-Coleman method. The calculated value of Dit at 1 MHz frequency was 2×1012 eV-1 cm-2. The plot between interface states and frequency was also drawn which demonstrated that density of interface states had inverse proportion with measuring frequency.

Emission characteristics of 6.78-MHz radio-frequency glow discharge plasma in a pulsed mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xinyue; Wagatsuma, Kazuaki

2017-07-01

This paper investigated Boltzmann plots for both atomic and ionic emission lines of iron in an argon glow discharge plasma driven by 6.78-MHz radio-frequency (RF) voltage in a pulsed operation, in order to discuss how the excitation/ionization process was affected by the pulsation. For this purpose, a pulse frequency as well as a duty ratio of the pulsed RF voltage was selected as the experimenter parameters. A Grimm-style radiation source was employed at a forward RF power of 70 W and at an argon pressures of 670 Pa. The Boltzmann plot for low-lying excited levels of iron atom was on a linear relationship, which was probably attributed to thermal collisions with ultimate electrons in the negative glow region; in this case, the excitation temperature was obtained in a narrow range of 3300-3400 K, which was hardly affected by the duty ratio as well as the pulse frequency of the pulsed RF glow discharge plasma. This observation suggested that the RF plasma could be supported by a self-stabilized negative glow region, where the kinetic energy distribution of the electrons would be changed to a lesser extent. Additional non-thermal excitation processes, such as a Penning-type collision and a charge-transfer collision, led to deviations (overpopulation) of particular energy levels of iron atom or iron ion from the normal Boltzmann distribution. However, their contributions to the overall excitation/ionization were not altered so greatly, when the pulse frequency or the duty ratio was varied in the pulsed RF glow discharge plasma.

Preferential flow across scales: how important are plot scale processes for a catchment scale model?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glaser, Barbara; Jackisch, Conrad; Hopp, Luisa; Klaus, Julian

2017-04-01

Numerous experimental studies showed the importance of preferential flow for solute transport and runoff generation. As a consequence, various approaches exist to incorporate preferential flow in hydrological models. However, few studies have applied models that incorporate preferential flow at hillslope scale and even fewer at catchment scale. Certainly, one main difficulty for progress is the determination of an adequate parameterization for preferential flow at these spatial scales. This study applies a 3D physically based model (HydroGeoSphere) of a headwater region (6 ha) of the Weierbach catchment (Luxembourg). The base model was implemented without preferential flow and was limited in simulating fast catchment responses. Thus we hypothesized that the discharge performance can be improved by utilizing a dual permeability approach for a representation of preferential flow. We used the information of bromide irrigation experiments performed on three 1m2 plots to parameterize preferential flow. In a first step we ran 20.000 Monte Carlo simulations of these irrigation experiments in a 1m2 column of the headwater catchment model, varying the dual permeability parameters (15 variable parameters). These simulations identified many equifinal, yet very different parameter sets that reproduced the bromide depth profiles well. Therefore, in the next step we chose 52 parameter sets (the 40 best and 12 low performing sets) for testing the effect of incorporating preferential flow in the headwater catchment scale model. The variability of the flow pattern responses at the headwater catchment scale was small between the different parameterizations and did not coincide with the variability at plot scale. The simulated discharge time series of the different parameterizations clustered in six groups of similar response, ranging from nearly unaffected to completely changed responses compared to the base case model without dual permeability. Yet, in none of the groups the simulated discharge response clearly improved compared to the base case. Same held true for some observed soil moisture time series, although at plot scale the incorporation of preferential flow was necessary to simulate the irrigation experiments correctly. These results rejected our hypothesis and open a discussion on how important plot scale processes and heterogeneities are at catchment scale. Our preliminary conclusion is that vertical preferential flow is important for the irrigation experiments at the plot scale, while discharge generation at the catchment scale is largely controlled by lateral preferential flow. The lateral component, however, was already considered in the base case model with different hydraulic conductivities in different soil layers. This can explain why the internal behavior of the model at single spots seems not to be relevant for the overall hydrometric catchment response. Nonetheless, the inclusion of vertical preferential flow improved the realism of internal processes of the model (fitting profiles at plot scale, unchanged response at catchment scale) and should be considered depending on the intended use of the model. Furthermore, we cannot exclude with certainty yet that the quantitative discharge performance at catchment scale cannot be improved by utilizing a dual permeability approach, which will be tested in parameter optimization process.

Nearest neighbor imputation of species-level, plot-scale forest structure attributes from LiDAR data

Treesearch

Andrew T. Hudak; Nicholas L. Crookston; Jeffrey S. Evans; David E. Hall; Michael J. Falkowski

2008-01-01

Meaningful relationships between forest structure attributes measured in representative field plots on the ground and remotely sensed data measured comprehensively across the same forested landscape facilitate the production of maps of forest attributes such as basal area (BA) and tree density (TD). Because imputation methods can efficiently predict multiple response...

Runoff Responses to Forest Thinning at Plot and Catchment Scales in a Headwater Catchment Draining Japanese Cypress Forest

EPA Science Inventory

We examined the effect of forest thinning on runoff generation at plot and catchment scales in headwater basins draining a Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) forest. We removed 58.3% of the stems (corresponding to 43.2% of the basal area) in the treated headwater basin (catc...

Establishing a Eucalyptus energy plantation on the central coast of California

Treesearch

Norman H. Pillsbury; Nelson L. Ayers

1983-01-01

A 17.5-acre non-irrigated biomass energy plantation has been established near San Luis Obispo. This joint California Polytechnic State University - California Department of Forestry project is measuring plot growth response of seven eucalyptus species for three spacing trials and for the effect of fertilization. All study plots are replicated. Site preparation strategy...

Contributions of algae to GPP and DOC production in an Alaskan fen: effects of historical water table manipulations on ecosystem responses to a natural flood.

PubMed

Wyatt, Kevin H; Turetsky, Merritt R; Rober, Allison R; Giroldo, Danilo; Kane, Evan S; Stevenson, R Jan

2012-07-01

The role of algae in the metabolism of northern peatlands is largely unknown, as is how algae will respond to the rapid climate change being experienced in this region. In this study, we examined patterns in algal productivity, nutrients, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) during an uncharacteristically wet summer in an Alaskan rich fen. Our sampling was conducted in three large-scale experimental plots where water table position had been manipulated (including both drying and wetting plots and a control) for the previous 4 years. This study allowed us to explore how much ecosystem memory of the antecedent water table manipulations governed algal responses to natural flooding. Despite no differences in water table position between the manipulated plots at the time of sampling, algal primary productivity was consistently higher in the lowered water table plot compared to the control or raised water table plots. In all plots, algal productivity peaked immediately following seasonal maxima in nutrient concentrations. We found a positive relationship between algal productivity and water-column DOC concentrations (r (2) = 0.85, P < 0.001). Using these data, we estimate that algae released approximately 19% of fixed carbon into the water column. Algal exudates were extremely labile in biodegradability assays, decreasing by more than 55% within the first 24 h of incubation. We suggest that algae can be an important component of the photosynthetic community in boreal peatlands and may become increasingly important for energy flow in a more variable climate with more intense droughts and flooding.

Photosynthetic and Growth Response of Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) Mature Trees and Seedlings to Calcium, Magnesium, and Nitrogen Additions in the Catskill Mountains, NY, USA.

PubMed

Momen, Bahram; Behling, Shawna J; Lawrence, Greg B; Sullivan, Joseph H

2015-01-01

Decline of sugar maple in North American forests has been attributed to changes in soil calcium (Ca) and nitrogen (N) by acidic precipitation. Although N is an essential and usually a limiting factor in forests, atmospheric N deposition may cause N-saturation leading to loss of soil Ca. Such changes can affect carbon gain and growth of sugar maple trees and seedlings. We applied a 22 factorial arrangement of N and dolomitic limestone containing Ca and Magnesium (Mg) to 12 forest plots in the Catskill Mountain region of NY, USA. To quantify the short-term effects, we measured photosynthetic-light responses of sugar maple mature trees and seedlings two or three times during two summers. We estimated maximum net photosynthesis (An-max) and its related light intensity (PAR at An-max), apparent quantum efficiency (Aqe), and light compensation point (LCP). To quantify the long-term effects, we measured basal area of living mature trees before and 4 and 8 years after treatment applications. Soil and foliar chemistry variables were also measured. Dolomitic limestone increased Ca, Mg, and pH in the soil Oe horizon. Mg was increased in the B horizon when comparing the plots receiving N with those receiving CaMg. In mature trees, foliar Ca and Mg concentrations were higher in the CaMg and N+CaMg plots than in the reference or N plots; foliar Ca concentration was higher in the N+CaMg plots compared with the CaMg plots, foliar Mg was higher in the CaMg plots than the N+CaMg plots; An-max was maximized due to N+CaMg treatment; Aqe decreased by N addition; and PAR at An-max increased by N or CaMg treatments alone, but the increase was maximized by their combination. No treatment effect was detected on basal areas of living mature trees four or eight years after treatment applications. In seedlings, An-max was increased by N+CaMg addition. The reference plots had an open herbaceous layer, but the plots receiving N had a dense monoculture of common woodfern in the forest floor, which can impede seedling survival.

Photosynthetic and Growth Response of Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) Mature Trees and Seedlings to Calcium, Magnesium, and Nitrogen Additions in the Catskill Mountains, NY, USA

PubMed Central

Momen, Bahram; Behling, Shawna J.; Lawrence, Greg B.; Sullivan, Joseph H.

2015-01-01

Decline of sugar maple in North American forests has been attributed to changes in soil calcium (Ca) and nitrogen (N) by acidic precipitation. Although N is an essential and usually a limiting factor in forests, atmospheric N deposition may cause N-saturation leading to loss of soil Ca. Such changes can affect carbon gain and growth of sugar maple trees and seedlings. We applied a 22 factorial arrangement of N and dolomitic limestone containing Ca and Magnesium (Mg) to 12 forest plots in the Catskill Mountain region of NY, USA. To quantify the short-term effects, we measured photosynthetic-light responses of sugar maple mature trees and seedlings two or three times during two summers. We estimated maximum net photosynthesis (An-max) and its related light intensity (PAR at An-max), apparent quantum efficiency (A qe), and light compensation point (LCP). To quantify the long-term effects, we measured basal area of living mature trees before and 4 and 8 years after treatment applications. Soil and foliar chemistry variables were also measured. Dolomitic limestone increased Ca, Mg, and pH in the soil Oe horizon. Mg was increased in the B horizon when comparing the plots receiving N with those receiving CaMg. In mature trees, foliar Ca and Mg concentrations were higher in the CaMg and N+CaMg plots than in the reference or N plots; foliar Ca concentration was higher in the N+CaMg plots compared with the CaMg plots, foliar Mg was higher in the CaMg plots than the N+CaMg plots; An-max was maximized due to N+CaMg treatment; A qe decreased by N addition; and PAR at An-max increased by N or CaMg treatments alone, but the increase was maximized by their combination. No treatment effect was detected on basal areas of living mature trees four or eight years after treatment applications. In seedlings, An-max was increased by N+CaMg addition. The reference plots had an open herbaceous layer, but the plots receiving N had a dense monoculture of common woodfern in the forest floor, which can impede seedling survival. PMID:26291323

Photosynthetic and growth response of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) mature trees and seedlings to calcium, magnesium, and nitrogen additions in the Catskill Mountains, NY, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Momen, Bahram; Behling, Shawna J; Lawrence, Gregory B.; Sullivan, Joseph H

2015-01-01

Decline of sugar maple in North American forests has been attributed to changes in soil calcium (Ca) and nitrogen (N) by acidic precipitation. Although N is an essential and usually a limiting factor in forests, atmospheric N deposition may cause N-saturation leading to loss of soil Ca. Such changes can affect carbon gain and growth of sugar maple trees and seedlings. We applied a 22 factorial arrangement of N and dolomitic limestone containing Ca and Magnesium (Mg) to 12 forest plots in the Catskill Mountain region of NY, USA. To quantify the short-term effects, we measured photosynthetic-light responses of sugar maple mature trees and seedlings two or three times during two summers. We estimated maximum net photosynthesis (An-max) and its related light intensity (PAR at An-max), apparent quantum efficiency (Aqe), and light compensation point (LCP). To quantify the long-term effects, we measured basal area of living mature trees before and 4 and 8 years after treatment applications. Soil and foliar chemistry variables were also measured. Dolomitic limestone increased Ca, Mg, and pH in the soil Oe horizon. Mg was increased in the B horizon when comparing the plots receiving N with those receiving CaMg. In mature trees, foliar Ca and Mg concentrations were higher in the CaMg and N+CaMg plots than in the reference or N plots; foliar Ca concentration was higher in the N+CaMg plots compared with the CaMg plots, foliar Mg was higher in the CaMg plots than the N+CaMg plots; An-max was maximized due to N+CaMg treatment; Aqe decreased by N addition; and PAR at An-max increased by N or CaMg treatments alone, but the increase was maximized by their combination. No treatment effect was detected on basal areas of living mature trees four or eight years after treatment applications. In seedlings, An-max was increased by N+CaMg addition. The reference plots had an open herbaceous layer, but the plots receiving N had a dense monoculture of common woodfern in the forest floor, which can impede seedling survival.

Over 150 years of long-term fertilization alters spatial scaling of microbial biodiversity

DOE PAGES

Liang, Yuting; Wu, Liyou; Clark, Ian M.; ...

2015-04-07

Spatial scaling is a critical issue in ecology, but how anthropogenic activities like fertilization affect spatial scaling is poorly understood, especially for microbial communities. Here, we determined the effects of long-term fertilization on the spatial scaling of microbial functional diversity and its relationships to plant diversity in the 150-year-old Park Grass Experiment, the oldest continuous grassland experiment in the world. Nested samples were taken from plots with contrasting inorganic fertilization regimes, and community DNAs were analyzed using the GeoChip-based functional gene array. The slopes of microbial gene-area relationships (GARs) and plant species-area relationships (SARs) were estimated in a plot receivingmore » nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) and a control plot without fertilization. Our results indicated that long-term inorganic fertilization significantly increased both microbial GARs and plant SARs. Microbial spatial turnover rates (i.e., z values) were less than 0.1 and were significantly higher in the fertilized plot (0.0583) than in the control plot (0.0449) (P < 0.0001). The z values also varied significantly with different functional genes involved in carbon (C), N, P, and sulfur (S) cycling and with various phylogenetic groups (archaea, bacteria, and fungi). Similarly, the plant SARs increased significantly (P < 0.0001), from 0.225 in the control plot to 0.419 in the fertilized plot. Soil fertilization, plant diversity, and spatial distance had roughly equal contributions in shaping the microbial functional community structure, while soil geochemical variables contributed less. These results indicated that long-term agricultural practice could alter the spatial scaling of microbial biodiversity. Determining the spatial scaling of microbial biodiversity and its response to human activities is important but challenging in microbial ecology. Most studies to date are based on different sites that may not be truly comparable or on short-term perturbations, and hence, the results observed could represent transient responses. This study examined the spatial patterns of microbial communities in response to different fertilization regimes at the Rothamsted Research Experimental Station, which has become an invaluable resource for ecologists, environmentalists, and soil scientists. The current study is the first showing that long-term fertilization has dramatic impacts on the spatial scaling of microbial communities. By identifying the spatial patterns in response to long-term fertilization and their underlying mechanisms, this study makes fundamental contributions to predictive understanding of microbial biogeography.« less

Over 150 years of long-term fertilization alters spatial scaling of microbial biodiversity

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

Liang, Yuting; Wu, Liyou; Clark, Ian M.

Spatial scaling is a critical issue in ecology, but how anthropogenic activities like fertilization affect spatial scaling is poorly understood, especially for microbial communities. Here, we determined the effects of long-term fertilization on the spatial scaling of microbial functional diversity and its relationships to plant diversity in the 150-year-old Park Grass Experiment, the oldest continuous grassland experiment in the world. Nested samples were taken from plots with contrasting inorganic fertilization regimes, and community DNAs were analyzed using the GeoChip-based functional gene array. The slopes of microbial gene-area relationships (GARs) and plant species-area relationships (SARs) were estimated in a plot receivingmore » nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) and a control plot without fertilization. Our results indicated that long-term inorganic fertilization significantly increased both microbial GARs and plant SARs. Microbial spatial turnover rates (i.e., z values) were less than 0.1 and were significantly higher in the fertilized plot (0.0583) than in the control plot (0.0449) (P < 0.0001). The z values also varied significantly with different functional genes involved in carbon (C), N, P, and sulfur (S) cycling and with various phylogenetic groups (archaea, bacteria, and fungi). Similarly, the plant SARs increased significantly (P < 0.0001), from 0.225 in the control plot to 0.419 in the fertilized plot. Soil fertilization, plant diversity, and spatial distance had roughly equal contributions in shaping the microbial functional community structure, while soil geochemical variables contributed less. These results indicated that long-term agricultural practice could alter the spatial scaling of microbial biodiversity. Determining the spatial scaling of microbial biodiversity and its response to human activities is important but challenging in microbial ecology. Most studies to date are based on different sites that may not be truly comparable or on short-term perturbations, and hence, the results observed could represent transient responses. This study examined the spatial patterns of microbial communities in response to different fertilization regimes at the Rothamsted Research Experimental Station, which has become an invaluable resource for ecologists, environmentalists, and soil scientists. The current study is the first showing that long-term fertilization has dramatic impacts on the spatial scaling of microbial communities. By identifying the spatial patterns in response to long-term fertilization and their underlying mechanisms, this study makes fundamental contributions to predictive understanding of microbial biogeography.« less

Comparison of UAV and WorldView-2 imagery for mapping leaf area index of mangrove forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Jinyan; Wang, Le; Li, Xiaojuan; Gong, Huili; Shi, Chen; Zhong, Ruofei; Liu, Xiaomeng

2017-09-01

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) remote sensing has opened the door to new sources of data to effectively characterize vegetation metrics at very high spatial resolution and at flexible revisit frequencies. Successful estimation of the leaf area index (LAI) in precision agriculture with a UAV image has been reported in several studies. However, in most forests, the challenges associated with the interference from a complex background and a variety of vegetation species have hindered research using UAV images. To the best of our knowledge, very few studies have mapped the forest LAI with a UAV image. In addition, the drawbacks and advantages of estimating the forest LAI with UAV and satellite images at high spatial resolution remain a knowledge gap in existing literature. Therefore, this paper aims to map LAI in a mangrove forest with a complex background and a variety of vegetation species using a UAV image and compare it with a WorldView-2 image (WV2). In this study, three representative NDVIs, average NDVI (AvNDVI), vegetated specific NDVI (VsNDVI), and scaled NDVI (ScNDVI), were acquired with UAV and WV2 to predict the plot level (10 × 10 m) LAI. The results showed that AvNDVI achieved the highest accuracy for WV2 (R2 = 0.778, RMSE = 0.424), whereas ScNDVI obtained the optimal accuracy for UAV (R2 = 0.817, RMSE = 0.423). In addition, an overall comparison results of the WV2 and UAV derived LAIs indicated that UAV obtained a better accuracy than WV2 in the plots that were covered with homogeneous mangrove species or in the low LAI plots, which was because UAV can effectively eliminate the influence from the background and the vegetation species owing to its high spatial resolution. However, WV2 obtained a slightly higher accuracy than UAV in the plots covered with a variety of mangrove species, which was because the UAV sensor provides a negative spectral response function(SRF) than WV2 in terms of the mangrove LAI estimation.

Target representation of naturalistic echolocation sequences in single unit responses from the inferior colliculus of big brown bats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanderson, Mark I.; Simmons, James A.

2005-11-01

Echolocating big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) emit trains of frequency-modulated (FM) biosonar signals whose duration, repetition rate, and sweep structure change systematically during interception of prey. When stimulated with a 2.5-s sequence of 54 FM pulse-echo pairs that mimic sounds received during search, approach, and terminal stages of pursuit, single neurons (N=116) in the bat's inferior colliculus (IC) register the occurrence of a pulse or echo with an average of <1 spike/sound. Individual IC neurons typically respond to only a segment of the search or approach stage of pursuit, with fewer neurons persisting to respond in the terminal stage. Composite peristimulus-time-histogram plots of responses assembled across the whole recorded population of IC neurons depict the delay of echoes and, hence, the existence and distance of the simulated biosonar target, entirely as on-response latencies distributed across time. Correlated changes in pulse duration, repetition rate, and pulse or echo amplitude do modulate the strength of responses (probability of the single spike actually occurring for each sound), but registration of the target itself remains confined exclusively to the latencies of single spikes across cells. Modeling of echo processing in FM biosonar should emphasize spike-time algorithms to explain the content of biosonar images.

Plant and arthropod community sensitivity to rainfall manipulation but not nitrogen enrichment in a successional grassland ecosystem.

PubMed

Lee, Mark A; Manning, Pete; Walker, Catherine S; Power, Sally A

2014-12-01

Grasslands provide many ecosystem services including carbon storage, biodiversity preservation and livestock forage production. These ecosystem services will change in the future in response to multiple global environmental changes, including climate change and increased nitrogen inputs. We conducted an experimental study over 3 years in a mesotrophic grassland ecosystem in southern England. We aimed to expose plots to rainfall manipulation that simulated IPCC 4th Assessment projections for 2100 (+15% winter rainfall and -30% summer rainfall) or ambient climate, achieving +15% winter rainfall and -39% summer rainfall in rainfall-manipulated plots. Nitrogen (40 kg ha(-1) year(-1)) was also added to half of the experimental plots in factorial combination. Plant species composition and above ground biomass were not affected by rainfall in the first 2 years and the plant community did not respond to nitrogen enrichment throughout the experiment. In the third year, above-ground plant biomass declined in rainfall-manipulated plots, driven by a decline in the abundances of grass species characteristic of moist soils. Declining plant biomass was also associated with changes to arthropod communities, with lower abundances of plant-feeding Auchenorrhyncha and carnivorous Araneae indicating multi-trophic responses to rainfall manipulation. Plant and arthropod community composition and plant biomass responses to rainfall manipulation were not modified by nitrogen enrichment, which was not expected, but may have resulted from prior nitrogen saturation and/or phosphorus limitation. Overall, our study demonstrates that climate change may in future influence plant productivity and induce multi-trophic responses in grasslands.

Dynamic Kerr effect study on six-membered-ring molecular liquids: benzene, 1,3-cyclohexadiene, 1,4-cyclohexadiene, cyclohexene, and cyclohexane.

PubMed

Kakinuma, Shohei; Shirota, Hideaki

2015-04-02

The intermolecular dynamics of five six-membered-ring molecular liquids having different aromaticities-benzene, 1,3-cyclohexadiene, 1,4-cyclohexadiene, cyclohexene, and cyclohexane-measured by femtosecond Raman-induced Kerr effect spectroscopy have been compared in this study. The line shapes of the Fourier transform low-frequency spectra, which arise from the intermolecular vibrational dynamics, are trapezoidal for benzene and 1,3-cyclohexadiene, triangular for 1,4-cyclohexadiene and cyclohexene, and monomodal for cyclohexane. The trapezoidal shapes of the low-frequency spectra of benzene and 1,3-cyclohexadiene are due to the librational motions of their aromatic planar structures, which cause damped nuclear response features. The time integrals of the nuclear responses of the five liquids correlate to the squares of the polarizability anisotropies of the molecules calculated on the basis of density functional theory. The first moments of the low-frequency spectra roughly linearly correlate to the bulk parameters of the square roots of the surface tensions divided by the densities and the square roots of the surface tensions divided by the molecular weights, but the plots for cyclohexene deviate slightly from the correlations. The picosecond overdamped transients of the liquids are well fitted by a biexponential function. The fast time constants of all of the liquids are approximately 1.1-1.4 ps, and they do not obey the Stokes-Einstein-Debye hydrodynamic model. On the other hand, the slow time constants are roughly linearly proportional to the products of the shear viscosities and the molar volumes. The observed intramolecular vibrational modes at less than 700 cm(-1) for all of the liquids are also assigned on the basis of quantum chemistry calculations.

Diagnostic accuracy of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in assessing the therapeutic response to radio frequency ablation for liver tumors: systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Xuan, Min; Zhou, Fengsheng; Ding, Yan; Zhu, Qiaoying; Dong, Ji; Zhou, Hao; Cheng, Jun; Jiang, Xiao; Wu, Pengxi

2018-04-01

To review the diagnostic accuracy of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) used to detect residual or recurrent liver tumors after radiofrequency ablation (RFA). This technique uses contrast-enhanced computer tomography or/and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging as the gold standard of investigation. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and COCHRANE were systematically searched for all potentially eligible studies comparing CEUS with the reference standard that follows RFA. Risk of bias and applicability concerns were addressed by adopting the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) tool. Pooled point estimates for sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios, and diagnostic odds ratios (DOR) with 95% CI were computed before plotting the sROC (summary receiver operating characteristic) curve. Meta-regression and subgroup analysis were used to identify the source of the heterogeneity that was detected. Publication bias was evaluated using Deeks' funnel plot asymmetry test. Ten eligible studies on 1162 lesions that occurred between 2001 and 2016 were included in the final analysis. The quality of the included studies assessed by the QUADAS-2 tool was considered reasonable. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of CEUS in detecting residual or recurrent liver tumors had the following values: 0.90 (95% CI 0.85-0.94) and 1.00 (95% CI 0.99-1.00), respectively. Overall DOR was 420.10 (95% CI 142.30-1240.20). The sources of heterogeneity could not be precisely identified by meta-regression or subgroup analysis. No evidence of publication bias was found. This study confirmed that CEUS exhibits high sensitivity and specificity in assessing therapeutic responses to RFA for liver tumors.

Using Mid-IR Cavity Ring-Down Spectrometry to Simultaneously Measure N2o, CO2, and CH4 Fluxes: Responses to Ammonium Nitrate Additions in Salt Marshes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brannon, E.; Moseman-Valtierra, S.; Tang, J.; Chen, X.; Martin, R.; Garate, M.

2014-12-01

Greenhouse gas emissions from salt marshes, especially of nitrous oxide (N2O), are a central interest because anthropogenic nutrient loads may substantially alter net climatic forcing of these globally significant ecosystems. In a series of lab and field experiments, a new cavity ring down spectrometer (CRDS, Picarro G2508) that uses mid-infrared (mid-IR) frequencies to measure N2O was compared to a near-IR gas analyzer (LGR N2O/CO analyzer). The Picarro G2508 reports N2O as well as CO2 and CH4 concentrations roughly every second at the parts per billion level. Responses of N2O fluxes to experimental ammonium nitrate additions in marsh mesocosms and marsh plots in situ were compared among these analyzers, along with minimum detectable N2O fluxes. At fluxes above 150 μmol N2O m-2 d-1, the Picarro G2508 and LGR analyzers performed similarly in both mesocosm and field plots that had been enriched with ammonium nitrate, however there were significantly lower minimum detectable N2O fluxes (about 1 order of magnitude) for the LGR than for the Picarro. A gas chromatograph (Shimadzu GC 2014) was also used to test calibration of the G2508. These experiments suggest that mid-IR CRDS technology offers a new tool for simultaneous analyses of N2O along with CO2 and CH4, which fills an important need for quantifying the net climatic forcing of ecosystems. However based on relatively high minimum N2O detection levels of the CRDS, it may work best in highly eutrophic environments.

Indirect synchronization control in a starlike network of phase oscillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuptsov, Pavel V.; Kuptsova, Anna V.

2018-04-01

A starlike network of non-identical phase oscillators is considered that contains the hub and tree rays each having a single node. In such network effect of indirect synchronization control is reported: changing the natural frequency and the coupling strength of one of the peripheral oscillators one can switch on an off the synchronization of the others. The controlling oscillator at that is not synchronized with them and has a frequency that is approximately four time higher then the frequency of the synchronization. The parameter planes showing a corresponding synchronization tongue are represented and time dependencies of phase differences are plotted for points within and outside of the tongue.

Nest mortality of sagebrush songbirds due to a severe hailstorm

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hightower, Jessica N.; Carlisle, Jason D.; Chalfoun, Anna D.

2018-01-01

Demographic assessments of nesting birds typically focus on failures due to nest predation or brood parasitism. Extreme weather events such as hailstorms, however, can also destroy eggs and injure or kill juvenile and adult birds at the nest. We documented the effects of a severe hailstorm on 3 species of sagebrush-associated songbirds: Sage Thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus), Brewer's Sparrow (Spizella breweri), and Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus), nesting at eight 24 ha study plots in central Wyoming, USA. Across all plots, 17% of 128 nests failed due to the hailstorm; however, all failed nests were located at a subset of study plots (n = 3) where the hailstorm was most intense, and 45% of all nests failures on those plots were due to hail. Mortality rates varied by species, nest architecture, and nest placement. Nests with more robust architecture and those sited more deeply under the shrub canopy were more likely to survive the hailstorm, suggesting that natural history traits may modulate mortality risk due to hailstorms. While sporadic in nature, hailstorms may represent a significant source of nest failure to songbirds in certain locations, especially with increasing storm frequency and severity forecasted in some regions with ongoing climate change.

Graphical tests for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium based on the ternary plot.

PubMed

Graffelman, Jan; Camarena, Jair Morales

2008-01-01

We design a graphical test for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. This can circumvent the calculation of p values and the statistical (non)significance of a large number of bi-allelic markers can be inferred from their position in a graph. By rewriting expressions for the chi(2) statistic (with and without continuity correction) in terms of the heterozygote frequency an acceptance region for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium is obtained that can be depicted in a ternary plot. We obtain equations for curves in the ternary plot that separate markers that are out of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium from those that are in equilibrium. The curves depend on the chosen significance level, the sample size and on a continuity correction parameter. Some examples of graphical tests using a set of 106 SNPs on the long arm of human chromosome 22 are described. Significant markers and poor markers with a lot of missing values are easily identified in the proposed plots. R software for making the diagrams is provided. The proposed graphs can be used as control charts for spotting problematic markers in large scale genotyping studies, and constitute an excellent tool for the graphical exploration of bi-allelic marker data. (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Optimization of palm fruit sterilization by microwave irradiation using response surface methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarah, M.; Madinah, I.; Salamah, S.

2018-02-01

This study reported optimization of palm fruit sterilization process by microwave irradiation. The results of fractional factorial experiments showed no significant external factors affecting temperature of microwave sterilization (MS). Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed and model equation of MS of palm fruit was built. Response surface plots and their corresponding contour plots were analyzed as well as solving model equation. The optimum process parameters for lipase reduction were obtained from MS of 1 kg palm fruit at microwave power of 486 Watt and heating time of 14 minutes. The experimental results showed reduction of lipase activity in the present work under MS treatment. The adequacy of the model equation for predicting the optimum response value was verified by validation data (P>0.15).

Using Whispering-Gallery-Mode Resonators for Refractometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matsko, Andrey; Savchenkov, Anatoliy; Strekalov, Dmitry; Iltchenko, Vladimir; Maleki, Lute

2010-01-01

A method of determining the refractive and absorptive properties of optically transparent materials involves a combination of theoretical and experimental analysis of electromagnetic responses of whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) resonator disks made of those materials. The method was conceived especially for use in studying transparent photorefractive materials, for which purpose this method affords unprecedented levels of sensitivity and accuracy. The method is expected to be particularly useful for measuring temporally varying refractive and absorptive properties of photorefractive materials at infrared wavelengths. Still more particularly, the method is expected to be useful for measuring drifts in these properties that are so slow that, heretofore, the properties were assumed to be constant. The basic idea of the method is to attempt to infer values of the photorefractive properties of a material by seeking to match (1) theoretical predictions of the spectral responses (or selected features thereof) of a WGM of known dimensions made of the material with (2) the actual spectral responses (or selected features thereof). Spectral features that are useful for this purpose include resonance frequencies, free spectral ranges (differences between resonance frequencies of adjacently numbered modes), and resonance quality factors (Q values). The method has been demonstrated in several experiments, one of which was performed on a WGM resonator made from a disk of LiNbO3 doped with 5 percent of MgO. The free spectral range of the resonator was approximately equal to 3.42 GHz at wavelengths in the vicinity of 780 nm, the smallest full width at half maximum of a mode was approximately equal to 50 MHz, and the thickness of the resonator in the area of mode localization was 30 microns. In the experiment, laser power of 9 mW was coupled into the resonator with an efficiency of 75 percent, and the laser was scanned over a frequency band 9 GHz wide at a nominal wavelength of approximately equal to 780 nm. Resonance frequencies were measured as functions of time during several hours of exposure to the laser light. The results of these measurements, plotted in the figure, show a pronounced collective frequency drift of the resonator modes. The size of the drift has been estimated to correspond to a change of 8.5 x 10(exp -5) in the effective ordinary index of refraction of the resonator material.

Digital computer program DF1758 fully coupled natural frequencies and mode shapes of a helicopter rotor blade

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bennett, R. L.

1975-01-01

The analytical techniques and computer program developed in the fully-coupled rotor vibration study are described. The rotor blade natural frequency and mode shape analysis was implemented in a digital computer program designated DF1758. The program computes collective, cyclic, and scissor modes for a single blade within a specified range of frequency for specified values of rotor RPM and collective angle. The analysis includes effects of blade twist, cg offset from reference axis, and shear center offset from reference axis. Coupled inplane, out-of-plane, and torsional vibrations are considered. Normalized displacements, shear forces and moments may be printed out and Calcomp plots of natural frequencies as a function of rotor RPM may be produced.

Characterization of doctor-patient communication using heartbeat nonlinear dynamics: A preliminary study using Lagged Poincaré Plots.

PubMed

Nardelli, M; Del Piccolo, L; Danzi, Op; Perlini, C; Tedeschi, F; Greco, A; Scilingo, Ep; Valenza, G

2017-07-01

Emphatic doctor-patient communication has been associated with an improved psycho-physiological well-being involving cardiovascular and neuroendocrine responses. Nevertheless, a comprehensive assessment of heartbeat linear and nonlinear/complex dynamics throughout the communication of a life-threatening disease has not been performed yet. To this extent, we here study heart rate variability (HRV) series gathered from 17 subjects while watching a video where an oncologist discloses the diagnosis of a cancer metastasis to a patient. Further 17 subjects watched the same video including additional affective emphatic contents. For the assessment of the two groups, linear heartbeat dynamics was quantified through measures defined in the time and frequency domains, whereas nonlinear/complex dynamics referred to measures of entropy, and combined Lagged Poincare Plots (LPP) and symbolic analyses. Considering differences between the beginning and the end of the video, results from non-parametric statistical tests demonstrated that the group watching emphatic contents showed HRV changes in the LF/HF ratio exclusively. Conversely, the group watching the purely informative video showed changes in vagal activity (i.e., HF power), LF/HF ratio, as well as LPP measures. Additionally, a Support Vector Machine algorithm including HRV nonlinear/complex information was able to automatically discern between groups with an accuracy of 76.47%. We therefore propose the use of heartbeat nonlinear/complex dynamics to objectively assess the empathy level of healthy women.

Preparation of high-aspect-ratio ZnO nanorod arrays for the detection of several organic solvents at room working temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Yi-Mu; Zheng, Min-Ren

2013-11-01

Chemical sensors based on ZnO nanorod arrays were prepared using chemical bath deposition (CBD) to investigate the sensing performance for the detection of several organic solvents with low concentrations (0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, v/v) at room temperature. High quality and high aspect-ratio (value ˜28) ZnO nanorods have a diameter of about 74 nm and average length of 2.1 μm. Nyquist plots and Bode plots of the ZnO sensors under different organic solvents were obtained by electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The sensing properties such as charge-transfer resistance, double-layer capacitance and dielectric parameters were determined from the impedance spectra to explore the charge transport in low-concentration aqueous solutions. The decreasing trend of the charge-transfer resistance (Rct) as decreasing solvent concentrations is observed, and a straight line at low frequency regime indicates adsorption of water molecules on the oxide surface. The sensitivity of the ZnO sensors was calculated from the resistance variation in target solvents and in deionized water. We demonstrated the use of ZnO nanorod arrays as a chemical sensor capable of generating a different response upon exposure to methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, acetone and water, wherein the methanol sensing exhibited highest sensitivity. In addition, the ZnO sensor also demonstrates good stability and reproducibility for detection of methanol and ethanol.

Invasive C4 Perennial Grass Alters Net Ecosystem Exchange in Mixed C3/C4 Savanna Grassland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basham, T. S.; Litvak, M.

2006-12-01

The invasion of ecosystems by non-native plants that differ from native plants in physiological characteristics and phenology has the potential to alter ecosystem function. In Texas and other regions of the southern central plains of the United States, the introduced C4 perennial grass, Bothriochloa ischaemum, invades C3/C4 mixed grasslands and savannas, resulting in decreased plant community diversity (Gabbard 2003; Harmoney et al 2004). The objective of this study was to quantify how the conversion of these mixed grass communities to C4 dominated, B. ischaemum monocultures impacts carbon cycling and sequestration. Seasonal measurements of Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE) of CO2, leaf level gas exchange and soil respiration were compared between savanna grassland plots composed of either naturally occurring B. ischaemum monocultures or native mixed grasses (n=16). NEE was measured using a closed system chamber that attached to permanently installed stainless steel bases. Temperature, soil moisture, aerial percent species cover and leaf area index were also monitored in plots to explain variability in measured responses. Results showed that NEE differed seasonally between invaded and native plots due to 1) greater leaf surface area per unit ground area in invaded plots, 2) differences in phenological patterns of plant activity and 3) differences in responses to water limitation between invaded and native plots. Cold season and summer drought NEE were driven primarily by belowground respiration in both plot types, however spring uptake activity commenced two months later in invaded plots. This later start in invaded plots was compensated for by greater uptake throughout the growing season and in particular during the drier summer months. Differences in NEE between plot types were not due to differences in soil respiration nor were they due to greater leaf level photosynthetic capabilities of B. ischaemum relative to the dominant native grasses. NEE, soil respiration and biomass accumulation were limited by temperature and soil moisture in both native and invaded plots; however, invaded areas were less sensitive to both higher temperatures and lower soil moisture. Preliminary modeling results suggest that from January-August 2006, invaded grasslands stored approximately one third more carbon than native grasslands, making them 20% less of a carbon source than native plots during this year of record high temperatures and drought. Gabbard, BL. 2003. The Population Dynamics and Distribution of the Exotic Grass,Bothriochloa ischaemum, PhD Dissertation, University of Texas, Austin, TX Harmoney et al. 2004. Herbicide Effects on Established Yellow Old World Bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum). Weed Technology 18:545 550

The steady-state mosaic of disturbance and succession across an old-growth Central Amazon forest landscape.

PubMed

Chambers, Jeffrey Q; Negron-Juarez, Robinson I; Marra, Daniel Magnabosco; Di Vittorio, Alan; Tews, Joerg; Roberts, Dar; Ribeiro, Gabriel H P M; Trumbore, Susan E; Higuchi, Niro

2013-03-05

Old-growth forest ecosystems comprise a mosaic of patches in different successional stages, with the fraction of the landscape in any particular state relatively constant over large temporal and spatial scales. The size distribution and return frequency of disturbance events, and subsequent recovery processes, determine to a large extent the spatial scale over which this old-growth steady state develops. Here, we characterize this mosaic for a Central Amazon forest by integrating field plot data, remote sensing disturbance probability distribution functions, and individual-based simulation modeling. Results demonstrate that a steady state of patches of varying successional age occurs over a relatively large spatial scale, with important implications for detecting temporal trends on plots that sample a small fraction of the landscape. Long highly significant stochastic runs averaging 1.0 Mg biomass⋅ha(-1)⋅y(-1) were often punctuated by episodic disturbance events, resulting in a sawtooth time series of hectare-scale tree biomass. To maximize the detection of temporal trends for this Central Amazon site (e.g., driven by CO2 fertilization), plots larger than 10 ha would provide the greatest sensitivity. A model-based analysis of fractional mortality across all gap sizes demonstrated that 9.1-16.9% of tree mortality was missing from plot-based approaches, underscoring the need to combine plot and remote-sensing methods for estimating net landscape carbon balance. Old-growth tropical forests can exhibit complex large-scale structure driven by disturbance and recovery cycles, with ecosystem and community attributes of hectare-scale plots exhibiting continuous dynamic departures from a steady-state condition.

Fire Effects on Microbial Enzyme Activities in Larch Forests of the Siberian Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ludwig, S.; Alexander, H. D.; Bulygina, E. B.; Mann, P. J.; Natali, S.

2012-12-01

Arctic forest ecosystems are warming at an accelerated rate relative to lower latitudes, with global implications for C cycling within these regions. As climate continues to warm and dry, wildfire frequency and severity are predicted to increase, creating a positive feedback to climate warming. Increased fire activity will also influence the microenvironment experienced by soil microbes in disturbed soils. Because soil microbes regulate carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere, it is important to understand microbial response to fires, particularly in the understudied larch forests in the Siberian Arctic. In this project, we created experimental burn plots in a mature larch forest in the Kolyma River watershed of Northeastern Siberia. Plots were burned at several treatments: control (no burn), low, moderate, and severe. After, 1 and 8 d post-fire, we measured soil organic layer depth, soil organic matter (SOM) content, soil moisture, and CO2 flux from the plots. Additionally, we leached soils and measured dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), NH4, NO3, soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), and chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM). Furthermore, we measured extracellular activity of four enzymes involved in soil C and nutrient cycling (leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), β-glucosidase, phosphatase, and phenol oxidase). One day post-fire, LAP activity was similarly low in all treatments, but by 8 d post-fire, LAP activity was lower in burned plots compared to control plots, likely due to increased nitrogen content with increasing burn severity. Phosphatase activity decreased with burn severity 1 d post-fire, but after 8 d, moderate and severe burn plots exhibited increased phosphatase activity. Coupled with trends in LAP activity, this suggests a switch in nutrient limitation from N to phosphorus that is more pronounced with burn severity. β-glucosidase activity similarly decreased with burn severity 1 d post-fire, but by 8 d post-fire activity was the same in all treatments, indicating complete recovery of the microbial population. Phenol oxidase activity was low in all treatments 1 d post-fire, but by 8 d post-fire, severe plots had substantially increased phenol oxidase activity, likely due to microbial efforts to mitigate phenolic compound toxicity following severe fires. Both DOC and the slope ratio of CDOM absorbance increased with burn severity 1 d post-fire, indicating higher extractability of lighter molecular weight C from severe burns. These results imply that black C created from fires remains as a stable C pool while more labile C is mobilized with increasing burn severity. Our results suggest that the immediate effects of fire severity on microbial communities have the potential to change both nutrient use and the form and concentration of C being processed and mobilized from larch forest ecosystems. These findings highlight the importance of changing fire regimes on soil dynamics with implications for forest re-growth, soil-atmospheric feedbacks, and terrestrial inputs to aquatic ecosystems.

Membrane hydrophone phase characteristics through nonlinear acoustics measurements.

PubMed

Bloomfield, Philip E; Gandhi, Gaurav; Lewin, Peter A

2011-11-01

This work considers the need for both the amplitude and phase to fully characterize polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane hydrophones and presents a comprehensive discussion of the nonlinear acoustic measurements utilized to extract the phase information and the experimental results taken with two widely used PVDF membrane hydrophones up to 100 MHz. A semi-empirical computer model utilized the hyperbolic propagation operator to predict the nonlinear pressure field and provide the complex frequency response of the corresponding source transducer. The PVDF hydrophone phase characteristics, which were obtained directly from the difference between the computer-modeled nonlinear field simulation and the corresponding measured harmonic frequency phase values, agree to within 10% with the phase predictions obtained from receive-transfer-function simulations based on software modeling of the membrane's physical properties. Cable loading effects and membrane hydrophone resonances were distinguished and identified through a series of impedance measurements and receive transfer function simulations on the hydrophones including their hard-wired coaxial cables. The results obtained indicate that the PVDF membrane hydrophone's phase versus frequency plot exhibits oscillations about a monotonically decreasing line. The maxima and minima inflection point slopes occur at the membrane thickness resonances and antiresonances, respectively. A cable resonance was seen at 100 MHz for the hydrophone with a 1-m cable attached, but not seen for the hydrophone with a shorter 0.65-m cable.

Study on Online Analysis of Transfer Function of Variable-Speed Rolling Mill Motor with Shaft Torsional Vibration Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tamaoki, Toshifumi; Takanezawa, Makoto; Kimoto, Masanori; Morita, Noboru; Hoshino, Takeo; Hashizume, Kenji

The torsional vibration between metal rolling rolls and a rolling mill motor, may occur in recent days, as a result of higher speed response adjustment for variable speed rolling mill motor drive system. Issues in this paper are focused on excess acceleration value, in tangential direction of the mill motor rotor, which is caused by the motor shaft torsional resonance at the white noise signal superposition to the speed reference signal of the motor drive system for the online transfer function analysis. As a result of the acceleration analysis, the acceleration values in “G” (Relative acceleration value on the basis of Gravity) can be plotted on “Bode-Diagram”, which is namely frequency response for the speed signal amplitude transmission ratio. In addition, relation between the white noise amplitude reduction and the transfer function analysis accuracy deterioration is also examined, in this paper. As the amplitude of the white noise decreases, the analysis error increases because of the reduction in the resolution when the amplitude of the white noise signal is small.

Hazardous Gas Leak Analysis in the Space Shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barile, Ronald G.

1991-01-01

Helium tests of the main propulsion system in the Space Shuttle and on hydrogen leaks are examined. The hazardous gas detection system (HGDS) in the mobile launch pad uses mass spectrometers (MS) to monitor the shuttle environment for leaks. The mass spectrometers are fed by long tubes to sample gas from the payload bay, mid-body, aft engine compartment, and external tank. The purpose is to improve the HGDS, especially in its potential for locating cryogen leaks. Pre-existing leak data was analyzed for transient information to determine if the leak location could be pinpointed from test data. A rapid response leak detection experiment was designed, built, and tested. Large eddies and vortices were visually seen with Schlieren imaging, and they were detected in the time plots of the various instruments. The response time of the MS was found in the range of 0.05 to 0.1 sec. Pulsed concentration waves were clearly detected at 25 cycles per sec by spectral analysis of MS data. One conclusion is that the backup HGDS sampling frequency should be increased above the present rate of 1 sample per second.

Nonlinear dynamic analysis of rigid rotor supported by gas foil bearings: Effects of gas film and foil structure on subsynchronous vibrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Zhiyang; Feng, Kai; Liu, Tianyu; Lyu, Peng; Zhang, Tao

2018-07-01

Highly nonlinear subsynchronous vibrations are the main causing factors of failure in gas foil bearing (GFB)-rotor systems. Thus, investigating the vibration generation mechanisms and the relationship between subsynchronous vibrations and GFBs is necessary to ensure the healthy operation of rotor systems. In this study, an integrated nonlinear dynamic model with the consideration of shaft motion, unsteady gas film, and deformations of foil structure is established to investigate the effect of gas film and foil structure on system subsynchronous response. One test rig of GFB-rotor system is developed for model comparison. High agreement is shown between the prediction and test data, especially in the frequency domain. The nonlinear dynamic response is analyzed using waterfall plots, operation deflection shapes, journal orbits, Poincaré maps, and fast Fourier transforms. The parameter studies reveal that subsynchronous vibrations are highly related to gas film and foil structure. Subsynchronous vibrations can be adjusted by parameters such as bump stiffness, nominal clearance, and static loads. Therefore, gas foil bearing parameters should be carefully adjusted by system manufacturers to achieve the best rotordynamic performance.

Vegetation composition and structure of southern coastal plain pine forests: An ecological comparison

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hedman, C.W.; Grace, S.L.; King, S.E.

2000-01-01

Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystems are characterized by a diverse community of native groundcover species. Critics of plantation forestry claim that loblolly (Pinus taeda) and slash pine (Pinus elliottii) forests are devoid of native groundcover due to associated management practices. As a result of these practices, some believe that ecosystem functions characteristic of longleaf pine are lost under loblolly and slash pine plantation management. Our objective was to quantify and compare vegetation composition and structure of longleaf, loblolly, and slash pine forests of differing ages, management strategies, and land-use histories. Information from this study will further our understanding and lead to inferences about functional differences among pine cover types. Vegetation and environmental data were collected in 49 overstory plots across Southlands Experiment Forest in Bainbridge, GA. Nested plots, i.e. midstory, understory, and herbaceous, were replicated four times within each overstory plot. Over 400 species were identified. Herbaceous species richness was variable for all three pine cover types. Herbaceous richness for longleaf, slash, and loblolly pine averaged 15, 13, and 12 species per m2, respectively. Longleaf pine plots had significantly more (p < 0.029) herbaceous species and greater herbaceous cover (p < 0.001) than loblolly or slash pine plots. Longleaf and slash pine plots were otherwise similar in species richness and stand structure, both having lower overstory density, midstory density, and midstory cover than loblolly pine plots. Multivariate analyses provided additional perspectives on vegetation patterns. Ordination and classification procedures consistently placed herbaceous plots into two groups which we refer to as longleaf pine benchmark (34 plots) and non-benchmark (15 plots). Benchmark plots typically contained numerous herbaceous species characteristic of relic longleaf pine/wiregrass communities found in the area. Conversely, non-benchmark plots contained fewer species characteristic of relic longleaf pine/wiregrass communities and more ruderal species common to highly disturbed sites. The benchmark group included 12 naturally regenerated longleaf plots and 22 loblolly, slash, and longleaf pine plantation plots encompassing a broad range of silvicultural disturbances. Non-benchmark plots included eight afforested old-field plantation plots and seven cutover plantation plots. Regardless of overstory species, all afforested old fields were low either in native species richness or in abundance. Varying degrees of this groundcover condition were also found in some cutover plantation plots that were classified as non-benchmark. Environmental variables strongly influencing vegetation patterns included agricultural history and fire frequency. Results suggest that land-use history, particularly related to agriculture, has a greater influence on groundcover composition and structure in southern pine forests than more recent forest management activities or pine cover type. Additional research is needed to identify the potential for afforested old fields to recover native herbaceous species. In the interim, high-yield plantation management should initially target old-field sites which already support reduced numbers of groundcover species. Sites which have not been farmed in the past 50-60 years should be considered for longleaf pine restoration and multiple-use objectives, since they have the greatest potential for supporting diverse native vegetation. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.

Research on FBG-based longitudinal-acousto-optic modulator with Fourier mode coupling method.

PubMed

Li, Zhuoxuan; Pei, Li; Liu, Chao; Ning, Tigang; Yu, Shaowei

2012-10-20

Fourier mode coupling model was first applied to achieve the spectra property of a fiber Bragg grating (FBG)-based longitudinal-acousto-optic modulator. Compared with traditional analysis algorithms, such as the transfer matrix method, the Fourier mode coupling model could improve the computing efficiency up to 100 times with a guarantee of accuracy. In this paper, based on the theoretical analysis of this model, the spectra characteristics of the modulator in different frequencies and acoustically induced strains were numerically simulated. In the experiment, a uniform FBG was modulated by acoustic wave (AW) at 12 different frequencies. In particular, the modulator responses at 563 and 885.5 KHz with three different lead zirconate titanate (PZT) loads applied were plotted for illustration, and the linear fitting of experimental data demonstrated a good match with the simulation result. The acoustic excitation of the longitudinal wave is obtained using a conic silica horn attached to the surface of a shear-mode PZT plate paralleled to the fiber axis. This way of generating longitudinal AW with a transversal PZT may shed light on the optimal structural design for the FBG-based longitudinal-acousto-optic modulator.

Helicopter electromagnetic and magnetic geophysical survey data, Hunton anticline, south-central Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Bruce D.; Smith, David V.; Deszcz-Pan, Maryla; Blome, Charles D.; Hill, Patricia

2011-01-01

This report is a digital data release for multiple geophysical surveys conducted in the Hunton anticline area of south-central Oklahoma. The helicopter electromagnetic and magnetic surveys were flown on March 16–17, 2007, in four areas of the Hunton anticline in south-central Oklahoma. The objective of this project is to improve the understanding of the geohydrologic framework of the Arbuckle-Simpson aquifer. The electromagnetic sensor for the helicopter electromagnetic survey consisted of six different transmitter-receiver orientations that measured the earth's electrical response at six distinct frequencies from approximately 500 Hertz to approximately 115,000 Hertz. The electromagnetic measurements were converted to electrical resistivity values, which were gridded and plotted on georeferenced maps. The map from each frequency represents a different depth of investigation for each area. The range of subsurface investigation is comparable to the depth of shallow groundwater. The four areas selected for the helicopter electromagnetic study, blocks A–D, have different geologic and hydrologic settings. Geophysical and hydrologic information from U.S. Geological Survey studies are being used by modelers and resource managers to develop groundwater resource plans for the Arbuckle-Simpson aquifer.

Detection and Distribution of Natural Gaps in Tropical Rainforest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goulamoussène, Y.; Linguet, L.; Hérault, B.

2014-12-01

Forest management is important to assess biodiversity and ecological processes. Requirements for disturbance information have also been motivated by the scientific community. Therefore, understanding and monitoring the distribution frequencies of treefall gaps is relevant to better understanding and predicting the carbon budget in response to global change and land use change. In this work we characterize and quantify the frequency distribution of natural canopy gaps. We observe then interaction between environment variables and gap formation across tropical rainforest of the French Guiana region by using high resolution airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). We mapped gaps with canopy model distribution on 40000 ha of forest. We used a Bayesian modelling framework to estimate and select useful covariate model parameters. Topographic variables are included in a model to predict gap size distribution. We discuss results from the interaction between environment and gap size distribution, mainly topographic indexes. The use of both airborne and space-based techniques has improved our ability to supply needed disturbance information. This work is an approach at plot scale. The use of satellite data will allow us to work at forest scale. The inclusion of climate variables in our model will let us assess the impact of global change on tropical rainforest.

Study of electron beam on electron cyclotron waves with AC field in the magnetosphere of Uranus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaur, Rajbir; Kumari, Jyoti; Pandey, R. S.

2018-05-01

In this paper, we deal with the oblique electromagnetic electron cyclotron (EMEC) waves in the Uranus magnetosphere. The expression of the dispersion relation is plotted by using the method of the feature solution. After the kinetic method, the growth rate and the actual frequency of the EMEC wave are studied theoretically in the Uranian system. NASA, Voyager 2, the observed results of the space detectors show that the spin axes of the planets are abnormally oriented and that there are more particles in the high energy tail of the Uranian magnetospheric plasma. Therefore, this paper uses the Kappa distribution instead of the usual Maxwell distribution. The study extends to the tilt propagation of EMEC waves, which has a change in temperature anisotropy and propagation angle with respect to the direction of the magnetic field. These parameters were found to support the growth rate of EMEC waves. However, the response of the actual frequency of these waves is not the same as the rate of growth in all cases. These results apply to the detailed comparison of planetary studies of the space plasma environment and the magnetosphere system.

Experimental manipulations of snow-depth: Effects on nutrient content of caribou forage

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walsh, Noreen E.; McCabe, Thomas R.; Welker, J.M.; Parsons, A.N.

1997-01-01

We investigated the potential effects of global climate change on arctic tundra vegetation used as caribou forage. A total of 96 experimental plots was established at six sites on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, in 1993 and 1994. We erected snow-fences to increase the amount of snow deposition, and therefore delay the date of the snowmelt on 48 plots (referred to as increased snow/late melting plots). We used black mesh netting on the surface of the snow to increase the rate of melting on 24 plots; the remaining 24 plots served as controls. In July 1994, we collected green leaves from Eriophorum vaginatum, Salix planifolia, and Betula nana and analysed these samples for total carbon and total nitrogen content. Ratios of carbon to nitrogen differed among treatments for all three species. Generally, C:N ratios for B. nana and E. vaginatum on increased snow/late melting plots were lower than on control plots. C:N ratios for S. planifolia on increased snow/late melting plots did not differ from controls, but were lower than on plots which started to melt early. These results may be due to the timing of nitrogen translocation from leaf and stem tissue into storage organs, or due to an increase in available nitrogen input to the system. Further sampling is needed to adequately determine the mechanism responsible for increased nitrogen content of caribou forage in areas with increased amount of snow and delayed snowmelt. ?? 1997 Blackwell Science Ltd.

US forests are showing increased rates of decline in response to a changing climate

Treesearch

Warren B. Cohen; Zhiqiang Yang; David M. Bell; Stephen V. Stehman

2015-01-01

How vulnerable are US forest to a changing climate? We answer this question using Landsat time series data and a unique interpretation approach, TimeSync, a plot-based Landsat visualization and data collection tool. Original analyses were based on a stratified two-stage cluster sample design that included interpretation of 3858 forested plots. From these data, we...

Nesting characteristics of mourning doves in central New Mexico: Response to riparian forest change

Treesearch

D. Max Smith; Deborah M. Finch; David L. Hawksworth

2012-01-01

Riparian forests of the American Southwest are especially prone to changes in composition and structure due to natural and anthropogenic factors. To determine how breeding mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) respond to these changes, we examined nest site use and nest survival in control plots, fuel reduction plots before and after mechanical thinning, and post-wildfire...

Demographic responses of shrews to removal of coarse woody debris in a managed pine forest

Treesearch

Timothy S. McCay; Mark J. Komoroski

2004-01-01

We trapped shrews at six 9.3 ha plots from which logs ≥10 cm diameter (coarse woody debris; CWD) had been manually removed and six control plots in managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) forests of the southeastern coastal plain, USA. Trapping was conducted seasonally between antumn 1997 and summer 2001. Capture rates of Cryptotis...

Specific gravity responses of slash and loblolly pine following mid-rotation fertilization

Treesearch

Kimberly R. Love-Myers; Alexander Clark III; Laurence R. Schimleck; Eric J. Jokela; Richard F. Daniels

2009-01-01

Wood quality attributes were examined in six stands of slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii) and loblolly pine (P. taeda L.) in the lower Coastal Plain of Georgia and Florida. Several plots comprised each stand, and each plot was divided so that it received three fertilizer treatments: a control treatment with herbaceous weed control at planting...

Physiological and morphological response patterns of Populus deltoides to alluvial groundwater

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cooper, D.J.; D'Amico, D.R.; Scott, M.L.

2003-01-01

We examined the physiological and morphological response patterns of plains cottonwood [Populus deltoides subsp. monilifera (Aiton) Eck.] to acute water stress imposed by groundwater pumping. Between 3 and 27 July 1996, four large pumps were used to withdraw alluvial groundwater from a cottonwood forest along the South Platte River, near Denver, Colorado, USA. The study was designed as a stand-level, split-plot experiment with factorial treatments including two soil types (a gravel soil and a loam topsoil over gravel), two water table drawdown depths (∼0.5 m and >1.0 m), and one water table control (no drawdown) per soil type. Measurements of water table depth, soil water potential (Ψs), predawn and midday shoot water potential (Ψpd and Ψmd), and D/H (deuterium/hydrogen) ratios of different water sources were made in each of six 600-m2 plots prior to, during, and immediately following pumping. Two additional plots were established and measured to examine the extent to which surface irrigation could be used to mitigate the effects of deep drawdown on P. deltoides for each soil type. Recovery of tree water status following pumping was evaluated by measuring stomatal conductance (gs) and xylem water potential (Ψxp) on approximately hourly time steps from before dawn to mid-afternoon on 11 August 1996 in watered and unwatered, deep-drawdown plots on gravel soils. P. deltoides responded to abrupt alluvial water table decline with decreased shoot water potential followed by leaf mortality. Ψpd and percent leaf loss were significantly related to the magnitude of water table declines. The onset and course of these responses were influenced by short-term variability in surface and ground water levels, acting in concert with physiological and morphological adjustments. Decreases in Ψpd corresponded with increases in Ψmd, suggesting shoot water status improved in response to stomatal closure and crown dieback. Crown dieback caused by xylem cavitation likely occurred when Ψpd reached −0.4 to −0.8 MPa. The application of surface irrigation allowed trees to maintain favorable water status with little or no apparent cavitation, even in deep-drawdown plots. Two weeks after the partial canopy dieback and cessation of pumping, gs and Ψxp measurements indicated that water stress persisted in unwatered P. deltoides in deep-drawdown plots.

Normal Distribution of CD8+ T-Cell-Derived ELISPOT Counts within Replicates Justifies the Reliance on Parametric Statistics for Identifying Positive Responses.

PubMed

Karulin, Alexey Y; Caspell, Richard; Dittrich, Marcus; Lehmann, Paul V

2015-03-02

Accurate assessment of positive ELISPOT responses for low frequencies of antigen-specific T-cells is controversial. In particular, it is still unknown whether ELISPOT counts within replicate wells follow a theoretical distribution function, and thus whether high power parametric statistics can be used to discriminate between positive and negative wells. We studied experimental distributions of spot counts for up to 120 replicate wells of IFN-γ production by CD8+ T-cell responding to EBV LMP2A (426 - 434) peptide in human PBMC. The cells were tested in serial dilutions covering a wide range of average spot counts per condition, from just a few to hundreds of spots per well. Statistical analysis of the data using diagnostic Q-Q plots and the Shapiro-Wilk normality test showed that in the entire dynamic range of ELISPOT spot counts within replicate wells followed a normal distribution. This result implies that the Student t-Test and ANOVA are suited to identify positive responses. We also show experimentally that borderline responses can be reliably detected by involving more replicate wells, plating higher numbers of PBMC, addition of IL-7, or a combination of these. Furthermore, we have experimentally verified that the number of replicates needed for detection of weak responses can be calculated using parametric statistics.

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

Carter, Faustin Wirkus; Khaire, Trupti S.; Novosad, Valentyn

We present "scraps" (SuperConducting Analysis and Plotting Software), a Python package designed to aid in the analysis and visualization of large amounts of superconducting resonator data, specifically complex transmission as a function of frequency, acquired at many different temperatures and driving powers. The package includes a least-squares fitting engine as well as a Monte-Carlo Markov Chain sampler for sampling the posterior distribution given priors, marginalizing over nuisance parameters, and estimating covariances. A set of plotting tools for generating publication-quality figures is also provided in the package. Lastly, we discuss the functionality of the software and provide some examples of itsmore » utility on data collected from a niobium-nitride coplanar waveguide resonator fabricated at Argonne National Laboratory.« less

Fuselage shell and cavity response measurements on a DC-9 test section

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simpson, M. A.; Mathur, G. P.; Cannon, M. R.; Tran, B. N.; Burge, P. L.

1991-01-01

A series of fuselage shell and cavity response measurements conducted on a DC-9 aircraft test section are described. The objectives of these measurements were to define the shell and cavity model characteristics of the fuselage, understand the structural-acoustic coupling characteristics of the fuselage, and measure the response of the fuselage to different types of acoustic and vibration excitation. The fuselage was excited with several combinations of acoustic and mechanical sources using interior and exterior loudspeakers and shakers, and the response to these inputs was measured with arrays of microphones and accelerometers. The data were analyzed to generate spatial plots of the shell acceleration and cabin acoustic pressure field, and corresponding acceleration and pressure wavenumber maps. Analysis and interpretation of the spatial plots and wavenumber maps provided the required information on modal characteristics, structural-acoustic coupling, and fuselage response.

Soil moisture mediates alpine life form and community productivity responses to warming.

PubMed

Winkler, Daniel E; Chapin, Kenneth J; Kueppers, Lara M

2016-06-01

Climate change is expected to alter primary production and community composition in alpine ecosystems, but the direction and magnitude of change is debated. Warmer, wetter growing seasons may increase productivity; however, in the absence of additional precipitation, increased temperatures may decrease soil moisture, thereby diminishing any positive effect of warming. Since plant species show individual responses to environmental change, responses may depend on community composition and vary across life form or functional groups. We warmed an alpine plant community at Niwot Ridge, Colorado continuously for four years to test whether warming increases or decreases productivity of life form groups and the whole community. We provided supplemental water to a subset of plots to alleviate the drying effect of warming. We measured annual above-ground productivity and soil temperature and moisture, from which we calculated soil degree days and adequate soil moisture days. Using an information-theoretic approach, we observed that positive productivity responses to warming at the community level occur only when warming is combined with supplemental watering; otherwise we observed decreased productivity. Watering also increased community productivity in the absence of warming. Forbs accounted for the majority of the productivity at the site and drove the contingent community response to warming, while cushions drove the generally positive response to watering and graminoids muted the community response. Warming advanced snowmelt and increased soil degree days, while watering increased adequate soil moisture days. Heated and watered plots had more adequate soil moisture days than heated plots. Overall, measured changes in soil temperature and moisture in response to treatments were consistent with expected productivity responses. We found that available soil moisture largely determines the responses of this forb-dominated alpine community to simulated climate warming. © 2016 by the Ecological Society of America.

Wide range humidity sensing of LiCl incorporated in mesoporous silica circular discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kunchakara, Suhasini; Shah, Jyoti; Singh, Vaishali; Kotnala, R. K.

2017-12-01

Lithium chloride (LiCl) incorporated MCM-41 has been synthesised by sol-gel method using tetraethyl orthosilicate as a precursor in basic medium. 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 wt% of LiCl were incorporated in mesoporous silica to investigate the humidity sensing. With increasing wt% of LiCl broadening of O-H peak is observed in the Fourier Transform Infrared spectra, indicating greater adsorption of hydroxyl groups on porous silica. The surface area of the MCM-41 circular discs was determined by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). Scanning electron microscopy images suggest that incorporation of LiCl leads to coalescence of grains in mesoporous silica. 25 wt% LiCl incorporated MCM-41 showed a wide range linear response of impedance change for 11%-90% RH exhibiting 3.5-order drop in impedance at a 1 kHz frequency. The Nyquist plots for all compositions showed increased ionic conduction with increasing relative humidity.

The determination of third order linear models from a seventh order nonlinear jet engine model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lalonde, Rick J.; Hartley, Tom T.; De Abreu-Garcia, J. Alex

1989-01-01

Results are presented that demonstrate how good reduced-order models can be obtained directly by recursive parameter identification using input/output (I/O) data of high-order nonlinear systems. Three different methods of obtaining a third-order linear model from a seventh-order nonlinear turbojet engine model are compared. The first method is to obtain a linear model from the original model and then reduce the linear model by standard reduction techniques such as residualization and balancing. The second method is to identify directly a third-order linear model by recursive least-squares parameter estimation using I/O data of the original model. The third method is to obtain a reduced-order model from the original model and then linearize the reduced model. Frequency responses are used as the performance measure to evaluate the reduced models. The reduced-order models along with their Bode plots are presented for comparison purposes.

Experimental Evidence that Hemlock Mortality Enhances Carbon Stabilization in Southern Appalachian Forest Soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fraterrigo, J.; Ream, K.; Knoepp, J.

2017-12-01

Forest insects and pathogens (FIPs) can cause uncertain changes in forest carbon balance, potentially influencing global atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations. We quantified the effects of hemlock (Tsuga canadensis L. Carr.) mortality on soil carbon fluxes and pools for a decade following either girdling or natural infestation by hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA; Adelges tsugae) to improve mechanistic understanding of soil carbon cycling response to FIPs. Although soil respiration (Rsoil) was similar among reference plots and plots with hemlock mortality, both girdled and HWA-infested plots had greater activities of β-glucosidase, a cellulose-hydrolyzing extracellular enzyme, and decreased O-horizon mass and fine root biomass from 2005 to 2013. During this period, total mineral soil carbon accumulated at a higher rate in disturbed plots than in reference plots in both the surface (0-10 cm) and subsurface (10-30 cm); increases were predominantly in the mineral-associated fraction of the soil organic matter. In contrast, particulate organic matter carbon accrued slowly in surface soils and declined in the subsurface of girdled plots. δ13C values of this fraction demonstrate that particulate organic matter carbon in the surface soil has become more microbially processed over time, suggesting enhanced decomposition of organic matter in this pool. Together, these findings indicate that hemlock mortality and subsequent forest regrowth has led to enhanced soil carbon stabilization in southern Appalachian forests through the translocation of carbon from detritus and particulate soil organic matter pools to the mineral-associated organic matter pool. These findings have implications for ecosystem management and modeling, demonstrating that forests may tolerate moderate disturbance without diminishing soil carbon storage when there is a compensatory growth response by non-host trees.

Geomorphic changes resulting from floods in reconfigured gravel-bed river channels in Colorado, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elliott, J.G.; Capesius, J.P.

2009-01-01

Geomorphic changes in reconfi gured reaches of three Colorado rivers in response to floods in 2005 provide a benchmark for "restoration" assessment. Sedimententrainment potential is expressed as the ratio of the shear stress from the 2 yr, 5 yr, 10 yr, and 2005 floods to the critical shear stress for sediment. Some observed response was explained by the excess of flood shear stress relative to the resisting force of the sediment. Bed-load entrainment in the Uncompahgre River and the North Fork Gunnison River, during 4 and 6 yr floods respectively, resulted in streambed scour, streambed deposition, lateral-bar accretion, and channel migration at various locations. Some constructed boulder and log structures failed because of high rates of bank erosion or bed-material deposition. The Lake Fork showed little or no net change after the 2005 flood; however, this channel had not conveyed floods greater than the 2.5 yr flood since reconfi guration. Channel slope and the 2 yr flood, a surrogate for bankfull discharge, from all three reconfi gured reaches plotted above the Leopold and Wolman channel-pattern threshold in the "braided channel" region, indicating that braiding, rather than a single-thread meandering channel, and midchannel bar formation may be the natural tendency of these gravel-bed reaches. When plotted against a total stream-power and median-sediment-size threshold for the 2 yr flood, however, the Lake Fork plotted in the "single-thread channel" region, the North Fork Gunnison plotted in the " multiplethread" region, and the Uncompahgre River plotted on the threshold. All three rivers plotted in the multiple-thread region for floods of 5 yr recurrence or greater. ?? 2009 Geological Society of America.

The effect of support flexibility and damping on the dynamic response of a single mass flexible rotor in elastic bearings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirk, R. G.; Gunter, E. J.

1972-01-01

The dynamic unabalance response and transient motion of the single mass Jeffcott rotor in elastic bearings mounted on damped, flexible supports are discussed. A steady state analysis of the shaft and the bearing housing motion was made by assuming synchronous precession of the system. The conditions under which the support system would act as a dynamic vibration absorber at the rotor critical speed were studied. Plots of the rotor and support amplitudes, phase angles, and forces transmitted were evaluated by the computer and the performance curves were plotted by an automatic plotter unit. Curves are presented on the optimization of the support housing characteristics of attenuate the rotor synchronous unbalance response.

Responses of Mammalian Insectivores, Amphibians, and Reptiles to Broad-Scale Manipulation of Coarse Woody Debris

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

McCay, T.S.; Forschler, B.T.; Komoroski, M.J.

2002-03-10

Sampled shrews at 9.3 ha plots from logs manually removed and control plots in loblolly pine forests of the Southeastern Coastal Plain. Capture rates of Cryptotis parva were lower at plots from which deadwood was removed whereas capture rates of Blarina cavolinensis and Sorex longirostris did not differ between control and removal plots. Cryptotis may have been most sensitive to removal plots due to low population density, hence poor ability to move into areas of low reproduction. (Second Abstract, p. 37)Presentation of evidence that juvenile amphibians including Ambystomatid salamanders may disperse hundreds of meter from their natal wetlands within themore » weeks to months following metamorphosis. Data indicates Ambystoma trigrinum metamorphs can take at least six months to disperse and en route use non-polar lipid reserves garnished as larvae. Report suggests a land management regime that allows for both juvenile amphibian dispersal and also the consumptive use of the surrounding landscape.« less

A method for analyzing temporal patterns of variability of a time series from Poincare plots.

PubMed

Fishman, Mikkel; Jacono, Frank J; Park, Soojin; Jamasebi, Reza; Thungtong, Anurak; Loparo, Kenneth A; Dick, Thomas E

2012-07-01

The Poincaré plot is a popular two-dimensional, time series analysis tool because of its intuitive display of dynamic system behavior. Poincaré plots have been used to visualize heart rate and respiratory pattern variabilities. However, conventional quantitative analysis relies primarily on statistical measurements of the cumulative distribution of points, making it difficult to interpret irregular or complex plots. Moreover, the plots are constructed to reflect highly correlated regions of the time series, reducing the amount of nonlinear information that is presented and thereby hiding potentially relevant features. We propose temporal Poincaré variability (TPV), a novel analysis methodology that uses standard techniques to quantify the temporal distribution of points and to detect nonlinear sources responsible for physiological variability. In addition, the analysis is applied across multiple time delays, yielding a richer insight into system dynamics than the traditional circle return plot. The method is applied to data sets of R-R intervals and to synthetic point process data extracted from the Lorenz time series. The results demonstrate that TPV complements the traditional analysis and can be applied more generally, including Poincaré plots with multiple clusters, and more consistently than the conventional measures and can address questions regarding potential structure underlying the variability of a data set.

Effects of intranasal oxytocin on social anxiety in males with fragile X syndrome.

PubMed

Hall, Scott S; Lightbody, Amy A; McCarthy, Brigid E; Parker, Karen J; Reiss, Allan L

2012-04-01

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a rare inherited genetic disorder causing severe intellectual disability and autistic-like symptoms. Individuals with FXS, males in particular, often exhibit extreme eye gaze avoidance and hyperarousal when they encounter stressful social situations. We investigated whether oxytocin (OT), a hormone with prosocial and anxiolytic effects, could alleviate symptoms of social anxiety in this population. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled single-dose trial was performed with intranasal administration of placebo, 24 IU OT and 48 IU OT. Measures of eye gaze frequency, heart rate, respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), heart rate variability (HRV) and salivary cortisol were obtained during a structured social challenge conducted 50 min following OT administration. Ten low-functioning males with FXS (aged 13-28 years) traveled to Stanford for the initial visit: 8 completed the study. Eye gaze frequency improved significantly in response to the 24 IU OT dose and salivary cortisol levels decreased significantly in response to the 48 IU OT dose. There was no effect of OT on heart rate, RSA or HRV although individual plots of the heart rate data suggested that OT increased heart rate in some participants and decreased heart rate in others. These findings suggest that intranasal administration of OT may ameliorate some symptoms of social anxiety in patients with FXS. Further double-blind placebo-controlled studies of OT, conducted in combination with behavioral treatment programs, may be warranted. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of sprayable fixatives on a sandy soil for potential use in a dirty bomb response.

PubMed

Fritz, Brad G; Whitaker, John D

2008-06-01

After the events of 11 September 2001, the possibility of a dirty bomb being detonated within the United States seems more realistic. Development of tools for use in response to a dirty bomb detonation has become a topic of both discussion and research. While it has been reported that the health risk to the public from such an event would likely be small, it is thought that the psychological impact could be considerable. One response option that has been considered is adapting sprayable solutions for the purpose of fixing contamination in place, thereby limiting the spread of contamination by wind and rain and facilitating subsequent cleanup. This work evaluated two commercially available particle fixatives (IsoFIX-HT and IsoFIX-RC) for their effectiveness in preventing dispersal of simulated contamination. Nonradioactive cesium chloride and cobalt oxide particles were selected as the simulated contamination and applied to the surface of three outdoor test plots. Two test plots were treated with fixatives; the third plot provided a control. Samples were collected over 95 days to observe changes in tracer concentration on the surface of the test plots. One fixative (IsoFIX-RC) effectively held the tracer in place with no net loss of tracer, while the other fixative (IsoFIX-HT) had no impact on the loss of tracer relative to the control. Under the conditions tested, IsoFIX-RC appears capable of fixing surface contamination in place for at least several months.

Alternative Regression Equations for Estimation of Annual Peak-Streamflow Frequency for Undeveloped Watersheds in Texas using PRESS Minimization

USGS Publications Warehouse

Asquith, William H.; Thompson, David B.

2008-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation and in partnership with Texas Tech University, investigated a refinement of the regional regression method and developed alternative equations for estimation of peak-streamflow frequency for undeveloped watersheds in Texas. A common model for estimation of peak-streamflow frequency is based on the regional regression method. The current (2008) regional regression equations for 11 regions of Texas are based on log10 transformations of all regression variables (drainage area, main-channel slope, and watershed shape). Exclusive use of log10-transformation does not fully linearize the relations between the variables. As a result, some systematic bias remains in the current equations. The bias results in overestimation of peak streamflow for both the smallest and largest watersheds. The bias increases with increasing recurrence interval. The primary source of the bias is the discernible curvilinear relation in log10 space between peak streamflow and drainage area. Bias is demonstrated by selected residual plots with superimposed LOWESS trend lines. To address the bias, a statistical framework based on minimization of the PRESS statistic through power transformation of drainage area is described and implemented, and the resulting regression equations are reported. Compared to log10-exclusive equations, the equations derived from PRESS minimization have PRESS statistics and residual standard errors less than the log10 exclusive equations. Selected residual plots for the PRESS-minimized equations are presented to demonstrate that systematic bias in regional regression equations for peak-streamflow frequency estimation in Texas can be reduced. Because the overall error is similar to the error associated with previous equations and because the bias is reduced, the PRESS-minimized equations reported here provide alternative equations for peak-streamflow frequency estimation.

Restoration thinning and influence of tree size and leaf area to sapwood area ratio on water relations of Pinus ponderosa.

PubMed

Simonin, K; Kolb, T E; Montes-Helu, M; Koch, G W

2006-04-01

Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex P. Laws) forest stand density has increased significantly over the last century (Covington et al. 1997). To understand the effect of increased intraspecific competition, tree size (height and diameter at breast height (DBH)) and leaf area to sapwood area ratio (A(L):A(S)) on water relations, we compared hydraulic conductance from soil to leaf (kl) and transpiration per unit leaf area (Q(L)) of ponderosa pine trees in an unthinned plot to trees in a thinned plot in the first and second years after thinning in a dense Arizona forest. We calculated kl and Q(L) based on whole- tree sap flux measured with heat dissipation sensors. Thinning increased tree predawn water potential within two weeks of treatment. Effects of thinning on kl and Q(L) depended on DBH, A(L):A(S) and drought severity. During severe drought in the first growing season after thinning, kl and Q(L) of trees with low A(L):A(S) (160-250 mm DBH; 9-11 m height) were lower in the thinned plot than the unthinned plot, suggesting a reduction in stomatal conductance (g(s)) or reduced sapwood specific conductivity (K(S)), or both, in response to thinning. In contrast kl and Q(L) were similar in the thinned plot and unthinned plot for trees with high A(L):A(S) (260-360 mm DBH; 13-16 m height). During non-drought periods, kl and Q(L) were greater in the thinned plot than in the unthinned plot for all but the largest trees. Contrary to previous studies of ponderosa pine, A(L):A(S) was positively correlated with tree height and DBH. Furthermore, kl and Q(L) showed a weak negative correlation with tree height and a strong negative correlation with A(S) and thus A(L):A(S) in both the thinned and unthinned plots, suggesting that trees with high A(L):A(S) had lower g(s). Our results highlight the important influence of stand competitive environment on tree-size-related variation in A(L):A(S) and the roles of A(L):A(S) and drought on whole-tree water relations in response to thinning.

Software and Critical Technology Protection Against Side-Channel Analysis Through Dynamic Hardware Obfuscation

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

resampling a second time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 70 Plot of RSA bitgroup exponentiation with DAILMOM after a...14 DVFS Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Switching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 MDPL Masked Dual-Rail...algorithms to prevent whole-sale discovery of PINs and other simple methods to prevent employee tampering [5]. In time , cryptographic systems have

Direct-reading group-delay measurement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trowbridge, D. L.

1978-01-01

Technique for measuring modulation signal retardation in microwave components gives direct plot of dependence of delay time on carrier frequency. Recorder sensitivity can be adjusted to give convenient scale factor for group delay. From family of such recordings, it is possible to observe changes in group delay due to temperature, mechanical stress, and other factors.

78 FR 49762 - Desecheo National Wildlife Refuge, PR; Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-15

... complete the removal of all invasive animal species. We will also develop and implement a plan for..., if necessary, efforts to remove invasive species. The number of vegetation plots and frequency of... safety of the refuge regarding the removal of unexploded ordnance. CCP Alternatives, Including Our...

Fun with Singing Wine Glasses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boone, Christine; Galloway, Melodie; Ruiz, Michael J.

2018-01-01

A fun activity is presented using singing wine glasses for introductory physics students. Students tune a white wine glass and a red wine glass to as many semitones as possible by filling the glasses with the appropriate amounts of water. A smart phone app is used to measure the frequencies of equal-temperament tones. Then plots of frequency…

Understory vegetation

Treesearch

Steve Sutherland; Todd F. Hutchinson; Jennifer L. Windus

2003-01-01

This chapter documents patterns of species composition and diversity within the understory vegetation layer and provides a species list for the four study areas in southern Ohio. Within each of 108 plots, we recorded the frequency of all vascular plant species in sixteen 2-m² quadrats. We recorded 297 species, including 187 forbs (176 perennials, 9 annuals, 2...

Methods for measuring populations of small, diurnal forest birds.

Treesearch

D.A. Manuwal; A.B. Carey

1991-01-01

Before a bird population is measured, the objectives of the study should be clearly defined. Important factors to be considered in designing a study are study site selection, plot size or transect length, distance between sampling points, duration of counts, and frequency and timing of sampling. Qualified field personnel are especially important. Assumptions applying...

Electromagnetic Wave Propagation through Circular Waveguides Containing Radially Inhomogeneous Lossy Media

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-08-01

where the slope becomes infinite. This point could represent a cutoff frequency of the two coupled complex modes as a/b increases and the cutin ...a good example of attenuation near the cutin for each mode. A common characteristic throughout these plots, and also very similar to the cc versus a/b

An indigenous Pacific Island agroforestry system: Pohnpei Island

Treesearch

Bill Raynor; James Fownes

1993-01-01

The indigenous agroforestry system on Pohnpei was studied using circular plots laid out in transect across 57 randomly-selected farms. Data were collected on species and cultivar presence, size, density, frequency, as well as soil type, slope, aspect, and other related information. Through farmer interviews, farm family demographic data was also recorded. Seasonality...

Structural and impedance studies of LiNi{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 1.5}O{sub 4} synthesized by sol-gel method

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

Lobo, Laurel Simon, E-mail: laurelsimonlobo@gmail.com; Rubankumar, A., E-mail: arubankumarvit@gmail.com; Kalainathan, S.

2016-05-23

LiNi{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 1.5}O{sub 4} is synthesized by sol-gel method by using succinic acid as chelating agent. X-ray diffraction pattern confirms the material is spinel cubic structure with Fd3m space group. Impedance spectroscopy analysis of spinel LiNi{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 1.5}O{sub 4} was performed under a wide frequency and temperature range of 50 Hz to 5 MHz and 303 K to 783 K respectively. The hopping of the electrons, ionic conductivity and activation energy were analyzed from the relaxation frequency of the imaginary impedance (Z”). The activation energy E{sub a} is calculated from the Arrhenius plots and it is found to be 0.3713 eV, which indicates themore » existence of oxygen vacancy in the material. Nyquist plot indicates the presence of grain effect in the material and suppression in the grain effect is observed with increasing temperature.« less

Two general models that generate long range correlation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gan, Xiaocong; Han, Zhangang

2012-06-01

In this paper we study two models that generate sequences with LRC (long range correlation). For the IFT (inverse Fourier transform) model, our conclusion is the low frequency part leads to LRC, while the high frequency part tends to eliminate it. Therefore, a typical method to generate a sequence with LRC is multiplying the spectrum of a white noise sequence by a decaying function. A special case is analyzed: the linear combination of a smooth curve and a white noise sequence, in which the DFA plot consists of two line segments. For the patch model, our conclusion is long subsequences leads to LRC, while short subsequences tend to eliminate it. Therefore, we can generate a sequence with LRC by using a fat-tailed PDF (probability distribution function) of the length of the subsequences. A special case is also analyzed: if a patch model with long subsequences is mixed with a white noise sequence, the DFA plot will consist of two line segments. We have checked known models and actual data, and found they are all consistent with this study.

Heart rate variability analysed by Poincaré plot in patients with metabolic syndrome.

PubMed

Kubičková, Alena; Kozumplík, Jiří; Nováková, Zuzana; Plachý, Martin; Jurák, Pavel; Lipoldová, Jolana

2016-01-01

The SD1 and SD2 indexes (standard deviations in two orthogonal directions of the Poincaré plot) carry similar information to the spectral density power of the high and low frequency bands but have the advantage of easier calculation and lesser stationarity dependence. ECG signals from metabolic syndrome (MetS) and control group patients during tilt table test under controlled breathing (20 breaths/minute) were obtained. SD1, SD2, SDRR (standard deviation of RR intervals) and RMSSD (root mean square of successive differences of RR intervals) were evaluated for 31 control group and 33 MetS subjects. Statistically significant lower values were observed in MetS patients in supine position (SD1: p=0.03, SD2: p=0.002, SDRR: p=0.006, RMSSD: p=0.01) and during tilt (SD2: p=0.004, SDRR: p=0.007). SD1 and SD2 combining the advantages of time and frequency domain methods, distinguish successfully between MetS and control subjects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Across species-pool aggregation alters grassland productivity and diversity.

PubMed

McKenna, Thomas P; Yurkonis, Kathryn A

2016-08-01

Plant performance is determined by the balance of intra- and interspecific neighbors within an individual's zone of influence. If individuals interact over smaller scales than the scales at which communities are measured, then altering neighborhood interactions may fundamentally affect community responses. These interactions can be altered by changing the number (species richness), abundances (species evenness), and positions (species pattern) of the resident plant species, and we aimed to test whether aggregating species at planting would alter effects of species richness and evenness on biomass production at a common scale of observation in grasslands. We varied plant species richness (2, 4, or 8 species and monocultures), evenness (0.64, 0.8, or 1.0), and pattern (planted randomly or aggregated in groups of four individuals) within 1 × 1 m plots established with transplants from a pool of 16 tallgrass prairie species and assessed plot-scale biomass production and diversity over the first three growing seasons. As expected, more species-rich plots produced more biomass by the end of the third growing season, an effect associated with a shift from selection to complementarity effects over time. Aggregating conspecifics at a 0.25-m scale marginally reduced biomass production across all treatments and increased diversity in the most even plots, but did not alter biodiversity effects or richness-productivity relationships. Results support the hypothesis that fine-scale species aggregation affects diversity by promoting species coexistence in this system. However, results indicate that inherent changes in species neighborhood relationships along grassland diversity gradients may only minimally affect community (meter) - scale responses among similarly designed biodiversity-ecosystem function studies. Given that species varied in their responses to local aggregation, it may be possible to use such species-specific results to spatially design larger-scale grassland communities to achieve desired diversity and productivity responses.

Portfolio effects, climate change, and the persistence of small populations: analyses on the rare plant Saussurea weberi.

PubMed

Abbott, Ronald E; Doak, Daniel F; Peterson, Megan L

2017-04-01

The mechanisms that stabilize small populations in the face of environmental variation are crucial to their long-term persistence. Building from diversity-stability concepts in community ecology, within-population diversity is gaining attention as an important component of population stability. Genetic and microhabitat variation within populations can generate diverse responses to common environmental fluctuations, dampening temporal variability across the population as a whole through portfolio effects. Yet, the potential for portfolio effects to operate at small scales within populations or to change with systematic environmental shifts, such as climate change, remain largely unexplored. We tracked the abundance of a rare alpine perennial plant, Saussurea weberi, in 49 1-m 2 plots within a single population over 20 yr. We estimated among-plot correlations in log annual growth rate to test for population-level synchrony and quantify portfolio effects across the 20-yr study period and also in 5-yr subsets based on June temperature quartiles. Asynchrony among plots, due to different plot-level responses to June temperature, reduced overall fluctuations in abundance and the probability of decline in population models, even when accounting for the effects of density dependence on dynamics. However, plots became more synchronous and portfolio effects decreased during the warmest years of the study, suggesting that future climate warming may erode stabilizing mechanisms in populations of this rare plant. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

PHYSIOLOGICAL AND FOLIAR INJURY RESPONSES OF PRUNUS SEROTINA, FRAXINUS AMERICANA, AND ACER RUBRUM SEEDLINGS TO VARYING SOIL MOISTURE AND OZONE. (R825244)

EPA Science Inventory

Sixteen black cherry (Prunus serotina, Ehrh.), 10 white ash (Fraxinus americana, L.) and 10 red maple (Acer rubrum, L.) 1-year old seedlings were planted per plot in 1997 on a former nursery bed within 12 open-top chambers and six open plots. Seedlings wer...

Response of Legumes to Prescribed Burns in Loblolly Pine Stands of the South Carolina Piedmont

Treesearch

Charles T. Cushwa; Melvin Hopkins; Burd S. McGinnes

1970-01-01

The effects of prescribed burns in spring or summer on the leguminous plant cover and on seed production of legumes were studied at nine locations on the Sumter National Forest in the Piedmont of South Carolina. Numbers of legumes did not differ statistically from those on unburned control plots. Seed production on plots burned during the summer was significantly...

Seasonal development of loblolly pine lateral roots in response to stand density and fertilization

Treesearch

M.A. Sword

1998-01-01

In 1989, two levels each of stand density and fertilization treatments were factorially established in a 9-year-old loblolly pine plantation on a P-deficient Gulf Coastal Plain site in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, USA. In 1995, a second thinning was conducted on the previously thinned plots and fertilizer was re-applied to the previously fertilized plots. The morphology...

Competitive responses of seedlings and understory plants in longleaf pine woodlands: separating canopy influences above and below ground

Treesearch

Stephen D. Pecot; Robert J. Mitchell; Brian J. Palik; Barry Moser; J. Kevin Hiers

2007-01-01

A trenching study was used to investigate above- and below-ground competition in a longleaf pine (Pinus palustris P. Mill.) woodland. Trenched and nontrenched plots were replicated in the woodland matrix, at gap edges, and in gap centers representing a range of overstory stocking. One-half of each plot received a herbicide treatment to remove the...

Effects of atmospheric CO[sub 2] and soil NO[sub 3][sup [minus

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

Lindroth, R.L.; Kinney, K.K.

1993-06-01

Physiological and growth responses of trees to elevated atmospheric CO[sub 2] are influenced by soil nutrient availability. Interactive effects of these factors on tree chemical composition, however, are largely unknown. We used a split-plot experimental design to assess the impact of CO[sub 2] (whole plots; 355 and 650 ppm) and soil NO[sub 3][sup [minus

Hydration and vibrational dynamics of betaine (N,N,N-trimethylglycine)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Tanping; Cui, Yaowen; Mathaga, John; Kumar, Revati; Kuroda, Daniel G.

2015-06-01

Zwitterions are naturally occurring molecules that have a positive and a negative charge group in its structure and are of great importance in many areas of science. Here, the vibrational and hydration dynamics of the zwitterionic system betaine (N,N,N-trimethylglycine) is reported. The linear infrared spectrum of aqueous betaine exhibits an asymmetric band in the 1550-1700 cm-1 region of the spectrum. This band is attributed to the carboxylate asymmetric stretch of betaine. The potential of mean force computed from ab initio molecular dynamic simulations confirms that the two observed transitions of the linear spectrum are related to two different betaine conformers present in solution. A model of the experimental data using non-linear response theory agrees very well with a vibrational model comprising of two vibrational transitions. In addition, our modeling shows that spectral parameters such as the slope of the zeroth contour plot and central line slope are both sensitive to the presence of overlapping transitions. The vibrational dynamics of the system reveals an ultrafast decay of the vibrational population relaxation as well as the correlation of frequency-frequency correlation function (FFCF). A decay of ˜0.5 ps is observed for the FFCF correlation time and is attributed to the frequency fluctuations caused by the motions of water molecules in the solvation shell. The comparison of the experimental observations with simulations of the FFCF from ab initio molecular dynamics and a density functional theory frequency map shows a very good agreement corroborating the correct characterization and assignment of the derived parameters.

The tonotopic map in the embryonic chicken cochlea.

PubMed

Jones, S M; Jones, T A

1995-02-01

The purpose of the present study was to determine the tonotopic map in the chicken cochlea at 19 days of incubation (E19) by obtaining characteristic frequencies (CFs) for primary afferents, labeling the characterized neurons, and documenting their projections to the papilla. The lowest and highest CFs recorded were 188 and 1623 Hz respectively. The embryonic tonotopic map coincided with maps reported for post-hatch chicks. There were no evidence that neurons selective to low frequencies project inappropriately to more basal locations of the embryonic papilla. Linear regression was used to estimate the frequency gradient (b = 0.037 +/- 0.012 In Hz/% [b +/- SEb]) and intercept (In C, where C = 111 Hz) of the semilog plot of frequency versus cochlear position (in % distance from apex). From these estimates the octave distribution was calculated to be 18.7%/octave or 0.58 mm/octave. These quantities were not significantly different from those found in post hatch chickens. We conclude that the tonotopic map of the avian cochlea for CFs between 100 and 1700 Hz is stable and relatively mature from age E19 to post-hatch day 21 (P21). The most striking sign of immaturity in the E19 embryo is the limited range of high CFs. We offer the hypothesis that, between the ages of E19 and P21, improvements in middle ear admittance alone or in combination with functional maturation of the cochlear base may be the principal factors responsible for the appearance of adult-like high CF limits and not an apically shifting tonotopic map.

Non-Gaussian lineshapes and dynamics of time-resolved linear and nonlinear (correlation) spectra.

PubMed

Dinpajooh, Mohammadhasan; Matyushov, Dmitry V

2014-07-17

Signatures of nonlinear and non-Gaussian dynamics in time-resolved linear and nonlinear (correlation) 2D spectra are analyzed in a model considering a linear plus quadratic dependence of the spectroscopic transition frequency on a Gaussian nuclear coordinate of the thermal bath (quadratic coupling). This new model is contrasted to the commonly assumed linear dependence of the transition frequency on the medium nuclear coordinates (linear coupling). The linear coupling model predicts equality between the Stokes shift and equilibrium correlation functions of the transition frequency and time-independent spectral width. Both predictions are often violated, and we are asking here the question of whether a nonlinear solvent response and/or non-Gaussian dynamics are required to explain these observations. We find that correlation functions of spectroscopic observables calculated in the quadratic coupling model depend on the chromophore's electronic state and the spectral width gains time dependence, all in violation of the predictions of the linear coupling models. Lineshape functions of 2D spectra are derived assuming Ornstein-Uhlenbeck dynamics of the bath nuclear modes. The model predicts asymmetry of 2D correlation plots and bending of the center line. The latter is often used to extract two-point correlation functions from 2D spectra. The dynamics of the transition frequency are non-Gaussian. However, the effect of non-Gaussian dynamics is limited to the third-order (skewness) time correlation function, without affecting the time correlation functions of higher order. The theory is tested against molecular dynamics simulations of a model polar-polarizable chromophore dissolved in a force field water.

Hydration and vibrational dynamics of betaine (N,N,N-trimethylglycine)

PubMed Central

Li, Tanping; Cui, Yaowen; Mathaga, John; Kumar, Revati; Kuroda, Daniel G.

2015-01-01

Zwitterions are naturally occurring molecules that have a positive and a negative charge group in its structure and are of great importance in many areas of science. Here, the vibrational and hydration dynamics of the zwitterionic system betaine (N,N,N-trimethylglycine) is reported. The linear infrared spectrum of aqueous betaine exhibits an asymmetric band in the 1550-1700 cm−1 region of the spectrum. This band is attributed to the carboxylate asymmetric stretch of betaine. The potential of mean force computed from ab initio molecular dynamic simulations confirms that the two observed transitions of the linear spectrum are related to two different betaine conformers present in solution. A model of the experimental data using non-linear response theory agrees very well with a vibrational model comprising of two vibrational transitions. In addition, our modeling shows that spectral parameters such as the slope of the zeroth contour plot and central line slope are both sensitive to the presence of overlapping transitions. The vibrational dynamics of the system reveals an ultrafast decay of the vibrational population relaxation as well as the correlation of frequency-frequency correlation function (FFCF). A decay of ∼0.5 ps is observed for the FFCF correlation time and is attributed to the frequency fluctuations caused by the motions of water molecules in the solvation shell. The comparison of the experimental observations with simulations of the FFCF from ab initio molecular dynamics and a density functional theory frequency map shows a very good agreement corroborating the correct characterization and assignment of the derived parameters. PMID:26049458

The tonotopic map in the embryonic chicken cochlea

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, S. M.; Jones, T. A.

1995-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to determine the tonotopic map in the chicken cochlea at 19 days of incubation (E19) by obtaining characteristic frequencies (CFs) for primary afferents, labeling the characterized neurons, and documenting their projections to the papilla. The lowest and highest CFs recorded were 188 and 1623 Hz respectively. The embryonic tonotopic map coincided with maps reported for post-hatch chicks. There were no evidence that neurons selective to low frequencies project inappropriately to more basal locations of the embryonic papilla. Linear regression was used to estimate the frequency gradient (b = 0.037 +/- 0.012 In Hz/% [b +/- SEb]) and intercept (In C, where C = 111 Hz) of the semilog plot of frequency versus cochlear position (in % distance from apex). From these estimates the octave distribution was calculated to be 18.7%/octave or 0.58 mm/octave. These quantities were not significantly different from those found in post hatch chickens. We conclude that the tonotopic map of the avian cochlea for CFs between 100 and 1700 Hz is stable and relatively mature from age E19 to post-hatch day 21 (P21). The most striking sign of immaturity in the E19 embryo is the limited range of high CFs. We offer the hypothesis that, between the ages of E19 and P21, improvements in middle ear admittance alone or in combination with functional maturation of the cochlear base may be the principal factors responsible for the appearance of adult-like high CF limits and not an apically shifting tonotopic map.

Rainfall simulations on a fire disturbed mediterranean area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rulli, Maria Cristina; Bozzi, Silvia; Spada, Matteo; Bocchiola, Daniele; Rosso, Renzo

2006-08-01

SummaryRainfall simulator experiments were carried out in the Liguria region, Italy, immediately after a forest fire in early August, 2003, to evaluate the effects of forest fire on soil hydraulic properties, runoff and erosion. Two adjacent 30 m 2 plots were set up with common physiographic features, and the same fire history, except for the fire of August 2003, which burned only one of them. Since both plots were previously subject to the passage of fire in March 1997, one compares the hydrologic and sedimentologic response of an area burned in year 2003 (B03) with that of an area burnt 6 years before (B97). Each rainfall simulation consisted of a single 60 min application of rainfall with constant intensity of about 76 mm h -1. The results show runoff ratio, evaluated for different pre-event soil moisture conditions, ranging from 0% to 2% for B97 plot, and from 21% to 41% for B03. Runoff ratio for the recently burned plot was 60 times higher than for the plot burned six years before, under wet conditions, and 20 times higher, under very wet conditions. A large increase in sediment production also was measured in B03 plot, as compared with that in B97 plot. Suspended sediment yield from B03 plot was more than two orders of magnitude higher than that from B97 plot in all the simulated events. The high soil losses measured immediately after burning indicate that effective post-fire rehabilitation programs must be carried out to reduce soil erosion in recently burned areas. However, the results for the plot burned six year prior show that recovery of the hydrological properties of the soil occurs after the transient post-fire modification.

Time-frequency analysis of acoustic scattering from elastic objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yen, Nai-Chyuan; Dragonette, Louis R.; Numrich, Susan K.

1990-06-01

A time-frequency analysis of acoustic scattering from elastic objects was carried out using the time-frequency representation based on a modified version of the Wigner distribution function (WDF) algorithm. A simple and efficient processing algorithm was developed, which provides meaningful interpretation of the scattering physics. The time and frequency representation derived from the WDF algorithm was further reduced to a display which is a skeleton plot, called a vein diagram, that depicts the essential features of the form function. The physical parameters of the scatterer are then extracted from this diagram with the proper interpretation of the scattering phenomena. Several examples, based on data obtained from numerically simulated models and laboratory measurements for elastic spheres and shells, are used to illustrate the capability and proficiency of the algorithm.

Low-flow frequency curves for selected long-term stream gaging stations in eastern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hardison, Clayton H.; Martin, Robert O.R.

1963-01-01

Curves showing the magnitude and frequency of annual low flow at 85 streamgaging stations located in 17 States east and 5 States west of the Mississippi River have been smoothed and adjusted to one of four long-term periods. They are presented to show the similarity and dissimilarity of curves even in the same State and to provide background information for studies of the statistical properties of low-flow frequency curves and for studies of the relation between hydrologic environment and low flow. The results are presented as greatly reduced graphs to facilitate comparison and are summarized in tables from which expanded graphs can be plotted.

Electrical properties of praseodymium oxide doped Boro-Tellurite glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jagadeesha Gowda G., V.; Devaraja, C.; Eraiah, B.

2016-05-01

Glasses of the composition xPr6O11- (35-x)TeO2-65B2O3 (x=0, 0.1 to 0.5 mol %) have been prepared using the melt quenching method. The ac and dc conductivity of glass have been measured over a wide range of frequencies and temperatures. Experimental results indicate that the ac conductivity depend on temperature, frequency and Praseodymium content. The conductivity as a function of frequency exhibited two components: dc conductivity (σdc), and ac conductivity (σac). The activation energies are estimated and found to be decreases with composition. The impedance plot at each temperature appeared as a semicircle passes through the origin.

User's manual for EZPLOT version 5.5: A FORTRAN program for 2-dimensional graphic display of data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garbinski, Charles; Redin, Paul C.; Budd, Gerald D.

1988-01-01

EZPLOT is a computer applications program that converts data resident on a file into a plot displayed on the screen of a graphics terminal. This program generates either time history or x-y plots in response to commands entered interactively from a terminal keyboard. Plot parameters consist of a single independent parameter and from one to eight dependent parameters. Various line patterns, symbol shapes, axis scales, text labels, and data modification techniques are available. This user's manual describes EZPLOT as it is implemented on the Ames Research Center, Dryden Research Facility ELXSI computer using DI-3000 graphics software tools.

Vegetation success, seepage, and erosion on tailing sites reclaimed with cattle and biosolids

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

Vinson, J.; Jones, B.; Milczarek, M.

1999-07-01

Reclamation field studies were designed at the Phelps Dodge Morenci Mine in Arizona to evaluate the benefits of biosolids, cattle impact, and other treatment variables on soil-capped tailings. First-year monitoring has provided preliminary data about soil chemical and physical parameters, soil matrix potential profiles, erosion, and vegetation measurements of ground cover, biomass production and frequency. Plots were first seeded in January 1998 with a cover crop of oats or barley. Plots were seeded again in August 1998 with native and native plus non-native plant species. Early productivity from the second seeding was inversely related to seedling density. Plots capped withmore » unamended Gila conglomerate (Gila) materials contained meager plant nutrient levels and produced numerous small seedlings that were poorly rooted and had little standing biomass. Vegetation on the cattle and biosolids treatments was vigorous and productive but at a much lower density than unamended Gila plots. Cattle treatment added little plant-nutrient value to the Gila cap compared to biosolids amendment. However, high rates of biosolids brought excessive salinity. Straw from the cattle treatment provided an effective mulch to improve soil moisture storage but increased the potential for deep seepage. Unamended Gila and biosolids plots had intermediate moisture storage and a modest potential for seepage compared to bare tailings. Mulch cover plus a lower rate of biosolids on Gila is seen as a promising, cost-effective amendment combination for future evaluation.« less

Stepped frequency ground penetrating radar

DOEpatents

Vadnais, Kenneth G.; Bashforth, Michael B.; Lewallen, Tricia S.; Nammath, Sharyn R.

1994-01-01

A stepped frequency ground penetrating radar system is described comprising an RF signal generating section capable of producing stepped frequency signals in spaced and equal increments of time and frequency over a preselected bandwidth which serves as a common RF signal source for both a transmit portion and a receive portion of the system. In the transmit portion of the system the signal is processed into in-phase and quadrature signals which are then amplified and then transmitted toward a target. The reflected signals from the target are then received by a receive antenna and mixed with a reference signal from the common RF signal source in a mixer whose output is then fed through a low pass filter. The DC output, after amplification and demodulation, is digitized and converted into a frequency domain signal by a Fast Fourier Transform. A plot of the frequency domain signals from all of the stepped frequencies broadcast toward and received from the target yields information concerning the range (distance) and cross section (size) of the target.

Techniques for estimating magnitude and frequency of floods in Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guetzkow, Lowell C.

1977-01-01

 Estimating relations have been developed to provide engineers and designers with improved techniques for defining flow-frequency characteristics to satisfy hydraulic planning and design requirements. The magnitude and frequency of floods up to the 100-year recurrence interval can be determined for most streams in Minnesota by methods presented. By multiple regression analysis, equations have been developed for estimating flood-frequency relations at ungaged sites on natural flow streams. Eight distinct hydrologic regions are delineated within the State with boundaries defined generally by river basin divides. Regression equations are provided for each region which relate selected frequency floods to significant basin parameters. For main-stem streams, graphs are presented showing floods for selected recurrence intervals plotted against contributing drainage area. Flow-frequency estimates for intervening sites along the Minnesota River, Mississippi River, and the Red River of the North can be derived from these graphs. Flood-frequency characteristics are tabulated for 201 paging stations having 10 or more years of record.

Aquifer test interpretation using derivative analysis and diagnostic plots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernández-Espriú, Antonio; Real-Rangel, Roberto; Cortés-Salazar, Iván; Castro-Herrera, Israel; Luna-Izazaga, Gabriela; Sánchez-León, Emilio

2017-04-01

Pumping tests remain a method of choice to deduce fundamental aquifer properties and to assess well condition. In the oil and gas (O&G) industry, well testing has been the core technique in examining reservoir behavior over the last 50 years. The pressure derivative by Bourdet, it is perhaps, the most significant single development in the history of well test analysis. Recently, the so-called diagnostics plots (e.g. drawdown and drawdown derivative in a log-log plot) have been successfully tested in aquifers. However, this procedure is still underutilized by groundwater professionals. This research illustrates the applicability range, advantages and drawbacks (e.g. smoothing procedures) of diagnostic plots using field examples from a wide spectrum of tests (short/long tests, constant/variable flow rates, drawdown/buildup stages, pumping well/observation well) in dissimilar geological conditions. We analyze new and pre-existent aquifer tests in Mexico, USA, Canada, Germany, France and Saudi Arabia. In constant flow rate tests, our results show that derivative analysis is an easy, robust and powerful tool to assess near-borehole damage effects, formation heterogeneity, boundaries, flow regimes, infinite-acting radial stages, i.e., valid Theisian framework, and fracture-driven flow. In step tests, the effectiveness relies on high-frequency drawdown measurements. Moreover, we adapt O&G analytical solutions to cater for the conditions in groundwater systems. In this context, further parameters can be computed analytically from the plots, such as skin factor, head losses, wellbore storage, distance to the boundary, channel-aquifer and/or fracture zone width, among others. Therefore, diagnostic plots should be considered a mandatory tool for pumping tests analysis among hydrogeologists. This project has been supported by DGAPA (UNAM) under the research project PAPIIT IN-112815.

Polychromatic plots: graphical display of multidimensional data.

PubMed

Roederer, Mario; Moody, M Anthony

2008-09-01

Limitations of graphical displays as well as human perception make the presentation and analysis of multidimensional data challenging. Graphical display of information on paper or by current projectors is perforce limited to two dimensions; the encoding of information from other dimensions must be overloaded into the two physical dimensions. A number of alternative means of encoding this information have been implemented, such as offsetting data points at an angle (e.g., three-dimensional projections onto a two-dimensional surface) or generating derived parameters that are combinations of other variables (e.g., principal components). Here, we explore the use of color to encode additional dimensions of data. PolyChromatic Plots are standard dot plots, where the color of each event is defined by the values of one, two, or three of the measurements for that event. The measurements for these parameters are mapped onto an intensity value for each primary color (red, green, or blue) based on different functions. In addition, differential weighting of the priority with which overlapping events are displayed can be defined by these same measurements. PolyChromatic Plots can encode up to five independent dimensions of data in a single display. By altering the color mapping function and the priority function, very different displays that highlight or de-emphasize populations of events can be generated. As for standard black-and-white dot plots, frequency information can be significantly biased by this display; care must be taken to ensure appropriate interpretation of the displays. PolyChromatic Plots are a powerful display type that enables rapid data exploration. By virtue of encoding as many as five dimensions of data independently, an enormous amount of information can be gleaned from the displays. In many ways, the display performs somewhat like an unsupervised cluster algorithm, by highlighting events of similar distributions in multivariate space.

Estimating species - area relationships by modeling abundance and frequency subject to incomplete sampling.

PubMed

Yamaura, Yuichi; Connor, Edward F; Royle, J Andrew; Itoh, Katsuo; Sato, Kiyoshi; Taki, Hisatomo; Mishima, Yoshio

2016-07-01

Models and data used to describe species-area relationships confound sampling with ecological process as they fail to acknowledge that estimates of species richness arise due to sampling. This compromises our ability to make ecological inferences from and about species-area relationships. We develop and illustrate hierarchical community models of abundance and frequency to estimate species richness. The models we propose separate sampling from ecological processes by explicitly accounting for the fact that sampled patches are seldom completely covered by sampling plots and that individuals present in the sampling plots are imperfectly detected. We propose a multispecies abundance model in which community assembly is treated as the summation of an ensemble of species-level Poisson processes and estimate patch-level species richness as a derived parameter. We use sampling process models appropriate for specific survey methods. We propose a multispecies frequency model that treats the number of plots in which a species occurs as a binomial process. We illustrate these models using data collected in surveys of early-successional bird species and plants in young forest plantation patches. Results indicate that only mature forest plant species deviated from the constant density hypothesis, but the null model suggested that the deviations were too small to alter the form of species-area relationships. Nevertheless, results from simulations clearly show that the aggregate pattern of individual species density-area relationships and occurrence probability-area relationships can alter the form of species-area relationships. The plant community model estimated that only half of the species present in the regional species pool were encountered during the survey. The modeling framework we propose explicitly accounts for sampling processes so that ecological processes can be examined free of sampling artefacts. Our modeling approach is extensible and could be applied to a variety of study designs and allows the inclusion of additional environmental covariates.

Estimating species – area relationships by modeling abundance and frequency subject to incomplete sampling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yamaura, Yuichi; Connor, Edward F.; Royle, Andy; Itoh, Katsuo; Sato, Kiyoshi; Taki, Hisatomo; Mishima, Yoshio

2016-01-01

Models and data used to describe species–area relationships confound sampling with ecological process as they fail to acknowledge that estimates of species richness arise due to sampling. This compromises our ability to make ecological inferences from and about species–area relationships. We develop and illustrate hierarchical community models of abundance and frequency to estimate species richness. The models we propose separate sampling from ecological processes by explicitly accounting for the fact that sampled patches are seldom completely covered by sampling plots and that individuals present in the sampling plots are imperfectly detected. We propose a multispecies abundance model in which community assembly is treated as the summation of an ensemble of species-level Poisson processes and estimate patch-level species richness as a derived parameter. We use sampling process models appropriate for specific survey methods. We propose a multispecies frequency model that treats the number of plots in which a species occurs as a binomial process. We illustrate these models using data collected in surveys of early-successional bird species and plants in young forest plantation patches. Results indicate that only mature forest plant species deviated from the constant density hypothesis, but the null model suggested that the deviations were too small to alter the form of species–area relationships. Nevertheless, results from simulations clearly show that the aggregate pattern of individual species density–area relationships and occurrence probability–area relationships can alter the form of species–area relationships. The plant community model estimated that only half of the species present in the regional species pool were encountered during the survey. The modeling framework we propose explicitly accounts for sampling processes so that ecological processes can be examined free of sampling artefacts. Our modeling approach is extensible and could be applied to a variety of study designs and allows the inclusion of additional environmental covariates.

Does exposure to glyphosate lead to an increase in the micronuclei frequency? A systematic and meta-analytic review.

PubMed

Ghisi, Nédia de Castilhos; de Oliveira, Elton Celton; Prioli, Alberto José

2016-02-01

Glyphosate-based herbicides are among the most used pesticides worldwide. Reviews on the safety of glyphosate have been conducted by several regulatory agencies and researches centers, many times with contradictory results. This study is a systematic meta-analytical review of experimental studies on the relationship between exposure to the glyphosate (GLY) and its formulations with the formation of micronuclei (MN) to establish a quantitative estimate of the environmental risks. The natural logarithm (ln) of the estimated response ratio was calculated from 81 experiments. A meta-analysis was performed on the complete data set, and individual meta-analyses were conducted after stratification by test system, class of vertebrate, exposure route, gender, endpoints, type of literature, formulation, GLY dose and exposure time. A forest plot showed an overall positive association between GLY exposure and its formulations and MN, corroborated by the cumulative effects size. Different responses were observed on mammalian and non-mammalian. Interesting results was noticed in exposure route where oral administration of GLY presented no significance. Exposure by intraperitoneal injection presented the highest MN formation. Pure GLY caused fewer effects than to commercial mixtures, but both presented mutagenic effects. The studies with males presented significant responses, while studies with females were not significant. The cumulative effects size was not clearly related to GLY dose, and was negatively related to exposure time. It can be attributed to different test systems, exposure routes and protocols analyzed. In conclusion, our results support the hypothesis that exposure to GLY and its formulations increases the frequency of MN formation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DRI-Grass: A New Experimental Platform for Addressing Grassland Ecosystem Responses to Future Precipitation Scenarios in South-East Australia

PubMed Central

Power, Sally A.; Barnett, Kirk L.; Ochoa-Hueso, Raul; Facey, Sarah L.; Gibson-Forty, Eleanor V. J.; Hartley, Susan E.; Nielsen, Uffe N.; Tissue, David T.; Johnson, Scott N.

2016-01-01

Climate models predict shifts in the amount, frequency and seasonality of rainfall. Given close links between grassland productivity and rainfall, such changes are likely to have profound effects on the functioning of grassland ecosystems and modify species interactions. Here, we introduce a unique, new experimental platform – DRI-Grass (Drought and Root Herbivore Interactions in a Grassland) – that exposes a south-eastern Australian grassland to five rainfall regimes [Ambient (AMB), increased amount (IA, +50%), reduced amount (RA, -50%), reduced frequency (RF, single rainfall event every 21 days, with total amount unchanged) and summer drought (SD, 12–14 weeks without water, December–March)], and contrasting levels of root herbivory. Incorporation of a belowground herbivore (root-feeding scarabs) addition treatment allows novel investigation of ecological responses to the twin stresses of altered rainfall and root herbivory. We quantified effects of permanently installed rain shelters on microclimate by comparison with outside plots, identifying small shelter effects on air temperature (-0.19°C day, +0.26°C night), soil water content (SWC; -8%) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR; -16%). Shelters were associated with modest increases in net primary productivity (NPP), particularly during the cool season. Rainfall treatments generated substantial differences in SWC, with the exception of IA; the latter is likely due to a combination of higher transpiration rates associated with greater plant biomass in IA and the low water-holding capacity of the well-drained, sandy soil. Growing season NPP was strongly reduced by SD, but did not respond to the other rainfall treatments. Addition of root herbivores did not affect plant biomass and there were no interactions between herbivory and rainfall treatments in the 1st year of study. Root herbivory did, however, induce foliar silicon-based defenses in Cynodon dactylon and Eragrostis curvula. Rapid recovery of NPP following resumption of watering in SD plots indicates high functional resilience at the site, and may reflect adaptation of the vegetation to historically high variability in rainfall, both within- and between years. DRI-Grass provides a unique platform for understanding how ecological interactions will be affected by changing rainfall regimes and, specifically, how belowground herbivory modifies grassland resistance and resilience to climate extremes. PMID:27703458

Extreme Drought Event and Shrub Invasion Reduce Oak Trees Functioning and Resilience on Water-Limited Ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caldeira, M. C.; Lobo-do-Vale, R.; Lecomte, X.; David, T. S.; Pinto, J. G.; Bugalho, M. N.; Werner, C.

2016-12-01

Extreme droughts and plant invasions are major drivers of global change that can critically affect ecosystem functioning. Shrub encroachment is increasing in many regions worldwide and extreme events are projected to increase in frequency and intensity, namely in the Mediterranean region. Nevertheless, little is known about how these drivers may interact and affect ecosystem functioning and resilience Using a manipulative shrub removal experiment and the co-occurrence of an extreme drought event in a Mediterranean oak woodland, we show that the combination of native shrub invasion and extreme drought reduced ecosystem transpiration and the resilience of the key-stone oak tree species. We established six 25 x 25 m paired plots in a shrub (Cistus ladanifer L.) encroached Mediterranean cork-oak (Quercus suber L.) woodland. We measured sapflow and pre-dawn leaf water potential of trees and shrubs and soil water content in all plots during four years. We determined the resilience of tree transpiration to evaluate to what extent trees recovered from the extreme drought event. From February to November 2011 we conducted baseline measurements for plot comparison. In November 2011 all the shrubs from one of all the paired plots were cut and removed. Ecosystem transpiration was dominated by the water use of the invasive shrub, which further increased after the extreme drought. Simultaneously, tree transpiration in invaded plots declined more sharply (67 ± 13 %) than in plots cleared from shrubs (31 ± 11%) relative to the pre-drought year (2011). Trees in invaded plots were not able to recover in the following wetter year showing lower resilience to the extreme drought event. Our results imply that in Mediterranean-type of climates invasion by water spending species coupled with the projected recurrent extreme droughts will cause critical drought tolerance thresholds of trees to be overcome, thus increasing the probability of tree mortality.

Migration potential of tundra plant species in a warming Arctic: Responses of southern ecotypes of three species to experimental warming in the High Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bjorkman, Anne; Henry, Greg; Vellend, Mark

2013-04-01

Climatic changes due to anthropogenic activity are predicted to have a profound effect on the world's biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The response of natural communities to climate change will depend primarily on two factors: 1) the ability of species to adapt quickly to changing temperatures and precipitation trends, and 2) the ability of species and populations from southern latitudes to migrate northward and establish in new environments. The assumption is often made that species and populations will track their optimal climate northward as the earth warms, but this assumption ignores a host of other potentially important factors, including the lack of adaptation to photoperiod, soil moisture, and biotic interactions at higher latitudes. In this study, we aim to better understand the ability of southern populations to establish and grow at northern latitudes under warmer temperatures. We collected seeds or ramets of three Arctic plant species (Papaver radicatum, Oxyria digyna, and Arctagrostis latifolia) from Alexandra Fiord on Ellesmere Island, Canada and from southern populations at Cornwallis Island, Canada, Barrow, Alaska, and Latnjajaure, Sweden. These seeds were planted into experimentally warmed and control plots at Alexandra Fiord in 2011. We have tracked their survival, phenology, and growth over two growing seasons. Here, we will present the preliminary results of these experiments. In particular, we will discuss whether individuals originating from southern latitudes exhibit higher growth rates in warm plots than control plots, and whether southern populations survive and grow as well as or better than individuals from Alexandra Fiord in the warmed plots. In both cases, a positive response would indicate that a warming climate may facilitate a migration northward of more southerly species or populations, and that the lack of adaptation to local conditions (soil chemistry, microhabitat, etc.) will not limit this migration. Alternately, a negative response may indicate a need to reassess our fundamental assumptions about species migrations in response to climate change.

Investigating and Modeling Ecosystem Response to an Experimental and a Natural Ice Storm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fakhraei, H.; Driscoll, C. T.; Rustad, L.; Campbell, J. L.; Groffman, P.; Fahey, T.; Likens, G.; Swaminathan, R.

2017-12-01

Our understanding of ecosystem response to the extreme events is generally limited to rare observations from the natural historical events. However, investigating extreme events under controlled conditions can improve our understanding of these natural phenomena. A novel field experiment was conducted in a northern hardwood forest at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire in the northeastern United States to quantify the influence of ice storms on the ecological processes. During subfreezing conditions in the winters of 2016 and 2017, water from a nearby stream was pumped and sprayed on the canopy of eight experimental plots to accrete ice to a targeted thickness on the canopy. The experiment was conducted at three levels of icing thickness (0.25, 0.5, 0.75 in.) in 2016 comparable to the naturally occurring 1998 ice storm and a second 0.5 in. treatment 2017 which were compared with reference plots. The most notable response of the icing treatments was a marked increase in fine and course litter fall which increased exponentially with increases in the icing thickness. Post-treatment openings in the canopy caused short-term increases in soil temperature in the ice-treatment plots compared to the reference plots. No response from the ice storm treatments were detected for soil moisture, net N mineralization, net nitrification, or denitrification after both natural and experimental ice storm. In contrast to the marked increase in the stream water nitrate after the natural occurring 1998 ice storm, we have not observed any significant change in soil solution N concentrations in the experimental ice storm treatments. Inconsistency in the response between the natural and experimental ice storm is likely due to differences in geophysical characteristics of the study sites including slope and lateral uptake of nutrient by the trees outside the experimental plots. In order to evaluate the long-term impacts of ice storms on northern hardwood forests, we used the biogeochemical model, PnET-BGC. The model was calibrated to the study watersheds using observations from the natural and experimental ice storms. Future projections for ice storm events were estimated from an advanced climate model and applied to the calibrated PnET-BGC model to simulate future impacts of ice storms on the northern hardwood forests.

Power consumption analysis of pump station control systems based on fuzzy controllers with discrete terms in iThink software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muravyova, E. A.; Bondarev, A. V.; Sharipov, M. I.; Galiaskarova, G. R.; Kubryak, A. I.

2018-03-01

In this article, power consumption of pumping station control systems is discussed. To study the issue, two simulation models of oil level control in the iThink software have been developed, using a frequency converter only and using a frequency converter and a fuzzy controller. A simulation of the oil-level control was carried out in a graphic form, and plots of pumps power consumption were obtained. Based on the initial and obtained data, the efficiency of the considered control systems has been compared, and also the power consumption of the systems was shown graphically using a frequency converter only and using a frequency converter and a fuzzy controller. The models analysis has shown that it is more economical and safe to use a control circuit with a frequency converter and a fuzzy controller.

Site effect classification based on microtremor data analysis using a concentration-area fractal model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adib, A.; Afzal, P.; Heydarzadeh, K.

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to classify the site effect using concentration-area (C-A) fractal model in Meybod city, central Iran, based on microtremor data analysis. Log-log plots of the frequency, amplification and vulnerability index (k-g) indicate a multifractal nature for the parameters in the area. The results obtained from the C-A fractal modelling reveal that proper soil types are located around the central city. The results derived via the fractal modelling were utilized to improve the Nogoshi and Igarashi (1970, 1971) classification results in the Meybod city. The resulting categories are: (1) hard soil and weak rock with frequency of 6.2 to 8 Hz, (2) stiff soil with frequency of about 4.9 to 6.2 Hz, (3) moderately soft soil with the frequency of 2.4 to 4.9 Hz, and (4) soft soil with the frequency lower than 2.4 Hz.

Site effect classification based on microtremor data analysis using concentration-area fractal model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adib, A.; Afzal, P.; Heydarzadeh, K.

2014-07-01

The aim of this study is to classify the site effect using concentration-area (C-A) fractal model in Meybod city, Central Iran, based on microtremor data analysis. Log-log plots of the frequency, amplification and vulnerability index (k-g) indicate a multifractal nature for the parameters in the area. The results obtained from the C-A fractal modeling reveal that proper soil types are located around the central city. The results derived via the fractal modeling were utilized to improve the Nogoshi's classification results in the Meybod city. The resulted categories are: (1) hard soil and weak rock with frequency of 6.2 to 8 Hz, (2) stiff soil with frequency of about 4.9 to 6.2 Hz, (3) moderately soft soil with the frequency of 2.4 to 4.9 Hz, and (4) soft soil with the frequency lower than 2.4 Hz.

Effect of support flexibilty and damping on the dynamic response of a single mass flexible rotor in elastic bearings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirk, R. G.; Gunter, E. J.

1972-01-01

A steady state analysis of the shaft and the bearing housing motion was made by assuming synchronous precession of the system. The conditions under which the support system would act as a dynamic vibration absorber at the rotor critical speed were studied; plots of the rotor and support amplitudes, phase angles, and forces transmitted were evaluated by the computer, and the performance curves were automatically plotted by a CalComp plotter unit. Curves are presented on the optimization of the support housing characteristics to attenuate the rotor unbalance response over the entire rotor speed range. The complete transient motion including rotor unbalance was examined by integrating the equations of motion numerically using a modified fourth order Runge-Kutta procedure, and the resulting whirl orbits were plotted by the CalComp plotter unit. The results of the transient analysis are discussed with regards to the design optimization procedure derived from the steady-state analysis.

Dielectric relaxations on erythrocyte membrane as revealed by spectrin denaturation.

PubMed

Ivanov, I T; Paarvanova, B

2016-08-01

We studied the effect of spectrin denaturation at 49.5°C (TA) on the dielectric relaxations and related changes in the complex impedance, Z*, complex capacitance, C*, and dielectric loss curve of suspensions containing human erythrocytes, erythrocyte ghost membranes (EMs) and Triton-X-100 residues of EMs. The loss curve prior to, minus the loss curve after TA, resulted in a bell-shaped peak at 1.5MHz. The changes in the real and imaginary components of Z* and C* at TA, i.e., ΔZre, ΔZim, ΔCre and ΔCim, calculated in the same way, strongly varied with frequency. Between 1.0 and 12MHz the -ΔZim vs ΔZre, and ΔCim vs ΔCre plots depicted semicircles with critical frequencies, fcr, at 2.5MHz expressing recently reported relaxation of spectrin dipoles. Between 0.02 and 1.0MHz the -ΔZim vs ΔZre plot exhibited another relaxation whose fcr mirrored that of beta relaxation. This relaxation was absent on Triton-X-shells, while on erythrocytes and EMs it was inhibited by selective dissociation of either attachment sites between spectrin and bilayer. Considering above findings and inaccessibility of cytosole to outside field at such frequencies, the latter relaxation was assumed originating from a piezoelectric effect on the highly deformable spectrin filaments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural, Optical and Impedance Spectroscopic Characterizations of Nanocrystalline A2Ti2Zr5O16 (A = Mg, Ca, Ba and Sr)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandeep, K.; Thomas, Jijimon K.; Solomon, Sam

2018-04-01

A nanocrystalline A2Ti2Zr5O16 (A = Mg, Ca, Ba and Sr) system has been synthesized by a modified combustion technique. The cation-deficient calzirtite (Ca2Ti2Zr5O16) is found to be a tetragonal structure with the space group I4(1)/acd. The average size of the particle from the transmission electron microscopy image is estimated to be 23.30 nm and 20.16 nm for Ca2Ti2Zr5O16 and Ba2Ti2Zr5O16, respectively. The optical bandgap calculated using a Tauc plot is between 3.01 eV and 3.46 eV. Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) studies were carried out to confirm the phase purity of the sample. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image of a Ca2Ti2Zr5O16 sample sintered at 1360°C for 3 h shows minimum porosity with 96% of the theoretical density. The frequency-dependent dielectric study shows that the dielectric constant is maximized at low frequencies and decreases as the frequency increases. The Cole-Cole plot reveals that the material exhibits conduction due to the contributions of grain, grain boundary and electrode effects. The photoluminescence spectra of the samples were recorded and the transitions causing emission have been identified.

Different experimental results for the influence of immersion angle on the resonant frequency of a quartz crystal microbalance in a liquid phase: with a comment.

PubMed

Shen, Dazhong; Kang, Qi; Li, Xiaoyu; Cai, Hongmei; Wang, Yuandong

2007-06-19

This paper presents different experimental results of the influence of an immersion angle (theta, the angle between the surface of a quartz crystal resonator and the horizon) on the resonant frequency of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor exposed one side of its sensing surfaces to liquid. The experimental results show that the immersion angle is an added factor that may influence the frequency of the QCM sensor. This type of influence is caused by variation of the reflection conditions of the longitudinal wave between the QCM sensor and the walls of the detection cell. The frequency shifts, measured by varying theta, are related to the QCM sensor used. When a QCM sensor with a weak longitudinal wave is used, its resonant frequency is nearly independent of theta. But, if a QCM sensor with a strong longitudinal wave is employed, the immersion angle is a potential error source for the measurements performed on the QCM sensor. When the reflection conditions of the longitudinal wave are reduced, the influence of theta on the resonant frequency of the QCM sensor is negligible. The slope of the plot of frequency shifts (deltaF) versus (rho eta)(1/2), the square root of the product of solution density (rho) and viscosity (eta), may be influenced by theta in a single experiment for the QCM sensor with a strong longitudinal wave in low viscous liquids, which can however, be effectively weakened by using the averaged values of reduplicated experiments. In solutions with a large (rho eta)(1/2) region (0-55 wt% sucrose solution as an example, with rho value from 1.00 to 1.26 g cm(-3) and eta value from 0.01 to 0.22 g cm(-1) s(-1), respectively), the slope of the plot of deltaF versus (rho eta)(1/2) is independent of theta even for the QCM sensor with a strong longitudinal wave in a single experiment. The influence of theta on the resonant frequency of the QCM sensor should be taken into consideration in its applications in liquid phase.

Do one percent of the forest fires cause ninety-nine percent of the damage? Forest Science

Treesearch

David Strauss; Larry Bednar; Romain Mees

1989-01-01

A relatively small number of forest fires are responsible for a very high proportion of the total damage. The proportion due to the fraction p of largest fires, when plotted against p, is a measure of variability of fire sizes that is especially sensitive to the important extreme events. We find the theoretical form of the plot for several commonly used distributions...

Numerical characteristics of recurrence plots as applied to the evaluation of mechanical damage in materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hilarov, V. L.

2017-09-01

The response of a material with a random uniform distribution of pores to a sound impulse was studied. The behavior of the numerical characteristics of the recurrence plots (RP) of the normal displacement vector component depending on the degree of damage was investigated. It was shown that the recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) parameters could be very informative for sonic fault detection.

STS-3/OSS-1 Plasma Diagnostics Package (PDP) measurements of Orbiter transmitter and subsystem electromagnetic interference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shawhan, S. D.; Murphy, G.

1983-01-01

The plasma diagnostics package receiver system is described to identify the various antennas and to characterize the complement of receivers which cover the frequency range of 30 Hz to 800 Hz and S-band at 2200 + or - 300 MHz. Sample results are presented to show the variability of electromagnetic effects associated with the orbiter and the time variability of these effects. The electric field and magnetic field maximum and minimum field strength spectra observed during the mission at the pallet location are plotted. Values are also derived for the maximum UHF transmitter and S-band transmitter field strengths. Calibration data to convert from the survey plots to actual narrowband and broadband field strengths are listed.

Artificial Warming of Arctic Meadow under Pollution Stress: Experimental design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moni, Christophe; Silvennoinen, Hanna; Fjelldal, Erling; Brenden, Marius; Kimball, Bruce; Rasse, Daniel

2014-05-01

Boreal and arctic terrestrial ecosystems are central to the climate change debate, notably because future warming is expected to be disproportionate as compared to world averages. Likewise, greenhouse gas (GHG) release from terrestrial ecosystems exposed to climate warming is expected to be the largest in the arctic. Artic agriculture, in the form of cultivated grasslands, is a unique and economically relevant feature of Northern Norway (e.g. Finnmark Province). In Eastern Finnmark, these agro-ecosystems are under the additional stressor of heavy metal and sulfur pollution generated by metal smelters of NW Russia. Warming and its interaction with heavy metal dynamics will influence meadow productivity, species composition and GHG emissions, as mediated by responses of soil microbial communities. Adaptation and mitigation measurements will be needed. Biochar application, which immobilizes heavy metal, is a promising adaptation method to promote positive growth response in arctic meadows exposed to a warming climate. In the MeadoWarm project we conduct an ecosystem warming experiment combined to biochar adaptation treatments in the heavy-metal polluted meadows of Eastern Finnmark. In summary, the general objective of this study is twofold: 1) to determine the response of arctic agricultural ecosystems under environmental stress to increased temperatures, both in terms of plant growth, soil organisms and GHG emissions, and 2) to determine if biochar application can serve as a positive adaptation (plant growth) and mitigation (GHG emission) strategy for these ecosystems under warming conditions. Here, we present the experimental site and the designed open-field warming facility. The selected site is an arctic meadow located at the Svanhovd Research station less than 10km west from the Russian mining city of Nikel. A splitplot design with 5 replicates for each treatment is used to test the effect of biochar amendment and a 3oC warming on the Arctic meadow. Ten circular split plots (diameter: 3.65 m & surface area: 10.5 m2) composed of one half amended with biochar and one control half not amended were prepared. Five of these plots are equipped with a warming system, while the other five were equipped with dummies. Each warmed plot is collocated with a control plot within one block. While split plots are all oriented in the same direction the position of blocks is randomized to eliminate the effect of the spatial variability. Biochar was incorporated in the first 20 cm of the soil with a rototiller. Warming system is provided by hexagonal arrays of infrared heaters. The temperature of the plots is monitored with infrared cameras. The 3oC increase of temperature is obtained by dynamically monitoring the temperature difference between warmed and control plots within blocks via improved software. Each plot is further equipped with a soil temperature and moisture sensor.

Fire frequency drives decadal changes in soil carbon and nitrogen and ecosystem productivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pellegrini, Adam F. A.; Ahlström, Anders; Hobbie, Sarah E.; Reich, Peter B.; Nieradzik, Lars P.; Staver, A. Carla; Scharenbroch, Bryant C.; Jumpponen, Ari; Anderegg, William R. L.; Randerson, James T.; Jackson, Robert B.

2018-01-01

Fire frequency is changing globally and is projected to affect the global carbon cycle and climate. However, uncertainty about how ecosystems respond to decadal changes in fire frequency makes it difficult to predict the effects of altered fire regimes on the carbon cycle; for instance, we do not fully understand the long-term effects of fire on soil carbon and nutrient storage, or whether fire-driven nutrient losses limit plant productivity. Here we analyse data from 48 sites in savanna grasslands, broadleaf forests and needleleaf forests spanning up to 65 years, during which time the frequency of fires was altered at each site. We find that frequently burned plots experienced a decline in surface soil carbon and nitrogen that was non-saturating through time, having 36 per cent (±13 per cent) less carbon and 38 per cent (±16 per cent) less nitrogen after 64 years than plots that were protected from fire. Fire-driven carbon and nitrogen losses were substantial in savanna grasslands and broadleaf forests, but not in temperate and boreal needleleaf forests. We also observe comparable soil carbon and nitrogen losses in an independent field dataset and in dynamic model simulations of global vegetation. The model study predicts that the long-term losses of soil nitrogen that result from more frequent burning may in turn decrease the carbon that is sequestered by net primary productivity by about 20 per cent of the total carbon that is emitted from burning biomass over the same period. Furthermore, we estimate that the effects of changes in fire frequency on ecosystem carbon storage may be 30 per cent too low if they do not include multidecadal changes in soil carbon, especially in drier savanna grasslands. Future changes in fire frequency may shift ecosystem carbon storage by changing soil carbon pools and nitrogen limitations on plant growth, altering the carbon sink capacity of frequently burning savanna grasslands and broadleaf forests.

Fire frequency drives decadal changes in soil carbon and nitrogen and ecosystem productivity.

PubMed

Pellegrini, Adam F A; Ahlström, Anders; Hobbie, Sarah E; Reich, Peter B; Nieradzik, Lars P; Staver, A Carla; Scharenbroch, Bryant C; Jumpponen, Ari; Anderegg, William R L; Randerson, James T; Jackson, Robert B

2018-01-11

Fire frequency is changing globally and is projected to affect the global carbon cycle and climate. However, uncertainty about how ecosystems respond to decadal changes in fire frequency makes it difficult to predict the effects of altered fire regimes on the carbon cycle; for instance, we do not fully understand the long-term effects of fire on soil carbon and nutrient storage, or whether fire-driven nutrient losses limit plant productivity. Here we analyse data from 48 sites in savanna grasslands, broadleaf forests and needleleaf forests spanning up to 65 years, during which time the frequency of fires was altered at each site. We find that frequently burned plots experienced a decline in surface soil carbon and nitrogen that was non-saturating through time, having 36 per cent (±13 per cent) less carbon and 38 per cent (±16 per cent) less nitrogen after 64 years than plots that were protected from fire. Fire-driven carbon and nitrogen losses were substantial in savanna grasslands and broadleaf forests, but not in temperate and boreal needleleaf forests. We also observe comparable soil carbon and nitrogen losses in an independent field dataset and in dynamic model simulations of global vegetation. The model study predicts that the long-term losses of soil nitrogen that result from more frequent burning may in turn decrease the carbon that is sequestered by net primary productivity by about 20 per cent of the total carbon that is emitted from burning biomass over the same period. Furthermore, we estimate that the effects of changes in fire frequency on ecosystem carbon storage may be 30 per cent too low if they do not include multidecadal changes in soil carbon, especially in drier savanna grasslands. Future changes in fire frequency may shift ecosystem carbon storage by changing soil carbon pools and nitrogen limitations on plant growth, altering the carbon sink capacity of frequently burning savanna grasslands and broadleaf forests.

Impact of transducer frequency setting on speckle tracking measures.

PubMed

Olsen, Flemming Javier; Svendsen, Jesper Hastrup; Køber, Lars; Højberg, Søren; Haugan, Ketil; Jensen, Jan Skov; Biering-Sørensen, Tor

2018-03-01

Speckle tracking echocardiography is an emerging technique, which is currently being included in clinical guidelines. We sought to investigate the impact of transducer frequency settings on speckle tracking derived measures. The study comprised of 22 subjects prospectively enrolled for a randomized controlled trial (LOOP-study, Clinicaltrials.gov:NCT02036450). Patients were above 70 years of age with increased risk of stroke, and had an echocardiogram performed, which included focused images of the left ventricle. Focused images were obtained with the transducer frequency set at both 1.7/3.3 and 1.5/3.0 MHz. The images were obtained immediately after each other at the exact same position for the two settings. Speckle tracking was performed in three apical projections, allowing for acquisition of layered global longitudinal strain (GLS) and strain rate measures. Concordance between the frequency settings was tested for endo-, mid-, and epicardial GLS and strain rates by coefficients of variation, bias coefficients and visually displayed by Bland-Altman plots. Bland-Altman plots did not reveal any significant over- or underestimation of any speckle tracking measure. Bias coefficients showed that none of the measurements differed significantly between the two settings (bias for GLS endo  = - 0.07 ± 2.94, p = 0.91; GLS mid  = 0.02 ± 2.70, p = 0.98, GLS epi  = 0.07 ± 2.53, p = 0.90). Coefficients of variation were as follows: GLS endo  = 15.11%, GLS mid  = 15.28%, GLS epi  = 17.26%, systolic strain rate = 15.66%, early diastolic strain rate = 38.46%, late diastolic strain rate = 11%. Changing between transducer frequency settings does not systematically derange speckle tracking measures. One can safely reduce the transducer frequency without compromising the validity of speckle tracking derived measures.

Sediment dynamics in restored riparian forest with different widths and agricultural surroundings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stucchi Boschi, Raquel; Simões da Silva, Laura; Ribeiro Rodrigues, Ricardo; Cooper, Miguel

2016-04-01

The riparian forests are essential to maintaining the quality of water resources, aquifer recharge and biodiversity. Due to the ecological services provided by riparian forests, these areas are considered by the law as Permanent Preservation Areas, being mandatory maintenance and restoration. However, the obligation of restoration and the extent of the Permanent Preservation Areas as defined by the Brazilian Forest Code, based on water body width, elucidates the lack of accurate scientific data on the influence of the size of the riparian forest in maintaining their ecological functions, particularly regarding the retention of sediments. Studies that evaluate the ideal width of riparian forests to guarantee their ecological functions are scarce and not conclusive, especially when we consider newly restored forests, located in agricultural areas. In this study, we investigate the dynamics of erosion and sedimentation in restored riparian forests with different widths situated in agricultural areas. The two study areas are located in a Semideciduous Tropical Forest inserted in sugarcane landscapes of São Paulo state, Brazil. The installed plots had 60 and 100 m in length and the riparian forest has a width of 15, 30 and 50 m. The characteristics of the sediments inside the plots were evaluated by detailed morphological and micromorphological studies as well as physical characterization. The dynamics of deposition and the amount of deposited sediments have been assessed with graded metal stakes partially buried inside the plots. The intensity, frequency and distribution of rainfall, as well as the occurrence of extreme events, have been evaluated by data collected from rain gauges installed in the areas. We expect that smaller widths are not able to retain sediments originated from the adjacent sugarcane areas. We also believe that extreme events are responsible for generating most of the sediments. The results will be important to support the discussion about an ideal width of riparian vegetation to ensure the retention of sediments and quality of water bodies.

Eco-evolutionary responses of Bromus tectorum to climate change: implications for biological invasions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zelikova, Tamara J.; Hufbauer, Ruth A.; Reed, Sasha C.; Wertin, Timothy M.; Fettig, Christa; Belnap, Jayne

2013-01-01

How plant populations, communities, and ecosystems respond to climate change is a critical focus in ecology today. The responses of introduced species may be especially rapid. Current models that incorporate temperature and precipitation suggest that future Bromus tectorum invasion risk is low for the Colorado Plateau. With a field warming experiment at two sites in southeastern Utah, we tested this prediction over 4 years, measuring B. tectorum phenology, biomass, and reproduction. In a complimentary greenhouse study, we assessed whether changes in field B. tectorum biomass and reproductive output influence offspring performance. We found that following a wet winter and early spring, the timing of spring growth initiation, flowering, and summer senescence all advanced in warmed plots at both field sites and the shift in phenology was progressively larger with greater warming. Earlier green-up and development was associated with increases in B. tectorum biomass and reproductive output, likely due early spring growth, when soil moisture was not limiting, and a lengthened growing season. Seeds collected from plants grown in warmed plots had higher biomass and germination rates and lower mortality than seeds from ambient plots. However, in the following two dry years, we observed no differences in phenology between warmed and ambient plots. In addition, warming had a generally negative effect on B. tectorum biomass and reproduction in dry years and this negative effect was significant in the plots that received the highest warming treatment. In contrast to models that predict negative responses of B. tectorum to warmer climate on the Colorado Plateau, the effects of warming were more nuanced, relied on background climate, and differed between the two field sites. Our results highlight the importance of considering the interacting effects of temperature, precipitation, and site-specific characteristics such as soil texture, on plant demography and have direct implications for B. tectorum invasion dynamics on the Colorado Plateau.

Eco-evolutionary responses of Bromus tectorum to climate change: implications for biological invasions.

PubMed

Zelikova, Tamara J; Hufbauer, Ruth A; Reed, Sasha C; Wertin, Timothy; Fettig, Christa; Belnap, Jayne

2013-05-01

How plant populations, communities, and ecosystems respond to climate change is a critical focus in ecology today. The responses of introduced species may be especially rapid. Current models that incorporate temperature and precipitation suggest that future Bromus tectorum invasion risk is low for the Colorado Plateau. With a field warming experiment at two sites in southeastern Utah, we tested this prediction over 4 years, measuring B. tectorum phenology, biomass, and reproduction. In a complimentary greenhouse study, we assessed whether changes in field B. tectorum biomass and reproductive output influence offspring performance. We found that following a wet winter and early spring, the timing of spring growth initiation, flowering, and summer senescence all advanced in warmed plots at both field sites and the shift in phenology was progressively larger with greater warming. Earlier green-up and development was associated with increases in B. tectorum biomass and reproductive output, likely due early spring growth, when soil moisture was not limiting, and a lengthened growing season. Seeds collected from plants grown in warmed plots had higher biomass and germination rates and lower mortality than seeds from ambient plots. However, in the following two dry years, we observed no differences in phenology between warmed and ambient plots. In addition, warming had a generally negative effect on B. tectorum biomass and reproduction in dry years and this negative effect was significant in the plots that received the highest warming treatment. In contrast to models that predict negative responses of B. tectorum to warmer climate on the Colorado Plateau, the effects of warming were more nuanced, relied on background climate, and differed between the two field sites. Our results highlight the importance of considering the interacting effects of temperature, precipitation, and site-specific characteristics such as soil texture, on plant demography and have direct implications for B. tectorum invasion dynamics on the Colorado Plateau.

Characterizing and Targeting Bone Marrow-Derived Inflammatory Cells in Driving the Malignancy and Progression of Childhood Astrocytic Brain Tumors

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

CD16) by flow cytometery in peripheral of low-grade astrocytoma patients (LGA) vs glioblastoma patients ( GBM ). Figure 2. IHC of CD11b...patients (LGA), glioblastoma patients ( GBM ), and healthy volunteers. Figure 4. Statistic dots-plot on frequency of CD11b+/VEGFR2(KDR)+ cells

Benchmark radar targets for the validation of computational electromagnetics programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woo, Alex C.; Wang, Helen T. G.; Schuh, Michael J.; Sanders, Michael L.

1993-01-01

Results are presented of a set of computational electromagnetics validation measurements referring to three-dimensional perfectly conducting smooth targets, performed for the Electromagnetic Code Consortium. Plots are presented for both the low- and high-frequency measurements of the NASA almond, an ogive, a double ogive, a cone-sphere, and a cone-sphere with a gap.

Optimal prescribed burn frequency to manage foundation California perennial grass species and enhance native flora

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Grasslands can be diverse assemblages of grasses and forbs but not much is known how perennial grass species management affects native plant diversity except for in a few instances. We studied the use of late spring prescribed burns over a span of eleven years on experimental plots in which the pere...

Jet Noise Reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kenny, Patrick

2004-01-01

The Acoustics Branch is responsible for reducing noise levels for jet and fan components on aircraft engines. To do this, data must be measured and calibrated accurately to ensure validity of test results. This noise reduction is accomplished by modifications to hardware such as jet nozzles, and by the use of other experimental hardware such as fluidic chevrons, elliptic cores, and fluidic shields. To insure validity of data calibration, a variety of software is used. This software adjusts the sound amplitude and frequency to be consistent with data taken on another day. Both the software and the hardware help make noise reduction possible. work properly. These software programs were designed to make corrections for atmosphere, shear, attenuation, electronic, and background noise. All data can be converted to a one-foot lossless condition, using the proper software corrections, making a reading independent of weather and distance. Also, data can be transformed from model scale to full scale for noise predictions of a real flight. Other programs included calculations of Over All Sound Pressure Level (OASPL), Effective Perceived Noise Level (EPNL). OASPL is the integration of sound with respect to frequency, and EPNL is weighted for a human s response to different sound frequencies and integrated with respect to time. With the proper software correction, data taken in the NATR are useful in determining ways to reduce noise. display any difference between two or more data files. Using this program and graphs of the data, the actual and predicted data can be compared. This software was tested on data collected at the Aero Acoustic Propulsion Laboratory (AAPL) using a variety of window types and overlaps. Similarly, short scripts were written to test each individual program in the software suite for verification. Each graph displays both the original points and the adjusted points connected with lines. During this summer, data points were taken during a live experiment at the AAPL to measure Nozzle Acoustic Test Rig (NATR) background noise levels. Six condenser microphones were placed in strategic locations around the dome and the inlet tunnel to measure different noise sources. From the control room the jet was monitored with the help of video cameras and other sensors. The data points were recorded, reduced, and plotted, and will be used to plan future modifications to the NATR. The primary goal to create data reduction test programs and provide verification was completed. As a result of the internship, I learned C/C++, UNIX/LINUX, Excel, and acoustic data processing methods. I also recorded data at the AAPL, then processed and plotted it. These data would be useful to compare against existing data. In addition, I adjusted software to work on the Mac OSX platform. And I used the available training resources.

Nesting ecology of grassland birds following a wildfire in the southern Great Plains

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roberts, Anthony J.; Boal, Clint W.; Whitlaw, Heather A.

2017-01-01

We studied the response of nesting grassland birds occupying short-grass and mixed-grass prairie sites 2 and 3 y following two, large-scale wildfires that burned ≥360,000 ha in the Texas Panhandle in March 2006. Nest success was greater on burned plots compared to unburned plots, though this varied by species and year. Woody vegetation cover was greater around nests on unburned plots compared to burned plots for Cassin's sparrow (Peucaea cassinii) and lark sparrow (Chondestes grammacus). Cassin's sparrows and lark sparrows nested in more-woody vegetation than did grasshopper sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum), and woody vegetation was reduced following the wildfires. The wildfires appear to have had few if any negative influences on the avian community 3 years postfire. This may be due to grassland breeding birds being adapted to landscapes in which, historically, periodic disturbance (e.g., wildfire, intensive grazing by bison [Bison bison]) resulted in vegetation heterogeneity.

Responses of two understory herbs, Maianthemum canadense and Eurybia macrophylla, to experimental forest warming: early emergence is the key to enhanced reproductive output.

PubMed

Jacques, Marie-Hélène; Lapointe, Line; Rice, Karen; Montgomery, Rebecca A; Stefanski, Artur; Reich, Peter B

2015-10-01

Understory herbs might be the most sensitive plant form to global warming in deciduous forests, yet they have been little studied in the context of climate change. A field experiment set up in Minnesota, United States simulated global warming in a forest setting and provided the opportunity to study the responses of Maianthemum canadense and Eurybia macrophylla in their natural environment in interaction with other components of the ecosystem. Effects of +1.7° and +3.4°C treatments on growth, reproduction, phenology, and gas exchange were evaluated along with treatment effects on light, water, and nutrient availability, potential drivers of herb responses. Overall, growth and gas exchanges of these two species were modestly affected by warming. They emerged up to 16 (E. macrophylla) to 17 d (M. canadense) earlier in the heated plots than in control plots, supporting early-season carbon gain under high light conditions before canopy closure. This additional carbon gain in spring likely supported reproduction. Eurybia macrophylla only flowered in the heated plots, and both species had some aspect of reproduction that was highest in the +1.7°C treatment. The reduced reproductive effort in the +3.4°C plots was likely due to reduced soil water availability, counteracting positive effects of warming. Global warming might improve fitness of herbaceous species in deciduous forests, mainly by advancing their spring emergence. However, other impacts of global warming such as drier soils in the summer might partly reduce the carbon gain associated with early emergence. © 2015 Botanical Society of America.

Botany in children's literature: A content analysis of plant-centered children's picture books that have a plot and characters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goins, Sheila Lewis

This content analysis study examined 36 plant-centered children's science picture books that have a plot and characters published from 1950 to present. Botanical subject matter and learning opportunities offered by these books were analyzed, along with the range and frequency of the National Science Education Standards-consistent and age-appropriate plant science concepts and principles. The science graphics, artistic innovations, and story plot of these books were also examined. Rubrics and research-based recommendations were developed to offer parents, teachers, and librarians assistance in identifying, evaluating, and using such books to help children of ages 4--8 learn about plants and enjoy plant science. This genre of children's literature was identified and selected primarily through extensive research at four major, nationally recognized children's literature collections: The Kerlan Collection, The de Grummond Collection, The Center for Children's Books, and The Central Children's Room at the Donnell Library. This study determined that there was a substantial increase in the number of books written in this genre of children's literature from 1990 to 2000. Botanical subject-matter knowledge and learning opportunities offered by these books include biodiversity of plants; characteristics of plants; life cycles of plants; economic botany, ecology, and ethnobotany. The range and frequency of National Standards-consistent and age-appropriate plant science concepts and principles identified within these books, in part, though not exclusively, included the emergent categories of the process of photosynthesis; basic needs of plants; plant structures; external signals affecting plant growth; environmental stress to plants; biodiversity of plants; plants as animal habitats; and common uses of plants. With regard to plant science graphics, 13 books were identified as presenting some type of science graphic, beyond simple illustrations. The most frequently used graphics were cutaways, sequence diagrams, and zoom graphics. The findings relative to story plot and characters revealed that the majority of story plots involved a problem followed by a solution, rather than merely a series of events. The main character(s) of these stories were most often Caucasians (44%), followed by plants (28%), Hispanics (11%), animals personified (8%), African Americans (6%), and indigenous peoples (3%). Most often the stories took place in rural settings.

A method comparison of a food frequency questionnaire to measure folate, choline, betaine, vitamin C and carotenoids with 24-h dietary recalls in women of reproductive age.

PubMed

Coathup, V; Wheeler, S; Smith, L

2016-03-01

The objective of this study was to conduct a method comparison of a modified food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), designed to estimate usual dietary intake of selected micronutrients and antioxidants including folate, choline, betaine, vitamin C and carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, lutein, lycopene and β-cryptoxanthin) with 24-h dietary recalls (24-HR) in women of reproductive age. Sixty-four British women of reproductive age (18-40 years) were recruited in Oxford, UK and provided complete dietary data for analysis. We compared micronutrient estimates from the FFQ against estimates derived from three multiple-pass, 24-HR interviews, by evaluating Pearson's correlation coefficients and Bland-Altman plots. Median intakes of most nutrients were higher when measured by FFQ compared with 24-HR. Strong correlation coefficients were observed for folate (r=0.80) and choline (r=0.68), whereas moderate correlation coefficients were observed for vitamin C (0.50) and lycopene (0.43). Weak correlation coefficients were observed for betaine (0.39) and other carotenoids (r=0.26-0.38). Bland-Altman plots indicated that there was a large amount of variability in the FFQ estimates of nutrient intakes compared to those using 24-HR, particularly for carotenoids. The findings indicate that this FFQ estimated higher mean intakes for most nutrients. Pearson's correlation coefficients were comparable with previous research; however, the Bland-Altman plots suggest a high variability in mean nutrient estimates between the FFQ and 24-h. We recommend further investigation of the validity of this FFQ before use.

Effects of high-frequency understorey fires on woody plant regeneration in southeastern Amazonian forests

PubMed Central

Balch, Jennifer K.; Massad, Tara J.; Brando, Paulo M.; Nepstad, Daniel C.; Curran, Lisa M.

2013-01-01

Anthropogenic understorey fires affect large areas of tropical forest, yet their effects on woody plant regeneration post-fire remain poorly understood. We examined the effects of repeated experimental fires on woody stem (less than 1 cm at base) mortality, recruitment, species diversity, community similarity and regeneration mode (seed versus sprout) in Mato Grosso, Brazil. From 2004 to 2010, forest plots (50 ha) were burned twice (B2) or five times (B5), and compared with an unburned control (B0). Stem density recovered within a year after the first burn (initial density: 12.4–13.2 stems m−2), but after 6 years, increased mortality and decreased regeneration—primarily of seedlings—led to a 63 per cent and 85 per cent reduction in stem density in B2 and B5, respectively. Seedlings and sprouts across plots in 2010 displayed remarkable community similarity owing to shared abundant species. Although the dominant surviving species were similar across plots, a major increase in sprouting occurred—almost three- and fourfold greater in B2 and B5 than in B0. In B5, 29 species disappeared and were replaced by 11 new species often present along fragmented forest edges. By 2010, the annual burn regime created substantial divergence between the seedling community and the initial adult tree community (greater than or equal to 20 cm dbh). Increased droughts and continued anthropogenic ignitions associated with frontier land uses may promote high-frequency fire regimes that may substantially alter regeneration and therefore successional processes. PMID:23610167

Comparative Wide Temperature Core Loss Characteristics of Two Candidate Ferrites for the NASA/TRW 1500 W PEBB Converter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Niedra, Janis M.

1999-01-01

High frequency core loss and magnetization properties of commercial type MN8CX and PC40, high resistivity, MnZn based, power ferrites are presented over the temperature range of -l50 C to 150 C, at selected values of peak flux density (B (sub p)). Most of the data is at 100 kHz, with some data extended to 200 and 300 kHz for the MN8CX. Plots of the specific Core loss against temperature exhibit the minimal characteristic of such ferrites. These plots show that the MN8CX is optimized for minimum loss at about 25 C, whereas the PC40 is optimized at about 80 C. At the points of minimum loss and for the same B (sub p), the MN8CX has roughly half the losses of the PC40 at the lower flux densities. This loss ratio continues down to cryogenic temperatures. However, above about 80 C the losses are practically equal. The lowest 100 kHz loss recorded, 50 mW/cm3 for the MNGCX at a B (sub p) of 0.1T, equals that of a very low loss, Co based, transverse magnetically annealed, amorphous ribbon material. Except possibly at lower B (sub p) or much higher frequencies, these ferrites are not competitive for low losses over a wide temperature range with certain specialty amorphous materials. Permeability is computed from a linear model, plots against temperature are presented and again compared to the specialty amorphous materials.

The application of reduced absorption cross section on the identification of the compounds with similar function-groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Fei; Zuo, Jian; Mu, Kai-jun; Zhang, Zhen-wei; Zhang, Liang-liang; Zhang, Lei-wei; Zhang, Cun-lin

2013-08-01

Terahertz spectroscopy is a powerful tool for materials investigation. The low frequency vibrations were usually investigated by means of absorption coefficient regardless of the refractive index. It leads to the disregard of some inherent low-frequency vibrational information of the chemical compounds. Moreover, due to the scattering inside the sample, there are some distortions of the absorption features, so that the absorption dependent material identification is not valid enough. Here, a statistical parameter named reduced absorption cross section (RACS) is introduced. This can not only help us investigate the molecular dynamics but also distinguish one chemical compound with another which has similar function-groups. Experiments are carried out on L-Tyrosine and L-Phenylalanine and the different mass ratios of their mixtures as an example of the application of RACS. The results come out that the RACS spectrum of L-Tyrosine and L-Phenylalanine reserve the spectral fingerprint information of absorption spectrum. The log plot of RACSs of the two amino acids show power-law behavior σR(~ν) ~ (ν~α), and there is a linear relation between the wavenumber and the RACS in the double logarithmic plot. The exponents α, at the same time, are the slopes of the RACS curves in the double logarithmic plot. The big differences of the exponents α between the two amino acids and their mixtures can be seen visually from the slopes of the RACS curves. So we can use RACS analytical method to distinguish some complex compounds with similar function-groups and mixtures from another which has similar absorption peaks in THz region.

[Effects of crop tree release on stand growth and stand structure of Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation].

PubMed

Wu, Jian-qiang; Wang, Yi-xiang; Yang, Yi; Zhu, Ting-ting; Zhu, Xu-dan

2015-02-01

Crop trees were selected in a 26-year-old even-aged Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation in Lin' an, and compared in plots that were released and unreleased to examine growth and structure responses for 3 years after thinning. Crop tree release significantly increased the mean increments of diameter and volume of individual tree by 1.30 and 1.25 times relative to trees in control stands, respectively. The increments of diameter and volume of crop trees were significantly higher than those of general trees in thinning plots, crop trees and general trees in control plots, which suggested that the responses from different tree types to crop tree release treatment were different. Crop tree release increased the average distances of crop trees to the nearest neighboring trees, reducing competition among crop trees by about 68.2%. 3-year stand volume increment for thinning stands had no significant difference with that of control stands although the number of trees was only 81.5% of the control. Crop trees in thinned plots with diameters over than 14 cm reached 18.0% over 3 years, compared with 12.0% for trees without thinning, suggesting that crop tree release benefited the larger individual trees. The pattern of tree locations in thinning plots tended to be random, complying with the rule that tree distribution pattern changes with growth. Crop tree release in C. lanceolata plantation not only promoted the stand growth, but also optimized the stand structure, benefiting crop trees sustained rapid growth and larger diameter trees production.

Guide to using Cuechart, Tellagraf, and Disspla at ANL

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

Bertoncini, P.J.; Thommes, M.M.

1986-01-01

Guide to Curchart, Tellagraf, and Disspla at ANL provides information necessary for using the three ISSCO graphics packages at Argonne: Cuechart is a cue-and-response program available in CMS that aids users in creating bar charts, line charts, pie charts, and word charts. It is appropriate for users with little or no previous graphics experience. Cuechart provides much of the capability of Tellagraf without the user's having to learn Tellagraf commands. Tellagraf is a more powerful, easy-to-use graphics package also available in CMS. With a little training, scientists, administrators, and secretaries can produce sophisticated publication-quality log or linear plots, bar charts,more » pie charts, tables, or posters. Disspla is a more versatile and sophisticated graphics package. It is available in both CMS and batch and consists of several hundred Fortran-callable and PL/I-callable subroutines that will enable you to obtain professional quality plots. In addition to log or linear plots, bar charts, pie charts, and pages of text, Disspla provides subroutines for contour plots, 3-D plots, and world maps.« less

Short-Term Response of Soil Spiders to Cover-Crop Removal in an Organic Olive Orchard in a Mediterranean Setting

PubMed Central

Cárdenas, Manuel; Castro, Juan; Campos, Mercedes

2012-01-01

This study shows that disturbance caused by cover-crop removal (CCR) in an organic olive orchard affects ground-spider populations. The effect of CCR on various organic olive-orchard plots was assessed by monitoring the abundance and diversity of ground-dwelling spiders. Covered plots in the organic olive orchard were compared with uncovered plots where the covers had been removed mechanically. CCR positively affected the most abundant spider species Zodarion styliferum (Simon) (Araneae: Zodariidae) as well as other species of running spiders belonging to the families Gnaphosidae and Lycosidae. Over time, the two types of plots did not significantly differ in diversity or dominance. Similarly, no differences were detected between the study plots in terms of the distribution of individuals when a cluster-similarity analysis was performed. This lack of difference in diversity might be due to the spatial scale used in the study or climatology. Because of their general effects, CCR profoundly changed the abundance of spiders in the olive orchard, but with no clear impact on spider diversity. PMID:22938154

Impact of warm winters on microbial growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birgander, Johanna; Rousk, Johannes; Axel Olsson, Pål

2014-05-01

Growth of soil bacteria has an asymmetrical response to higher temperature with a gradual increase with increasing temperatures until an optimum after which a steep decline occurs. In laboratory studies it has been shown that by exposing a soil bacterial community to a temperature above the community's optimum temperature for two months, the bacterial community grows warm-adapted, and the optimum temperature of bacterial growth shifts towards higher temperatures. This result suggests a change in the intrinsic temperature dependence of bacterial growth, as temperature influenced the bacterial growth even though all other factors were kept constant. An intrinsic temperature dependence could be explained by either a change in the bacterial community composition, exchanging less tolerant bacteria towards more tolerant ones, or it could be due to adaptation within the bacteria present. No matter what the shift in temperature tolerance is due to, the shift could have ecosystem scale implications, as winters in northern Europe are getting warmer. To address the question of how microbes and plants are affected by warmer winters, a winter-warming experiment was established in a South Swedish grassland. Results suggest a positive response in microbial growth rate in plots where winter soil temperatures were around 6 °C above ambient. Both bacterial and fungal growth (leucine incorporation, and acetate into ergosterol incorporation, respectively) appeared stimulated, and there are two candidate explanations for these results. Either (i) warming directly influence microbial communities by modulating their temperature adaptation, or (ii) warming indirectly affected the microbial communities via temperature induced changes in bacterial growth conditions. The first explanation is in accordance with what has been shown in laboratory conditions (explained above), where the differences in the intrinsic temperature relationships were examined. To test this explanation the temperature relationships of the bacterial community from winter-warmed plots and plots with ambient soil temperatures were compared. No change in optimum temperature for growth could be detected, indicating that the microbial community has not been warm-adapted. This fits with what was seen also in the laboratory experiment where no changes in temperature response occurred when exposing bacteria to temperatures below 10 °C within two months. The increase in activity measured during winter should thereby be due to changes in environmental factors, which will be further investigated. One big difference between heated and control plots was that heated plots were snow free during the entire winter, while control plots were covered by a 10 cm snow cover. The plant community composition and flowering time also differed in the warmed and ambient plot.

Optimization of ultrasonic-assisted extraction of bioactive alkaloid compounds from rhizoma coptidis (Coptis chinensis Franch.) using response surface methodology.

PubMed

Teng, Hui; Choi, Yong Hee

2014-01-01

The optimum extraction conditions for the maximum recovery of total alkaloid content (TAC), berberine content (BC), palmatine content (PC), and the highest antioxidant capacity (AC) from rhizoma coptidis subjected to ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) were determined using response surface methodology (RSM). Central composite design (CCD) with three variables and five levels was employed, and response surface plots were constructed in accordance with a second order polynomial model. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the quadratic model was well fitted and significant for responses of TAC, BC, PC, and AA. The optimum conditions obtained through the overlapped contour plot were as follows: ethanol concentration of 59%, extraction time of 46.57min, and temperature of 66.22°C. Verification experiment was carried out, and no significant difference was found between observed and estimated values for each response, suggesting that the estimated models were reliable and valid for UAE of alkaloids. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Algae Tile Data: 2004-2007, BPA-51; Preliminary Report, October 28, 2008.

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

Holderman, Charles

Multiple files containing 2004 through 2007 Tile Chlorophyll data for the Kootenai River sites designated as: KR1, KR2, KR3, KR4 (Downriver) and KR6, KR7, KR9, KR9.1, KR10, KR11, KR12, KR13, KR14 (Upriver) were received by SCS. For a complete description of the sites covered, please refer to http://ktoi.scsnetw.com. To maintain consistency with the previous SCS algae reports, all analyses were carried out separately for the Upriver and Downriver categories, as defined in the aforementioned paragraph. The Upriver designation, however, now includes three additional sites, KR11, KR12, and the nutrient addition site, KR9.1. Summary statistics and information on the four responses,more » chlorophyll a, chlorophyll a Accrual Rate, Total Chlorophyll, and Total Chlorophyll Accrual Rate are presented in Print Out 2. Computations were carried out separately for each river position (Upriver and Downriver) and year. For example, the Downriver position in 2004 showed an average Chlorophyll a level of 25.5 mg with a standard deviation of 21.4 and minimum and maximum values of 3.1 and 196 mg, respectively. The Upriver data in 2004 showed a lower overall average chlorophyll a level at 2.23 mg with a lower standard deviation (3.6) and minimum and maximum values of (0.13 and 28.7, respectively). A more comprehensive summary of each variable and position is given in Print Out 3. This lists the information above as well as other summary information such as the variance, standard error, various percentiles and extreme values. Using the 2004 Downriver Chlorophyll a as an example again, the variance of this data was 459.3 and the standard error of the mean was 1.55. The median value or 50th percentile was 21.3, meaning 50% of the data fell above and below this value. It should be noted that this value is somewhat different than the mean of 25.5. This is an indication that the frequency distribution of the data is not symmetrical (skewed). The skewness statistic, listed as part of the first section of each analysis, quantifies this. In a symmetric distribution, such as a Normal distribution, the skewness value would be 0. The tile chlorophyll data, however, shows larger values. Chlorophyll a, in the 2004 Downriver example, has a skewness statistic of 3.54, which is quite high. In the last section of the summary analysis, the stem and leaf plot graphically demonstrates the asymmetry, showing most of the data centered around 25 with a large value at 196. The final plot is referred to as a normal probability plot and graphically compares the data to a theoretical normal distribution. For chlorophyll a, the data (asterisks) deviate substantially from the theoretical normal distribution (diagonal reference line of pluses), indicating that the data is non-normal. Other response variables in both the Downriver and Upriver categories also indicated skewed distributions. Because the sample size and mean comparison procedures below require symmetrical, normally distributed data, each response in the data set was logarithmically transformed. The logarithmic transformation, in this case, can help mitigate skewness problems. The summary statistics for the four transformed responses (log-ChlorA, log-TotChlor, and log-accrual ) are given in Print Out 4. For the 2004 Downriver Chlorophyll a data, the logarithmic transformation reduced the skewness value to -0.36 and produced a more bell-shaped symmetric frequency distribution. Similar improvements are shown for the remaining variables and river categories. Hence, all subsequent analyses given below are based on logarithmic transformations of the original responses.« less

Species-specific Typing of DNA Based on Palindrome Frequency Patterns

PubMed Central

Lamprea-Burgunder, Estelle; Ludin, Philipp; Mäser, Pascal

2011-01-01

DNA in its natural, double-stranded form may contain palindromes, sequences which read the same from either side because they are identical to their reverse complement on the sister strand. Short palindromes are underrepresented in all kinds of genomes. The frequency distribution of short palindromes exhibits more than twice the inter-species variance of non-palindromic sequences, which renders palindromes optimally suited for the typing of DNA. Here, we show that based on palindrome frequency, DNA sequences can be discriminated to the level of species of origin. By plotting the ratios of actual occurrence to expectancy, we generate palindrome frequency patterns that allow to cluster different sequences of the same genome and to assign plasmids, and in some cases even viruses to their respective host genomes. This finding will be of use in the growing field of metagenomics. PMID:21429991

Interpreting Popov criteria in Lure´ systems with complex scaling stability analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, J.

2018-06-01

The paper presents a novel frequency-domain interpretation of Popov criteria for absolute stability in Lure´ systems by means of what we call complex scaling stability analysis. The complex scaling technique is developed for exponential/asymptotic stability in LTI feedback systems, which dispenses open-loop poles distribution, contour/locus orientation and prior frequency sweeping. Exploiting the technique for alternatively revealing positive realness of transfer functions, re-interpreting Popov criteria is explicated. More specifically, the suggested frequency-domain stability conditions are conformable both in scalar and multivariable cases, and can be implemented either graphically with locus plotting or numerically without; in particular, the latter is suitable as a design tool with auxiliary parameter freedom. The interpretation also reveals further frequency-domain facts about Lure´ systems. Numerical examples are included to illustrate the main results.

Modeling the variations of reflection coefficient of Earth's lower ionosphere using very low frequency radio wave data by artificial neural network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghanbari, Keyvan; Khakian Ghomi, Mehdi; Mohammadi, Mohammad; Marbouti, Marjan; Tan, Le Minh

2016-08-01

The ionized atmosphere lying from 50 to 600 km above surface, known as ionosphere, contains high amount of electrons and ions. Very Low Frequency (VLF) radio waves with frequencies between 3 and 30 kHz are reflected from the lower ionosphere specifically D-region. A lot of applications in long range communications and navigation systems have been inspired by this characteristic of ionosphere. There are several factors which affect the ionization rate in this region, such as: time of day (presence of sun in the sky), solar zenith angle (seasons) and solar activities. Due to nonlinear response of ionospheric reflection coefficient to these factors, finding an accurate relation between these parameters and reflection coefficient is an arduous task. In order to model these kinds of nonlinear functionalities, some numerical methods are employed. One of these methods is artificial neural network (ANN). In this paper, the VLF radio wave data of 4 sudden ionospheric disturbance (SID) stations are given to a multi-layer perceptron ANN in order to simulate the variations of reflection coefficient of D region ionosphere. After training, validation and testing the ANN, outputs of ANN and observed values are plotted together for 2 random cases of each station. By evaluating the results using 2 parameters of pearson correlation coefficient and root mean square error, a satisfying agreement was found between ANN outputs and real observed data.

Implementation and Testing of Turbulence Models for the F18-HARV Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yeager, Jessie C.

1998-01-01

This report presents three methods of implementing the Dryden power spectral density model for atmospheric turbulence. Included are the equations which define the three methods and computer source code written in Advanced Continuous Simulation Language to implement the equations. Time-history plots and sample statistics of simulated turbulence results from executing the code in a test program are also presented. Power spectral densities were computed for sample sequences of turbulence and are plotted for comparison with the Dryden spectra. The three model implementations were installed in a nonlinear six-degree-of-freedom simulation of the High Alpha Research Vehicle airplane. Aircraft simulation responses to turbulence generated with the three implementations are presented as plots.

The soil-water balance simulations of a grassland in response to CO2, rainfall, and biodiversity manipulations at BioCON

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flinker, R. H.; Cardenas, M.; Caldwell, T. G.; Rich, R.; Reich, P.

2013-12-01

The BioCON (Biodiversity, CO2 and N) experiment has been continuously running since 1997. Operated by the University of Minnesota and located within the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve in Minnesota, USA, BioCON is a Free-Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) experiment that investigates plant community response to three key environmental variables: nitrogen, atmospheric CO2 and biodiversity. More recently rainfall exclusion and temperature manipulation were added to the experiment which amounts to 371 plots. The site attempts to replicate predicted average temperature increases and a northern shift of plant species and any associated consequences. FACE experiments have been conducted for a number of years in different countries, but the focus has generally been on how plant communities, soil respiration and microbes respond. Minimal work has been focused on the hydrologic aspects of these experiments which are potentially valuable for investigating global warming effects on local and plot-scale ecohydrology. Thus, the objective of this work is to characterize and model unsaturated flow for different CO2 and rainfall treatments in order to see how they affect soil moisture dynamics and groundwater recharge on grasslands of central Minnesota. Our study focuses on simulating soil moisture dynamics in eighteen of the BioCON plots: six bare plots with regular rainfall regimes (zero plant species, three plots with elevated atmospheric CO2 levels), six regular rainfall regimes (nine plant species, three plots with elevated atmospheric CO2 levels) and six reduced rainfall regimes (nine plant species, three plots with elevated atmospheric CO2 levels). The Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model, which solves the Richards equation for unsaturated zone water flow coupled to a comprehensive energy balance model, was parameterized with a combination of field and lab estimates of soil properties. Field estimates of saturated hydraulic conductivity using tension infiltrometers ranged from 9.8 x 10-4 to 6.7 x 10-3 cm/s. Soil cores were collected and analyzed for soil hydraulic properties (texture, unsaturated hydraulic conductivity and moisture retention). From the grain size analyzes of soil samples collected every 10 cm until 1m depth, the soil is homogenous and on average 87% sand, 11% silt and 2% clay. We will be presenting results from the simulations and statistical comparisons to observations of soil moisture at four depths in each plot.

Temperature-Dependent Electrical and Micromechanical Properties of Lanthanum Titanate with Additions of Yttria

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldsby, Jon C.

2010-01-01

Temperature-dependent elastic properties were determined by establishing continuous flexural vibrations in the material at its lowest resonance frequency of 31tHz. The imaginary part of the complex impedance plotted as a function of frequency and temperature reveals a thermally activated peak, which decreases in magnitude as the temperature increases. Additions of yttria do not degrade the electromechanical in particularly the elastic and anelastic properties of lanthanum titanate. Y2O3/La2Ti2O7 exhibits extremely low internal friction and hence may be more mechanical fatigue-resistant at low strains.

Methods used to compute low-flow frequency characteristics for continuous-record streamflow stations in Minnesota, 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winterstein, Thomas A.; Arntson, Allan D.; Mitton, Gregory B.

2007-01-01

The 1-, 7-, and 30-day low-flow series were determined for 120 continuous-record streamflow stations in Minnesota having at least 20 years of continuous record. The 2-, 5-, 10-, 50-, and 100-year statistics were determined for each series by fitting a log Pearson type III distribution to the data. The methods used to determine the low-flow statistics and to construct the plots of the low-flow frequency curves are described. The low-flow series and the low-flow statistics are presented in tables and graphs.

The influence of a local wall deformation on the development of natural instabilities in a laminar boundary layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burnel, S.; Gougat, P.; Martin, F.

1981-01-01

The natural instabilities which propagate in the laminar boundary layer of a flat plate composed of intermittent wave trains are described. A spectral analysis determines the frequency range and gives a frequency and the harmonic 2 only if there is a wall deformation. This analysis provides the amplitude modulation spectrum of the instabilities. Plots of the evolution of power spectral density are compared with the numerical results obtained from the resolve of the Orr-Sommerfeld equation, while the harmonic is related to a micro-recirculating flow near the wall deformation.

200 Deg C Demonstration Transformer Operates Efficiently at 50 kHz

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Niedra, Janis M.; Schwarze, Gene E. (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

A compact, high temperature demonstration transformer was constructed, using a moly permalloy powder core and Teflon -insulated copper wire. At 50 kHz and 200 C, this 1:2 ratio transformer is capable of 98 percent efficiency when operating at a specific power of 6.1 kW/kg at 4 kW. This roughly 7 cm diameter transformer has a mass of 0.65 kg. Although Teflon is unstable above 200 C, about the same electrical performance was seen at 250 C. A plot of winding loss versus frequency illustrates the need to control these losses at high frequency.

A Perspective on the Numerical and Experimental Characteristics of Multi-Mode Dry-Friction Whip and Whirl

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

different builds of the ALH; only the first of these ran according to plan . Following test 1, the development of large supersynchronous vibrations...Precession Frequency vs. Speed Case:20, Prox:1, Dn 0 50 100 150 200 250 0 50 100 150 200 Speed (rpm) A m pl itu de ( μ m ) Max Backward Precession...1 -2000 -1500 -1000 -500 0 500 1000 1500 2000 0 50 100 150 200 250 0 50 100 150 Waterfall Plot Frequency (Hz) Speed (rpm) A m pl itu de ( μ m

Single-lobed frequency-dependent beam shape in an echolocating false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens).

PubMed

Kloepper, Laura N; Nachtigall, Paul E; Quintos, Christopher; Vlachos, Stephanie A

2012-01-01

Recent studies indicate some odontocetes may produce echolocation beams with a dual-lobed vertical structure. The shape of the odontocete echolocation beam was further investigated in a false killer whale performing an echolocation discrimination task. Clicks were recorded with an array of 16 hydrophones and frequency-dependent amplitude plots were constructed to assess beam shape. The majority of the echolocation clicks were single-lobed in structure with most energy located between 20 and 80 kHz. These data indicate the false killer whale does not produce a dual-lobed structure, as has been shown in bottlenose dolphins, which may be a function of lowered frequencies in the emitted signal due to hearing loss. © 2012 Acoustical Society of America.

Determining mode excitations of vacuum electronics devices via three-dimensional simulations using the SOS code

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Warren, Gary

1988-01-01

The SOS code is used to compute the resonance modes (frequency-domain information) of sample devices and separately to compute the transient behavior of the same devices. A code, DOT, is created to compute appropriate dot products of the time-domain and frequency-domain results. The transient behavior of individual modes in the device is then plotted. Modes in a coupled-cavity traveling-wave tube (CCTWT) section excited beam in separate simulations are analyzed. Mode energy vs. time and mode phase vs. time are computed and it is determined whether the transient waves are forward or backward waves for each case. Finally, the hot-test mode frequencies of the CCTWT section are computed.

Modeling water flow and nitrate dynamics in a plastic mulch vegetable cultivation system using HYDRUS-2D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filipović, Vilim; Romić, Davor; Romić, Marija; Matijević, Lana; Mallmann, Fábio J. K.; Robinson, David A.

2016-04-01

Growing vegetables commercially requires intensive management and involves high irrigation demands and input of agrochemicals. Plastic mulch application in combination with drip irrigation is a common agricultural management technique practiced due to variety of benefits to the crop, mostly vegetable biomass production. However, the use of these techniques can result in various impacts on water and nutrient distribution in underlying soil and consequently affect nutrient leaching towards groundwater resources. The aim of this work is to estimate the effect of plastic mulch cover in combination with drip irrigation on water and nitrate dynamics in soil using HYDRUS-2D model. The field site was located in Croatian costal karst area on a Gleysol (WRB). The experiment was designed according to the split-plot design in three repetitions and was divided into plots with plastic mulch cover (MULCH) and control plots with bare soil (CONT). Each of these plots received applications of three levels of nitrogen fertilizer: 70, 140, and 210 kg per ha. All plots were equipped with drip irrigation and cropped with bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L. cv. Bianca F1). Lysimeters were installed at 90 cm depth in all plots and were used for monitoring the water and nitrate outflow. HYDRUS-2D was used for modeling the water and nitrogen outflow in the MULCH and CONT plots, implementing the proper boundary conditions. HYDRUS-2D simulated results showed good fitting to the field site observed data in both cumulative water and nitrate outflow, with high level of agreement. Water flow simulations produced model efficiency of 0.84 for CONT and 0.56 for MULCH plots, while nitrate simulations showed model efficiency ranging from 0.67 to 0.83 and from 0.70 to 0.93, respectively. Additional simulations were performed with the absence of the lysimeter, revealing faster transport of nitrates below drip line in the CONT plots, mostly because of the increased surface area subjected to precipitation/irrigation due the absence of soil cover. Contrary, in the MULCH plots most of the nitrate applied was still left in the upper soil layer at the end of simulations. Numerical modeling revealed a large influence of plastic mulch cover on water and nutrient outflow and distribution in soil. Results suggest that under this management practice the nitrogen amounts applied via fertigation can be lowered and optimized (higher application frequencies) to reduce possible negative influence of the nitrogen based fertilizer such as leaching of nitrates to groundwater. Keywords: Plastic mulch cover; Vegetable cultivation; Water flow; Nitrate dynamics; HYDRUS-2D

A computational model of selection by consequences: log survivor plots.

PubMed

Kulubekova, Saule; McDowell, J J

2008-06-01

[McDowell, J.J, 2004. A computational model of selection by consequences. J. Exp. Anal. Behav. 81, 297-317] instantiated the principle of selection by consequences in a virtual organism with an evolving repertoire of possible behaviors undergoing selection, reproduction, and mutation over many generations. The process is based on the computational approach, which is non-deterministic and rules-based. The model proposes a causal account for operant behavior. McDowell found that the virtual organism consistently showed a hyperbolic relationship between response and reinforcement rates according to the quantitative law of effect. To continue validation of the computational model, the present study examined its behavior on the molecular level by comparing the virtual organism's IRT distributions in the form of log survivor plots to findings from live organisms. Log survivor plots did not show the "broken-stick" feature indicative of distinct bouts and pauses in responding, although the bend in slope of the plots became more defined at low reinforcement rates. The shape of the virtual organism's log survivor plots was more consistent with the data on reinforced responding in pigeons. These results suggest that log survivor plot patterns of the virtual organism were generally consistent with the findings from live organisms providing further support for the computational model of selection by consequences as a viable account of operant behavior.

Responses of CO2 Fluxes to Arctic Browning Events in a Range of High Latitude, Shrub-Dominated Ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phoenix, G. K.; Treharne, R.; Emberson, L.; Tømmervik, H. A.; Bjerke, J. W.

2017-12-01

Climatic and biotic extreme events can result in considerable damage to arctic vegetation, often at landscape and larger scale. These acute events therefore contribute to the browning observed in some arctic regions. It is of considerable concern, therefore, that such extreme events are increasing in frequency as part of climate change. However, despite the increasing importance of browning events, and the considerable impact they can have on ecosystems, to date there is little understanding of their impacts on ecosystem carbon fluxes. To address this, the impacts of a number of different, commonly occurring, extreme events and their subsequent browning (vegetation damage) on key ecosystem CO2 fluxes were assessed during the growing season at a range of event damaged sites of shrub dominated vegetation. Sites were located from the boreal to High Arctic (64˚N-79˚N) and had been previously been damaged by events of frost-drought, extreme winter warming, ground icing and caterpillar (Epirrita autumnata) outbreaks. Plot-level CO2 fluxes of Ecosystem Exchange (NEE), Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) and Ecosystem Respiration (Reco) were assessed using vegetation chambers. At a sub-set of sites, NDVI (greenness) in flux plots was also assessed by hand-held proximal sensor, allowing the relationship between NDVI of damage plots to CO2 flux to be calculated. Despite the contrasting sites and drivers, damage had consistent, major impacts on all fluxes. All sites showed reductions in GPP and NEE with increasing damage, despite efflux from Reco also declining with damage. When scaled to site-level, reductions of up to 81% of NEE, 51% of GPP and 37% of Reco were observed. In the plot-level NDVI-flux relationship, NDVI was shown to explain up to 91% of variation in GPP, and therefore supports the use of NDVI for estimating changes in ecosystem CO2 flux at larger scales in regions where browning has been driven by extreme events. This work is the first attempt to quantify the impacts of different event drivers of arctic browning on the main ecosystem CO2 fluxes at a range of sites. These insights provide an important step towards incorporating extreme events into our understanding of how ecosystem CO2 balance at high latitudes will respond to continuing climate change.

Exotic plant species invade hot spots of native plant diversity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stohlgren, T.J.; Binkley, Dan; Chong, G.W.; Kalkhan, M.A.; Schell, L.D.; Bull, K.A.; Otsuki, Yuka; Newman, G.; Bashkin, Michael A.; Son, Y.

1999-01-01

Some theories and experimental studies suggest that areas of low plant species richness may be invaded more easily than areas of high plant species richness. We gathered nested-scale vegetation data on plant species richness, foliar cover, and frequency from 200 1-m2 subplots (20 1000-m2 modified-Whittaker plots) in the Colorado Rockies (USA), and 160 1-m2 subplots (16 1000-m2 plots) in the Central Grasslands in Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Minnesota (USA) to test the generality of this paradigm.At the 1-m2 scale, the paradigm was supported in four prairie types in the Central Grasslands, where exotic species richness declined with increasing plant species richness and cover. At the 1-m2 scale, five forest and meadow vegetation types in the Colorado Rockies contradicted the paradigm; exotic species richness increased with native-plant species richness and foliar cover. At the 1000-m2 plot scale (among vegetation types), 83% of the variance in exotic species richness in the Central Grasslands was explained by the total percentage of nitrogen in the soil and the cover of native plant species. In the Colorado Rockies, 69% of the variance in exotic species richness in 1000-m2 plots was explained by the number of native plant species and the total percentage of soil carbon.At landscape and biome scales, exotic species primarily invaded areas of high species richness in the four Central Grasslands sites and in the five Colorado Rockies vegetation types. For the nine vegetation types in both biomes, exotic species cover was positively correlated with mean foliar cover, mean soil percentage N, and the total number of exotic species. These patterns of invasibility depend on spatial scale, biome and vegetation type, spatial autocorrelation effects, availability of resources, and species-specific responses to grazing and other disturbances. We conclude that: (1) sites high in herbaceous foliar cover and soil fertility, and hot spots of plant diversity (and biodiversity), are invasible in many landscapes; and (2) this pattern may be more closely related to the degree resources are available in native plant communities, independent of species richness. Exotic plant invasions in rare habitats and distinctive plant communities pose a significant challenge to land managers and conservation biologists.

Experimental Nitrogen Deposition Alters Post-fire Carbon Balance Recovery in Alberta Bogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wieder, R. K.; Vile, M. A.; Scott, K. D.; Albright, C. M.; McMillen, K.

2016-12-01

Bogs and fens occupy about 30% of the landscape across northern Alberta, Canada and function regionally as a net sink for atmospheric CO2-C, the strength of which is strongly influenced by the frequency and extent of wildfires. Alberta peatlands have persisted at the low end of the global range of annual atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition (< 2 kg ha-1 yr-1), but oil sands development in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region has led to regionally elevated atmospheric N deposition. To examine the effects of elevated N deposition on bog net CO2 exchange, we experimentally applied N (as NH4NO3 solutions) to replicated plots at levels equivalent to controls (C: no water additions), 0 (water only), 10, and 20 kg/ha/yr at five bog sites, aged at 2, 12, 32, 73, and 113 years since fire in 2013 (hummocks and hollows in 6 plots per N treatment per site). Understory net ecosystem exchange of CO2 (NEE) was measured repeatedly throughout the 2013-2016 growing seasons using the closed chamber approach. Averaged across all years, sites, plots, and hummocks versus hollows, N addition stimulated NEE rates (C and 0 treatments: 0.46 µmol m-2 s-1; 10 and 20 treatments: 1.16 µmol m-2 s-1) and to a much lesser extent understory dark respiration (ER) rates (C and 0 treatments: -3.26 µmol m-2 s-1; 10 and 20 treatments: -3.43 µmol m-2 s-1). On an annual basis, averaged across all years, sites, and plots, N addition also stimulated NEE for hummocks (C and 0 treatments: -1.0 mol C m-2 yr-1; 10 and 20 treatments: 15.7 mol C m-2 yr-1), but not hollows. Experimental N addition had minimal effects on annual ER. The nature of the N response, however, differed between sites and years. Further, experimental N addition had no effect on the net primary production of Sphagnum fuscum, the dominant peat-forming moss. Thus, the enhancement of the net CO2-C sink through N addition occurs through stimulation of short-statured vascular shrub growth and biomass, with implications for the structure and function of bog understories as they recover after fire under different N deposition regimes.