3D modeling of seismic waves propagation in the Israeli continental shelf: soft sediments, buried canyons and their effects.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsesarsky, M.; Volk, O.; Shani-Kadmiel, S.; Gvirtzman, Z.

2016-12-01

Sedimentary wedges underlay many coastal areas, specifically along passive continental margins. Although a large portion of the world`s population is concentrated along coastal areas, relatively few studies investigated the seismic hazard related to internal structure of these wedges. This is particularly important, when the passive margin is located in proximity to active plate boundaries. Sedimentry wedges have low angles compared to fault bounded basins, hence commonly treated using 1D methods. In various locations the sedimentary wedges are transected by deep buried canyons typically filled with sediments softer than their surrounding bedrock. Such structures are found is the Mediterranean coast of Israel. Here, a sedimentary wedge and buried canyons underlay some of the country's most densely populated regions. Seismic sources can be found both at sea and on land at epicentral distances ranging from 50 to 200 km. Although this region has a proven seismic record, it has, like many other parts of the world, limited instrumental coverage and long return periods. This makes assessment of ground motions in a future earthquake difficult and highlights the importance of non-instrumental methods. We employ numerical modeling (SW4 FD code) to study seismic ground motions and their amplification atop the sedimentary wedge and canyons. This goal is a part of a larger objective aiming at developing a systematic approach for distinction between individual contributions of basin structures to the highly complex overall basin response. We show that the sedimentary wedge and buried canyon both exhibit a unique response and modeling them as one-dimensional structures could significantly underestimate seismic hazard. The sedimentary wedge exhibit amplification ratios, relative to a horizontally layered model, up to a factor of 2. This is mainly due to the amplification of Rayleigh waves traveling into the wedge from its thin side. The buried canyon structure shows a simple, "easy to use" response with considerably high PGV values and amplification ratios of up to 3 along its axis. This response is due to a geometrical focusing effect caused by the convex shape of the canyon's floor. The canyon's response is significant even where the canyon is buried deep under the surface.

Corrective action investigation plan: Cactus Spring Waste Trenches. Revision 2

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

NONE

This Correction Action Investigation Plan (CAIP) contains environmental sample collection objectives and logic for the Corrective Action Unit No. 426, which includes the Cactus Spring Waste Trenches, located at the Tonopah Test Range. The purpose of this investigation is to generate sufficient data to establish the types of waste buried in the trenches, identify the presence and nature of contamination, determine the vertical extent of contaminant migration below the Cactus Spring Waste Trenches, and determine the appropriate course of action for the site. The potential courses of action for the site are clean closure, closure in place (with or withoutmore » remediation), or no further action. The scope of this investigation will include drilling and collecting subsurface samples from within and below the trenches. Sampling locations will be biased toward the areas most likely to be contaminated. The Cactus Spring Waste Trenches Site is identified as one of three potential locations for buried, radioactively contaminated materials from the Double Tracks Test. This test was the first of four storage-transportation tests conducted in 1963 as part of Operation Roller Coaster. The experiment involved the use of live animals to assess the inhalation intake of a plutonium aerosol.« less

Autonomous robotic platforms for locating radio sources buried under rubble

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tasu, A. S.; Anchidin, L.; Tamas, R.; Paun, M.; Danisor, A.; Petrescu, T.

2016-12-01

This paper deals with the use of autonomous robotic platforms able to locate radio signal sources such as mobile phones, buried under collapsed buildings as a result of earthquakes, natural disasters, terrorism, war, etc. This technique relies on averaging position data resulting from a propagation model implemented on the platform and the data acquired by robotic platforms at the disaster site. That allows us to calculate the approximate position of radio sources buried under the rubble. Based on measurements, a radio map of the disaster site is made, very useful for locating victims and for guiding specific rubble lifting machinery, by assuming that there is a victim next to a mobile device detected by the robotic platform; by knowing the approximate position, the lifting machinery does not risk to further hurt the victims. Moreover, by knowing the positions of the victims, the reaction time is decreased, and the chances of survival for the victims buried under the rubble, are obviously increased.

3D mapping of buried rocks by the GPR WISDOM/ExoMars 2020

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herve, Yann; Ciarletti, Valerie; Le Gall, Alice; Quantin, Cathy; Guiffaut, Christophe; Plettemeier, Dirk

2017-04-01

The main objective of ExoMars 2020 is to search for signs of past and/or present life on Mars. Because these signs may be beneath the inhospitable surface of Mars, the ExoMars Rover has on board a suite of instruments aiming at characterizing the subsurface. In particular, the Rover payload includes WISDOM (Water Ice Subsurface Deposits Observation on Mars), a polarimetric ground penetrating radar designed to investigate the shallow subsurface. WISDOM is able to probe down to a depth of few meters with a resolution of few centimeters; its main objective is to provide insights into the geological context of the investigated Martian sites and to determine the most promising location to collect samples for the ExoMars drill. In this paper, we demonstrate the ability of WISDOM to locate buried rocks and to estimate their size distribution. Indeed, the rock distribution is related to the geological processes at play in the past or currently and thus provides clues to understand the geological context of the investigated site. Rocks also represent a hazard for drilling operations that WISDOM is to guide. We use a 3D FDTD code called TEMSI-FD (which takes into account the radiation pattern of the antenna system) to simulate WISDOM operations on a realistic (both in terms of dielectric properties and structure) ground. More specifically, our geoelectrical models of the Martian subsurface take into account realistic values of the complex permittivity relying on published measurements performed in laboratory on Martian analogues. Further, different distributions of buried rocks are considered based on the size-frequency distribution observed at the Mars Pathfinder landing site and on Oxia Planum, the landing site currently selected for ExoMars 2020. We will describe the algorithm we developed to automatically detect the signature of the buried rocks on radargrams. The radargrams are obtained simulating WISDOM operations along parallel and perpendicular profiles as planned for the ExoMars mission. Our ultimate goal is to show that WISDOM observations can be used to build a 3D map of the subsurface. We will also present experimental data obtained with a prototype of WISDOM to test our method.

Mechanical Energy Propagation and Backscattering in Nominally Dry Soil: Imaging Buried Land Mines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sen, Surajit

2003-04-01

The imaging of shallow buried objects in a complex medium, e.g., nominally dry sand, is an outstanding challenge. Such imaging is of relevance in connection with the detection and subsequent imaging of buried non-metallic anti-personnel land mines and in other applications. It has been shown that gentle mechanical impulses and low frequency sound waves with frequencies roughly between 150-350 Hz or so can penetrate distances of up to a foot in sand. Hence, such signals can potentially be useful in the detection and perhaps in the imaging of shallow buried objects. It is presently unclear whether high frequency signals can be effectively used to image shallow buried objects. Impulses can typically penetrate larger distances into sand and soil. Both impulses and continuous sound waves can be used for imaging shallow buried objects. The talk shall briefly review the state-of-the-art in low frequency sound propagation in soil and shall discuss the current understanding of impulse propagation and backscattering in nominally dry sand beds. It will be argued that impulse based imaging may have the potential to be a simple and fast way to detect and image small non-metallic mines. Research supported by the National Science Foundation Grant No. NSF-CMS 0070055.

A Label Propagation Approach for Detecting Buried Objects in Handheld GPR Data

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-17

regions of interest that correspond to locations with anomalous signatures. Second, a classifier (or an ensemble of classifiers ) is used to assign a...investigated for almost two decades and several classifiers have been developed. Most of these methods are based on the supervised learning paradigm where...labeled target and clutter signatures are needed to train a classifier to discriminate between the two classes. Typically, large and diverse labeled

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

Weiss, Paul

Spectroscopic imaging tools and methods, based on scanning tunneling microscopes (STMs), are being developed and applied to examine buried layers and interfaces with ultrahigh resolution. These new methods measure buried contacts, molecule-substrate bonds, buried dipoles in molecular layers, and key structural aspects of adsorbed molecules, such as tilt angles. We are developing the ability to locate lateral projections of molecular parts as a means of determining the structures of molecular layers. We are developing the ability to measure the orientation of buried functionality.

Shallow Water Imaging Sonar System for Environmental Surveying Final Report CRADA No. TC-1130-95

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

Ng, L. C.; Rosenbaum, H.

The scope of this research is to develop a shallow water sonar system designed to detect and map the location of objects such as hazardous wastes or discarded ordnance in coastal waters. The system will use high frequency wide-bandwidth imaging sonar, mounted on a moving platform towed behind a boat, to detect and identify objects on the sea bottom. Resolved images can be obtained even if the targets are buried in an overlayer of silt. Reference 1 ( also attached) summarized the statement of work and the scope of collaboration.

Aeromagnetic investigations of hazardous waste sites

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1995-01-01

Aeromagnetic survey data collected by helicopter over hazardous waste sites can be used to map the distribution of buried metallic (ferrous) objects at these sites, including drums and scrap metal. Thorough knowledge of the locations and nature of hazardous waste containers and contaminated objects is needed prior to the start of remediation efforts. Non-invasive geophysical techniques such as the aeromagnetic method provide the best way to obtain this knowledge. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) not only has experience in processing and interpreting aeromagnetic surveys of this type but also offers aid in the design and monitoring of contracts for such surveys.

Method and means of passive detection of leaks in buried pipes

DOEpatents

Claytor, T.

1979-10-30

A method and means for passive detection of a leak in a buried pipe containing fluid under pressure includes a plurality of acoustic detectors that are placed in contact with the pipe. Noise produced by the leak is detected by the detectors, and the detected signals are correlated to locate the leak. In one embodiment of the invention two detectors are placed at different locations to locate a leak between them. In an alternate embodiment two detectors of different waves are placed at substantially the same location to determine the distance of the leak from the location.

Method and means of passive detection of leaks in buried pipes

DOEpatents

Claytor, Thomas N.

1981-01-01

A method and means for passive detection of a leak in a buried pipe containing fluid under pressure includes a plurality of acoustic detectors that are placed in contact with the pipe. Noise produced by the leak is detected by the detectors, and the detected signals are correlated to locate the leak. In one embodiment of the invention two detectors are placed at different locations to locate a leak between them. In an alternate embodiment two detectors of different waves are placed at substantially the same location to determine the distance of the leak from the location.

Comparison of experimental three-band IR detection of buried objects and multiphysics simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabelo, Renato C.; Tilley, Heather P.; Catterlin, Jeffrey K.; Karunasiri, Gamani; Alves, Fabio D. P.

2018-04-01

A buried-object detection system composed of a LWIR, a MWIR and a SWIR camera, along with a set of ground and ambient temperature sensors was constructed and tested. The objects were buried in a 1.2x1x0.3 m3 sandbox and surface temperature (using LWIR and MWIR cameras) and reflection (using SWIR camera) were recoded throughout the day. Two objects (aluminum and Teflon) with volume of about 2.5x10-4 m3 , were placed at varying depths during the measurements. Ground temperature sensors buried at three different depths measured the vertical temperature profile within the sandbox, while the weather station recorded the ambient temperature and solar radiation intensity. Images from the three cameras were simultaneously acquired in five-minute intervals throughout many days. An algorithm to postprocess and combine the images was developed in order to maximize the probability of detection by identifying thermal anomalies (temperature contrast) resulting from the presence of the buried object in an otherwise homogeneous medium. A simplified detection metric based on contrast differences was established to allow the evaluation of the image processing method. Finite element simulations were performed, reproducing the experiment conditions and, when possible, incorporated with data coming from actual measurements. Comparisons between experiment and simulation results were performed and the simulation parameters were adjusted until images generated from both methods are matched, aiming at obtaining insights of the buried material properties. Preliminary results show a great potential for detection of shallowburied objects such as land mines and IEDs and possible identification using finite element generated maps fitting measured surface maps.

Exhuming Crater in Northeast Arabia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-563, 3 December 2003

The upper crust of Mars is layered, and interbedded with these layers are old, filled and buried meteor impact craters. In a few places on Mars, such as Arabia Terra, erosion has re-exposed some of the filled and buried craters. This October 2003 Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows an example. The larger circular feature was once a meteor crater. It was filled with sediment, then buried beneath younger rocks. The smaller circular feature is a younger impact crater that formed in the surface above the rocks that buried the large crater. Later, erosion removed all of the material that covered the larger, buried crater, except in the location of the small crater. This pair of martian landforms is located near 17.6oN, 312.8oW. The image covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide and is illuminated from the lower left.

Ground-water data for the alluvial, buried channel, Basel Pleistocene and Dakota aquifer in West-Central Iowa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hunt, Pamela K.B.; Runkle, Donna L.

1985-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the availability, quantity and quality of groundwater from three principal aquifers in West-Central Iowa, the alluvial, buried channel, Basal Pleistocene and the Dakota aquifers. Specific objectives were to: (1) determine the location, extent and the nature of these aquifers; (2) evaluate the occurrence and movement of groundwater, including the sources of recharge and discharge; (3) estimate the quantities of water stored in the aquifers; (4) estimate the potential yields of wells tapping the aquifers; (5) estimate the water use; and (6) describe the chemical quality of the groundwater. This report is the compilation of the data collected during the investigation and has the purpose of providing a reference for an interpretive report describing groundwater resources and a bedrock topography map of the study area.

Detection of Buried Objects by Means of a SAP Technique: Comparing MUSIC- and SVR-Based Approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meschino, S.; Pajewski, L.; Pastorino, M.; Randazzo, A.; Schettini, G.

2012-04-01

This work is focused on the application of a Sub-Array Processing (SAP) technique to the detection of metallic cylindrical objects embedded in a dielectric half-space. The identification of buried cables, pipes, conduits, and other cylindrical utilities, is an important problem that has been extensively studied in the last years. Most commonly used approaches are based on the use of electromagnetic sensing: a set of antennas illuminates the ground and the collected echo is analyzed in order to extract information about the scenario and to localize the sought objects [1]. In a SAP approach, algorithms for the estimation of Directions of Arrival (DOAs) are employed [2]: they assume that the sources (in this paper, currents induced on buried targets) are in the far-field region of the receiving array, so that the received wavefront can be considered as planar, and the main angular direction of the field can be estimated. However, in electromagnetic sensing of buried objects, the scatterers are usually quite near to the antennas. Nevertheless, by dividing the whole receiving array in a suitable number of sub-arrays, and by finding a dominant DOA for each one, it is possible to localize objects that are in the far-field of the sub-array, although being in the near-field of the array. The DOAs found by the sub-arrays can be triangulated, obtaining a set of crossings with intersections condensed around object locations. In this work, the performances of two different DOA algorithms are compared. In particular, a MUltiple SIgnal Classification (MUSIC)-type method [3] and Support Vector Regression (SVR) based approach [4] are employed. The results of a Cylindrical-Wave Approach forward solver are used as input data of the detection procedure [5]. To process the crossing pattern, the region of interest is divided in small windows, and a Poisson model is adopted for the statistical distribution of intersections in the windows. Hypothesis testing procedures are used (imposing a suitable threshold from a desired false-alarm rate), to ascribe each window to the ground or to the sought objects. Numerical results are presented, for a test scenario with a circular-section cylinder in a dielectric half-space. Different values of the ground permittivity, target size, and its position with respect to the receiving array, are considered. Preliminary results on the application of MUSIC and SVR to multiple-object localization are reported. [1] H. Jol, Ground Penetrating Radar: Theory and Applications, Elsevier, Amsterdam, NL, 2009. [2] Gross F.B., Smart Antennas for Wireless Communications, McGraw-Hill, New York 2005. [3] S. Meschino, L. Pajewski, G. Schettini, "Use of a Sub-Array Statistical Approach for the Detection of a Buried Object", Near Surface Geophysics, vol. 8(5), pp. 365-375, 2010. [4] M. Pastorino, A. Randazzo, "A Smart Antenna System for Direction of Arrival Estimation based on a Support Vector Regression," IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., vol. 53(7), pp. 2161-2168, 2005. [5] M. Di Vico, F. Frezza, L. Pajewski, G. Schettini, "Scattering by a Finite Set of Perfectly Conducting Cylinders Buried in a Dielectric Half-Space: a Spectral-Domain Solution," IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., vol. 53(2), pp. 719-727, 2005.

Shallow-Water Mud Acoustics

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-30

1 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Shallow- Water Mud Acoustics William L. Siegmann...shallow water over mud sediments and of acoustic detection, localization, and classification of objects buried in mud. OBJECTIVES • Develop...including long-range conveyance of information; detection, localization, and classification of objects buried in mud; and improvement of shallow water

Performance of buried pipe installation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-05-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of geometric and mechanical parameters : characterizing the soil structure interaction developed in a buried pipe installation located under : roads/highways. The drainage pipes or culverts instal...

Performance evaluation of buried pipe installation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-05-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of geometric and mechanical parameters characterizing the soil structure interaction developed in a buried pipe installation located under roads/highways. The drainage pipes or culverts installed ...

Littoral assessment of mine burial signatures (LAMBS): buried-landmine hyperspectral data collections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenton, Arthur C.; Geci, Duane M.; McDonald, James A.; Ray, Kristofer J.; Thomas, Clayton M.; Holloway, John H., Jr.; Petee, Danny A.; Witherspoon, Ned H.

2003-09-01

The objective of the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Rapid Overt Reconnaissance (ROR) program and the Airborne Littoral Reconnaissance Technologies project's Littoral Assessment of Mine Burial Signatures (LAMBS) contract is to determine if electro-optical spectral discriminants exist that are useful for the detection of land mines located in littoral regions. Statistically significant buried mine overburden and background signature data were collected over a wide spectral range (0.35 to 14 μm) to identify robust spectral features that might serve as discriminants for new airborne sensor concepts. The LAMBS program further expands the hyperspectral database previously collected and analyzed on the U.S. Army's Hyperspectral Mine Detection Phenomenology program [see "Detection of Land Mines with Hyperspectral Data," and "Hyperspectral Mine Detection Phenomenology Program," Proc. SPIE Vol. 3710, pp 917-928 and 819-829, AeroSense April 1999] to littoral areas where tidal, surf, and wind action can additionally modify spectral signatures. This work summarizes the LAMBS buried mine collections conducted at three beach sites - an inland bay beach site (Eglin AFB, FL, Site A-22), an Atlantic beach site (Duck, NC), and a Gulf beach site (Eglin AFB, FL, Site A-15). Characteristics of the spectral signatures of the various dry and damp beach sands are presented. These are then compared to buried land mine signatures observed for the tested background types, burial ages, and environmental conditions experienced.

Non-traditional Physics-based Inverse Approaches for Determining a Buried Object’s Location

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

parameterization of its time-decay curve) in dipole models ( Pasion and Oldenburg, 2001) or the amplitudes of responding magnetic sources in the NSMS...commonly in use. According to the simple dipole model ( Pasion and Oldenburg, 2001), the secondary magnetic field due to the dipole m is 3 0 1 ˆ ˆ(3...Forum, St. Louis, MO. L. R. Pasion and D. W. Oldenburg (2001), “A discrimination algorithm for UXO using time domain electromagnetics.” J. Environ

Near-specular acoustic scattering from a buried submarine mud volcano.

PubMed

Gerig, Anthony L; Holland, Charles W

2007-12-01

Submarine mud volcanoes are objects that form on the seafloor due to the emission of gas and fluidized sediment from the Earth's interior. They vary widely in size, can be exposed or buried, and are of interest to the underwater acoustics community as potential sources of active sonar clutter. Coincident seismic reflection data and low frequency bistatic scattering data were gathered from one such buried mud volcano located in the Straits of Sicily. The bistatic data were generated using a pulsed piston source and a 64-element horizontal array, both towed over the top of the volcano. The purpose of this work was to appropriately model low frequency scattering from the volcano using the bistatic returns, seismic bathymetry, and knowledge of the general geoacoustic properties of the area's seabed to guide understanding and model development. Ray theory, with some approximations, was used to model acoustic propagation through overlying layers. Due to the volcano's size, scattering was modeled using geometric acoustics and a simple representation of volcano shape. Modeled bistatic data compared relatively well with experimental data, although some features remain unexplained. Results of an inversion for the volcano's reflection coefficient indicate that it may be acoustically softer than expected.

Shallow water imaging sonar system for environmental surveying. Final report

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

NONE

1998-05-01

The scope of this research is to develop a shallow water sonar system designed to detect and map the location of objects such as hazardous wastes or discarded ordnance in coastal waters. The system will use high frequency wide-bandwidth imaging sonar, mounted on a moving platform towed behind a boat, to detect and identify objects on the sea bottom. Resolved images can be obtained even if the targets are buried in an overlayer of silt. The specific technical objective of this research was to develop and test a prototype system that is capable of (1) scan at high speeds (upmore » to 10m/s), even in shallow water (depth to ten meters), without motion blurring or loss of resolution; (2) produce images of the bottom structure that are detailed enough for unambiguous detection of objects as small as 15cm, even if they are buried up to 30cm deep in silt or sand. The critical technology involved uses an linear FM (LFM) or similar complex waveform, which has a high bandwidth for good range resolution, with a long pulse length for similar Dopper resolution. The lone duration signal deposits more energy on target than a narrower pulse, which increases the signal-to-noise ratio and signal-to-clutter ratio. This in turn allows the use of cheap, lightweight, low power, piezoelectric transducers at the 30--500 kHz range.« less

Magnetic Gradient Horizontal Operator (MHGO) useful for detecting objects buried at shallow depth: cultural heritage (Villa degli Antonini, Rota Rio)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Filippo, Michele; Di Nezza, Maria

2016-04-01

Several factors were taken into consideration in order to appropriately tailor the geophysical explorations at the cultural heritage. Given the fact that each site has been neglected for a long time and in recent times used as an illegal dumping area, we thoroughly evaluated for this investigation the advantages and limitations of each specific technique, and the general conditions and history of the site. We took into account the extension of the areas to be investigated and the need for rapid data acquisition and processing. Furthermore, the survey required instrumentation with sensitivity to small background contrasts and as little as possible affected by background noise sources. In order to ascertain the existence and location of underground buried walls, a magnetic gradiometer survey (MAG) was planned. The map of the magnetic anomalies is not computed to reduction at the pole (RTP), but with a magnetic horizontal gradient operator (MHGO). The magnetic horizontal gradient operator (MHGO) generates from a grid of vertical gradient a grid of steepest slopes (i.e. the magnitude of the gradient) at any point on the surface. The MHGO is reported as a number (rise over run) rather than degrees, and the direction is opposite to that of the slope. The MHGO is zero for a horizontal surface, and approaches infinity as the slope approaches the vertical. The gradient data are especially useful for detecting objects buried at shallow depth. The map reveals some details of the anomalies of the geomagnetic field. Magnetic anomalies due to walls are more evident than in the total intensity map, whereas anomalies due to concentrations of debris are very weak. In this work we describe the results of an investigation obtained with magnetometry investigation for two archaeological sites: "Villa degli Antonini" (Genzano, Rome) and Rota Ria (Mugnano in Teverina, Viterbo). Since the main goal of the investigation was to understand the nature of magnetic anomalies with cost-effective method, we have also detection and location of underground buried structures using different instruments and techniques geophysical were carried out (EMI, GPR and microgravity) and so far excavated only in a targeted sector of the area of the anomaly labeled in order to test the validity of the geophysical survey.

Geoarchaeological results from geophysical prospections at the Roman city of Urbs Salvia, central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schettino, Antonio; Perna, Roberto; Pierantoni, Pietro Paolo; Ghezzi, Annalisa; Tassi, Luca; Cingolani, Sofia

2017-04-01

We report on a combined magnetic-GPR survey performed in 2015 and 2016 at the ancient Roman city of Urbs Salvia, located in central Italy. The main objective of this survey was to reconstruct the urban organization of the city forum and determine possible sites of future excavations. We found a complex pattern of buried structures, possibly resulting from the coexistence of republican and imperial artifacts and burned structures. A test excavation at the location where we detected a long linear structure characterized by strong magnetic signal revealed the presence of thermal baths. GPR data were acquired in areas characterized by high magnetic noise induced by metallic infrastructures (e.g., fences), which prevented a correct acquisition of archaeological anomalies. These data not only allowed to overcome the magnetic noise, but provided interesting 3D reconstructions of the buried structures. A detailed GPR survey in the theatre area was also performed, with the aim to investigate the plan of the porticus post scaenam. This survey allowed to identify some interesting structures related to different chronological phases and confirms the epigraphic data related to the development of the monument.

Incidence of Treatment for Infection of Buried Versus Exposed Kirschner Wires in Phalangeal, Metacarpal, and Distal Radial Fractures.

PubMed

Ridley, Taylor J; Freking, Will; Erickson, Lauren O; Ward, Christina Marie

2017-07-01

To determine whether there is a difference in the incidence of infection between exposed and buried K-wires when used to treat phalangeal, metacarpal, and distal radius fractures. We conducted a retrospective review identifying all patients aged greater than 16 years who underwent fixation of phalangeal, metacarpal, or distal radius fractures with K-wires between 2007 and 2015. We recorded patient demographic data, fracture location, number of K-wires used, whether K-wires were buried or left exposed, and duration of K-wire placement. A total of 695 patients met inclusion criteria. Surgeons buried K-wires in 207 patients and left K-wires exposed in 488. Infections occurred more frequently in exposed K-wire cases than in buried K-wire ones. Subgroup analysis based on fracture location revealed a significantly increased risk of being treated for infection when exposed K-wires were used for metacarpal fractures. Patients with exposed K-wires for fixation of phalangeal, metacarpal, or distal radius fractures were more likely to be treated for a pin-site infection than those with K-wires buried beneath the skin. Metacarpal fractures treated with exposed K-wires were 2 times more likely to be treated for a pin-site infection (17.6% of exposed K wire cases vs 8.7% of buried K wire cases). Therapeutic IV. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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.

Finding buried metallic pipes using a non-destructive approach based on 3D time-domain induced polarization data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Zhenlu; Revil, André; Mao, Deqiang; Wang, Deming

2018-04-01

The location of buried utility pipes is often unknown. We use the time-domain induced polarization method to non-intrusively localize metallic pipes. A new approach, based on injecting a primary electrical current between a pair of electrodes and measuring the time-lapse voltage response on a set of potential electrodes after shutting down this primary current is used. The secondary voltage is measured on all the electrodes with respect to a single electrode used as a reference for the electrical potential, in a way similar to a self-potential time lapse survey. This secondary voltage is due to the formation of a secondary current density in the ground associated with the polarization of the metallic pipes. An algorithm is designed to localize the metallic object using the secondary voltage distribution by performing a tomography of the secondary source current density associated with the polarization of the pipes. This algorithm is first benchmarked on a synthetic case. Then, two laboratory sandbox experiments are performed with buried metallic pipes located in a sandbox filled with some clean sand. In Experiment #1, we use a horizontal copper pipe while in Experiment #2 we use an inclined stainless steel pipe. The result shows that the method is effective in localizing these two pipes. At the opposite, electrical resistivity tomography is not effective in localizing the pipes because they may appear resistive at low frequencies. This is due to the polarization of the metallic pipes which blocks the charge carriers at its external boundaries.

Laser-induced acoustic imaging of underground objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wen; DiMarzio, Charles A.; McKnight, Stephen W.; Sauermann, Gerhard O.; Miller, Eric L.

1999-02-01

This paper introduces a new demining technique based on the photo-acoustic interaction, together with results from photo- acoustic experiments. We have buried different types of targets (metal, rubber and plastic) in different media (sand, soil and water) and imaged them by measuring reflection of acoustic waves generated by irradiation with a CO2 laser. Research has been focused on the signal acquisition and signal processing. A deconvolution method using Wiener filters is utilized in data processing. Using a uniform spatial distribution of laser pulses at the ground's surface, we obtained 3D images of buried objects. The images give us a clear representation of the shapes of the underground objects. The quality of the images depends on the mismatch of acoustic impedance of the buried objects, the bandwidth and center frequency of the acoustic sensors and the selection of filter functions.

3D Buried Utility Location Using A Marching-Cross-Section Algorithm for Multi-Sensor Data Fusion

PubMed Central

Dou, Qingxu; Wei, Lijun; Magee, Derek R.; Atkins, Phil R.; Chapman, David N.; Curioni, Giulio; Goddard, Kevin F.; Hayati, Farzad; Jenks, Hugo; Metje, Nicole; Muggleton, Jennifer; Pennock, Steve R.; Rustighi, Emiliano; Swingler, Steven G.; Rogers, Christopher D. F.; Cohn, Anthony G.

2016-01-01

We address the problem of accurately locating buried utility segments by fusing data from multiple sensors using a novel Marching-Cross-Section (MCS) algorithm. Five types of sensors are used in this work: Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), Passive Magnetic Fields (PMF), Magnetic Gradiometer (MG), Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields (LFEM) and Vibro-Acoustics (VA). As part of the MCS algorithm, a novel formulation of the extended Kalman Filter (EKF) is proposed for marching existing utility tracks from a scan cross-section (scs) to the next one; novel rules for initializing utilities based on hypothesized detections on the first scs and for associating predicted utility tracks with hypothesized detections in the following scss are introduced. Algorithms are proposed for generating virtual scan lines based on given hypothesized detections when different sensors do not share common scan lines, or when only the coordinates of the hypothesized detections are provided without any information of the actual survey scan lines. The performance of the proposed system is evaluated with both synthetic data and real data. The experimental results in this work demonstrate that the proposed MCS algorithm can locate multiple buried utility segments simultaneously, including both straight and curved utilities, and can separate intersecting segments. By using the probabilities of a hypothesized detection being a pipe or a cable together with its 3D coordinates, the MCS algorithm is able to discriminate a pipe and a cable close to each other. The MCS algorithm can be used for both post- and on-site processing. When it is used on site, the detected tracks on the current scs can help to determine the location and direction of the next scan line. The proposed “multi-utility multi-sensor” system has no limit to the number of buried utilities or the number of sensors, and the more sensor data used, the more buried utility segments can be detected with more accurate location and orientation. PMID:27827836

3D Buried Utility Location Using A Marching-Cross-Section Algorithm for Multi-Sensor Data Fusion.

PubMed

Dou, Qingxu; Wei, Lijun; Magee, Derek R; Atkins, Phil R; Chapman, David N; Curioni, Giulio; Goddard, Kevin F; Hayati, Farzad; Jenks, Hugo; Metje, Nicole; Muggleton, Jennifer; Pennock, Steve R; Rustighi, Emiliano; Swingler, Steven G; Rogers, Christopher D F; Cohn, Anthony G

2016-11-02

We address the problem of accurately locating buried utility segments by fusing data from multiple sensors using a novel Marching-Cross-Section (MCS) algorithm. Five types of sensors are used in this work: Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), Passive Magnetic Fields (PMF), Magnetic Gradiometer (MG), Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields (LFEM) and Vibro-Acoustics (VA). As part of the MCS algorithm, a novel formulation of the extended Kalman Filter (EKF) is proposed for marching existing utility tracks from a scan cross-section (scs) to the next one; novel rules for initializing utilities based on hypothesized detections on the first scs and for associating predicted utility tracks with hypothesized detections in the following scss are introduced. Algorithms are proposed for generating virtual scan lines based on given hypothesized detections when different sensors do not share common scan lines, or when only the coordinates of the hypothesized detections are provided without any information of the actual survey scan lines. The performance of the proposed system is evaluated with both synthetic data and real data. The experimental results in this work demonstrate that the proposed MCS algorithm can locate multiple buried utility segments simultaneously, including both straight and curved utilities, and can separate intersecting segments. By using the probabilities of a hypothesized detection being a pipe or a cable together with its 3D coordinates, the MCS algorithm is able to discriminate a pipe and a cable close to each other. The MCS algorithm can be used for both post- and on-site processing. When it is used on site, the detected tracks on the current scs can help to determine the location and direction of the next scan line. The proposed "multi-utility multi-sensor" system has no limit to the number of buried utilities or the number of sensors, and the more sensor data used, the more buried utility segments can be detected with more accurate location and orientation.

EMISSION OF VOLATILE COMPOUNDS BY SEEDS UNDER DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

EPA Science Inventory

Small mammals locate buried wet seeds more efficiently than buried dry seeds. This may be attributable to emission of volatile compounds by the seeds. To test this hypothesis I measured emission of volatile compounds from seeds of three plant species (Pinus contorta, Purshia tr...

Application of scanning angle Raman spectroscopy for determining the location of buried polymer interfaces with tens of nanometer precision

DOE PAGES

Damin, Craig A.; Nguyen, Vy H. T.; Niyibizi, Auguste S.; ...

2015-02-11

In this study, near-infrared scanning angle (SA) Raman spectroscopy was utilized to determine the interface location in bilayer films (a stack of two polymer layers) of polystyrene (PS) and polycarbonate (PC). Finite-difference-time-domain (FDTD) calculations of the sum square electric field (SSEF) for films with total bilayer thicknesses of 1200–3600 nm were used to construct models for simultaneously measuring the film thickness and the location of the buried interface between the PS and PC layers. Samples with total thicknesses of 1320, 1890, 2300, and 2750 nm and varying PS/PC interface locations were analyzed using SA Raman spectroscopy. Comparing SA Raman spectroscopymore » and optical profilometry measurements, the average percent difference in the total bilayer thickness was 2.0% for films less than ~2300 nm thick. The average percent difference in the thickness of the PS layer, which reflects the interface location, was 2.5% when the PS layer was less than ~1800 nm. SA Raman spectroscopy has been shown to be a viable, non-destructive method capable of determining the total bilayer thickness and buried interface location for bilayer samples consisting of thin polymer films with comparable indices of refraction.« less

Investigation of an Electromagnetic Induction Sensor

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

c) (f) Figure 5. Respose plotted on an Argand diagram over the center of a) TS-50 anti-personnel landmines buried 0 to...5 cm deep, b) MAI-75 anti- personnel landmines buried 0 to 5 cm deep, and c) patio stones buried 2.5 to 11 cm deep. Magnitude of the respose at the 21...Figure 6. Respose plotted on an Argand diagram over the center of empty grid locations. II - 377 a) b) c) d) Figure 5. Response of four mines

Numerical study of the polarization effect of GPR systems on the detection of buried objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sagnard, Florence

2017-04-01

This work is in line with the studies carried out in our department over the last few years on object detection in civil engineering structures and soils. In parallel to building of the second version of the Sense-City test site where several pipeline networks will be buried [1], we are developing numerical models using the FIT and the FDTD approaches to study more precisely the contribution of the polarization diversity in the detection of conductive and dielectric buried objects using the GPR technique. The simulations developed are based on a ultra-wide band SFCW GPR system that have been designed and evaluated in our laboratory. A parametric study is proposed to evaluate the influence of the antenna configurations and the antenna geometry when considering the polarization diversity in the detection and characterization of canonical objects. [1] http://www.sense-city.univ-paris-est.fr/index.php

Retrieval of Shape Characteristics for Buried Objects with GPR Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soldovieri, F.; Comite, D.; Galli, A.; Valerio, G.; Barone, P. M.; Lauro, S. E.; Mattei, E.; Pettinelli, E.

2012-04-01

Information retrieval on the location and the geometrical features (dimensions and shape) of buried objects is of fundamental importance in geosciences areas involving environmental protection, mine clearance, archaeological investigations, space and planetary exploration, and so forth. Among the different non-invasive sensing techniques usually employed to achieve this kind of information, those based on ground-penetrating-radar (GPR) instruments are well-established and suitable to the mentioned purposes [1]. In this context, our interest in the present work is specifically focused on testing the potential performance of typical GPR instruments by means of appropriate data processing. It will be shown in particular to what extent the use of a suitable "microwave tomographic approach" [2] is able to furnish a shape estimation of the targets, possibly recognizing different kinds of canonical geometries, even having reduced cross sections and in critical conditions, where the scatterer size is comparable with resolution limits imposed by the usual measurement configurations. Our study starts by obtaining the typical "direct" information from the GPR techniques that is the scattered field in subsurface environments under the form of radargrams. In order to get a wide variety of scenarios for the operating conditions, this goal is achieved by means of two different and independent approaches [3]. One approach is based on direct measurements through an experimental laboratory setup: commercial GPR instruments (typically bistatic configurations operating around 1 GHz frequency range) are used to collect radargram profiles by investigating an artificial basin filled of liquid and/or granular materials (sand, etc.), in which targets (having different constitutive parameters, shape, and dimensions) can be buried. The other approach is based on numerical GPR simulations by means of a commercial CAD electromagnetic tool (CST), whose suitable implementation and data processing allow us to retrieve results again in the form of radargrams for the scattering features of arbitrarily-composed subsurfaces. Once these types of "direct" (measured and/or simulated) radargram data are obtained, the "inverse" problem is then handled, based on a Born approximation to linearize the scattering problem. The targets are represented in terms of anomalies ("contrast function") of dielectric permittivity and conductivity with respect to the properties of a background environment. The analysis of the relevant results for the spatial distribution of the magnitude of the contrast function shows that, in various even-challenging practical cases, this kind of approach is able to properly locate buried objects, also identifying the relevant shape features. [1] D. J. Daniels (Ed.), Ground penetrating radar. IEE Press, 2004. [2] E. Pettinelli, A. Di Matteo, E. Mattei, L. Crocco, F. Soldovieri, J. D. Redman, and A. P. Annan, "GPR response from buried pipes: measurement on field site and tomographic reconstructions," IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sensing, vol. 47, pp. 2639-2645, Aug. 2009. [3] G. Valerio, A. Galli, P. M. Barone, S. E. Lauro, E. Mattei, and E. Pettinelli, "GPR detectability of rocks in a Martian-like shallow subsoil: a numerical approach," Planet. Space Sci., 10 pp., doi: 10.1016/j.pss.2011.12.003, 2011.

Electrical Resistivity Tomography and Ground Penetrating Radar for locating buried petrified wood sites: a case study in the natural monument of the Petrified Forest of Evros, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vargemezis, George; Diamanti, Nectaria; Tsourlos, Panagiotis; Fikos, Ilias

2014-05-01

A geophysical survey was carried out in the Petrified Forest of Evros, the northernmost regional unit of Greece. This collection of petrified wood has an age of approximately 35 million years and it is the oldest in Greece (i.e., older than the well-known Petrified Forest of Lesvos island located in the North Aegean Sea and which is possibly the largest of the petrified forests worldwide). Protection, development and maintenance projects still need to be carried out at the area despite all fears regarding the forest's fate since many petrified logs remain exposed both in weather conditions - leading to erosion - and to the public. This survey was conducted as part of a more extensive framework regarding the development and protection of this natural monument. Geophysical surveying has been chosen as a non-destructive investigation method since the area of application is both a natural ecosystem and part of cultural heritage. Along with electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys have been carried out for investigating possible locations of buried fossilized tree trunks. The geoelectrical sections derived from ERT data in combination with the GPR profiles provided a broad view of the subsurface. Two and three dimensional subsurface geophysical images of the surveyed area have been constructed, pointing out probable locations of petrified logs. Regarding ERT, petrified trunks have been detected as high resistive bodies, while lower resistivity values were more related to the surrounding geological materials. GPR surveying has also indicated buried petrified log locations. As these two geophysical methods are affected in different ways by the subsurface conditions, the combined use of both techniques enhanced our ability to produce more reliable interpretations of the subsurface. After the completion of the geophysical investigations of this first stage, petrified trunks were revealed after a subsequent excavation at indicated locations. Moreover, we identified possible buried petrified targets at locations yet to be excavated.

Detailed magnetic survey at Dahshour archeological sites Southwest Cairo, Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mekkawi, Mahmoud; Arafa-Hamed, Tarek; Abdellatif, Tareq

2013-06-01

Dahshour area has recently shown a great potential of archeological findings. This was remarkable from the latest discovery of the causeway and the mortuary temple of the Pyramid of Amenemhat III using geophysical data. The main objective of the present work is to locate the buried archeological remains in the area of Dahshour, Southwest Cairo using magnetic survey for shallow investigations. Land magnetic data is acquired using proton magnetometer (two sensors) with a sensor separation of 0.8 m; i.e. gradiometer survey. The study area is located nearby the two known pyramids of Dahshour. The field data is processed and analyzed using Oasis Montaj Geosoft™ software. The processed data is presented in order to delineate the hidden artifacts causing the magnetic anomalies. The results indicated a distribution of the buried archeological features within the study area. These archeological features are detected according to the magnetic contrast between the magnetic archeological sources (such as mud bricks, basalt and granite) and the surroundings; mainly sandy soil. The delineated archeological features at Dahshour are probably dated back to the old kingdom having a depth reach up to 3.0 m. Consequently it is highly recommended to carry out excavation to precisely classify them and high light their nature and value.

Continued Investigation of the Acoustics of Marine Sediments Using Impedance Tube and Acoustic Resonator Techniques

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-30

seagrass , which in turn benefits buried object detection, sonar operation and acoustic communications in shallow water. Another goal for the out years...bottom sediments, including multiphase materials such as gas- bearing sediments and seagrass . These measurements are conducted using an acoustic...such as gas-bearing sediments and seagrass , which in turn benefits buried object detection, sonar operation and acoustic communications in shallow

Acoustic-based Technology to Detect Buried Pipes

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-07-29

The objective of this project is to build a pre-commercial device, improve its performance to detect multiple buried pipes, and evaluate the pre-commercial device at utility sites. In the past, Gas Technology Institute (GTI) and SoniVerse Inc. (SVI) ...

Progress in quantitative GPR development at CNDE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eisenmann, David; Margetan, F. J.; Chiou, C.-P.; Roberts, Ron; Wendt, Scott

2014-02-01

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) uses electromagnetic (EM) radiation pulses to locate and map embedded objects. Commercial GPR instruments are generally geared toward producing images showing the location and extent of buried objects, and often do not make full use of available absolute amplitude information. At the Center for Nondestructive Evaluation (CNDE) at Iowa State University efforts are underway to develop a more quantitative approach to GPR inspections in which absolute amplitudes and spectra of measured signals play a key role. Guided by analogous work in ultrasonic inspection, there are three main thrusts to the effort. These focus, respectively, on the development of tools for: (1) analyzing raw GPR data; (2) measuring the EM properties of soils and other embedding media; and (3) simulating GPR inspections. This paper reviews progress in each category. The ultimate goal of the work is to develop model-based simulation tools that can be used assess the usefulness of GPR for a given inspection scenario, to optimize inspection choices, and to determine inspection reliability.

Buried Object Detection

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-22

Final Report 19 January 1987 Army Research OfficeM Contract No. DAAL03..87-K-0052 National Center for Physical Acoustics D T ! C " Naioal P. 0. Box 847...black . umberJ FIELO I GROUP I SU9GROU-p Acoustic , Seismic, Acoustic seismic coupling, porefluid, pulse echo, propagation, soils, sound speed...seismic transfer function. /’An acoustic scheme for buried object detection is thought to involve a sound source above the ground and a microphone as a

Sequential feature selection for detecting buried objects using forward looking ground penetrating radar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaw, Darren; Stone, Kevin; Ho, K. C.; Keller, James M.; Luke, Robert H.; Burns, Brian P.

2016-05-01

Forward looking ground penetrating radar (FLGPR) has the benefit of detecting objects at a significant standoff distance. The FLGPR signal is radiated over a large surface area and the radar signal return is often weak. Improving detection, especially for buried in road targets, while maintaining an acceptable false alarm rate remains to be a challenging task. Various kinds of features have been developed over the years to increase the FLGPR detection performance. This paper focuses on investigating the use of as many features as possible for detecting buried targets and uses the sequential feature selection technique to automatically choose the features that contribute most for improving performance. Experimental results using data collected at a government test site are presented.

Chemical Weapons Disposal: Improvements Needed in Program Accountability and Financial Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-05-01

United States General Accounting Office PAQ Report to Congressional Committees May 2000 CHEMICAL WEAPONS DISPOSAL Improvements Needed in Program...warfare materiel, and former production facilities and identify and locate buried chemical warfare materiel. Alternative Technologies and Approaches...production facilities, and buried chemical warfare materiel. These items are described in table 1. Table 1: Nonstockpile Chemical Materiel Category

LOCATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF SUBSURFACE ANOMALIES USING A SOIL CONDUCTIVITY PROBE

EPA Science Inventory

An electrical conductivity probe, designed for use with "direct push" technology, has been successfully used to locate buried drums, contaminant plumes, and to precisely locate and characterize a previously installed permeable reactive iron wall. The conductivity probe was desig...

Magnetic signature of Siaolin Village, southern Taiwan, after burial by a catastrophic landslide due to Typhoon Morakot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doo, W.-B.; Hsu, S.-K.; Chen, C.-C.; Hsieh, H.-H.; Yen, H.-Y.; Chen, Y.-G.; Chang, W.-Y.

2011-03-01

Typhoon Morakot caused terrible flooding and torrential rains that severely damaged southern Taiwan. Swollen rivers wiped out roads and demolished buildings. Long-lasting and intense rainfall triggered landslides in many regions in southern Taiwan, including the landslide that buried Siaolin Village in Kaohsiung County and killed approximately 500 people. Locating buried buildings immediately after a landslide could be an emergent issue in life saving and hazard mitigation. Analyzing the magnetic signature of a buried area is an efficient and non-destructive way to detect subsurface buildings. This paper presents the results of a magnetic survey for the purpose of outlining subsurface images of Siaolin Village after the catastrophic landslide induced by Typhoon Morakot in 2009. We found that a high-resolution magnetic survey can reveal suspected building positions that match the initial locations of buildings in Siaolin Village. The estimated depths of the buried buildings are 5-10 m deep. The magnetic data further suggest a possible debris-flow direction of NE to SW because the northern part of the village was mostly destroyed, while buildings in the southern part of the village remained in place.

A novel design of the high-precision magnetic locator with three-dimension measurement capability applying dynamically sensing mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wen-Nan; Chen, Po-Shen; Chen, Mu-Ping; Teng, Ching-Cheng

2006-09-01

A novel design of the magnetic locator, for obtaining the high-precision measurement information of variety of the buried metal pipes, is presented in this paper. The concept of dynamically sensing mechanism, including the vibrating and moving devices, proposed herein is a simple and effective way to improve the precision of three-dimension location sensing for the underground utilities. Based on the primary magnetism of Lenz's law and Faraday's law, the functions of the amplifying effect for the sensing magnetic signals, as well as the distinguishing effect by the simple filtering algorithms embedded in processing programs, are achieved while the relatively strong noise exists. The verification results of these integration designs demonstrate the effectiveness both by precise locating for the buried utility, and accurate measurement for the depth.

Evaluation of the use of shredded tires around buried pipes : technical assistance report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1999-05-01

The objective of this project was to assess the potential of placement and compaction of shredded tire chips and soil-tire mix in confined trenches around buried pipes and to evaluate the stability and deformation of metal pipes in such systems. The ...

Using terrestrial laser scanning for differential measurement of interannual rock glacier movement in the Argentine Dry Andes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kane, Renato R.

Argentina has recently implemented laws to protect glaciers and buried ice in the Andes to improve the sustainability of scarce, long-term water resources. Therefore, all glaciers and buried ice terrains must be located and avoided in any commercial alterations of the landscape. Buried ice in this remote and often dangerous terrain typically is located via the use of remote-sensing techniques. This thesis applies one such technique, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) in the form of Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS), to detect rock glacier movement that is indicative of flowing, buried ice not visible in near surface excavations. TLS surveys were completed at two locales, Los Azules and El Altar, in both AD 2013 and AD 2014 on landscapes where buried ice is suspected to have produced the current surface forms. Multiple TLS scans were co-registered with the use of benchmarks, both between scans and between years, which introduced quantifiable positional errors. Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) were derived from the point cloud data by standardizing the spacing of the points in the horizontal direction, creating 0.1 m by 0.1 m cells with elevation as the cell value. The DEMs for each year were subtracted from each other to yield a change in elevation. The surface roughness of the rock glaciers (vertical variability within each cell) was empirically determined and evaluated as a threshold for results. Both sites showed sub-decimeter interannual movements, and the direction of their movement is typical of forms with buried ice. The results of the study were validated using independent GPS data showing annual movement rates. Despite the downslope movement of these rock glaciers, the volume of ice contained within them remains unclear, and further study is required to assess the volume of water contained.

Instrumenting free-swimming dolphins echolocating in open water.

PubMed

Martin, Stephen W; Phillips, Michael; Bauer, Eric J; Moore, Patrick W; Houser, Dorian S

2005-04-01

Dolphins within the Navy Marine Mammal Program use echolocation to effectively locate underwater mines. They currently outperform manmade systems at similar tasks, particularly in cluttered environments and on buried targets. In hopes of improving manmade mine-hunting sonar systems, two instrumentation packages were developed to monitor free-swimming dolphin motion and echolocation during open-water target detection tasks. The biosonar measurement tool (BMT) is carried by a dolphin and monitors underwater position and attitude while simultaneously recording echolocation clicks and returning echoes through high-gain binaural receivers. The instrumented mine simulator (IMS) is a modified bottom target that monitors echolocation signals arriving at the target during ensonification. Dolphin subjects were trained to carry the BMT in open-bay bottom-object target searches in which the IMS could serve as a bottom object. The instrumentation provides detailed data that reveal hereto-unavailable information on the search strategies of free-swimming dolphins conducting open-water, bottom-object search tasks with echolocation.

Instrumenting free-swimming dolphins echolocating in open water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Stephen W.; Phillips, Michael; Bauer, Eric J.; Moore, Patrick W.; Houser, Dorian S.

2005-04-01

Dolphins within the Navy Marine Mammal Program use echolocation to effectively locate underwater mines. They currently outperform manmade systems at similar tasks, particularly in cluttered environments and on buried targets. In hopes of improving manmade mine-hunting sonar systems, two instrumentation packages were developed to monitor free-swimming dolphin motion and echolocation during open-water target detection tasks. The biosonar measurement tool (BMT) is carried by a dolphin and monitors underwater position and attitude while simultaneously recording echolocation clicks and returning echoes through high-gain binaural receivers. The instrumented mine simulator (IMS) is a modified bottom target that monitors echolocation signals arriving at the target during ensonification. Dolphin subjects were trained to carry the BMT in open-bay bottom-object target searches in which the IMS could serve as a bottom object. The instrumentation provides detailed data that reveal hereto-unavailable information on the search strategies of free-swimming dolphins conducting open-water, bottom-object search tasks with echolocation. .

Chemical Sensing for Buried Landmines - Fundamental Processes Influencing Trace Chemical Detection

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

PHELAN, JAMES M.

2002-05-01

Mine detection dogs have a demonstrated capability to locate hidden objects by trace chemical detection. Because of this capability, demining activities frequently employ mine detection dogs to locate individual buried landmines or for area reduction. The conditions appropriate for use of mine detection dogs are only beginning to emerge through diligent research that combines dog selection/training, the environmental conditions that impact landmine signature chemical vapors, and vapor sensing performance capability and reliability. This report seeks to address the fundamental soil-chemical interactions, driven by local weather history, that influence the availability of chemical for trace chemical detection. The processes evaluated include:more » landmine chemical emissions to the soil, chemical distribution in soils, chemical degradation in soils, and weather and chemical transport in soils. Simulation modeling is presented as a method to evaluate the complex interdependencies among these various processes and to establish conditions appropriate for trace chemical detection. Results from chemical analyses on soil samples obtained adjacent to landmines are presented and demonstrate the ultra-trace nature of these residues. Lastly, initial measurements of the vapor sensing performance of mine detection dogs demonstrates the extreme sensitivity of dogs in sensing landmine signature chemicals; however, reliability at these ultra-trace vapor concentrations still needs to be determined. Through this compilation, additional work is suggested that will fill in data gaps to improve the utility of trace chemical detection.« less

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

Carter, E.

A new class of grout material based on molten wax offers a dramatic improvement in permeation grouting performance. This new material makes a perfect in situ containment of buried radioactive waste both feasible and cost effective. This paper describes various ways the material can be used to isolate buried waste in situ. Potential applications described in the paper include buried radioactive waste in deep trenches, deep shafts, Infiltration trenches, and large buried objects. Use of molten wax for retrieval of waste is also discussed. Wax can also be used for retrieval of air sensitive materials or drummed waste. This papermore » provides an analysis of the methods of application and the expected performance and cost of several potential projects. (authors)« less

Strategies for alignment and e-beam contact to buried atomic-precision devices in Si

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wyrick, Jonathan; Namboodiri, Pradeep; Wang, Xiqiao; Murray, Roy; Hagmann, Joseph; Li, Kai; Stewart, Michael; Richter, Curt; Silver, Richard

STM based hydrogen lithography has proven to be a viable route to fabrication of atomic-precision electronic devices. The strength of this technique is the ability to control the lateral placement of phosphorus atoms in a single atomic layer of Si with sub-nanometer resolution. However, because of limitations in the rate at which a scanning probe can pattern a device, as well as the ultimate size of contacts that can be fabricated (on the order of a micron in length), making electrical contact to STM fabricated devices encased in Si is nontrivial. One commonly implemented solution to this challenge is to choose the exact location on a Si surface where a device is to be patterned by STM and to design fiducials to aid in navigating the probe to that predetermined location. We present results from an alternate strategy for contacting buried devices based on performing the STM lithography fabrication first, and determination of the buried structure location after the fact using topographically identifiable STM fabricated fiducials. AFM, scanning capacitance, and peak force Kelvin microscopy as well as optical microscopy techniques are evaluated as a means for device relocation and to quantify the comparative accuracy of these techniques.

Attenuation characteristics of the fundamental modes that propagate in buried iron water pipes.

PubMed

Long, R; Lowe, M; Cawley, P

2003-09-01

The attenuation of the fundamental non-torsional modes that propagate down buried iron water pipes has been studied. The mode shapes, mode attenuation due to leakage into the surrounding medium and the scattering of the modes as they interact with pipe joints and fittings have been investigated. In the low frequency region the mode predicted to dominate over significant propagation distances approximates a plane wave in the water within the pipe. The established acoustic technique used to locate leaks in buried iron water pipes assumes that leak noise propagates as a single non-dispersive mode at a velocity related to the low frequency asymptote of this water borne mode. Experiments have been conducted on buried water mains at test sites in the UK to verify the attenuation and velocity dispersion predictions.

The use of geoscience methods for terrestrial forensic searches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pringle, J. K.; Ruffell, A.; Jervis, J. R.; Donnelly, L.; McKinley, J.; Hansen, J.; Morgan, R.; Pirrie, D.; Harrison, M.

2012-08-01

Geoscience methods are increasingly being utilised in criminal, environmental and humanitarian forensic investigations, and the use of such methods is supported by a growing body of experimental and theoretical research. Geoscience search techniques can complement traditional methodologies in the search for buried objects, including clandestine graves, weapons, explosives, drugs, illegal weapons, hazardous waste and vehicles. This paper details recent advances in search and detection methods, with case studies and reviews. Relevant examples are given, together with a generalised workflow for search and suggested detection technique(s) table. Forensic geoscience techniques are continuing to rapidly evolve to assist search investigators to detect hitherto difficult to locate forensic targets.

If training data appears to be mislabeled, should we relabel it? Improving supervised learning algorithms for threat detection in ground penetrating radar data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reichman, Daniël.; Collins, Leslie M.; Malof, Jordan M.

2018-04-01

This work focuses on the development of automatic buried threat detection (BTD) algorithms using ground penetrating radar (GPR) data. Buried threats tend to exhibit unique characteristics in GPR imagery, such as high energy hyperbolic shapes, which can be leveraged for detection. Many recent BTD algorithms are supervised, and therefore they require training with exemplars of GPR data collected over non-threat locations and threat locations, respectively. Frequently, data from non-threat GPR examples will exhibit high energy hyperbolic patterns, similar to those observed from a buried threat. Is it still useful therefore, to include such examples during algorithm training, and encourage an algorithm to label such data as a non-threat? Similarly, some true buried threat examples exhibit very little distinctive threat-like patterns. We investigate whether it is beneficial to treat such GPR data examples as mislabeled, and either (i) relabel them, or (ii) remove them from training. We study this problem using two algorithms to automatically identify mislabeled examples, if they are present, and examine the impact of removing or relabeling them for training. We conduct these experiments on a large collection of GPR data with several state-of-the-art GPR-based BTD algorithms.

The acute and long-term neurotoxic effects of MDMA on marble burying behaviour in mice.

PubMed

Saadat, Kathryn S; Elliott, J Martin; Colado, M Isabel; Green, A Richard

2006-03-01

When mice are exposed to harmless objects such as marbles in their cage they bury them, a behaviour sometimes known as defensive burying. We investigated the effect of an acute dose of MDMA (èecstasy') and other psychoactive drugs on marble burying and also examined the effect of a prior neurotoxic dose of MDMA or p-chloroamphetamine (PCA) on burying. Acute administration of MDMA produced dose-dependent inhibition of marble burying (EC50: 7.6 micro mol/kg). Other drugs that enhance monoamine function also produced dose-dependent inhibition: methamphetamine PCA paroxetine MDMA GBR 12909 methylphenidate. None of these drugs altered locomotor activity at a dose that inhibited burying. A prior neurotoxic dose of MDMA, which decreased striatal dopamine content by 60%, but left striatal 5-HT content unaltered, did not alter spontaneous marble burying 18 or 40 days later. However, a neurotoxic dose of PCA which decreased striatal dopamine by 60% and striatal 5-HT by 70% attenuated marble burying 28 days later. Overall, these data suggest that MDMA, primarily by acutely increasing 5-HT function, acts like several anxiolytic drugs in this behavioural model. Long-term loss of cerebral 5-HT content also produced a similar effect. Since this change was observed only after 28 days, it is probably due to an adaptive response in the brain.

A comparison between decomposition rates of buried and surface remains in a temperate region of South Africa.

PubMed

Marais-Werner, Anátulie; Myburgh, J; Becker, P J; Steyn, M

2018-01-01

Several studies have been conducted on decomposition patterns and rates of surface remains; however, much less are known about this process for buried remains. Understanding the process of decomposition in buried remains is extremely important and aids in criminal investigations, especially when attempting to estimate the post mortem interval (PMI). The aim of this study was to compare the rates of decomposition between buried and surface remains. For this purpose, 25 pigs (Sus scrofa; 45-80 kg) were buried and excavated at different post mortem intervals (7, 14, 33, 92, and 183 days). The observed total body scores were then compared to those of surface remains decomposing at the same location. Stages of decomposition were scored according to separate categories for different anatomical regions based on standardised methods. Variation in the degree of decomposition was considerable especially with the buried 7-day interval pigs that displayed different degrees of discolouration in the lower abdomen and trunk. At 14 and 33 days, buried pigs displayed features commonly associated with the early stages of decomposition, but with less variation. A state of advanced decomposition was reached where little change was observed in the next ±90-183 days after interment. Although the patterns of decomposition for buried and surface remains were very similar, the rates differed considerably. Based on the observations made in this study, guidelines for the estimation of PMI are proposed. This pertains to buried remains found at a depth of approximately 0.75 m in the Central Highveld of South Africa.

South Polar Hills

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

28 January 2006 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a summer scene from the south polar region of Mars. The circular feature in the northeast (upper right) corner of the image is an old meteor impact crater that has been partially filled and buried. The cone-shaped hill that occurs within the crater on its east (right) side is a remnant of material that once covered and completely buried the crater. Perhaps beneath the surfaces in the rest of the image there are other craters that have been filled and buried such that we cannot know, from an image, that they ever existed. The theme of filled, buried, and exhumed craters is one that repeats itself -- over and over again -- all over Mars.

Location near: 80.3oS, 286.1oW Image width: 3 km (1.9 mi) Illumination from: upper left Season: Southern Summer

Controlled research utilizing a basic all-metal detector in the search for buried firearms and miscellaneous weapons.

PubMed

Rezos, Mary M; Schultz, John J; Murdock, Ronald A; Smith, Stephen A

2010-02-25

Incorporating geophysical technologies into forensic investigations has become a growing practice. Oftentimes, forensic professionals rely on basic metal detectors to assist their efforts during metallic weapons searches. This has created a need for controlled research in the area of weapons searches, specifically to formulate guidelines for geophysical methods that may be appropriate for locating weapons that have been discarded or buried by criminals attempting to conceal their involvement in a crime. Controlled research allows not only for testing of geophysical equipment, but also for updating search methodologies. This research project was designed to demonstrate the utility of an all-metal detector for locating a buried metallic weapon through detecting and identifying specific types of buried metal targets. Controlled testing of 32 buried targets which represented a variety of sizes and metallic compositions included 16 decommissioned street-level firearms, 6 pieces of assorted scrap metals, and 10 blunt or bladed weapons. While all forensic targets included in the project were detected with the basic all-metal detector, the size of the weapon and surface area were the two variables that affected maximum depth of detection, particularly with the firearm sample. For example, when using a High setting the largest firearms were detected at a maximum depth of 55 cm, but the majority of the remaining targets were only detected at a maximum depth of 40 cm or less. Overall, the all-metal detector proved to be a very good general purpose metal detector best suited for detecting metallic items at shallow depths. 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Detection of Unknown Crypts under the Floor in the Holy Trinity Church (Dominican Monastery) in Krakow, Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strzępowicz, Anna; Łyskowski, Mikołaj; Ziętek, Jerzy; Tomecka-Suchoń, Sylwia

2018-03-01

The GPR surveying method belongs to non-invasive and quick geophysical methods, applied also in archaeological prospection. It allows for detecting archaeological artefacts buried under historical layers, and also those which can be found within buildings of historical value. Most commonly, just as in this particular case, it is used in churches, where other non-invasive localisation methods cannot be applied. In a majority of cases, surveys bring about highly positive results, enabling the site and size of a specific object to be indicated. A good example are the results obtained from the measurements carried out in the Basilica of Holy Trinity, belonging to the Dominican Monastery in Krakow. They allowed for confirming the location of the already existing crypts and for indicating so-far unidentified objects.

Mesa in Aureum Chaos

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

2 August 2004 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a circular mesa and layered materials that are partially-exposed from beneath a thick, dark mantle in the Aureum Chaos region of Mars. The features are part of a much larger circular form (bigger than the image shown here) that marks the location of a crater that was filled with light-toned sedimentary rock, buried, and then later re-exposed when the upper crust of Mars broke apart in this region to form buttes and mesas of 'chaotic terrain.' The circular mesa in this image might also be the location of a formerly filled and buried crater. This image is located near 4.0oS, 26.9oW. It covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across; sunlight illuminates the scene from the left/upper left.

Northeast Arabia Terra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

9 September 2004 Northeastern Arabia Terra is a heavily eroded portion of the martian cratered highlands. Layered rock, containing filled and buried valleys and ancient impact craters, has been eroded such that these once-buried features are now partially exposed at the martian surface. This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows an example of a field of circular and somewhat circular features that once were impact craters that were subsequently filled, buried, then exhumed to form the patterns exhibited here. The image is located near 25.6oN, 290.2oW. The image covers an area approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) across and is illuminated by sunlight from the lower left.

Revealing the semiconductor–catalyst interface in buried platinum black silicon photocathodes

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

Aguiar, Jeffery A.; Anderson, Nicholas C.; Neale, Nathan R.

2016-01-01

Nanoporous 'black' silicon semiconductors interfaced with buried platinum nanoparticle catalysts have exhibited stable activity for photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution even after months of exposure to ambient conditions. The mechanism behind this stability has not been explained in detail, but is thought to involve a Pt/Si interface free from SiOx layer that would adversely affect interfacial charge transfer kinetics. In this paper, we resolve the chemical composition and structure of buried Pt/Si interfaces in black silicon photocathodes from a micron to sub-nanometer level using aberration corrected analytical scanning transmission electron microscopy. Through a controlled electrodeposition of copper on samples aged for onemore » month in ambient conditions, we demonstrate that the main active catalytic sites are the buried Pt nanoparticles located below the 400-800 nm thick nanoporous SiOx layer. Though hydrogen production performance degrades over 100 h under photoelectrochemical operating conditions, this burying strategy preserves an atomically clean catalyst/Si interface free of oxide or other phases under air exposure and provides an example of a potential method for stabilizing silicon photoelectrodes from oxidative degradation in photoelectrochemical applications.« less

Numerical modeling of an enhanced very early time electromagnetic (VETEM) prototype system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cui, T.J.; Chew, W.C.; Aydiner, A.A.; Wright, D.L.; Smith, D.V.; Abraham, J.D.

2000-01-01

In this paper, two numerical models are presented to simulate an enhanced very early time electromagnetic (VETEM) prototype system, which is used for buried-object detection and environmental problems. Usually, the VETEM system contains a transmitting loop antenna and a receiving loop antenna, which run on a lossy ground to detect buried objects. In the first numerical model, the loop antennas are accurately analyzed using the Method of Moments (MoM) for wire antennas above or buried in lossy ground. Then, Conjugate Gradient (CG) methods, with the use of the fast Fourier transform (FFT) or MoM, are applied to investigate the scattering from buried objects. Reflected and scattered magnetic fields are evaluated at the receiving loop to calculate the output electric current. However, the working frequency for the VETEM system is usually low and, hence, two magnetic dipoles are used to replace the transmitter and receiver in the second numerical model. Comparing these two models, the second one is simple, but only valid for low frequency or small loops, while the first modeling is more general. In this paper, all computations are performed in the frequency domain, and the FFT is used to obtain the time-domain responses. Numerical examples show that simulation results from these two models fit very well when the frequency ranges from 10 kHz to 10 MHz, and both results are close to the measured data.

Electron beam directed energy device and methods of using same

DOEpatents

Retsky, Michael W.

2007-10-16

A method and apparatus is disclosed for an electron beam directed energy device. The device consists of an electron gun with one or more electron beams. The device includes one or more accelerating plates with holes aligned for beam passage. The plates may be flat or preferably shaped to direct each electron beam to exit the electron gun at a predetermined orientation. In one preferred application, the device is located in outer space with individual beams that are directed to focus at a distant target to be used to impact and destroy missiles. The aimings of the separate beams are designed to overcome Coulomb repulsion. A method is also presented for directing the beams to a target considering the variable terrestrial magnetic field. In another preferred application, the electron beam is directed into the ground to produce a subsurface x-ray source to locate and/or destroy buried or otherwise hidden objects including explosive devices.

Electromagnetic sensing for deterministic finishing gridded domes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galbraith, Stephen L.

2013-06-01

Electromagnetic sensing is a promising technology for precisely locating conductive grid structures that are buried in optical ceramic domes. Burying grid structures directly in the ceramic makes gridded dome construction easier, but a practical sensing technology is required to locate the grid relative to the dome surfaces. This paper presents a novel approach being developed for locating mesh grids that are physically thin, on the order of a mil, curved, and 75% to 90% open space. Non-contact location sensing takes place over a distance of 1/2 inch. A non-contact approach was required because the presence of the ceramic material precludes touching the grid with a measurement tool. Furthermore, the ceramic which may be opaque or transparent is invisible to the sensing technology which is advantageous for calibration. The paper first details the physical principles being exploited. Next, sensor impedance response is discussed for thin, open mesh, grids versus thick, solid, metal conductors. Finally, the technology approach is incorporated into a practical field tool for use in inspecting gridded domes.

Selective-placement burial of drilling fluids: 2. Effects on buffalograss and fourwing saltbrush. [Atriplex canescens; Buchloe dactyloides

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

McFarland, M.L.; Hartmann, S.; Ueckert, D.N.

Surface disposal of spent drilling fluids used in petroleum and natural gas exploration causes surface soil contamination that severely inhibits secondary plant succession and artificial revegetation efforts. Selective-placement burial was evaluated at two locations in western Texas for on-site disposal of drilling fluids in arid and semiarid regions. Establishment, yield, and chemical composition of fourwing saltbrush (Atriplex canescens (Pursh Nutt.)) and buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.) transplants on undisturbed soils and on plots with spent drilling fluids and cuttings buried 30, 90 (with and without a 30-cm coarse limestone capillary barrier) and 150 cm were compared. Survival of both speciesmore » was 97 to 100% 17 months after planting on plots with buried drilling wastes. Canopy cover and aboveground biomass of fourwing saltbrush were greater over buried drilling wastes than on untreated plots, whereas canopy cover and aboveground biomass of buffalograss were not affected by the treatments. Significant increases in Na, M, and Mg concentrations in buffalograss after 17 months on plots with drilling fluids buried 30 cm deep at one location indicated plant uptake of some drilling fluid constituents. Elevated Zn concentrations in fourwing saltbush indicated that a portion of the Zn in the drilling fluids was available for plant uptake, while no evidence of plant accumulation of Ba, Cr, Cu, or Ni from drilling fluids was detected.« less

Accurate modeling and inversion of electrical resistivity data in the presence of metallic infrastructure with known location and dimension

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

Johnson, Timothy C.; Wellman, Dawn M.

2015-06-26

Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) has been widely used in environmental applications to study processes associated with subsurface contaminants and contaminant remediation. Anthropogenic alterations in subsurface electrical conductivity associated with contamination often originate from highly industrialized areas with significant amounts of buried metallic infrastructure. The deleterious influence of such infrastructure on imaging results generally limits the utility of ERT where it might otherwise prove useful for subsurface investigation and monitoring. In this manuscript we present a method of accurately modeling the effects of buried conductive infrastructure within the forward modeling algorithm, thereby removing them from the inversion results. The method ismore » implemented in parallel using immersed interface boundary conditions, whereby the global solution is reconstructed from a series of well-conditioned partial solutions. Forward modeling accuracy is demonstrated by comparison with analytic solutions. Synthetic imaging examples are used to investigate imaging capabilities within a subsurface containing electrically conductive buried tanks, transfer piping, and well casing, using both well casings and vertical electrode arrays as current sources and potential measurement electrodes. Results show that, although accurate infrastructure modeling removes the dominating influence of buried metallic features, the presence of metallic infrastructure degrades imaging resolution compared to standard ERT imaging. However, accurate imaging results may be obtained if electrodes are appropriately located.« less

Three-dimensional imaging of buried objects in very lossy earth by inversion of VETEM data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cui, T.J.; Aydiner, A.A.; Chew, W.C.; Wright, D.L.; Smith, D.V.

2003-01-01

The very early time electromagnetic system (VETEM) is an efficient tool for the detection of buried objects in very lossy earth, which allows a deeper penetration depth compared to the ground-penetrating radar. In this paper, the inversion of VETEM data is investigated using three-dimensional (3-D) inverse scattering techniques, where multiple frequencies are applied in the frequency range from 0-5 MHz. For small and moderately sized problems, the Born approximation and/or the Born iterative method have been used with the aid of the singular value decomposition and/or the conjugate gradient method in solving the linearized integral equations. For large-scale problems, a localized 3-D inversion method based on the Born approximation has been proposed for the inversion of VETEM data over a large measurement domain. Ways to process and to calibrate the experimental VETEM data are discussed to capture the real physics of buried objects. Reconstruction examples using synthesized VETEM data and real-world VETEM data are given to test the validity and efficiency of the proposed approach.

Subsurface characterization by the ground penetrating radar WISDOM/ExoMars 2020

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hervé, Y.; Ciarletti, V.; Le Gall, A. A.; Oudart, N.; Loizeau, D.; Guiffaut, C.; Dorizon, S.

2017-12-01

The main objective of the ExoMars 2020 mission is to search for signs of past and/or present life on Mars. Toward this goal, a rover was designed to investigate the shallow subsurface which is the most likely place where signs of life may be preserved, beneath the hostile surface of Mars. The rover of the ExoMars 2020 mission has on board a polarimetric ground penetrating radar called WISDOM (Water Ice Subsurface Deposits Observation on Mars). Thanks to its large frequency bandwidth of 2.5 GHz, WISDOM is able to probe down to a depth of approximately 3 m on sedimentary rock with a vertical resolution of a few centimeters.The main scientific objectives of WISDOM are to characterize the shallow subsurface of Mars, to help understand the local geological context and to identify the most promising location for drilling. The WISDOM team is currently working on the preparation of the scientific return of the ExoMars 2020 mission. In particular, tools are developed to interpret WISDOM experimental data and, more specifically, to extract information from the radar signatures of expected buried reflectors. Insights into the composition of the ground (through the retrieval of its permittivity) and the geological context of the site can be inferred from the radar signature of buried rocks since the shape and the density of rocks in the subsurface is related to the geological processes that have shaped and placed them there (impact, fluvial processes, volcanism). This paper presents results obtained by automatic detection of structures of interest on a radargram, especially radar signature of buried rocks. The algorithm we developed uses a neural network to identify the position of buried rocks/blocs and then a Hough transform to characterize each signature and to estimate the local permittivity of the medium. Firstly, we will test the performances of the algorithm on simulated data constructed with a 3D FDTD code. This code allows us to simulate radar operation in realistic environments. Secondly, we will test our algorithm on experimental data acquired in a semi-controlled environment. Lastly, we will present experimental data acquired during a recent field campaign (July 2017) in the south of France and we will validate our method and illustrate the ability of WISDOM to provide clues about the geological context of a site.

Buried Mesozoic rift basins of Moroccan Atlantic continental margin

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

Mohamed, N.; Jabour, H.; El Mostaine, M.

1995-08-01

The Atlantic continental margin is the largest frontier area for oil and gas exploration in Morocco. Most of the activity has been concentrated where Upper Jurassic carbonate rocks have been the drilling objectives, with only one significant but non commercial oil discovery. Recent exploration activities have focused on early Mesozoic Rift basins buried beneath the post-rift sediments of the Middle Atlantic coastal plain. Many of these basins are of interest because they contain fine-grained lacustrine rocks that have sufficient organic richness to be classified as efficient oil prone source rock. Location of inferred rift basins beneath the Atlantic coastal plainmore » were determined by analysis of drilled-hole data in combination with gravity anomaly and aeromagnetic maps. These rift basins are characterized by several half graben filled by synrift sediments of Triassic age probably deposited in lacustrine environment. Coeval rift basins are known to be present in the U.S. Atlantic continental margin. Basin modeling suggested that many of the less deeply bored rift basins beneath the coastal plain are still within the oil window and present the most attractive exploration targets in the area.« less

Minefield reconnaissance and detector system

DOEpatents

Butler, M.T.; Cave, S.P.; Creager, J.D.; Johnson, C.M.; Mathes, J.B.; Smith, K.J.

1994-04-26

A multi-sensor system is described for detecting the presence of objects on the surface of the ground or buried just under the surface, such as anti-personnel or anti-tank mines or the like. A remote sensor platform has a plurality of metal detector sensors and a plurality of short pulse radar sensors. The remote sensor platform is remotely controlled from a processing and control unit and signals from the remote sensor platform are sent to the processing and control unit where they are individually evaluated in separate data analysis subprocess steps to obtain a probability score for each of the pluralities of sensors. These probability scores are combined in a fusion subprocess step by comparing score sets to a probability table which is derived based upon the historical incidence of object present conditions given that score set. A decision making rule is applied to provide an output which is optionally provided to a marker subprocess for controlling a marker device to mark the location of found objects. 7 figures.

Integrated GPR and ERT as Enhanced Detection for Subsurface Historical Structures Inside Babylonian Houses Site, Uruk City, Southern Iraq

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Khersan, Emad H.; Al-Ani, Jassim M. T.; Abrahem, Salah N.

2016-03-01

Uruk archaeological site, which located in Al-Muthanna Governorate southern Iraq, was investigated by integrated geophysical methods, ground penetration radar (GPR) and electric resistivity tomography (ERT) to image the historical buried structures. The GPR images show large radar attributes characterized by its continuous reflections having different widths. GPR attributes at shallower depth are mainly representing the upper part of Babylonian Houses that can often be found throughout the study area. In addition, radargrams characterized objects such as buried items, buried trenches and pits which were mainly concentrated near the surface. The ERT results show the presence of several anomalies at different depths generally having low resistivities. It is clear that the first upper zone can be found throughout the whole area and it may represent the top zone of the Babylonian houses. This zone is characterized by its dry clay and sandy soil containing surface broken bricks and slag mixed with core boulders. The second one underneath the top shows a prominent lower resistivity zone. It is probably caused by the moisture content that reduces the resistivity. The thickness of this zone is not equal at all parts of the site. The third deeper zone typically represents the archaeological walls. Most of the main anomalies perhaps referred to the buried clay brick walls. The map of the archaeological anomalies distribution and 3D view of the foundations at the study area using GPR and ERT techniques clearly show the characteristics of the Babylonian remains. A contour map and 3D view of Uruk show that the archaeological anomalies are concentrated mainly at the NE part of the district with higher values of wall height that range between 6 and 8 m and reach to more than 10 m. At the other directions, there are fewer walls with lower heights of 4-6 m and reach in some places the wall foot.

Seasonal Variations in Resistivity at a Police Forensic Site and the Effectiveness of Unconventional Array Types

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, S.; Bank, C. G.

2016-12-01

Geophysical studies involving the detection of buried organic material can be affected by the passage of time and environmental changes such as temperature and, in more importantly, water content in the ground. These effects can be of particular concern for police forensic investigations. This study involved conducting multiple resistivity surveys across 4 months to determine how time and environmental variations affected the detection of porcine carcasses buried four years previous at a provincial police training and research site. Our research also explored survey results of non-conventional grid and square arrays versus traditional linear arrays. The study site is located in Bolton, Ontario, and measures 16 m by 30 m. It contains 18 graves plus other buried objects. Studies were conducted approximately every other week. The resistivity lines used Wenner arrays of 24 m (0.5 m electrode spacing) and 48 m (1 m spacing) in length. Environmental data was obtained from Environment Canada and through simple observations. Preliminary findings indicated that time and environmental changes affected the detection of the porcine bodies by either being too dry and having too high a resistivity to survey effectively, or too wet and having the site flushed with water making the surrounding ground similar in resistivity to the bodies. Future research is needed to further explore how best to minimize environmental changes from resistivity results to enable reliable detection of buried organic material such as human remains In regard to array configurations, the square array in particular shows promise in that it can be set up and executed in less time than running several linear arrays over the same area. The application of such unconventional arrays to police forensic work may prove valuable if the area of interest is off-limits for resistivity surveys due to physical obstructions.

Development of dual sensor hand-held detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sezgin, Mehmet

2010-04-01

In this paper hand-held dual sensor detector development requirements are considered dedicated to buried object detection. Design characteristics of such a system are categorized and listed. Hardware and software structures, ergonomics, user interface, environmental and EMC/EMI tests to be applied and performance test issues are studied. Main properties of the developed system (SEZER) are presented, which contains Metal Detector (MD) and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). The realized system has ergonomic structure and can detect both metallic and non-metallic buried objects. Moreover classification of target is possible if it was defined to the signal processing software in learning phase.

Procedures for Estimating the Flat-Weighted Peak Level Produced by Surface and Buried Charges

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-08-01

Demolitions and Their Equivalent Weights 11 3 Blast Noise Complaint Potential 15 4 Results of Tests at Fort Lewis, WA in dB 16 5 Results of Tests at...PRODUCED BY SURFACE AND BURIED CHARGES 1 INTRODUCTION Background Blast noise from Army demolitions often causes residents of nearby communities to... blast noise were compared to measurements made at two different locations. The basic equations used in this procedure are discussed in detail in USA

Martian Buried Basins and Implications for Characteristics of the Burial Layer and Underlying Surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarid, A. R.; Frey, H. V.; Roark, J. H.

2003-01-01

Deciphering the cratering record on Mars has been challenging because it may reflect the changes in both the population of impactors and in the resurfacing processes on Mars. However, it is possible to determine the breadth of impactors captured in the cratering record. Extensive areas of resurfacing are of particular interest because they likely contain material from various ages in Martian history. By deducing the impact populations in both surface and underlying layers of terrain, it is possible to determine the age of the layers and constrain theories on the development of the Martian surface. However, to do so requires a method of seeing impact features which are no longer visible. Topographic data of Mars, taken by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA), has revealed impact features buried by resurfacing processes. These features are often indistinguishable on Viking images of the Martian surface. In this study, gridded MOLA data was analyzed in order to locate buried impact features, also called buried basins, in Syria, Solis, and Sinai Planum just south of Valles Marineris. The population statistics of buried features can be compared to those of visible features in order to determine the age of the underlying material and characteristics of the surface cover. Specifically, if the buried population in the Hesperian terrain is similar to the population of visible features in the Noachian, it would suggest that the underlying terrain is Noachian in age. The buried craters can then be compared to visible Noachian craters to reveal the amount of deterioration of the buried features. These comparisons allow us to explore the morphology of the terrain in the Hesperian region to determine if topographic variations are due to differences in the thickness of the overlying material or are a characteristic of the underlying terrain.

IODP Expedition 337: Deep Coalbed Biosphere off Shimokita - Microbial processes and hydrocarbon system associated with deeply buried coalbed in the ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inagaki, Fumio; Hinrichs, Kai-Uwe; Kubo, Yusuke; IODP Expedition 337 Scientists

2016-06-01

The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 337 was the first expedition dedicated to subseafloor microbiology that used riser-drilling technology with the drilling vessel Chikyu. The drilling Site C0020 is located in a forearc basin formed by the subduction of the Pacific Plate off the Shimokita Peninsula, Japan, at a water depth of 1180 m. Primary scientific objectives during Expedition 337 were to study the relationship between the deep microbial biosphere and a series of ˜ 2 km deep subseafloor coalbeds and to explore the limits of life in the deepest horizons ever probed by scientific ocean drilling. To address these scientific objectives, we penetrated a 2.466 km deep sedimentary sequence with a series of lignite layers buried around 2 km below the seafloor. The cored sediments, as well as cuttings and logging data, showed a record of dynamically changing depositional environments in the former forearc basin off the Shimokita Peninsula during the late Oligocene and Miocene, ranging from warm-temperate coastal backswamps to a cool water continental shelf. The occurrence of small microbial populations and their methanogenic activity were confirmed down to the bottom of the hole by microbiological and biogeochemical analyses. The factors controlling the size and viability of ultra-deep microbial communities in those warm sedimentary habitats could be the increase in demand of energy and water expended on the enzymatic repair of biomolecules as a function of the burial depth. Expedition 337 provided a test ground for the use of riser-drilling technology to address geobiological and biogeochemical objectives and was therefore a crucial step toward the next phase of deep scientific ocean drilling.

ExoMars WISDOM Left-Right-Evaluation of Subsurface Features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plettemeier, Dirk; Ciarletti, Valerie; Benedix, Wolf-Stefan; Clifford, Stephen; Dorizon, Sophie; Statz, Christoph

2013-04-01

The Experiment "Water Ice and Subsurface Deposit Observations on Mars" (WISDOM) is a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) selected to be part of the Pasteur payload on board the rover of the ExoMars2018 mission. This experiment has been designed to characterize the shallow subsurface structure of Mars. The radar is a gated step frequency system covering a frequency range from 0.5 GHz to 3 GHz. The antenna system consists of two antennas sending and receiving two orthogonal polarizations each. Its particular arrangement on the rover enables a classification, whether a scattering object is located on the left or the right hand side of the rover path. The setting and the procedure for the left-right-detection of off-track buried objects is described. The method is applied to data from laboratory, test site and field measurements. The capability of WISDOM left-right-evaluation of scatters is based on the performance of the fully polarimetric antenna system. The ultra-light weight antenna system consists of two crosswise arranged Vivaldi arrays, which operate over a wide bandwidth of 6:1. The antenna is placed at the rear of the ExoMars rover in a way that the E- planes of each single Vivaldi antenna is rotated by 45 degrees with respect to the direction of motion. Moreover, the pattern of this Vivaldi antenna exhibits a narrow beam at the E-plane and a wide beam at the H-plane. Besides the simple detection of objects, these particular antenna and accommodation features allow the location of objects to the left or to the right of the rover path. In a first step the left-right-evaluation of objects and subsurface features is investigated on laboratory measurements for different geometrical configurations. As expected the radargrams exhibit a strong echo at the co-polar transfer functions. At each lateral distance the echo of each scatterer produces a hyperbola but the position of the maximum of magnitude depends on the lateral distance to the rover path. In the next step measurements in artificial environment with known material parameters is carried out to estimate the performance for buried objects. Finally, the procedure is applied to measurement data gained from a field test. The data were recorded during a campaign in a cave of the Dachstein mountain area in Austria. Since the echo interpretation of lots of subsurface features at once is not easy, the gray scale data of both polarizations has been set to different color channels and combined. The different colors allow also in a realistic environment the discrimination of subsurface features located on the left from those located on the right hand side of the rover path. This technique is interesting especially for the traverse mode, where the rover is moving long distances from one place of investigation to the next rather that following a grid like pattern necessary to get a real 3D mapping of the subsurface. Even in this case where radar measurements are done on the way one can get a more detailed (3D-like) insight of the subsurface structure.

Modelling the effect of buried valleys on groundwater flow: case study in Ventspils vicinity, Latvia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delina, Aija; Popovs, Konrads; Bikse, Janis; Retike, Inga; Babre, Alise; Kalvane, Gunta

2015-04-01

Buried subglacial valleys are widely distributed in glaciated regions and they can have great influence on groundwater flow and hence on groundwater resources. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of the buried valleys on groundwater flow in a confined aquifer (Middle Devonian Eifelian stage Arukila aquifer, D2ar) applying numerical modelling. The study area is located at vicinity of Ventspils Town, near wellfield Ogsils where number of the buried valleys with different depth and filling material are present. Area is located close to the Baltic Sea at Piejūra lowland Rinda plain and regional groundwater flow is towards sea. Territory is covered by thin layer of Quaternary sediments in thicknesses of 10 to 20 meters although Prequaternary sediments are exposed at some places. Buried valleys are characterized as narrow, elongated and deep formations that is be filled with various, mainly Pleistocene glacigene sediments - either till loam of different ages or sand and gravel or interbedding of both above mentioned. The filling material of the valleys influences groundwater flow in the confined aquifers which is intercepted by the valleys. It is supposed that glacial till loam filled valleys serves as a barrier to groundwater flow and as a recharge conduit when filled with sand and gravel deposits. Numerical model was built within MOSYS modelling system (Virbulis et al. 2012) using finite element method in order to investigate buried valley influence on groundwater flow in the study area. Several conceptual models were tested in numerical model depending on buried valley filling material: sand and gravel, till loam or mixture of them. Groundwater flow paths and travel times were studied. Results suggested that valley filled with glacial till is acting as barrier and it causes sharp drop of piezometric head and downward flow. Valley filled with sand and gravel have almost no effect on piezometric head distribution, however it this case buried valleys encourage groundwater recharge from shallower aquifers. Modelling results with and without valleys shows that buried valleys affect piezometric head in narrow zone around valley. Sand and gravel filled buried valleys recharges confined aquifer with relatively "new" water, thus creating high vulnerability zones in the study area. This research is supported by European Regional Development Fund project Nr.2013/0054/2DP/2.1.1.1.0/13/APIA/VIAA/007 and NRP project EVIDENnT project "Groundwater and climate scenarios" subproject "Groundwater Research". References: Virbulis, J., Timuhins, A., Klints, I., Seņņikovs, J., Bethers, U., Popovs, K. 2012. Script based MOSYS system for the generation of a three dimensional geological structure and the calculation of groundwater flow: case study of the Baltic Artesian Basin. In: Highlights of groundwater research in the Baltic Artesian Basin. University of Latvia, Riga, pp. 53-74.

Comprehensive Review and Case Study on the Management of Buried Penis Syndrome and Related Panniculectomy

PubMed Central

Burns, Hadley; Chowdhry, Saeed; Lee, Thomas; Schulz, Steven; Wilhelmi, Bradon J.

2018-01-01

Objective: This paper discusses the various surgical techniques and outcomes associated with management of buried penis syndrome. Methods: Presented is the case of a 49-year-old man with morbid obesity, leading to massive panniculus and buried penis. We review our technique for reconstruction of the buried penis and treatment of the overlying large panniculus. Literature search was conducted to review current techniques in correcting buried penis syndrome. Results: The patient underwent a successful panniculectomy with removal of all excess skin and tissue. Thoughtful planning and coordination between plastic surgery and urology were paramount to externalize the penis for an excellent functional and cosmetic result. Conclusions: Management of a buried, hidden penis is complex and difficult. Patients are often obese and have poor hygiene due to the inability to cleanse areas that are entrapped by excessive fat. Following removal of the overhanging panniculus, satisfactory reconstruction of a hidden penis is possible when proper care is taken to adhere the base of the penis to the pubis. Split-thickness skin grafts are often necessary but depend on the viability of the penile skin and whether it is restricting penile length. Complications with wound dehiscence and infection are not uncommon; however, patients generally recover well, are satisfied with results, and are reported to have fully regained urinary and sexual functions following surgical correction of the buried penis. PMID:29467914

Determination of protein secondary structure and solvent accessibility using site-directed fluorescence labeling. Studies of T4 lysozyme using the fluorescent probe monobromobimane.

PubMed

Mansoor, S E; McHaourab, H S; Farrens, D L

1999-12-07

We report an investigation of how much protein structural information could be obtained using a site-directed fluorescence labeling (SDFL) strategy. In our experiments, we used 21 consecutive single-cysteine substitution mutants in T4 lysozyme (residues T115-K135), located in a helix-turn-helix motif. The mutants were labeled with the fluorescent probe monobromobimane and subjected to an array of fluorescence measurements. Thermal stability measurements show that introduction of the label is substantially perturbing only when it is located at buried residue sites. At buried sites (solvent surface accessibility of <40 A(2)), the destabilizations are between 3 and 5.5 kcal/mol, whereas at more exposed sites, DeltaDeltaG values of < or = 1.5 kcal/mol are obtained. Of all the fluorescence parameters that were explored (excitation lambda(max), emission lambda(max), fluorescence lifetime, quantum yield, and steady-state anisotropy), the emission lambda(max) and the steady-state anisotropy values most accurately reflect the solvent surface accessibility at each site as calculated from the crystal structure of cysteine-less T4 lysozyme. The parameters we identify allow the classification of each site as buried, partially buried, or exposed. We find that the variations in these parameters as a function of residue number reflect the sequence-specific secondary structure, the determination of which is a key step for modeling a protein of unknown structure.

Quantitative 3D model of light transmittance through translucent rocks applied to the hypolithic microbial community.

PubMed

Jolitz, Rebecca D; McKay, Christopher P

2013-07-01

In extreme desert environments, photosynthetic microorganisms often live on the buried undersides of translucent rocks. Computing the light level reaching these locations requires 3D modeling of a finite rock. We report on Monte Carlo calculations of skylight and sunlight transmission through a partially buried flat cylindrical rock using one billion photons per simulation. Transmitted light level drops inversely with increasing rock opacity, as expected for purely scattering media. For a half-buried rock with an extinction coefficient of 0.1 cm(-1) (opacity of 0.2), transmission at the bottom is 64 % for sunlight at a solar zenith angle of 60° and 82 % for skylight. Transmitted light level increases slowly with increasing scattering asymmetry factor of the rock independent of illumination or depth buried. Transmitted sunlight at zenith through a thick half-buried rock (opacity of 0.6) is six times brighter at the bottom than the subsurface sides. Skylight transmits equally to the subsurface sides and bottom. When the sun is not straight overhead, the sunward side of the rock is brighter than the underside of the rock. Compared to the sunlight transmitted to the bottom, transmitted sunlight inclined at 60° is 24 times brighter at the subsurface side towards the sun and 14 times brighter at the subsurface side 70° away from the sun. Transmitted sunlight emitted from zenith and skylight is uniformly bright at the bottom regardless of how deeply the rock is buried. Sunlight not at zenith transmits preferentially to the sunward bottom edge depending on the depth the rock is buried.

Buried mine detection using fractal geometry analysis to the LWIR successive line scan data image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Araki, Kan

2012-06-01

We have engaged in research on buried mine/IED detection by remote sensing method using LWIR camera. A IR image of a ground, containing buried objects can be assumed as a superimposed pattern including thermal scattering which may depend on the ground surface roughness, vegetation canopy, and effect of the sun light, and radiation due to various heat interaction caused by differences in specific heat, size, and buried depth of the objects and local temperature of their surrounding environment. In this cumbersome environment, we introduce fractal geometry for analyzing from an IR image. Clutter patterns due to these complex elements have oftentimes low ordered fractal dimension of Hausdorff Dimension. On the other hand, the target patterns have its tendency of obtaining higher ordered fractal dimension in terms of Information Dimension. Random Shuffle Surrogate method or Fourier Transform Surrogate method is used to evaluate fractional statistics by applying shuffle of time sequence data or phase of spectrum. Fractal interpolation to each line scan was also applied to improve the signal processing performance in order to evade zero division and enhance information of data. Some results of target extraction by using relationship between low and high ordered fractal dimension are to be presented.

Detection of buried magnetic objects by a SQUID gradiometer system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, Hans-Georg; Hartung, Konrad; Linzen, Sven; Schneider, Michael; Stolz, Ronny; Fried, Wolfgang; Hauspurg, Sebastian

2009-05-01

We present a magnetic detection system based on superconducting gradiometric sensors (SQUID gradiometers). The system provides a unique fast mapping of large areas with a high resolution of the magnetic field gradient as well as the local position. A main part of this work is the localization and classification of magnetic objects in the ground by automatic interpretation of geomagnetic field gradients, measured by the SQUID system. In accordance with specific features the field is decomposed into segments, which allow inferences to possible objects in the ground. The global consideration of object describing properties and their optimization using error minimization methods allows the reconstruction of superimposed features and detection of buried objects. The analysis system of measured geomagnetic fields works fully automatically. By a given surface of area-measured gradients the algorithm determines within numerical limits the absolute position of objects including depth with sub-pixel accuracy and allows an arbitrary position and attitude of sources. Several SQUID gradiometer data sets were used to show the applicability of the analysis algorithm.

In situ vitrification application to buried waste: Final report of intermediate field tests at Idaho National Engineering Laboratory

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

Callow, R.A.; Weidner, J.R.; Loehr, C.A.

This report describes two in situ vitrification field tests conducted on simulated buried waste pits during June and July 1990 at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. In situ vitrification, an emerging technology for in place conversion of contaminated soils into a durable glass and crystalline waste form, is being investigated as a potential remediation technology for buried waste. The overall objective of the two tests was to access the general suitability of the process to remediate waste structures representative of buried waste found at Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. In particular, these tests, as part of a treatability study, were designedmore » to provide essential information on the field performance of the process under conditions of significant combustible and metal wastes and to test a newly developed electrode feed technology. The tests were successfully completed, and the electrode feed technology successfully processed the high metal content waste. Test results indicate the process is a feasible technology for application to buried waste. 33 refs., 109 figs., 39 tabs.« less

Corrective Action Decision Document/Corrective Action Plan for Corrective Action Unit 413: Clean Slate II Plutonium Dispersion (TTR) Tonopah Test Range, Nevada. Revision 0

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

Matthews, Patrick

This Corrective Action Decision Document/Corrective Action Plan provides the rationale and supporting information for the selection and implementation of corrective actions at Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 413, Clean Slate II Plutonium Dispersion (TTR). CAU 413 is located on the Tonopah Test Range and includes one corrective action site, TA-23-02CS. CAU 413 consists of the release of radionuclides to the surface and shallow subsurface from the Clean Slate II (CSII) storage–transportation test conducted on May 31, 1963. The CSII test was a non-nuclear detonation of a nuclear device located inside a concrete bunker covered with 2 feet of soil. To facilitatemore » site investigation and the evaluation of data quality objectives decisions, the releases at CAU 413 were divided into seven study groups: 1 Undisturbed Areas 2 Disturbed Areas 3 Sedimentation Areas 4 Former Staging Area 5 Buried Debris 6 Potential Source Material 7 Soil Mounds Corrective action investigation (CAI) activities, as set forth in the CAU 413 Corrective Action Investigation Plan, were performed from June 2015 through May 2016. Radionuclides detected in samples collected during the CAI were used to estimate total effective dose using the Construction Worker exposure scenario. Corrective action was required for areas where total effective dose exceeded, or was assumed to exceed, the radiological final action level (FAL) of 25 millirem per year. The results of the CAI and the assumptions made in the data quality objectives resulted in the following conclusions: The FAL is exceeded in surface soil in SG1, Undisturbed Areas; The FAL is assumed to be exceeded in SG5, Buried Debris, where contaminated debris and soil were buried after the CSII test; The FAL is not exceeded at SG2, SG3, SG4, SG6, or SG7. Because the FAL is exceeded at CAU 413, corrective action is required and corrective action alternatives (CAAs) must be evaluated. For CAU 413, three CAAs were evaluated: no further action, clean closure, and closure in place. The CAAs were evaluated on technical merit focusing on performance, reliability, feasibility, safety, and cost. Based on the evaluation of analytical data from the CAI, review of future and current operations at CAU 413, and the detailed and comparative analysis of CAAs, clean closure was selected as the preferred CAA for CAU 413 by the U.S. Air Force, Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, and U.S. Department of Energy at the CAA meeting held on August 24, 2016.« less

Finding Infrastructure with Non-Destructive Imaging Technologies (FINDIT)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuckwell, G.; Usher, C.; Stringfellow, M.; Chapman, D.; Metje, N.; Roberts, D.

2017-12-01

Novel uses for existing technologies and new post-processing techniques have been developed to generate a level and detail of information that will make a step-change to standard practice in mapping and assessing the condition of buried infrastructure. The most appropriate sensing technologies for buried telecommunications ducts have been identified as Ground Penetrating Radar and Acoustic reflectometry. Dielectric permittivity changes in the near-surface can manifest themselves in different ways within GPR data. Numerical modelling work has been undertaken by applying a Kuepper signal and an exploding source, and using various different frequencies to determine minute changes (e.g. cracks in pipes) in an object or feature within the near surface. This modelling demonstrated that there is a clear difference between an empty duct, a duct partially filled with cables and a damaged duct. This was confirmed in a laboratory test on dry sand to determine the detectability of a hole in a plastic pipe. This has formed the foundation new data processing algorithms to detect the presence of such defects in real and synthetic data sets. Future work will focus on the development of a test site and field trials to assess the detectability of defects under realistic field conditions. This ongoing programme of work will be validated and iteratively improved by field trials under controlled and live commercial conditions. Finally the cost/benefit of the new workflows develop evaluated through the development of business models for the application of such techniques in telecoms, water and energy supply sectors. In the UK, the majority of the communication network is buried in ducts which are often several decades old. They have often collapsed or become blocked so that spare capacity cannot be used. There is currently no surface detection technology which can accurately locate the position of these defects (or even accurately locate the ducts in all circumstances), so time consuming and costly manual rodding is performed which cannot detect subsequent blockages, resulting in inadequate and inefficient repair planning, increasing the costs and causing disruption to road users.

Paleomagnetic correlation of basalt flows in selected coreholes near the Advanced Test Reactor Complex, the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center, and along the southern boundary, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hodges, Mary K.V.; Champion, Duane E.

2016-10-03

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, used paleomagnetic data from 18 coreholes to construct three cross sections of subsurface basalt flows in the southern part of the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). These cross sections, containing descriptions of the subsurface horizontal and vertical distribution of basalt flows and sediment layers, will be used in geological studies, and to construct numerical models of groundwater flow and contaminant transport.Subsurface cross sections were used to correlate surface vents to their subsurface flows intersected by coreholes, to correlate subsurface flows between coreholes, and to identify possible subsurface vent locations of subsurface flows. Correlations were identified by average paleomagnetic inclinations of flows, and depth from land surface in coreholes, normalized to the North American Datum of 1927. Paleomagnetic data were combined, in some cases, with other data, such as radiometric ages of flows. Possible vent locations of buried basalt flows were identified by determining the location of the maximum thickness of flows penetrated by more than one corehole.Flows from the surface volcanic vents Quaking Aspen Butte, Vent 5206, Mid Butte, Lavatoo Butte, Crater Butte, Pond Butte, Vent 5350, Vent 5252, Tin Cup Butte, Vent 4959, Vent 5119, and AEC Butte are found in coreholes, and were correlated to the surface vents by matching their paleomagnetic inclinations, and in some cases, their stratigraphic positions.Some subsurface basalt flows that do not correlate to surface vents, do correlate over several coreholes, and may correlate to buried vents. Subsurface flows which correlate across several coreholes, but not to a surface vent include the D3 flow, the Big Lost flow, the CFA buried vent flow, the Early, Middle, and Late Basal Brunhes flows, the South Late Matuyama flow, the Matuyama flow, and the Jaramillo flow. The location of vents buried in the subsurface by younger basalt flows can be inferred if their flows are penetrated by several coreholes, by tracing the flows in the subsurface, and determining where the greatest thickness occurs.

Locating hidden channels for placer gold exploration in the Cariboo District, British Columbia, Canada: A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eberle, Detlef; Bastian, Dennis; Ebel, Norbert; Schwarz, Rüdiger

2017-01-01

During the past 150 years, most of the modern day creeks were the target of miners roaming the Cariboo Mountains, British Columbia, in the search for placer gold. In these days, the probability to locate new placer gold occurrence in recent river beds is therefore substantially reduced. New, promising exploration targets appear to be channels mostly buried under alluvial cover sediments. It is airborne geophysical methods that can reveal hidden channels fast and cost-effectively as these penetrate the sub-surface contactless and reflect physical properties of the sub-surface, such as electric conductivity and magnetic susceptibility or magnetization, respectively. We applied the airborne geophysical exploration approach on four exploration areas in the Cariboo gold district. Helicopter-borne transient electromagnetic (TEM) and magnetic data were flown using the SkyTEM system. To our knowledge, it has been innovatory to apply high resolution, high density airborne geophysics in the search for placer gold deposited in pre-Holocene sedimentary channel fills of the Cariboo Mountains. A particular effort of our studies aimed at the Mary creek claims which straddle the boundary of the Quesnel and Kootenay terranes of the Canadian Cordillera and include the dormant Toop mine situated in the Mary creek area known for many finds of coarse nugget from the pre-glacial buried Toop channel. Our objective was to locate the southbound extension of the channel buried in Pleistocene sediments of the Toop plateau. Careful analysis of the airborne geophysical data sets provided indications from both the TEM and magnetic data sets favouring the existence of a hidden channel beneath the plateau. The evaluation of seven reverse circulation (RC) drill holes sunk into a promising elongated narrow conductor beneath the plateau was not conclusive as not clearly showing the sedimentary pattern of a channel with gravels typically at its bottom. Only electric conductivity-depth sections compiled from the airborne TEM and 2D direct current (DC) multi-electrode resistivity ground survey data enabled the interpretation of the airborne TEM and magnetic responses recorded over the Toop plateau. The sections suggest that the electric conductor is generated by an upwarp of a conductive layer extending at the bottom of the Pleistocene sediments. Another feature separated by ≤ 100 m from the conductor line is reflected by low electric conductivity, but is rarely prominent through its neat magnetic signature. Fine accumulations of black minerals, i.e. magnetite grains, in sediments of the area are frequently met when panning material from the creeks. We therefore interpret this low conductivity, magnetic feature as expression of a gravel lense hosting accumulations of magnetite grains and possibly indicating the southbound extension of the Toop channel beneath the plateau. Careful analysis of the airborne magnetic data set led to the result in that magnetite is not only wide-spread in present day rivers and creeks, but also in buried channels and palaeo precipitation run-off paths. Magnetic data proved to be very helpful in this project with regard of pursuing not only present day, but buried valleys and channels, in particular. Our experience made on the Mary creek claims is summarized in a straightforward exploration concept for hidden, possibly gold-bearing channels in the Cariboo gold district.

An Integration of Geophysical Methods to Explore Buried Structures on the Bench and in the Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Booterbaugh, A. P.; Lachhab, A.

2011-12-01

In the following study, an integration of geophysical methods and devices were implemented on the bench and in the field to accurately identify buried structures. Electrical resistivity and ground penetrating radar methods, including both a fabricated electrical resistivity apparatus and an electrical resistivity device were all used in this study. The primary goal of the study was to test the accuracy and reliability of the apparatus which costs a fraction of the price of a commercially sold resistivity instrument. The apparatus consists of four electrodes, two multimeters, a 12-volt battery, a DC to AC inverter and wires. Using this apparatus, an electrical current, is injected into earth material through the outer electrodes and the potential voltage is measured across the inner electrodes using a multimeter. The recorded potential and the intensity of the current can then be used to calculate the apparent resistivity of a given material. In this study the Wenner array, which consists of four equally spaced electrodes, was used due to its higher accuracy and greater resolution when investigating lateral variations of resistivity in shallow depths. In addition, the apparatus was used with an electrical resistivity device and a ground penetrating radar unit to explore the buried building foundation of Gustavus Adolphus Hall located on Susquehanna University Campus, Selinsgrove, PA. The apparatus successfully produced consistent results on the bench level revealing the location of small bricks buried under a soil material. In the summer of 2010, seventeen electrical resistivity transects were conducted on the Gustavus Adolphus site where and revealed remnants of the foundation. In the summer of 2011, a ground penetrating radar survey and an electrical resistivity tomography survey were conducted to further explore the site. Together these methods identified the location of the foundation and proved that the apparatus was a reliable tool for regular use on the bench and in the field.

Distribution of ancient carbon in buried soils in an eroding loess landscape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szymanski, L. M.; Mason, J. A.; De Graaff, M. A.; Berhe, A. A.; Marin-Spiotta, E.

2017-12-01

Understanding the processes that contribute to the accumulation and loss of carbon in soils and the implications for land management is vital for mitigating climate change. Buried soils or paleosols that represent former surface horizons can store more organic carbon than mineral horizons at equivalent depths due to burial restricting microbial decomposition. The presence of buried soils defies modeled expectations of exponential declines in carbon concentrations with depth, especially in locations where successive depositional events lead to multiple buried soil layers. Buried soils are found in a diversity of depositional environments across latitudes and without accounting for their presence can lead to underestimates of regional carbon reservoirs. Here we present data on the spatial distribution of carbon in a paleosol loess sequence in Nebraska, focusing on one prominent paleosol, the Brady soil. The Brady soil has been identified throughout the Central Great Plains and began developing at the end of the Pleistocene and was subsequently buried by loess in the early Holocene (Mason et al. 2003). Preliminary analyses of the Brady soil at its deepest, 6-m below the surface, reveal large differences in the composition and degree of decomposition of organic matter from the modern soil. We sampled along burial and erosional transects to characterize spatial variability in the depth of Brady soil from the modern landscape surface and to determine how these differences may alter the amount and composition of organic carbon. A more accurate determination of the spatial extent and heterogeneity of buried soil carbon will improve regional estimates of carbon reservoirs. This assessment of its variability across the landscape will inform future planned work on the vulnerability of ancient carbon to disturbance.

Application of Analytic Signal and Euler Deconvolution in Archaeo-Magnetic Prospection for Buried Ruins at the Ancient City of Pelusium, NW Sinai, Egypt: A Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aziz, Akram Mekhael; Sauck, William August; Shendi, El-Arabi Hendi; Rashed, Mohamed Ahmed; Abd El-Maksoud, Mohamed

2013-07-01

Progress in the past three decades in geophysical data processing and interpretation techniques was particularly focused in the field of aero-geophysics. The present study is to demonstrate the application of some of these techniques, including Analytic Signal, Located Euler Deconvolution, Standard Euler Deconvolution, and 2D inverse modelling, to help in enhancing and interpreting the archeo-magnetic measurements. A high-resolution total magnetic field survey was conducted at the ancient city of Pelusium (name derived from the ancient Pelusiac branch of the Nile, and recently called Tell el-Farama), located in the northwestern corner of the Sinai Peninsula. The historical city had served as a harbour throughout the Egyptian history. Different ruins at the site have been dated back to late Pharaonic, Graeco-Roman, Byzantine, Coptic, and Islamic periods. An area of 10,000 m2, to the west of the famous huge red brick citadel of Pelusium, was surveyed using the magnetic method. The chosen location was recommended by the Egyptian archaeologists, where they suspected the presence of buried foundations of a temple to the gods Zeus and Kasios. The interpretation of the results revealed interesting shallow-buried features, which may represent the Temple's outer walls. These walls are elongated in the same azimuth as the northern wall of the citadel, which supports the hypothesis of a controlling feature such as a former seacoast or shore of a distributary channel.

CMUT Fabrication Based On A Thick Buried Oxide Layer.

PubMed

Kupnik, Mario; Vaithilingam, Srikant; Torashima, Kazutoshi; Wygant, Ira O; Khuri-Yakub, Butrus T

2010-10-01

We introduce a versatile fabrication process for direct wafer-bonded CMUTs. The objective is a flexible fabrication platform for single element transducers, 1D and 2D arrays, and reconfigurable arrays. The main process features are: A low number of litho masks (five for a fully populated 2D array); a simple fabrication sequence on standard MEMS tools without complicated wafer handling (carrier wafers); an improved device reliability; a wide design space in terms of operation frequency and geometric parameters (cell diameter, gap height, effective insulation layer thickness); and a continuous front face of the transducer (CMUT plate) that is connected to ground (shielding for good SNR and human safety in medical applications). All of this is achieved by connecting the hot electrodes individually through a thick buried oxide layer, i.e. from the handle layer of an SOI substrate to silicon electrodes located in each CMUT cell built in the device layer. Vertical insulation trenches are used to isolate these silicon electrodes from the rest of the substrate. Thus, the high electric field is only present where required - in the evacuated gap region of the device and not in the insulation layer of the post region. Array elements (1D and 2D) are simply defined be etching insulation trenches into the handle wafer of the SOI substrate.

CMUT Fabrication Based On A Thick Buried Oxide Layer

PubMed Central

Kupnik, Mario; Vaithilingam, Srikant; Torashima, Kazutoshi; Wygant, Ira O.; Khuri-Yakub, Butrus T.

2010-01-01

We introduce a versatile fabrication process for direct wafer-bonded CMUTs. The objective is a flexible fabrication platform for single element transducers, 1D and 2D arrays, and reconfigurable arrays. The main process features are: A low number of litho masks (five for a fully populated 2D array); a simple fabrication sequence on standard MEMS tools without complicated wafer handling (carrier wafers); an improved device reliability; a wide design space in terms of operation frequency and geometric parameters (cell diameter, gap height, effective insulation layer thickness); and a continuous front face of the transducer (CMUT plate) that is connected to ground (shielding for good SNR and human safety in medical applications). All of this is achieved by connecting the hot electrodes individually through a thick buried oxide layer, i.e. from the handle layer of an SOI substrate to silicon electrodes located in each CMUT cell built in the device layer. Vertical insulation trenches are used to isolate these silicon electrodes from the rest of the substrate. Thus, the high electric field is only present where required – in the evacuated gap region of the device and not in the insulation layer of the post region. Array elements (1D and 2D) are simply defined be etching insulation trenches into the handle wafer of the SOI substrate. PMID:22685377

Comparison of injury epidemiology between the Wenchuan and Lushan earthquakes in Sichuan, China.

PubMed

Hu, Yang; Zheng, Xi; Yuan, Yong; Pu, Qiang; Liu, Lunxu; Zhao, Yongfan

2014-12-01

We aimed to compare injury characteristics and the timing of admissions and surgeries in the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008 and the Lushan earthquake in 2013. We retrospectively compared the admission and operating times and injury profiles of patients admitted to our medical center during both earthquakes. We also explored the relationship between seismic intensity and injury type. The time from earthquake onset to the peak in patient admissions and surgeries differed between the 2 earthquakes. In the Wenchuan earthquake, injuries due to being struck by objects or being buried were more frequent than other types of injuries, and more patients suffered injuries of the extremities than thoracic injuries or brain trauma. In the Lushan earthquake, falls were the most common injury, and more patients suffered thoracic trauma or brain injuries. The types of injury seemed to vary with seismic intensity, whereas the anatomical location of the injury did not. Greater seismic intensity of an earthquake is associated with longer delay between the event and the peak in patient admissions and surgeries, higher frequencies of injuries due to being struck or buried, and lower frequencies of injuries due to falls and injuries to the chest and brain. These insights may prove useful for planning rescue interventions in trauma centers near the epicenter.

Forensic geomorphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruffell, Alastair; McKinley, Jennifer

2014-02-01

Geomorphology plays a critical role in two areas of geoforensics: searching the land for surface or buried objects and sampling scenes of crime and control locations as evidence. Associated geoscience disciplines have substantial bodies of work dedicated to their relevance in forensic investigations, yet geomorphology (specifically landforms, their mapping and evolution, soils and relationship to geology and biogeography) have not had similar public exposure. This is strange considering how fundamental to legal enquiries the location of a crime and its evolution are, as this article will demonstrate. This work aims to redress the balance by showing how geomorphology featured in one of the earliest works on forensic science methods, and has continued to play a role in the sociology, archaeology, criminalistics and geoforensics of crime. Traditional landscape interpretation from aerial photography is used to demonstrate how a geomorphological approach saved police time in the search for a clandestine grave. The application geomorphology has in military/humanitarian geography and environmental/engineering forensics is briefly discussed as these are also regularly reviewed in courts of law.

The buried active faults in southeastern China as revealed by the relocated background seismicity and fault plane solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, A.; Wang, P.; Liu, F.

2017-12-01

The southeastern China in the mainland corresponds to the south China block, which is characterized by moderate historical seismicity and low stain rate. Most faults are buried under thick Quaternary deposits, so it is difficult to detect and locate them using the routine geological methods. Only a few have been identified to be active in late Quaternary, which leads to relatively high potentially seismic risk to this region due to the unexpected locations of the earthquakes. We performed both hypoDD and tomoDD for the background seismicity from 2000 to 2016 to investigate the buried faults. Some buried active faults are revealed by the relocated seismicity and the velocity structure, no geologically known faults corresponding to them and no surface active evidence ever observed. The geometries of the faults are obtained by analyzing the hypocentral distribution pattern and focal mechanism. The focal mechanism solutions indicate that all the revealed faults are dominated in strike-slip mechanisms, or with some thrust components. While the previous fault investigation and detection results show that most of the Quaternary faults in southeastern China are dominated by normal movement. It suggests that there may exist two fault systems in deep and shallow tectonic regimes. The revealed faults may construct the deep one that act as the seismogenic faults, and the normal faults at shallow cannot generate the destructive earthquakes. The variation in the Curie-point depths agrees well with the structure plane of the revealed active faults, suggesting that the faults may have changed the deep structure.

Using Mechanical Energy as a Probe for the Detection and Imaging of Shallow Buried Inclusions in Dry Granular Beds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sen, Surajit; Krishna Mohan, T. R.; Visco, Donald P.; Swaminathan, Saravanan; Sokolow, Adam; Avalos, Edgar; Nakagawa, Masami

Mechanical energy, such as sound waves and impulses, have been used to detect shallow buried objects for more than half a century. Yet, very little is understood about how mechanical energy propagates into one of the simplest kinds of soil, namely, a granular bed. Here we present an overview of the state of the art in our understanding of mechanical energy propagation in granular beds.

Measurements and modeling of acoustic scattering from partially and completely buried spherical shells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tesei, A.; Maguer, A.; Fox, W. L. J.; Lim, R.; Schmidt, H.

2002-11-01

The use of low-frequency sonars (2-15 kHz) is explored to better exploit scattering features of buried targets that can contribute to their detection and classification. Compared to conventional mine countermeasure sonars, sound penetrates better into the sediment at these frequencies, and the excitation of structural waves in the targets is enhanced. The main contributions to target echo are the specular reflection, geometric diffraction effects, and the structural response, with the latter being particularly important for man-made elastic objects possessing particular symmetries such as bodies of revolution. The resonance response derives from elastic periodic phenomena such as surface circumferential waves revolving around the target. The GOATS'98 experiment, conducted jointly by SACLANTCEN and MIT off the island of Elba, involved controlled monostatic measurements of scattering by spherical shells which were partially and completely buried in sand, and suspended in the water column. The analysis mainly addresses a study of the effect of burial on the dynamics of backscattered elastic waves, which can be clearly identified in the target responses, and is based on the comparison of measurements with appropriate scattering models. Data interpretation results are in good agreement with theory. This positive result demonstrates the applicability of low-frequency methodologies based on resonance analysis to the classification of buried objects. copyright 2002 Acoustical Society of America.

Detection of buried objects by fusing dual-band infrared images

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

Clark, G.A.; Sengupta, S.K.; Sherwood, R.J.

1993-11-01

We have conducted experiments to demonstrate the enhanced detectability of buried land mines using sensor fusion techniques. Multiple sensors, including visible imagery, infrared imagery, and ground penetrating radar (GPR), have been used to acquire data on a number of buried mines and mine surrogates. Because the visible wavelength and GPR data are currently incomplete. This paper focuses on the fusion of two-band infrared images. We use feature-level fusion and supervised learning with the probabilistic neural network (PNN) to evaluate detection performance. The novelty of the work lies in the application of advanced target recognition algorithms, the fusion of dual-band infraredmore » images and evaluation of the techniques using two real data sets.« less

Minefield reconnaissance and detector system

DOEpatents

Butler, Millard T.; Cave, Steven P.; Creager, James D.; Johnson, Charles M.; Mathes, John B.; Smith, Kirk J.

1994-01-01

A multi-sensor system (10) for detecting the presence of objects on the surface of the ground or buried just under the surface, such as anti-personnel or anti-tank mines or the like. A remote sensor platform (12) has a plurality of metal detector sensors (22) and a plurality of short pulse radar sensors (24). The remote sensor platform (12) is remotely controlled from a processing and control unit (14) and signals from the remote sensor platform (12) are sent to the processing and control unit (14) where they are individually evaluated in separate data analysis subprocess steps (34, 36) to obtain a probability "score" for each of the pluralities of sensors (22, 24). These probability scores are combined in a fusion subprocess step (38) by comparing score sets to a probability table (130) which is derived based upon the historical incidence of object present conditions given that score set. A decision making rule is applied to provide an output which is optionally provided to a marker subprocess (40) for controlling a marker device (76) to mark the location of found objects.

Managing previously disposed waste to today's standards

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

Not Available

1990-01-01

A Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) was established at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) in 1952 for controlled disposal of radioactive waste generated at the INEL. Between 1954 and 1970 waste characterized by long lived, alpha emitting radionuclides from the Rocky Flats Plant was also buried at this site. Migration of radionuclides and other hazardous substances from the buried Migration of radionuclides and other hazardous substances from the buried waste has recently been detected. A Buried Waste Program (BWP) was established to manage cleanup of the buried waste. This program has four objectives: (1) determine contaminant sources, (2) determinemore » extent of contamination, (3) mitigate migration, and (4) recommend an alternative for long term management of the waste. Activities designed to meet these objectives have been under way since the inception of the program. The regulatory environment governing these activities is evolving. Pursuant to permitting activities under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) entered into a Consent Order Compliance Agreement (COCA) for cleanup of past practice disposal units at the INEL. Subsequent to identification of the RWMC as a release site, cleanup activities proceeded under dual regulatory coverage of RCRA and the Atomic Energy Act. DOE, EPA, and the State of Idaho are negotiating a RCRA/Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Interagency Agreement (IAG) for management of waste disposal sites at the INEL as a result of the November 1989 listing of the INEL on the National Priority List (NPL). Decision making for selection of cleanup technology will be conducted under the CERCLA process supplemented as required to meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 7 figs.« less

Magnetic and GPR surveys of a former munitions foundry site at the Denver Federal Center

USGS Publications Warehouse

Campbell, David L.; Beanland, Shay; Lucius, Jeffrey E.; Powers, Michael H.

2000-01-01

We made magnetometer and ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys over part of the foundation of a World War II-era foundry located on the Denver Federal Center. The site contains a number of highly magnetic source bodies, concrete foundation walls, and underground openings, buried under a clay cap. The cap is several feet thick and has a conductivity of about 35 mS/m, making the features underneath it a poor target for conventional GPR. Indeed, the raw data look unlike typical GPR data, but rather show reverberation (?) bands under sidewalks and other shallow buried sources. Using a newly-written computer package, we made plan maps of the GPR response at different time slices. The sliced GPR data did not outline buried foundry foundations, as we had hoped it might. The resulting plan maps of the sliced data show sidewalks and other blobby features, some of which correspond to magnetometer highs.

Topographic Map of Chryse Planitia with Location of Possible Buried Basin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

This topographic map, based on data from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter, shows the ground track of the 1,892nd and the 1,903rd orbits of Mars Express and the arc structures detected by that orbiter's Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding (MARSIS). The arc structures are interpreted to be part of a buried impact basin about 250 kilometers (155 miles) in diameter.

The topographic relief represented in the image is 1 kilometer (0.6 mile), from low (purple) to high (red). The projected arcs are shown in red for orbit 1892 and white for orbit 1903. There is no obvious feature in the surface topography that corresponds to the buried feature identified with MARSIS data.

NASA and the Italian Space Agency jointly funded the MARSIS instrument on the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter. The Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter is an instrument on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor orbiter.

Soil-seed bank survival in forests of the southern United States

Treesearch

James S. Meadows; Frank T. Bonner; James D. Haywood

2006-01-01

We evaluated the longevity of seeds of 12 common woody species buried in fresh condition in the forest floor at three forest locations in Mississippi and Louisiana. Seed samples of each species were retrieved annually for 5 years from each location. Germination and tetrazolium chloride staining tests were conducted on the samples to determine germinative capacity. When...

Systematic Approach to Identifying Deeply Buried Archeological Deposits

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2018-02-01

Traditional methods used to discover archeological sites include pedestrian surface surveys and relatively shallow hand-dug shovel or soil core testing. While these methods are appropriate for locating surface and near-surface sites on ridges, hillto...

Geophysical investigation, Salmon Site, Lamar County, Mississippi

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

NONE

Geophysical surveys were conducted in 1992 and 1993 on 21 sites at the Salmon Site (SS) located in Lamar County, Mississippi. The studies are part of the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) being conducted by IT Corporation for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). During the 1960s, two nuclear devices and two chemical tests were detonated 826 meters (in) (2710 feet [ft]) below the ground surface in the salt dome underlying the SS. These tests were part of the Vela Uniform Program conducted to improve the United States capability to detect, identify, and locate underground nuclear detonations. The RI/FS is beingmore » conducted to determine if any contamination is migrating from the underground shot cavity in the salt dome and if there is any residual contamination in the near surface mud and debris disposal pits used during the testing activities. The objective of the surface geophysical surveys was to locate buried debris, disposal pits, and abandoned mud pits that may be present at the site. This information will then be used to identify the locations for test pits, cone penetrometer tests, and drill hole/monitor well installation. The disposal pits were used during the operation of the test site in the 1960s. Vertical magnetic gradient (magnetic gradient), electromagnetic (EM) conductivity, and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys were used to accomplish these objectives. A description of the equipment used and a theoretical discussion of the geophysical methods are presented Appendix A. Because of the large number of figures relative to the number of pages of text, the geophysical grid-location maps, the contour maps of the magnetic-gradient data, the contour maps of the EM conductivity data, and the GPR traverse location maps are located in Appendix B, Tabs I through 22. In addition, selected GPR records are located in Appendix C.« less

Mapping a buried Quaternary valley and pre-Quaternary faults through seismic methods in Copenhagen, Denmark.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez, Kerim; Alfredo Mendoza, Jose; Henrik, Olsen

2010-05-01

Limited knowledge of the subsurface geology motivates the use of geophysical techniques before large engineering projects are conducted. These applications are normally restricted to satisfy the project aims, like mapping the near surface sediments, unconsolidated rocks and/or geological structures that may affect the construction locally. However, the applications can also contribute to the general knowledge of the regional geology around the location of interest. This report highlights the mapping of a buried Quaternary valley and identification of regional faults by a reflection and refraction seismic survey performed in Copenhagen. A 13.9 Km seismic survey was carried out at Copenhagen city along six crooked lines in order to determine the velocity fields in the near subsurface segment of a planned metro line and reflection patterns in deeper levels. The aim of the survey was to collect information needed for designing the underground metro. In particular it was sought to map the interface between Quaternary sedimentary layers of clay, till and sand, and the underlying layers of Palaeogene limestone found between 7 and 40 m below the ground surface. The data acquisition was carried out using a 192 channels array, receiver groups with 5 m spacing and a Vibroseis as a source at 5 m spacing following a roll along technique to complete the survey spreads. The urban environment demanded extensive survey planning including traffic control, notifications to residents and a fluent coordination with municipal authorities in order to minimize disturbances and ensure data acquisition. The reflection data was processed under a conventional scheme and the refraction data was interpreted using a non-linear traveltime tomography algorithm. The reflection results indicate the presence of faults oriented NW-SE to NNW-SSE affecting the limestone sequences. The faults may be associated to the Sorgenfrei-Tornquist Zone at the transition between the Danish Basin and the Baltic Shield. The refraction interpretation allowed the mapping of the velocity distribution in the upper sediments and their interface with the underlying limestone sequences. In this work two sections along the northern part of the survey are presented and discussed. The cases show the ability of the seismic results to image the presence of a buried valley that has been previously reported but was geophysically mapped for the first time under these investigations. The results delineate the sediments-limestone interface as the depth to the limestone increases. These results are validated through borehole data from locations along the surveyed lines. Other minor lateral variations are also observed and compared to a geological model. The location of the buried valley corresponds to a fault zone observed in the reflection seismic investigation. Accordingly, the location of the valley may in part have been controlled by the faults. The overall results of the seismic investigations are currently being used as part of the design basis for the construction of the metro line and may be useful for future engineering projects in the area. In general, the investigation results demonstrated that in addition to meet specific project objectives near surface geophysics has the potential to provide insights to the general understanding of geological processes. The authors wish to acknowledge Metroselskabet I/S for permission in presenting the results, and the Cityringen Joint Venture partners COWI, Arup and Systra.

Fusion of Local Statistical Parameters for Buried Underwater Mine Detection in Sonar Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maussang, F.; Rombaut, M.; Chanussot, J.; Hétet, A.; Amate, M.

2008-12-01

Detection of buried underwater objects, and especially mines, is a current crucial strategic task. Images provided by sonar systems allowing to penetrate in the sea floor, such as the synthetic aperture sonars (SASs), are of great interest for the detection and classification of such objects. However, the signal-to-noise ratio is fairly low and advanced information processing is required for a correct and reliable detection of the echoes generated by the objects. The detection method proposed in this paper is based on a data-fusion architecture using the belief theory. The input data of this architecture are local statistical characteristics extracted from SAS data corresponding to the first-, second-, third-, and fourth-order statistical properties of the sonar images, respectively. The interest of these parameters is derived from a statistical model of the sonar data. Numerical criteria are also proposed to estimate the detection performances and to validate the method.

A History of Repeated Failures: Stratigraphy of the Currituck and Cape Fear Slide Complexes on the Central U.S. Atlantic Margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, J. C.; Brothers, D. S.; Ten Brink, U. S.

2016-12-01

The Currituck and Cape Fear Slide complexes, offshore of North Carolina, are two of the largest (>150 km3) submarine slope failure provinces on the U.S. Atlantic margin. Detailed stratigraphy of these slides and the surrounding regions is derived from a combination of high-resolution sparker multichannel seismic (MCS) data collected by the USGS in 2012, airgun MCS collected as part of the NSF GeoPRISMs Community Seismic Experiment in 2014 & legacy industry airgun MCS data collected in 1970s and 80s. Both the Currituck and Cape Fear Slide complexes are located in regions with high sediment input that resulted in the development of a broad, low gradient (<6°) margin with thick slope sediment accumulation since at least the Miocene. Bedding parallel failure planes highlight the influence of subsurface stratigraphy here. Differential compaction across buried scarps and other erosional surfaces found in proximity to many of the headwalls may have contributed to excess pore pressure in these zones, setting the stage for repeated failures. Within the Currituck Slide complex, there appear to be several buried mass transport deposits (MTDs) within both the Quaternary and Pliocene sections that may be related to buried scarps found beneath both the upper and lower headwalls. At the Cape Fear Slide, the Quaternary section upslope of a large salt diapir displays evidence of possible downslope creep folding within strata that downlap onto a possible buried failure plane. While submarine slope failure along this portion of the margin has long been linked with hydrate dissociation and/or salt tectonics, features that are pervasive along the margin, our new stratigraphic analyses suggest that antecedent margin physiography and sediment loading may be critical factors in determining the locations of large-scale slope failures.

Hydrologic data for a study of pre-Illinoian glacial till in Linn County, Iowa, water year 1990

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bowman, Phillip R.

1991-01-01

Ten unvented, vibrating-wire, pressure transducers with internal thermistors were buried in two boreholes at upgradient and downgradient locations to record hydraulic pressure arid water temperature at selected depths.

Back to basics: A methodological perspective on marble-burying behavior as a screening test for psychiatric illness.

PubMed

de Brouwer, Geoffrey; Wolmarans, De Wet

2018-04-22

Animal models of human psychiatric illness are valuable frameworks to investigate the etiology and neurobiology underlying the human conditions. Accurate behavioral measures that can be used to characterize animal behavior, thereby contributing to a model's validity, are crucial. One such measure, i.e. the rodent marble-burying test (MBT), is often applied as a measure of anxiety- and compulsive-like behaviors. However, the test is characterized by noteworthy between-laboratory methodological differences and demonstrates positive treatment responses to an array of pharmacotherapies that are often of little translational value. Therefore, using a naturalistic animal model of obsessive-compulsive disorder, i.e. the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii), the current investigation attempted to illuminate the discrepancies reported in literature by means of a methodological approach to the MBT. Five key aspects of the test that vary between laboratories, viz. observer/scoring, burying substrate, optional avoidance, the use of repeated testing, and determinations of locomotor activity, have been investigated. Following repeated MB tests in four different burying substrates and in two zone configurations, we have demonstrated that 1) observer bias may contribute to the significant differences in findings reported, 2) MB seems to be a natural exploratory response to a novel environment, rather than being triggered by aberrant cognition, 3) burying substrates with a small particle size and higher density deliver the most accurate results with respect to the burying phenotype, and 4) to exclude the influence of normal exploratory behavior on the number of marbles being covered, assessments of marble-burying should be based on pre-occupation with the objects itself. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Frequency-domain preprocessing and directional correlation-based feature extraction for classification of the buried objects using GPR B-scan data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahadirlar, Yildirim; Kaplan, Gulay B.

2004-09-01

A new preprocessing and feature extracting approach for classification of non-metallic buried objects are aimed using GPR B-scan data. A frequency-domain adaptive filter without a reference channel effectively removes the background signal resulting mostly from the discontinuity on the air-to-ground path of the electromagnetic waves. The filter only needs average of the first five A-scans as the reference signal for this elimination, and also serves for masking of the B-scan in the frequency-domain. A preprocessed GPR data with significantly suppressed clutter is then obtained by precisely positioning the Hanning window in the frequency-domain. A directional correlation function defined over a B-scan frame gives distinctive curves of buried objects. The main axis of directional correlation, on which the pivotal correlating pixels and short lines of pixels being correlated are considered, makes an angle to the scanning direction of the B-scan. This form of correlation is applied to the frame from the left-hand and the right-hand side and two over-plotted curves are obtained. Nine measures as features emphasizing directional signatures are extracted from these curves. Nine-element feature vectors are applied to the two-layer Artificial Neural Network and preliminary results over test set are promising to continue to comprehensive training and testing processes.

Significant role of structural fractures in Ren-Qiu buried-block oil field, eastern China

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

Fei, Q.; Xie-Pei, W.

1983-03-01

Ren-qui oil field is in a buried block of Sinian (upper Proterozoic) rocks located in the Ji-zhong depression of the western Bohai Bay basin in eastern China. The main reservoir consists of Sinian dolomite rocks. It is a fault block with a large growth fault on the west side which trends north-northeast with throws of up to 1 km (0.6 mi) or more. The source rocks for the oil are Paleogene age and overlie the Sinian dolomite rocks. The structural fractures are the main factor forming the reservoir of the buried-block oil field. Three structural lines, trending northeast, north-northeast, andmore » northwest, form the regional netted fracture system. The north-northeast growth fault controlled the structural development of the buried block. The block was raised and eroded before the Tertiary sediments were deposited. In the Eocene Epoch, the Ji-zhong depression subsided, but the deposition, faulting, and related uplift of the block happened synchronously as the block was gradually submerged. At the same time, several horizontal and vertical karst zones were formed by the karst water along the netted structural fractures. The Eocene oil source rocks lapped onto the block and so the buried block, with many developed karst fractures, was surrounded by a great thickness of source rocks. As the growth fault developed, the height of the block was increased from 400 m (1300 ft) before the Oligocene to 1300 m (4250 ft) after. As the petroleum was generated, it migrated immediately into the karst fractures of the buried block along the growth fault. The karst-fractured block reservoir has an 800-m (2600-ft) high oil-bearing closure and good connections developed between the karst fractures.« less

Surface vertical magnetic field produced by a finite loop buried in an earth containing a thin conducting sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durkin, John

1997-01-01

The effect of a thin conducting sheet located at the earth-to-air interface on the surface vertical magnetic field created by a buried finite loop was studied. Expected field values as a function of frequency are provided for variations in the sheet's conductivity-thickness product. Since the results would be most beneficial for purposes of through-the-earth communications, such as communicating with trapped miners following a mine emergency, field values were derived for a range of frequencies, mine depths, and earth conductivity values that would be typically found in such an application.

Standardized Analysis for UXO Demonstration Sites

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-04-01

is a time-domain electromagnetic instrument designed to detect shallow ferrous and nonferrous metallic objects. The applicability of the EM61 for UXO...or spots show EMI field anomalies caused by buried metal objects, both UXO and clutter. Anomaly maps for APG are shown in Figure 5. The Blind Grid

Very-high-resolution seismic and magnetic investigations of a chemical munition dumpsite in the Baltic Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Missiaen, Tine; Feller, Pascal

2008-09-01

Very-high-resolution (VHR) seismic and magnetic investigations were carried out over a chemical munition dumpsite in the Bornholm Basin, south-western Baltic Sea. The main goal of the investigations was to image the shallow internal structure of the dumpsite and to map the lateral and vertical distribution of the dumped war material. The shallow geology was imaged in great detail on the seismic data. Seven seismic-stratigraphic units were identified, related to different stages in the Holocene and late-glacial history. A large number of diapir-like features were observed that most likely represent fluid expulsion phenomena. Four shipwrecks were identified in the dumpsite area. The wrecks have partly sunk into the soft upper sediments, their height above the sea floor reaching no more than 2 m. Seismic and magnetic data indicate the presence of a large number of buried objects. In most cases there is a good correlation between the seismic and magnetic data sets. The objects are generally buried no deeper than 1 to 2 m. Their size varies between 1.5 and 5 m, occasionally up to 10 m. Shallow pits in the sea bed are likely due to the impact of dumping. The data confirm the wide variety of dumped war material ranging from bombs and shells to encasements and containers. The distribution of the buried objects seems rather heterogeneous, with locally high object concentrations surrounded by areas of lower object density. The results of this case study demonstrate the benefit of complementary, concurrent geophysical investigations for munition dumpsite research. Finally this will yield a better assessment of the current status of the dumpsite and the possible ecological risks related to the dumped war material.

47 CFR 15.503 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... the images of buried objects or determining the physical properties within the ground. The energy from... dense enough to absorb the transmitted signal. (j) Surveillance system. A field disturbance sensor used...

47 CFR 15.503 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... the images of buried objects or determining the physical properties within the ground. The energy from... dense enough to absorb the transmitted signal. (j) Surveillance system. A field disturbance sensor used...

47 CFR 15.503 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... the images of buried objects or determining the physical properties within the ground. The energy from... dense enough to absorb the transmitted signal. (j) Surveillance system. A field disturbance sensor used...

47 CFR 15.503 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... the images of buried objects or determining the physical properties within the ground. The energy from... dense enough to absorb the transmitted signal. (j) Surveillance system. A field disturbance sensor used...

47 CFR 15.503 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... the images of buried objects or determining the physical properties within the ground. The energy from... dense enough to absorb the transmitted signal. (j) Surveillance system. A field disturbance sensor used...

The Mars Express - NASA Project at JPL

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, Thomas W.; Horttor, Richard L.; Acton, C. H., Jr.; Zamani, P.; Johnson, W. T. K.; Plaut, J. J.; Holmes, D. P.; No, S.; Asmar, S. W.; Goltz, G.

2006-01-01

This viewgraph presentation gives a general overview of the Mars Express NASA Project at JPL. The contents include: 1) Mars Express/NASA Project Overview; 2) Experiment-Investigator Matrix; 3) Mars Express Support of NASA's Mars Exploration Objectives; 4) U.S./NASA Support of Mars Express; 5) Mars Express Schedule (2003-2007); 6) Mars Express Data Rates; 7) MARSIS Overview Results; 8) MARSIS with Antennas Deployed; 9) MARSIS Science Objectives; 10) Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding (MARSIS) Experiment Overview; 11) Mars Express Orbit Evolution; 12) MARSIS Science - Subsurface Sounding; 13) MARSIS-North Polar Ice Cap; 14) MARSIS Data-Buried Basin; 15) MARSIS over a Crater Basin; 16) MARSIS-Buried Basin; 17) Ionogram - Orbit 2032 (example from Science paper); 18) Ionogram-Orbit 2018 (example from Science paper); and 19) Recent MARSIS Results ESA Press Releases.

Classification System for Individualized Treatment of Adult Buried Penis Syndrome.

PubMed

Tausch, Timothy J; Tachibana, Isamu; Siegel, Jordan A; Hoxworth, Ronald; Scott, Jeremy M; Morey, Allen F

2016-09-01

The authors present their experience with reconstructive strategies for men with various manifestations of adult buried penis syndrome, and propose a comprehensive anatomical classification system and treatment algorithm based on pathologic changes in the penile skin and involvement of neighboring abdominal and/or scrotal components. The authors reviewed all patients who underwent reconstruction of adult buried penis syndrome at their referral center between 2007 and 2015. Patients were stratified by location and severity of involved anatomical components. Procedures performed, demographics, comorbidities, and clinical outcomes were reviewed. Fifty-six patients underwent reconstruction of buried penis at the authors' center from 2007 to 2015. All procedures began with a ventral penile release. If the uncovered penile skin was determined to be viable, a phalloplasty was performed by anchoring penoscrotal skin to the proximal shaft, and the ventral shaft skin defect was closed with scrotal flaps. In more complex patients with circumferential nonviable penile skin, the penile skin was completely excised and replaced with a split-thickness skin graft. Complex patients with severe abdominal lipodystrophy required adjacent tissue transfer. For cases of genital lymphedema, the procedure involved complete excision of the lymphedematous tissue, and primary closure with or without a split-thickness skin graft, also often involving the scrotum. The authors' overall success rate was 88 percent (49 of 56), defined as resolution of symptoms without the need for additional procedures. Successful correction of adult buried penis often necessitates an interdisciplinary, multimodal approach. Therapeutic, IV.

Evaluation of the first simulation tool to quantitatively interpret the measurements of the ExoMars mission's Wisdom GPR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorizon, Sophie; Ciarletti, Valérie

2013-04-01

The Water Ice Sub-surface Deposits Observation on Mars (WISDOM) (500MHz - 3GHz) GPR is one of the instruments that have been selected as part of the Pasteur payload of ESA's 2018 ExoMars Rover mission. One of the main scientific objectives of the mission is to characterize the nature of the shallow sub-surface on Mars and WISDOM has been designed to explore the first 3 meters of the sub-surface with a vertical resolution of a few centimetres. Laboratory and field tests using the prototype developed for the ExoMars mission by LATMOS (Laboratoire Atmosphère, Milieux, Observations Spatiales) in collaboration with the AOB (Bordeaux) and the university of Dresden (Germany) are regularly performed to assess and improve the radar performances. In order to quantitatively interpret the experimental data obtained, we developed a simulation tool based on ray-tracing. This code proves to be a fast practical way even if simplified to help radargrams interpretation. The WISDOM GPR, unlike most traditional GPRs, is operated approximately 30 centimetres above the surface. This configuration implies that the propagation between the antenna and the surface cannot be neglected especially because the instrument's aim is to characterise the very shallow subsurface. As a consequence, while we can draw advantage of this specific configuration by using the surface echo's amplitude to retrieve information about the top layer's roughness and permittivity value, precise location of buried reflector becomes more complicated. Indeed, the signature distinctive of individual reflectors buried in the sub-surface is not more an exact mathematical hyperbola. When the individual reflector is buried deep enough in the subsurface, the adjustment by an hyperbolic function still allows the retrieval of the reflector's location and the permittivity value of the surrounding medium. But in case of a reflector closer to the surface, the approximation is no longer valid. We propose a robust model adjustment that can be used for any reflector's depth. The physical assumptions taken into account are presented. Finally, results for different configurations and the validation of the limit conditions for which this adjustment method is reliable are shown. Preliminary analyzes on real data show the good performance of the method developed. Other modelling techniques will be considered to complete a full data interpretation taking the best from the instrument capacities

Tracking Honey Bees Using LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) Technology

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

BENDER, SUSAN FAE ANN; RODACY, PHILIP J.; SCHMITT, RANDAL L.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has recognized that biological and chemical toxins are a real and growing threat to troops, civilians, and the ecosystem. The Explosives Components Facility at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) has been working with the University of Montana, the Southwest Research Institute, and other agencies to evaluate the feasibility of directing honeybees to specific targets, and for environmental sampling of biological and chemical ''agents of harm''. Recent work has focused on finding and locating buried landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). Tests have demonstrated that honeybees can be trained to efficiently and accurately locate explosive signaturesmore » in the environment. However, it is difficult to visually track the bees and determine precisely where the targets are located. Video equipment is not practical due to its limited resolution and range. In addition, it is often unsafe to install such equipment in a field. A technology is needed to provide investigators with the standoff capability to track bees and accurately map the location of the suspected targets. This report documents Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) tests that were performed by SNL. These tests have shown that a LIDAR system can be used to track honeybees. The LIDAR system can provide both the range and coordinates of the target so that the location of buried munitions can be accurately mapped for subsequent removal.« less

Using Downhole Probes to Locate and Characterize Buried Transuranic and Mixed Low Level Waste

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

Steinman, Donald K; Bramblett, Richard L; Hertzog, Russel C

2012-06-25

Borehole logging probes were developed and tested to locate and quantify transuranic elements in subsurface disposal areas and in contaminated sites at USDOE Weapons Complex sites. A new method of measuring very high levels of chlroine in the subsurface was developed using pulsed neutron technology from oilfield applications. The probes were demonstrated at the Hanford site in wells containing plutonium and other contaminants.

Ejectable underwater sound source recovery assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Irick, S. C. (Inventor)

1974-01-01

An underwater sound source is described that may be ejectably mounted on any mobile device that travels over water, to facilitate in the location and recovery of the device when submerged. A length of flexible line maintains a connection between the mobile device and the sound source. During recovery, the sound source is located be particularly useful in the recovery of spent rocket motors that bury in the ocean floor upon impact.

LOCATING BURIED WORLD WAR 1 MUNITIONS WITH REMOTE SENSING AND GIS

EPA Science Inventory

Remote Sensing is a scientific discipline of non-contact monitoring. It includes a range of technologies that span from aerial photography to advanced spectral imaging and analytical methods. This Session is designed to demonstrate contemporary practical applications of remote ...

Scattering of electromagnetic waves from a body over a random rough surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ripoll, J.; Madrazo, A.; Nieto-Vesperinas, M.

1997-02-01

A numerical study is made of the effect on the angular distribution of mean far field intensity due to the presence of an arbitrary body located over a random rough surface. It is found that the presence of the body decreases the coherent backscattering peak produced by the surface roughness. Also, for low dielectric constants, the reflected intensity is practically equal to the sum of the individual reflected intensities of the body and the surface respectively, namely, interaction between both bodies is almost negligible. The full interaction between object and surface only appears when both bodies are highly reflective. Results are compared with the case when the body is buried beneath the surface, and are illustrated with a 2-D calculation of a cylinder either partially immersed or above a 2-D rough profile.

New developments in ground probing radar for Earth resource mapping and planetology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cattermole, P. J.; Junkin, G.; Finkelstein, M. I.; Kingsley, S. P.

1992-07-01

Ground probing radar is a well established technique for locating buried objects and has found application in resource mapping. The development of this technology for the Mars exploration programme has lead to lightweight systems with potential applications for investigating shallow geological structures on Earth, Mars and Venus. Recent advances in ground probing radar technology for planetary exploration include the development of single-antenna systems with improved beam focussing into the ground and a move to lower frequencies which considerably extends the depth penetration in dry ground. These systems are designed for mobility and could form the basis of autonomous mapping systems for terrestrial exploration. Such systems would be particularly valuable for water resource surveying in arid and semi-arid regions, where there is a need to have lightweight instrumentation that can be moved into sometimes inhospitable terrain.

Location of Buried Mineshafts and Adits Using Reconnaissance Geophysical Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Culshaw, Martin; Donnelly, Laurance; McCann, David

Britain has a long history of mining activity, which stretches back some 3000 years to the excavation of flint in East Anglia. The legacy of this long period of activity is the presence of many buried mineshafts and adits, whose location is often unknown precisely and in many cases not even recorded in historical mining records. As has been shown by Donnelly et al (2003) the discovery of a mineshaft in an area of housing development can have a profound effect on property values in its vicinity. Hence, urgent action must be taken to establish at the site investigation stage of a development to determine whether any mineshafts are present at the site so that remedial action can be taken before construction commences. A study of historical information and the drilling may well enable the developer to locate any suspected mineshafts and adits on his site. However, the use of geophysical reconnaissance methods across the whole site may well provide sufficient information to simplify the drilling programme and reduce its cost to a minimum. In this paper a number of rapid reconnaissance geophysical methods are described and evaluated in terms of their success in the location of buried mineshafts and adits. It has shown that a combination of ground conductivity and magnetic surveys provides a most effective approach on open sites in greenfield and brownfield areas. Ground penetrating radar and micro-gravity surveys have proved to be a valuable approach in urban areas where the use of many geophysical methods is prevented by the presence of various types of cultural noise. On a regional scale the infrared thermography method is being increasingly used but care must be taken to overcome certain environmental difficulties. The practical use of all these geophysical methods in the field is illustrated by a number of appropriate case histories.

Landslide hazard analysis for pipelines: The case of the Simonette river crossing

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

Grivas, D.A.; Schultz, B.C.; O`Neil, G.

1995-12-31

The overall objective of this study is to develop a probabilistic methodology to analyze landslide hazards and their effects on the safety of buried pipelines. The methodology incorporates a range of models that can accommodate differences in the ground movement modes and the amount and type of information available at various site locations. Two movement modes are considered, namely (a) instantaneous (catastrophic) slides, and (b) gradual ground movement which may result in cumulative displacements over the pipeline design life (30--40 years) that are in excess of allowable values. Probabilistic analysis is applied in each case to address the uncertainties associatedmore » with important factors that control slope stability. Availability of information ranges from relatively well studied, instrumented installations to cases where data is limited to what can be derived from topographic and geologic maps. The methodology distinguishes between procedures applied where there is little information and those that can be used when relatively extensive data is available. important aspects of the methodology are illustrated in a case study involving a pipeline located in Northern Alberta, Canada, in the Simonette river valley.« less

Buried Object Classification using a Sediment Volume Imaging SAS and Electromagnetic Gradiometer

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-01

field data with simulated RTG data using AST’s in-house magnetic modeling tool EMAGINE . Given a set of input dipole moments, or pa- rameters to...approximate a moment by assuming the object is a prolate ellipsoid shell, EMAGINE uses Green’s func- tion formulations to generate three-component

The Instructional Quality Inventory. I. Introduction and Overview

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-11-01

level objectives, "hands-on" performance tests are usually most appropriate. T IS PAQ IS BEST QUA After a test item is consistent with its objective, the...idea. When the statement is separated, the key points stand out, and are not buried in the presentation. There are several ways to accomplish this goal

Final report - Magma Energy Research Project

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

Colp, J.L.

1982-10-01

Scientific feasibility was demonstrated for the concept of magma energy extraction. The US magma resource is estimated at 50,000 to 500,000 quads of energy - a 700- to 7000-yr supply at the current US total energy use rate of 75 quads per year. Existing geophysical exploration systems are believed capable of locating and defining magma bodies and were demonstrated over a known shallow buried molten-rock body. Drilling rigs that can drill to the depths required to tap magma are currently available and experimental boreholes were drilled well into buried molten rock at temperatures up to 1100/sup 0/C. Engineering materials compatiblemore » with the buried magma environment are available and their performances were demonstrated in analog laboratory experiments. Studies show that energy can be extracted at attractive rates from magma resources in all petrologic compositions and physical configurations. Downhole heat extraction equipment was designed, built, and demonstrated successfully in buried molten rock and in the very hot margins surrounding it. Two methods of generating gaseous fuels in the high-temperature magmatic environment - generation of H/sub 2/ by the interaction of water with the ferrous iron and H/sub 2/, CH/sub 4/, and CO generation by the conversion of water-biomass mixtures - have been investigated and show promise.« less

Identifying buried segments of active faults in the northern Rio Grande Rift using aeromagnetic, LiDAR,and gravity data, south-central Colorado, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grauch, V.J.S.; Ruleman, Chester A.

2013-01-01

Combined interpretation of aeromagnetic and LiDAR data builds on the strength of the aeromagnetic method to locate normal faults with significant offset under cover and the strength of LiDAR interpretation to identify the age and sense of motion of faults. Each data set helps resolve ambiguities in interpreting the other. In addition, gravity data can be used to infer the sense of motion for totally buried faults inferred solely from aeromagnetic data. Combined interpretation to identify active faults at the northern end of the San Luis Basin of the northern Rio Grande rift has confirmed general aspects of previous geologic mapping but has also provided significant improvements. The interpretation revises and extends mapped fault traces, confirms tectonic versus fluvial origins of steep stream banks, and gains additional information on the nature of active and potentially active partially and totally buried faults. Detailed morphology of surfaces mapped from the LiDAR data helps constrain ages of the faults that displace the deposits. The aeromagnetic data provide additional information about their extents in between discontinuous scarps and suggest that several totally buried, potentially active faults are present on both sides of the valley.

The Effects of Soil Texture on the Ability of Human Remains Detection Dogs to Detect Buried Human Remains.

PubMed

Alexander, Michael B; Hodges, Theresa K; Wescott, Daniel J; Aitkenhead-Peterson, Jacqueline A

2016-05-01

Despite technological advances, human remains detection (HRD) dogs still remain one of the best tools for locating clandestine graves. However, soil texture may affect the escape of decomposition gases and therefore the effectiveness of HDR dogs. Six nationally credentialed HRD dogs (three HRD only and three cross-trained) were evaluated on novel buried human remains in contrasting soils, a clayey and a sandy soil. Search time and accuracy were compared for the clayey soil and sandy soil to assess odor location difficulty. Sandy soil (p < 0.001) yielded significantly faster trained response times, but no significant differences were found in performance accuracy between soil textures or training method. Results indicate soil texture may be significant factor in odor detection difficulty. Prior knowledge of soil texture and moisture may be useful for search management and planning. Appropriate adjustments to search segment sizes, sweep widths and search time allotment depending on soil texture may optimize successful detection. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Remote detection of buried land-mines and IEDs using LWIR polarimetric imaging.

PubMed

Gurton, Kristan P; Felton, Melvin

2012-09-24

We report results of an ongoing study designed to assess the ability for enhanced detection of recently buried land-mines and/or improvised explosive devices (IED) devices using passive long-wave infrared (LWIR) polarimetric imaging. Polarimetric results are presented for a series of field tests conducted at various locations and soil types. Well-calibrated Stokes images, S0, S1, S2, and the degree-of-linear-polarization (DoLP) are recorded for different line-of-sight (LOS) slant paths at varying distances. Results span a three-year time period in which three different LWIR polarimetric camera systems are used. All three polarimetric imaging platforms used a spinning-achromatic-retarder (SAR) design capable of achieving high polarimetric frame rates and good radiometric throughput without the loss of spatial resolution inherent in other optical designs. Receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) analysis and a standardized contrast parameter are used to compare detectability between conventional LWIR thermal and polarimetric imagery. Results suggest improved detectability, regardless of geographic location or soil type.

Simple Anchoring of the Penopubic Skin to the Prepubic Deep Fascia in Surgical Correction of Buried Penis

PubMed Central

Jung, Eun-hong; Jang, Seok-heun; Lee, Jae-won

2011-01-01

Purpose The aim of this study was to categorize concealed penis and buried penis by preoperative physical examination including the manual prepubic compression test and to describe a simple surgical technique to correct buried penis that was based on surgical experience and comprehension of the anatomical components. Materials and Methods From March 2007 to November 2010, 17 patients were diagnosed with buried penis after differentiation of this condition from concealed penis. The described surgical technique consisted of a minimal incision and simple fixation of the penile shaft skin and superficial fascia to the prepubic deep fascia, without degloving the penile skin. Results The mean age of the patients was 10.2 years, ranging from 8 years to 15 years. The median follow-up was 19 months (range, 5 to 49 months). The mean penile lengths were 1.8 cm (range, 1.1 to 2.5 cm) preoperatively and 4.5 cm (range, 3.3 to 5.8 cm) postoperatively. The median difference between preoperative and postoperative penile lengths was 2.7 cm (range, 2.1 to 3.9 cm). There were no serious intra- or postoperative complications. Conclusions With the simple anchoring of the penopubic skin to the prepubic deep fascia, we obtained successful subjective and objective outcomes without complications. We suggest that this is a promising surgical method for selected patients with buried penis. PMID:22195270

Archaeology and public perception of a trans-scientific problem; disposal of toxic wastes in the unsaturated zone

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winograd, Isaac Judah

1986-01-01

Predicting the effects of toxic-waste disposal on the environment over periods of millenia to hundreds of millenia is a transscientific problem; that is, one not fully addressed by quantitative scientific and engineering endeavors. Archaeology is a pertinent adjunct to such predictions in several ways. First, and foremost, archaeological records demonstrate that delicate, as well as durable, objects buried in thick unsaturated zones of arid and semiarid environments may survive intact for millenia to tens of millenia. This successful preservation of Late Paleolithic to Iron Age artifacts provides independent support for the tentative favorable conclusions of earth scientists regarding the general utility of thick unsaturated zones for toxic-waste isolation. By analogy with the archaeological record, solidified toxic wastes of low solubility that are buried in arid unsaturated zones should remain isolated from the environment indefinitely; modern man presumably should be able to improve upon the techniques used by his ancestors to isolate and preserve their sacred and utilitarian objects. Second, archaeological evidence pertinent to the fate of objects buried in unsaturated zones-although qualitative in nature and subject to the limitations of arguments by analogy-is meaningful to the public and to the courts who, with some scientists and engineers, are reluctant to rely exclusively on computer-generated predictions of the effects of buried toxic wastes on the environment. Third, the archaeological record issues a warning that our descendants may intrude into our waste disposal sites and that we must therefore take special measures to minimize such entry and, if it occurs, to warn of the dangers by a variety of symbols. And fourth, archaeology provides a record of durable natural and manmade materials that may prove to be suitable for encapsulation of our wastes and from which we can construct warning markers that will last for millenia. For these four reasons, archaeologists must join with earth scientists, and other scientists and engineers, in addressing the likely fate of solidfied toxic wastes buried in the thick (200-600 m) unsaturated zones of arid and semiarid regions. Indeed, the input of archaeology might be crucial to public acceptance of even the most carefully chosen and technically sound waste repository.

Research note: Mapping spatial patterns in sewer age, material, and proximity to surface waterways to infer sewer leakage hotspots

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hopkins, Kristina G.; Bain, Daniel J.

2018-01-01

Identifying areas where deteriorating sewer infrastructure is in close proximity to surface waterways is needed to map likely connections between sewers and streams. We present a method to estimate sewer installation year and deterioration status using historical maps of the sewer network, parcel-scale property assessment data, and pipe material. Areas where streams were likely buried into the sewer system were mapped by intersecting the historical stream network derived from a 10-m resolution digital elevation model with sewer pipe locations. Potential sewer leakage hotspots were mapped by identifying where aging sewer pipes are in close proximity (50-m) to surface waterways. Results from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA), indicated 41% of the historical stream length was lost or buried and the potential interface between sewers and streams is great. The co-location of aging sewer infrastructure (>75 years old) near stream channels suggests that 42% of existing streams are located in areas with a high potential for sewer leakage if sewer infrastructure fails. Mapping the sewer-stream interface provides an approach to better understand areas were failing sewers may contribute a disproportional amount of nutrients and other pathogens to surface waterways.

Physiochemical Control of Composition and Location for Fundamental Studies of Biofouling Resistant, High Fouling Release Surfaces

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-22

with increased legislation on toxicity requirements, the research community has been actively exploring and developing new, robust, and...with a brominated end functionality. The presence of active radical species only at locations where light interacts with the catalyst affords...i.e., the burying of the reactive bromo chain ends due to the high surface activity of the fluorinated repeat units, which imposes additional steric

In-situ vitrification of soil

DOEpatents

Brouns, Richard A.; Buelt, James L.; Bonner, William F.

1983-01-01

A method of vitrifying soil at or below a soil surface location. Two or more conductive electrodes are inserted into the soil for heating of the soil mass between them to a temperature above its melting temperature. Materials in the soil, such as buried waste, can thereby be effectively immobilized.

Establishing a design procedure for buried steel-reinforced high-density polyethylene pipes : a field study.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-11-01

Two field tests were conducted to investigate the field performance of steel-reinforced high-density polyethylene : (SRHDPE) pipes during installation and under traffic loading. One test site was located on E 1000 road in Lawrence, KS, which is : clo...

Assessment of Agricultural Drainage Pipe Conditions Using Ground Penetrating Radar

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Farmers and land improvement contractors, especially in the Midwest U.S., need methods to not only locate buried agricultural drainage pipe, but also to determine if the pipes are functioning properly with respect to water delivery. Previous investigations have already demonstrated the feasibility o...

Using pattern recognition to automatically localize reflection hyperbolas in data from ground penetrating radar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maas, Christian; Schmalzl, Jörg

2013-08-01

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is used for the localization of supply lines, land mines, pipes and many other buried objects. These objects can be recognized in the recorded data as reflection hyperbolas with a typical shape depending on depth and material of the object and the surrounding material. To obtain the parameters, the shape of the hyperbola has to be fitted. In the last years several methods were developed to automate this task during post-processing. In this paper we show another approach for the automated localization of reflection hyperbolas in GPR data by solving a pattern recognition problem in grayscale images. In contrast to other methods our detection program is also able to immediately mark potential objects in real-time. For this task we use a version of the Viola-Jones learning algorithm, which is part of the open source library "OpenCV". This algorithm was initially developed for face recognition, but can be adapted to any other simple shape. In our program it is used to narrow down the location of reflection hyperbolas to certain areas in the GPR data. In order to extract the exact location and the velocity of the hyperbolas we apply a simple Hough Transform for hyperbolas. Because the Viola-Jones Algorithm reduces the input for the computational expensive Hough Transform dramatically the detection system can also be implemented on normal field computers, so on-site application is possible. The developed detection system shows promising results and detection rates in unprocessed radargrams. In order to improve the detection results and apply the program to noisy radar images more data of different GPR systems as input for the learning algorithm is necessary.

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

F.V. Perry; A. Cogbill; R. Kelley

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) considers volcanism to be a potentially disruptive class of events that could affect the safety of the proposed high-level waste repository at Yucca Mountain. Volcanic hazard assessment in monogenetic volcanic fields depends on an adequate understanding of the temporal and spatial pattern of past eruptions. At Yucca Mountain, the hazard is due to an 11 Ma-history of basaltic volcanism with the latest eruptions occurring in three Pleistocene episodes to the west and south of Yucca Mountain. An expert elicitation convened in 1995-1996 by the DOE estimated the mean hazard of volcanic disruption of themore » repository as slightly greater than 10{sup -8} dike intersections per year with an uncertainty of about two orders of magnitude. Several boreholes in the region have encountered buried basalt in alluvial-filled basins; the youngest of these basalts is dated at 3.8 Ma. The possibility of additional buried basalt centers is indicated by a previous regional aeromagnetic survey conducted by the USGS that detected approximately 20 magnetic anomalies that could represent buried basalt volcanoes. Sensitivity studies indicate that the postulated presence of buried post-Miocene volcanoes to the east of Yucca Mountain could increase the hazard by an order of magnitude, and potentially significantly impact the results of the earlier expert elicitation. Our interpretation of the aeromagnetic data indicates that post-Miocene basalts are not present east of Yucca Mountain, but that magnetic anomalies instead represent faulted and buried Miocene basalt that correlates with nearby surface exposures. This interpretation is being tested by drilling. The possibility of uncharacterized buried volcanoes that could significantly change hazard estimates led DOE to support an update of the expert elicitation in 2004-2006. In support of the expert elicitation data needs, the DOE is sponsoring (1) a new higher-resolution, helicopter-borne aeromagnetic survey, completed in mid-2004, and (2) drilling of selected anomalies based on the aeromagnetic survey results to better characterize the number, location and age of buried volcanoes, which began in mid-2005. The new aeromagnetic survey detected the presence of 33 anomalies interpreted as possible buried volcanoes or faulted tuff bedrock. A program to drill ten of the anomalies has begun, with the selection of drill holes prioritized based on their potential impact on the hazard assessment.« less

Sensing resonant objects in the presence of noise and clutter using iterative, single-channel acoustic time reversal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waters, Zachary John

The presence of noise and coherent returns from clutter often confounds efforts to acoustically detect and identify target objects buried in inhomogeneous media. Using iterative time reversal with a single channel transducer, returns from resonant targets are enhanced, yielding convergence to a narrowband waveform characteristic of the dominant mode in a target's elastic scattering response. The procedure consists of exciting the target with a broadband acoustic pulse, sampling the return using a finite time window, reversing the signal in time, and using this reversed signal as the source waveform for the next interrogation. Scaled laboratory experiments (0.4-2 MHz) are performed employing a piston transducer and spherical targets suspended in the free field and buried in a sediment phantom. In conjunction with numerical simulations, these experiments provide an inexpensive and highly controlled means with which to examine the efficacy of the technique. Signal-to-noise enhancement of target echoes is demonstrated. The methodology reported provides a means to extract both time and frequency information for surface waves that propagate on an elastic target. Methods developed in the laboratory are then applied in medium scale (20-200 kHz) pond experiments for the detection of a steel shell buried in sandy sediment.

Inferring the most probable maps of underground utilities using Bayesian mapping model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilal, Muhammad; Khan, Wasiq; Muggleton, Jennifer; Rustighi, Emiliano; Jenks, Hugo; Pennock, Steve R.; Atkins, Phil R.; Cohn, Anthony

2018-03-01

Mapping the Underworld (MTU), a major initiative in the UK, is focused on addressing social, environmental and economic consequences raised from the inability to locate buried underground utilities (such as pipes and cables) by developing a multi-sensor mobile device. The aim of MTU device is to locate different types of buried assets in real time with the use of automated data processing techniques and statutory records. The statutory records, even though typically being inaccurate and incomplete, provide useful prior information on what is buried under the ground and where. However, the integration of information from multiple sensors (raw data) with these qualitative maps and their visualization is challenging and requires the implementation of robust machine learning/data fusion approaches. An approach for automated creation of revised maps was developed as a Bayesian Mapping model in this paper by integrating the knowledge extracted from sensors raw data and available statutory records. The combination of statutory records with the hypotheses from sensors was for initial estimation of what might be found underground and roughly where. The maps were (re)constructed using automated image segmentation techniques for hypotheses extraction and Bayesian classification techniques for segment-manhole connections. The model consisting of image segmentation algorithm and various Bayesian classification techniques (segment recognition and expectation maximization (EM) algorithm) provided robust performance on various simulated as well as real sites in terms of predicting linear/non-linear segments and constructing refined 2D/3D maps.

Sensor feature fusion for detecting buried objects

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

Clark, G.A.; Sengupta, S.K.; Sherwood, R.J.

1993-04-01

Given multiple registered images of the earth`s surface from dual-band sensors, our system fuses information from the sensors to reduce the effects of clutter and improve the ability to detect buried or surface target sites. The sensor suite currently includes two sensors (5 micron and 10 micron wavelengths) and one ground penetrating radar (GPR) of the wide-band pulsed synthetic aperture type. We use a supervised teaming pattern recognition approach to detect metal and plastic land mines buried in soil. The overall process consists of four main parts: Preprocessing, feature extraction, feature selection, and classification. These parts are used in amore » two step process to classify a subimage. Thee first step, referred to as feature selection, determines the features of sub-images which result in the greatest separability among the classes. The second step, image labeling, uses the selected features and the decisions from a pattern classifier to label the regions in the image which are likely to correspond to buried mines. We extract features from the images, and use feature selection algorithms to select only the most important features according to their contribution to correct detections. This allows us to save computational complexity and determine which of the sensors add value to the detection system. The most important features from the various sensors are fused using supervised teaming pattern classifiers (including neural networks). We present results of experiments to detect buried land mines from real data, and evaluate the usefulness of fusing feature information from multiple sensor types, including dual-band infrared and ground penetrating radar. The novelty of the work lies mostly in the combination of the algorithms and their application to the very important and currently unsolved operational problem of detecting buried land mines from an airborne standoff platform.« less

LLNL electro-optical mine detection program

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

Anderson, C.; Aimonetti, W.; Barth, M.

1994-09-30

Under funding from the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) and the US Marine Corps (USMC), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has directed a program aimed at improving detection capabilities against buried mines and munitions. The program has provided a national test facility for buried mines in arid environments, compiled and distributed an extensive data base of infrared (IR), ground penetrating radar (GPR), and other measurements made at that site, served as a host for other organizations wishing to make measurements, made considerable progress in the use of ground penetrating radar for mine detection, and worked on the difficult problem ofmore » sensor fusion as applied to buried mine detection. While the majority of our effort has been concentrated on the buried mine problem, LLNL has worked with the U.S.M.C. on surface mine problems as well, providing data and analysis to support the COBRA (Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and Analysis) program. The original aim of the experimental aspect of the program was the utilization of multiband infrared approaches for the detection of buried mines. Later the work was extended to a multisensor investigation, including sensors other than infrared imagers. After an early series of measurements, it was determined that further progress would require a larger test facility in a natural environment, so the Buried Object Test Facility (BOTF) was constructed at the Nevada Test Site. After extensive testing, with sensors spanning the electromagnetic spectrum from the near ultraviolet to radio frequencies, possible paths for improvement were: improved spatial resolution providing better ground texture discrimination; analysis which involves more complicated spatial queueing and filtering; additional IR bands using imaging spectroscopy; the use of additional sensors other than IR and the use of data fusion techniques with multi-sensor data; and utilizing time dependent observables like temperature.« less

Geophysical Surveys for Locating Buried Utilities, Lake Pontchartrain Levees, New Orleans

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

4 Figure 3. GPR concepts...this study. Electromagnetic (EM) induction, magnetic, and ground penetrating radar ( GPR ) geophysical methods were evaluated to determine which...surveys GPR is a ground-based geophysical instrument that transmits high- frequency EM pulses into the subsurface. The GPR system consists of a

LOCATING BURIED WW1 MUNITIONS WITH REMOTE SENSING AND GIS

EPA Science Inventory

During World War I, The American University in Washington D.C. was used by the U.S. Army as an experiment station for the development and testing of a variety of battlefield munitions including chemical weapons such as Mustard Gas, Phosgene, Ricin and Lewisite. After the end of t...

LOCATING BURIED WORLD WAR I MUNITIONS WITH REMOTE SENSING AND GIS

EPA Science Inventory

During World War I, the American University in Washington, D.C. was used by the U.S. Army as an experiment station for the development and testing of a variety of battlefield munitons including chemcial weapons such as Mustard Gas, Phosgene, Ricin and Lewisite. After the end of ...

Corrective action investigation plan: Cactus Spring Waste Trenches. Revision 2

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

NONE

This Correction Action Investigation Plan (CAIP) contains environmental sample collection objectives and logic for the CAU No. 426, which includes the Cactus Spring Waste Trenches, CAS No. RG-08-001-RG-CS. The Cactus Spring Waste Trenches are located at the Tonopah Test Range (TTR) which is part of the Nellis Air Force Range, approximately 255 kilometers (km) (140 miles [mi]) northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, by air. The purpose of this investigation is to generate sufficient data to establish the types of waste buried in the trenches, identify the presence and nature of contamination, determine the vertical extent of contaminant migration below themore » Cactus Spring Waste Trenches, and determine the appropriate course of action for the site. The potential courses of action for the site are clean closure, closure in place (with or without remediation), or no further action.« less

Mt. Vesuvius, Italy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

This ASTER image of Mt. Vesuvius Italy was acquired September 26, 2000, and covers an area of 36 by 45 km. Vesuvius overlooks the city of Naples and the Bay of Naples in central Italy. In 79 AD, Vesuvius erupted cataclysmically, burying all of the surrounding cites with up to 30 m of ash. The towns of Pompeii and Herculanaeum were rediscovered in the 18th century, and excavated in the 20th century. They provide a snapshot of Roman life from 2000 years ago: perfectly preserved are wooden objects, food items, and the casts of hundreds of victims. Vesuvius is intensively monitored for potential signs of unrest that could signal the beginning of another eruption. The image is centered at 40.8 degrees north latitude, 14.4 degrees east longitude.

The U.S. science team is located at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. The Terra mission is part of NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

Demonstration of geophysical methods for burial ground geophysical characterization study at the DOE Savannah River site

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

Hasbrouck, J.C.; MacLean, H.D.; Geotech, R.

1996-11-01

Rust Geotech, operating contractor at the U.S. Department of Energy Grand Junction Projects Office (DOE-GJPO), conducted a demonstration of the trench boundary and large-object location capabilities of five nonintrusive geophysical methods in the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility (LLRWDF) at the DOE Savannah River Site (SRS). The plan for Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) closure of the SRS LLRWDF specifies inplace compaction of {open_quotes}B-25{close_quotes} metal boxes containing low-level radioactive wastes. The boxes are buried in Engineered Low-Level Trenches (ELLTs) at the facility. To properly guide and control the compaction operation, the coordinates of the trench boundaries must be determinedmore » to an accuracy within 5 feet and the outer edges of the metal boxes in the trenches must be determined to within 2 feet.« less

Formative pre-Hispanic agricultural soils in northwest Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sampietro Vattuone, María Marta; Roldán, Jimena; Neder, Liliana; Maldonado, Mario Gabriel; Vattuone, Marta Amelia

2011-01-01

Our study area is from an early agricultural archaeological site named "El Tolar" (1st to 9th century AD), located in Tafí Valley (Tucumán, northwest Argentina). The objective was to identify geochemical signatures generated by the sustained agrarian use of soils. Chemical and pedological studies were made in different archaeological contexts. Physical and chemical features, such as bulk density, pH, organic and inorganic phosphorus, and available copper, manganese and iron, were taken into account. The results suggested that a buried paleosol identified was contemporary with the occupation of the site. It also showed characteristics clearly related to pre-Hispanic agrarian production. The concentrations of organic phosphorus and iron in agricultural soils probably reflect the use of fertilizers. The application of geoscience techniques allowed us to obtain important information on their behaviour and socio-economic development. This paper constitutes the first pedogeochemical approach to the study of Argentinean pre-Hispanic agricultural soils.

Buried particulate organic carbon stimulates denitrification and nitrate retention in stream sediments at the groundwater-surface water interface

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stelzer, Robert S.; Scott, J. Thad; Bartsch, Lynn

2015-01-01

The interface between ground water and surface water in streams is a hotspot for N processing. However, the role of buried organic C in N transformation at this interface is not well understood, and inferences have been based largely on descriptive studies. Our main objective was to determine how buried particulate organic C (POC) affected denitrification and NO3− retention in the sediments of an upwelling reach in a sand-plains stream in Wisconsin. We manipulated POC in mesocosms inserted in the sediments. Treatments included low and high quantities of conditioned red maple leaves (buried beneath combusted sand), ambient sediment (sand containing background levels of POC), and a control (combusted sand). We measured denitrification rates in sediments by acetylene-block assays in the laboratory and by changes in N2 concentrations in the field using membrane inlet mass spectrometry. We measured NO3−, NH4+, and dissolved organic N (DON) retention as changes in concentrations and fluxes along groundwater flow paths in the mesocosms. POC addition drove oxic ground water to severe hypoxia, led to large increases in dissolved organic C (DOC), and strongly increased denitrification rates and N (NO3− and total dissolved N) retention relative to the control. In situ denitrification accounted for 30 to 60% of NO3− retention. Our results suggest that buried POC stimulated denitrification and NO3− retention by producing DOC and by creating favorable redox conditions for denitrification.

Detection of buried targets using a new enhanced very early time electromagnetic (VETEM) prototype system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cui, T.J.; Chew, W.C.; Aydiner, A.A.; Wright, D.L.; Smith, D.V.

2001-01-01

In this paper, numerical simulations of a new enhanced very early time electromagnetic (VETEM) prototype system are presented, where a horizontal transmitting loop and two horizontal receiving loops are used to detect buried targets, in which three loops share the same axis and the transmitter is located at the center of receivers. In the new VETEM system, the difference of signals from two receivers is taken to eliminate strong direct-signals from the transmitter and background clutter and furthermore to obtain a better SNR for buried targets. Because strong coupling exists between the transmitter and receivers, accurate analysis of the three-loop antenna system is required, for which a loop-tree basis function method has been utilized to overcome the low-frequency breakdown problem. In the analysis of scattering problem from buried targets, a conjugate gradient (CG) method with fast Fourier transform (FFT) is applied to solve the electric field integral equation. However, the convergence of such CG-FFT algorithm is extremely slow at very low frequencies. In order to increase the convergence rate, a frequency-hopping approach has been used. Finally, the primary, coupling, reflected, and scattered magnetic fields are evaluated at receiving loops to calculate the output electric current. Numerous simulation results are given to interpret the new VETEM system. Comparing with other single-transmitter-receiver systems, the new VETEM has better SNR and ability to reduce the clutter.

Exploring interface morphology of a deeply buried layer in periodic multilayer

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

Das, Gangadhar; Srivastava, A. K.; Tiwari, M. K., E-mail: mktiwari@rrcat.gov.in

2016-06-27

Long-term durability of a thin film device is strongly correlated with the nature of interface structure associated between different constituent layers. Synthetic periodic multilayer structures are primarily employed as artificial X-ray Bragg reflectors in many applications, and their reflection efficiency is predominantly dictated by the nature of the buried interfaces between the different layers. Herein, we demonstrate the applicability of the combined analysis approach of the X-ray reflectivity and grazing incidence X-ray fluorescence measurements for the reliable and precise determination of a buried interface structure inside periodic X-ray multilayer structures. X-ray standing wave field (XSW) generated under Bragg reflection conditionmore » is used to probe the different constituent layers of the W- B{sub 4}C multilayer structure at 10 keV and 12 keV incident X-ray energies. Our results show that the XSW assisted fluorescence measurements are markedly sensitive to the location and interface morphology of a buried layer structure inside a periodic multilayer structure. The cross sectional transmission electron microscopy results obtained on the W-B{sub 4}C multilayer structure provide a deeper look on the overall reliability and accuracy of the XSW method. The method described here would also be applicable for nondestructive characterization of a wide range of thin film based semiconductor and optical devices.« less

Integration of magnetometric, gpr and geoelectric measurements applied to the study of the new Viggiano archaeological site (Southern Italy).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizzo, E.; Chianese, D.; Lapenna, V.; Piscitelli, S.

2003-04-01

In the frame of a collaboration with the Archaeological Superintendence of the Basilicata Region (Southern Italy), the Geophysical Lab of IMAA-CNR planned a multidisciplinary investigation in the archaeological site of Viggiano, integrating magnetic mapping, Ground Penetrating Radar profiling and 3D electrical resistivity imaging. The archaeological site, located in Agri Valley (Southern Italy, Basilicata), is an ancient structure developed in successive phases between IV and III century B.C. In this area during some shovel tests archaeological remnants have been identified in the western part. Successively the archaeologists hypothesized the presence of buried structures in the eastern part too, where we performed a geophysical survey. In particular, a magnetic map by means of a caesium vapour magnetometer G-858 GEOMETRICS has been carried to find the external perimeter; more than 50 Georadar profiles using SIR 2000 instrument have been performed to delineate the internal buried structures and the electrical resistivity method has been applied to estimate the depth of buried structures. According to the archaeological hypothesis significant wall structures have been identified in the eastern part. In conclusion, the integration of different geophysical techniques allows us to obtain very intriguing information about the shape, the dimension and the depth of the oriental buried wall structures giving a contribute to better develop a new hypothesis about the history of the archaeological site of Viggiano.

Geographic Distribution of QCDs Around the Northern Plains Basins of Mars and the Relationship to Lowland Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buczkowski, D. L.; Frey, H. V.; McGill, G. E.

2005-01-01

It has been suggested that quasicircular depressions (QCDs) without a structural representation in Viking and MOC visible imagery represent buried impact craters [1,2,3,4]. Topographic depressions will form over impact craters buried by a differentially compacting cover material because total cover thickness, and thus total compaction, is greater over the center of completely buried impact craters than their rims [5]. If this is the process by which QCDs form, then only areas of differentially compacting materials should have QCDs. Previous work has established that there is a relationship of surface relief to diameter for QCDs around the Utopia Basin [6]. The slope of the trend of this relationship varies depending on cover thickness, becoming steeper with decreasing thickness [7]. Comparing trendslopes of QCDs around different lowland basins might give us insight into the relative thickness of the cover material in these areas. We explore the geographic distribution of QCDs around the Utopia, Isidis and Acidalia basins and compare their location to geologic units and materials. We also compare evidence for relative thickness of cover material at the three basins.

Detection of Shallow Buried Archaeological Remains Structure using 2-D Resistivity Method at Sungai Batu, Lembah Bujang, Kedah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismail, Nurina; Nordiana, M. M.; Saidin, M.; Masnan, S. S. K.; Abir, I. A.

2018-04-01

In an archaeological study, 2-D resistivity becomes important tools for the scientific investigation and also can be applied to map shallow subsurface structures at the archaeological site. The main purpose of the research is to locate the shallow buried archaeological remains structure in the area of Sungai Batu, Lembah Bujang, Kedah (Malaysia). Resistivity surveys have been applied using a Pole-dipole array with both 5 survey lines for SB1 and SB2 sites using 0.75 m electrode spacing. Both results revealed high resistivity zone with ≥ 3000 Ωm at a depth ranging from 0-1.5 m at the study area. SB1 site conducting an excavation to validate the result obtain while SB2 is not conducting any excavation. Besides that, the other characteristics of the buried archaeological remains are indicated as mound area and there is exposed remain found on top of the surface. Based on the archaeological evidence, the higher resistivity value indicates the interesting anomaly which is clay bricks for archaeological excavation.

Advances in soil gas geochemical exploration for natural resources: Some current examples and practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCarthy, J. Howard, Jr.; Reimer, G. Michael

1986-11-01

Field studies have demonstrated that gas anomalies are found over buried mineral deposits. Abnormally high concentrations of sulfur gases and carbon dioxide and abnormally low concentrations of oxygen are commonly found over sulfide ore deposits. Helium anomalies are commonly associated with uranium deposits and geothermal areas. Helium and hydrocarbon gas anomalies have been detected over oil and gas deposits. Gases are sampled by extracting them from the pore space of soil, by degassing soil or rock, or by adsorbing them on artificial collectors. The two most widely used techniques for gas analysis are gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The detection of gas anomalies at or near the surface may be an effective method to locate buried mineral deposits.

Addendum to `numerical modeling of an enhanced very early time electromagnetic (VETEM) prototype system'

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cui, T.J.; Chew, W.C.; Aydiner, A.A.; Wright, D.L.; Smith, D.V.; Abraham, J.D.

2000-01-01

Two numerical models to simulate an enhanced very early time electromagnetic (VETEM) prototype system that is used for buried-object detection and environmental problems are presented. In the first model, the transmitting and receiving loop antennas accurately analyzed using the method of moments (MoM), and then conjugate gradient (CG) methods with the fast Fourier transform (FFT) are utilized to investigate the scattering from buried conducting plates. In the second model, two magnetic dipoles are used to replace the transmitter and receiver. Both the theory and formulation are correct and the simulation results for the primary magnetic field and the reflected magnetic field are accurate.

Transportation and Accumulation of Redox Active Species at the Buried Interfaces of Plasticized Membrane Electrodes.

PubMed

Sohail, Manzar; De Marco, Roland; Jarolímová, Zdeňka; Pawlak, Marcin; Bakker, Eric; He, Ning; Latonen, Rose-Marie; Lindfors, Tom; Bobacka, Johan

2015-09-29

The transportation and accumulation of redox active species at the buried interface between glassy carbon electrodes and plasticized polymeric membranes have been studied using synchrotron radiation X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (SR-XPS), near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS), in situ electrochemical Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Ferrocene tagged poly(vinyl chloride) [FcPVC], ferrocene (Fc), and its derivatives together with tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) doped plasticized polymeric membrane electrodes have been investigated, so as to extend the study of the mechanism of this reaction chemistry to different time scales (both small and large molecules with variable diffusion coefficients) using a range of complementary electrochemical and surface analysis techniques. This study also provides direct spectroscopic evidence for the transportation and electrochemical reactivity of redox active species, regardless of the size of the electrochemically reactive molecule, at the buried interface of the substrate electrode. With all redox dopants, when CA electrolysis was performed, redox active species were undetectable (<1 wt % of signature elements or below the detection limit of SR-XPS and NEXAFS) in the outermost surface layers of the membrane, while a high concentration of redox species was located at the electrode substrate as a consequence of the deposition of the reaction product (Fc(+)-anion complex) at the buried interface between the electrode and the membrane. This reaction chemistry for redox active species within plasticized polymeric membranes may be useful in the fashioning of multilayered polymeric devices (e.g., chemical sensors, organic electronic devices, protective laminates, etc.) based on an electrochemical tunable deposition of redox molecules at the buried substrate electrode beneath the membrane.

Digital Mapping of Buried Pipelines with a Dual Array System

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-06-06

The objective of this research is to develop a non-invasive system for detecting, mapping, and inspecting ferrous and plastic pipelines in place using technology that combines and interprets measurements from ground penetrating radar and electromagne...

The Life of a Sponge in a Sandy Lagoon.

PubMed

Ilan, M; Abelson, A

1995-12-01

Infaunal soft-bottom invertebrates benefit from the presence of sediment, but sedimentation is potentially harmful for hard-bottom dwellers. Most sponges live on hard bottom, but on coral reefs in the Red Sea, the species Biemna ehrenbergi (Keller, 1889) is found exclusively in soft-bottom lagoons, usually in the shallowest part. This location is a sink environment, which increases the deposition of particulate organic matter. Most of the sponge body is covered by sediment, but the chimney-like siphons protrude from the sediment surface. The sponge is attached to the buried beach-rock, which reduces the risk of dislodgment during storms. Dye injected above and into the sediment revealed, for the first time, a sponge pumping interstitial water (rich with particles and nutrients) into its aquiferous system. Visual examination of plastic replicas of the aquiferous system and electron microscopical analysis of sponge tissue revealed that the transcellular ostia are mostly located on the buried surface of the sponge. The oscula, however, are located on top of the siphons; their elevated position and their ability to close combine to prevent the filtering system outflow from clogging. The transcellular ostia presumably remain open due to cellular mobility. The sponge maintains a large population of bacteriocytes, which contains bacteria of several different species. Some of these bacteria disintegrate, and may be consumed by the sponge.

Buried Crater

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-12-04

With a location roughly equidistant between two of the largest volcanic constructs on the planet, the fate of the approximately 50 km 31 mile impact crater in this image from NASA Mars Odyssey was sealed. It has been buried to the rim by lava flows. The MOLA context image shows pronounced flow lobes surrounding the crater, a clear indication of the most recent episode of volcanism that could have contributed to its infilling. Breaches in the rim are clearly evident in the image and suggest locations through which lavas could have flowed. These openings appear to be limited to the west side of the crater. Other craters in the area are nearly obliterated by the voluminous lava flows, further demonstrating one of the means by which Mars renews its surface. The MOLA context image shows pronounced flow lobes surrounding the crater, a clear indication of the most recent episode of volcanism that could have contributed to its infilling. Breaches in the rim are clearly evident in the image and suggest locations through which lavas could have flowed. These openings appear to be limited to the west side of the crater. Other craters in the area are nearly obliterated by the voluminous lava flows, further demonstrating one of the means by which Mars renews its surface. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA04018

Search for Remnant Water Ice from Past Glacial Climates on Mars: The Mars Odyssey Neutron Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feldman, W. C.; Prettyman, T. H.; Maurice, S.; Lawrence, D. J.; Pathare, A.; Milliken, R. E.; Travis, B. J.

2011-03-01

We find at least three likely target locations of presently existing deposits of buried "bulk" water ice that may be remnants of multiple episodes of dirty ice precipitation events at low to mid-martian latitudes driven by climate changes during the last 1 to 10 Ma.

Agricultural drainage pipe detection using ground penetrating radar: Effects of antenna orientation relative to drainage pipe directional trend

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Locating buried agricultural drainage pipes is a difficult problem confronting farmers and land improvement contractors, especially in the Midwest U.S., where the removal of excess soil water using subsurface drainage systems is a common farm practice. Enhancing the efficiency of soil water removal ...

Drilling into molten rock at Kilauea Iki

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

Colp, J.L.; Okamura, R.T.

1978-01-01

The scientific feasibility of extracting energy directly from buried circulating magma resources is being assessed. One of the tasks of the project is the study of geophysical measuring systems to locate and define buried molten rock bodies. To verify the results of a molten rock sensing experiment performed at Kilauea Iki lava lake, it is necessary to drill a series of holes through the solid upper crust and through the molten zone at that location. Thirteen holes have been drilled in Kilauea Iki. The results achieved during the drilling of the last two holes indicated that the molten zone inmore » Kilauea Iki is not a simple, relatively homogeneous fluid body as expected. The encountering of an unexpected, unknown rigid obstruction 2.5 ft below the crust/melt interface has led to the conceptual development of a drilling system intended to have the capability to drill through a hot, rigid obstruction while the drill stem is immersed in molten rock. The concept will be field tested at Kilauea Iki in the summer of 1978.« less

Appendix D: Use of wave scenarios to assess potential submerged oil mat (SOM) formation along the coast of Florida and Alabama

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dalyander, P. Soupy; Long, Joseph W.; Plant, Nathaniel G.; Thompson, David M.

2013-01-01

During the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, oil in the surf zone mixed with sediment in the surf zone to form heavier-than-water sediment oil agglomerates of various size, ranging from small (cm-scale) pieces (surface residual balls, SRBs) to large mats (100-m scale, surface residue mats, SR mats). Once SR mats formed in the nearshore or in the intertidal zone, they may have become buried by sand moving onshore or alongshore. To assist in locating possible sites of buried oil, wave scenarios previously developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) were used to determine the depths at which surface oil had the potential to mix with suspended sediment. For sediment to mix with floating oil and form an agglomerate of sufficient density to sink to the seafloor, either the water must be very shallow (e.g., within the swash zone) or sediment must be suspended to the water surface in sufficient concentrations to create a denser-than-sea water agglomerate. The focus of this study is to analyze suspended sediment mixing with surface oil in depths beyond the swash zone, in order to define the seaward limit of mat formation. A theoretical investigation of sediment dynamics in the nearshore zone revealed that non-breaking waves do not suspend enough sediment to the surface to form sinking sand/oil agglomerates. For this study, it was assumed that the cross-shore distribution of potential agglomerate formation is associated with the primary breaker line, and the presence of plunging breakers, over the time frame of oiling. The potential locations of submerged oil mats (SOMs) are sites where (1) possible agglomerate formation occurred, where (2) sediment accreted post-oiling and buried the SOM, and where (3) the bathymetry has not subsequently eroded to re-expose any mat that may have formed at that site. To facilitate identification of these locations, the range of water level variation over the time frame of oiling was also prescribed, which combined with the wave-breaking depth analysis and pre-oiling bathymetry would identify the potential geographic locations of SOMs.

Fast method to compute scattering by a buried object under a randomly rough surface: PILE combined with FB-SA.

PubMed

Bourlier, Christophe; Kubické, Gildas; Déchamps, Nicolas

2008-04-01

A fast, exact numerical method based on the method of moments (MM) is developed to calculate the scattering from an object below a randomly rough surface. Déchamps et al. [J. Opt. Soc. Am. A23, 359 (2006)] have recently developed the PILE (propagation-inside-layer expansion) method for a stack of two one-dimensional rough interfaces separating homogeneous media. From the inversion of the impedance matrix by block (in which two impedance matrices of each interface and two coupling matrices are involved), this method allows one to calculate separately and exactly the multiple-scattering contributions inside the layer in which the inverses of the impedance matrices of each interface are involved. Our purpose here is to apply this method for an object below a rough surface. In addition, to invert a matrix of large size, the forward-backward spectral acceleration (FB-SA) approach of complexity O(N) (N is the number of unknowns on the interface) proposed by Chou and Johnson [Radio Sci.33, 1277 (1998)] is applied. The new method, PILE combined with FB-SA, is tested on perfectly conducting circular and elliptic cylinders located below a dielectric rough interface obeying a Gaussian process with Gaussian and exponential height autocorrelation functions.

Inside-the-wall detection of objects with low metal content using the GPR sensor: effects of different wall structures on the detection performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dogan, Mesut; Yesilyurt, Omer; Turhan-Sayan, Gonul

2018-04-01

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is an ultra-wideband electromagnetic sensor used not only for subsurface sensing but also for the detection of objects which may be hidden behind a wall or inserted within the wall. Such applications of the GPR technology are used in both military and civilian operations such as mine or IED (improvised explosive device) detection, rescue missions after earthquakes and investigation of archeological sites. Detection of concealed objects with low metal content is known to be a challenging problem in general. Use of A-scan, B-scan and C-scan GPR data in combination provides valuable information for target recognition in such applications. In this paper, we study the problem of target detection for potentially explosive objects embedded inside a wall. GPR data is numerically simulated by using an FDTD-based numerical computation tool when dielectric targets and targets with low metal content are inserted into different types of walls. A small size plastic bottle filled with trinitrotoluene (TNT) is used as the target with and without a metal fuse in it. The targets are buried into two different types of wall; a homogeneous brick wall and an inhomogeneous wall constructed by bricks having periodically located air holes in it. Effects of using an inhomogeneous wall structure with internal boundaries are investigated as a challenging scenario, paying special attention to preprocessing.

The use of Ground Penetrating Radar in coastal research, archeaological investigations, lake studies, peat layer measurments and applied research in Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vilumaa, Kadri; Tõnisson, Hannes; Orviku, Kaarel

2014-05-01

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is mainly used for scientific research in coastal geology in the Institute of Ecology at Tallinn University. We currently use SIR-3000 radar with 100, 270 , 300 and 500 MHz antennae. Our main targets have been detecting the thickness of soil and sand layers and finding out the layers in coastal sediments which reflect extreme storm events. Our GPR studies in various settings have suggested that the internal structures of the ridge-dune complexes are dominated by numerous layers dipping in various directions. Such information helps us to reconstruct and understand prevailing processes during their formation (e.g. seaward dipping lamination in coastal ridge-dune complexes indicating cross-shore and wave-induced transport of the sediments). Currently, we are trying to elaborate methodology for distinguishing the differences between aeolian and wave transported sediments by using GPR. However, paludified landscapes (often covered by water), very rough surface (numerous bushes and soft surface), moderate micro topography has slowed this process significantly. Moreover, we have been able to use GPR during the winter period (applied on ice or snow) and compare the quality of our results with the measurements taken during the summer period. We have found that smooth surface (in winter) helps detecting very strong signal differences (border between different sediment types - sand, peat, silt, etc.) but reduces the quality of the signal to the level where the detection of sedimentation patterns within one material (e.g. tilted layers in sand) is difficult. We have carried out several other science-related studies using GPR. These studies include determining the thickness of peat layer in bogs (to calculate the volume of accumulated peat or to find most suitable locations for coring), measuring the thickness of mud and gyttja layer in lakes (to find most suitable locations for coring, reconstructing initial water level of the lake or calculating the volume of stored carbon in the lake). Additionally, we have done several archaeology-related research including the search of buried city walls and caves (Tallinn old town), buried Viking ship (Saaremaa Island) and several other archaeological objects. We have also done some applied studies including the search of underground power cables, heating pipes, melioration systems, ammunition warehouses (from World War II) and buried ammunition from the military training fields. Aknowledgement: The authors acknowledge COST for funding Action TU1208 'Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar', supporting part of this work.

Littoral assessment of mine burial signatures (LAMBS): buried landmine/background spectral-signature analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenton, Arthur C.; Geci, Duane M.; Ray, Kristofer J.; Thomas, Clayton M.; Salisbury, John W.; Mars, John C.; Crowley, James K.; Witherspoon, Ned H.; Holloway, John H., Jr.

2004-09-01

The objective of the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Rapid Overt Reconnaissance (ROR) program and the Airborne Littoral Reconnaissance Technologies (ALRT) project's LAMBS effort is to determine if electro-optical spectral discriminants exist that are useful for the detection of land mines in littoral regions. Statistically significant buried mine overburden and background signature data were collected over a wide spectral range (0.35 to 14 μm) to identify robust spectral features that might serve as discriminants for new airborne sensor concepts. LAMBS has expanded previously collected databases to littoral areas - primarily dry and wet sandy soils - where tidal, surf, and wind conditions can severely modify spectral signatures. At AeroSense 2003, we reported completion of three buried mine collections at an inland bay, Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico beach sites. We now report LAMBS spectral database analyses results using metrics which characterize the detection performance of general types of spectral detection algorithms. These metrics include mean contrast, spectral signal-to-clutter, covariance, information content, and spectral matched filter analyses. Detection performance of the buried land mines was analyzed with regard to burial age, background type, and environmental conditions. These analyses considered features observed due to particle size differences, surface roughness, surface moisture, and compositional differences.

Littoral Assessment of Mine Burial Signatures (LAMBS) buried land mine/background spectral signature analyses

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kenton, A.C.; Geci, D.M.; Ray, K.J.; Thomas, C.M.; Salisbury, J.W.; Mars, J.C.; Crowley, J.K.; Witherspoon, N.H.; Holloway, J.H.; Harmon R.S.Broach J.T.Holloway, Jr. J.H.

2004-01-01

The objective of the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Rapid Overt Reconnaissance (ROR) program and the Airborne Littoral Reconnaissance Technologies (ALRT) project's LAMBS effort is to determine if electro-optical spectral discriminants exist that are useful for the detection of land mines in littoral regions. Statistically significant buried mine overburden and background signature data were collected over a wide spectral range (0.35 to 14 ??m) to identify robust spectral features that might serve as discriminants for new airborne sensor concepts. LAMBS has expanded previously collected databases to littoral areas - primarily dry and wet sandy soils - where tidal, surf, and wind conditions can severely modify spectral signatures. At AeroSense 2003, we reported completion of three buried mine collections at an inland bay, Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico beach sites.1 We now report LAMBS spectral database analyses results using metrics which characterize the detection performance of general types of spectral detection algorithms. These metrics include mean contrast, spectral signal-to-clutter, covariance, information content, and spectral matched filter analyses. Detection performance of the buried land mines was analyzed with regard to burial age, background type, and environmental conditions. These analyses considered features observed due to particle size differences, surface roughness, surface moisture, and compositional differences.

High Resolution Marine Magnetic Survey of Shallow Water Littoral Area

PubMed Central

Ginzburg, Boris; Cohen, Tsuriel Ram; Zafrir, Hovav; Alimi, Roger; Salomonski, Nizan; Sharvit, Jacob

2007-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present a system developed for detection and accurate mapping of ferro-metallic objects buried below the seabed in shallow waters. The system comprises a precise magnetic gradiometer and navigation subsystem, both installed on a non-magnetic catamaran towed by a low-magnetic interfering boat. In addition we present the results of a marine survey of a near-shore area in the vicinity of Atlit, a town situated on the Mediterranean coast of Israel, about 15 km south of Haifa. The primary purpose of the survey was to search for a Harvard airplane that crashed into the sea in 1960. A magnetic map of the survey area (3.5 km2 on a 0.5 m grid) was created revealing the anomalies at sub-meter accuracy. For each investigated target location a corresponding ferro-metallic item was dug out, one of which turned to be very similar to a part of the crashed airplane. The accuracy of location was confirmed by matching the position of the actual dug artifacts with the magnetic map within a range of ± 1 m, in a water depth of 9 m. PMID:28903191

Investigation clogging dynamic of permeable pavement systems using embedded sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razzaghmanesh, Mostafa; Borst, Michael

2018-02-01

Permeable pavement is a stormwater control measure commonly selected in both new and retrofit applications. However, there is limited information about the clogging mechanism of these systems that effects the infiltration. A permeable pavement site located at the Seitz Elementary School, on Fort Riley, Kansas was selected for this study. An 80-space parking lot was built behind the school as part of an EPA collaboration with the U.S. Army. The parking lot design includes a permeable interlocking concrete pavement section along the downgradient edge. This study monitored the clogging progress of the pavement section using twelve water content reflectometers and three buried tipping bucket rain gauges. This clogging dynamic investigation was divided into three stages namely pre-clogged, transitional, and clogged. Recorded initial relative water content of all three stages were significantly and negatively correlated to antecedent dry weather periods with stronger correlations during clogged conditions. The peak relative water content correlation with peak rainfall 10-min intensity was significant for the water content reflectometers located on the western edge away from the eastern edge; this correlation was strongest during transition stage. Once clogged, rainfall measurements no longer correlated with the buried tipping bucket rain gauges. Both water content reflectometers and buried tipping bucket rain gauges showed the progress of surface clogging. For every 6 mm of rain, clogging advanced 1 mm across the surface. The results generally support the hypothesis that the clogging progresses from the upgradient to the downgradient edge. The magnitude of the contributing drainage area and rainfall characteristics are effective factors on rate and progression of clogging.

Magnetic signature of the Sicily Channel volcanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lodolo, E.; Civile, D.; Zanolla, C.; Geletti, R.

2012-03-01

Widespread Late Miocene to Quaternary volcanic activity is know to have occurred in the Sicily Channel continuing up to historical time. New magnetic anomaly data acquired in the Pantelleria Graben, one of the three main tectonic depressions forming the WNW-trending Sicily Channel rift system, integrated with available profiles, are used to identify and map volcanic bodies in this sector of the northern African margin. Some of these manifestations, both outcropping at the sea-floor or buried beneath a variable thickness of Plio-Quaternary sedimentary cover, have been imaged by seismic reflection profiles. Three main positive magnetic anomalies have been found: to the S-E of the Pantelleria Island, the largest emerged caldera of the Sicily Channel, along the eastern margin of the Nameless Bank, and at the north-western termination of the Linosa Graben. Only the anomaly located off the south-eastern coast of the Pantelleria Island, associated with a large outcropping body gradually buried beneath a substantially undisturbed Upper Pliocene-Quaternary sediments, aligns with the trend of the tectonic depression. 2-D geophysical models produced along seismic transects perpendicularly crossing the Pantelleria Graben have allowed to derive its deep crustal structure, and detect the presence of buried magmatic bodies which generate the anomalies. Marginal faults seem to have played a major role in focussing magma emplacement in this sector of the Sicily Channel. The other anomalies represent off-axis volcanic episodes and generally do not show evident magmatic manifestations at the sea-floor. These magnetic maxima seem to follow a NNE-SSW-trending belt extending from Linosa Island to the Nameless Bank, where pre-existing crustal anisotropies may have conditioned magma emplacement both at deep and shallow crustal levels. In general, data analysis has shown that there is a structural control on magma emplacement, with the major magmatic features located in specific locations like boundary faults and transfer zones, in a manner similar to that found along several segments of the East African Rift system.

Exploration of a Buried Building Foundation and a Septic Tank Plume Dispersion Using a Laboratory-fabricated Resistivity Apparatus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lachhab, A.; Stepanik, N.; Booterbaugh, A.

2010-12-01

In the following study, an electrical resistivity device was built and used in both a laboratory setup and in the field to accurately identify the location of a septic tank and the foundation of Gustavus Adolphus (GA); a building that was burned at Susquehanna University in 1964. The entire apparatus, which costs a fraction of the price of a typical electrical resistivity device, was tested for accuracy in the laboratory prior to its use in the field. The electrical resistivity apparatus consists of a deep-cycle twelve volt battery, an AC to DC inverter and two multimeters to measure the potential and the current intensity from four linear electrodes via a wireless data transmission system. This apparatus was constructed by using basic inexpensive electrical and electronic equipments. The recorded potential and current values were used to calculate the apparent resistivity of different materials adopting the Wenner array for both investigations. Several tests were performed on the tabletop bench, producing consistent results when applied to find small bricks structures with different geometrical arrangement buried under a mixed sand-soil formation. The apparatus was also used to investigate a subsurface salty water plume in the same formation. The horizontal resistivity profile obtained over the vertical small brick wall matched the theoretical apparent resistivity of resistivity versus displacement on a vertical dike in a homogeneous material. In addition, the two-dimensional resistivity profile replicate the salty plume size conformably. Following the success on the small-scale laboratory tabletop bench, the electrical resistivity apparatus was implemented in the field to explore the foundation of GA in one location and the septic tank in another. An array of transects were performed, analyzed and plotted using MATLAB. The three dimensional contours of apparent resistivity depicted exactly the locations of the buried foundation walls, the septic tank and the leaking plume.

Acoustic and electromagnetic wave interaction in the detection and identification of buried objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawrence, Daniel Edward

2002-09-01

In order to facilitate the development of a hybrid acoustic and electromagnetic (EM) system for buried object detection, a number of analytical solutions and a novel numerical technique are developed to analyze the complex interaction between acoustic and EM scattering. The essence of the interaction lies in the fact that identifiable acoustic properties of an object, such as acoustic resonances, can be observed in the scattered EM Doppler spectrum. Using a perturbation approach, analytical solutions are derived for the EM scattering from infinitely long circular cylinders, both metallic and dielectric, under acoustic vibration in a homogeneous background medium. Results indicate that both the shape variation and dielectric constant contribute to the scattered EM Doppler spectrum. To model the effect of a cylinder beneath an acoustically excited half-space, a new analytical solution is presented for EM scattering from a cylinder beneath a slightly rough surface. The solution is achieved by using plane-wave expansion of the fields and an iterative technique to account for the multiple interactions between the cylinder and rough surface. Following a similar procedure, a novel solution for elastic-wave scattering from a solid cylinder embedded in a solid half-space is developed and used to calculate the surface displacement. Simulations indicate that only a finite range of spatial surface frequencies, corresponding to surface roughness on the order of the EM wavelength; affect the EM scattering from buried objects and suggest that object detection can be improved if the acoustic excitation induces surface roughness outside this range. To extend the study to non-canonical scenarios, a novel numerical approach is introduced in which time-varying impedance boundary conditions (IBCs) are used in conjunction with the method of moments (MoM) to model the EM scattering from vibrating metallic objects of arbitrary shape. It is shown that the standard IBC provides a first order solution for TM polarization, but a second order IBC is needed for TE polarization. The crucial factor in the calculation of the potentially small Doppler components is that the time-varying nature of the cylinder boundary, contained within the surface impedance expressions, can be isolated from the unperturbed terms in the scattered field.

Genesis and continuity of quaternary sand and gravel in glacigenic sediment at a proposed low-level radioactive waste disposal site in east-central Illinois

USGS Publications Warehouse

Troost, K.G.; Curry, B. Brandon

1991-01-01

The Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety has characterized the Martinsville Alternative Site (MAS) for a proposed low-level radioactive waste disposal facility. The MAS is located in east-central Illinois approximately 1.6 km (1 mi) north of the city of Martinsville. Geologic investigation of the 5.5-km2 (1380-acre) site revealed a sequence of chiefly Illinoian glacigenic sediments from 6 to 60 m (20-200 ft) thick overlying two major bedrock valleys carved in Pennsylvanian strata. Relatively permeable buried units include basal, preglacial alluvium; a complex of intraglacial and subglacial sediment; englacial deposits; and supraglacial fluvial deposits. Postglacial alluvium underlies stream valleys on and adjacent to the site. In most areas, the buried sand units are confined by low-permeability till, lacustrine sediment, colluvium, and loess. The distribution and thickness of the most extensive and continuous buried sand units have been modified considerably by subglacial erosion, and their distributions have been influenced by the buried bedrock valleys. The most continuous of the various sand units were deposited as preglacial and postglacial alluvium and are the uppermost and lowermost stratigraphic units at the alternative site. Sand units that were deposited in englacial or ice-marginal environments are less continuous. Aquifer pumping tests, potentiometric head data, and groundwater geochemistry analyses indicate minimal interaction of groundwater across localized interconnections of the permeable units. ?? 1991 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

Installation Restoration Program. Phase II. Confirmation/Quantification Stage 1 for George Air Force Base, California.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-08-30

technology for objective assessment of adverse effects. A Phase III requirement can be identified at any time during the program. 4. Phase IV - Operations...earth’s field can be asso- ciated with naturally occurring materials, or buried iron objects and remnant cultural features associated with man’s...for as * adequately as that of its own personnel.I 2. Obviously, such objectives can be attained only by the cooperation of all concerned. Therefore, it

40 CFR 229.1 - Burial at sea.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Burial at sea. 229.1 Section 229.1... Burial at sea. (a) All persons subject to title I of the Act are hereby granted a general permit to... location for the purpose of burial at sea and to bury such remains at sea subject to the -following...

40 CFR 229.1 - Burial at sea.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Burial at sea. 229.1 Section 229.1... Burial at sea. (a) All persons subject to title I of the Act are hereby granted a general permit to... location for the purpose of burial at sea and to bury such remains at sea subject to the -following...

40 CFR 229.1 - Burial at sea.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Burial at sea. 229.1 Section 229.1... Burial at sea. (a) All persons subject to title I of the Act are hereby granted a general permit to... location for the purpose of burial at sea and to bury such remains at sea subject to the -following...

40 CFR 229.1 - Burial at sea.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Burial at sea. 229.1 Section 229.1... Burial at sea. (a) All persons subject to title I of the Act are hereby granted a general permit to... location for the purpose of burial at sea and to bury such remains at sea subject to the -following...

40 CFR 229.1 - Burial at sea.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2012-07-01 2011-07-01 true Burial at sea. 229.1 Section 229.1... Burial at sea. (a) All persons subject to title I of the Act are hereby granted a general permit to... location for the purpose of burial at sea and to bury such remains at sea subject to the -following...

Soil-Geomorphic and Paleoclimatic Characteristics of the Fort Bliss Maneuver Areas, Southern New Mexico and Western Texas

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-03-07

archaeological investigations of buried structures, and locating underground pipelines (Teng 1985; Young et al. 1988; Mellett 1990). Detailed subsurface ... imaging with radar usually is done with a portable ground-based system that is designed to differentiate media at depths ranging from 0.5 m to 30 m

A GPR agricultural drainage pipe detection case study: Effects of antenna orientation relative to drainage pipe directional trend

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Locating buried drainage pipes is a difficult task confronting farmers and land improvement contractors, especially in the Midwest U.S., where the removal of excess soil water using subsurface drainage systems is a common farm practice. Enhancing the efficiency of soil water removal on land containi...

GPR Imaging for Deeply Buried Objects: A Comparative Study Based on FDTD Models and Field Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tilley, roger; Dowla, Farid; Nekoogar, Faranak; Sadjadpour, Hamid

2012-01-01

Conventional use of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is hampered by variations in background environmental conditions, such as water content in soil, resulting in poor repeatability of results over long periods of time when the radar pulse characteristics are kept the same. Target objects types might include voids, tunnels, unexploded ordinance, etc. The long-term objective of this work is to develop methods that would extend the use of GPR under various environmental and soil conditions provided an optimal set of radar parameters (such as frequency, bandwidth, and sensor configuration) are adaptively employed based on the ground conditions. Towards that objective, developing Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) GPR models, verified by experimental results, would allow us to develop analytical and experimental techniques to control radar parameters to obtain consistent GPR images with changing ground conditions. Reported here is an attempt at developing 20 and 3D FDTD models of buried targets verified by two different radar systems capable of operating over different soil conditions. Experimental radar data employed were from a custom designed high-frequency (200 MHz) multi-static sensor platform capable of producing 3-D images, and longer wavelength (25 MHz) COTS radar (Pulse EKKO 100) capable of producing 2-D images. Our results indicate different types of radar can produce consistent images.

Multiscale tomography of buried magnetic structures: its use in the localization and characterization of archaeological structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saracco, Ginette; Moreau, Frédérique; Mathé, Pierre-Etienne; Hermitte, Daniel; Michel, Jean-Marie

2007-10-01

We have previously developed a method for characterizing and localizing `homogeneous' buried sources, from the measure of potential anomalies at a fixed height above ground (magnetic, electric and gravity). This method is based on potential theory and uses the properties of the Poisson kernel (real by definition) and the continuous wavelet theory. Here, we relax the assumption on sources and introduce a method that we call the `multiscale tomography'. Our approach is based on the harmonic extension of the observed magnetic field to produce a complex source by use of a complex Poisson kernel solution of the Laplace equation for complex potential field. A phase and modulus are defined. We show that the phase provides additional information on the total magnetic inclination and the structure of sources, while the modulus allows us to characterize its spatial location, depth and `effective degree'. This method is compared to the `complex dipolar tomography', extension of the Patella method that we previously developed. We applied both methods and a classical electrical resistivity tomography to detect and localize buried archaeological structures like antique ovens from magnetic measurements on the Fox-Amphoux site (France). The estimates are then compared with the results of excavations.

Spatial and Alignment Analyses for a Field of Small Volcanic Vents South of Pavonis Mons and Implications for the Tharsis Province, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bleacher, Jacob E.; Glaze, Lori S.; Greeley, Ronald; Hauber, Ernst; Baloga, Stephen; Sakimoto, Susan E. H.; Williams, David A.; Glotch, Timothy D.

2009-01-01

A field of small volcanic vents south of Pavonis Mons was mapped with each vent assigned a two-dimensional data point. Nearest neighbor and two-point azimuth analyses were applied to the resulting location data. Nearest neighbor results show that vents within this field are spatially random in a Poisson sense, suggesting that the vents formed independently of each other without sharing a centralized magma source at shallow depth. Two-point azimuth results show that the vents display north-trending alignment relationships between one another. This trend corresponds to the trends of faults and fractures of the Noachian-aged Claritas Fossae, which might extend into our study area buried beneath more recently emplaced lava flows. However, individual elongate vent summit structures do not consistently display the same trend. The development of the volcanic field appears to display tectonic control from buried Noachian-aged structural patterns on small, ascending magma bodies while the surface orientations of the linear vents might reflect different, younger tectonic patterns. These results suggest a complex interaction between magma ascension through the crust, and multiple, older, buried Tharsis-related tectonic structures.

On the detection of adobe buried archaeological structures using multiscale remote sensing techniques : Piramide Naranja in Cahuachi (Peru)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masini, N.; Rizzo, E.; Lasaponara, R.; Orefici, G.

2009-04-01

The detection of buried adobe structures is a crucial issue for the remote sensing (ground, aerial and satellite) applied to archaeology for the widespread of sun-dried earth as building material in several ancient civilizations in Central and Southern America, Middle East and North Africa. Moreover it is complex, due to the subtle contrast existing between the archaeological features and the surrounding, especially in arid setting, as in the case of the well know Nazca Ceremonial Centre of Cahuachi, located in the desert of Nazca (Southern Peru) . During the last two decades of excavations adobe monuments dating back from the 6th century B.C. to the 4th century A.D have been highlighted by the Centro de Estudios Arqueológicos Precolombinos (CEAP), an italian-peruvian mission directed by Giuseppe Orefici. Actually, the archaeologists are excavating and restoring the core of the Ceremonial centre where is located a great pyramid (kown as Gran Piramide). Beginning from 2007 the two institutes of CNR, IMAA and IBAM, have been involved by CEAP, in order to provide a scientific and technological support for the archaeological research. Therefore, a multi-scale approach based on the integration of aerial and satellite remote sensing with geophysical techniques was employed in order to provide data useful for archaeological excavations. The abstract refers to the last investigations performed on a mound, known as "Piramide Naranja", during the 2008. The processing of an aerial imagery time series and two QuickBird satellite images acquired in 2002 and 2005, allowed for identifying some features related to shallow and buried structures. Such features were verified by means of geophysical prospections, performed by using the magnetometric method which observed changes in the magnetic field within the first few metres beneath the subsurface detecting buried walls and anomalies linked to ceramic deposits referable to possible tombs. Finally, the integration of all data acquired by the different remote sensing techniques allowed for spatially characterizing the archaeological features, thus providing important information for the planning of the next archaeological campaign scheduled on July 2009

South Polar Depression

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

14 August 2005 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a circular depression and a suite of eroding mesas of carbon dioxide. These features occur in the south polar residual cap of Mars. The eroding carbon dioxide creates landforms reminiscent of 'Swiss cheese.' The circular feature might indicate the location of a filled, buried impact crater.

Location near: 86.8oS, 111.0oW Image width: width: 3 km (1.9 mi) Illumination from: upper left Season: Southern Spring

GPR survey to detect buried prehistorical remains at North Ballachulish Moss (Scotland).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soldovieri, F.; Persico, R.; Utsi, E.

2009-04-01

This work deals with the Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) exploitation to map the underlying topography of North Ballachulish Moss as part of an archaeological evaluation of the area that was under threat of development. The aim of the survey has been to reconstruct peat depth and detect and locate buried localised targets [1]. During the survey many radar anomalies have been detected and the reliability of the radar survey has been confirmed by ground-truthing under the form of sediment coring, test-pitting and trial excavations. Sediment coring and test-pitting provided corroborative evidence for the peat depths as defined by the radar survey. Trial trenching revealed that a suite of radar anomalies, identified during the course of the survey, are related to a buried prehistoric surface with an associated abundance of man-made artefacts (wooden stakes). The data interpretation has benefited of the representation of the GPR results under the format of horizontal time-slices that well pointed out the depth of the peat and the localization and the shape of the buried localised targets. In particular, the series of time-slices show the development of discrete surfaces and their relationship to an adjacent headland. The orientation of the site and its proximity to the location of a buried prehistoric wooden figure suggest ritual importance. Finally, the measurements have been processed by a novel data processing approach based on the microwave tomography [3-4]; the results of this data processing have been compared with the ones of the standard data processing and have confirmed the above said outcomes of the standard data processing. [1] C.M. Clarke, E.Utsi, V. Utsi, "Ground penetrating radar investigations at North Ballachulish Moss, Highland, Scotland", Archaeological Prospection, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 107-121-75 , 1999 [2] E. Utsi, "Ground-penetrating radar time-slices from North Ballachulish Moss", Archaeological Prospection, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 65-75, 2004. [3] F. Soldovieri, R. Persico, G. Leone, A Microwave Tomographic Imaging Approach for Multibistatic Configuration: The Choice of the Frequency Step", IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, Vol. 55, Issue 6, pp. 1926 - 1934, Dec. 2006. [4] F. Soldovieri, R. Bernini, I. Catapano, and L. Crocco, "The integration of novel diagnostics techniques for multi-scale monitoring of large civil infrastructures", Advances in Geosciences, Geophysical monitoring of the near-surface by electromagnetic and other geophysical methods (L. Eppelbaum and F. Soldovieri, Editors), vol. 19, pp. 67-74 , Nov. 2008

Discovering buried channels of the Yamuna in alluvial plains of NW India using geophysical investigations: implications for major drainage reorganization during Late Quaternary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, D.; Khan, I.; Sinha, R.

2016-12-01

Climatic changes and active tectonic movements in the northwestern plains of India during the Late Quaternary have led to the migration and abandonment of drainage systems and formation of a large number of palaeochannels. It has been postulated by previous workers that the Yamuna was flowing along the present-day dry palaeochannels of Ghaggar-Hakra riverbed >120 Ka ago and was relocated to its current position only during the Late Quaternary. However, till date, no conclusive evidence has been provided as to when and why the Yamuna avulsion occurred. This study aims to establish sub-surface existence of buried channels of paleo-Yamuna as possible courses of the paleo-Ghaggar river. Geo-electric studies using vertical electrical resistivity soundings (1D-VES), multi electrode electrical resistivity tomography (2D-ERT) and multi probe well log surveys have been carried out in one of the paleochannels of the Yamuna to map the large-scale geometry and architecture of the palaeochannel system in the subsurface. The main objective is to reconstruct the shallow subsurface stratigraphy and alluvial architecture of the interfluve between the modern Yamuna and Sutlej Rivers, in particular the linkage of the paleocourses of the Yamuna River to the drainage network of the northwestern alluvial plains. The geophysical signatures recorded as VES on two transects trending NW-SE in Karnal and Kaithal districts of Haryana at 9 and 13 locations respectively along with continuous ERT reveals the presence of subsurface fine to coarse sand bodies (20 to 30m thick) interbedded with silty clay layers that are laterally stacked. The occurrence of thick and wide subsurface sand bodies in the subsurface implies that these are the deposits of a large river system and suggests that the Yamuna was connected to the paleo-Ghaggar River as hypothesized by earlier workers based on remote sensing techniques. However, detailed sedimentological and chronological constraints are required to establish such links to unravel the stratigraphic manifestation of the buried channels, their sediment provenance and paleoclimatic conditions during the period when these river systems were active.

Multibeam observations of mine burial near Clearwater, FL, including comparisons to predictions of wave-induced burial

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wolfson, M.L.; Naar, D.F.; Howd, P.A.; Locker, S.D.; Donahue, B.T.; Friedrichs, Carl T.; Trembanis, A.C.; Richardson, M.D.; Wever, T.F.

2007-01-01

A Kongsberg Simrad EM 3000 multibeam sonar (Kongsberg Simrad, Kongsberg, Norway) was used to conduct a set of six repeat high-resolution bathymetric surveys west of Indian Rocks Beach (IRB), just to the south of Clearwater, FL, between January and March 2003, to observe in situ scour and burial of instrumented inert mines and mine-like cylinders. Three closely located study sites were chosen: two fine-sand sites, a shallow one located in ??? 13 m of water depth and a deep site located in ???14 m of water depth; and a coarse-sand site in ???13 m. Results from these surveys indicate that mines deployed in fine sand are nearly buried within two months of deployment (i.e., they sunk 74.5% or more below the ambient seafloor depth). Mines deployed in coarse sand showed a lesser amount of scour, burying until they present roughly the same hydrodynamic roughness as the surrounding rippled bedforms. These data were also used to test the validity of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS, Gloucester Point, VA) 2-D burial model. The model worked well in areas of fine sand, sufficiently predicting burial over the course of the experiment. In the area of coarse sand, the model greatly overpredicted the amount of burial. This is believed to be due to the presence of rippled bedforms around the mines, which affect local bottom morphodynamics and are not accounted for in the model, an issue currently being addressed by the modelers. This paper focuses specifically on two instrumented mines: an acoustic mine located in fine sand and an optical instrumented mine located in coarse sand. ?? 2007 IEEE.

Biological Observations on Aedes Seatoi Huang in Thailand with Notes on Rural Aedes Aegypti (L.) and Other Stegomyia Populations

DTIC Science & Technology

1972-03-15

distribution is herein extended by 6 provinces : Ang Thong, Chiang Mai , Lop Buri, Nakhon Sawan, Prachin Buri and Sara Buri (FIG. 1). These new...of Thailand : 1. Ang Thong. 2. Chiang Mai . 3. Chon Buri. 4. Kanchanaburi. 5. Lop Buri. 6. Nakhon Sawan. 7. Prachin Buri. 8. Sara Buri. Provinces

Searching for the Source of Salt Marsh Buried Mercury.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brooke, C. G.; Nelson, D. C.; Fleming, E. J.

2016-12-01

Salt marshes provide a barrier between upstream mercury contamination and coastal ecosystems. Mercury is sorbed, transported, and deposited in estuarine systems. Once the upstream mercury source has been remediated, the downstream mercury contaminated salt marsh sediments should become "capped" or buried by uncontaminated sediments preventing further ecosystem contamination. Downstream from a remediated mercury mine, an estuarine intertidal marsh in Tomales Bay, CA, USA, scavengers/predators (e.g. Pachygrapsus crassipes, Lined Shore Crab) have leg mercury concentrations as high as 5.5 ppm (dry wt./dry wt.), which increase significantly with crab size, a surrogate for trophic level. These elevated mercury concentrations suggests that "buried" mercury is rereleased into the environment. To locate possible sources of mercury release in Walker Marsh, we sampled a transect across the marsh that included diverse micro-environments (e.g. rhizoshere, stratified sediments, faunal burrows). From each location we determined the sediment structure, sediment color, total sediment mercury, total sediment iron, and microbial composition (n = 28). Where flora or fauna had perturbed the sediment, mercury concentrations were 10% less than undisturbed stratified sediments (1025 ppb vs. 1164 ppb, respectively). High-throughput SSU rRNA gene sequencing and subsequent co-occurrence network analysis genera indicated that in flora- or fauna- perturbed sediments there was an increased likelihood that microbial genera contained mercury mobilizing genes (94% vs 57%; in perturbed vs stratified sediments, respectively). Our observations are consistent with findings by others that in perturbed sites mercury mobility increased. We did however identify a microbial and geochemical profile with increased mercury mobility. For future work we plan to quantify the role these micro-environments have on mercury-efflux from salt marshes.

Buried landmine detection using multivariate normal clustering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duston, Brian M.

2001-10-01

A Bayesian classification algorithm is presented for discriminating buried land mines from buried and surface clutter in Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) signals. This algorithm is based on multivariate normal (MVN) clustering, where feature vectors are used to identify populations (clusters) of mines and clutter objects. The features are extracted from two-dimensional images created from ground penetrating radar scans. MVN clustering is used to determine the number of clusters in the data and to create probability density models for target and clutter populations, producing the MVN clustering classifier (MVNCC). The Bayesian Information Criteria (BIC) is used to evaluate each model to determine the number of clusters in the data. An extension of the MVNCC allows the model to adapt to local clutter distributions by treating each of the MVN cluster components as a Poisson process and adaptively estimating the intensity parameters. The algorithm is developed using data collected by the Mine Hunter/Killer Close-In Detector (MH/K CID) at prepared mine lanes. The Mine Hunter/Killer is a prototype mine detecting and neutralizing vehicle developed for the U.S. Army to clear roads of anti-tank mines.

Modelling a real-world buried valley system with vertical non-stationarity using multiple-point statistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Xiulan; Sonnenborg, Torben O.; Jørgensen, Flemming; Jensen, Karsten H.

2017-03-01

Stationarity has traditionally been a requirement of geostatistical simulations. A common way to deal with non-stationarity is to divide the system into stationary sub-regions and subsequently merge the realizations for each region. Recently, the so-called partition approach that has the flexibility to model non-stationary systems directly was developed for multiple-point statistics simulation (MPS). The objective of this study is to apply the MPS partition method with conventional borehole logs and high-resolution airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data, for simulation of a real-world non-stationary geological system characterized by a network of connected buried valleys that incise deeply into layered Miocene sediments (case study in Denmark). The results show that, based on fragmented information of the formation boundaries, the MPS partition method is able to simulate a non-stationary system including valley structures embedded in a layered Miocene sequence in a single run. Besides, statistical information retrieved from the AEM data improved the simulation of the geology significantly, especially for the deep-seated buried valley sediments where borehole information is sparse.

Imaging and detection of mines from acoustic measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Witten, Alan J.; DiMarzio, Charles A.; Li, Wen; McKnight, Stephen W.

1999-08-01

A laboratory-scale acoustic experiment is described where a buried target, a hockey puck cut in half, is shallowly buried in a sand box. To avoid the need for source and receiver coupling to the host sand, an acoustic wave is generated in the subsurface by a pulsed laser suspended above the air-sand interface. Similarly, an airborne microphone is suspended above this interface and moved in unison with the laser. After some pre-processing of the data, reflections for the target, although weak, could clearly be identified. While the existence and location of the target can be determined by inspection of the data, its unique shape can not. Since target discrimination is important in mine detection, a 3D imaging algorithm was applied to the acquired acoustic data. This algorithm yielded a reconstructed image where the shape of the target was resolved.

A Pragmatic Approach to Counterinsurgency

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-23

money to serve as lookouts reporting on our location or to bury and detonate improvised explosive devices. Many were teenagers lacking parental...counterproductive; instead of massing troops, the army developed small patrols that used the skills of native trackers and intelligence... to target...District Advisory Council and associated neighborhood council members signed paperwork, held meetings, and showed up for every school and clinic opening. But

Germination and field survival of white-topped pitcher plant seeds

Treesearch

Kristina Connor; Hilliard Gibbs

2012-01-01

A study was initiated to determine longevity of white-topped pitcher plant (Sarracenia leucophylla, Raf.) seeds in the field and in cold storage. Thirty seed pods were harvested in August 2009 from plants located in Alabama 38 miles from the Gulf Coast. Of the 10,000+ seeds extracted from the pods, some were buried outside in screen-wire bags and...

Spilled oil and infaunal activity - Modification of burrowing behavior and redistribution of oil

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clifton, H.E.; Kvenvolden, K.A.; Rapp, J.B.

1984-01-01

A series of experiments in Willapa Bay, Washington, indicates the degree to which the presence of spilled oil modifies the burrowing behavior of infauna and the extent to which the animals redistribute oil into intertidal sediment. Small amounts of North Slope crude oil introduced at low tide directly into burrow openings (mostly made by the crustacean Callianassa) resulted in a limited and temporary reduction in the number of burrow openings. In contrast, a layer of oil-saturated sand 1 cm thick buried about 5 cm below the sediment surface sharply reduced the number of burrow openings. After a year, the few new burrows penetrated only the margins of the experimental plot, and bioturbation below the buried oil-saturated sand layer declined dramatically. The experiments suggest that small amounts of oil temporarily stranded by tides in themselves have no long-range effect on burrowing behavior. The fauna, however, are capable of introducing measurable amounts of oil into the subsurface, where it is retained long after the rest of the stranded oil had washed away. A buried layer of oil-saturated sand greatly reduces infaunal activity; the oil presents an effective barrier that can persist for years. The oil incorporated into the sediment from burrow openings showed evidence of degradation after 7 months. In contrast the layer of buried oil remained essentially undergraded after a period of two years, even though oil in lower concentrations above the layer was degraded after a period of one year. This variation in degree of degradation of the buried oil, as well as the heterogeneity of oil distribution wherever the oil has been incorporated from the surface, emphasises the importance of careful sampling in any attempt to locate or monitor the presence of spilled oil in the substrate.In a series of experiments in Willapa Bay, Washington, small amounts of North Slope crude oil introduced at low tide directly into burrow openings resulted in a limited and temporary reduction in the number of burrow openings. In contrast, a layer of oil-saturated sand 1 cm thick buried about 5 cm below the sediment surface sharply reduced the number of burrow openings. After a year, the few new burrows penetrated only the margins of the experimental plot, and bioturbation below the buried oil-saturated sand layer declined dramatically. The experiments suggest that small amounts of oil temporarily stranded by tides in themselves have no long-range effect on burrowing behavior. The oil incorporated into the sediment from burrow openings showed evidence of degradation after 17 months. In contrast, the layer of buried oil remained essentially undegraded after a period of two years. Refs.

Suggested Methods and Standards for Testing and Verification of Electromagnetic Buried Object Detectors

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-03-01

System .. ........................ 6-(Bl) vi LIST OF TAB.ES Pag e Table 4.1 Copper Test Objects ........ ..................... 4-3 Table 4.2...discriminate b hwtneri worthless aluminum or iron scraps and more valuable copper or silver 3-1 It is customary to analyze the reactions of search...or magnetite sand). Likewise, phase information can be used to discriminate (with the proper electronics) between aluminum alloy targets and copper

Examination of the mGluR mTOR Pathway for the Identification of Potential Therapeutic Targets To Treat Fragile X

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-01

Introduction Fragile X syndrome is the leading cause of intellectual disability resulting from a single gene mutation...performance, which measures motor learning and coordination. Treatment with metformin did not significantly affect performance in the rotarod task (Fig 5...marble burying, novel object recognition, object place memory, and reversal learning in the water Y maze (data not shown). It has been previously

Three-Dimensional Characterization of Buried Metallic Targets via a Tomographic Algorithm Applied to GPR Synthetic Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Comite, Davide; Galli, Alessandro; Catapano, Ilaria; Soldovieri, Francesco; Pettinelli, Elena

2013-04-01

This work is focused on the three-dimensional (3-D) imaging of buried metallic targets achievable by processing GPR (ground penetrating radar) simulation data via a tomographic inversion algorithm. The direct scattering problem has been analysed by means of a recently-developed numerical setup based on an electromagnetic time-domain CAD tool (CST Microwave Studio), which enables us to efficiently explore different GPR scenarios of interest [1]. The investigated 3D domain considers here two media, representing, e.g., an air/soil environment in which variously-shaped metallic (PEC) scatterers can be buried. The GPR system is simulated with Tx/Rx antennas placed in a bistatic configuration at the soil interface. In the implementation, the characteristics of the antennas may suitably be chosen in terms of topology, offset, radiative features, frequency ranges, etc. Arbitrary time-domain waveforms can be used as the input GPR signal (e.g., a Gaussian-like pulse having the frequency spectrum in the microwave range). The gathered signal at the output port includes the backscattered wave from the objects to be reconstructed, and the relevant data may be displayed in canonical radargram forms [1]. The GPR system sweeps along one main rectilinear direction, and the scanning process is here repeated along different close parallel lines to acquire data for a full 3-D analysis. Starting from the processing of the synthetic GPR data, a microwave tomographic approach is used to tackle the imaging, which is based on the Kirchhoff approximation to linearize the inverse scattering problem [2]. The target reconstruction is given in terms of the amplitude of the 'object function' (normalized with respect to its maximum inside the 3-D investigation domain). The data of the scattered field are collected considering a multi-frequency step process inside the fixed range of the signal spectrum, under a multi-bistatic configuration where the Tx and Rx antennas are separated by an offset distance and move at the interface over rectilinear observation domains. Analyses have been performed for some canonical scatterer shapes (e.g., sphere and cylinder, cube and parallelepiped, cone and wedge) in order to specifically highlight the influence of all the three dimensions (length, depth, and width) in the reconstruction of the targets. The roles of both size and location of the objects are also addressed in terms of the probing signal wavelengths and of the antenna offset. The results show to what extent it is possible to achieve a correct spatial localization of the targets, in conjunction with a generally satisfactory prediction of their 3-D size and shape. It should anyway be noted that the tomographic reconstructions here manage challenging cases of non-penetrable objects with data gathered under a reflection configuration, hence most of the information achievable is expected relating to the upper illuminated parts of the reflectors that give rise to the main scattering effects. The limits in the identification of fine geometrical details are discussed further in connection with the critical aspects of GPR operation, which include the adopted detection configuration and the frequency spectrum of the employed signals. [1] G. Valerio, A. Galli, P. M. Barone, S. E. Lauro, E. Mattei, and E. Pettinelli, "GPR detectability of rocks in a Martian-like shallow subsoil: a numerical approach," Planet. Space Sci., Vol. 62, pp. 31-40, 2012. [2] R. Solimene, A. Buonanno, F. Soldovieri, and R. Pierri, "Physical optics imaging of 3D PEC objects: vector and multipolarized approaches," IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens., Vol. 48, pp. 1799-1808, Apr. 2010.

Gravitational wave astronomy: needle in a haystack.

PubMed

Cornish, Neil J

2013-02-13

A worldwide array of highly sensitive ground-based interferometers stands poised to usher in a new era in astronomy with the first direct detection of gravitational waves. The data from these instruments will provide a unique perspective on extreme astrophysical objects, such as neutron stars and black holes, and will allow us to test Einstein's theory of gravity in the strong field, dynamical regime. To fully realize these goals, we need to solve some challenging problems in signal processing and inference, such as finding rare and weak signals that are buried in non-stationary and non-Gaussian instrument noise, dealing with high-dimensional model spaces, and locating what are often extremely tight concentrations of posterior mass within the prior volume. Gravitational wave detection using space-based detectors and pulsar timing arrays bring with them the additional challenge of having to isolate individual signals that overlap one another in both time and frequency. Promising solutions to these problems will be discussed, along with some of the challenges that remain.

The propagation and backscattering of soliton-like pulses in a chain of quartz beads and related problems. (II). Backscattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manciu, Marian; Sen, Surajit; Hurd, Alan J.

1999-12-01

We demonstrate that the propagation of solitons, soliton-like excitations and acoustic pulses discussed in the preceding article (M. Manciu, S. Sen and A.J. Hurd, Physica A, preceding article) can be used to detect buried impurities in a chain of elastic grains with Hertzian contacts. We also present preliminary data for 3D granular beds, where soliton-like objects can form and can be used to probe for buried impurities, thus suggesting that soliton-pulse spectroscopy has the potential to become a valuable tool for probing the structural properties of granular assemblies. The effects of restitution are briefly discussed. We refer to available experiments which support our contention.

Numerical Simulation of Rock Mass Damage Evolution During Deep-Buried Tunnel Excavation by Drill and Blast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Jianhua; Lu, Wenbo; Hu, Yingguo; Chen, Ming; Yan, Peng

2015-09-01

Presence of an excavation damage zone (EDZ) around a tunnel perimeter is of significant concern with regard to safety, stability, costs and overall performance of the tunnel. For deep-buried tunnel excavation by drill and blast, it is generally accepted that a combination of effects of stress redistribution and blasting is mainly responsible for development of the EDZ. However, few open literatures can be found to use numerical methods to investigate the behavior of rock damage induced by the combined effects, and it is still far from full understanding how, when and to what degree the blasting affects the behavior of the EDZ during excavation. By implementing a statistical damage evolution law based on stress criterion into the commercial software LS-DYNA through its user-subroutines, this paper presents a 3D numerical simulation of the rock damage evolution of a deep-buried tunnel excavation, with a special emphasis on the combined effects of the stress redistribution of surrounding rock masses and the blasting-induced damage. Influence of repeated blast loadings on the damage extension for practical millisecond delay blasting is investigated in the present analysis. Accompanying explosive detonation and secession of rock fragments from their initial locations, in situ stress in the immediate vicinity of the excavation face is suddenly released. The transient characteristics of the in situ stress release and induced dynamic responses in the surrounding rock masses are also highlighted. From the simulation results, some instructive conclusions are drawn with respect to the rock damage mechanism and evolution during deep-buried tunnel excavation by drill and blast.

Infrared thermographic detection of buried grave sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weil, Gary J.; Graf, Richard J.

1992-04-01

Since time began, people have been born and people have died. For a variety of reasons grave sites have had to be located and investigated. These reasons have included legal, criminal, religious, construction and even simple curiosity problems. Destructive testing methods such as shovels and backhoes, have traditionally been used to determine grave site locations in fields, under pavements, and behind hidden locations. These existing techniques are slow, inconvenient, dirty, destructive, visually obtrusive, irritating to relatives, explosive to the media and expensive. A new, nondestructive, non-contact technique, infrared thermography has been developed to address these problems. This paper will describe how infrared thermography works and will be illustrated by several case histories.

78 FR 72706 - Notice of Inventory Completion: Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-03

... bone beads buried with the adult female remains. Sometime during 1975, human remains representing, at... were identified. No associated funerary objects are present, although animal bone and a projectile.... Case 65 represents one partial individual mixed with bison bone. No known individuals were identified...

Palmer amaranth seed mortality in response to burial depth and time

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Glyphosate resistant Palmer amaranth infests millions of arable acres in the SE US. One proposed method of reducing population numbers is to bury surface seeds deeply, below their optimal emergence zone. The objective of this study was to determine how burial longevity and depth impact Palmer amaran...

Scattering of Acoustic Waves from Ocean Boundaries

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-30

of buried mines and improve SONAR performance in shallow water. OBJECTIVES 1) Determination of the correct physical model of acoustic propagation...Nicholas Chotiros, particularly for theoretical development of bulk acoustic /sediment modeling and laser roughness measurements. REFERENCES C...PUBLICATIONS 1. M. Isakson, and N. Chotiros. Finite Element Modeling of Acoustic

Detection of disturbed earth using hyperspectral LWIR imaging data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hubbard, Wendy; Bishop, Gary; Gagnon, Jean-Philippe; Lagueux, Philippe; Hannuna, Sion; Campbell, Neill

2010-10-01

The Reststrahlen effect has been investigated for detecting regions of recently disturbed earth, by taking images where metallic objects had been buried in a sandy soil and comparing with images of undisturbed soil. The images were taken with a Long wave Infrared (LWIR) Hyperspectral Sensor, the Hyper-Cam.

Timing and context of dolphin clicks during and after mine simulator detection and marking in the open ocean

PubMed Central

Dibble, Dianna S.; Kennemer, Jaime A.

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Two dolphins carrying cameras swam in the ocean as they searched for and marked mine simulators – buried, proud or moored. As the animals swam ahead of a boat they searched the ocean. Cameras on their harness recorded continuous sound and video. Once a target was detected, the dolphins received a marker to take to the simulator's location. During search and detection, dolphins made almost continuous trains of varying interval clicks. During the marking phase, shorter click trains were interrupted by periods of silence. As the dolphins marked simulators, they often produced victory squeals – pulse bursts that vary in duration, peak frequency and amplitude. Victory squeals were produced on 72% of marks. Sometimes after marking, or at other times during their long swims, the dolphins produced click packets. Packets typically consisted of two to 10 clicks with inter-click intervals of 7-117 ms followed by a silence of 223-983 ms. Click packets appeared unrelated with searching or marking. We suggest that the packets were used to improve signal to noise ratios for locating a boat or other distant object. Victory squeals produced when marking the targets suggest to us that the dolphins know when they have succeeded in this multipart task. PMID:29463515

Timing and context of dolphin clicks during and after mine simulator detection and marking in the open ocean.

PubMed

Ridgway, Sam H; Dibble, Dianna S; Kennemer, Jaime A

2018-02-20

Two dolphins carrying cameras swam in the ocean as they searched for and marked mine simulators - buried, proud or moored. As the animals swam ahead of a boat they searched the ocean. Cameras on their harness recorded continuous sound and video. Once a target was detected, the dolphins received a marker to take to the simulator's location. During search and detection, dolphins made almost continuous trains of varying interval clicks. During the marking phase, shorter click trains were interrupted by periods of silence. As the dolphins marked simulators, they often produced victory squeals - pulse bursts that vary in duration, peak frequency and amplitude. Victory squeals were produced on 72% of marks. Sometimes after marking, or at other times during their long swims, the dolphins produced click packets. Packets typically consisted of two to 10 clicks with inter-click intervals of 7-117 ms followed by a silence of 223-983 ms. Click packets appeared unrelated with searching or marking. We suggest that the packets were used to improve signal to noise ratios for locating a boat or other distant object. Victory squeals produced when marking the targets suggest to us that the dolphins know when they have succeeded in this multipart task. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

New methods for interpretation of magnetic vector and gradient tensor data I: eigenvector analysis and the normalised source strength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, David A.

2012-09-01

Acquisition of magnetic gradient tensor data is likely to become routine in the near future. New methods for inverting gradient tensor surveys to obtain source parameters have been developed for several elementary, but useful, models. These include point dipole (sphere), vertical line of dipoles (narrow vertical pipe), line of dipoles (horizontal cylinder), thin dipping sheet, and contact models. A key simplification is the use of eigenvalues and associated eigenvectors of the tensor. The normalised source strength (NSS), calculated from the eigenvalues, is a particularly useful rotational invariant that peaks directly over 3D compact sources, 2D compact sources, thin sheets and contacts, and is independent of magnetisation direction. In combination the NSS and its vector gradient determine source locations uniquely. NSS analysis can be extended to other useful models, such as vertical pipes, by calculating eigenvalues of the vertical derivative of the gradient tensor. Inversion based on the vector gradient of the NSS over the Tallawang magnetite deposit obtained good agreement between the inferred geometry of the tabular magnetite skarn body and drill hole intersections. Besides the geological applications, the algorithms for the dipole model are readily applicable to the detection, location and characterisation (DLC) of magnetic objects, such as naval mines, unexploded ordnance, shipwrecks, archaeological artefacts, and buried drums.

High-Frequency Sound Interaction with Ocean Sediments and with Objects in the Vicinity of the Water/Sediment Interface and Mid-Frequency Shallow Water Propagation and Scattering

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-30

combined with measured sediment properties, to test the validity of sediment acoustic models , and in particular the poroelastic (Biot) model . Addressing...TERM GOALS 1. Development of accurate models for acoustic scattering from, penetration into, and propagation within shallow water ocean sediments...2. Development of reliable methods for modeling acoustic detection of buried objects at subcritical grazing angles. 3. Improving our

Use of ground-penetrating radar techniques in archaeological investigations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doolittle, James A.; Miller, W. Frank

1991-01-01

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) techniques are increasingly being used to aid reconnaissance and pre-excavation surveys at many archaeological sites. As a 'remote sensing' tool, GPR provides a high resolution graphic profile of the subsurface. Radar profiles are used to detect, identify, and locate buried artifacts. Ground-penetrating radar provides a rapid, cost effective, and nondestructive method for identification and location analyses. The GPR can be used to facilitate excavation strategies, provide greater areal coverage per unit time and cost, minimize the number of unsuccessful exploratory excavations, and reduce unnecessary or unproductive expenditures of time and effort.

The Physical TouristHistorical Sites of Physical Science in Copenhagen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pors, Felicity; Aaserud, Finn

We provide a physical tour of Copenhagen focusing particularly on the sites associated with five great Danish scientists: Tycho Brahe (1546-1601), Niels Steensen (1638-1686), Ole Rømer (1644-1710), Hans Christian Ørsted (1777-1851), and Niels Bohr (1885-1962). We also point out the cemetery where prominent scientists are buried, and we note the location of the Carlsberg Honorary Residence.

Integrating Archaeological Modeling in DoD Cultural Resource Compliance

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

that Eglin-area populations shared behaviors and values with other regions. Evidence for maize horticulture appears for the first time during the...ceramic containers, the introduction of maize agriculture, the practice of pipe smoking, the existence of more substantial sedentary villages with storage...excavations undertaken during survey to locate buried artifacts and features. Phase 2 is the phase after initial survey when STPs that yielded artifacts

Reduced-order model for underwater target identification using proper orthogonal decomposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramesh, Sai Sudha; Lim, Kian Meng

2017-03-01

Research on underwater acoustics has seen major development over the past decade due to its widespread applications in domains such as underwater communication/navigation (SONAR), seismic exploration and oceanography. In particular, acoustic signatures from partially or fully buried targets can be used in the identification of buried mines for mine counter measures (MCM). Although there exist several techniques to identify target properties based on SONAR images and acoustic signatures, these methods first employ a feature extraction method to represent the dominant characteristics of a data set, followed by the use of an appropriate classifier based on neural networks or the relevance vector machine. The aim of the present study is to demonstrate the applications of proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) technique in capturing dominant features of a set of scattered pressure signals, and subsequent use of the POD modes and coefficients in the identification of partially buried underwater target parameters such as its location, size and material density. Several numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the performance of the system identification method based on POD. Although the present study is based on 2D acoustic model, the method can be easily extended to 3D models and thereby enables cost-effective representations of large-scale data.

Health assessment for Cemetery Industrial Waste Dump, Rose Township, Michigan, Region 5. CERCLIS No. MID980794663. Preliminary report

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

Not Available

1988-06-24

The Cemetery Industrial Waste Dump National Priorities List Site is located in Rose Township, Oakland County, Michigan. Contamination at the site consists of an unknown quantity of buried drums which, when sampled, indicated the presence of metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and halogenated organic compounds. The site is approximately 2-4 acres. In the late 1960s 300 to 600 drums, which contained unknown industrial waste, were illegally buried at the site. Sampling of the drums on-site indicated the presence of several contaminants including: benzene, chlorobenzene, PCBs, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and others. Lead was detected in one monitoring well at 96 micro g/Lmore » and one residential well at a concentration of 61 micro g/L, both are above the Maximum Contaminant Level of 50 micro g/L. Arsenic was detected in the soil at a concentration of 12 mg/Kg. The site is of potential public health concern because of the risk to human health that could result from possible exposure to hazardous substances at levels that may result in adverse health effects. Potential human exposure pathways include direct dermal contact with the soil, the buried drums, and/or ground water; and ingestion of ground water.« less

The research on the buried public monumental complexes of Lupiae (Lecce) by geophysical prospecting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leucci, Giovanni; De Giorgi, Lara; Di Giacomo, Giacomo; Ditaranto, Imma; Miccoli, Ilaria; Scardozzi, Giuseppe

2017-10-01

Ongoing and extensive urbanisation may threaten important archaeological structures that are still buried in urban areas. The ground penetrating radar (GPR) method is the most promising alternative for resolving buried archaeological structures in urban territories. This paper presents a case study that involves a geophysical survey employing the surface three-dimensional (3D) GPR techniques, in order to archaeologically characterise the investigated areas. The site is located in the south-western sector of the historical centre of Lecce (Apulia, Italy), where the modern city overlaps the main public monuments of the Roman municipium of Lupiae, only partially preserved or excavated: the amphitheatre, the theatre, the baths and maybe also the Forum. GPR measurements, integrated with the results of archaeological excavations and the topographical surveys of the preserved remains, were carried out in several areas regarding sectors of the ancient roman city. The GPR data were collected along a dense network of parallel profiles. The GPR sections were processed applying specific filters to the data in order to enhance their information content. The GPR images significantly contributed in reconstructing the complex subsurface properties in these modern urban areas. Strong GPR reflections features were correlated with possible ancient structures and they were integrated in the digital archaeological map of the city.

Characterization of buried metal-molecule-metal junctions using Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babayco, Christopher B.; Land, Donald P.; Parikh, Atul N.; Kiehl, Richard A.

2014-09-01

We have devised an infrared spectromicroscopy based experimental configuration to enable structural characterization of buried molecular junctions. Our design utilizes a small mercury drop at the focal point of an infrared microscope to act as a mirror in studying metal-molecule-metal (MmM) junctions. An organic molecular monolayer is formed either directly on the mercury drop or on a thin, infrared (IR) semi-transparent layer of Au deposited onto an IR transparent, undoped silicon substrate. Following the formation of the monolayer, films on either metal can be examined independently using specular reflection spectroscopy. Furthermore, by bringing together the two monolayers, a buried molecular bilayer within the MmM junction can be characterized. Independent examination of each half of the junction prior to junction formation also allows probing any structural and/or conformational changes that occur as a result of forming the bilayer. Because our approach allows assembling and disassembling microscopic junctions by forming and withdrawing Hg drops onto the monolayer covered metal, spatial mapping of junctions can be performed simply by translating the location of the derivatized silicon wafer. Finally, the applicability of this technique for the longer-term studies of changes in molecular structure in the presence of electrical bias is discussed.

Scattering of plane evanescent waves by buried cylinders: Modeling the coupling to guided waves and resonances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marston, Philip L.

2003-04-01

The coupling of sound to buried targets can be associated with acoustic evanescent waves when the sea bottom is smooth. To understand the excitation of guided waves on buried fluid cylinders and shells by acoustic evanescent waves and the associated target resonances, the two-dimensional partial wave series for the scattering is found for normal incidence in an unbounded medium. The shell formulation uses the simplifications of thin-shell dynamics. The expansion of the incident wave becomes a double summation with products of modified and ordinary Bessel functions [P. L. Marston, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 111, 2378 (2002)]. Unlike the case of an ordinary incident wave, the counterpropagating partial waves of the same angular order have unequal magnitudes when the incident wave is evanescent. This is a consequence of the exponential dependence of the incident wave amplitude on depth. Some consequences of this imbalance of partial-wave amplitudes are given by modifying previous ray theory for the scattering [P. L. Marston and N. H. Sun, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 97, 777-783 (1995)]. The exponential dependence of the scattering on the location of a scatterer was previously demonstrated in air [T. J. Matula and P. L. Marston, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 93, 1192-1195 (1993)].

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

Needham, D.; Spearman, A.

This paper describes the design and development of a modular gas control installation which is completely buried, except for a small instrument housing and vent pipe. Buried installations controlling gas pressure have many advantages:- no unsightly or costly housings, protection from damage by vehicles or vandals, no problems of acquisition of sites in built-up areas, no need to divert mains to alternative locations, reduced noise, and easier planning permission associated with environmental aspects. It had not previously been possible to realise these advantages with conventional equipment but a novel concept has emerged which solves the problems and provides additional benefits.more » All the working components of a single stream governor station are installed under a 600mm diameter surface access cover. The essential control elements are contained in a lightweight cartridge which can be exchanged in about 15 minutes by two men working from ground level.« less

Nondestructive remote sensing of hazardous waste sites

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

Weil, G.J.; Graf, R.J.

1994-12-31

In the past government and private industry have produced hazardous waste in ever increasing quantities. These untold millions of tons of environmentally dangerous wastes have been disposed of by undocumented burial, simple carelessness and purposeful abandonment. Society has recently dictated that before new construction may be initiated, these wastes must be found and cleaned up. The first step is to locate these undocumented waste depositories. The non-contact, nondestructive, remote sensing techniques, of Computer Enhanced Infrared Thermography and Ground Penetrating Radar, may be used to detect buried waste sites, buried tanks/pits, and tank/pit leak plumes. These technologies may be used frommore » mobile vehicles, helicopters or man-portable systems and are able to cover tens of acres per day depending upon the system fusion method used. This relatively new combination of technologies, win be described in theory, by procedure and the use of case studies based upon successful projects.« less

Identifying Resistivity Anomalies of Sungai Batu Ancient River using 3D Contour Map

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yusoh, R.; Saad, R.; Saidin, M.; Muhammad, S. B.; Anda, S. T.; Ismail, M. A. M.; Hazreek, Z. A. M.

2018-04-01

Electrical resistivity method was undertaken at archeological site at Sungai Batu in Lembah Bujang, located at Sungai Merbok in northwestern of Malaysia. The survey was implemented near the excavation site. This paper shows the results of 5 ground resistivity survey line was carry out using SAS4000 equipment. The wenner-schlumberger array was applied for measurement. Resistivity data are used to obtain valuable information to identify the remain buried archeology. The ground resistivity data were presented in contour map for various depth by using Surfer 13 software visualized clearly the anomalies evidenced for every single depth section. The results from the survey has found the appearance of sedimentation formation that believe happen long time ago after ancient river was buried by sediment from weathering process due to increasing sea level. Otherwise, another anomaly was found in the middle of the survey area which shows high resistivity value about 1000 – 2000 ohm.m

Discrimination Report: A Multisensor system for detection andcharacterization of UXO, ESTCP Project MM-0437,

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

Gasperikova, Erika; Smith, J. Torquil; Morrison, H.Frank

2008-01-14

The Berkeley UXO Discriminator (BUD) is an optimally designed active electromagnetic system that not only detects but also characterizes UXO. The performance of the system is governed by a target size-depth curve. BUD was designed to detect UXO in the 20 mm to 155 mm size range for depths between 0 and 1.5 m, and to characterize them in a depth range from 0 to 1.1 m. The system incorporates three orthogonal transmitters and eight pairs of differenced receivers. Eight receiver coils are placed horizontally along the two diagonals of the upper and lower planes of the two horizontal transmittermore » loops. These receiver coil pairs are located on symmetry lines through the center of the system and each pair sees identical fields during the on-time of the pulse in all of the transmitter coils. They are wired in opposition to produce zero output during the on-time of the pulses in three orthogonal transmitters. Moreover, this configuration dramatically reduces noise in the measurements by canceling the background electromagnetic fields (these fields are uniform over the scale of the receiver array and are consequently nulled by the differencing operation), and by canceling the noise contributed by the tilt motion of the receivers in the Earth's magnetic field, and greatly enhances receiver sensitivity to the gradients of the target response. BUD is mounted on a small cart to assure system mobility. System positioning is provided by a Real Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS receiver. The system has two modes of operation: (1) the search mode, in which BUD moves along a profile and exclusively detects targets in its vicinity providing target depth and horizontal location, and (2) the discrimination mode, in which BUD is stationary above a target, and determines three discriminating polarizability responses together with the object location and orientation from a single position of the system. The detection performance of the system is governed by a size-depth curve shown in Figure 2. This curve was calculated for BUD assuming that the receiver plane is 0.2 m above the ground. Figure 2 shows that, for example, BUD can detect an object with 0.1 m diameter down to the depth of 0.9 m with a depth uncertainty of 10%. Any objects buried at a depth of more than 1.3 m will have a low probability of detection. The discrimination performance of the system is governed by a size-depth curve shown in Figure 3. Again, this curve was calculated for BUD assuming that the receiver plane is 0.2 m above the ground. Figure 3 shows that, for example, BUD can determine the polarizability of an object with 0.1 m diameter down to the depth of 0.63 m with polarizability uncertainty of 10%. Any objects buried at the depth more than 0.9 m will have a low discrimination probability. Object orientation estimates and equivalent dipole polarizability estimates used for large and shallow UXO/scrap discrimination are more problematic as they are affected by higher order (non-dipole) terms induced in objects due to source field gradients along the length of the objects. For example, a vertical 0.4 m object directly below the system needs to be about 0.90 m deep for perturbations due to gradients along the length of the object to be of the order of 20% of the uniform field object response. Similarly, vertical objects 0.5 m, and 0.6 m long need to be 1.15 m, and 1.42 m, respectively, below the system. For horizontal objects the effect of gradients across the object diameter are much smaller. For example, 155 mm and 105 mm projectiles need to be only 0.30 m, and 0.19 m, respectively, below the system. A polarizability index (in cm{sup 3}), which is an average value of the product of time (in seconds) and polarizability rate (in m{sup 3}/s) over the 34 sample times logarithmically spaced from 143 to 1300 {micro}s, and three polarizabilities, can be calculated for any object. We used this polarizability index to decide when the object is in a uniform source field. Objects with the polarizability index smaller than 600 cm{sup 3} and deeper than 1.8 m below BUD, or smaller than 200 cm{sup 3} and deeper than 1.35 m, or smaller than 80 cm{sup 3} and deeper than 0.90 m, or smaller than 9 cm{sup 3} and deeper than 0.20 m below BUD are sufficiently deep that the effects of vertical source field gradients should be less than 15%. All other objects are considered large and shallow objects. At the moment, interpretation software is available for a single object only. In case of multiple objects the software indicates the possible presence of metallic objects but is unable to provide characteristics of each individual object.« less

Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Soil Heterogeneity around Landmines in Natural Soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallen, B.; Smits, K. M.; Howington, S. E.

2015-12-01

The environment in which landmines are placed is oftentimes highly heterogeneous. These heterogeneities such as differences in soil type, packing and moisture, combined with changes in surface and climate conditions can oftentimes mask the presence of the mine. Understanding the impact of heterogeneity on heat and mass transfer behavior in the vicinity of landmines is paramount to properly identifying landmine locations for demining operations. This study investigates the impact of soil heterogeneity on soil moisture and temperature distributions around buried objects with the goal of increasing our ability to model and predict the environmental conditions that are most dynamic to mine detection performance. A ten-day field experiment was conducted in which two anti-personnel landmines at different depths and a limestone block of comparable size were buried. The site was instrumented with a series of sensors, monitoring atmospheric, surface and subsurface conditions to include measurements of soil moisture, soil and air temperature, relative humidity, vapor concentration, and meteorological conditions such as wind speed and net radiation. Infrared thermal imaging was used to provide continuous profiles of surface temperature conditions. The soil was well characterized in the laboratory to provide good understanding of field conditions for numerical modeling efforts. Experimental results demonstrate the strongest thermal contrast between shallow landmine emplacement and the surrounding soil occurring as the sun approaches its zenith and two hours after sunset until the sun directly impacts the soil above the landmine. A finite-element model of fluid flow and heat transport through porous media is compared against experimental observations, capturing the diurnal variation. A validated model, like this one, offers the opportunity to improve landmine detection probabilities and reduce false alarms caused by environmental variability.

Solid state television camera (CCD-buried channel)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The development of an all solid state television camera, which uses a buried channel charge coupled device (CCD) as the image sensor, was undertaken. A 380 x 488 element CCD array is utilized to ensure compatibility with 525 line transmission and display monitor equipment. Specific camera design approaches selected for study and analysis included (a) optional clocking modes for either fast (1/60 second) or normal (1/30 second) frame readout, (b) techniques for the elimination or suppression of CCD blemish effects, and (c) automatic light control and video gain control (i.e., ALC and AGC) techniques to eliminate or minimize sensor overload due to bright objects in the scene. Preferred approaches were determined and integrated into a deliverable solid state TV camera which addressed the program requirements for a prototype qualifiable to space environment conditions.

Solid state television camera (CCD-buried channel), revision 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

An all solid state television camera was designed which uses a buried channel charge coupled device (CCD) as the image sensor. A 380 x 488 element CCD array is utilized to ensure compatibility with 525-line transmission and display monitor equipment. Specific camera design approaches selected for study and analysis included (1) optional clocking modes for either fast (1/60 second) or normal (1/30 second) frame readout, (2) techniques for the elimination or suppression of CCD blemish effects, and (3) automatic light control and video gain control techniques to eliminate or minimize sensor overload due to bright objects in the scene. Preferred approaches were determined and integrated into a deliverable solid state TV camera which addressed the program requirements for a prototype qualifiable to space environment conditions.

Solid state, CCD-buried channel, television camera study and design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoagland, K. A.; Balopole, H.

1976-01-01

An investigation of an all solid state television camera design, which uses a buried channel charge-coupled device (CCD) as the image sensor, was undertaken. A 380 x 488 element CCD array was utilized to ensure compatibility with 525 line transmission and display monitor equipment. Specific camera design approaches selected for study and analysis included (a) optional clocking modes for either fast (1/60 second) or normal (1/30 second) frame readout, (b) techniques for the elimination or suppression of CCD blemish effects, and (c) automatic light control and video gain control techniques to eliminate or minimize sensor overload due to bright objects in the scene. Preferred approaches were determined and integrated into a design which addresses the program requirements for a deliverable solid state TV camera.

Parameterisation of non-homogeneities in buried object detection by means of thermography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stepanić, Josip; Malinovec, Marina; Švaić, Srećko; Krstelj, Vjera

2004-05-01

Landmines and their natural environment form a system of complex dynamics with variable characteristics. A manifestation of that complexity within the context of thermography-based landmines detection is excessive noise in thermograms. That has severely suppressed application of thermography in landmines detection for the purposes of humanitarian demining. (To be differentiated from military demining and demining for military operations other than war [Land Mine Detection DOD's Research Program Needs a Comprehensive Evaluation Strategy, US GAO Report, GAO-01 239, 2001; International Mine Action Standards, Chapter 4.--Glossary. Available at: < http://www.mineactionstandards.org/IMAS_archive/Final/04.10.pdf>].) The discrepancy between the existing role and the actual potential of thermography in humanitarian demining motivated systematic approach to sources of noise in thermograms of buried objects. These sources are variations in mine orientation relative to soil normal, which modify the shape of mine signature on thermograms, as well as non-homogeneities in soil and vegetation layer above the mine, which modify the overall quality of thermograms. This paper analyses the influence of variable mines, and more generally the influence of axially symmetric buried object orientation on the quality of its signature on thermograms. The following two angles have been extracted to serve as parameters describing variation in orientation: (i) θ--angle between the local vertical axis and mine symmetry axis and (ii) ψ--angle between local vertical axis and soil surface normal. Their influence is compared to the influence of (iii) d--the object depth change, which serves as control parameter. The influences are quantified and ranked within a statistically planned experiment. The analysis has proved that among the parameters listed, the most influential one is statistical interaction dψ, followed with the statistical interaction dθ. According to statistical tests, these two combinations are considered the most significant influences. The results show that the currently applied analysis of thermography in humanitarian demining must be broadened by the inclusion of the variations in mine orientation, otherwise a decrease in the probability of mine detection, due to the presence of a systematic error, occurs.

GPR detectability of rocks in a Martian-like shallow subsoil: A numerical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valerio, Guido; Galli, Alessandro; Matteo Barone, Pier; Lauro, Sebastian E.; Mattei, Elisabetta; Pettinelli, Elena

2012-03-01

In this work, the ability of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to detect rocks buried in composite soil is studied in connection with the planned ExoMars mission, as GPR will be used during this mission to scan the Martian subsurface to help define feasible sites for shallow drilling. A realistic model of the operating environment is implemented through a full-wave electromagnetic simulator, taking into account the antenna system and the signal features. The flexibility and efficiency of this numerical approach has allowed for the analysis of a great variety of configurations. The regolith is modeled based on data from recent explorations, while various kinds of embedded rocks are considered that have different geometrical and physical characteristics. The simulated results are compared with ad hoc GPR measurements performed on basalts buried in a mixture of glass beads, as an analogue of a dry sandy Martian soil. A very good agreement between theoretical and experimental results is found, thus validating the proposed numerical approach. This research has defined useful and reliable information concerning the prediction of scattering effects from buried objects in the environment where the ExoMars rover will operate.

Behavioral Characteristics of Ubiquitin-Specific Peptidase 46-Deficient Mice

PubMed Central

Imai, Saki; Kano, Makoto; Nonoyama, Keiko; Ebihara, Shizufumi

2013-01-01

We have previously identified Usp46, which encodes for ubiquitin-specific peptidase 46, as a quantitative trait gene affecting the immobility time of mice in the tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test. The mutation that we identified was a 3-bp deletion coding for lysine (Lys 92), and mice with this mutation (MT mice), as well as Usp46 KO mice exhibited shorter TST immobility times. Behavioral pharmacology suggests that the gamma aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptor is involved in regulating TST immobility time. In order to understand how far Usp46 controls behavioral phenotypes, which could be related to mental disorders in humans, we subjected Usp46 MT and KO mice to multiple behavioral tests, including the open field test, ethanol preference test, ethanol-induced loss of righting reflex test, sucrose preference test, novelty-suppressed feeding test, marble burying test, and novel object recognition test. Although behavioral phenotypes of the Usp46 MT and KO mice were not always identical, deficiency of Usp46 significantly affected performance in all these tests. In the open field test, activity levels were lower in Usp46 KO mice than wild type (WT) or MT mice. Both MT and KO mice showed lower ethanol preference and shorter recovery times after ethanol administration. Compared to WT mice, Usp46 MT and KO mice exhibited decreased sucrose preference, took longer latency periods to bite pellets, and buried more marbles in the sucrose preference test, novelty-suppressed feeding test, and marble burying test, respectively. In the novel object recognition test, neither MT nor KO mice showed an increase in exploration of a new object 24 hours after training. These findings indicate that Usp46 regulates a wide range of behavioral phenotypes that might be related to human mental disorders and provides insight into the function of USP46 deubiquitinating enzyme in the neural system. PMID:23472206

Initial Parameters of Neutron Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popov, S. B.; Turolla, R.

2012-12-01

A subpopulation of neutron stars (NSs), known as central compact objects (CCOs) in supernova remnants, are suspected to be low-field objects basing on P - ṗ measurements for three of them. The birth rate of low-field NSs is probably comparable with the birth rate of normal radio pulsars. However, among compact objects in High-Mass X-ray Binaries (HMXBs) we do not see robust candidates for low-field NSs. We propose that this contradiction can be solved if magnetic fields of CCOs was buried due to strong fall-back, and then the field emerges on the time scale 104 -105 yrs.

Target identification using Zernike moments and neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azimi-Sadjadi, Mahmood R.; Jamshidi, Arta A.; Nevis, Andrew J.

2001-10-01

The development of an underwater target identification algorithm capable of identifying various types of underwater targets, such as mines, under different environmental conditions pose many technical problems. Some of the contributing factors are: targets have diverse sizes, shapes and reflectivity properties. Target emplacement environment is variable; targets may be proud or partially buried. Environmental properties vary significantly from one location to another. Bottom features such as sand, rocks, corals, and vegetation can conceal a target whether it is partially buried or proud. Competing clutter with responses that closely resemble those of the targets may lead to false positives. All the problems mentioned above contribute to overly difficult and challenging conditions that could lead to unreliable algorithm performance with existing methods. In this paper, we developed and tested a shape-dependent feature extraction scheme that provides features invariant to rotation, size scaling and translation; properties that are extremely useful for any target classification problem. The developed schemes were tested on an electro-optical imagery data set collected under different environmental conditions with variable background, range and target types. The electro-optic data set was collected using a Laser Line Scan (LLS) sensor by the Coastal Systems Station (CSS), located in Panama City, Florida. The performance of the developed scheme and its robustness to distortion, rotation, scaling and translation was also studied.

Increase globe artichoke cropping sustainability using sub-surface drip-irrigation systems in a Mediterranean coastal area for reducing groundwater withdrawal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mantino, Alberto; Marchina, Chiara; Bonari, Enrico; Fabbrizzi, Alessandro; Rossetto, Rudy

2017-04-01

During the last decades in coastal areas of the Mediterranean basin, human growth posed severe stresses on freshwater resources due to increasing demand by agricultural, industrial and civil activities, in particular on groundwater. This in turn led to worsening of water quality, loss/reduction of wetlands, up to soil salinization and abandonment of agricultural areas. Within the EU LIFE REWAT project a number of demonstration measures will take place in the lower Cornia valley (Livorno, Italy), both structural (pilot) and non-structural (education, dissemination and capacity building), aiming at achieving sustainable and participated water management. In particular, the five demonstration actions are related to: (1) set up of a managed aquifer recharge facility, (2) restoration of a Cornia river reach, (3) water saving in the civil water supply sector, (4) water saving in agriculture, (5) reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation purposes. Thus, the REWAT project general objective is to develop a new model of governance for sustainable development of the lower Cornia valley based on the water asset at its core. As per water use in agriculture, the lower Cornia valley is well known for the horticultural production. In this regard, globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. var. scolymus L. (Fiori)) crops, a perennial cool-season vegetable, cover a surface of about 600 ha. In order to increase stability and productivity of the crop, about 2000 - 4000 m3 ha-1 yr-1 of irrigation water is required. Recent studies demonstrated that yield of different crops increases using Sub-surface Drip-Irrigation (SDI) system under high frequency irrigation management enhancing water use efficiency. In the SDI systems, the irrigation water is delivered to the plant root zone, below the soil surface by buried plastic tubes containing embedded emitters located at regular spacing. Within the LIFE REWAT, the specific objectives of the pilot on irrigation efficiency is to (i) demonstrate the suitability of SDI for globe artichoke cultivation, reducing the water consumption, while maintaining (or even increasing) crop production and (ii) assess the crop water use efficiency respect to surface drip-irrigation. The field test is located in Venturina (Italy) and it covers a surface of 4 ha. The soil is characterized by sandy-loam texture, 1.72% of organic matter at 7.81 pH. Groundwater is the main source of supply for irrigation. By the chemical point of view, a monitoring campaign in spring 2016 showed a neutral pH of 7.2, electrical conductivity of 1363 μS/cm, 373 and 243 mg/l of total sulphate and carbonate, respectively, thus demonstrating the suitability of groundwater for SDI application. The SDI system was implemented at the beginning of September 2016. The sub-surface buried pipelines, were placed at 0.25 m depth, with emitters spaced 0.5 m. The distance between pipelines was 1.5 m, according to globe artichoke layout (1.5 m between rows, 1 m in-row spacing). Surface-buried tubes were placed in an area about 0.75 ha wide for the comparison with SDI. Artichoke var. Terom were transplanted after the SDI operation test. In the next 3 years, both crop productivity and water use will be assessed. Results will be presented and discussed with the whole farmer's community. Acknowledgement This paper is presented within the framework of the project LIFE REWAT, which has received funding from the LIFE Programme of the European Union Grant Agreement LIFE14 ENV/IT/001290.

Longevity of shallow subsurface drip irrigation tubing under three tillage practices

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Shallow Sub-Surface drip irrigation (S3DI) has drip tubing buried about 2-in below the soil surface. It is unknown how long drip tubing would be viable at this shallow soil depth using strip- or no-tillage systems. The objectives were to determine drip tube longevity, resultant crop yield, and parti...

Constraints for recently discovered ignimbrites in the Altiplano-Puna Volcanic Complex (APVC), northern Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Layana, S.; Aguilera, F.

2014-12-01

One of most voluminous ignimbrite provinces in the world (>30.000 km3) is located in the Central Andean Volcanic Zone (CAVZ), which has been continuously active since Upper Oligocene. Altiplano-Puna Volcanic Complex (APVC), located between 21 and 24ºS, is a volcano-tectonic province constituted by diverse caldera complexes and ignimbrite deposits (Upper Miocene - Lower Pleistocene) that covers an area ~50.000 km2. In this work, we present data from three new ignimbrites discovered in a portion of APVC (22°-22,4°S), with the objective to establish its origin and provenance. Were identified 3 new ignimbrites: 1) Cabana ignimbrite (>7.5 Ma), constituted by 3 pyroclastic flow and 1 pyroclastic surge units of crystal-glass rich dacitic tuffs, 80 m maximum thick, 0.18 km3 volume and 0.14 km3 DRE; 2) Inacaliri ignimbrite (7.5 Ma) constituted by two members, corresponding to glassy dacitic (basal member) and basaltic andesites (upper member) tuffs, the total thick reach up 20 m, 0.003 km3 volume and 0.002 km3 DRE; 3) Tolar ignimbrite (>1.3 Ma), constituted by a single pyroclastic flow and a basal fall glassy dacitic deposits, 50 m maximum thick, 0.04 km3 volume and 0.03 km3 DRE. Cabana ignimbrite seems to have been originated from a single caldera complex, whose cannot be recognized in the field. Inacaliri ignimbrite could be related to initial phases of building of Inacaliri and Apacheta-Aguilucho volcanic complexes, or originated to a buried caldera located below both volcanic complexes. Finally, Tolar ignimbrite corresponds to initial building stage of Toconce volcano, located 2 km at NE from these deposits.

Detection and quantification of hydrocarbons in sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wynn, Jeff; Williamson, Mike; Frank, Jeff

2016-01-01

A new technology developed by the US Geological Survey now allows for fast, direct detection of hydrocarbon plumes both in rivers and drifting in the deep ocean. Recent experiments show that the method can also detect and quantify hydrocarbons buried in river sediments and estuaries. This approach uses a variant of induced polarization, a surface-sensitive physical property of certain polarizable materials immersed in an electrolyte that can accept and adsorb charge under an inducing voltage. Known polarizable materials include most sulfides, ilmenite (FeTiO3), metallic objects such as buried wrecks and pipelines, and now hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbon-in-water response to induced polarization is in fact nearly two orders of magnitude greater than the IP response of any of the hard minerals. The oil:water detection limit for hydrocarbons so far is down to 0.0002% in the laboratory.

Burying by rats in response to aversive and nonaversive stimuli

PubMed Central

Poling, Alan; Cleary, James; Monaghan, Michael

1981-01-01

Previous investigations have shown that rats bury a variety of conditioned and unconditioned aversive stimuli. Such burying has been considered as a species-typical defensive reaction. In the present studies, rats buried spouts filled with Tabasco sauce, or condensed milk to which a taste aversion was conditioned, but did not bury water-filled spouts or spouts filled with a palatable novel food (apple juice) to which a taste aversion was not conditioned. However, in other experiments rats consistently and repeatedly buried Purina Rat Chow, Purina Rat Chow coated with quinine, and glass marbles. This indicates that a variety of stimuli, not all aversive or novel, evoke burying by rats. Whereas the behavior may reasonably be considered as a species-typical defensive behavior in some situations, the wide range of conditions that occasion burying suggests that the behavior has no single biological function. PMID:16812198

Investigation of an EMI sensor for detection of large metallic objects in the presence of metallic clutter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Black, Christopher; McMichael, Ian; Riggs, Lloyd

2005-06-01

Electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensors and magnetometers have successfully detected surface laid, buried, and visually obscured metallic objects. Potential military activities could require detection of these objects at some distance from a moving vehicle in the presence of metallic clutter. Results show that existing EMI sensors have limited range capabilities and suffer from false alarms due to clutter. This paper presents results of an investigation of an EMI sensor designed for detecting large metallic objects on a moving platform in a high clutter environment. The sensor was developed by the U.S. Army RDECOM CERDEC NVESD in conjunction with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.

InGaAsP/InP laser development for single-mode, high-data-rate communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ladany, I.; Levin, E. R.; Magee, C. W.; Smith, R. T.

1981-01-01

Materials studies as well as general and specific device development were carried out in the InGaAsP system. A comparison was made of three standard methods of evaluating substrate quality by means of dislocation studies. A cause of reduced yield of good wafers, the pullover of melt from one bin to the next, has been analyzed. Difficulties with reproducible zinc acceptor doping have been traced to segregation of zinc in the In/Zn alloy used for the doping source. Using EBIC measurments, the pn junction was shown to drift in location depending on factors not always under control. An analysis of contact structures by SIMS showed that the depth to which the sintered Au/Zn contact penetrates into the structure is typically 0.13 microns, or well within the cap layer and out of the p-type cladding and thus not deleterious to laser prformance. The problem of single-mode laser development was investigated and it was shown to be related to the growth habit over four different possible substrate configurations. The fabrication of constricted double heterojunctions, mesa stripe buried heterostructures, and buried heterostructures was discussed, and measurements were presented on the device properties of single-mode buried heterostructure lasers. Results include single spectral line emission at 3 mW and a threshold current of 60 mA.

Burying Dogs in Ancient Cis-Baikal, Siberia: Temporal Trends and Relationships with Human Diet and Subsistence Practices

PubMed Central

Losey, Robert J.; Garvie-Lok, Sandra; Leonard, Jennifer A.; Katzenberg, M. Anne; Germonpré, Mietje; Nomokonova, Tatiana; Sablin, Mikhail V.; Goriunova, Olga I.; Berdnikova, Natalia E.; Savel’ev, Nikolai A.

2013-01-01

The first objective of this study is to examine temporal patterns in ancient dog burials in the Lake Baikal region of Eastern Siberia. The second objective is to determine if the practice of dog burial here can be correlated with patterns in human subsistence practices, in particular a reliance on terrestrial mammals. Direct radiocarbon dating of a suite of the region’s dog remains indicates that these animals were given burial only during periods in which human burials were common. Dog burials of any kind were most common during the Early Neolithic (∼7–8000 B.P.), and rare during all other time periods. Further, only foraging groups seem to have buried canids in this region, as pastoralist habitation sites and cemeteries generally lack dog interments, with the exception of sacrificed animals. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope data indicate that dogs were only buried where and when human diets were relatively rich in aquatic foods, which here most likely included river and lake fish and Baikal seal (Phoca sibirica). Generally, human and dog diets appear to have been similar across the study subregions, and this is important for interpreting their radiocarbon dates, and comparing them to those obtained on the region’s human remains, both of which likely carry a freshwater old carbon bias. Slight offsets were observed in the isotope values of dogs and humans in our samples, particularly where both have diets rich in aquatic fauna. This may result from dietary differences between people and their dogs, perhaps due to consuming fish of different sizes, or even different tissues from the same aquatic fauna. This paper also provides a first glimpse of the DNA of ancient canids in Northeast Asia. PMID:23696851

Buried Underwater Munitions and Clutter Discrimination

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-10-01

closest point of approach of the cylinder. The k space amplitude beam pattern, sin Δ( ) Δ , in Stanton’s treatment is obtained from the Fourier ...simple modifications to be useful here. First, the amplitude of the incident plane wave P0 should be replaced by P1r0/r, where P1 is the magnitude of...Instrument Source Information Site Selec- tion MACC Phase I Input Location Resolution Age Bathymetry SEA Ltd. SWATHPlus McNinch

Israel: Possible Military Strike Against Iran’s Nuclear Facilities

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-27

centrifuge facility and a larger commercial facility located at this site. The commercial facility is reportedly hardened by steel-reinforced concrete , buried...prime minister has had to contemplate. A strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities could lead to regional conflagration , tens of thousands of...high explosives, and can penetrate more than 6 feet of reinforced concrete . The GBU-28 5000-lb class weapon penetrates at least 20 feet of concrete

Effect of Adhesive Strips and Dermal Sutures vs Dermal Sutures Only on Wound Closure

PubMed Central

Custis, Trenton; Armstrong, April W.; King, Thomas H.; Sharon, Victoria R.; Eisen, Daniel B.

2016-01-01

IMPORTANCE Although applying adhesive strips to a wound closure has been shown to have outcomes equivalent to those with cuticular suturing, it is unknown whether adhesive strips provide additional benefit compared with dermal suturing alone. OBJECTIVE To determine whether the addition of adhesive strips to a wound closed with buried interrupted subcuticular sutures improves outcomes following wound closure. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A prospective, randomized split-wound intervention was conducted between November 14, 2013, and May 16, 2014, in patients who underwent cutaneous surgical procedures at the University of California, Davis, outpatient dermatology clinic. Fifty-seven patients 18 years or older with postoperative defects of at least 3 cm, resulting from either Mohs micrographic surgical procedures or surgical excision, were screened for participation. Nine patients were excluded and 48 were enrolled. INTERVENTIONS Half of each wound was randomized to receive buried interrupted subcuticular sutures and overlying adhesive strips and the other half received buried interrupted subcuticular sutures only. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES At 3 months’ follow-up, each patient and 2 blinded observers evaluated the wound using the Patient Observer Scar Assessment Scale. RESULTS The total mean (SD) Patient Observer Scar Assessment Scale score for observers for the side that received a combination of adhesive strips and buried interrupted subcuticular suturing (12.3 [4.8]) and the side that received sutures only (12.9 [6.3]) did not differ significantly at 3 months (P = .32). There was no significant difference in the total patient assessment scale score between the combination closure (14.0 [7.6]) and sutures only (14.7 [7.6]) sides at 3 months (P = .39). There was also no significant difference between the 2 closure methods in terms of mean (SD) scar width (both methods: 1.1 [0.8] mm, P = .89) at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Combination closure with adhesive strips and buried interrupted subcuticular suturing was not significantly associated with improved overall scar assessment compared with buried interrupted subcuticular suturing alone when evaluated by blinded observers or the patients themselves. Our results do not support the use of adhesive strips as a means to improve cosmetic outcomes or reduce scar width. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01979497 PMID:25875131

Nuclear Containment Inspection Using AN Array of Guided Wave Sensors for Damage Localization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cobb, A. C.; Fisher, J. L.

2010-02-01

Nuclear power plant containments are typically both the last line of defense against the release of radioactivity to the environment and the first line of defense to protect against intrusion from external objects. As such, it is important to be able to locate any damage that would limit the integrity of the containment itself. Typically, a portion of the containment consists of a metallic pressure boundary that encloses the reactor primary circuit. It is made of thick steel plates welded together, lined with concrete and partially buried, limiting areas that can be visually inspected for corrosion damage. This study presents a strategy using low frequency (<50 kHz) guided waves to find corrosion-like damage several meters from the probe in a mock-up of the containment vessel. A magnetostrictive sensor (MsS) is scanned across the width of the vessel, acquiring waveforms at a fixed interval. A beam forming strategy is used to localize the defects. Experimental results are presented for a variety of damage configurations, demonstrating the efficacy of this technique for detecting damage smaller than the ultrasonic wavelength.

Behavioral and pharmacological phenotypes of brain-specific diacylglycerol kinase δ-knockout mice.

PubMed

Usuki, Takako; Takato, Tamae; Lu, Qiang; Sakai, Hiromichi; Bando, Kana; Kiyonari, Hiroshi; Sakane, Fumio

2016-10-01

Diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) is a lipid-metabolizing enzyme that phosphorylates diacylglycerol to produce phosphatidic acid. Previously, we reported that the δ isozyme of DGK was abundantly expressed in the mouse brain. However, the functions of DGKδ in the brain are still unclear. Because conventional DGKδ-knockout (KO) mice die within 24h after birth, we have generated brain-specific conditional DGKδ-KO mice to circumvent the lethality. In the novel object recognition test, the number of contacts in the DGKδ-KO mice to novel and familiar objects was greatly increased compared to the control mice, indicating that the DGKδ-KO mice showed irrational contacts with objects such as compulsive checking. In the marble burying test, which is used for analyzing obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)-like phenotypes, the DGKδ-KO mice buried more marbles than the control mice. Additionally, these phenotypes were significantly alleviated by the administration of an OCD remedy, fluoxetine. These results indicate that the DGKδ-KO mice showed OCD-like behaviors. Moreover, the number of long axon/neurites increased in both DGKδ-KO primary cortical neurons and DGKδ-knockdown neuroblastoma Neuro-2a cells compared to control cells. Conversely, overexpression of DGKδ decreased the number of long axon/neurites of Neuro-2a cells. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that a deficiency of DGKδ induces OCD-like behavior through enhancing axon/neurite outgrowth. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changes in mass and nutrient content of wood during decomposition in a south Florida mangrove forest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Romero, L.M.; Smith, T. J.; Fourqurean, J.W.

2005-01-01

1 Large pools of dead wood in mangrove forests following disturbances such as hurricanes may influence nutrient fluxes. We hypothesized that decomposition of wood of mangroves from Florida, USA (Avicennia germinans, Laguncularia racemosa and Rhizophora mangle), and the consequent nutrient dynamics, would depend on species, location in the forest relative to freshwater and marine influences and whether the wood was standing, lying on the sediment surface or buried. 2 Wood disks (8-10 cm diameter, 1 cm thick) from each species were set to decompose at sites along the Shark River, either buried in the sediment, on the soil surface or in the air (above both the soil surface and high tide elevation). 3 A simple exponential model described the decay of wood in the air, and neither species nor site had any effect on the decay coefficient during the first 13 months of decomposition. 4 Over 28 months of decomposition, buried and surface disks decomposed following a two-component model, with labile and refractory components. Avicennia germinans had the largest labile component (18 ?? 2% of dry weight), while Laguncularia racemosa had the lowest (10 ?? 2%). Labile components decayed at rates of 0.37-23.71% month -1, while refractory components decayed at rates of 0.001-0.033% month-1. Disks decomposing on the soil surface had higher decay rates than buried disks, but both were higher than disks in the air. All species had similar decay rates of the labile and refractory components, but A. germinans exhibited faster overall decay because of a higher proportion of labile components. 5 Nitrogen content generally increased in buried and surface disks, but there was little change in N content of disks in the air over the 2-year study. Between 17% and 68% of total phosphorus in wood leached out during the first 2 months of decomposition, with buried disks having the greater losses, P remaining constant or increasing slightly thereafter. 6 Newly deposited wood from living trees was a short-term source of N for the ecosystem but, by the end of 2 years, had become a net sink. Wood, however, remained a source of P for the ecosystem. 7 As in other forested ecosystems, coarse woody debris can have a significant impact on carbon and nutrient dynamics in mangrove forests. The prevalence of disturbances, such as hurricanes, that can deposit large amounts of wood on the forest floor accentuates the importance of downed wood in these forests. ?? 2005 British Ecological Society.

Scattering of Acoustic Waves from Ocean Boundaries

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-30

of buried mines and improve SONAR performance in shallow water. OBJECTIVES 1) Determination of the correct physical model of acoustic propagation... acoustic parameters in the ocean. APPROACH 1) Finite Element Modeling for Range Dependent Waveguides: Finite element modeling is applied to a...roughness measurements for reverberation modeling . GLISTEN data provide insight into the role of biology on acoustic propagation and scattering

The Objective Force Soldier/Soldier Team. Volume II - The Science and Technology Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-11-01

processing for buried mines Chemical sniffing to detect explosives • UGV/Robotic systems to carry sensors into risk areas • Specialized electronic...CLOSE COMBAT OPTIC 1.4 THERMAL WEAPONS SIGHT 4.9 AN/ PAQ -4C AIMING LIGHT 0.6 DAYLIGHT VIDEO SIGHT 0.2 IMPROVED HELMET 3.2 HELMET MOUNTED DISPLAY 1.5 w

Using evolutionary computation to optimize an SVM used in detecting buried objects in FLIR imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paino, Alex; Popescu, Mihail; Keller, James M.; Stone, Kevin

2013-06-01

In this paper we describe an approach for optimizing the parameters of a Support Vector Machine (SVM) as part of an algorithm used to detect buried objects in forward looking infrared (FLIR) imagery captured by a camera installed on a moving vehicle. The overall algorithm consists of a spot-finding procedure (to look for potential targets) followed by the extraction of several features from the neighborhood of each spot. The features include local binary pattern (LBP) and histogram of oriented gradients (HOG) as these are good at detecting texture classes. Finally, we project and sum each hit into UTM space along with its confidence value (obtained from the SVM), producing a confidence map for ROC analysis. In this work, we use an Evolutionary Computation Algorithm (ECA) to optimize various parameters involved in the system, such as the combination of features used, parameters on the Canny edge detector, the SVM kernel, and various HOG and LBP parameters. To validate our approach, we compare results obtained from an SVM using parameters obtained through our ECA technique with those previously selected by hand through several iterations of "guess and check".

Detection of shallow buried objects using an autoregressive model on the ground penetrating radar signal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nabelek, Daniel P.; Ho, K. C.

2013-06-01

The detection of shallow buried low-metal content objects using ground penetrating radar (GPR) is a challenging task. This is because these targets are right underneath the ground and the ground bounce reflection interferes with their detections. They do not create distinctive hyperbolic signatures as required by most existing GPR detection algorithms due to their special geometric shapes and low metal content. This paper proposes the use of the Autoregressive (AR) modeling method for the detection of these targets. We fit an A-scan of the GPR data to an AR model. It is found that the fitting error will be small when such a target is present and large when it is absent. The ratio of the energy in an Ascan before and after AR model fitting is used as the confidence value for detection. We also apply AR model fitting over scans and utilize the fitting residual energies over several scans to form a feature vector for improving the detections. Using the data collected from a government test site, the proposed method can improve the detection of this kind of targets by 30% compared to the pre-screener, at a false alarm rate of 0.002/m2.

Do manganese nodules grow or dissolve after burial? Results from the Central Indian Ocean Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pattan, J. N.; Parthiban, G.

2007-07-01

Fifty buried manganese nodules at different depth intervals were recovered in 12 sediment cores from the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB). A maximum of 15 buried nodules were encountered in one sediment core (AAS-22/GC-07) and the deepest nodule was recovered at 5.50 m below seafloor in core AAS-04/GC-5A. Approximately 80% of the buried nodules are small in size (˜2 cm diameter) in contrast to the Atlantic Ocean and Peru Basin (Pacific Ocean) where the majority of the buried nodules are large, ˜8 cm and >6 cm, respectively. Buried nodule size decreases with core depth and this distribution appears to be similar to the phenomenon of "Brazil Nut Effect". Buried nodules exhibit both smooth and rough surface textures and are ellipsoidal, elongated, rounded, sub rounded, irregular and polynucleated. Buried nodules from siliceous ooze are enriched in Mn, Cu, Ni, Zn, Mo, Ga, V and Rb whereas those from red clay are enriched in Fe, Co, Ti, U, Th, Y, Cr, Nb and Rare Earth Elements (REE). Buried nodules from siliceous ooze suggest their formation under hydrogenetic, early digenetic and diagenetic processes whereas those from red clay are of hydrogenetic origin. REE are enriched more than 1.5 times in buried nodules from red clay compared to siliceous ooze. However, the mode of incorporation of REE into buried nodules from both sedimentary environments is by a single authigenic phase consisting of Fe-Ti-P. Shale-normalized REE patterns and Ce anomalies suggest that nodules from siliceous ooze formed under more oxidizing conditions than those from red clay. Nodules buried at depths between 1.5 and 2.5 m are diagenetic (Mn/Fe ratio 10-15), formed in highly oxic environments (large positive Ce anomalies) and record aeolian dust (high Eu anomalies). Chemical composition, surface texture and morphology of buried nodules are similar to those of surface nodules from the same basin. Furthermore, buried nodule compositions do not exhibit any distinct patterns within the core depth, suggesting that buried nodules neither grow nor dissolve after their burial in the sediment column.

Buried transuranic wastes at ORNL: Review of past estimates and reconciliation with current data

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

Trabalka, J.R.

1997-09-01

Inventories of buried (generally meaning disposed of) transuranic (TRU) wastes at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have been estimated for site remediation and waste management planning over a period of about two decades. Estimates were required because of inadequate waste characterization and incomplete disposal records. For a variety of reasons, including changing definitions of TRU wastes, differing objectives for the estimates, and poor historical data, the published results have sometimes been in conflict. The purpose of this review was (1) to attempt to explain both the rationale for and differences among the various estimates, and (2) to update the estimatesmore » based on more recent information obtained from waste characterization and from evaluations of ORNL waste data bases and historical records. The latter included information obtained from an expert panel`s review and reconciliation of inconsistencies in data identified during preparation of the ORNL input for the third revision of the Baseline Inventory Report for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. The results summarize current understanding of the relationship between past estimates of buried TRU wastes and provide the most up-to-date information on recorded burials thereafter. The limitations of available information on the latter and thus the need for improved waste characterization are highlighted.« less

Substrate tunnels in enzymes: structure-function relationships and computational methodology.

PubMed

Kingsley, Laura J; Lill, Markus A

2015-04-01

In enzymes, the active site is the location where incoming substrates are chemically converted to products. In some enzymes, this site is deeply buried within the core of the protein, and, in order to access the active site, substrates must pass through the body of the protein via a tunnel. In many systems, these tunnels act as filters and have been found to influence both substrate specificity and catalytic mechanism. Identifying and understanding how these tunnels exert such control has been of growing interest over the past several years because of implications in fields such as protein engineering and drug design. This growing interest has spurred the development of several computational methods to identify and analyze tunnels and how ligands migrate through these tunnels. The goal of this review is to outline how tunnels influence substrate specificity and catalytic efficiency in enzymes with buried active sites and to provide a brief summary of the computational tools used to identify and evaluate these tunnels. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Vibrational near-field mapping of planar and buried three-dimensional plasmonic nanostructures

PubMed Central

Dregely, Daniel; Neubrech, Frank; Duan, Huigao; Vogelgesang, Ralf; Giessen, Harald

2013-01-01

Nanoantennas confine electromagnetic fields at visible and infrared wavelengths to volumes of only a few cubic nanometres. Assessing their near-field distribution offers fundamental insight into light–matter coupling and is of special interest for applications such as radiation engineering, attomolar sensing and nonlinear optics. Most experimental approaches to measure near-fields employ either diffraction-limited far-field methods or intricate near-field scanning techniques. Here, using diffraction-unlimited far-field spectroscopy in the infrared, we directly map the intensity of the electric field close to plasmonic nanoantennas. We place a patch of probe molecules with 10 nm accuracy at different locations in the near-field of a resonant antenna and extract the molecular vibrational excitation. We map the field intensity along a dipole antenna and gap-type antennas. Moreover, this method is able to assess the near-field intensity of complex buried plasmonic structures. We demonstrate this by measuring for the first time the near-field intensity of a three-dimensional plasmonic electromagnetically induced transparency structure. PMID:23892519

Guidelines for the recognition of cemetery remains in Greece.

PubMed

Eliopoulos, Constantine; Moraitis, Konstantinos; Reyes, Federico; Spiliopoulou, Chara; Manolis, Sotiris

2011-06-01

Forensic pathologists frequently consult anthropologists for the identification of skeletonized human remains. These remains may be the result of criminal activity or remains that were unearthed because of erosion, or during construction projects. In some cases, human remains that had been previously buried in a cemetery may be the subject of a forensic investigation. Early recognition of cemetery remains prevents unnecessary efforts and conserves precious resources. One of the key characteristics of cemetery remains is the presence of embalmed tissue. However, there are countries where embalming is not a common practice, and other clues must be sought for identifying previously buried remains. Current funerary customs in Greece and, in particular, the tradition of exhumations result in a large number of misplaced human remains. The present study presents examples of cemetery remains from Greece and offers guidelines for recognizing changes on skeletal remains that may be indicative of a cemetery origin. Location of discovery, condition of the remains, and the types of associated artifacts are all factors that aid forensic anthropologists in identifying cemetery remains.

Rate estimates for lateral bedrock erosion based on radiocarbon ages, Duck River, Tennessee

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

Brakenridge, G.R.

Rates of bedrock erosion in ingrown meandering rivers can be inferred from the location of buried relict flood-plain and river-bank surfaces, associated paleosols, and radiocarbon dates. Two independent methods are used to evaluate the long-term rates of limestone bedrock erosion by the Duck River. Radiocarbon dates on samples retrieved from buried Holocene flood-plain and bank surfaces indicate lateral migration of the river bank at average rates of 0.6-1.9 m/100 yr. Such rates agree with lateral bedrock cliff erosion rates of 0.5-1.4 m/100 yr, as determined from a comparison of late Pleistocene and modern bedrock cliff and terrace scarp positions. Thesemore » results show that lateral bedrock erosion by this river could have occurred coevally with flood-plain and terrace formation and that the resulting evolution of valley meander bends carved into bedrock is similar in many respects to that of channel meanders cut into alluvium. 11 references, 5 figures.« less

2-D and 3-D Difraction Stake Migration Method Using GPR: A Case Study in Canakkale (Turkey)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Çaǧlar Yalçiner, Cahit

In this study, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) method was applied for Clandestine cemetery detection in Ηanakkale (Dardanelles), west Turkey. Investigated area was a historical area which was used as tent hospitals during the World War I. The study area was also used to bury soldiers who died during the treatment process in tent hospitals. Because of agricultural activity grave stones were used by local people, thus, most of the graves were lost in the field. 45 GPR profiles were applied with a GPR system (RAMAC) equipped with 250 MHz central frequency shielded antenna. After main processing steps on raw data, migration was applied to improve section resolution and develop the realism of the subsurface images. Although the GPR in results before migration the anomalous zones are visible, after migration the results became much more visible both in the profiles and 3D illustrations, thus, migrated GPR data were preferred to locate the buried martyrdoms.

49 CFR 193.2629 - External corrosion control: buried or submerged components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false External corrosion control: buried or submerged... corrosion control: buried or submerged components. (a) Each buried or submerged component that is subject to external corrosive attack must be protected from external corrosion by— (1) Material that has been designed...

49 CFR 193.2629 - External corrosion control: buried or submerged components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false External corrosion control: buried or submerged... corrosion control: buried or submerged components. (a) Each buried or submerged component that is subject to external corrosive attack must be protected from external corrosion by— (1) Material that has been designed...

49 CFR 193.2629 - External corrosion control: buried or submerged components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false External corrosion control: buried or submerged... corrosion control: buried or submerged components. (a) Each buried or submerged component that is subject to external corrosive attack must be protected from external corrosion by— (1) Material that has been designed...

49 CFR 193.2629 - External corrosion control: buried or submerged components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false External corrosion control: buried or submerged... corrosion control: buried or submerged components. (a) Each buried or submerged component that is subject to external corrosive attack must be protected from external corrosion by— (1) Material that has been designed...

Development of a leak location system for use on underground electric power transmission cable

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, J. A.

1982-10-01

This report describes a study to evaluate methods for locating leaks of dielectric fluid from buried high voltage cable systems. Two primary types of leak location systems were investigated: (1) systems that will rapidly isolate the leak within a manhole section, typically 1000 m long on a feeder that might be 30 km long; and (2) systems that will then pinpoint the location of the leak. Rapid leak isolation was accomplished by developing an enhanced conductivity oil probe which allows the injection of a small quantity of conductive oil and which indicates the path of the oil as it drifts downstream in the direction of the leak. Two methods for pinpointing the leak were proven. The more successful method was the use of trained leak location dogs which were found to have far better sensitivity than instruments and which could detect cable oil alone without the need for additives. A tracer gas injection and detection scheme was developed for use in areas where the dogs may be unsuitable.

Recent highlights from IceCube

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

Kappes, A.; Collaboration: IceCube Collaboration

2014-11-18

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory, completed in December 2010, is located at the geographic South Pole and incorporates a one cubic kilometer neutrino detector buried in the deep ice and a one square kilometer air shower array, IceTop, sitting atop the glacial ice. This unique combination of neutrino and cosmic-ray detectors allows to investigate a wide variety of physics topics both in astrophysics and particle physics. Here, we discuss latest results from IceCube concentrating on astrophysical aspects.

Standardized UXO Technology Demonstration Site Blind Grid Scoring Record Number 909 (Sky Research, Inc.)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

heading north from the southern end point, and then returning south from the northern end point. 2) A metallic pin-flag is placed over the midpoint...test involves traverses across a known point located away from buried UXO or other metallic debris. A 5-meter- length of line is walked in eight...ferrous and nonferrous anomalies. Due to limitations of the magnetometer, the nonferrous items cannot be detected. Therefore, the ROC curves

Standardized UXO Technology Demonstration Site Woods Scoring Record Number 902 (Sky Research, Inc.)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-08-01

endpoint. 8 2) A metallic pin-flag is placed over the midpoint. 3) The operator logs data along the same path, first traveling north, and then...data and after completion of data collection. This test involves traverses across a known point located away from buried UXO or other metallic ...areas, dips, ruts and obstructions that challenge platform systems or hand held detectors . The challenges include a gravel road, wet areas and trees

Martian Fingerprints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

9 April 2005 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows patterned ground on the martian northern plains. The circular features are buried meteor impact craters; the small dark dots associated with them are boulders. The dark feature at left center is a wind streak.

Location near: 75.1oN, 303.0oW Image width: 3 km (1.9 mi) Illumination from: lower left Season: Northern Summer

Chemical sensing thresholds for mine detection dogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phelan, James M.; Barnett, James L.

2002-08-01

Mine detection dogs have been found to be an effective method to locate buried landmines. The capabilities of the canine olfaction method are from a complex combination of training and inherent capacity of the dog for odor detection. The purpose of this effort was to explore the detection thresholds of a limited group of dogs that were trained specifically for landmine detection. Soils were contaminated with TNT and 2,4-DNT to develop chemical vapor standards to present to the dogs. Soils contained ultra trace levels of TNT and DNT, which produce extremely low vapor levels. Three groups of dogs were presented the headspace vapors from the contaminated soils in work environments for each dog group. One positive sample was placed among several that contained clean soils and, the location and vapor source (strength, type) was frequently changed. The detection thresholds for the dogs were determined from measured and extrapolated dilution of soil chemical residues and, estimated soil vapor values using phase partitioning relationships. The results showed significant variances in dog sensing thresholds, where some dogs could sense the lowest levels and others had trouble with even the highest source. The remarkable ultra-trace levels detectable by the dogs are consistent with the ultra-trace chemical residues derived from buried landmines; however, poor performance may go unnoticed without periodic challenge tests at levels consistent with performance requirements.

Potential for sea otter exposure to remnants of buried oil from the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

PubMed

Boehm, Paul D; Page, David S; Neff, Jerry M; Johnson, Charles B

2007-10-01

A study was conducted in 2005 and 2006 to examine the hypothesis that sea otters (Enhydra lutris) continue to be exposed to residues of subsurface oil (SSO) while foraging on shorelines in the northern Knight Island (NKI) area of Prince William Sound, Alaska more than 17 years after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Forty-three shoreline segments, whose oiling history has been documented by prior surveys, were surveyed. These included all shoreline segments reported by a 2003 NOAA random site survey to contain SSO residues in NKI. Sites were surveyed for the presence and location of otter foraging pits. Only one of 29 SSO sites surveyed was identified as an otter foraging site. Most buried SSO residues are confined to tide elevations above +0.8 m above mean lower low water (MLLW), above the range of intertidal clam habitat. More than 99% of documented intertidal otter pits at all sites surveyed are in the lower intertidal zone (-0.2 to +0.8 m above MLLW), the zone of highest clam abundance. The spatial separation of the otter pits from the locations of SSO residues, both with regard to tidal elevation and lateral separation on the study sites, coupled with the lack of evidence of intertidal otter foraging at SSO sites indicates a low likelihood of exposure of foraging otters to SSO on the shores of the NKI area.

Neuronal nicotinic receptor antagonist reduces anxiety-like behavior in mice.

PubMed

Roni, Monzurul Amin; Rahman, Shafiqur

2011-10-31

Brain cholinergic neurotransmission has been implicated in the modulation of anxiety in humans and evidence suggests that drugs targeting neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) could have potential for the treatment of anxiety. The objective of present study was to examine anxiolytic effects of lobeline (0.04 or 0.1 mg/kg), a nAChR antagonist, in C57BL/6J mice using elevated plus-maze (EPM) and marble-burying test. Lobeline (0.04 mg/kg) significantly increased open arm time on EPM and reduced number of marbles buried. Similarly, mecamylamine (0.3 mg/kg) produced anxiolytic effects, while peripherally acting hexamethonium (0.3 mg/kg) failed to produce any response. These results provide evidence that lobeline has anxiolytic potential and nAChR antagonists may represent a new class of anxiolytics in humans. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sexual and Overall Quality of Life Improvements After Surgical Correction of "Buried Penis".

PubMed

Hughes, Duncan B; Perez, Edgar; Garcia, Ryan M; Aragón, Oriana R; Erdmann, Detlev

2016-05-01

"Buried penis" is an increasing burden in our population with many possible etiologies. Although surgical correction of buried penis can be rewarding and successful for the surgeon, the psychological and functional impact of buried penis on the patient is less understood. The study's aim was to evaluate the sexual satisfaction and overall quality of life before and after buried penis surgery in a single-surgeon's patient population using a validated questionnaire (Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire short-form). Using Likert scales generated from the questionnaire and 1-tailed paired t test analysis, we found that there was significantly improved sexual function after correction of a buried penis. Variables individually showed that there was significant improvement with sexual pleasure, urinating, and with genital hygiene postoperatively. There were no significant differences concerning frequency of pain with orgasms. Surgical correction of buried penis significantly improves the functional, sexual, and psychological aspects of patient's lives.

Preliminary analysis of the Baranof Fan system, Gulf of Alaska, based on 2D seismic reflection and multibeam bathymetry data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LeVoir, M. A.; Gulick, S. P.; Reece, R.; Barth, G. A.; Childs, J. R.; Everson, E. D.; Hart, P. E.; Johnson, K. M.; Lester, W. R.; Sliter, R. W.

2011-12-01

The Baranof Fan is a large marine sedimentary system in the eastern Gulf of Alaska, straddling the border between the U.S. and Canada. The volume of the Fan is estimated to be > 200,000 km3. Little is known about the depositional timing, the tectonic and morphologic processes influencing its development, or the role of channel aggradation and avulsion in its progression. Both tectonic and climatic transitions likely influenced the formation and evolution of the Fan, with events including the onset of northern hemisphere glaciation, the Mid-Pleistocene transition, the transport of the Yakutat Terrane along the southeast Alaskan margin, and the uplift of the Coast Mountains. 2D seismic reflection and multibeam bathymetry data were collected in the Gulf of Alaska in June 2011 aboard the R/V Marcus G. Langseth as a part of the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf (ECS) program assessing potential opportunities under the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention. The purpose of the 2011 survey was to determine sediment thickness, velocity structure, stratigraphic architecture, and crustal structure on of the Gulf of Alaska seafloor in support of U.S. continental shelf maritime zone definition. The surveyed geologic features include the Surveyor and Baranof sedimentary systems, which control active sediment distribution in the Gulf of Alaska. Preliminary analysis of these data show four distinct buried channels throughout the mid to distal Baranof Fan, ranging in width from 5 - 9 km, which may have evolved into modern surface channels (ranging in width from 2 - 7 km) visible in both the seismic data and multibeam bathymetry. The location and trajectory of these buried channels, however, appears distinct from the modern Horizon and Mukluk Channels; the buried channels may have avulsed into the modern channel systems, or could possibly be older and now abandoned branches instrumental in building the westward part of the Fan. All of the imaged channels appear to be depositional, and consistently have thicker levees on their western banks, possibly due to effects of the Alaska Gyre at depth and/or the Coriolis. Preliminary velocity analysis from sonobuoy refraction data indicates that the thalwegs of buried channels do not exceed an 800 m depth within the 2 km thick Fan; we will seek to map a prominent reflector located beneath these channels from the Baranof system into the Surveyor system. New age dates from ashes sampled at DSDP Site 178 within the Surveyor Fan may thus provide constraints on the timing of deposition of the western Baranof Fan.

Exobiology and the search for biological signatures on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mancinelli, Rocco L.; Schwartz, Deborah E.

1988-01-01

In preparation for a Mars Rover/Sample return mission, the mission goals and objectives must be identified. One of the most important objectives must address exobiology and the question of the possibility of the origin and evolution of life on Mars. In particular, key signatures or bio-markers of a possible extinct Martian biota must be defined. To that end geographic locations (sites) that are likely to contain traces of past life must also be identified. Sites and experiments are being defined in support of a Mars rover sample return mission. In addition, analyses based on computer models of abiotic processes of CO2 loss from Mars suggest that the CO2 from the atmosphere may have precipitated as carbonates and be buried within the Martian regolith. The carbon cycle of perennially frozen lakes in the dry valley of Antarctica are currently being investigated. These lakes were purported to be a model system for the ancient Martian lakes. By understanding the dynamic balance between the abiotic vs. biotic cycling of carbon within this system, information is gathered which will enable the interpretation of data obtained by a Mars rover with respect to possible carbonate deposits and the processing of carbon by biological systems. These ancient carbonate deposits, and other sedimentary units would contain traces of biological signatures that would hold the key to understanding the origin and evolution of life on Mars, as well as Earth.

Instability of buried hydration sites increases protein subdomains fluctuations in the human prion protein by the pathogenic mutation T188R

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomobe, Katsufumi; Yamamoto, Eiji; Akimoto, Takuma; Yasui, Masato; Yasuoka, Kenji

2016-05-01

The conformational change from the cellular prion protein (PrPc) to scrapie prion protein (PrPsc) is a key process in prion diseases. The prion protein has buried water molecules which significantly contribute to the stability of the protein; however, there has been no report investigating the influence on the buried hydration sites by a pathogenic mutation not adjacent to the buried hydration sites. Here, we perform molecular dynamics simulations of wild type (WT) PrPc and pathogenic point mutant T188R to investigate conformational changes and the buried hydration sites. In WT-PrPc, four buried hydration sites are identified by residence time and rotational relaxation analysis. However, there are no stable buried hydration sites in one of T188R simulations, which indicates that T188R sometimes makes the buried hydration sites fragile. We also find that fluctuations of subdomains S1-H1-S2 and H1-H2 increase in T188R when the buried hydration sites become unstable. Since the side chain of arginine which is replaced from threonine in T188R is larger than of threonine, the side chain cannot be embedded in the protein, which is one of the causes of the instability of subdomains. These results show correlations between the buried hydration sites and the mutation which is far from them, and provide a possible explanation for the instability by mutation.

An efficient approach to imaging underground hydraulic networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Mohi

2012-07-01

To better locate natural resources, treat pollution, and monitor underground networks associated with geothermal plants, nuclear waste repositories, and carbon dioxide sequestration sites, scientists need to be able to accurately characterize and image fluid seepage pathways below ground. With these images, scientists can gain knowledge of soil moisture content, the porosity of geologic formations, concentrations and locations of dissolved pollutants, and the locations of oil fields or buried liquid contaminants. Creating images of the unknown hydraulic environments underfoot is a difficult task that has typically relied on broad extrapolations from characteristics and tests of rock units penetrated by sparsely positioned boreholes. Such methods, however, cannot identify small-scale features and are very expensive to reproduce over a broad area. Further, the techniques through which information is extrapolated rely on clunky and mathematically complex statistical approaches requiring large amounts of computational power.

UXO Engineering Design. Technical Specification and ConceptualDesign

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

Beche, J-F.; Doolittle, L.; Greer, J.

2005-04-23

The design and fabrication of the UXO detector has numerous challenges and is an important component to the success of this study. This section describes the overall engineering approach, as well as some of the technical details that brought us to the present design. In general, an array of sensor coils is measuring the signal generated by the UXO object in response to a stimulation provided by the driver coil. The information related to the location, shape and properties of the object is derived from the analysis of the measured data. Each sensor coil is instrumented with a waveform digitizermore » operating at a nominal digitization rate of 100 kSamples per second. The sensor coils record both the large transient pulse of the driver coil and the UXO object response pulse. The latter is smaller in amplitude and must be extracted from the large transient signal. The resolution required is 16 bits over a dynamic range of at least 140 dB. The useful signal bandwidth of the application extends from DC to 40 kHz. The low distortion of each component is crucial in order to maintain an excellent linearity over the full dynamic range and to minimize the calibration procedure. The electronics must be made as compact as possible so that the response of its metallic parts has a minimum signature response. Also because of a field system portability requirement, the power consumption of the instrument must be kept as low as possible. The theory and results of numerical and experimental studies that led to the proof-of-principle multitransmitter-multireceiver Active ElectroMagnetic (AEM) system, that can not only accurately detect but also characterize and discriminate UXO targets, are summarized in LBNL report-53962: ''Detection and Classification of Buried Metallic Objects, UX-1225''.« less

Full wave two-dimensional modeling of scattering and inverse scattering for layered rough surfaces with buried objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, Chih-Hao

Efficient and accurate modeling of electromagnetic scattering from layered rough surfaces with buried objects finds applications ranging from detection of landmines to remote sensing of subsurface soil moisture. The formulation of a hybrid numerical/analytical solution to electromagnetic scattering from layered rough surfaces is first presented in this dissertation. The solution to scattering from each rough interface is sought independently based on the extended boundary condition method (EBCM), where the scattered fields of each rough interface are expressed as a summation of plane waves and then cast into reflection/transmission matrices. To account for interactions between multiple rough boundaries, the scattering matrix method (SMM) is applied to recursively cascade reflection and transmission matrices of each rough interface and obtain the composite reflection matrix from the overall scattering medium. The validation of this method against the Method of Moments (MoM) and Small Perturbation Method (SPM) is addressed and the numerical results which investigate the potential of low frequency radar systems in estimating deep soil moisture are presented. Computational efficiency of the proposed method is also discussed. In order to demonstrate the capability of this method in modeling coherent multiple scattering phenomena, the proposed method has been employed to analyze backscattering enhancement and satellite peaks due to surface plasmon waves from layered rough surfaces. Numerical results which show the appearance of enhanced backscattered peaks and satellite peaks are presented. Following the development of the EBCM/SMM technique, a technique which incorporates a buried object in layered rough surfaces by employing the T-matrix method and the cylindrical-to-spatial harmonics transformation is proposed. Validation and numerical results are provided. Finally, a multi-frequency polarimetric inversion algorithm for the retrieval of subsurface soil properties using VHF/UHF band radar measurements is devised. The top soil dielectric constant is first determined using an L-band inversion algorithm. For the retrieval of subsurface properties, a time-domain inversion technique is employed together with a parameter optimization for the pulse shape of time delay echoes from VHF/UHF band radar observations. Numerical studies to investigate the accuracy of the proposed inversion technique in presence of errors are addressed.

Buried topography of Utopia, Mars - Persistence of a giant impact depression

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcgill, George E.

1989-01-01

Knobs, partially buried craters, ring fractures, and some mesas permit a qualitative determination of the topography buried beneath younger northern plains materials. These features are widely distributed in the Utopia area but are absent in a large, roughly circular region centered at about 48 deg N, 240 deg W. This implies the existence of a circular depression about 3300 km in diameter buried beneath Utopia Planitia that is interpreted to represent the central part of a very large impact basin. The presence of buried curved massifs around part of this depression, and a roughly coincident mascon, lend further support. Present topography, areal geology, and paleotopography of buried surfaces all point to the persistence of this major depression for almost the entire history of Mars.

PAH (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon) bioaccumulation and PAHs/shell weight index in Ruditapes philippinarum (Adams & Reeve, 1850) from the Vallona lagoon (northern Adriatic Sea, NE Italy).

PubMed

Cacciatore, Federica; Bernarello, Valentina; Boscolo Brusà, Rossella; Sesta, Giulio; Franceschini, Gianluca; Maggi, Chiara; Gabellini, Massimo; Lamberti, Clauda Virno

2018-02-01

The Vallona lagoon is a transitional area located in the Po River delta (NE, ITALY) traditionally exploited for Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) farming. During 2007-2008, a pipeline was buried in the middle of the lagoon to connect an off-shore structure to facilities on land. PAH levels were monitored in Manila clams and sediments before, during and after the pipeline construction to assess the impact of the activities through the pattern of distribution of the PAH compounds. PAH bioaccumulation in clams displayed seasonal fluctuations with higher levels in autumnal and wintry surveys than in spring-summer. Principal component analysis applied to PAHs in clams highlighted a petrogenic input during ante operam period and a pyrolytic origin during the burying activities. On the contrary, sediment PAH concentrations resulted quite similar both among sites and periods. Biota-Sediment-Accumulation-Factor values also confirmed that sediments were not the major source of PAH pollution for clams in this study. The welfare of clams was examined through two physiological indices (condition index and survival in air) to check the effects of the activities on a commercial resource. Both physiological indices exhibited seasonal variations connected to natural endogenous and exogenous factors; however survival in air was the most sensitive index in highlighting the effects of the pipeline burying activities. Finally, to ensure that PAH bioavailability assessment was not affected by seasonal variation of soft tissues of molluscs, PAHs/shell weight index was applied. Higher levels of this index were observed before and during the burying activities, whilst, after that, values significantly lowered. Moreover, the normalization enabled us to highlight the PAH uptake from clams in some particular periods and to compare different populations in a long-term biomonitoring program with data obtained from different periods of the year. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Use of 3H/3He Ages to evaluate and improve groundwater flow models in a complex buried-valley aquifer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sheets, Rodney A.; Bair, E. Scott; Rowe, Gary L.

1998-01-01

Combined use of the tritium/helium 3 (3H/3He) dating technique and particle-tracking analysis can improve flow-model calibration. As shown at two sites in the Great Miami buried-valley aquifer in southwestern Ohio, the combined use of 3H/3He age dating and particle tracking led to a lower mean absolute error between measured heads and simulated heads than in the original calibrated models and/or between simulated travel times and 3H/3He ages. Apparent groundwater ages were obtained for water samples collected from 44 wells at two locations where previously constructed finite difference models of groundwater flow were available (Mound Plant and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB)). The two-layer Mound Plant model covers 11 km2 within the buried-valley aquifer. The WPAFB model has three layers and covers 262 km2 within the buried-valley aquifer and adjacent bedrock uplands. Sampled wells were chosen along flow paths determined from potentiometric maps or particle-tracking analyses. Water samples were collected at various depths within the aquifer. In the Mound Plant area, samples used for comparison of 3H/3He ages with simulated travel times were from wells completed in the uppermost model layer. Simulated travel times agreed well with 3H/3He ages. The mean absolute error (MAE) was 3.5 years. Agreement in ages at WPAFB decreased with increasing depth in the system. The MAEs were 1.63, 17.2, and 255 years for model layers 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Discrepancies between the simulated travel times and 3H/3He ages were assumed to be due to improper conceptualization or incorrect parameterization of the flow models. Selected conceptual and parameter modifications to the models resulted in improved agreement between 3H/3He ages and simulated travel times and between measured and simulated heads and flows.

Using SOTEM Method to Detect BIF Bodies Buried Under Very Thick and Conductive Quaternary Sediments, Huoqiu Deposit, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Weiying; Xue, Guoqiang; Khan, Muhammad Younis; Li, Hai

2017-03-01

Huoqiu iron deposit is a typical Precambrian banded iron-formation (BIF) field which is located in the North China Craton (NCC). To detect the deep ore bodies around Dawangzhuang Village in Yingshang County, north of the Huoqiu deposit field, electromagnetic methods were tested. As the ore bodies are buried under very thick conductive Quaternary sediments, the use of EM methods is a great challenge. Short-offset transient electromagnetic method (SOTEM) was applied in the area as we wanted to test due to its detection depth and resolution. A 2D model was first built according to the geology information and magnetic measurement results. Then, 2D forward and 1D inversion were carried out using FDTD and Occam's algorithm, respectively. The synthetic modeling results helped us with the survey design and interpretation. Two 1400-m-long survey lines with offset of 500 and 1000 m were laid perpendicular to the BIF's strike, and the transmitting parameters were selected by a test measurement at the vicinity of a local village. Finally, the structure of survey area and BIF bodies were determined based on the 1D inversion results of real data, and showed a consistency with the subsequent drill results. Our application of SOTEM in detecting hidden BIF buried under very thick conductive layer has shown that the method is capable of penetrating great depth more than 1000 m even in a very conductive environment and will be an effective tool for deep resources investigation.

Access channels to the buried active site control substrate specificity in CYP1A P450 enzymes.

PubMed

Urban, Philippe; Truan, Gilles; Pompon, Denis

2015-04-01

A cytochrome P450 active site is buried within the protein molecule and several channels connect the catalytic cavity to the protein surface. Their role in P450 catalysis is still matter of debate. The aim of this study was to understand the possible relations existing between channels and substrate specificity. Time course studies were carried out with a collection of polycyclic substrates of increasing sizes assayed with a library of wild-type and chimeric CYP1A enzymes. This resulted in a matrix of activities sufficiently large to allow statistical analysis. Multivariate statistical tools were used to decipher the correlation between observed activity shifts and sequence segment swaps. The global kinetic behavior of CYP1A enzymes toward polycyclic substrates is significantly different depending on the size of the substrate. Mutations which are close or lining the P450 channels significantly affect this discrimination, whereas mutations distant from the P450 channels do not. Size discrimination is taking place for polycyclic substrates at the entrance of the different P450 access channels. It is thus hypothesized that channels differentiate small from large substrates in CYP1A enzymes, implying that residues located at the surface of the protein may be implied in this differential recognition. Catalysis thus occurs after a two-step recognition process, one at the surface of the protein and the second within the catalytic cavity in enzymes with a buried active site. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Surficial geology of the Safsaf region, south-central Egypt, derived from remote-sensing and field data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, P.A.; Breed, C.S.; McCauley, J.F.; Schaber, G.G.

1993-01-01

We used a decorrelation-stretched image of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) Bands 1, 4, and 7 and field data to map and describe the main surficial units in the hyperarid Safsaf region in south-central Egypt. We show that the near-infrared bands on Landsat TM, which are sensitive to very subtle changes in mineralogy common to arid regions, significantly improve the geologist's capability to discriminate geologic units in desert regions. These data also provide the spatial and spectral information necessary to determine the migration patterns and provenance of eolian materials. The Safsaf area was the focus of our post flight field studies using Shuttle Imaging Radar (SIR) data following the discovery of buried paleochannels in North Africa. Most of the channels discernible on SIR images are not expressed in TM data, but traces of a few channels are present in both the SIR and the TM data within the Wadi Safsaf area. Here we present a detailed digital examination of the SIR and the TM-band reflectance and reflectance-ratio data at three locations of the more obvious surface expressions of the buried channels. Our results indicate that the TM expressions of the channels are not purely topographic but are more compositional in nature. Two possibilities may account for the TM expressions of the buried channels: 1) concentrations of windblown, iron-rich materials that accumulated along subtle curvilinear topograpohic traps, or 2) curvilinear exposures of an iron-rich underlying unit of the flat sand sheet. ?? 1993.

A new segmentation strategy for processing magnetic anomaly detection data of shallow depth ferromagnetic pipeline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Shuo; Liu, Dejun; Cheng, Xing; Fang, Huafeng; Li, Caifang

2017-04-01

Magnetic anomalies produced by underground ferromagnetic pipelines because of the polarization of earth's magnetic field are used to obtain the information on the location, buried depth and other parameters of pipelines. In order to achieve a fast inversion and interpretation of measured data, it is necessary to develop a fast and stable forward method. Magnetic dipole reconstruction (MDR), as a kind of integration numerical method, is well suited for simulating a thin pipeline anomaly. In MDR the pipeline model must be cut into small magnetic dipoles through different segmentation methods. The segmentation method has an impact on the stability and speed of forward calculation. Rapid and accurate simulation of deep-buried pipelines has been achieved by exciting segmentation method. However, in practical measurement, the depth of underground pipe is uncertain. When it comes to the shallow-buried pipeline, the present segmentation may generate significant errors. This paper aims at solving this problem in three stages. First, the cause of inaccuracy is analyzed by simulation experiment. Secondly, new variable interval section segmentation is proposed based on the existing segmentation. It can help MDR method to obtain simulation results in a fast way under the premise of ensuring the accuracy of different depth models. Finally, the measured data is inversed based on new segmentation method. The result proves that the inversion based on the new segmentation can achieve fast and accurate inversion of depth parameters of underground pipes without being limited by pipeline depth.

Combining 3D seismic tomography and ground-penetrating radar to reveal the structure of a megalithic burial tomb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendes, Manuela; Caldeira, Bento; Borges, José

2017-04-01

This work describes a case study concerning a prehistoric buried tomb (around 3000 years B.C.) located near Évora (Portugal). This monument is a tomb completely buried with only five visible irregular small stones distributed in a circle of 3 meter in diameter. A multi-approach combining 3D seismic tomography and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) have been applied to identify hidden elements and arrangement of the stones, required prior to any excavation work. The methodology for the 3D seismic data acquisition involves a total of 24 shots recorded by four lines, with twelve fixed receivers each one. For the GPR survey was used a 400 MHz antenna which moves along parallel lines with 50 cm separation, over a 30x30 m2 area that contains the buried tomb; the GPR unit was configured to a horizontal rate of 50 scans per meter (1024 samples/scan) and a time window of 60 ns. This multi-approach procedure allowed defining: (i) the housing of the tomb in the basement structure; (ii) the presence of a hidden corridor; (iii) the description of the internal structure of the walls of the tomb; (iv) the state of preservation of the monument. Acknowledgements: This work is co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund under COMPETE 2020 (Operational Program for Competitiveness and Internationalization) through the ICT project (UID / GEO / 04683/2013) under the reference POCI-01-0145 -FEDER-007690.

Role of Satellite Sensors in Groundwater Exploration

PubMed Central

Mukherjee, Saumitra

2008-01-01

Spatial as well as spectral resolution has a very important role to play in water resource management. It was a challenge to explore the groundwater and rainwater harvesting sites in the Aravalli Quartzite-Granite-Pegmatite Precambrian terrain of Delhi, India. Use of only panchromatic sensor data of IRS-1D satellite with 5.8-meter spatial resolution has the potential to infer lineaments and faults in this hard rock area. It is essential to identify the location of interconnected lineaments below buried pediment plains in the hard rock area for targeting sub-surface water resources. Linear Image Self Scanning sensor data of the same satellite with 23.5-meter resolution when merged with the panchromatic data has produced very good results in delineation of interconnected lineaments over buried pediment plains as vegetation anomaly. These specific locations of vegetation anomaly were detected as dark red patches in various hard rock areas of Delhi. Field investigation was carried out on these patches by resistivity and magnetic survey in parts of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Indira Gandhi national Open University, Research and Referral Hospital and Humayuns Tomb areas. Drilling was carried out in four locations of JNU that proved to be the most potential site with ground water discharge ranging from 20,000 to 30,000 liters per hour with 2 to 4 meters draw down. Further the impact of urbanization on groundwater recharging in the terrain was studied by generating Normalized difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) map which was possible to generate by using the LISS-III sensor of IRS-1D satellite. Selection of suitable sensors has definitely a cutting edge on natural resource exploration and management including groundwater. PMID:27879808

Building America Case Study: Compact Buried Ducts in a Hot-Humid Climate House, Lady's Island, South Carolina

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

2016-02-01

A system of compact, buried ducts provides a high-performance and cost-effective solution for delivering conditioned air throughout the building. This report outlines research activities that are expected to facilitate adoption of compact buried duct systems by builders. The results of this research would be scalable to many new house designs in most climates and markets, leading to wider industry acceptance and building code and energy program approval. The primary research question with buried ducts is potential condensation at the outer jacket of the duct insulation in humid climates during the cooling season. Current best practices for buried ducts rely onmore » encapsulating the insulated ducts with closed-cell spray polyurethane foam insulation to control condensation and improve air sealing. The encapsulated buried duct concept has been analyzed and shown to be effective in hot-humid climates. The purpose of this project is to develop an alternative buried duct system that performs effectively as ducts in conditioned space - durable, energy efficient, and cost-effective - in a hot-humid climate (IECC warm-humid climate zone 3A) with three goals that distinguish this project: 1) Evaluation of design criteria for buried ducts that use common materials and do not rely on encapsulation using spray foam or disrupt traditional work sequences, 2) Establishing design criteria for compact ducts and incorporate those with the buried duct criteria to further reduce energy losses and control installed costs, and 3) Developing HVAC design guidance for performing accurate heating and cooling load calculations for compact buried ducts.« less

Compact Buried Ducts in a Hot-Humid Climate House

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

Mallay, Dave

2016-01-07

"9A system of compact, buried ducts provides a high-performance and cost-effective solution for delivering conditioned air throughout the building. This report outlines research activities that are expected to facilitate adoption of compact buried duct systems by builders. The results of this research would be scalable to many new house designs in most climates and markets, leading to wider industry acceptance and building code and energy program approval. The primary research question with buried ducts is potential condensation at the outer jacket of the duct insulation in humid climates during the cooling season. Current best practices for buried ducts rely onmore » encapsulating the insulated ducts with closed-cell spray polyurethane foam insulation to control condensation and improve air sealing. The encapsulated buried duct concept has been analyzed and shown to be effective in hot-humid climates. The purpose of this project is to develop an alternative buried duct system that performs effectively as ducts in conditioned space - durable, energy efficient, and cost-effective - in a hot-humid climate (IECC warm-humid climate zone 3A) with three goals that distinguish this project: 1) Evaluation of design criteria for buried ducts that use common materials and do not rely on encapsulation using spray foam or disrupt traditional work sequences; 2) Establishing design criteria for compact ducts and incorporate those with the buried duct criteria to further reduce energy losses and control installed costs; 3) Developing HVAC design guidance for performing accurate heating and cooling load calculations for compact buried ducts.« less

Numerical Modeling of Mechanical Behavior for Buried Steel Pipelines Crossing Subsidence Strata

PubMed Central

Han, C. J.

2015-01-01

This paper addresses the mechanical behavior of buried steel pipeline crossing subsidence strata. The investigation is based on numerical simulation of the nonlinear response of the pipeline-soil system through finite element method, considering large strain and displacement, inelastic material behavior of buried pipeline and the surrounding soil, as well as contact and friction on the pipeline-soil interface. Effects of key parameters on the mechanical behavior of buried pipeline were investigated, such as strata subsidence, diameter-thickness ratio, buried depth, internal pressure, friction coefficient and soil properties. The results show that the maximum strain appears on the outer transition subsidence section of the pipeline, and its cross section is concave shaped. With the increasing of strata subsidence and diameter-thickness ratio, the out of roundness, longitudinal strain and equivalent plastic strain increase gradually. With the buried depth increasing, the deflection, out of roundness and strain of the pipeline decrease. Internal pressure and friction coefficient have little effect on the deflection of buried pipeline. Out of roundness is reduced and the strain is increased gradually with the increasing of internal pressure. The physical properties of soil have a great influence on the mechanical properties of buried pipeline. The results from the present study can be used for the development of optimization design and preventive maintenance for buried steel pipelines. PMID:26103460

Buried Oxide Densification for Low Power, Low Voltage CMOS Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, L. P.; Anc, M. J.; Dolan, B.; Jiao, J.; Guss, B.; Seraphin, S.; Liu, S. T.; Jenkins, W.

1998-01-01

Special technology and circuit architecture are of growing interest for implementation of circuits which operate at low supply voltages and consume low power levels without sacrificing performance[1]. Use of thin buried oxide SOI substrates is a primary approach to simultaneously achieve these goals. A significant aspect regarding SIMOX SOI for low voltage, low power applications is the reliability and performance of the thin buried oxide. In addition, when subjected to high total dose irradiation, the silicon islands within the BOX layer of SIMOX can store charges and significantly effect the back channel threshold voltages of devices. Thus, elimination of the islands within the buried oxide (BOX) layer is preferred in order to prevent leakage through these conductive islands and charge build-up within the buried oxide layer. A differential (2-step) ramp rate as applied to full and 100 nm BOX SIMOX was previously reported to play a significant role in the stoichiometry and island formation within the buried layer[2]. This paper focus is on the properties of a thin (120nm) buried oxide as a function of the anneal ramp rate and the temperature of anneal. In this research, we have found an improvement in the buried oxide stoichiometry with the use of a slower, singular ramp rate for specified thin buried oxides, with slower ramp rates and higher temperatures of anneal suggested for reducing the presence of Si islands within the BOX layer.

Subsurface structures of buried features in the lunar Procellarum region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wenrui; Heki, Kosuke

2017-07-01

The Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission unraveled numbers of features showing strong gravity anomalies without prominent topographic signatures in the lunar Procellarum region. These features, located in different geologic units, are considered to have complex subsurface structures reflecting different evolution processes. By using the GRAIL level-1 data, we estimated the free-air and Bouguer gravity anomalies in several selected regions including such intriguing features. With the three-dimensional inversion technique, we recovered subsurface density structures in these regions.

M-X Environmental Technical Report - Selection of Suitable Locational Alternatives.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-01

1.600 7,600 0 Great Basin 900 0 900 0 Colorado 8,200 Central High Plains 6,500 1.700 0 0 8,200 daho 1,800 Northern Rockies .100 0 700 400 Great Basin 700... Explosive Safety Pipelines (buried) - 300 ft Distances Above ground POL - 1.800 ft Above ground electrical distribution lines , 15,000 V - 1.780 ft Radio...security, and to allow room for future community development. Explosive Safety Distances Required by AFR regulation 127-100 to protect the public from

Eastern hemlock found in Macon County, Alabama

Treesearch

David B. South; Brian Via; Henri D. Grissino-Mayer; Richard Martin; Richard Shelby; Sandie McCall

2016-01-01

Alabama is currently the southern limit of the range of eastern hemlock [Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carriere]. In 2012, several well preserved stumps were excavated from a farm located in Notasulga, Alabama (32 º 33” 6’ N; 85º 40” 22’ W). Even though they were buried in a saturated soil for approximately 1,500 years, the stumps were remarkably well preserved. The low-...

Correlation between basalt flows and radiochemical and chemical constituents in selected wells in the southwestern part of the Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bartholomay, Roy C.; Hodges, Mary K. V.; Champion, Duane E.

2017-12-21

Wastewater discharged to wells and ponds and wastes buried in shallow pits and trenches at facilities at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) have contributed contaminants to the eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) aquifer in the southwestern part of the INL. This report describes the correlation between subsurface stratigraphy in the southwestern part of the INL with information on the presence or absence of wastewater constituents to better understand how flow pathways in the aquifer control the movement of wastewater discharged at INL facilities. Paleomagnetic inclination was used to identify subsurface basalt flows based on similar inclination measurements, polarity, and stratigraphic position. Tritium concentrations, along with other chemical information for wells where tritium concentrations were lacking, were used as an indicator of which wells were influenced by wastewater disposal.The basalt lava flows in the upper 150 feet of the ESRP aquifer where wastewater was discharged at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) consisted of the Central Facilities Area (CFA) Buried Vent flow and the AEC Butte flow. At the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) Complex, where wastewater would presumably pond on the surface of the water table, the CFA Buried Vent flow probably occurs as the primary stratigraphic unit present; however, AEC Butte flow also could be present at some of the locations. At the Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC), where contamination from buried wastes would presumably move down through the unsaturated zone and pond on the surface of the water table, the CFA Buried Vent; Late Basal Brunhes; or Early Basal Brunhes basalt flows are the flow unit at or near the water table in different cores.In the wells closer to where wastewater disposal occurred at INTEC and the ATR-Complex, almost all the wells show wastewater influence in the upper part of the ESRP aquifer and wastewater is present in both the CFA Buried Vent flow and AEC Butte flow. The CFA Buried Vent flow and AEC Butte flow are also present in wells at and north of CFA and are all influenced by wastewater contamination. All wells with the AEC Butte flow present have wastewater influence and 83 percent of the wells with the more prevalent CFA Buried Vent flow have wastewater influence. South and southeast of CFA, most wells are not influenced by wastewater disposal and are completed in the Big Lost Flow and the CFA Buried Vent flow. Wells southwest of CFA are influenced by wastewater disposal and are completed in the Big Lost flow and CFA Buried Vent flow at the top of the aquifer. Basalt stratigraphy indicates that the CFA Buried Vent flow is the predominant flow in the upper part of the ESRP aquifer at and near the RWMC as it is present in all the wells in this area. The Late Basal Brunhes flow, Middle Basal Brunhes flow, Early Basal Brunhes flow, South Late Matuyama flow, and Matuyama flow are also present in various wells influenced by waste disposal.Some wells south of RWMC do not show wastewater influence, and the lack of wastewater influence could be due to low hydraulic conductivities. Several wells south and southeast of CFA also do not show wastewater influence. Low hydraulic conductivities or ESRP subsidence are possible causes for lack of wastewater south of CFA.Multilevel monitoring wells completed much deeper in the aquifer show influence of wastewater in numerous basalt flows. Well Middle 2051 (northwest of RWMC) does not show wastewater influence in its upper three basalt flows (CFA Buried Vent, Late Basal Brunhes, and Middle Basal Brunhes); however, wastewater is present in two deeper flows (the Matuyama and Jaramillo flows). Well USGS 131A (southwest of CFA) and USGS132 (south of RWMC) both show wastewater influence in all the basalt flows sampled in the upper 600 feet of the aquifer. Wells USGS 137A, 105, 108, and 103 completed along the southern boundary of the INL all show wastewater influence in several basalt flows including the G flow, Middle and Early Basal Brunhes flows, the South Late Matuyama flow and the Matuyama flow; however, the strongest wastewater influence appears to be in the South Late Matuyama flow. The concentrations of wastewater constituents in deeper parts of these wells support the concept of groundwater flow deepening in the southwestern part of the INL.

Buried aquifers in the Brooten-Belgrade and Lake Emily areas, west-central Minnesota--Factors related to developing water for irrigation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wolf, R.J.

1976-01-01

Potential water problems include slow rate of recharge to buried aquifers, and head loss caused by screening of the surficial and buried aquifers in the same well, and by allowing well to flow unabated. Another potential problem is possible pollution of the buried aquifers through the boreholes of multiaquifer wells.

One Isotope, Two Tales: using plant and cosmogenic 14C to constrain Holocene glacier activity on Baffin Island.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pendleton, S.; Miller, G. H.; Lifton, N. A.; Young, N. E.

2017-12-01

As the cryosphere continues to undergo rapid and accelerating change, it is more important than ever to understand past glacier activity to predict the future of the cryosphere. However, continuous Holocene glacier records are notoriously difficult to reconstruct because an advancing glacier will re-incorporate previous deposits so that moraines typically only record the farthest downvalley glacier expansion. Here we combine dates of ice margin advance from in situ dead vegetation with in situ cosmogenic 14C (in situ 14C) from preserved bedrock surfaces at the same locations to further constrain the timing of ice-free episodes during the Holocene following deglaciation on southern Baffin Island. Radiocarbon ages from recently exposed in situ plants suggest that ice last advanced over sample locations at 9.4, 9.2, 9.0, and 3.7 ka and that they remained ice covered until modern times. Associated in situ 14C inventories are variable, but well above background levels, suggesting some amount of Holocene in situ 14C production. Using plant 14C ages representing the beginning of ice coverage and in situ 14C inventories representative of exposure prior to ice coverage, a simple model of cosmogenic in situ 14C production (accounting for muon production through ice) provides constraints timing and duration of ice-free times at sample locations prior to their most recent burial. Using conservative Holocene ice thicknesses, the locations buried at 9.4, 9.2, and 9.0 ka require, at minimum, 1000 years of pre-burial exposure to match the observed in situ 14C inventory. This suggests these locations were ice free by at least 10 ka and likely earlier. The in situ 14C inventory at the location buried at 3.7 ka limits prior exposure to 2000 years, suggesting that this location experienced more complex Holocene ice cover/burial history. These pilot data show that valuable information regarding periods of exposure is contained within in situ 14C inventories. Additional paired plant and in situ 14C analyses currently underway will provide further constraints on the timing and duration of Holocene exposure. The combination of these two dating techniques supplies some of the first constraints on both ice cover and exposure and provides much needed information about the evolution of glaciers on southern Baffin Island following deglaciation.

Image-based overlay and alignment metrology through optically opaque media with sub-surface probe microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Es, Maarten H.; Mohtashami, Abbas; Piras, Daniele; Sadeghian, Hamed

2018-03-01

Nondestructive subsurface nanoimaging through optically opaque media is considered to be extremely challenging and is essential for several semiconductor metrology applications including overlay and alignment and buried void and defect characterization. The current key challenge in overlay and alignment is the measurement of targets that are covered by optically opaque layers. Moreover, with the device dimensions moving to the smaller nodes and the issue of the so-called loading effect causing offsets between between targets and product features, it is increasingly desirable to perform alignment and overlay on product features or so-called on-cell overlay, which requires higher lateral resolution than optical methods can provide. Our recently developed technique known as SubSurface Ultrasonic Resonance Force Microscopy (SSURFM) has shown the capability for high-resolution imaging of structures below a surface based on (visco-)elasticity of the constituent materials and as such is a promising technique to perform overlay and alignment with high resolution in upcoming production nodes. In this paper, we describe the developed SSURFM technique and the experimental results on imaging buried features through various layers and the ability to detect objects with resolution below 10 nm. In summary, the experimental results show that the SSURFM is a potential solution for on-cell overlay and alignment as well as detecting buried defects or voids and generally metrology through optically opaque layers.

Buried object detection in GPR images

DOEpatents

Paglieroni, David W; Chambers, David H; Bond, Steven W; Beer, W. Reginald

2014-04-29

A method and system for detecting the presence of subsurface objects within a medium is provided. In some embodiments, the imaging and detection system operates in a multistatic mode to collect radar return signals generated by an array of transceiver antenna pairs that is positioned across the surface and that travels down the surface. The imaging and detection system pre-processes the return signal to suppress certain undesirable effects. The imaging and detection system then generates synthetic aperture radar images from real aperture radar images generated from the pre-processed return signal. The imaging and detection system then post-processes the synthetic aperture radar images to improve detection of subsurface objects. The imaging and detection system identifies peaks in the energy levels of the post-processed image frame, which indicates the presence of a subsurface object.

Elastic Bottom Propagation Mechanisms Investigated by Parabolic Equation Methods

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-30

channel propagation of oceanic T waves from seismic sources in the presence of intervening seamounts or coral reef barriers is established using elastic PE...environments in the form of scattering at an elastic interface, oceanic T - waves , and Scholte waves . OBJECTIVES To implement explosive and earthquake...oceanic T - waves , which are acoustic waves that result from earthquake or buried explosive sources, and Rayleigh-type waves along the ocean floor, whose

A Spatial Display for Ground-Penetrating Radar Change Detection

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

rights reserved. Author ............................ Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science September 1, 2013 Certified by...a new member of the Lincoln community. Thank you, Rebecca, for being you and being here with me at MIT. I would like to thank my parents for their...alteration in the height of dirt under it. This capability will raise the chance of detecting a place where someone buried an object by detecting the

A comparison of robust principal component analysis techniques for buried object detection in downward looking GPR sensor data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinar, Anthony; Havens, Timothy C.; Rice, Joseph; Masarik, Matthew; Burns, Joseph; Thelen, Brian

2016-05-01

Explosive hazards are a deadly threat in modern conflicts; hence, detecting them before they cause injury or death is of paramount importance. One method of buried explosive hazard discovery relies on data collected from ground penetrating radar (GPR) sensors. Threat detection with downward looking GPR is challenging due to large returns from non-target objects and clutter. This leads to a large number of false alarms (FAs), and since the responses of clutter and targets can form very similar signatures, classifier design is not trivial. One approach to combat these issues uses robust principal component analysis (RPCA) to enhance target signatures while suppressing clutter and background responses, though there are many versions of RPCA. This work applies some of these RPCA techniques to GPR sensor data and evaluates their merit using the peak signal-to-clutter ratio (SCR) of the RPCA-processed B-scans. Experimental results on government furnished data show that while some of the RPCA methods yield similar results, there are indeed some methods that outperform others. Furthermore, we show that the computation time required by the different RPCA methods varies widely, and the selection of tuning parameters in the RPCA algorithms has a major effect on the peak SCR.

Fusion of Geophysical Images in the Study of Archaeological Sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karamitrou, A. A.; Petrou, M.; Tsokas, G. N.

2011-12-01

This paper presents results from different fusion techniques between geophysical images from different modalities in order to combine them into one image with higher information content than the two original images independently. The resultant image will be useful for the detection and mapping of buried archaeological relics. The examined archaeological area is situated in Kampana site (NE Greece) near the ancient theater of Maronia city. Archaeological excavations revealed an ancient theater, an aristocratic house and the temple of the ancient Greek God Dionysus. Numerous ceramic objects found in the broader area indicated the probability of the existence of buried urban structure. In order to accurately locate and map the latter, geophysical measurements performed with the use of the magnetic method (vertical gradient of the magnetic field) and of the electrical method (apparent resistivity). We performed a semi-stochastic pixel based registration method between the geophysical images in order to fine register them by correcting their local spatial offsets produced by the use of hand held devices. After this procedure we applied to the registered images three different fusion approaches. Image fusion is a relatively new technique that not only allows integration of different information sources, but also takes advantage of the spatial and spectral resolution as well as the orientation characteristics of each image. We have used three different fusion techniques, fusion with mean values, with wavelets by enhancing selected frequency bands and curvelets giving emphasis at specific bands and angles (according the expecting orientation of the relics). In all three cases the fused images gave significantly better results than each of the original geophysical images separately. The comparison of the results of the three different approaches showed that the fusion with the use of curvelets, giving emphasis at the features' orientation, seems to give the best fused image. In the resultant image appear clear linear and ellipsoid features corresponding to potential archaeological relics.

Geologic investigation :an update of subsurface geology on Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico.

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

Van Hart, Dirk

The objective of this investigation was to generate a revised geologic model of Kirtland Air Force Base (KAFB) incorporating the geological and geophysical data produced since the Site-Wide Hydrogeologic Characterization Project (SWHC) of 1994 and 1995. Although this report has certain stand-alone characteristics, it is intended to complement the previous work and to serve as a status report as of late 2002. In the eastern portion of KAFB (Lurance Canyon and the Hubbell bench), of primary interest is the elevation to which bedrock is buried under a thin cap of alluvium. Elevation maps of the bedrock top reveal the paleodrainagemore » that allows for the interpretation of the area's erosional history. The western portion of KAFB consists of the eastern part of the Albuquerque basin where bedrock is deeply buried under Santa Fe Group alluvium. In this area, the configuration of the down-to-the-west, basin-bounding Sandia and West Sandia faults is of primary interest. New geological and geophysical data and the reinterpretation of old data help to redefine the location and magnitude of these elements. Additional interests in this area are the internal stratigraphy and structure of the Santa Fe Group. Recent data collected from new monitoring wells in the area have led to a geologic characterization of the perched Tijeras Arroyo Groundwater system and have refined the known limits of the Ancestral Rio Grande fluvial sediments within the Santa Fe Group. Both the reinterpretation of the existing data and a review of the regional geology have shown that a segment of the boundary between the eastern and western portions of KAFB is a complicated early Tertiary (Laramide) wrench-fault system, the Tijeras/Explosive Ordnance Disposal Area/Hubbell Spring system. A portion of this fault zone is occupied by a coeval ''pull-apart'' basin filled with early Tertiary conglomerates, whose exposures form the ''Travertine Hills''.« less

Surface Instabilities From Buried Explosives

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-07-21

interface between soil and air during buried explosions. The purpose of understanding this instability is to determine its effect on local vehicle loading...Except when the target is on the surface, e.g., a tank track, the most important loading mechanism from a buried charge is the impact of soil propelled...rising soil and the air. This unstable 15. SUBJECT TERMS Buried Explosions, Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability, Target Loading, Jetting, 16 SECURITY

Influence of contaminant burial depth on the bioaccumulation of PCBs and PBDEs by two benthic invertebrates (Monoporeia affinis and Marenzelleria spp.).

PubMed

Josefsson, Sarah; Leonardsson, Kjell; Gunnarsson, Jonas S; Wiberg, Karin

2011-11-01

The bioaccumulation of buried polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) added to specific depths in sediment (2.0-2.5, 5.0-5.5 and 10.0-10.5cm) was studied in two infaunal species with similar feeding habits (surface deposit-feeders) but different bioturbation modes. The deep-burrowing polychaetes Marenzelleria spp. (Mz) displayed up to 36 times higher tissue concentrations of buried (spiked) contaminants than the surface-dwelling biodiffusing amphipod Monoporeia affinis. The differences in bioaccumulation were most pronounced for less hydrophobic contaminants due to the bioirrigating activity of Mz. Contaminants buried at shallow depths displayed higher accumulation than more deeply buried contaminants. In contrast, the bioaccumulation of unspiked (native) contaminants with a uniform vertical distribution in the sediment was similar between the species. For Mz, the BSAFs increased with increased K(OW) for the uniformly distributed contaminants, but decreased for the buried contaminants, which indicates that the dominant uptake routes of the buried contaminants can differ from the uniformly distributed contaminants. The surface sediment concentration of buried contaminants increased in Mz treatments, showing that Mz bioturbation can remobilize historically buried contaminants to the biologically active surface layer and increase the exposure for surface-dwelling species. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structural and thermodynamic consequences of burial of an artificial ion pair in the hydrophobic interior of a protein.

PubMed

Robinson, Aaron C; Castañeda, Carlos A; Schlessman, Jamie L; García-Moreno, E Bertrand

2014-08-12

An artificial charge pair buried in the hydrophobic core of staphylococcal nuclease was engineered by making the V23E and L36K substitutions. Buried individually, Glu-23 and Lys-36 both titrate with pKa values near 7. When buried together their pKa values appear to be normal. The ionizable moieties of the buried Glu-Lys pair are 2.6 Å apart. The interaction between them at pH 7 is worth 5 kcal/mol. Despite this strong interaction, the buried Glu-Lys pair destabilizes the protein significantly because the apparent Coulomb interaction is sufficient to offset the dehydration of only one of the two buried charges. Save for minor reorganization of dipoles and water penetration consistent with the relatively high dielectric constant reported by the buried ion pair, there is no evidence that the presence of two charges in the hydrophobic interior of the protein induces any significant structural reorganization. The successful engineering of an artificial ion pair in a highly hydrophobic environment suggests that buried Glu-Lys pairs in dehydrated environments can be charged and that it is possible to engineer charge clusters that loosely resemble catalytic sites in a scaffold protein with high thermodynamic stability, without the need for specialized structural adaptations.

Structural and thermodynamic consequences of burial of an artificial ion pair in the hydrophobic interior of a protein

PubMed Central

Robinson, Aaron C.; Castañeda, Carlos A.; Schlessman, Jamie L.; García-Moreno E., Bertrand

2014-01-01

An artificial charge pair buried in the hydrophobic core of staphylococcal nuclease was engineered by making the V23E and L36K substitutions. Buried individually, Glu-23 and Lys-36 both titrate with pKa values near 7. When buried together their pKa values appear to be normal. The ionizable moieties of the buried Glu–Lys pair are 2.6 Å apart. The interaction between them at pH 7 is worth 5 kcal/mol. Despite this strong interaction, the buried Glu–Lys pair destabilizes the protein significantly because the apparent Coulomb interaction is sufficient to offset the dehydration of only one of the two buried charges. Save for minor reorganization of dipoles and water penetration consistent with the relatively high dielectric constant reported by the buried ion pair, there is no evidence that the presence of two charges in the hydrophobic interior of the protein induces any significant structural reorganization. The successful engineering of an artificial ion pair in a highly hydrophobic environment suggests that buried Glu–Lys pairs in dehydrated environments can be charged and that it is possible to engineer charge clusters that loosely resemble catalytic sites in a scaffold protein with high thermodynamic stability, without the need for specialized structural adaptations. PMID:25074910

Capturing a failure of an ASIC in-situ, using infrared radiometry and image processing software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruiz, Ronald P.

2003-01-01

Failures in electronic devices can sometimes be tricky to locate-especially if they are buried inside radiation-shielded containers designed to work in outer space. Such was the case with a malfunctioning ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) that was drawing excessive power at a specific temperature during temperature cycle testing. To analyze the failure, infrared radiometry (thermography) was used in combination with image processing software to locate precisely where the power was being dissipated at the moment the failure took place. The IR imaging software was used to make the image of the target and background, appear as unity. As testing proceeded and the failure mode was reached, temperature changes revealed the precise location of the fault. The results gave the design engineers the information they needed to fix the problem. This paper describes the techniques and equipment used to accomplish this failure analysis.

Method and apparatus for increasing resistance of bipolar buried layer integrated circuit devices to single-event upsets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zoutendyk, John A. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

Bipolar transistors fabricated in separate buried layers of an integrated circuit chip are electrically isolated with a built-in potential barrier established by doping the buried layer with a polarity opposite doping in the chip substrate. To increase the resistance of the bipolar transistors to single-event upsets due to ionized particle radiation, the substrate is biased relative to the buried layer with an external bias voltage selected to offset the built-in potential just enough (typically between about +0.1 to +0.2 volt) to prevent an accumulation of charge in the buried-layer-substrate junction.

Crustal strain near the Big Bend of the San Andreas Fault: Analysis of the Los Padres-Tehachapi Trilateration Networks, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eberhart-Phillips, Donna; Lisowski, Michael; Zoback, Mark D.

1990-02-01

In the region of the Los Padres-Tehachapi geodetic network, the San Andreas fault (SAF) changes its orientation by over 30° from N40°W, close to that predicted by plate motion for a transform boundary, to N73°W. The strain orientation near the SAF is consistent with right-lateral shear along the fault, with maximum shear rate of 0.38±0.01 μrad/yr at N63°W. In contrast, away from the SAF the strain orientations on both sides of the fault are consistent with the plate motion direction, with maximum shear rate of 0.19±0.01 μrad/yr at N44°W. The strain rate does not drop off rapidly away from the fault, and thus the area is fit by either a broad shear zone below the SAF or a single fault with a relatively deep locking depth. The fit to the line length data is poor for locking depth d less than 25 km. For d of 25 km a buried slip rate of 30 ± 6 mm/yr is estimated. We also estimated buried slip for models that included the Garlock and Big Pine faults, in addition to the SAF. Slip rates on other faults are poorly constrained by the Los Padres-Tehachapi network. The best fitting Garlock fault model had computed left-lateral slip rate of 11±2 mm/yr below 10 km. Buried left-lateral slip of 15±6 mm/yr on the Big Pine fault, within the Western Transverse Ranges, provides significant reduction in line length residuals; however, deformation there may be more complicated than a single vertical fault. A subhorizontal detachment on the southern side of the SAF cannot be well constrained by these data. We investigated the location of the SAF and found that a vertical fault below the surface trace fits the data much better than either a dipping fault or a fault zone located south of the surface trace.

Dependence of the Carrier Transport Characteristics on the Buried Layer Thickness in Ambipolar Double-Layer Organic Field-Effect Transistors Investigated by Electrical and Optical Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Le; Taguchi, Dai; Manaka, Takaaki; Iwamoto, Mitsumasa

2013-05-01

By using current-voltage (I-V) measurements and optical modulation spectroscopy, we investigated the dependence of the carrier behaviour on the film thickness of the buried pentacene layer in C60/pentacene ambipolar double-layer organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). It was found that the buried pentacene layer not only acted as a hole transport layer, but also accounted for the properties of the C60/pentacene interface. The hole and electron behaviour exhibited different thickness dependence on the buried pentacene layer, implying the presence of the spatially separated conduction paths. It was suggested that the injected holes transported along the pentacene/gate dielectric interface, which were little affected by the buried pentacene layer thickness or the upper C60 layer; while, the injected electrons accumulated at the C60/pentacene interface, which were sensitive to the interfacial conditions or the buried pentacene layer. Furthermore, it was suggested that the enhanced surface roughness of the buried pentacene layer was responsible for the observed electron behaviour, especially when dpent>10 nm.

Application of morphological associative memories and Fourier descriptors for classification of noisy subsurface signatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortiz, Jorge L.; Parsiani, Hamed; Tolstoy, Leonid

2004-02-01

This paper presents a method for recognition of Noisy Subsurface Images using Morphological Associative Memories (MAM). MAM are type of associative memories that use a new kind of neural networks based in the algebra system known as semi-ring. The operations performed in this algebraic system are highly nonlinear providing additional strength when compared to other transformations. Morphological associative memories are a new kind of neural networks that provide a robust performance with noisy inputs. Two representations of morphological associative memories are used called M and W matrices. M associative memory provides a robust association with input patterns corrupted by dilative random noise, while the W associative matrix performs a robust recognition in patterns corrupted with erosive random noise. The robust performance of MAM is used in combination of the Fourier descriptors for the recognition of underground objects in Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) images. Multiple 2-D GPR images of a site are made available by NASA-SSC center. The buried objects in these images appear in the form of hyperbolas which are the results of radar backscatter from the artifacts or objects. The Fourier descriptors of the prototype hyperbola-like and shapes from non-hyperbola shapes in the sub-surface images are used to make these shapes scale-, shift-, and rotation-invariant. Typical hyperbola-like and non-hyperbola shapes are used to calculate the morphological associative memories. The trained MAMs are used to process other noisy images to detect the presence of these underground objects. The outputs from the MAM using the noisy patterns may be equal to the training prototypes, providing a positive identification of the artifacts. The results are images with recognized hyperbolas which indicate the presence of buried artifacts. A model using MATLAB has been developed and results are presented.

Monitoring underground water leakage pattern by ground penetrating radar (GPR) using 800 MHz antenna frequency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amran, T. S. T.; Ismail, M. P.; Ahmad, M. R.; Amin, M. S. M.; Ismail, M. A.; Sani, S.; Masenwat, N. A.; Basri, N. S. M.

2018-01-01

Water is the most treasure natural resources, however, a huge amount of water are lost during its distribution that leads to water leakage problem. The leaks meant the waste of money and created more economic loss to treat and fix the damaged pipe. Researchers and engineers have put tremendous attempts and effort, to solve the water leakage problem especially in water leakage of buried pipeline. An advanced technology of ground penetrating radar (GPR) has been established as one of the non-destructive testing (NDT) method to detect the underground water pipe leaking. This paper focuses on the ability of GPR in water utility field especially on detection of water leaks in the underground pipeline distribution. A series of laboratory experiments were carried out using 800-MHz antenna, where the performance of GPR on detecting underground pipeline and locating water leakage was investigated and validated. A prototype to recreate water-leaking system was constructed using a 4-inch PVC pipe. Different diameter of holes, i.e. ¼ inch, ½ inch, and ¾ inch, were drilled into the pipe to simulate the water leaking. The PVC pipe was buried at the depth of 60 cm into the test bed that was filled with dry sand. 15 litres of water was injected into the PVC pipe. The water leakage patterns in term of radargram data were gathered. The effectiveness of the GPR in locating the underground water leakage was ascertained, after the results were collected and verified.

Urban underground infrastructure mapping and assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huston, Dryver; Xia, Tian; Zhang, Yu; Fan, Taian; Orfeo, Dan; Razinger, Jonathan

2017-04-01

This paper outlines and discusses a few associated details of a smart cities approach to the mapping and condition assessment of urban underground infrastructure. Underground utilities are critical infrastructure for all modern cities. They carry drinking water, storm water, sewage, natural gas, electric power, telecommunications, steam, etc. In most cities, the underground infrastructure reflects the growth and history of the city. Many components are aging, in unknown locations with congested configurations, and in unknown condition. The technique uses sensing and information technology to determine the state of infrastructure and provide it in an appropriate, timely and secure format for managers, planners and users. The sensors include ground penetrating radar and buried sensors for persistent sensing of localized conditions. Signal processing and pattern recognition techniques convert the data in information-laden databases for use in analytics, graphical presentations, metering and planning. The presented data are from construction of the St. Paul St. CCTA Bus Station Project in Burlington, VT; utility replacement sites in Winooski, VT; and laboratory tests of smart phone position registration and magnetic signaling. The soil conditions encountered are favorable for GPR sensing and make it possible to locate buried pipes and soil layers. The present state of the art is that the data collection and processing procedures are manual and somewhat tedious, but that solutions for automating these procedures appear to be viable. Magnetic signaling with moving permanent magnets has the potential for sending lowfrequency telemetry signals through soils that are largely impenetrable by other electromagnetic waves.

The utility of ground-penetrating radar and its time-dependence in the discovery of clandestine burials.

PubMed

Salsarola, Dominic; Poppa, Pasquale; Amadasi, Alberto; Mazzarelli, Debora; Gibelli, Daniele; Zanotti, Emma; Porta, Davide; Cattaneo, Cristina

2015-08-01

In the field of forensic investigation burial is a relatively common method of hiding a corpse. The location of clandestine graves is, however, a particularly difficult task in which multiple forensic disciplines such as anthropology, botany or archaeology can provide valuable assistance. The use of GPR (ground-penetrating radar) has recently been introduced as a method in the detection of these graves, but what is the true potential of this tool in an operative search scenario? In this study a total of 11 pig carcasses were buried in two wooded areas, each presenting a similar soil composition. The animals were subsequently exhumed at regular intervals, ranging from 2 to 111 weeks, using systematic GPR analysis of the burial sites and archaeological recovery of the subjects that were then autopsied. GPR proved to be useful in recognizing anomalies at the chosen depths of burial and appeared to be dependent on the state of decay of the samples, producing only slight anomalous readings in the presence of skeletal remains: at 92 weeks from burial the difference in signal was weak and at 111 weeks GPR survey offered no helpful information as to burial location. The experiment, in this particular context, determined the technique as being successful in the presence of recent burials, highlighting the need for a multidisciplinary approach in the operative search for buried human remains. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The influence of buried nodules on the mobility of metals in deep sea sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heller, Christina; Kuhn, Thomas

2017-04-01

Hydrothermal fluids can extract significant amounts of heat from oceanic lithosphere by lateral fluid flow through permeable basaltic crust of an age of up to 65 Ma. Fluid recharge and discharge occur at basement outcrops in between impermeable pelagic deep sea sediments. Recharge of oxic seawater causes upward oxygen diffusion into sediments overlying the permeable basalt in areas proximal to recharge sites. It is suggested that this oxygen has a strong impact on sediments and Mn-nodules during fluid exposure time. The aim of this study is to investigate if/how fluid flow through oceanic crust influence the distribution and element budget of Mn-nodules. Nodules occur widespread at the seafloor of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the equatorial North Pacific and were analyzed in many studies worldwide. Nodules buried in the deep sea sediments could be found only rarely (von Stackelberg, 1997, Geol. Soc. Spec. Publ., 119: 153-176). High resolution side-scan sonar recordings (unpublished Data BGR Hannover) indicate that there exist a coherent layer of nodules buried in the sediments of the working area. During the expedition SO 240/FLUM nodules were found on the sediment surface in 4200 to 4300 m water depth as well as in the sediment down to 985 cm below seafloor. In general, nodules consist of different nm- to µm-thick, dense and porous layers. The geochemical composition of bulk nodules and single nodule layers were determined by XRF, ICP-MS/OES, XRD and by high resolution analyses with electron microprobe and LA-ICP-MS. Dense layers have low Mn/Fe ratios (<4) and high concentrations of Co, Zr and REY, while porous layers are characterized by high Mn/Fe ratios (> 10) and high Ni+Cu and Li concentrations. The different compositions depend on different formation processes of the layers. They were formed by metal precipitation from oxic (hydrogenetic) and suboxic (diagenetic) bottom-near seawater and/or pore water (Wegorzewski and Kuhn, 2014, Mar. Geol. 357, 123-138). Preliminary results show that there are significant differences between the geochemical composition of nodules grown at sediment surface and those found within sediments. Compared to surface nodules, buried nodules are enriched in Co and W, but have lower concentration of Mo, Ba, Zn and Li. The distribution of Rare Earth Elements and Y(REY) is also different. Furthermore, the locations of the buried manganese nodules correlates with increased contents of Mn, Co and other elements in the suboxic pore water. It seems that the hydrogenetic layers of the buried nodules were dissolved and/ or recrystallized due to diagenetic processes in the sediment. As a result, a new Fe-rich layer type was formed, with Mn being released into the pore water and/or being used to form todorokite in the nodules. The mineralogical analyses of surface and buried nodules support this assumption. Until now, it couldńt be proven that the hydrothermal fluid flow in the basalts underneath the sediments has an influence on the nodule geochemistry.

Archaeogeophysical Investigation of Water Tower Region on Enez (Ainos) Ancient City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deniz, Hazel; Ahmet Yüksel, Fethi; Başaran, Sait

2017-04-01

Archaeogeophysical (geomagnetics) surveys have been made in two locations which are, Enez Entry Region and Water Tower Necropolis.The objective of geophysical mesurements is to reach the informations such as detailed depths, orientations and locations of achaeological structure remnants. Enez (Ainos) is located in the Northwestern coastal side of the Aegean Sea in which Meriç (Maritza-Hebros) River flows down to the sea. The city displaced due to alluvium accumulate which are drifted by Meriç River in contrast with its former location. Existing of settlements of Enez and its surrounding in Neolithic times has been proved. Enez has a castle ambient acropolis apex which is built on Miocene limestone rocks rise about 25 m above the sea level. The castle walls are 740 m long and are thought to have been built in the middle ages. three different cultural phases form the 2nd building level of the archaeological excavations representing the ancient Greek cultures, Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic bottom to top. In all of the openings made on the acropolis, a thick layer dated to the Hellenistic era is located just above The Classical Age layer. The 3rd cultural floor dated from the Roman Age is represented by a thin layer and whose boundaries can not be determined with certain lines. In this study, Proton Magnetometer has been used for magnetic measurements. Across Water Tower Region, total magnetic field has been measured by magnetometer equipment on 592 m2 site. Existing of remarkable regular and irregular anomalies have been detected when magnetic maps produced from magnetic measurements are examined. It is determined from excavations after measurements that regular anomalies refer to water structures of old times or current electrical cables and dispersed anomalies to graves, sarcophagus and pithos burials. During excavations in locations where notable anomalies are found in Magnetic maps derived from magnetic measurements applied on Water Tower Necropolis, brick-walled, rock and roof-tile covered buried graves have been found. Many, solid Lekythos and skeletons were found from the graves opened. 15 sarcophagi and 59 tombs emerged from the graves opened in the Water Tower Necropolis. Keywords: Enez, Ainos ,Necropolis, Proton Magnetometer, Turkey.

Mapping the Upper Subsurface of MARS Using Radar Polarimetry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, L. M.; Rincon, R.; Berkoski, L.

2012-01-01

Future human exploration of Mars will require detailed knowledge of the surface and upper several meters of the subsurface in potential landing sites. Likewise, many of the Planetary Science Decadal Survey science goals, such as understanding the history of Mars climate change, determining how the surface was altered through processes like volcanism and fluvial activity, and locating regions that may have been hospitable to life in the past, would be significantly advanced through mapping of the upper meters of the surface. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is the only remote sensing technique capable of penetrating through meters of material and imaging buried surfaces at high (meters to tens-of-meters) spatial resolution. SAR is capable of mapping the boundaries of buried units and radar polarimetry can provide quantitative information about the roughness of surface and subsurface units, depth of burial of stratigraphic units, and density of materials. Orbital SAR systems can obtain broad coverage at a spatial scale relevant to human and robotic surface operations. A polarimetric SAR system would greatly increase the safety and utility of future landed systems including sample caching.

SHUTTLE IMAGING RADAR PROVIDES FRAMEWORK FOR SUBSURFACE GEOLOGIC EXPLORATION IN EGYPT AND SUDAN.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Breed, Carol S.; McCauley, John F.; Schaber, Gerald G.

1984-01-01

Shuttle Imaging Radar provides a pictorial framework to guide exploration for mineral resources (potential placers), groundwater sources, and prehistoric archaeological sites in the Western Desert of Egypt and Sudan. Documented penetration by the SIR-A signal of dry surficial sediment to depths of a meter or more revealed bedrock geologic features and networks of former stream valleys otherwise concealed beneath windblown sand, alluvium, and colluvial deposits. 'Radar units' mapped on SIR-A images according to relative brightness and degree of mottling correspond to subsurface geologic and topographic features identified in more than 50 test pits. Petrologic examination of pit samples confirms that a variety of depositional environments existed in this now hyper-arid region before it was mantled by windblown sand sheets and dunes. Wet sand was discovered in two buried valleys shown on the radar images and located in the field with the aid of co-registered maps and Landsat images, and a satellite navigation device. Buried valleys whose streams once traversed mineralized zones are potential sites of placers (gold, tin).

Uav-Based Detection of Unknown Radioactive Biomass Deposits in Chernobyl's Exclusion Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Briechle, S.; Sizov, A.; Tretyak, O.; Antropov, V.; Molitor, N.; Krzystek, P.

2018-05-01

Shortly after the explosion of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (ChNPP) in 1986, radioactive fall-out and contaminated trees (socalled Red Forest) were buried in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (ChEZ). These days, exact locations of the buried contaminated material are needed. Moreover, 3D vegetation maps are necessary to simulate the impact of tornados and forest fire. After 30 years, some of the so-called trenches and clamps are visible. However, some of them are overgrown and have slightly settled in the centimeter and decimeter range. This paper presents a pipeline that comprises 3D vegetation mapping and machine learning methods to precisely map trenches and clamps from remote sensing data. The dataset for our experiments consists of UAV-based LiDAR data, multi-spectral data, and aerial gamma-spectrometry data. Depending on the study areas overall accuracies ranging from 95.6 % to 99.0 % were reached for the classification of radioactive deposits. Our first results demonstrate an accurate and reliable UAV-based detection of unknown radioactive biomass deposits in the ChEZ.

Mechanistic pathways of recognition of a solvent-inaccessible cavity of protein by a ligand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mondal, Jagannath; Pandit, Subhendu; Dandekar, Bhupendra; Vallurupalli, Pramodh

One of the puzzling questions in the realm of protein-ligand recognition is how a solvent-inaccessible hydrophobic cavity of a protein gets recognized by a ligand. We address the topic by simulating, for the first time, the complete binding process of benzene from aqueous media to the well-known buried cavity of L99A T4 Lysozyme at an atomistic resolution. Our multiple unbiased microsecond-long trajectories, which were completely blind to the location of target binding site, are able to unequivocally identify the kinetic pathways along which benzene molecule meanders across the solvent and protein and ultimately spontaneously recognizes the deeply buried cavity of L99A T4 Lysozyme at an accurate precision. Our simulation, combined with analysis based on markov state model and free energy calculation, reveals that there are more than one distinct ligand binding pathways. Intriguingly, each of the identified pathways involves the transient opening of a channel of the protein prior to ligand binding. The work will also decipher rich mechanistic details on unbinding kinetics of the ligand as obtained from enhanced sampling techniques.

Odor analysis of decomposing buried human remains

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

Vass, Arpad Alexander; Smith, Rob R; Thompson, Cyril V

2008-01-01

This study, conducted at the University of Tennessee's Anthropological Research Facility (ARF), lists and ranks the primary chemical constituents which define the odor of decomposition of human remains as detected at the soil surface of shallow burial sites. Triple sorbent traps were used to collect air samples in the field and revealed eight major classes of chemicals which now contain 478 specific volatile compounds associated with burial decomposition. Samples were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and were collected below and above the body, and at the soil surface of 1.5-3.5 ft. (0.46-1.07 m) deep burial sites of four individualsmore » over a 4-year time span. New data were incorporated into the previously established Decompositional Odor Analysis (DOA) Database providing identification, chemical trends, and semi-quantitation of chemicals for evaluation. This research identifies the 'odor signatures' unique to the decomposition of buried human remains with projected ramifications on human remains detection canine training procedures and in the development of field portable analytical instruments which can be used to locate human remains in shallow burial sites.« less

Modelling the gravity and magnetic field anomalies of the Chicxulub crater

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aleman, C. Ortiz; Pilkington, M.; Hildebrand, A. R.; Roest, W. R.; Grieve, R. A. F.; Keating, P.

1993-01-01

The approximately 180-km-diameter Chicxulub crater lies buried by approximately 1 km of sediment on the northwestern corner of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Geophysical, stratigraphic and petrologic evidence support an impact origin for the structure and biostratigraphy suggests that a K/T age is possible for the impact. The crater's location is in agreement with constraints derived from proximal K/T impact-wave and ejecta deposits and its melt-rock is similar in composition to the K/T tektites. Radiometric dating of the melt rock reveals an age identical to that of the K/T tektites. The impact which produced the Chicxulub crater probably produced the K/T extinctions and understanding the now-buried crater will provide constraints on the impact's lethal effects. The outstanding preservation of the crater, the availability of detailed gravity and magnetic data sets, and the two-component target of carbonate/evaporites overlying silicate basement allow application of geophysical modeling techniques to explore the crater under most favorable circumstances. We have found that the main features of the gravity and magnetic field anomalies may be produced by the crater lithologies.

SEARCH AND MAPPING OF THE OLD BURIED TAILINGS WITH RADIOACTIVE WASTES AT THE URBAN TERRITORY.

PubMed

Molchanov, O I; Soroka, Y N; Podrezov, A A; Soroka, M N

2017-11-01

The article presents results of investigation on search and mapping of the old buried tailings with radioactive wastes on the territory of Kamianske City. For solving the problem used complex of methods. These methods are as follows: soil-gas 222Rn measurement and measurement of 222Rn flux density from the ground surface, gamma-radiation survey, prospecting drilling, gamma-ray logging and laboratory analysis of radionuclides. The leading method in this complex was the method of soil-gas 222Rn measurement. Using this method location of the tailings has been precisely defined. The tailings boundaries have been contoured in the plan. Other methods permitted to define such parameters as thickness of the wastes, their volume (~330 000 m3), radionuclide and chemical composition. It was found that radioactive residues occur at a depth from 2 to 11 m and contain in its composition 226Ra, 210Pb and 210Po in the range from 8370 to 37 270 Bq kg-1. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Buried homojunction in CdS/Sb2Se3 thin film photovoltaics generated by interfacial diffusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Ying; Li, Yang; Luo, Jiajun; Li, Dengbing; Liu, Xinsheng; Chen, Chao; Song, Huaibing; Ma, Jingyuan; Xue, Ding-Jiang; Yang, Bo; Tang, Jiang

2017-07-01

Antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) emerges as a very promising non-toxic absorber material for thin film photovoltaics, and most of the devices, either in the superstrate or substrate configuration, employed CdS as the buffer layer. Due to the peculiar one-dimensional crystal structure of Sb2Se3, severe interfacial diffusion would be expected. In this letter, the interfacial diffusion in CdS/Sb2Se3 photovoltaics was carefully characterized from a combined material and device physics characterization. The results indicated that a buried homojunction located deep inside the Sb2Se3 absorber layer due to Cd diffusion, instead of the apparent CdS/Sb2Se3 heterojunction, dictated charge separation and device performance in Sb2Se3 thin film solar cells. Cd diffusion converted p-type Sb2Se3 into n-type by introducing a donor level with an activation energy of 0.22 eV. Our studies deepen the understanding of Sb2Se3 photovoltaics and shed light on their further performance optimization.

Three-dimensional charge coupled device

DOEpatents

Conder, Alan D.; Young, Bruce K. F.

1999-01-01

A monolithic three dimensional charged coupled device (3D-CCD) which utilizes the entire bulk of the semiconductor for charge generation, storage, and transfer. The 3D-CCD provides a vast improvement of current CCD architectures that use only the surface of the semiconductor substrate. The 3D-CCD is capable of developing a strong E-field throughout the depth of the semiconductor by using deep (buried) parallel (bulk) electrodes in the substrate material. Using backside illumination, the 3D-CCD architecture enables a single device to image photon energies from the visible, to the ultra-violet and soft x-ray, and out to higher energy x-rays of 30 keV and beyond. The buried or bulk electrodes are electrically connected to the surface electrodes, and an E-field parallel to the surface is established with the pixel in which the bulk electrodes are located. This E-field attracts charge to the bulk electrodes independent of depth and confines it within the pixel in which it is generated. Charge diffusion is greatly reduced because the E-field is strong due to the proximity of the bulk electrodes.

Process for fabricating a charge coupled device

DOEpatents

Conder, Alan D.; Young, Bruce K. F.

2002-01-01

A monolithic three dimensional charged coupled device (3D-CCD) which utilizes the entire bulk of the semiconductor for charge generation, storage, and transfer. The 3D-CCD provides a vast improvement of current CCD architectures that use only the surface of the semiconductor substrate. The 3D-CCD is capable of developing a strong E-field throughout the depth of the semiconductor by using deep (buried) parallel (bulk) electrodes in the substrate material. Using backside illumination, the 3D-CCD architecture enables a single device to image photon energies from the visible, to the ultra-violet and soft x-ray, and out to higher energy x-rays of 30 keV and beyond. The buried or bulk electrodes are electrically connected to the surface electrodes, and an E-field parallel to the surface is established with the pixel in which the bulk electrodes are located. This E-field attracts charge to the bulk electrodes independent of depth and confines it within the pixel in which it is generated. Charge diffusion is greatly reduced because the E-field is strong due to the proximity of the bulk electrodes.

High-performance a-IGZO thin-film transistor with conductive indium-tin-oxide buried layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahn, Min-Ju; Cho, Won-Ju

2017-10-01

In this study, we fabricated top-contact top-gate (TCTG) structure of amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) with a thin buried conductive indium-tin oxide (ITO) layer. The electrical performance of a-IGZO TFTs was improved by inserting an ITO buried layer under the IGZO channel. Also, the effect of the buried layer's length on the electrical characteristics of a-IGZO TFTs was investigated. The electrical performance of the transistors improved with increasing the buried layer's length: a large on/off current ratio of 1.1×107, a high field-effect mobility of 35.6 cm2/Vs, a small subthreshold slope of 116.1 mV/dec, and a low interface trap density of 4.2×1011 cm-2eV-1 were obtained. The buried layer a-IGZO TFTs exhibited enhanced transistor performance and excellent stability against the gate bias stress.

Theoretical investigation of metal magnetic memory testing technique for detection of magnetic flux leakage signals from buried defect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Kunshan; Qiu, Xingqi; Tian, Xiaoshuai

2018-01-01

The metal magnetic memory testing (MMMT) technique has been extensively applied in various fields because of its unique advantages of easy operation, low cost and high efficiency. However, very limited theoretical research has been conducted on application of MMMT to buried defects. To promote study in this area, the equivalent magnetic charge method is employed to establish a self-magnetic flux leakage (SMFL) model of a buried defect. Theoretical results based on the established model successfully capture basic characteristics of the SMFL signals of buried defects, as confirmed via experiment. In particular, the newly developed model can calculate the buried depth of a defect based on the SMFL signals obtained via testing. The results show that the new model can successfully assess the characteristics of buried defects, which is valuable in the application of MMMT in non-destructive testing.

The role of dung beetles as a secondary seed disperser after dispersal by frugivore mammals in a temperate deciduous forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koike, Shinsuke; Morimoto, Hideto; Kozakai, Chinatsu; Arimoto, Isao; Soga, Masashi; Yamazaki, Koji; Koganezawa, Masaaki

2012-05-01

We studied the effects of dung beetles on the fates of endozoochorous seeds of five species (Prunus jamasakura, Prunus verecunda, Prunus grayana, Swida controversa, and Vitis coignetiae) in a temperate deciduous forest in Japan during 2004-2006. In field experiments using dung of the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus), we investigated the depths that dung beetles (Onthophagus atripennis, Onthophagus lenzii, and Phelotrupes auratus) buried seeds (4.8-6.8 mm diameter) and plastic markers (2 or 5 mm diameter), the levels of predation on buried and unburied seeds, and germination rates of seeds buried to different depths. All three species buried the 2-mm markers, but only P. auratus buried the seeds and 5-mm markers. There were seasonal differences in mean seed burial rates (range, 27-51%) and depths (range, 1-27 mm). Significantly more seeds were buried in June, July, and September than in August or October, and the mean burial depth was significantly deeper in June and July. Most seeds and markers were buried to a 3-6 cm depth. Germination of seeds that were positioned at depths of 1-4 cm was significantly greater than that of seeds left on the surface or buried at greater depths. Buried seeds were less likely to disappear than seeds at the surface, which may reflect differential predation. These results suggested that dung beetles, especially P. auratus, acted as a secondary seed disperser that affected the survival and distribution of seeds dispersed by a frugivore.

The burial of headwater streams in drainage pipes reduces in-stream nitrate retention: results from two US metropolitan areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beaulieu, J. J.; Mayer, P. M.; Kaushal, S.; Pennino, M. J.; Arango, C. P.; Balz, D. A.; Fritz, K. M.; Golden, H. E.; Knightes, C. D.

2012-12-01

Nitrogen (N) retention in stream networks is an important ecosystem service that may be affected by the widespread burial of headwater streams in urban watersheds. Stream burial occurs when segments of a channel are encased in drainage pipe and buried beneath the land surface to facilitate above ground development or stormwater runoff. We predicted that burial suppresses the capacity of streams to retain and transform nitrate, the dominate form of bioavailable N in urban streams, by eliminating primary production, reducing respiration rates, and decreasing water residence time. We tested these predictions by measuring whole-stream nitrate (NO3-) removal rates using 15NO3- isotope tracer releases in reaches that were buried and open to the sunlight in three streams in Cincinnati, Ohio and three streams in Baltimore, Maryland during four seasons. Nitrate uptake lengths in buried reaches (range: 560 - 43,650 m) were 2-98 times greater than open reaches exposed to daylight (range: 85 - 7195 m), indicating that buried reaches were substantially less effective at retaining NO3- than open reaches. Nitrate retention in buried reaches was suppressed by a combination of hydrological and biological processes. High water velocities in buried reaches (buried= 5.8 m/s, open=1.48 m/s) rapidly exported NO3- from the channel, reducing the potential for in-stream NO3- retention. Uptake lengths in the buried reaches were lengthened further by low in-stream biological NO3- demand, as indicated by NO3- uptake velocities 16-fold lower than that of the open reaches. Similarly, buried reaches had lower ecosystem respiration rates than open reaches (buried=1.5g O2/m2/hr, open=4.5g O2/m2/hr), likely due to lower organic matter standing stocks (buried=12 gAFMD/m2, open=48 gAFDM/m2). Biological activity in the buried reaches was further suppressed by the absence of light which precluded photosynthetic activity and the associated assimilative N demand. Overall, our results demonstrate that the combined effects of elevated water velocity and reduced biological activity as a result of stream burial inhibits NO3- retention, exacerbating the export of excess N to downstream water bodies. Future work will scale these results to a river network to assess the cumulative effect of stream burial on watershed NO3- export.

Delineation of voided and hydrocarbon contaminated regions with REDEM and STI

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

Whiteley, B.

1997-10-01

Undetected voids and cavernous regions at shallow depth are a significant geotechnical and environmental hazard if they are filled or act as conduits for pollutants, particularly for LNAPL and DNAPL contaminants. Such features are often difficult to locate with drilling and conventional geophysical methods including resistivity, electromagnetics, microgravity, seismic and ground penetrating radar when they occur in industrial or urban areas where electrical and vibrational interference can combine with subsurface complexity due to human action to severely degrade geophysical data quality. A new geophysical method called Radiowave Diffraction Electromagnetics (RDEM) has proved successful for rapid screening of difficult sites andmore » for the delineation of buried sinkholes, cavities and hydrocarbon plumes. RDEM operates with a null coupled coil configuration at about 1.6 MHZ and is relatively insensitive to electrical interference and surrounding metal objects. It responds to subsurface variations in both conductivity and dielectric constant. Voided and contaminated regions can be more fully detailed when RDEM is combined with Seismic Tomographic Imaging (STI) from follow-up boreholes. Case studies from sites in Australia and South East Asia demonstrate the application of RDEM and STI and the value in combining both methods.« less

Exploiting spectral content for image segmentation in GPR data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Patrick K.; Morton, Kenneth D., Jr.; Collins, Leslie M.; Torrione, Peter A.

2011-06-01

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) sensors provide an effective means for detecting changes in the sub-surface electrical properties of soils, such as changes indicative of landmines or other buried threats. However, most GPR-based pre-screening algorithms only localize target responses along the surface of the earth, and do not provide information regarding an object's position in depth. As a result, feature extraction algorithms are forced to process data from entire cubes of data around pre-screener alarms, which can reduce feature fidelity and hamper performance. In this work, spectral analysis is investigated as a method for locating subsurface anomalies in GPR data. In particular, a 2-D spatial/frequency decomposition is applied to pre-screener flagged GPR B-scans. Analysis of these spatial/frequency regions suggests that aspects (e.g. moments, maxima, mode) of the frequency distribution of GPR energy can be indicative of the presence of target responses. After translating a GPR image to a function of the spatial/frequency distributions at each pixel, several image segmentation approaches can be applied to perform segmentation in this new transformed feature space. To illustrate the efficacy of the approach, a performance comparison between feature processing with and without the image segmentation algorithm is provided.

Centrifugal and Numerical Modeling of Buried Structures. Volume 2. Dynamic Soil-Structure Interaction.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-07-14

RD-RISE 368 CENTRIFUGAL AND NUMERICAL MODELING OF BURIED STRUCTURES 1/3 VOLUME 2 DYNAMIC..(U) COLORADO UNIV AT BOULDER DEPT OF CIVIL ENVIRONMENTAL...20332-6448 ELEMENT NO NO. NO ACCESSION NO 61102F 2302 Cl 11 TITLE (Include Security Classification) (U) Centrifugal and Numerical Modeling of Buried ...were buried in a dry sand and tested in the centrifuge to simulate the effects of gravity-induced overburden stresses which played a major role in

The origin of collapse features appearing in a migrating parabolic dune along the southern coast of Lake Michigan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Argyilan, Erin P.; Avis, Peter G.; Krekeler, Mark P. S.; Morris, Charles C.

2015-12-01

Dune decomposition chimneys are collapse features formed when migrating dunes encroach on a forest and buried trees subsequently decay, leaving a temporarily stable open hole. The recent appearance of holes on the stoss slope of Mount Baldy at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore provided an opportunity for study of such features. Mount Baldy is a large parabolic dune that is rapidly migrating onshore over a late Holocene landscape with stabilized relict parabolic dunes that supported oak (Quercus spp.) trees visible on the 1939 aerial photo. Individual holes were mapped to locations on the dune surface that would directly overlie the arm of a buried relict parabolic dune. Analyses of buried trees and surrounding sediment indicated that saprotrophic wood decay fungi continue to actively decompose trees after burial and biomineralization of a calcium-carbonate-rich cement occurs at the contact between organic material and sands. Scanning electron microscopy of the cement showed neoformed authigenic minerals and organic structures consistent in morphology with fungal hyphae. We propose that, within the dune, portions of the decayed trees progressively collapse and infill, and open holes are temporarily stabilized by the calcium-carbonate-rich cement. Further, holes can exist undetected at the surface, covered by a thin veneer of sand. Migrating dune systems are observed in many coastal and inland areas. Ongoing work must address the relative contributions of individual environmental factors on the formation of dune decomposition chimneys, including the biomineralization of cement, sand mineralogy, rate of dune movement, tree species, climate, and the composition of fungal communities.

On the acoustic filtering of the pipe and sensor in a buried plastic water pipe and its effect on leak detection: an experimental investigation.

PubMed

Almeida, Fabrício; Brennan, Michael; Joseph, Phillip; Whitfield, Stuart; Dray, Simon; Paschoalini, Amarildo

2014-03-20

Acoustic techniques have been used for many years to find and locate leaks in buried water distribution systems. Hydrophones and accelerometers are typically used as sensors. Although geophones could be used as well, they are not generally used for leak detection. A simple acoustic model of the pipe and the sensors has been proposed previously by some of the authors of this paper, and their model was used to explain some of the features observed in measurements. However, simultaneous measurements of a leak using all three sensor-types in controlled conditions for plastic pipes has not been reported to-date and hence they have not yet been compared directly. This paper fills that gap in knowledge. A set of measurements was made on a bespoke buried plastic water distribution pipe test rig to validate the previously reported analytical model. There is qualitative agreement between the experimental results and the model predictions in terms of the differing filtering properties of the pipe-sensor systems. A quality measure for the data is also presented, which is the ratio of the bandwidth over which the analysis is carried out divided by the centre frequency of this bandwidth. Based on this metric, the accelerometer was found to be the best sensor to use for the test rig described in this paper. However, for a system in which the distance between the sensors is large or the attenuation factor of the system is high, then it would be advantageous to use hydrophones, even though they are invasive sensors.

On the Acoustic Filtering of the Pipe and Sensor in a Buried Plastic Water Pipe and its Effect on Leak Detection: An Experimental Investigation

PubMed Central

Almeida, Fabrício; Brennan, Michael; Joseph, Phillip; Whitfield, Stuart; Dray, Simon; Paschoalini, Amarildo

2014-01-01

Acoustic techniques have been used for many years to find and locate leaks in buried water distribution systems. Hydrophones and accelerometers are typically used as sensors. Although geophones could be used as well, they are not generally used for leak detection. A simple acoustic model of the pipe and the sensors has been proposed previously by some of the authors of this paper, and their model was used to explain some of the features observed in measurements. However, simultaneous measurements of a leak using all three sensor-types in controlled conditions for plastic pipes has not been reported to-date and hence they have not yet been compared directly. This paper fills that gap in knowledge. A set of measurements was made on a bespoke buried plastic water distribution pipe test rig to validate the previously reported analytical model. There is qualitative agreement between the experimental results and the model predictions in terms of the differing filtering properties of the pipe-sensor systems. A quality measure for the data is also presented, which is the ratio of the bandwidth over which the analysis is carried out divided by the centre frequency of this bandwidth. Based on this metric, the accelerometer was found to be the best sensor to use for the test rig described in this paper. However, for a system in which the distance between the sensors is large or the attenuation factor of the system is high, then it would be advantageous to use hydrophones, even though they are invasive sensors. PMID:24658622

Method of installing subsurface barrier

DOEpatents

Nickelson, Reva A.; Richardson, John G.; Kostelnik, Kevin M.; Sloan, Paul A.

2007-10-09

Systems, components, and methods relating to subterranean containment barriers. Laterally adjacent tubular casings having male interlock structures and multiple female interlock structures defining recesses for receiving a male interlock structure are used to create subterranean barriers for containing and treating buried waste and its effluents. The multiple female interlock structures enable the barriers to be varied around subsurface objects and to form barrier sidewalls. The barrier may be used for treating and monitoring a zone of interest.

Subsurface materials management and containment system

DOEpatents

Nickelson, Reva A.; Richardson, John G.; Kosteinik, Kevin M.; Sloan, Paul A.

2004-07-06

Systems, components, and methods relating to subterranean containment barriers. Laterally adjacent tubular casings having male interlock structures and multiple female interlock structures defining recesses for receiving a male interlock structure are used to create subterranean barriers for containing and treating buried waste and its effluents. The multiple female interlock structures enable the barriers to be varied around subsurface objects and to form barrier sidewalls. The barrier may be used for treating and monitoring a zone of interest.

Subsurface materials management and containment system

DOEpatents

Nickelson, Reva A.; Richardson, John G.; Kostelnik, Kevin M.; Sloan, Paul A.

2006-10-17

Systems, components, and methods relating to subterranean containment barriers. Laterally adjacent tubular casings having male interlock structures and multiple female interlock structures defining recesses for receiving a male interlock structure are used to create subterranean barriers for containing and treating buried waste and its effluents. The multiple female interlock structures enable the barriers to be varied around subsurface objects and to form barrier sidewalls. The barrier may be used for treating and monitoring a zone of interest.

Bedrock mapping of buried valley networks using seismic reflection and airborne electromagnetic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oldenborger, G. A.; Logan, C. E.; Hinton, M. J.; Pugin, A. J.-M.; Sapia, V.; Sharpe, D. R.; Russell, H. A. J.

2016-05-01

In glaciated terrain, buried valleys often host aquifers that are significant groundwater resources. However, given the range of scales, spatial complexity and depth of burial, buried valleys often remain undetected or insufficiently mapped. Accurate and thorough mapping of bedrock topography is a crucial step in detecting and delineating buried valleys and understanding formative valley processes. We develop a bedrock mapping procedure supported by the combination of seismic reflection data and helicopter time-domain electromagnetic data with water well records for the Spiritwood buried valley aquifer system in Manitoba, Canada. The limited spatial density of water well bedrock observations precludes complete depiction of the buried valley bedrock topography and renders the water well records alone inadequate for accurate hydrogeological model building. Instead, we leverage the complementary strengths of seismic reflection and airborne electromagnetic data for accurate local detection of the sediment-bedrock interface and for spatially extensive coverage, respectively. Seismic reflection data are used to define buried valley morphology in cross-section beneath survey lines distributed over a regional area. A 3D model of electrical conductivity is derived from inversion of the airborne electromagnetic data and used to extrapolate buried valley morphology over the entire survey area. A spatially variable assignment of the electrical conductivity at the bedrock surface is applied to different features of the buried valley morphology identified in the seismic cross-sections. Electrical conductivity is then used to guide construction of buried valley shapes between seismic sections. The 3D locus of points defining each morphological valley feature is constructed using a path optimization routine that utilizes deviation from the assigned electrical conductivities as the cost function. Our resulting map represents a bedrock surface of unprecedented detail with more complexity than has been suggested by previous investigations. Our procedure is largely data-driven with an adaptable degree of expert user input that provides a clear protocol for incorporating different types of geophysical data into the bedrock mapping procedure.

Elevated Building Lift Systems on Permanent Snowfields: A Report on the Elevated Building Lift Systems in Polar Environments Workshop

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-18

the power plant and mechanical systems, the “Noisy” building, and the “Quiet” building...6040 m² Garage (buried): 835 m² Cargo Arch (buried) : 1640 m² Power Plant (buried) : 600 m² Fuel Arch (buried) : 1325 m² Habitat: 1640 m...Laboratory: 210 m² Garage: 2623 m² Total: 4473 m² Main Bldgs.: 1612 m² Power plant : 188 m² Population Summer: 52 Winter: 16 Summer (3 mo.): 150

A comprehensive inventory of radiological and nonradiological contaminants in waste buried or projected to be buried in the subsurface disposal area of the INEL RWMC during the years 1984-2003, Volume 3

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

NONE

1995-05-01

This is the third volume of this comprehensive report of the inventory of radiological and nonradiological contaminants in waste buried or projected to be buried in the subsurface disposal area of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. Appendix B contains a complete printout of contaminant inventory and other information from the CIDRA Database and is presented in volumes 2 and 3 of the report.

Baseline tests for arc melter vitrification of INEL buried wastes. Volume II: Baseline test data appendices

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

Oden, L.L.; O`Conner, W.K.; Turner, P.C.

1993-11-19

This report presents field results and raw data from the Buried Waste Integrated Demonstration (BWID) Arc Melter Vitrification Project Phase 1 baseline test series conducted by the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM). The baseline test series was conducted using the electric arc melter facility at the USBM Albany Research Center in Albany, Oregon. Five different surrogate waste feed mixtures were tested that simulated thermally-oxidized, buried, TRU-contaminated, mixed wastes and soils present at the INEL. The USBM Arc Furnace Integrated Waste Processing Test Facility includes a continuous feed system, the arc meltingmore » furnace, an offgas control system, and utilities. The melter is a sealed, 3-phase alternating current (ac) furnace approximately 2 m high and 1.3 m wide. The furnace has a capacity of 1 metric ton of steel and can process as much as 1,500 lb/h of soil-type waste materials. The surrogate feed materials included five mixtures designed to simulate incinerated TRU-contaminated buried waste materials mixed with INEL soil. Process samples, melter system operations data and offgas composition data were obtained during the baseline tests to evaluate the melter performance and meet test objectives. Samples and data gathered during this program included (a) automatically and manually logged melter systems operations data, (b) process samples of slag, metal and fume solids, and (c) offgas composition, temperature, velocity, flowrate, moisture content, particulate loading and metals content. This report consists of 2 volumes: Volume I summarizes the baseline test operations. It includes an executive summary, system and facility description, review of the surrogate waste mixtures, and a description of the baseline test activities, measurements, and sample collection. Volume II contains the raw test data and sample analyses from samples collected during the baseline tests.« less

Baseline tests for arc melter vitrification of INEL buried wastes. Volume 1: Facility description and summary data report

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

Oden, L.L.; O`Connor, W.K.; Turner, P.C.

1993-11-19

This report presents field results and raw data from the Buried Waste Integrated Demonstration (BWID) Arc Melter Vitrification Project Phase 1 baseline test series conducted by the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM). The baseline test series was conducted using the electric arc melter facility at the USBM Albany Research Center in Albany, Oregon. Five different surrogate waste feed mixtures were tested that simulated thermally-oxidized, buried, TRU-contaminated, mixed wastes and soils present at the INEL. The USBM Arc Furnace Integrated Waste Processing Test Facility includes a continuous feed system, the arc meltingmore » furnace, an offgas control system, and utilities. The melter is a sealed, 3-phase alternating current (ac) furnace approximately 2 m high and 1.3 m wide. The furnace has a capacity of 1 metric ton of steel and can process as much as 1,500 lb/h of soil-type waste materials. The surrogate feed materials included five mixtures designed to simulate incinerated TRU-contaminated buried waste materials mixed with INEL soil. Process samples, melter system operations data and offgas composition data were obtained during the baseline tests to evaluate the melter performance and meet test objectives. Samples and data gathered during this program included (a) automatically and manually logged melter systems operations data, (b) process samples of slag, metal and fume solids, and (c) offgas composition, temperature, velocity, flowrate, moisture content, particulate loading and metals content. This report consists of 2 volumes: Volume I summarizes the baseline test operations. It includes an executive summary, system and facility description, review of the surrogate waste mixtures, and a description of the baseline test activities, measurements, and sample collection. Volume II contains the raw test data and sample analyses from samples collected during the baseline tests.« less

Standardized UXO Technology Demonstration Site Moguls Scoring No. 903 (Sky Research, Inc.)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-08-01

endpoint, and then returning south from the northern endpoint. 8 2) A metallic pin-flag is placed over the midpoint. 3) The operator logs data...point located away from buried UXO or other metallic debris. A 5-meter-length of line is walked in eight cardinal directions (N-S, S-N, E-W, W-E, SE-NW...systems or handheld detectors . The challenges include a gravel road, wet areas and trees. The vegetation height varies from 15 to 25 cm. Moguls A 1.30

ELLICOTT ROCK WILDERNESS AND ADDITIONS, SOUTH CAROLINA, NORTH CAROLINA, AND GEORGIA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bell, Henry; Gazdik, Gertrude C.

1984-01-01

A mineral survey was made of the Ellicott Rock Wilderness and additions located in the common corner of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. Surveys along the rivers, streams, and ridges indicated that there is little promise for the occurrence of metallic mineral or energy resources. Deeply buried sedimentary rocks have an unknown potential for hydrocarbons, probably gas. Until some deep drilling is done to test these deep sedimentary rocks no reasonable estimate of gas potential can be made, but it cannot be totally discounted.

Detection of hydrated silicates in crustal outcrops in the northern plains of Mars.

PubMed

Carter, J; Poulet, F; Bibring, J-P; Murchie, S

2010-06-25

The composition of the ancient martian crust is a key ingredient in deciphering the environment and evolution of early Mars. We present an analysis of the composition of large craters in the martian northern plains based on data from spaceborne imaging spectrometers. Nine of the craters have excavated assemblages of phyllosilicates from ancient, Noachian crust buried beneath the plains' cover. The phyllosilicates are indistinguishable from those exposed in widespread locations in the southern highlands, demonstrating that liquid water once altered both hemispheres of Mars.

Electric-field-ratio profiling at the Silsilah tin-bearing greisen deposit, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kamilli, R.J.; Zablocki, C.J.

1993-01-01

Buried, possibly mineralized granite cupolas at the Silsilah tin deposit in Saudi Arabia have been successfully located using a closely spaced electric-field-ratio profiling technique. In this study electrical fields at 27 and 270 Hz across grounded electrodes spaced 50m apart were measured along six traverses. The technique allowed the authors to identify and distinguish among unroofed granite cupolas, cupolas with their aplite-pegmatite apical contact zones intact, strong and weak greisens, dikes, faults, and pervasively argillized rocks. -from Authors

Interactive Effects of Climate Change and Decomposer Communities on the Stabilization of Wood-Derived Carbon Pools: Catalyst for a New Study

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

Resh, Sigrid C.

Globally, forest soils store ~two-thirds as much carbon (C) as the atmosphere. Although wood makes up the majority of forest biomass, the importance of wood contributions to soil C pools is unknown. Even with recent advances in the mechanistic understanding of soil processes, integrative studies tracing C input pathways and biological fluxes within and from soils are lacking. Therefore, our research objectives were to assess the impact of different fungal decay pathways (i.e., white-rot versus brown-rot)—in interaction with wood quality, soil temperature, wood location (i.e., soil surface and buried in mineral soil), and soil texture—on the transformation of woody materialmore » into soil CO 2 efflux, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and soil C pools. The use of 13C-depleted woody biomass harvested from the Rhinelander, WI free-air carbon dioxide enrichment (Aspen-FACE) experiment affords the unique opportunity to distinguish the wood-derived C from other soil C fluxes and pools. We established 168 treatment plots across six field sites (three sand and three loam textured soil). Treatment plots consisted of full-factorial design with the following treatments: 1. Wood chips from elevated CO 2, elevated CO 2 + O 3, or ambient atmosphere AspenFACE treatments; 2. Inoculated with white rot (Bjerkandera adusta) or brown rot (Gloeophyllum sepiarium) pure fungal cultures, or the original suite of endemic microbial community on the logs; and 3. Buried (15cm in soil as a proxy for coarse roots) or surface applied wood chips. We also created a warming treatment using open-topped, passive warming chambers on a subset of the above treatments. Control plots with no added wood (“no chip control”) were incorporated into the research design. Soils were sampled for initial δ 13C values, CN concentrations, and bulk density. A subset of plots were instrumented with lysimeters for sampling soil water and temperature data loggers for measuring soil temperatures. To determine the early pathways of decomposition, we measured soil surface CO 2 efflux, dissolved organic C (DOC), and DO 13C approximately monthly over two growing seasons from a subsample of the research plots. To determine the portion of soil surface CO 2 efflux attributable to wood-derived C, we used Keeling plot techniques to estimate the associated δ 13C values of the soil CO 2 efflux. We measured the δ 13CO 2 once during the peak of each growing season. Initial values for soil δ 13C values and CN concentrations averaged across the six sites were -26.8‰ (standard error = 0.04), 2.46% (se = 0.11), and 0.15% (se = 0.01), respectively. The labeled wood chips from the Aspen FACE treatments had an average δ13C value of -39.5‰ (se 0.10). The >12 ‰ isotopic difference between the soil and wood chip δ 13C values provides the basis for tracking the wood-derived C through the early stages of decomposition and subsequent storage in the soil. Across our six research sites, average soil surface CO 2 efflux ranged from 1.04 to 2.00 g CO 2 m -2 h -1 for the first two growing seasons. No wood chip controls had an average soil surface CO 2 efflux of 0.67 g CO 2 m -2 h -1 or about half of that of the wood chip treatment plots. Wood-derived CO 2 efflux was higher for loam textured soils relative to sands (0.70 and 0.54 g CO 2 m -2 h -1, respectively; p = 0.045)), for surface relative to buried wood chip treatments (0.92 and 0.39 g CO 2 m -2 h -1, respectively; p < 0.001), for warmed relative to ambient temperature treatments (0.99 and 0.78 g CO 2 m -2 h -1, respectively; 0.004), and for natural rot relative to brown and white rots (0.93, 0.82, and 0.78 g CO 2 m -2 h -1, respectively; p = 0.068). Our first two growing seasons of soil surface CO 2 efflux data show that wood chip location (i.e., surface vs. buried chip application) is very important, with surface chips loosing twice the wood-derived CO 2. The DOC data support this trend for greater loss of ecosystem C from surface chips. This has strong implications for the importance of root and buried wood for ecosystem C retention. This strong chip location effect on wood-derived C loss was significantly modified by soil texture, soil temperature, decomposer communities, and wood quality as effected by potential future CO 2 and O 3 levels.« less

Elevation changes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jayko, A. S.; Marshall, G.A.; Carver, G.A.

1992-01-01

Elevation changes, as well as horizontal displacements of the Earth's surface, are an expected consequence of dip-slip displacement on earthquake faults. the rock surrounding and overlying the fault is forced to stretch and bend to accommodate fault slip. Slip in the case of the April 25 mainshock is thought to have occurred on a gently inclined plane dipping to the northeast at a small angle (see article on preliminary seismological results in this issue).The associated fault-plane solution implies that rock overlying the fault plane (the hanging-wall block west and south of the epicenter) rose and shifted to the northeast. The map on the next page shows the location of the epicenter and approximate extent of uplift and subsidence derived from estimates of the geometry, location. and slip on the buried fault plane. 

Ground-water flow directions and estimation of aquifer hydraulic properties in the lower Great Miami River Buried Valley aquifer system, Hamilton Area, Ohio

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sheets, Rodney A.; Bossenbroek, Karen E.

2005-01-01

The Great Miami River Buried Valley Aquifer System is one of the most productive sources of potable water in the Midwest, yielding as much as 3,000 gallons per minute to wells. Many water-supply wells tapping this aquifer system are purposely placed near rivers to take advantage of induced infiltration from the rivers. The City of Hamilton's North Well Field consists of 10 wells near the Great Miami River, all completed in the lower Great Miami River Buried Valley Aquifer System. A well-drilling program and a multiple-well aquifer test were done to investigate ground-water flow directions and to estimate aquifer hydraulic properties in the lower part of the Great Miami River Buried Valley Aquifer System. Descriptions of lithology from 10 well borings indicate varying amounts and thickness of clay or till, and therefore, varying levels of potential aquifer confinement. Borings also indicate that the aquifer properties can change dramatically over relatively short distances. Grain-size analyses indicate an average bulk hydraulic conductivity value of aquifer materials of 240 feet per day; the geometric mean of hydraulic conductivity values of aquifer material was 89 feet per day. Median grain sizes of aquifer material and clay units were 1.3 millimeters and 0.1 millimeters, respectively. Water levels in the Hamilton North Well Field are affected by stream stage in the Great Miami River and barometric pressure. Bank storage in response to stream stage is evident. Results from a multiple-well aquifer test at the well field indicate, as do the lithologic descriptions, that the aquifer is semiconfined in some areas and unconfined in others. Transmissivity and storage coefficient of the semiconfined part of the aquifer were 50,000 feet squared per day and 5x10-4, respectively. The average hydraulic conductivity (450 feet per day) based on the aquifer test is reasonable for glacial outwash but is higher than calculated from grain-size analyses, implying a scale effect. Although the part of the lower Great Miami River Buried Valley Aquifer System where the Hamilton North Well Field is located is semiconfined, unconfined, or locally confined and not directly connected to the Great Miami River, the discontinuity of the clay/till layers beneath the river indicates that other, deeper parts of the aquifer system may be directly connected to the Great Miami River.

Soil organic matter stabilization in buried paleosols of the Great Plains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaopricha, N. T.; Marin-Spiotta, E.; Mason, J. A.; Mueller, C. W.

2010-12-01

Understanding the mechanisms that control soil organic matter (SOM) stabilization is important for understanding how soil carbon is sequestered over millennia, and for predicting how future disturbances may affect soil carbon stocks. We are studying the mechanisms controlling SOM stabilization in the Brady Soil, a buried paleosol in Holocene loess deposits spanning much of the central Great Plains of the United States. The Brady Soil developed 9,000-13,500 years ago during a time of warming and drying that resulted in a shift from C3 to C4 dominated plants. The Brady soil is unusual in that it has very dark coloring, although it contains less than <1 % organic C. Although the Brady Soil has low C concentrations, it contains significant carbon stocks due to its thickness (~1 m) and wide geographic extent. We sampled the modern surface A horizon and multiple buried paleosol horizons from two roadcuts near Wauneta in southwestern Nebraska. We are using isotopic, spectroscopic, and geochemical techniques to examine what plant and microbially-derived compounds are have been preserved in the Brady Soil. We used a combined physical density and particle size fractionation method to separate particulate organic matter associated with minerals from that within and outside of soil aggregates. We found the largest and darkest amounts of organic C in aggregate-protected SOM greater than 20 µm in diameter. Density and textural fractionation revealed that much of the SOM is bound within aggregates, indicating that protection within aggregates is a major contributor to SOM- stabilization in the Brady Soil. We are conducting a long-term lab soil incubation with soils collected from the modern A horizon and the Brady Soil to determine if the buried SOM becomes microbially available when exposed to the modern atmosphere. We are measuring potential rates of respiration and production of CH4 and N2O. Results so far show respiration rates at field moisture for both modern and buried horizons are limited by water, suggesting dry environmental conditions may have helped to preserve SOM in the Brady Soil. We are investigating the potential for chemical stabilization of the dark SOM preserved in the buried paleosol by characterizing C chemistry using solid-state 13C-NMR spectroscopy. Furthermore, we plan to use lipid analyses and pyrolysis GC/MS to determine likely sources for the SOM: microbial vs plant. Combining information on the physical location of SOM in the soil, its chemical composition, decomposability, and radiocarbon based mean residence time estimates will allow us to determine (a) the source of the dark coloration in the Brady soil, (b) the mechanisms that have contributed to its preservation for the last 10,000 years, and (c) the likelihood this large soil C stock will be lost to the atmosphere if exposed during disturbance.

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

F.V. Perry

Basaltic volcanism poses a potential hazard to the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository because multiple episodes of basaltic volcanism have occurred in the Yucca Mountain region (YMR) in the past 11 Ma. Intervals between eruptive episodes average about 1 Ma. Three episodes have occurred in the Quaternary at approximately 1.1 Ma (5 volcanoes), 350 ka (2 volcanoes), and 80 ka (1 volcano). Because Yucca Mountain lies within the Basin and Range Province, a significant portion of the pre-Quaternary volcanic history of the YMR may be buried in alluvial-filled basins. An exceptionally high-resolution aeromagnetic survey and subsequent drilling program sponsoredmore » by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) began in 2004 and is gathering data that will enhance understanding of the temporal and spatial patterns of Pliocene and Miocene volcanism in the region (Figure 1). DOE has convened a ten-member expert panel of earth scientists that will use the information gathered to update probabilistic volcanic hazard estimates originally obtained by expert elicitation in 1996. Yucca Mountain is a series of north-trending ridges of eastward-tilted fault blocks that are bounded by north to northeast-trending normal faults. Topographic basins filled with up to 500 m of alluvium surround it to the east, south and west. In the past several decades, nearly 50 holes have been drilled in these basins, mainly for Yucca Mountain Project Site Characterization and the Nye County Early Warning Drilling Program. Several of these drill holes have penetrated relatively deeply buried (300-400 m) Miocene basalt; a Pliocene basalt dated at 3.8 Ma was encountered at a relatively shallow depth (100 m) in the northern Amargosa Desert (Anomaly B in Figure 1). The current drilling program is the first to specifically target and characterize buried basalt. Based on the new aeromagnetic survey and previous air and ground magnetic surveys (Connor et al. 2000; O'Leary et al. 2002), at least eight drill holes are planned with the goal of sampling each geographic subpopulation of magnetic anomalies in the region (Figure 1). This will result in a more complete characterization of the location, age, volume and composition of buried basaltic features for the purpose of updating the volcanic hazard assessment. Smith and Keenan (2005) suggested that volcanic hazard estimates might be 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than estimated by the DOE expert elicitation in 1996, based on (1) a proposed relationship between recurrence rates in the YMR and the Reveille-Lunar Crater volcanic field to the north, and (2) the implication that a number of so-far-undiscovered buried volcanoes would have a significant impact on hazard estimates. This article presents the new aeromagnetic data and an interpretation of the data that suggests magnetic anomalies nearest the proposed repository site represent buried Miocene basalt that will likely have only a minor impact on the volcanic hazard.« less

Subaqueous hot springs in Köyceğiz Lake, Dalyan Channel and Fethiye-Göcek Bay (SW Turkey): Locations, chemistry and origins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avşar, Özgür; Avşar, Ulaş; Arslan, Şebnem; Kurtuluş, Bedri; Niedermann, Samuel; Güleç, Nilgün

2017-10-01

In this study, horizontal temperature measurements along organized grids have been used to detect subaqueous hot springs. The study area, located in the southwest of Turkey and comprised of Köyceğiz Lake, Dalyan Channel and Fethiye-Göcek Bay, was scanned by measuring temperatures horizontally, 2-3 m above the bottom of the lake or sea. After analyzing the temperature data along the grids, the locations with anomalous temperature values were detected, and divers headed here for further verification. Accordingly, among these anomalies, the divers confirmed seven of them as subaqueous hot springs. Three of these hot springs are located in the Köyceğiz Lake, three of them are located in the Dalyan Channel and one hot spring is located in the Fethiye-Göcek Bay. At the locations where temperature anomalies were detected, the divers collected samples directly from the subaqueous hot spring using a syringe-type sampler. We evaluated these water samples together with samples collected from hot and cold springs on land and from local rivers, lakes and the sea, with an aim to generate a conceptual hydrogeochemical model of the geothermal system in the study area. This model predicts that rainwater precipitating in the highlands percolates through fractures and faults into the deeper parts of the Earth's crust, here it is heated and ascends through the sea bottom via buried faults. Pervious carbonate nappes that are underlain and overlain by impervious rocks create a confined aquifer. The southern boundary of the Carbonate-Marmaris nappes is buried under alluvium and/or sea/lake water bodies and this phenomenon determines whether hot springs occur on land or subaqueous. The chemical and isotopic properties of the hot springs point to seawater mixing at deep levels. Thus, the mixing most probably occurs while the water is ascending through the faults and fractures. The gas geochemistry results reveal that the lowest mantle He contributions occur in the samples from Köycegiz Lake, whereas the highest ones are found in samples from the Dalaman plain. For the first time, we made use of the micro-XRF sediment core scanning (ITRAX Scanner) for exploring the relation between subaqueous geothermal occurrence and chemical properties of the surrounding sediments. The spatial elemental distribution of sea/lake bottom sediments suggests that depending on the surrounding rock units and the temperature of the hot spring, the sediments around the spring can be enriched with certain elements.

75 FR 59933 - Specifications and Drawings for Construction of Direct Buried Plant

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-29

... for Construction of Direct Buried Plant AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. ACTION: Final rule..., Specifications and Drawings for Construction of Direct Buried Plant (Form 515a). The revised specifications will include new construction units for Fiber-to-the-Home, remove redundant or outdated requirements, and...

Sensor Phenomenology and Feature Development for Improved Sonar-based Detection & Classification of Underwater UXO

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

the validity of approximating poroelastic media with acoustic or acoustic /elastic models , and to characterize how scattering physics will differ for...elastic buried object (yellow rectangle in the figure) in three types of environments: • (1) Model 1: acoustic layer on top of a poroelastic medium with a...porosity gradient and no viscous damping. • (2) Model 2: acoustic layer on top of a poroelastic medium with a porosity gradient and viscous damping

Method of sealing casings of subsurface materials management system

DOEpatents

Nickelson, Reva A.; Richardson, John G.; Kostelnik, Kevin M.; Sloan, Paul A.

2007-02-06

Systems, components, and methods relating to subterranean containment barriers. Laterally adjacent tubular casings having male interlock structures and multiple female interlock structures defining recesses for receiving a male interlock structure are used to create subterranean barriers for containing and treating buried waste and its effluents. The multiple female interlock structures enable the barriers to be varied around subsurface objects and to form barrier sidewalls. The barrier may be used for treating and monitoring a zone of interest.

Structural Acoustic UXO Detection and Identification in Marine Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-01

BOSS Buried Object Scanning Sonar DVL Doppler Velocity Log EW East/West IMU Inertial Measurement Unit NRL Naval Research Laboratory NSWC-PCD... Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to time-delay and coherently sum matched-filtered phase histories from subsurface focal points over a large number of... Measurement Unit (IMU) systems. In our imaging algorithm, the 2D depth image of a target, i.e. one mapped over x and z or y and z, presents the

Buried Target Imaging: A Comparative Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghaderi Aram, Morteza; Dehmollaian, Mojtaba; Khaleghi, Ali

2017-12-01

A wide variety of qualitative methods have been proposed for microwave imaging. It is difficult to select only one of these methods based on a priori information and measurement equipment to achieve a reliable reconstruction. Various arrangements for antennas to be used in, for instance, have been proposed which have direct impacts on the complexity of inverse methods as well as the quality of output images. In this study, four qualitative methods of the linear sampling method (LSM), time reversal (TR), diffraction tomography (DT), and back-projection (BP) have been reviewed in a 2D scenario; the performance of the methods is compared within the same framework of a multi-static configuration. The goal is to compare their resolutions and determine their advantages and drawbacks. It is shown that LSM provides the best azimuth resolution but the worst range resolution. It is almost invariant to dielectric contrast and is appropriate for a wide range of dielectric contrasts and relatively large objects. It is also shown that at relatively low dielectric contrasts, TR images are most similar to the true object, show fewer artifacts, and offer high immunity to noise. While suffering from more artifacts due to the presence of some ghost images, DT offers the best range resolution. The results also show that BP has the worst azimuth resolution when reconstructing deeply-buried targets, although its implementation is straightforward and not computationally complex.

A multisensor system for detection and characterization of UXO(MM-0437) - Demonstration Report

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

Gasperikova, Erika; Smith, J.T.; Morrison, H.F.

2006-06-01

The Berkeley UXO discriminator (BUD) (Figure 1) is a portable Active Electromagnetic (AEM) system for UXO detection and characterization that quickly determines the location, size, and symmetry properties of a suspected UXO. The BUD comprises of three orthogonal transmitters that 'illuminate' a target with fields in three independent directions in order to stimulate the three polarization modes that, in general, characterize the target EM response. In addition, the BUD uses eight pairs of differenced receivers for response recording. Eight receiver coils are placed horizontally along the two diagonals of the upper and lower planes of the two horizontal transmitter loops.more » These receiver coil pairs are located on symmetry lines through the center of the system and each pair sees identical fields during the on-time of the pulse in all of the transmitter coils. They are wired in opposition to produce zero output during the on-time of the pulses in three orthogonal transmitters. Moreover, this configuration dramatically reduces noise in the measurements by canceling the background electromagnetic fields (these fields are uniform over the scale of the receiver array and are consequently nulled by the differencing operation), and by canceling the noise contributed by the tilt of the receivers in the Earth's magnetic field, and greatly enhances receivers sensitivity to the gradients of the target response. The BUD performs target characterization from a single position of the sensor platform above a target. BUD was designed to detect and characterize UXO in the 20 mm to 155 mm size range for depths between 0 and 1 m. The relationship between the object size and the depth at which it can be detected is illustrated in Figure 2. This curve was calculated for BUD assuming that the receiver plane is 20 cm above the ground. Figure 2 shows that, for example, BUD can detect and characterize an object with 10 cm diameter down to the depth of 90 cm with depth uncertainty of 10%. Any objects buried at the depth more than 1 m have a low probability of detection. With existing algorithms in the system computer it is not possible to recover the principal polarizabilities of large objects close to the system. Detection of large shallow objects is assured, but at present real time discrimination for shallow objects is not. Post processing of the field data is required for shape discrimination of large shallow targets. Next generation of BUD software will not have this limitation. Successful application of the inversion algorithm that solves for the target parameters is contingent upon resolution of this limitation. At the moment, interpretation software is developed for a single object only. In case of multiple objects the software indicates the presence of a cluster of objects but is unable to provide characteristics of each individual object.« less

Past Peatland Distribution as an Indicator of Hydroclimate and Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Treat, C. C.; Jones, M.; Lacourse, T.; Payne, R.; Peteet, D. M.; Sannel, B.; Stelling, J.; Talbot, J.; Williams, C. J.; Kleinen, T.; Grosse, G.; Yu, Z.; Finkelstein, S. A.; Broothaerts, N.; Dommain, R.; Kuhry, P.; Lähteenoja, O.; Dalton, A.; Notebaert, B.; Swindles, G. T.; Tarnocai, C.; Verstraeten, G.; Xia, Z.; Brovkin, V.

2016-12-01

Peatlands, wetlands with > 30 cm of organic sediment, cover more than 3 x 106 km2 of the earth surface and have been accumulating carbon and sediments throughout the Holocene. The location of peatland formation and accumulation has been dynamic over time, as peat formation in areas like Alaska and the West Siberian Lowlands preceded peat formation in Fennoscandia and Eastern North America due to more favorable climate for peat formation. Using the geographic distribution of peatlands in the past can indicate general climatic conditions, including hydroclimate, given that the underlying geology is well understood. Peatlands form under a variety of climatic conditions and landscape positions but do not persist under arid conditions, instead requiring either humid conditions or cold temperatures. However, peatlands may have existed in the past in areas not currently suitable for peatland formation and persistence, but where peats can be found at depth within the sediment column. Here we map the locations of histic paleosols, relict peat, and buried peats since the Last Glacial Maximum using a compilation of sites from previous studies. We compare these records of past peatland distribution to present-day peatland distribution. We evaluate regional differences in timing of peatland development in these buried peatlands to the development of extant peatlands. Finally, we compare the timing of past peatland extent to the to modeled paleoclimate during the Quaternary. In addition to implications for paleoclimate, these past peatlands are not well accounted for in present-day soil carbon stocks but could be an important component of deep soil carbon pools.

Detection of crack in thin cylindrical pipes using piezo-actuated Lamb waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tua, P. S.; Quek, S. T.; Wang, Q.

2005-05-01

The detection of cracks in beams and plates using piezo-actuated Lamb waves has been presented in the last SPIE Symposium. This paper is an extension of the technique to pipes. It has been shown that for a thin-walled pipe, the assumption of Lamb wave propagation is valid. Such waves can be efficiently excited using piezoceramic transducers (PZT) with good control on the pulse characteristics to assess the health of structural components, such as the presence of cracks. In this paper, a systematic methodology to detect and locate cracks in homogenous cylinder/pipe based on the time-of-flight and strength analysis of propagating Lamb wave is proposed. By observing the attenuation in strength of the direct wave incidence at the sensor, the presence of a crack along the propagation path can be determined. At least four actuation positions, two on each end of the pipe segment of interest, are needed to exhaustively interrogate for the presence of cracks. The detailed procedure for locating and tracing the geometry of the crack(s) is described. It is shown experimentally that the detection using circular PZT actuator and sensor, with dimensions of 5.0 mm diameter and 0.5 mm thick, is possible for an aluminum pipe segment of up to at least 4.0 m in length. The proposed methodology is also explored for the aluminum pipe under more practical situations, such as burying it in sand with only the actuator and sensor positions exposed. Experimental results obtained showed the feasibility of detecting the 'concealed' crack on the pipe buried in sand.

THE TRIFID NEBULA: STELLAR SIBLING RIVALRY

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image of the Trifid Nebula reveals a stellar nursery being torn apart by radiation from a nearby, massive star. The picture also provides a peek at embryonic stars forming within an ill-fated cloud of dust and gas, which is destined to be eaten away by the glare from the massive neighbor. This stellar activity is a beautiful example of how the life cycles of stars like our Sun is intimately connected with their more powerful siblings. The Hubble image shows a small part of a dense cloud of dust and gas, a stellar nursery full of embryonic stars. This cloud is about 8 light-years away from the nebula's central star, which is beyond the top of this picture. Located about 9,000 light-years from Earth, the Trifid resides in the constellation Sagittarius. A stellar jet [the thin, wispy object pointing to the upper left] protrudes from the head of a dense cloud and extends three-quarters of a light-year into the nebula. The jet's source is a very young stellar object that lies buried within the cloud. Jets such as this are the exhaust gases of star formation. Radiation from the massive star at the center of the nebula is making the gas in the jet glow, just as it causes the rest of the nebula to glow. The jet in the Trifid is a 'ticker tape,' telling the history of one particular young stellar object that is continuing to grow as its gravity draws in gas from its surroundings. But this particular ticker tape will not run for much longer. Within the next 10,000 years the glare from the central, massive star will continue to erode the nebula, overrunning the forming star, and bringing its growth to an abrupt and possibly premature end. Another nearby star may have already faced this fate. The Hubble picture shows a 'stalk' [the finger-like object] pointing from the head of the dense cloud directly toward the star that powers the Trifid. This stalk is a prominent example of the evaporating gaseous globules, or 'EGGs,' that were seen previously in the Eagle Nebula, another star-forming region photographed by Hubble. The stalk has survived because at its tip there is a knot of gas that is dense enough to resist being eaten away by the powerful radiation. Reflected starlight at the tip of the EGG may be due to light from the Trifid's central star, or from a young stellar object buried within the EGG. Similarly, a tiny spike of emission pointing outward from the EGG looks like a small stellar jet. Hubble astronomers are tentatively interpreting this jet as the last gasp from a star that was cut off from its supply lines 100,000 years ago. The images were taken Sept. 8, 1997 through filters that isolate emission from hydrogen atoms, ionized sulfur atoms, and doubly ionized oxygen atoms. The images were combined in a single color composite picture. While the resulting picture is not true color, it is suggestive of what a human eye might see. Credits: NASA and Jeff Hester (Arizona State University)

49 CFR 192.455 - External corrosion control: Buried or submerged pipelines installed after July 31, 1971.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false External corrosion control: Buried or submerged... SAFETY STANDARDS Requirements for Corrosion Control § 192.455 External corrosion control: Buried or... against external corrosion, including the following: (1) It must have an external protective coating...

49 CFR 192.457 - External corrosion control: Buried or submerged pipelines installed before August 1, 1971.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false External corrosion control: Buried or submerged... SAFETY STANDARDS Requirements for Corrosion Control § 192.457 External corrosion control: Buried or... areas in which active corrosion is found: (1) Bare or ineffectively coated transmission lines. (2) Bare...

49 CFR 192.457 - External corrosion control: Buried or submerged pipelines installed before August 1, 1971.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false External corrosion control: Buried or submerged... SAFETY STANDARDS Requirements for Corrosion Control § 192.457 External corrosion control: Buried or... areas in which active corrosion is found: (1) Bare or ineffectively coated transmission lines. (2) Bare...

49 CFR 192.459 - External corrosion control: Examination of buried pipeline when exposed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false External corrosion control: Examination of buried... Requirements for Corrosion Control § 192.459 External corrosion control: Examination of buried pipeline when... portion must be examined for evidence of external corrosion if the pipe is bare, or if the coating is...

49 CFR 192.459 - External corrosion control: Examination of buried pipeline when exposed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false External corrosion control: Examination of buried... Requirements for Corrosion Control § 192.459 External corrosion control: Examination of buried pipeline when... portion must be examined for evidence of external corrosion if the pipe is bare, or if the coating is...

49 CFR 192.457 - External corrosion control: Buried or submerged pipelines installed before August 1, 1971.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false External corrosion control: Buried or submerged... SAFETY STANDARDS Requirements for Corrosion Control § 192.457 External corrosion control: Buried or... areas in which active corrosion is found: (1) Bare or ineffectively coated transmission lines. (2) Bare...

49 CFR 192.455 - External corrosion control: Buried or submerged pipelines installed after July 31, 1971.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false External corrosion control: Buried or submerged... SAFETY STANDARDS Requirements for Corrosion Control § 192.455 External corrosion control: Buried or... against external corrosion, including the following: (1) It must have an external protective coating...

49 CFR 192.455 - External corrosion control: Buried or submerged pipelines installed after July 31, 1971.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false External corrosion control: Buried or submerged... SAFETY STANDARDS Requirements for Corrosion Control § 192.455 External corrosion control: Buried or... against external corrosion, including the following: (1) It must have an external protective coating...

49 CFR 192.459 - External corrosion control: Examination of buried pipeline when exposed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false External corrosion control: Examination of buried... Requirements for Corrosion Control § 192.459 External corrosion control: Examination of buried pipeline when... portion must be examined for evidence of external corrosion if the pipe is bare, or if the coating is...

49 CFR 192.455 - External corrosion control: Buried or submerged pipelines installed after July 31, 1971.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false External corrosion control: Buried or submerged... SAFETY STANDARDS Requirements for Corrosion Control § 192.455 External corrosion control: Buried or... against external corrosion, including the following: (1) It must have an external protective coating...

49 CFR 192.459 - External corrosion control: Examination of buried pipeline when exposed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false External corrosion control: Examination of buried... Requirements for Corrosion Control § 192.459 External corrosion control: Examination of buried pipeline when... portion must be examined for evidence of external corrosion if the pipe is bare, or if the coating is...

49 CFR 192.457 - External corrosion control: Buried or submerged pipelines installed before August 1, 1971.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false External corrosion control: Buried or submerged... SAFETY STANDARDS Requirements for Corrosion Control § 192.457 External corrosion control: Buried or... areas in which active corrosion is found: (1) Bare or ineffectively coated transmission lines. (2) Bare...

49 CFR 192.457 - External corrosion control: Buried or submerged pipelines installed before August 1, 1971.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false External corrosion control: Buried or submerged... SAFETY STANDARDS Requirements for Corrosion Control § 192.457 External corrosion control: Buried or... areas in which active corrosion is found: (1) Bare or ineffectively coated transmission lines. (2) Bare...

49 CFR 192.459 - External corrosion control: Examination of buried pipeline when exposed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false External corrosion control: Examination of buried... Requirements for Corrosion Control § 192.459 External corrosion control: Examination of buried pipeline when... portion must be examined for evidence of external corrosion if the pipe is bare, or if the coating is...

INSTALLATION OF A 10-ELEMENT SHALLOW-BURIED ARRAY AT THE UINTA BASIN SEISMOLOGICAL OBSERVATORY, VERNAL, UTAH

DTIC Science & Technology

the array are buried to a depth of approximately 200 feet. This report outlines, in some detail, the installation of a buried array at the Uinta ... Basin Seismological Observatory. Major considerations in such an undertaking included the selection of the most effective array pattern and the most

Detection and Localization of Subsurface Two-Dimensional Metallic Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meschino, S.; Pajewski, L.; Schettini, G.

2009-04-01

"Roma Tre" University, Applied Electronics Dept.v. Vasca Navale 84, 00146 Rome, Italy Non-invasive identification of buried objects in the near-field of a receiver array is a subject of great interest, due to its application to the remote sensing of the earth's subsurface, to the detection of landmines, pipes, conduits, to the archaeological site characterization, and more. In this work, we present a Sub-Array Processing (SAP) approach for the detection and localization of subsurface perfectly-conducting circular cylinders. We consider a plane wave illuminating the region of interest, which is assumed to be a homogeneous, unlossy medium of unknown permittivity containing one or more targets. In a first step, we partition the receiver array so that the field scattered from the targets result to be locally plane at each sub-array. Then, we apply a Direction of Arrival (DOA) technique to obtain a set of angles for each locally plane wave, and triangulate these directions obtaining a collection of crossing crowding in the expected object locations [1]. We compare several DOA algorithms such as the traditional Bartlett and Capon Beamforming, the Pisarenko Harmonic Decomposition (PHD), the Minimum-Norm method, the Multiple Signal Classification (MUSIC) and the Estimation of Signal Parameters via Rotational Techinque (ESPRIT) [2]. In a second stage, we develop a statistical Poisson based model to manage the crossing pattern in order to extract the probable target's centre position. In particular, if the crossings are Poisson distributed, it is possible to feature two different distribution parameters [3]. These two parameters perform two density rate for the crossings, so that we can previously divide the crossing pattern in a certain number of equal-size windows and we can collect the windows of the crossing pattern with low rate parameters (that probably are background windows) and remove them. In this way we can consider only the high rate parameter windows (that most probably locate the target) and extract the center position of the object. We also consider some other localization-connected aspects. For example how to obtain a likely estimation of the soil permittivity and of the cylinders radius. Finally, when multiple objects are present, we refine our localization procedure by performing a Clustering Analysis of the crossing pattern. In particular, we apply the K-means algorithm to extract the coordinates of the objects centroids and the clusters extension. References [1] Şahin A., Miller L., "Object Detection Using High Resolution Near-Field Array Processing", IEEE Trans. on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, vol.39, no.1, Jan. 2001, pp. 136-141. [2] Gross F.B., "Smart Antennas for Wireless Communications", Mc.Graw-Hill 2005. [3] Hoaglin D.C., "A Poisonnes Plot", The American Statistician, vol.34, no.3 August 1980, pp.146-149.

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

Dorsey, Alison; Dudley, Colton; Louie, John

Linear deposits of calcium carbonate tufa columns mark recent faults that cut 11 ka Lake Lahontan sediments at Astor Pass, north of Pyramid Lake, Nevada. Throughout the Great Basin, faults appear to control the location of geothermal resources by providing pathways for fluid migration. Reservoir-depth (greater than 1 km) seismic imaging at Astor Pass reveals a fault that projects to one of the lines of tufa columns at the surface. The presence of the tufa deposits suggests this fault carried warm geothermal waters through the lakebed clay sediments in recent time. The warm fluids deposited the tufa when they hitmore » cold Lake Lahontan water at the lakebed. Lake Lahontan covered this location 11 ka to a depth of at least 60 m. In collaboration with the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, an Applied Geophysics class at UNR investigated the near-surface geophysical characteristics of this fault. The survey at and near the tufa columns comprises near-surface Pwave seismic reflection and refraction, electrical resistivity tomography, nearsurface refraction microtremor arrays, nine near-surface direct-current resistivity soundings, magnetic surveys, and gravity surveys. The refraction microtremor results show shear velocities near tufa and faults to be marginally lower, compared to Vs away from the faults. Overall, the 30-m depth-averaged shear velocities are low, less than 300 m/s, consistent with the lakebed clay deposits. These results indicate that no seismically fast (> 500 m/s) tufa deposits are present below the surface at or near the tufa columns. Vs30 averages were for example 274 ± 13 m/s on the fault, 287 ± 2 m/s at 150 m east of the fault, and 290 ± 15 m/s at 150 m west of the fault. The P-velocity refraction optimization results similarly indicate a lack of high-velocity tufa buried below the surface in the Lahontan sediments, reinforcing the idea that all tufa was deposited above the lakebed surface. The seismic results provide a negative test of the hypothesis that deposition of the lakebeds in the Quaternary buried and preserved older tufa columns within the section. Near-surface Wenner arrays with a-spacings up to 30 m show a higher resistivity near the faults, and tufa, than away from the faults. Resistivity averages within a few meters of the surface were 33 ± 17 ohm-m on the fault, 13 ± 3 ohm-m east of the fault, and 9 ± 3 ohm-m west of the fault. It is possible that the geothermal waters are fresher, and more resistive, than waters held in the lakebed clays. Water samples from more than 1 km depth in exploration wells have a TDS of 2500 p.p.m., nearly drinking-water quality. The relatively resistive water, perhaps localized by greater permeability along the fault, could explain the higher resistivity measured near the fault. The results show that there is no high-velocity, high-resistivity tufa along the faults below the surface, so we are unable to use buried tufa to locate the faults that may promote geothermal upwelling in this area. We further hypothesize that as sedimentation buried the tufa during the Quaternary, warm geothermal waters re-dissolved it, and re-precipitated it in the cold lake-bottom water.« less

Near-Surface Geophysical Character of a Holocene Fault Carrying Geothermal Flow Near Pyramid Lake, Nevada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dudley, C.; Dorsey, A.; Louie, J. N.; Schwering, P. C.; Pullammanappallil, S.

2012-12-01

Lines of calcium carbonate tufa columns mark recent faults that cut 11 ka Lake Lahontan sediments at Astor Pass, north of Pyramid Lake, Nevada. Throughout the Great Basin, faults appear to control the location of geothermal resources, providing pathways for fluid migration. Reservoir-depth (greater than 1 km) seismic imaging at Astor Pass shows a fault that projects to one of the lines of tufa columns at the surface. The presence of the tufa deposits suggests this fault carried warm geothermal waters through the lakebed clay sediments in recent time. The warm fluids deposited the tufa when they hit cold Lake Lahontan water at the lakebed. Lake Lahontan covered this location to a depth of at least 60 m at 11 ka. In collaboration with the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, an Applied Geophysics class at UNR investigated the near-surface geophysical characteristics of this fault. The survey comprises near-surface seismic reflection and refraction, nine near-surface refraction microtremor (SeisOpt® ReMi™) arrays, nine near-surface direct-current resistivity soundings, magnetic surveys, and gravity surveys at and near the tufa columns. The refraction microtremor results show shear velocities near tufa and faults to be marginally lower, compared to Vs away from the faults. Overall, the 30-m depth-averaged shear velocities are low, less than 300 m/s, consistent with the lakebed clay deposits. These results show no indication of any fast (> 500 m/s) tufa below the surface at or near the tufa columns. Vs30 averages were 274 ± 13 m/s on the fault, 287 ± 2 m/s at 150 m east of the fault, and 290 ± 15 m/s at 150 m west of the fault. The P-velocity refraction optimization results also show no indication of high-velocity tufa buried below the surface in the Lahontan sediments, reinforcing the idea that all tufa was deposited above the lakebed surface. The seismic results provide a negative test of the hypothesis that deposition of the lakebeds in the Quaternary buried and preserved older tufa columns within the section. Near-surface Wenner arrays with a-spacings up to 30 m show a higher resistivity near the faults, and tufa, than away from the faults. Resistivity averages were 33 ± 17 ohm-m on the fault, 13 ± 3 ohm-m east of the fault, and 9 ± 3 ohm-m west of the fault. It is possible the geothermal waters are fresher than waters held in the lakebed clays. Water samples from more than 1 km depth in exploration wells had almost drinking-water quality. This higher resistivity of the waters carried by the fault zone, with perhaps a higher porosity and permeability along the fault, could explain the higher resistivity near the fault. Our work shows that there is no high-velocity, high-resistivity tufa along the faults below the surface, so we are unable to use buried tufa to locate faults with geothermal upwellings in this area. We can further hypothesize that as sedimentation buried the tufa during the Quaternary, warm geothermal waters re-dissolved it, and re-precipitated it only in the cold lake-bottom water.

Guided wave attenuation in coated pipes buried in sand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leinov, Eli; Cawley, Peter; Lowe, Michael J. S.

2016-02-01

Long-range guided wave testing (GWT) is routinely used for the monitoring and detection of corrosion defects in above ground pipelines in various industries. The GWT test range in buried, coated pipelines is greatly reduced compared to aboveground pipelines due to energy leakage into the embedding soil. In this study, we aim to increase test ranges for buried pipelines. The effect of pipe coatings on the T(0,1) and L(0,2) guided wave attenuation is investigated using a full-scale experimental apparatus and model predictions. Tests are performed on a fusion-bonded epoxy (FBE)-coated 8" pipe, buried in loose and compacted sand over a frequency range of 10-35 kHz. The application of a low impedance coating is shown to effectively decouple the influence of the sand on the ultrasound leakage from the buried pipe. We demonstrate ultrasonic isolation of a buried pipe by coating the pipe with a Polyethylene (PE)-foam layer that has a smaller impedance than both pipe and sand and the ability to withstand the overburden load from the sand. The measured attenuation in the buried PE-foam-FBE-coated pipe is substantially reduced, in the range of 0.3-1.2 dBm-1 for loose and compacted sand conditions, compared to buried FBE-coated pipe without the PE-foam, where the measured attenuation is in the range of 1.7-4.7 dBm-1. The acoustic properties of the PE-foam are measured independently using ultrasonic interferometry technique and used in model predictions of guided wave propagation in a buried coated pipe. Good agreement is found between the attenuation measurements and model predictions. The attenuation exhibits periodic peaks in the frequency domain corresponding to the through-thickness resonance frequencies of the coating layer. The large reduction in guided wave attenuation for PE-coated pipes would lead to greatly increased GWT test ranges, so such coatings would be attractive for new pipeline installations.

An evaluation of methods for identifying and interpreting buried soils in late Quaternary loess in Alaska: A section in Geologic studies in Alaska by the U.S. Geological Survey, 1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muhs, Daniel R.; Ager, Thomas A.; Been, Josh M.; Rosenbaum, Joseph G.; Reynolds, Richard J.

2000-01-01

The presence of buried soils in Alaskan loess is controversial, and therefore criteria for identifying buried soils in these deposits need to be evaluated. In this paper, morphologic and chemical criteria for identifying buried soils are evaluated by studying modern soils developed mostly in Holocene loess under tundra, boreal forest, and transitional coastal-boreal forest vegetation in different parts of Alaska. Data from modern Alaskan soils that developed under vegetation similar to that of the present indicate that soil morphology, organic-matter concentrations, and P concentrations can be useful diagnostic tools for identifying buried soils. Soil morphologic criteria, particularly horizon colors and horizon sequences, are essential for identifying buried soils, but some minimally developed soils may resemble organic-rich alluvial, colluvial, or lacustrine deposits. Organic matter and total P contents and distributions can aid in such studies because in well-drained soils these constituents show rapid declines with depth. However, neither of these techniques may work if the upper genetic horizons of buried soils are eroded.If buried soils are present in Alaskan loess, it would also be desirable to have techniques for determining the dominant vegetation under which the soils formed. Such techniques could then be used to reconstruct former vegetation types and paleoclimates in Alaska. A previous study suggested that tundra and boreal forest vegetation have distinctive carbon isotopic compositions, although both are dominated by C3 plants. If this is the case, then the carbon isotopic composition of organic matter in buried soils could be used to reconstruct former vegetation types. A larger suite of modern soils from Alaskan tundra and forest were analyzed to test this hypothesis. Results indicate that modern soil O horizons in these two biomes have the same range of δ13C values, and therefore carbon isotope compositions cannot be used to reconstruct former tundra or boreal forest.

DBAC: A simple prediction method for protein binding hot spots based on burial levels and deeply buried atomic contacts

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background A protein binding hot spot is a cluster of residues in the interface that are energetically important for the binding of the protein with its interaction partner. Identifying protein binding hot spots can give useful information to protein engineering and drug design, and can also deepen our understanding of protein-protein interaction. These residues are usually buried inside the interface with very low solvent accessible surface area (SASA). Thus SASA is widely used as an outstanding feature in hot spot prediction by many computational methods. However, SASA is not capable of distinguishing slightly buried residues, of which most are non hot spots, and deeply buried ones that are usually inside a hot spot. Results We propose a new descriptor called “burial level” for characterizing residues, atoms and atomic contacts. Specifically, burial level captures the depth the residues are buried. We identify different kinds of deeply buried atomic contacts (DBAC) at different burial levels that are directly broken in alanine substitution. We use their numbers as input for SVM to classify between hot spot or non hot spot residues. We achieve F measure of 0.6237 under the leave-one-out cross-validation on a data set containing 258 mutations. This performance is better than other computational methods. Conclusions Our results show that hot spot residues tend to be deeply buried in the interface, not just having a low SASA value. This indicates that a high burial level is not only a necessary but also a more sufficient condition than a low SASA for a residue to be a hot spot residue. We find that those deeply buried atoms become increasingly more important when their burial levels rise up. This work also confirms the contribution of deeply buried interfacial atomic contacts to the energy of protein binding hot spot. PMID:21689480

Aeromagnetometry of the El Papalote H12A-13 Chart Northwestern Sonora, México: Relationships to Regional Geology and Mineral Deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez-Retama, S.; Pérez-Segura, E.; Vega-Granillo, R.

2014-12-01

This study is focused in obtaining a geophysical-geological characterization of magnetic anomalies associated with outcropping or buried rock bodies and its possible relation to ore deposits. To do this, total field aeromagnetic data from the Mexican Geological Survey were processed. Reduction to pole and residual anomaly maps show two main elongated dipolar high-amplitude anomalies, a first NE-SW directed, which is located in the NW portion of the card, and a second corresponding to a belt with NW-SE direction that is located SW of the chart, near the eastern region of the "El Elegante" volcano. Above structures have not been mapped in the surface; however, the well-defined magnetic anomalies indicate its existence below Quaternary sediments. The geology of the chart is only partially known. The outcropping units, mostly in the Sierra de Los Tanques, are Paleoproterozoic igneous and metamorphic rocks; Permian-Triassic granitoids; and Jurassic and Tertiary volcanic and volcanosedimentary rocks. About 50% of the card is covered by Quaternary sediments, there the interest of these geophysical studies. The NW-SE oriented deep magnetic anomaly follows the same direction as the Sierra San Francisco (SSF) located south of Los Norteños chart H12A-2. This mountain is composed of Paleoproterozoic metamorphic rocks intruded by Upper Cretaceous granitoids. Numerous mineral manifestations of orogenic gold type occurred in that range. This anomaly can be interpreted in 2 ways: first: as a NW extension of a landform similar to the SSF, which dips to NW or that is more erosionated; or; second: as an extension of the SSF to the NW displaced by a normal fault oriented ~N60E, roughly following the Palo Fierro creek indicated on the map. Either of the two possible interpretations, the magnetic anomaly indicates an interesting target in the search of orogenic gold deposits that could be buried in the area.

Detecting gravesoil with headspace analysis with adsorption on short porous layer open tubular (PLOT) columns.

PubMed

Lovestead, Tara M; Bruno, Thomas J

2011-01-30

Victims of crimes are often buried in clandestine graves. There are several techniques for finding buried bodies or the scattered remains of a victim; however, none of these methods are very reliable or work in all scenarios. One way to detect gravesoil is to detect the biochemical changes of the surrounding soil due to cadaver decomposition, for example, the release of nitrogenous compounds. A simple and low-cost way to detect these compounds is based on the reaction of alpha amino groups with ninhydrin to form Ruhemann's purple. This test for ninhydrin-reactive nitrogen (NRN) has, to date, only been performed by direct solvent extraction of soil samples. Here, we present a method that detects trace quantities of NRN in the headspace air above gravesoil. Our method is based on an improved purge and trap method developed in our lab for sampling low volatility compounds, as well as volatile compounds at trace quantities, by applying low temperature collection on short alumina-coated porous layer open tubular (PLOT) columns. We modified this method to sample the headspace air above gravesoil with a motorized pipetter and a PLOT column at ambient temperatures. We generated gravesoil using rat cadavers and local soil. Trace quantities of NRN were successfully detected in the headspace air above gravesoil. We report the quantities of NRN recovered for buried rats, rats laid on top of soil, and blank graves (no rats) as a function of time (weeks to months). This work is the first (and thus far, only) example of a method for detecting NRN in the vapor phase, providing another tool for forensic investigators to aid in locating elusive clandestine graves. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Environmental impact of melting buried ice blocks (North Poland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ott, F.; Slowinski, M. M.; Blaszkiewicz, M.; Brauer, A.; Noryskiewicz, B.; Tyszkowski, S.

2013-12-01

The aim of the research was to decipher the impacts of the role of dead ice melting on landscape evolution in the Lateglacial and early Holocene Central Europe. Here, we present the paleoecological results from the middle section of the Wda river which is located in northern Poland (Central Europe), on the outwash plain formed during the Pomeranian phase of the last (Vistulian) glacial period ca 16,000 14C yrs BP. The Wda river has a typical polygenetic valley in young glacial areas of the northern central European lowlands. We reconstructed environmental changes using biotic proxies (plant macrofossil and pollen analyses) and geomorphological investigations. In this study we focused on a short terrestrial sediment core (48 cm) representing four phases of landscape evolution: telmatic, lacustrine, lacustrine-fluvial and alluvial. Abrupt changes in lithology and sediment structures show rapid changes and threshold processes in environmental conditions. The AMS 14C dating of terrestrial plant remains reveals an age for the basal sediments of 11 223 × 23 cal yr BP and thus falls within the Preboreal biozone. Our results showed that existence of buried ice blocks in northern Poland even at the beginning of the Holocene is clear evidence that locally discontinuous permafrost still was present at that time. The results of our study prove a strong influence of melting buried ice blocks on the geomorphological development, hydrological changes in the catchment, and the biotic environment even in the early Holocene. The research was supported by the National Science Centre Poland (grants No. NN 306085037 and NCN 2011/01/B/ST10/07367). This study is a contribution to the Virtual Institute of Integrated Climate and Landscape Evolution (ICLEA) of the Helmholtz Association. Financial support by the COST Action ES0907 INTIMATE is gratefully acknowledged.

Active tectonics of the Imperial Valley, southern California: fault damage zones, complex basins and buried faults

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Persaud, P.; Ma, Y.; Stock, J. M.; Hole, J. A.; Fuis, G. S.; Han, L.

2016-12-01

Ongoing oblique slip at the Pacific-North America plate boundary in the Salton Trough produced the Imperial Valley. Deformation in this seismically active area is distributed across a complex network of exposed and buried faults resulting in a largely unmapped seismic hazard beneath the growing population centers of El Centro, Calexico and Mexicali. To better understand the shallow crustal structure in this region and the connectivity of faults and seismicity lineaments, we used data primarily from the Salton Seismic Imaging Project (SSIP) to construct a P-wave velocity profile to 15 km depth, and a 3-D velocity model down to 8 km depth including the Brawley Geothermal area. We obtained detailed images of a complex wedge-shaped basin at the southern end of the San Andreas Fault system. Two deep subbasins (VP <5.65 km/s) are located in the western part of the larger Imperial Valley basin, where seismicity trends and active faults play a significant role in shaping the basin edge. Our 3-D VP model reveals previously unrecognized NE-striking cross faults that are interacting with the dominant NW-striking faults to control deformation. New findings in our profile include localized regions of low VP (thickening of a 5.65-5.85 km/s layer) near faults or seismicity lineaments interpreted as possibly faulting-related. Our 3-D model and basement map reveal velocity highs associated with the geothermal areas in the eastern valley. The improved seismic velocity model from this study, and the identification of important unmapped faults or buried interfaces will help refine the seismic hazard for parts of Imperial County, California.

Distributed fiber optic intrusion sensor system for monitoring long perimeters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juarez, Juan C.; Taylor, Henry F.

2005-05-01

The use of an optical fiber as a distributed sensor for detecting and locating intruders over long perimeters (>10 km) is described. Phase changes resulting from either the pressure of the intruder on the ground immediately above the buried fiber or from seismic disturbances in the vicinity are sensed by a phase-sensitive optical time-domain reflectometer (Φ-OTDR). Light pulses from a cw laser operating in a single longitudinal mode and with low (MHz/min range) frequency drift are injected into one end of the single mode fiber, and the backscattered light is monitored with a photodetector. In laboratory tests with 12 km of fiber on reels, the effects of localized phase perturbations induced by a piezoelectric fiber stretcher on Φ-OTDR traces were characterized. In field tests in which the sensing element is a single mode fiber in a 3-mm diameter cable buried in a 20-46 cm deep, 10 cm wide trench in clay soil, detection of intruders on foot up to 4.6 m from the cable line was achieved. In desert terrain field tests in which the sensing fiber is in a 4.5-mm diameter cable buried in a 30 cm deep, 75 cm wide trench filled with loose sand, high sensitivity and consistent detection of intruders on foot and of vehicles traveling down a road near the cable line was realized over a cable length of 8.5 km and a total fiber path of 19 km. Based on these results, this technology may be regarded as a candidate for providing low-cost perimeter security for nuclear power plants, electrical power distribution centers, storage facilities for fuel and volatile chemicals, communication hubs, airports, government offices, military bases, embassies, and national borders.

Acoustic architecture of glaciolacustrine sediments deformed during zonal stagnation of the Laurentide Ice Sheet; Mazinaw Lake, Ontario, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eyles, Nicholas; Doughty, Mike; Boyce, Joseph I.; Mullins, Henry T.; Halfman, John D.; Koseoglu, Berkant

2003-03-01

In North America, the last (Laurentide) Ice Sheet retreated from much of the Canadian Shield by 'zonal stagnation'. Masses of dead ice, severed from the main ice sheet by emerging bedrock highs, downwasted in situ within valleys and lake basins and were commonly buried by sediment. Consequently, the flat sediment floors of many valleys and lakes are now pitted by steep-sided, enclosed depressions (kettle basins) that record the melt of stagnant ice blocks and collapse of sediment. At Mazinaw Lake in eastern Ontario, Canada, high-resolution seismic reflection, magnetic and bathymetric surveys, integrated with onland outcrop and hammer seismic investigations, were conducted to identify the types of structural disturbance associated with the formation of kettle basins in glaciolacustrine sediments. Basins formed as a result of ice blocks being trapped within a regionally extensive proglacial lake (Glacial Lake Iroquois ˜12,500 to 11,400 years BP) that flooded eastern Ontario during deglaciation. Kettles occur within a thick (>30 m) succession of parallel, high-frequency acoustic facies consisting of rhythmically laminated (varved?) Iroquois silty-clays. Iroquois strata underlying and surrounding kettle basins show large-scale normal faults, fractures, rotational failures and incoherent chaotically bedded sediment formed by slumping and collapse. Mazinaw Lake lies along part of the Ottawa Graben and while neotectonic earthquake activity cannot be entirely dismissed, deformation is most likely to have occurred as a result of the rapid melt of buried ice blocks. Seismic data do not fully penetrate the entire basin sediment fill but the structure and topography of bedrock can be inferred from magnetometer data. The location and shape of buried ice masses was closely controlled by the graben-like form of the underlying bedrock surface.

A theoretical study of the fundamental torsional wave in buried pipes for pipeline condition assessment and monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muggleton, J. M.; Kalkowski, M.; Gao, Y.; Rustighi, E.

2016-07-01

Waves that propagate at low frequencies in buried pipes are of considerable interest in a variety of practical scenarios, for example leak detection, remote pipe detection, and pipeline condition assessment and monitoring. Whilst there has been considerable research and commercial attention on the accurate location of pipe leakage for many years, the various causes of pipe failures and their identification, have not been well documented; moreover, there are still a number of gaps in the existing knowledge. Previous work has focused on two of the three axisymmetric wavetypes that can propagate: the s=1, fluid-dominated wave; and the s=2, shell-dominated wave. In this paper, the third axisymmetric wavetype, the s=0 torsional wave, is investigated. The effects of the surrounding soil on the characteristics of wave propagation and attenuation are analysed for a compact pipe/soil interface for which there is no relative motion between the pipe wall and the surrounding soil. An analytical dispersion relationship is derived for the torsional wavenumber from which both the wavespeed and wave attenuation can be obtained. How torsional waves can subsequently radiate to the ground surface is then investigated. Analytical expressions are derived for the ground surface displacement above the pipe resulting from torsional wave motion within the pipe wall. A numerical model is also included, primarily in order to validate some of the assumptions made whilst developing the analytical solutions, but also so that some comparison in the results may be made. Example results are presented for both a cast iron pipe and an MDPE pipe buried in two typical soil types.

Hotspot: the Snake River Geothermal Drilling Project--initial report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shervais, J.W.; Nielson, D.; Lachmar, T.; Christiansen, E.H.; Morgan, L.; Shanks, Wayne C.; Delahunty, C.; Schmitt, D.R.; Liberty, L.M.; Blackwell, D.D.; Glen, J.M.; Kessler, J.A.; Potter, K.E.; Jean, M.M.; Sant, C.J.; Freeman, T.

2012-01-01

The Snake River volcanic province (SRP) overlies a thermal anomaly that extends deep into the mantle; it represents one of the highest heat flow provinces in North America. The primary goal of this project is to evaluate geothermal potential in three distinct settings: (1) Kimama site: inferred high sub-aquifer geothermal gradient associated with the intrusion of mafic magmas, (2) Kimberly site: a valley-margin setting where surface heat flow may be driven by the up-flow of hot fluids along buried caldera ringfault complexes, and (3) Mountain Home site: a more traditional fault-bounded basin with thick sedimentary cover. The Kimama hole, on the axial volcanic zone, penetrated 1912 m of basalt with minor intercalated sediment; no rhyolite basement was encountered. Temperatures are isothermal through the aquifer (to 960 m), then rise steeply on a super-conductive gradient to an estimated bottom hole temperature of ~98°C. The Kimberly hole is on the inferred margin of a buried rhyolite eruptive center, penetrated rhyolite with intercalated basalt and sediment to a TD of 1958 m. Temperatures are isothermal at 55-60°C below 400 m, suggesting an immense passive geothermal resource. The Mountain Home hole is located above the margin of a buried gravity high in the western SRP. It penetrates a thick section of basalt and lacustrine sediment overlying altered basalt flows, hyaloclastites, and volcanic sediments, with a TD of 1821 m. Artesian flow of geothermal water from 1745 m depth documents a power-grade resource that is now being explored in more detail. In-depth studies continue at all three sites, complemented by high-resolution gravity, magnetic, and seismic surveys, and by downhole geophysical logging.

Desert water harvesting to benefit wildlife: a simple, cheap, and durable sub-surface water harvester for remote locations.

PubMed

Rice, William E

2004-12-01

A sub-surface desert water harvester was constructed in the sagebrush steppe habitat of south-central Idaho, U.S.A. The desert water harvester utilizes a buried micro-catchment and three buried storage tanks to augment water for wildlife during the dry season. In this region, mean annual precipitation (MAP) ranges between about 150-250 mm (6"-10"), 70% of which falls during the cold season, November to May. Mid-summer through early autumn, June through October, is the dry portion of the year. During this period, the sub-surface water harvester provides supplemental water for wildlife for 30-90 days, depending upon the precipitation that year. The desert water harvester is constructed with commonly available, "over the counter" materials. The micro-catchment is made of a square-shaped, 20 mL. "PERMALON" polyethylene pond liner (approximately 22.9 m x 22.9 m = 523 m2) buried at a depth of about 60 cm. A PVC pipe connects the harvester with two storage tanks and a drinking trough. The total capacity of the water harvester is about 4777 L (1262 U.S. gallons) which includes three underground storage tanks, a trough and pipes. The drinking trough is refined with an access ramp for birds and small animals. The technology is simple, cheap, and durable and can be adapted to other uses, e.g. drip irrigation, short-term water for small livestock, poultry farming etc. The desert water harvester can be used to concentrate and collect water from precipitation and run-off in semi-arid and arid regions. Water harvested in such a relatively small area will not impact the ground water table but it should help to grow small areas of crops or vegetables to aid villagers in self-sufficiency.

Late Paleozoic orogeny in Alaska's Farewell terrane

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bradley, D.C.; Dumoulin, Julie A.; Layer, P.; Sunderlin, D.; Roeske, S.; McClelland, B.; Harris, A.G.; Abbott, G.; Bundtzen, T.; Kusky, T.

2003-01-01

Evidence is presented for a previously unrecognized late Paleozoic orogeny in two parts of Alaska's Farewell terrane, an event that has not entered into published scenarios for the assembly of Alaska. The Farewell terrane was long regarded as a piece of the early Paleozoic passive margin of western Canada, but is now thought, instead, to have lain between the Siberian and Laurentian (North American) cratons during the early Paleozoic. Evidence for a late Paleozoic orogeny comes from two belts located 100-200 km apart. In the northern belt, metamorphic rocks dated at 284-285 Ma (three 40Ar/39Ar white-mica plateau ages) provide the main evidence for orogeny. The metamorphic rocks are interpreted as part of the hinterland of a late Paleozoic mountain belt, which we name the Browns Fork orogen. In the southern belt, thick accumulations of Pennsylvanian-Permian conglomerate and sandstone provide the main evidence for orogeny. These strata are interpreted as the eroded and deformed remnants of a late Paleozoic foreland basin, which we name the Dall Basin. We suggest that the Browns Fork orogen and Dall Basin comprise a matched pair formed during collision between the Farewell terrane and rocks to the west. The colliding object is largely buried beneath Late Cretaceous flysch to the west of the Farewell terrane, but may have included parts of the so-called Innoko terrane. The late Paleozoic convergent plate boundary represented by the Browns Fork orogen likely connected with other zones of plate convergence now located in Russia, elsewhere in Alaska, and in western Canada. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Characterization and microbial analysis of first recorded observation of Conicera similis Haliday (Diptera: Phoridae) in forensic decomposition study in Romania.

PubMed

Iancu, Lavinia; Junkins, Emily N; Purcarea, Cristina

2018-05-03

The identification of necrophagous insect diversity and dynamics has forensic significance for postmortem interval estimation specific to burial. Few studies regarding the necrophagous entomofauna from buried remains have been performed to date. In contrast to the exposed carcasses, the accessibility of soil to insects is limited due to burial depth and is dependent on soil type. This study highlights the colonization behavior of Conicera similis (Haliday 1833) (Diptera: Phoridae) during carcass decomposition, a previously unobserved taxon in Romania. Adult and larvae specimens were collected from rat (Rattus norvegicus) carcasses buried at 40 cm depth in an urban park environment in June 2016 during active decomposition and their presence and activity period was correlated with the environmental parameters variation. Bacterial diversity from C. similis female adult and larvae specimens was determined via 16S rRNA gene Illumina sequencing to further characterize these commonly encountered and forensically important necrophagous insects. This report signals the easternmost geographical location in Europe (Bucharest, Romania) of C. similis to date. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Improvement of both bandwidth and driving voltage of polymer phase modulators using buried in-plane coupled micro-strip driving electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadjloum, Massinissa; El Gibari, Mohammed; Li, Hongwu; Daryoush, Afshin S.

2017-06-01

A large performance improvement of polymer phase modulators is reported by using buried in-plane coupled microstrip (CMS) driving electrodes, instead of standard vertical Micro-Strip electrodes. The in-plane CMS driving electrodes have both low radio frequency (RF) losses and high overlap integral between optical and RF waves compared to the vertical designs. Since the optical waveguide and CMS electrodes are located in the same plane, optical injection and microwave driving access cannot be separated perpendicularly without intersection between them. A via-less transition between grounded coplanar waveguide access and CMS driving electrodes is introduced in order to provide broadband excitation of optical phase modulators and avoid the intersection of the optical core and the electrical probe. Simulation and measurement results of the benzocyclobutene polymer as a cladding material and the PMMI-CPO1 polymer as an optical core with an electro-optic coefficient of 70 pm/V demonstrate a broadband operation of 67 GHz using travelling-wave driving electrodes with a half-wave voltage of 4.5 V, while satisfying its low RF losses and high overlap integral between optical and RF waves of in-plane CMS electrodes.

Sound Science: Taking Action with Acoustics

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

Sinha, Dipen

2014-07-16

From tin whistles to sonic booms, sound waves interact with each other and with the medium through which they travel. By observing these interactions, we can identify substances that are hidden in sealed containers and obtain images of buried objects. By manipulating the ability of sound to push matter around, we can create novel structures and unique materials. Join the Lab's own sound hound, Dipen Sinha, as he describes how he uses fundamental research in acoustics for solving problems in industry, security and health.

Sound Science: Taking Action with Acoustics

ScienceCinema

Sinha, Dipen

2018-01-16

From tin whistles to sonic booms, sound waves interact with each other and with the medium through which they travel. By observing these interactions, we can identify substances that are hidden in sealed containers and obtain images of buried objects. By manipulating the ability of sound to push matter around, we can create novel structures and unique materials. Join the Lab's own sound hound, Dipen Sinha, as he describes how he uses fundamental research in acoustics for solving problems in industry, security and health.

Subsurface materials management and containment system, components thereof and methods relating thereto

DOEpatents

Nickelson, Reva A.; Richardson, John G.; Kostelnik, Kevin M.; Sloan, Paul A.

2006-04-18

Systems, components, and methods relating to subterranean containment barriers. Laterally adjacent tubular casings having male interlock structures and multiple female interlock structures defining recesses for receiving a male interlock structure are used to create subterranean barriers for containing and treating buried waste and its effluents. The multiple female interlock structures enable the barriers to be varied around subsurface objects and to form barrier sidewalls. The barrier may be used for treating and monitoring a zone of interest.

Modelling the buried human body environment in upland climes using three contrasting field sites.

PubMed

Wilson, Andrew S; Janaway, Robert C; Holland, Andrew D; Dodson, Hilary I; Baran, Eve; Pollard, A Mark; Tobin, Desmond J

2007-06-14

Despite an increasing literature on the decomposition of human remains, whether buried or exposed, it is important to recognise the role of specific microenvironments which can either trigger or delay the rate of decomposition. Recent casework in Northern England involving buried and partially buried human remains has demonstrated a need for a more detailed understanding of the effect of contrasting site conditions on cadaver decomposition and on the microenvironment created within the grave itself. Pigs (Sus scrofa) were used as body analogues in three inter-related taphonomy experiments to examine differential decomposition of buried human remains. They were buried at three contrasting field sites (pasture, moorland, and deciduous woodland) within a 15 km radius of the University of Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK. Changes to the buried body and the effect of these changes on hair and associated death-scene textile materials were monitored as was the microenvironment of the grave. At recovery, 6, 12 and 24 months post-burial, the extent of soft tissue decomposition was recorded and samples of fat and soil were collected for gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) analysis. The results of these studies demonstrated that (1) soil conditions at these three burial sites has a marked effect on the condition of the buried body but even within a single site variation can occur; (2) the process of soft tissue decomposition modifies the localised burial microenvironment in terms of microbiological load, pH, moisture and changes in redox status. These observations have widespread application for the investigation of clandestine burial and time since deposition, and in understanding changes within the burial microenvironment that may impact on biomaterials such as hair and other associated death scene materials.

Fabrication of SOI structures with buried cavities using Si wafer direct bonding and electrochemical etch-stop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, Gwiy-Sang

2003-10-01

This paper describes the fabrication of SOI structures with buried cavities using SDB and electrochemical etch-stop. These methods are suitable for thick membrane fabrication with accurate thickness, uniformity, and flatness. After a feed-through hole for supplied voltage and buried cavities was formed on a handle Si wafer with p-type, the handle wafer was bonded to an active Si wafer consisting of a p-type substrate with an n-type epitaxial layer corresponding to membrane thickness. The bonded pair was then thinned until electrochemical etch-stop occurred at the pn junction during electrochemical etchback. By using the SDB SOI structure with buried cavities, active membranes, which have a free standing structure with a dimension of 900×900 μm2, were fabricated. It is confirmed that the fabrication process of the SDB SOI structure with buried cavities is a powerful and versatile technology for new MEMS applications.

The Spirit Rover's Athena science investigation at Gusev Crater, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Squyres, S. W.; Arvidson, R. E.; Bell, J. F., III; Brueckner, J.; Cabrol, N. A.; Calvin, W.; Carr, M. H.; Christensen, P. R.; Clark, B. C.; Crumpler, L.;

The Spirit Rover's Athena science investigation at Gusev crater, Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Squyres, S. W.; Arvidson, R. E.; Bell, J.F.; Brückner, J.; Cabrol, N.A.; Calvin, W.; Carr, M.H.; Christensen, P.R.; Clark, B. C.; Crumpler, L.; Des Marais, D.J.; D'Uston, C.; Economou, T.; Farmer, J.; Farrand, W.; Folkner, W.; Golombek, M.; Gorevan, S.; Grant, J. A.; Greeley, R.; Grotzinger, J.; Haskin, L.; Herkenhoff, K. E.; Hviid, S.; Johnson, J.; Klingelhofer, G.; Knoll, A.; Landis, G.; Lemmon, M.; Li, R.; Madsen, M.B.; Malin, M.C.; McLennan, S.M.; McSween, H.Y.; Ming, D. W.; Moersch, J.; Morris, R.V.; Parker, T.; Rice, J. W.; Richter, L.; Rieder, R.; Sims, M.; Smith, M.; Smith, P.; Soderblom, L.A.; Sullivan, R.; Wanke, H.; Wdowiak, T.; Wolff, M.; Yen, A.

2004-01-01

The Mars Exploration Rover Spirit and its Athena science payload have been used to investigate a landing site in Gusev crater. Gusev is hypothesized to be the site of a former take, but no clear evidence for lacustrine sedimentation has been found to date. Instead, the dominant lithology is basalt, and the dominant geologic processes are impact events and eolian transport. Many rocks exhibit coatings and other characteristics that may be evidence for minor aqueous alteration. Any lacustrine sediments that may exist at this location within Gusev apparently have been buried by lavas that have undergone subsequent impact disruption.

Panama City 2003 Acoustic Coherence Experiments: Low Frequency Bottom Penetration Fluctuation Measurements in a Multipath Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meredith, Roger W.; Kennedy, E. Ted; Malley, Dexter; Fisher, Robert A.; Brown, Robert; Stanic, Steve

2004-11-01

This paper is part of a series of papers describing acoustic coherence and fluctuations measurements made by the Naval Research Laboratory in the Gulf of Mexico near Panama City Beach, FL during June 2003. This paper presents low frequency (1-10 kHz) buried hydrophone measurements and preliminary results for two source-receiver ranges with grazing angles less than two degrees (realtive to the direct-path to the seafloor at the receiver location). Results focus on fluctuations after acoustic penetration into the sediment. These fluctuations are correlated with environmental influences.

Out of Steam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

16 April 2006 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows the margin of an ancient, cratered, hummocky (rough) lava flow at just the point where it encroached upon a small impact crater east of the volcano, Tharsis Tholus. The lava flow was thin enough and didn't have sufficient energy to flow into and bury the crater. Instead, it took the path of least of resistance, around the crater.

Location near: 85.5oS, 76.8oW Image width: 3 km (1.9 mi) Illumination from: upper left Season: Southern Summer

Whole-field digital vibrometer system for buried landmine detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lal, Amit; Hess, Cecil; Scott, Eddie; Dang, Michael; Nichols, Robert

2005-06-01

Previous results have shown the potential of acoustic-to-seismic coupling with Laser Doppler Vibrometry for the detection of buried landmines. An important objective of the present technology is to improve the spatial resolution and the speed of the measurement. In this paper, MetroLaser reports on a whole-field digital vibrometer (WDV) that measures an entire one meter area with sub-centimeter spatial resolution in just a few seconds. The WDV is based on a dual-pulsed laser such that each pulse illuminates a one meter area on the ground, and the temporal separation between the two laser pulses can be adjusted to match the ground excitation frequency. By sweeping this excitation frequency, a displacement map of the ground at each frequency can be quickly generated. In addition, an innovative speckle repositioning strategy allows for movement of the measurement platform at reasonable speeds while still obtaining measurements with interferometric precision. This paper describes the WDV instrument and presents preliminary experimental results obtained with this system. This research is being supported by the U.S. Army RDECOM CERDEC NVESD under Contract W909MY04-C-0004.

Estimation of Gravity Parameters Related to Simple Geometrical Structures by Developing an Approach Based on Deconvolution and Linear Optimization Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asfahani, J.; Tlas, M.

2015-10-01

An easy and practical method for interpreting residual gravity anomalies due to simple geometrically shaped models such as cylinders and spheres has been proposed in this paper. This proposed method is based on both the deconvolution technique and the simplex algorithm for linear optimization to most effectively estimate the model parameters, e.g., the depth from the surface to the center of a buried structure (sphere or horizontal cylinder) or the depth from the surface to the top of a buried object (vertical cylinder), and the amplitude coefficient from the residual gravity anomaly profile. The method was tested on synthetic data sets corrupted by different white Gaussian random noise levels to demonstrate the capability and reliability of the method. The results acquired show that the estimated parameter values derived by this proposed method are close to the assumed true parameter values. The validity of this method is also demonstrated using real field residual gravity anomalies from Cuba and Sweden. Comparable and acceptable agreement is shown between the results derived by this method and those derived from real field data.

The study of buried drift aquifers in Minnesota by seismic geophysical methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Woodward, D. G.

1984-01-01

Buried-drift aquifers are stratified sand and (or) gravel aquifers in glacial deposits that cannot be seen or inferred at the land surface. During the Pleistocene Epoch, four continental glaciations advanced and retreated across Minnesota, blanketing the bedrock surface with drift as much as 700 feet thick (fig. 1). Most of the drift consists of till, an unsorted, un-stratified mixture of clay silt, sand, and gravel that usually is not considered to be an aquifer. Permeable, stratified sand and gravel, deposited as outwash, alluvium, and (or) ice-contact deposits usually during an earlier glacial episode and subsequently covered (buried) with till, form the buried-drift aquifers.

Viking Lander's Buried Footpad #3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

One of Viking l's three feet, which should be visible in this view, lies buried beneath a cover of loose Martian soil. This picture, taken Sunday (August 1), is the first to show the buried footpad #3. If not buried, the edge of the foot would be seen extending across the picture about midway between top and bottom. The foot sank about five inches, and fine-grained soil slumped into the depression and over the foot. The cracked nature of the surface near the slump area and the small, steep cliff at left indicates that the material is weakly cohesive. The surface material here is very similar mechanically to lunar soil.

Concealed epispadias associated with a buried penis.

PubMed

Sol Melgar, Ricardo; Gorduza, Daniela; Demède, Delphine; Mouriquand, Pierre

2016-12-01

The aim was to describe the clinical presentation and the surgical management of penile epispadias associated with a buried penis in five children. This is a 5-year retrospective review of patients presenting with a buried penis, a congenital defect of the penile skin shaft associated with an unretractable foreskin for whom a penile epispadias was found at the time of surgery. All had undergone surgery combining a Cantwell-Ransley procedure and refashioning of the penile skin following the authors' technique. Three children had a glanular epispadias and two had a midshaft epispadias. Four had a satisfactory outcome, and one required a complementary urethroplasty for glanular dehiscence. Buried penis and epispadias are usually isolated congenital anomalies, although they can be associated. It is therefore recommended to warn parents about the possibility of underlying penile anomaly in children with buried penises and unretractable foreskin. Careful palpation of the dorsum of the glans through the foreskin looking for a dorsal cleft could indicate an associated epispadiac urethra. Surgical correction of both anomalies can be done at the same time. Parents of boys with buried penises should be warned that underlying penile anomaly may exist. Copyright © 2016 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Problems of Military Cemeteries Greenery - Case Study of the Military Cemetery in Zvolen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halajová, Denisa; Petreková, Denisa; Bihuňová, Mária

2017-10-01

The intention of this work is to highlight the importance of understanding military cemeteries as objects of cultural and historical heritage and as a part of garden design history. The design and maintenance of cemeteries and graves is a manifestation of the national culture. This is even more evident in military cemeteries, the maintenance of which is regulated by international agreements. Objects of military cemeteries are important places not only from the historical and architectural point of view, but also as green space. Most military cemeteries in Slovakia originated from World War I and II. In Slovakia, 160,000 soldiers were buried, 75,206 of them lost their lives in World War I and 93,000 in World War II. 32,495 war graves are registered by The Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic - 23,316 war graves from World War I and 9,179 from World War II. From the period of World War II, there are 22 cemeteries and graveyards in Slovakia, established for soldiers of the Soviet, German, Romanian and Czechoslovak army. Military cemeteries and memorials are mostly high quality works of architecture and art. This paper focuses on the current situation and restoration issues of military cemeteries by examining the Military Cemetery in Zvolen. In the context of its planned reconstruction, a comprehensive tree assessment has been started in 2016. The Military Cemetery in Zvolen, being one of the largest military cemeteries in Slovakia, consists of The Cemetery of the Soviet Army with 17,628 buried soldiers and The Romanian Cemetery with 11,000 buried soldiers. The Romanian Cemetery is one of the largest cemeteries of the Romanian Army in Europe. Both cemeteries were declared national cultural monuments in 1963. In the cemetery, dendrometrical parameters and the health condition of trees were evaluated. In total, there are 825 woody plants. In both cemeteries, coniferous trees prevail, mainly individuals of the genus Thuja (49.4 %). Moreover, the maintenance of greenery and the aesthetics of the landscape composition were assessed. Based on the assessment of woody plant species composition, health condition of trees and their aesthetic qualities, necessary changes in the cemetery landscape composition were designed.

Detection capability of a pulsed Ground Penetrating Radar utilizing an oscilloscope and Radargram Fusion Approach for optimal signal quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seyfried, Daniel; Schoebel, Joerg

2015-07-01

In scientific research pulsed radars often employ a digital oscilloscope as sampling unit. The sensitivity of an oscilloscope is determined in general by means of the number of digits of its analog-to-digital converter and the selected full scale vertical setting, i.e., the maximal voltage range displayed. Furthermore oversampling or averaging of the input signal may increase the effective number of digits, hence the sensitivity. Especially for Ground Penetrating Radar applications high sensitivity of the radar system is demanded since reflection amplitudes of buried objects are strongly attenuated in ground. Hence, in order to achieve high detection capability this parameter is one of the most crucial ones. In this paper we analyze the detection capability of our pulsed radar system utilizing a Rohde & Schwarz RTO 1024 oscilloscope as sampling unit for Ground Penetrating Radar applications, such as detection of pipes and cables in the ground. Also effects of averaging and low-noise amplification of the received signal prior to sampling are investigated by means of an appropriate laboratory setup. To underline our findings we then present real-world radar measurements performed on our GPR test site, where we have buried pipes and cables of different types and materials in different depths. The results illustrate the requirement for proper choice of the settings of the oscilloscope for optimal data recording. However, as we show, displaying both strong signal contributions due to e.g., antenna cross-talk and direct ground bounce reflection as well as weak reflections from objects buried deeper in ground requires opposing trends for the oscilloscope's settings. We therefore present our Radargram Fusion Approach. By means of this approach multiple radargrams recorded in parallel, each with an individual optimized setting for a certain type of contribution, can be fused in an appropriate way in order to finally achieve a single radargram which displays all contributions occurring originally at different strengths in an equalized and normalized way by means of appropriate digital signal post-processing.

Ultrasonic/Sonic Impacting Penetrators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bao, Xiaoqi; Bar-Cohen, Yoseph; Chang, Zensheu; Sherrit, Stewart; Stark, Randall A.

2008-01-01

Ultrasonic/sonic impacting penetrators (USIPs) are recent additions to the series of apparatuses based on ultrasonic/sonic drill corers (USDCs). A USIP enables a rod probe to penetrate packed soil or another substance of similar consistency, without need to apply a large axial force that could result in buckling of the probe or in damage to some buried objects. USIPs were conceived for use in probing and analyzing soil to depths of tens of centimeters in the vicinity of buried barrels containing toxic waste, without causing rupture of the barrels. USIPs could also be used for other purposes, including, for example, searching for pipes, barrels, or other hard objects buried in soil; and detecting land mines. USDCs and other apparatuses based on USDCs have been described in numerous previous NASA Tech Briefs articles. The ones reported previously were designed, variously, for boring into, and/or acquiring samples of, rock or other hard, brittle materials of geological interest. To recapitulate: A USDC can be characterized as a lightweight, low-power, piezoelectrically driven jackhammer in which ultrasonic and sonic vibrations are generated and coupled to a tool bit. As shown in the figure, a basic USDC includes a piezoelectric stack, a backing and a horn connected to the stack, a free mass (free in the sense that it can slide axially a short distance between the horn and the shoulder of tool bit), and a tool bit, i.e., probe for USIP. The piezoelectric stack is driven at the resonance frequency of the stack/horn/backing assembly to create ultrasonic vibrations that are mechanically amplified by the horn. To prevent fracture during operation, the piezoelectric stack is held in compression by a bolt. The bouncing of the free mass between the horn and the tool bit at sonic frequencies generates hammering actions to the bit that are more effective for drilling than is the microhammering action of ultrasonic vibrations in ordinary ultrasonic drills. The hammering actions are so effective that the axial force needed to make the tool bit advance into the material of interest is much smaller than in ordinary twist drilling, ultrasonic drilling, or ordinary steady pushing.

GPR image analysis to locate water leaks from buried pipes by applying variance filters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ocaña-Levario, Silvia J.; Carreño-Alvarado, Elizabeth P.; Ayala-Cabrera, David; Izquierdo, Joaquín

2018-05-01

Nowadays, there is growing interest in controlling and reducing the amount of water lost through leakage in water supply systems (WSSs). Leakage is, in fact, one of the biggest problems faced by the managers of these utilities. This work addresses the problem of leakage in WSSs by using GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) as a non-destructive method. The main objective is to identify and extract features from GPR images such as leaks and components in a controlled laboratory condition by a methodology based on second order statistical parameters and, using the obtained features, to create 3D models that allows quick visualization of components and leaks in WSSs from GPR image analysis and subsequent interpretation. This methodology has been used before in other fields and provided promising results. The results obtained with the proposed methodology are presented, analyzed, interpreted and compared with the results obtained by using a well-established multi-agent based methodology. These results show that the variance filter is capable of highlighting the characteristics of components and anomalies, in an intuitive manner, which can be identified by non-highly qualified personnel, using the 3D models we develop. This research intends to pave the way towards future intelligent detection systems that enable the automatic detection of leaks in WSSs.

WISDOM GPR investigations in a Mars-analog environment during the SAFER rover operation simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorizon, S.; Ciarletti, V.; Plettemeier, D.; Vieau, A.-J.; Benedix, W.-S.; Mütze, M.; Hassen-Kodja, R.; Humeau, O.

2014-04-01

The WISDOM (Water Ice Subsurface Deposits Observations on Mars) Ground Penetrating Radar has been selected to be onboard the ExoMars 2018 rover mission [1]. This instrument will investigate the Martian shallow subsurface and provide the geological context of the mission, by characterizing the subsurface in terms of structure, stratigraphy and potential buried objects. It will also quantify the geoelectrical properties of the medium, which are directly related to its nature, its water or salts content and its hardness [2]. WISDOM data will provide important clues to guide the drilling operations to location of potential exobiological interest. A prototype available in LATMOS, France, is currently tested in a wide range of natural environments. In this context, the WISDOM team participated in the SAFER (Sample Acquisition Field Experiment with a Rover) field trial that occurred from 7th to 13th October 2013 in the Atacama Desert, Chile. Designed to gather together scientists and engineers in a context of a real Martian mission with a rover, the SAFER trial was the opportunity to use three onboard ExoMars instruments, namely CLUPI (Close- UP Imager), PANCAM (Panoramic Camera) and WISDOM, to investigate the chosen area. We present the results derived from WISDOM data acquired over the SAFER trial site to characterize the shallow subsurface of the area.

Effects of Psilocybe argentipes on marble-burying behavior in mice.

PubMed

Matsushima, Yoshihiro; Shirota, Osamu; Kikura-Hanajiri, Ruri; Goda, Yukihiro; Eguchi, Fumio

2009-08-01

Psilocybe argentipes is a hallucinogenic mushroom. The present study examined the effects of P. argentipes on marble-burying behavior, which is considered an animal model of obsessive-compulsive disorder. P. argentipes significantly inhibited marble-burying behavior without affecting locomotor activity as compared with the same dose of authentic psilocybin. These findings suggest that P. argentipes would be efficient in clinical obsessive-compulsive disorder therapy.

Exposed versus buried intramedullary implants for pediatric forearm fractures: a comparison of complications.

PubMed

Kelly, Brian A; Miller, Patricia; Shore, Benjamin J; Waters, Peter M; Bae, Donald S

2014-12-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the rate of complications between buried and exposed intramedullary implants after fixation of pediatric forearm fractures. A retrospective comparative cohort study of 339 children treated with intramedullary fixation for displaced forearm fractures between 2004 and 2009 was performed. Implants were left exposed in 128 patients (37.8%) and buried beneath the skin in 208 patients (61.4%); 3 patients had buried and exposed hardware (0.9%). Data on demographics, injury, surgical technique, and complications were analyzed. The buried implant group was older (mean 10.3 vs. 8.5 y; P < 0.001), heavier (mean 38.6 vs. 31.9 kg; P < 0.001), and had fewer open injuries (23% vs. 41%; P < 0.001) than the exposed implant group. The buried group had their implants removed later than the exposed group (median 3.5 vs. 1.2 mo; P < 0.001). There was no difference between time to removal for patients with refracture and those without (median 1.3 vs. 2.0 mo; P = 0.78). A total of 36.2% of exposed implants were successfully removed in the office. Complications were seen in 56 patients (16.5%). There were 16 patients (4.7%) with refracture and 12 patients (3.5%) with infection. The buried and exposed implant groups did not differ significantly with respect to refracture (3.1% vs. 7.0%; P = 0.20), infection (3.5% vs. 2.3%; P = 0.66), or overall complications (14.5% vs. 17.2%; P = 0.87). There was also no difference between groups with respect to loss of reduction, nondelayed or delayed union, loss of motion, hypertrophic granuloma, or tendon rupture. Buried implants were also associated with penetration through the skin (3.9%). Injury to the dominant arm and need for open reduction were significant predictors of complication (OR = 1.01; 95% CI, 1.001-1.012; P = 0.02 and OR = 0.51; 95% CI, 0.264-0.974; P = 0.04, respectively). There were no significant differences seen in number of infections, refractures, or overall complications based on whether implants were left exposed or buried beneath the skin after surgery. Level III, therapeutic.

Ultrasonic isolation of buried pipes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leinov, Eli; Lowe, Michael J. S.; Cawley, Peter

2016-02-01

Long-range guided wave testing (GWT) is used routinely for the monitoring and detection of corrosion defects in above ground pipelines. The GWT test range in buried, coated pipelines is greatly reduced compared to above ground configurations due to energy leakage into the embedding soil. In this paper, the effect of pipe coatings on the guided wave attenuation is investigated with the aim of increasing test ranges for buried pipelines. The attenuation of the T(0,1) and L(0,2) guided wave modes is measured using a full-scale experimental apparatus in a fusion-bonded epoxy (FBE)-coated 8 in. pipe, buried in loose and compacted sand. Tests are performed over a frequency range typically used in GWT of 10-35 kHz and compared with model predictions. It is shown that the application of a low impedance coating between the FBE layer and the sand effectively decouples the influence of the sand on the ultrasound leakage from the buried pipe. Ultrasonic isolation of a buried pipe is demonstrated by coating the pipe with a Polyethylene (PE)-foam layer that has a smaller impedance than both the pipe and sand, and has the ability to withstand the overburden load from the sand. The measured attenuation in the buried PE-foam-FBE-coated pipe is found to be substantially reduced, in the range of 0.3-1.2 dB m-1 for loose and compacted sand conditions, compared to measured attenuation of 1.7-4.7 dB m-1 in the buried FBE-coated pipe without the PE-foam. The acoustic properties of the PE-foam are measured independently using ultrasonic interferometry and incorporated into model predictions of guided wave propagation in buried coated pipe. Good agreement is found between the experimental measurements and model predictions. The attenuation exhibits periodic peaks in the frequency domain corresponding to the through-thickness resonance frequencies of the coating layer. The large reduction in guided wave attenuation for PE-coated pipes would lead to greatly increased GWT test ranges; such coatings would be attractive for new pipeline installations.

FOREWORD: Special section on electromagnetic characterization of buried obstacles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesselier, Dominique; Chew, Weng Cho

2004-12-01

This Inverse Problems special section on electromagnetic characterization of buried obstacles contains a selection of 14 invited papers, involving 41 authors and 19 research groups worldwide. (Though this section consists of invited papers, the standard refereeing procedures of Inverse Problems have been rigorously observed.) We do not claim to have reached all the high-level researchers in the field, but we believe that we have made a fair attempt. As illustrated by the variety of contributions included, the aim of this special section is to address theoretical and practical inversion problems (and the solutions thereof) that arise in the field of electromagnetic characterization of obstacles (artificial or natural) buried on the Earth or in planetary subsoil. Civil and military engineering, archaeological and environmental issues are typically among those within the scope of the investigation. An example is the characterization of a single (or multiple) obstacle(s) located near the interface or at shallow depths via electromagnetic means operating within relevant frequency bands. However, we also welcomed novel and thought-provoking investigations, even though their direct application to the real world, or even to laboratory-controlled settings, may still be far off. Within this general mathematical and applied framework, the submitted papers focused on a combination of theoretical, computational and experimental developments. They either reviewed the most recent advances in a particular area of research or were an original and specialized contribution. Let us now take the opportunity to remind the readers that this special section harks back (in addition to sharing some common contributors) to two special sections already published in the journal which possessed the same flavour of wave-field inversion and its many applications. They were `Electromagnetic imaging and inversion of the Earth's subsurface', which was published in October 2000 (volume 16, issue 5), and was co-ordinated by the Guest Editors, D Lesselier and T Habashy, and comprised 14 invited papers; and `Electromagnetic and ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation', which was published in December 2002 (volume 18, issue 6), was organized by the Guest Editors, D Lesselier and J Bowler, and comprised 12 invited papers. In particular in the latter special section, it was noted in the foreword that: `Much of the research effort in NDE (nondestructive evaluation) is aligned with the interests of the broader community of scientists and engineers who study inverse problems and their applications in areas such as geophysics, medical imaging, remote sensing or underwater acoustics, to mention but a few. Indeed, many of the basic methods adopted for NDE including tomography, synthetic aperture techniques and iterative inversions, under many guises, are widely used in these other areas'. In a similar fashion, the foreword of the former special section noted that: `Many developments have been driven by several new applications and some old ones, such as mathematical physics, atmospheric sciences, geophysical prospecting, quantum mechanics, remote sensing, underwater acoustics, nondestructive testing and evaluation, medical imaging, to mention only a few'. One was confronted in these two previous special sections, as one is confronted today, with the same difficult endeavour: a signal resulting from the interrogation of an object embedded in some complicated medium by a probing radiation contains arcane, encoded information about this object. Inversion is the procedure by which this signal is transformed into some intelligible, decoded form in order to provide the user with some of this information. This could be estimates of locations, volumes, boundaries, shapes, values, and distributions of electromagnetic (elastic) constitutive parameters. This endeavour forces us to go from mathematical theory to numerical solution methods, to validation from laboratory-controlled data, to processing of real-world data, and back again. Unfortunately, we face critical configurations in practice. They require increasingly sophisticated models, which exhaust most of our computational resources—notably due to the three-dimensionally bounded objects in possibly vast and little known search zones. Furthermore, we have to reckon with vector fields and dyadic Green functions, complex behaviours of materials and often with severely incomplete and limited data. The latter limitation is a severe one and is pervasive in the specific situation of buried objects in layered media, upon which we focus in the special section. In brief, this means that the solution methods must not be reduced to incremental improvements over existing ones. They must be validated in-depth, have sound theoretical bases and knowledge of the peculiarities and of the limitations of the measurements. Naturally, this means that the technologically advanced sensors that are available nowadays, together with advanced computers, provide increasingly reliable data and powerful implementations of solution methods. But as yet they do not provide us with the solution itself. This is evident in the papers published today—they rely on rigorous analyses, clever insights and much labour. Also, it is necessary to solve first and often simultaneously (within iterative retrievals) a sequence of direct (forward) wave-field problems. This is needed to understand the interaction, determine key parameters, estimate which models best fit our inversion needs and acquire well-generated synthetic data for cost-effective preliminary testing of methods. The 14 papers in this special section should do justice to the above, overall if not every one individually. Ordered alphabetically, by the first author, the articles are as follows: • A Baussard, E L Miller and D Lesselier, in `Adaptive multiscale reconstruction of buried objects', seek to improve the speed and robustness of a nonlinear inversion (here limited to the case of two-dimensional objects in a half space) using a novel coarse-to-fine iterative strategy which involves a pyramid of B-splines of degree 3. In order to map the distribution of electromagnetic parameters sought, increasingly finer representations are progressively introduced in the areas of interest, i.e. those where the objects emerge from the background as the iterations go on. This was done following the testing of the improvement which such representations may or may not bring. • N V Budko and R F Remis, in `Electromagnetic inversion using a reduced-order three-dimensional homogeneous model', start from the idea of seeking an effective medium three-dimensional homogeneous scatterer which will be equivalent to the true one, with the assumption of a known target support. They then develop, and illustrate through a variety of numerical examples (including an inhomogeneous target), a model-based approach which involves the so-called Arnoldi decomposition and uses a reduced-order representation of the objective functional in order to avoid (in particular) the unusually high computational costs caused by repetitive solutions of the forward problem. This may have interesting applications in the low frequency limit. • X Chen, K O'Neill, B E Barrowes, T M Grzegorczyk and J A Kong, in `Application of a spheroidal-mode approach and a differential evolution algorithm for inversion of magneto-quasistatic data in UXO discrimination', tackle the critical issue of the detection and characterization of unexploded ordnance in conflict and training zones, using low-frequency probing tools (working in the quasistatic regime) available in the field. They address both the case of spheroidal objects and that of complex objects possibly included within spheroidal surfaces, and compute the coefficients of spheroidal field expansions that are characteristic of their magnetic response. From a library of coefficients, fast forward models are employed within a differential evolution approach in order to reconstruct in an effective fashion pertinent features of actual ordnances as shown from synthetic and measured data. Then, the detection and characterization problem can be made much simpler than the inverse problem. • T J Cui, Y Qin, G-L Wang and W C Chew, in `Low-frequency detection of two-dimensional buried objects using high-order extended Born approximations', develop a full range of higher and higher approximations (starting from the Born one and encompassing the extended Born one, and then pursue beyond them both in a recursive fashion) in order to avoid solving the fully nonlinear problem for large contrasts of the sought obstacles. Then they show how these developments can be employed for such types of objects in lossy media at low enough frequency, yielding reliable images at the moderate computational expense of tackling a properly regularized linear inverse problem and recursively using the high-order approximations thereupon. • A Dubois, K Belkebir and M Saillard, in `Localization and characterization of two-dimensional targets buried in a cluttered environment', counter the clutter problem (so far only in a two-dimensional setting) via a combination of a hybrid iterative minimization—reduced to a modified gradient or to a Newton-type algorithm—and of the DORT (decomposition of the time reversal operator) method—which currently enjoys a number of developments for electromagnetic detection and numbering of buried objects. This novel combination enables one to synthesize waves that are focused onto the scatterers, an appropriate DORT-related objective functional being added or multiplied to the standard one minimized along the course of the iterations. In so doing, strong clutter, which usually tends to shadow the targets and/or produce severe artifacts, is overcome to a suitable extent. • B Duchêne, A Joisel and M Lambert, in `Nonlinear inversions of immersed objects using laboratory-controlled data', discuss the inversion of laboratory data that emulate buried objects in the ocean and where the data are very limited and the environment is highly attenuative. The forward model is employed with an integral equation approach. The inverse scattering algorithm uses the level set method as well as a binary specialized contrast source method. Though computationally intensive these approaches are expected to be effective whenever linearization of the inversion fails. Two types of antennae were tested out in the experiment, a small one and a larger one. It is found, in particular, that the smaller antenna reproduces the modelled result better than the larger one. • X Feng and M Sato, in `Pre-stack migration applied to GPR for landmine detection', investigate the testing of a ground penetrating radar with synthetic aperture, acquiring mid-point multi-offset data in the demanding situations (strong clutter) of inhomogeneous soil and rough ground and/or of steeply oblique landmines. This is done in practice with experimental data, and is thoroughly illustrated by numerical experiments in the framework of migration techniques. These techniques are tailored to provide an approximate but robust solution to the highly involved three-dimensional vector wave-field inversion problem which is relevant here. • A Kirsch, in `The factorization method for Maxwell's equations', shows how the theory of the recently introduced and much considered factorization method can be developed in a sound theoretical fashion for the time-harmonic three-dimensional Maxwell system when far-field scattering patterns are known—by constructing a binary criterion which tells whether, if a given point lies inside or outside an unknown obstacle, the shape of which is to be retrieved. The vector nature of the electromagnetic field is fully considered in this paper. This is investigated in depth both for a lossy obstacle (with lower-bounded imaginary part of the dielectric permittivity) and for a lossless one (albeit with smoothly varying dielectric permittivity). Useful comparisons with the linear sampling method are also made in the conclusion. • A Massa, M Pastorino and A Randazzo, in `Reconstruction of two-dimensional buried objects by a differential evolution method', cast the nonlinear inversion problem into the form of a global optimization problem. They combine properly weighted state (coupling) and data (observation) residuals and solve the problem by means of the differential evolution algorithm. Though limited at this stage to a two-dimensional setting and scalar fields, and to a limited exploration zone in space, the applicability of the procedure strongly relies on an appropriate strategy to construct trial solutions at low computational cost. Ways to achieve this strategy are studied and illustrated by the authors. • G A Newman and P T Boggs, in `Solution accelerators for large scale three-dimensional electromagnetic inverse problems', are interested in the solution of full vector three-dimensional inversion problems which involve a large number of unknowns, such as for monitoring oil recovery at diffusive frequencies. Much relies on properly preconditioning—an approximate Hessian was introduced to that effect via the solution of an approximate adjoint problem. They then propose two solution algorithms, known as the nonlinear conjugate gradient and the limited-memory quasi-Newton, and investigate their behaviour both in theory and via numerical experiments that are closely inspired by real-world applications. • L-P Song and Q H Liu, in `Fast three-dimensional electromagnetic nonlinear inversion in layered media with a novel scattering approximation', introduce within a full vector three-dimensional setting a source-dependent diagonal scattering tensor which leads them to a modelling method with a wider range of validity than the existing extended Born and other similar approaches. Then they show the efficiency of their model for electromagnetic imaging via an iterative inversion which involves carefully tuned regularization factors that are functions of the Fréchet sensitivity matrix. • G L Wang, W C Chew, T J Cui, A A Aydiner, D L Wright and D V Smith, in `3D near-to-surface conductivity reconstruction by inversion of VETEM data using the distorted Born iterative method', are preoccupied by the deciphering of data provided by the very early time electromagnetic (VETEM) system in the kHz to MHz range in order to reconstruct conductive structures in subsoils. A fast direct solver is introduced and used in the iterative reconstruction with a properly chosen regularization parameter. Yet this remains computationally expensive, as the authors illustrate. Through examples drawn from synthetic and real-world data, they retrieve the conductivity map of the search zone as a combination of sub-maps found separately, demonstrating its usefulness. • Y Yu, B Krishnapuram and L Carin, in `Inverse scattering with sparse Bayesian vector regression', develop on strong Bayesian foundations and statistical learning, a regression-based method in a vector framework (the sought parameters are in vector form), which preserves sparsity (only the most relevant examples from the training set are employed) and is appropriate for on-line decisions since here, in particular, all forward calculations are carried out beforehand. Once trained using synthetic and measured data, they apply the method to the retrieval of cubical targets buried in soil which are equivalent to the actual target. • M S Zhdanov and A Chernyavskiy, in `Rapid three-dimensional inversion of multi-transmitter electromagnetic data using the spectral Lanczos decomposition method', work out a spectral Lanczos decomposition method in order to apply it to vector three-dimensional inversion (with present-day applications to mining exploration from helicopter-borne data along prescribed flight lines) using the localized quasilinear inversion previously introduced in the literature. This decomposition method has the advantage of providing a regularized solution for all values of the regularization parameter (which weighs in a data error and a model error, the latter with respect to some priors) at once. Synthetic and real data are shown to be amenable to useful retrievals in complex geological environments. To conclude, we would like to thank all those involved in the preparation of this special section at the Institute of Physics for their dedicated work, and to thank all referees (there were many of them) for their thorough and timely reviews of the papers, which was not an easy task in view of the constraints we put on them and of the technical complexity of many of the contributions. Special thanks should go to the Publisher, Elaine Longden-Chapman, and the Publishing Administrator, Kate Hooper, without whom none of this could have been done and, in particular, no deadlines met! The Editor-in-Chief, F A Grünbaum, and all the members of the Editorial Board, gave us the great opportunity to organize this section, and they should be thanked again for their kind support. The last word of this introduction should, however, go out to the reader. We hope that he/she will appreciate the in-depth analysis of the electromagnetic retrieval of buried obstacles presented in the contributions of the special section, the variety of challenging issues dealt within and the cleverness of many of the solution methods proposed and investigated. We also know that many contributions will require from the reader a good level of multi-disciplinary expertise and sometimes quite considerable labour to get into the intricacies of the authors' analyses. And, to tell the truth, we have often found ourselves, as Guest Editors, on the verge of also being overwhelmed by the vast amount of knowledge required to understand and judge those intricacies. Ultimately, however, what should matter most now this special section is published is that some good light has been shed on many open and critical issues in the theoretical and applied field of electromagnetic inversion of buried obstacles. This is, in our opinion, very stimulating for those who are interested in this domain and who understand its relevance to many technical fields, as well as the integration of and synergy between such fields required to achieve a reliable result.

Computer simulation of explosion crater in dams with different buried depths of explosive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhichao; Ye, Longzhen

2018-04-01

Based on multi-material ALE method, this paper conducted a computer simulation on the explosion crater in dams with different buried depths of explosive using LS-DYNA program. The results turn out that the crater size increases with the increase of buried depth of explosive at first, but closed explosion cavity rather than a visible crater is formed when the buried depth of explosive increases to some extent. The soil in the explosion cavity is taken away by the explosion products and the soil under the explosion cavity is compressed with its density increased. The research can provide some reference for the anti-explosion design of dams in the future.

Superior broadband antireflection from buried Mie resonator arrays for high-efficiency photovoltaics

PubMed Central

Zhong, Sihua; Zeng, Yang; Huang, Zengguang; Shen, Wenzhong

2015-01-01

Establishing reliable and efficient antireflection structures is of crucial importance for realizing high-performance optoelectronic devices such as solar cells. In this study, we provide a design guideline for buried Mie resonator arrays, which is composed of silicon nanostructures atop a silicon substrate and buried by a dielectric film, to attain a superior antireflection effect over a broadband spectral range by gaining entirely new discoveries of their antireflection behaviors. We find that the buried Mie resonator arrays mainly play a role as a transparent antireflection structure and their antireflection effect is insensitive to the nanostructure height when higher than 150 nm, which are of prominent significance for photovoltaic applications in the reduction of photoexcited carrier recombination. We further optimally combine the buried Mie resonator arrays with micron-scale textures to maximize the utilization of photons, and thus have successfully achieved an independently certified efficiency of 18.47% for the nanostructured silicon solar cells on a large-size wafer (156 mm × 156 mm). PMID:25746848

Detection and characterization of buried lunar craters with GRAIL data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sood, Rohan; Chappaz, Loic; Melosh, Henry J.; Howell, Kathleen C.; Milbury, Colleen; Blair, David M.; Zuber, Maria T.

2017-06-01

We used gravity mapping observations from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) to detect, characterize and validate the presence of large impact craters buried beneath the lunar maria. In this paper we focus on two prominent anomalies detected in the GRAIL data using the gravity gradiometry technique. Our detection strategy is applied to both free-air and Bouguer gravity field observations to identify gravitational signatures that are similar to those observed over buried craters. The presence of buried craters is further supported by individual analysis of regional free-air gravity anomalies, Bouguer gravity anomaly maps, and forward modeling. Our best candidate, for which we propose the informal name of Earhart Crater, is approximately 200 km in diameter and forms part of the northwestern rim of Lacus Somniorum, The other candidate, for which we propose the informal name of Ashoka Anomaly, is approximately 160 km in diameter and lies completely buried beneath Mare Tranquillitatis. Other large, still unrecognized, craters undoubtedly underlie other portions of the Moon's vast mare lavas.

Kirschner wire pin tract infection rates between percutaneous and buried wires in treating metacarpal and phalangeal fractures.

PubMed

Rafique, Atif; Ghani, Shahab; Sadiq, Moiz; Siddiqui, Intisar Ahmed

2006-08-01

To compare pin tract infection rate between percutaneous and buried placement of Kirschner (K-) wiring for hand fractures. Quasi--experimental study. Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand and Burn Surgery Unit, Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi, from September 2005--February 2006. Patients with fractures of metacarpals and phalanges of hand were selected by non-probability purposive method. Assessment of pin tract infection by clinical examination and pin tract scoring was done by modification of Oppenheim classification. Statistical analysis was done using Chi-square test. Ten out of 55 percutaneous and 2 out of 45 buried wires were infected. The difference in infection rates of two groups was statistically significant at p<0.05. Three percutaneous, but not buried Kirschner wires, had to be removed before 4 weeks because of failure to respond to local wound care and oral antibiotics. Percutaneous K- wires had significantly greater infection rate than wires which were buried deep to the skin.

Use of stabilizing mutations to engineer a charged group within a ligand-binding hydrophobic cavity in T4 lysozyme.

PubMed

Liu, Lijun; Baase, Walter A; Michael, Miya M; Matthews, Brian W

2009-09-22

Both large-to-small and nonpolar-to-polar mutations in the hydrophobic core of T4 lysozyme cause significant loss in stability. By including supplementary stabilizing mutations we constructed a variant that combines the cavity-creating substitution Leu99 --> Ala with the buried charge mutant Met102 --> Glu. Crystal structure determination confirmed that this variant has a large cavity with the side chain of Glu102 located within the cavity wall. The cavity includes a large disk-shaped region plus a bulge. The disk-like region is essentially nonpolar, similar to L99A, while the Glu102 substituent is located in the vicinity of the bulge. Three ordered water molecules bind within this part of the cavity and appear to stabilize the conformation of Glu102. Glu102 has an estimated pKa of about 5.5-6.5, suggesting that it is at least partially charged in the crystal structure. The polar ligands pyridine, phenol and aniline bind within the cavity, and crystal structures of the complexes show one or two water molecules to be retained. Nonpolar ligands of appropriate shape can also bind in the cavity and in some cases exclude all three water molecules. This disrupts the hydrogen-bond network and causes the Glu102 side chain to move away from the ligand by up to 0.8 A where it remains buried in a completely nonpolar environment. Isothermal titration calorimetry revealed that the binding of these compounds stabilizes the protein by 4-6 kcal/mol. For both polar and nonpolar ligands the binding is enthalpically driven. Large negative changes in entropy adversely balance the binding of the polar ligands, whereas entropy has little effect on the nonpolar ligand binding.

A buried marine depositional sequence (Presumpscot FM. ) N. of the marine limit, Waterboro, Maine

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

Morency, R.E.

Subsurface investigations conducted in Waterboro, ME (York Co.) in connection with studies of two hazardous waste sites and a municipal water supply exploration project, have demonstrated that a laterally extensive sequence of marine deposits underlies surficial sediments mapped as non-esker ice contact glacio-fluvial deposits. The marine deposits consist of a fining-downwards sequence of grey, micaceous sands (fine to medium, grading down to a silty-fine sand), which grade downward into a thick ([plus minus] 30 feet) grey silt/clay unit, which itself shows a fining-downward trend. The stratigraphy is likely correlative to the Presumpscot Formation, as described by Bloom (1963). The bottommore » of the regressive marine sequence is marked at several locations by a thin layer of sand-sized biotite mica. Lodgement till was encountered only at scattered localities (in boreholes) at each site. The bedrock surface is of considerable relief, with changes of 200--300 feet over short distances detected. The sequence appears to be the record of a rapidly transgressing sea which inundated a valley where outwash had been deposited by meltwater ahead of retreating ice. As the sea retreated, up to 70 feet of sediment was deposited in a continuous, coarsening-upwards sequence. Subsequent to the marine regression, the sediments were reworked in a subaerial (braided stream) environment. The Surficial Geologic Map of Maine shows that the inland limit of late-glacial marine submergence is located approximately 8 miles southwest of Waterboro, in Alfred, Maine. The marine limit in Alfred takes the form of a NNE trending, blunt-ended embayment. The results of this study suggest that the marine embayment once extended northward from Alfred, and is now a buried feature, possibly representing a preglacial valley, which hosted an estuary in late Wisconsonian time.« less

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

F. Perry; R. Youngs

The purpose of this scientific analysis report is threefold: (1) Present a conceptual framework of igneous activity in the Yucca Mountain region (YMR) consistent with the volcanic and tectonic history of this region and the assessment of this history by experts who participated in the probabilistic volcanic hazard analysis (PVHA) (CRWMS M&O 1996 [DIRS 100116]). Conceptual models presented in the PVHA are summarized and applied in areas in which new information has been presented. Alternative conceptual models are discussed, as well as their impact on probability models. The relationship between volcanic source zones defined in the PVHA and structural featuresmore » of the YMR are described based on discussions in the PVHA and studies presented since the PVHA. (2) Present revised probability calculations based on PVHA outputs for a repository footprint proposed in 2003 (BSC 2003 [DIRS 162289]), rather than the footprint used at the time of the PVHA. This analysis report also calculates the probability of an eruptive center(s) forming within the repository footprint using information developed in the PVHA. Probability distributions are presented for the length and orientation of volcanic dikes located within the repository footprint and for the number of eruptive centers (conditional on a dike intersecting the repository) located within the repository footprint. (3) Document sensitivity studies that analyze how the presence of potentially buried basaltic volcanoes may affect the computed frequency of intersection of the repository footprint by a basaltic dike. These sensitivity studies are prompted by aeromagnetic data collected in 1999, indicating the possible presence of previously unrecognized buried volcanoes in the YMR (Blakely et al. 2000 [DIRS 151881]; O'Leary et al. 2002 [DIRS 158468]). The results of the sensitivity studies are for informational purposes only and are not to be used for purposes of assessing repository performance.« less

Microwave life detector for buried victims using neutrodyning loop based system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tahar J., Bel Hadj

2009-07-01

This paper describes a new design of an electromagnetic life detector for the detection of buried victims. The principle of the microwave life sensor is based on the detection of the modulated part of a scattered wave which is generated by the breathing activity of the victim. Those movements generate a spectral component located in the low frequency range, which for most of the cases, is located in a spectrum extending from 0.18 Hz to 0.34 Hz. The detection process requires high sensitivity with respect to breathing movements and, simultaneously, a relative insensitivity for other non-modulated or modulated parasitic signals. Developed microwave system, generating a frequency adjustable between 500 MHz and 1 GHz, is based on a neutrodyning loop required to cancel any non-modulated background and reflected signals in order to get better receiver sensitivity without introducing supplementary distortions on the received signal. Life signal is considered practically periodic that facilitates the extraction of this spectral component using several processing techniques, such as adaptive filtering and correlation permitting to ameliorate the detection range to be more than 15 m in low-loss medium. Detection range is a fundamental parameter for a microwave life detector. A range around 1 m doesn't have a large interest for this application. To attain a range more than 15 m, while guaranteeing professional performances, the technology has to optimize the system parameters as well as the involved signal processing for the purpose of overcoming the presence of obstacles, attenuation, and noise perturbation. This constitutes the main contribution of the present work. Experimental measurements have confirmed the potentiality of this microwave technique for life detector with best space covering detection.

Model identification and control of development of deeply buried paleokarst reservoir in the central Tarim Basin, northwest China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Jingbo; Li, Zhong; Yang, Liu; Han, Yinxue

2018-04-01

The paleokarst reservoirs of the Ordovician Yingshan formation, rich in oil and gas, are deeply buried in the central Tarim Basin, northwest China. Dozens of imaging well-logs in this region reveal five typical paleokarst features, including solution vugs, solution-enlarged fractures, filled caves, unfilled caves and collapsed caves, as well as two typical paleokarst structures located in different paleotopographic sites, including paleokarst vadose and phreatic zones. For seismic data, the large wave impedance contrast between the paleocave system and the surrounding rocks leads to a strong seismic reflection, which is highlighted as a bead-like ‘bright spot’ in a seismic section. By quantitatively estimating the seismic resolution limits of deep seismic reflections, a single paleocave cannot be identified from a seismic profile, and the bead-like reflection represents an entire paleocave complex. The spectral decomposition technique was employed to depict the planar shape and semi-quantitatively measure the size of the paleocave complexes. The results indicate that the sizes of the paleokarst caves are all small, and most of the karst caves are nearly completely filled by clay and calcite. The small cave size and the effective support of cave fills for the overlying strata mean that some individual paleocaves in a paleocave complex are preserved at a burial depth of more than 6000 m. Paleotopography and faults strongly impact the distribution of paleokarst reservoirs. Well-developed paleokarst reservoirs are generally located in paleotopographic highlands and on slopes, and for a specific paleotopographic site, the distribution of paleokarst reservoirs is obviously controlled by NW-SE trending faults. The most favorable area for paleokarst development is the Tazhong No. 10 fault zone, a faulted anticline bounded by two NW-SE trending back thrusts.

Buried hatchets, marked locations: Forgiveness, everyday racial discrimination, and African-American men’s depressive symptomatology

PubMed Central

Powell, Wizdom; Banks, Kira Hudson; Mattis, Jacqueline S.

2016-01-01

Everyday racial discrimination (ERD) is linked to pronounced depressive symptomatology among African-American men. Yet, many African-American men do not experience depressive symptoms following ERD exposure often because they employ positive coping strategies that offset its effects. Granting forgiveness is one coping strategy associated with less depression. However, extant findings about the mental health benefits of forgiveness are somewhat mixed and pay scarce attention to offenses which are fleeting, historically rooted, and committed outside of close personal relationships. Evidence further suggest age-related differences in forgiveness, ERD exposure, and depressive symptoms. We explore the extent to which three strategies of granting forgiveness of ERD—letting go of negative emotion (negative release), embracing positive emotion (positive embrace), or combining both (combined)— are associated with less depressive symptomatology in 674 African-American men (ages 18-79). Building on past findings, we also test whether these forgiveness strategies moderate the ERD-depressive symptoms relationship for men in different age groups (18-25, 26-39, 40). Higher combined and negative release forgiveness were directly related to lower depressive symptoms among 18-25 year-olds. We also detected a less pronounced positive relationship between ERD and depressive symptoms among men reporting high levels of combined (18-25 and 26-39 groups) and negative release (26-39 and 40+ groups) forgiveness. We observed a more pronounced positive ERD-depressive symptoms relationship among 18-25 and 26-39 year-olds reporting lower forgiveness. When faced with frequent ERD, younger African-American men may have the most difficult time burying hatchets without marking their location but experience more positive mental health benefits when they do. PMID:27786503

Forgetting What Was Where: The Fragility of Object-Location Binding

PubMed Central

Pertzov, Yoni; Dong, Mia Yuan; Peich, Muy-Cheng; Husain, Masud

2012-01-01

Although we frequently take advantage of memory for objects locations in everyday life, understanding how an object’s identity is bound correctly to its location remains unclear. Here we examine how information about object identity, location and crucially object-location associations are differentially susceptible to forgetting, over variable retention intervals and memory load. In our task, participants relocated objects to their remembered locations using a touchscreen. When participants mislocalized objects, their reports were clustered around the locations of other objects in the array, rather than occurring randomly. These ‘swap’ errors could not be attributed to simple failure to remember either the identity or location of the objects, but rather appeared to arise from failure to bind object identity and location in memory. Moreover, such binding failures significantly contributed to decline in localization performance over retention time. We conclude that when objects are forgotten they do not disappear completely from memory, but rather it is the links between identity and location that are prone to be broken over time. PMID:23118956

Compact Buried Ducts in a Hot-Humid Climate House

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

Mallay, D.

2016-01-01

A system of compact, buried ducts provides a high-performance and cost-effective solution for delivering conditioned air throughout the building. This report outlines research activities that are expected to facilitate adoption of compact buried duct systems by builders. The results of this research would be scalable to many new house designs in most climates and markets, leading to wider industry acceptance and building code and energy program approval.

Dental disease and dietary isotopes of individuals from St Gertrude Church cemetery, Riga, Latvia.

PubMed

Petersone-Gordina, Elina; Roberts, Charlotte; Millard, Andrew R; Montgomery, Janet; Gerhards, Guntis

2018-01-01

This research explores oral health indicators and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope data to explore diet, and differences in diet, between people buried in the four different contexts of the St Gertrude Church cemetery (15th- 17th centuries AD): the general cemetery, two mass graves, and a collective mass burial pit within the general cemetery. The main aim is to assess whether people buried in the mass graves were rural immigrants, or if they were more likely to be the victims of plague (or another epidemic) who lived in Riga and its suburbs. The data produced (from dental disease assessments and isotope analyses) were compared within, as well as between, the contexts. Most differences emerged when comparing the prevalence rates of dental diseases and other oral health indicators in males and females between the contexts, while isotope analysis revealed more individual, rather than context-specific, differences. The data suggested that the populations buried in the mass graves were different from those buried in the general cemetery, and support the theory that rural immigrants were buried in both mass graves. Significant differences were observed in some aspects of the data between the mass graves, however, possibly indicating that the people buried in them do not represent the same community.

Dental disease and dietary isotopes of individuals from St Gertrude Church cemetery, Riga, Latvia

PubMed Central

Roberts, Charlotte; Millard, Andrew R.; Montgomery, Janet; Gerhards, Guntis

2018-01-01

This research explores oral health indicators and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope data to explore diet, and differences in diet, between people buried in the four different contexts of the St Gertrude Church cemetery (15th– 17th centuries AD): the general cemetery, two mass graves, and a collective mass burial pit within the general cemetery. The main aim is to assess whether people buried in the mass graves were rural immigrants, or if they were more likely to be the victims of plague (or another epidemic) who lived in Riga and its suburbs. The data produced (from dental disease assessments and isotope analyses) were compared within, as well as between, the contexts. Most differences emerged when comparing the prevalence rates of dental diseases and other oral health indicators in males and females between the contexts, while isotope analysis revealed more individual, rather than context-specific, differences. The data suggested that the populations buried in the mass graves were different from those buried in the general cemetery, and support the theory that rural immigrants were buried in both mass graves. Significant differences were observed in some aspects of the data between the mass graves, however, possibly indicating that the people buried in them do not represent the same community. PMID:29364968

Integrated geophysical and LIDAR surveys at the archaeological site of Ancient Epomanduodurum, Mandeure-Mathay (Doubs, Eastern France).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thivet, M.; Bossuet, G.; Laplaige, C.

2009-04-01

For several years, some integrated geophysical studies were carried out at Mandeure-Mathay (Franche-Comté Region, Eastern France) for the archaeological evaluation of ancient Epomanduodurum. It's a site of a major scientific interest for understanding the territorial structure of earliest agglomerations in the Eastern Gaul at the end of the Iron Age and during the Roman period. As regards its size, urban equipment, monuments and function, the ancient town is considered as the second behind the civitas capital of Sequani, Besançon-Vesontio. It is located in the Doubs valley, where the plain of Alsace opens into the marches of Burgundy, in a traffic zone between the Vosges and the Jura. This location allows transit between the Rhône valley and the Rhein plain, through Saône and Doubs valleys. This geographical situation was a significant factor in the creation of the late Iron Age settlement, later to turn into a major Gallo-roman town. The whole site includes urban centre and two artisan suburbs. The buried ruins are extended moreover 500 hectares outside and inside a meander of the river. The first "well-organized" research done on the site goes back as far as the end of the 18th Century. However, it is only round the beginning of the 19th century that major constructions such as the theatre (1820) and the sanctuary (1880) were uncovered. The status and the influence of Latenian sanctuary, located in the centre part of a great monumental complex of Early Augustan period, played probably an important role in the emergence of this foreground agglomeration. From the beginning of the survey, in 2001, high resolution and no invasive geophysical methods have been performed on large scale both on the terrace and in the floodplain. Automatic Resistivity Profiling (ARP) and magnetic mapping were taken in grids covering respective areas of 60 and 40 hectares. Ground penetrating radar was occasionally used to confirm the detection of specific anthropogenic anomalies. Numerous relics of public buildings as varied as temples, castrum, thermae, artisan and residential quarters or local system of roads were revealed by geophysical prospecting, enhancing largely the spatial pattern of buried relics of this site. Detailed information about use and chronology of some monumental structures were obtained by restricted excavations. Also, field walking, aerial photography, Digital Elevation Model have been combined with geophysical data using Geographic Information Systems. It allows to produce a general plan of the Gallo roman structures and to reconstruct settlement evolution. For the study of the surrounding country of ancient Epomanduodurum, we will use the light detection and ranging technology (LIDAR) on a selected area survey of 81 km². This method is well adapted for the detection and location of cultural resources (ancient fields, buried structures, graves) in forested environment which in our case represents 45% of the surface coverage. For some restricted areas, a combination and a comparison between Lidar, geophysical prospecting and field walking will be performed in order to achieve the best possible interpretation of the archaeological features.

Sex and spatial position effects on object location memory following intentional learning of object identities.

PubMed

Alexander, Gerianne M; Packard, Mark G; Peterson, Bradley S

2002-01-01

Memory for object location relative both to veridical center (left versus right visual hemispace) and to eccentricity (central versus peripheral objects) was measured in 26 males and 25 females using the Silverman and Eals Location Memory Task. A subset of participants (17 males and 13 females) also completed a measure of implicit learning, the mirror-tracing task. No sex differences were observed in memory for object identities. Further, in both sexes, memory for object locations was better for peripherally located objects than for centrally located objects. In contrast to these similarities in female and male task performance, females but not males showed better recovery of object locations in the right compared to the left visual hemispace. Moreover, memory for object locations in the right hemispace was associated with mirror-tracing performance in women but not in men. Together, these data suggest that the processing of object features and object identification in the left cerebral hemisphere may include processing of spatial information that may contribute to superior object location memory in females relative to males.

Distinct microbial communities associated with buried soils in the Siberian tundra

PubMed Central

Gittel, Antje; Bárta, Jiří; Kohoutová, Iva; Mikutta, Robert; Owens, Sarah; Gilbert, Jack; Schnecker, Jörg; Wild, Birgit; Hannisdal, Bjarte; Maerz, Joeran; Lashchinskiy, Nikolay; Čapek, Petr; Šantrůčková, Hana; Gentsch, Norman; Shibistova, Olga; Guggenberger, Georg; Richter, Andreas; Torsvik, Vigdis L; Schleper, Christa; Urich, Tim

2014-01-01

Cryoturbation, the burial of topsoil material into deeper soil horizons by repeated freeze–thaw events, is an important storage mechanism for soil organic matter (SOM) in permafrost-affected soils. Besides abiotic conditions, microbial community structure and the accessibility of SOM to the decomposer community are hypothesized to control SOM decomposition and thus have a crucial role in SOM accumulation in buried soils. We surveyed the microbial community structure in cryoturbated soils from nine soil profiles in the northeastern Siberian tundra using high-throughput sequencing and quantification of bacterial, archaeal and fungal marker genes. We found that bacterial abundances in buried topsoils were as high as in unburied topsoils. In contrast, fungal abundances decreased with depth and were significantly lower in buried than in unburied topsoils resulting in remarkably low fungal to bacterial ratios in buried topsoils. Fungal community profiling revealed an associated decrease in presumably ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi. The abiotic conditions (low to subzero temperatures, anoxia) and the reduced abundance of fungi likely provide a niche for bacterial, facultative anaerobic decomposers of SOM such as members of the Actinobacteria, which were found in significantly higher relative abundances in buried than in unburied topsoils. Our study expands the knowledge on the microbial community structure in soils of Northern latitude permafrost regions, and attributes the delayed decomposition of SOM in buried soils to specific microbial taxa, and particularly to a decrease in abundance and activity of ECM fungi, and to the extent to which bacterial decomposers are able to act as their functional substitutes. PMID:24335828

Buried penis after newborn circumcision.

PubMed

Eroğlu, Egemen; Bastian, Okan W; Ozkan, Hilda C; Yorukalp, Ozlem E; Goksel, Ayla K

2009-04-01

Buried penis may develop after circumcision, mostly during infancy, presumably due to peripubic fat. A surgical approach may be recommended for psychological benefits to patients and parents, and because it is believed that this condition will not improve on its own with time. The aim of this study was to assess the natural history of buried penis after newborn circumcision. During a routine visit to the pediatrician infants with buried penis were assessed by a single pediatric surgeon between January 2004 and June 2007. In December 2007 all of these children were reexamined by the same pediatric surgeon and the natural growth of the genitalia was analyzed. A total of 88 infants were enrolled in the study. When they were first examined they were 3 to 6 months old (mean 3.3). In December 2007, after reexamination, patients were divided into groups based on age, including those younger than 1 year (14 patients), 1 to 3 years (59) and older than 3 years (15). The aspect of the genitalia was evaluated by the same pediatric surgeon for each patient. Buried penis was noted in 14 of 14 patients younger than 1 year (100%), 19 of 59 patients 1 to 3 years old (32.2%) and 1 of 15 patients older than 3 years (6.7%). Buried penis after newborn circumcision is not permanent. As infants get older, and after beginning to walk, the appearance usually turns out to be normal. This resolution may be due to growth and/or maturation alone. Based on our results, we do not recommend surgery for buried penis in children younger than 3 years.

Displaced humeral lateral condyle fractures in children: should we bury the pins?

PubMed

Das De, Soumen; Bae, Donald S; Waters, Peter M

2012-09-01

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if leaving Kirschner wires exposed is more cost-effective than burying them subcutaneously after open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of humeral lateral condyle fractures. A retrospective cohort study of all lateral condyle fractures treated over a 10-year period at a single institution was performed. Data on surgical technique, fracture healing, and complications were analyzed, as well as treatment costs. A decision analysis model was then constructed to compare the strategies of leaving the pins exposed versus buried. Finally, sensitivity analyses were performed, assessing cost-effectiveness when infection rates and costs of treating deep infections were varied. A total of 235 children with displaced fractures were treated with ORIF using Kirschner wires. Pins were left exposed in 41 cases (17.4%) and buried in 194 cases (82.6%); the age, sex, injury mechanisms, and fracture patterns were similar in both the groups. The median time to removal of implants was shorter with exposed versus buried pins (4 vs. 6 wk, P<0.001), although there was no difference in fracture union or loss of reduction rates. The rate of superficial infection was higher with exposed pins (9.8% vs. 3.1%), but this was not statistically significant (P=0.076). There were no deep infections with exposed pins, whereas the rate of deep infection was 0.5% with buried pins (P=1.00). Buried pins were associated with additional complications, including symptomatic implants (7.2%); pins protruding through the skin (16%); internal pin migration necessitating additional surgery (1%); and skin necrosis (1%). The decision analysis revealed that leaving pins exposed resulted in an average cost savings of $3442 per patient. This strategy remained cost-effective even when infection rates with exposed pins approached 40%. Leaving the pins exposed after ORIF of lateral condyle fractures is safe and more cost-effective than burying the pins subcutaneously. Retrospective cohort study (level III).

Numerical modeling of magnetic moments for UXO applications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sanchez, V.; Li, Y.; Nabighian, M.; Wright, D.

2006-01-01

The surface magnetic anomaly observed in UXO clearance is mainly dipolar and, consequently, the dipole is the only magnetic moment regularly recovered in UXO applications. The dipole moment contains information about intensity of magnetization but lacks information about shape. In contrast, higher-order moments, such as quadrupole and octupole, encode asymmetry properties of the magnetization distribution within the buried targets. In order to improve our understanding of magnetization distribution within UXO and non-UXO objects and its potential utility in UXO clearance, we present a 3D numerical modeling study for highly susceptible metallic objects. The basis for the modeling is the solution of a nonlinear integral equation describing magnetization within isolated objects. A solution for magnetization distribution then allows us to compute magnetic moments of the object, analyze their relationships, and provide a depiction of the surface anomaly produced by different moments within the object. Our modeling results show significant high-order moments for more asymmetric objects situated at depths typical of UXO burial, and suggest that the increased relative contribution to magnetic gradient data from these higher-order moments may provide a practical tool for improved UXO discrimination.

Relative importance of magnetic moments in UXO clearance applications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sanchez, V.; Li, Y.; Nabighian, M.; Wright, D.

2006-01-01

Surface magnetic anomaly observed in UXO clearance is mainly dipolar and, as a result, the dipole is the only moment used regularly in UXO applications. The dipole moment contains intensity of magnetization information but lacks shape information. Unlike dipole, higher-order moments, such as quadrupole and octupole, encode asymmetry properties of magnetization distribution within buried targets. In order to improve our understanding of magnetization distribution within UXO and non-UXO objects and its potential utility in UXO clearance, we present results of a 3D numerical modeling study for highly susceptible metallic objects. The basis for modeling is the solution of a nonlinear integral equation, describing magnetization within isolated objects, allowing us to compute magnetic moments of the object, analyze their relationships, and provide a depiction of the surface anomaly produced by the different moments within the object. Our modeling results show significant high-order moments for more asymmetric objects situated at typical UXO burial depths, and suggest that the increased relative contribution to magnetic gradient data from these higher-order moments may provide a practical tool for improved UXO discrimination. ?? 2005 Society of Exploration Geophysicists.

Forensic mycology: the use of fungi in criminal investigations.

PubMed

Hawksworth, David L; Wiltshire, Patricia E J

2011-03-20

This is the first overview to be published of the whole field of forensic mycology. It is based on all available information located in the literature, together with 13 examples from recent casework. Background information on fungi is given, and this is followed by an outline of the value, and potentially wide application, of mycology in criminal investigation. Applications include roles in: providing trace evidence; estimating time since death (post-mortem interval); ascertaining time of deposition; investigating cause of death, hallucinations, or poisonings; locating buried corpses; and biological warfare. Previous work has been critically evaluated, with particular attention to its evidential value, and suitability for presentation in a court of law. The situations where mycology might assist an investigation are summarised, and issues relating to the further development of the subject are presented. A comprehensive bibliography with 120 citations is provided. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research and Analysis on the Localization of a 3-D Single Source in Lossy Medium Using Uniform Circular Array

PubMed Central

Xue, Bing; Qu, Xiaodong; Fang, Guangyou; Ji, Yicai

2017-01-01

In this paper, the methods and analysis for estimating the location of a three-dimensional (3-D) single source buried in lossy medium are presented with uniform circular array (UCA). The mathematical model of the signal in the lossy medium is proposed. Using information in the covariance matrix obtained by the sensors’ outputs, equations of the source location (azimuth angle, elevation angle, and range) are obtained. Then, the phase and amplitude of the covariance matrix function are used to process the source localization in the lossy medium. By analyzing the characteristics of the proposed methods and the multiple signal classification (MUSIC) method, the computational complexity and the valid scope of these methods are given. From the results, whether the loss is known or not, we can choose the best method for processing the issues (localization in lossless medium or lossy medium). PMID:28574467

Thermal maturity patterns of Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks, San Juan Basin, Colorado and New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Law, B.E.

1992-01-01

Horizontal and vertical thermal maturity patterns and time-temperature modeling indicate that the high levels of thermal maturity in the northern part of the basin are due to either: 1) convective heat transfer associated with a deeply buried heat source located directly below the northern part of the basin or 2) the circulation of relatively hot fluids into the basin from a heat source north of the basin located near the San Juan Mountains. Time-temperature and kinetic modeling of nonlinear Rm profiles indicates that present-day heat flow is insufficient to account for the measured levels of thermal maturity. Furthermore, in order to match nonlinear Rm profiles, it is necessary to assign artifically high thermal-conductivity values to some of the stratigraphic units. These unrealistically high thermal conductivities are interpreted as evidence of convective heat transfer. -from Author

Measurement of helium isotopes in soil gas as an indicator of tritium groundwater contamination.

PubMed

Olsen, Khris B; Dresel, P Evan; Evans, John C; McMahon, William J; Poreda, Robert

2006-05-01

The focus of this study was to define the shape and extent of tritium groundwater contamination emanating from a legacy burial ground and to identify vadose zone sources of tritium using helium isotopes (3He and 4He) in soil gas. Helium isotopes were measured in soil-gas samples collected from 70 sampling points around the perimeter and downgradient of a burial ground that contains buried radioactive solid waste. The soil-gas samples were analyzed for helium isotopes using rare gas mass spectrometry. 3He/4He ratios, reported as normalized to the air ratio (RA), were used to locate the tritium groundwater plume emanating from the burial ground. The 3He (excess) suggested that the general location of the tritium source is within the burial ground. This study clearly demonstrated the efficacy of the 3He method for application to similar sites elsewhere within the DOE weapons complex.

Deep soil dynamics of floodplain carbon in the Central Valley of California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steger, Kristin; Kim, Amy T.; Viers, Joshua H.; Fiener, Peter; Smart, David R.

2017-04-01

Active floodplains can putatively store large amounts of organic carbon (SOC) in subsoils originating from catchment erosion processes with subsequent floodplain deposition. Changes in catchment land use patterns and river management to optimize agricultural use of the floodplain or to restore the floodplain back to natural systems may alter SOC stocks in these soils. Our study focussed on the assessment of SOC pools associated with alluvial floodplain soils converting from conventional arable use to restored flooding and floodplain vegetation. We evaluated depth-dependent SOC contents using 21 drillings down to 3m and 10 drillings down to 7m along a transect through a floodplain area of the lower Cosumnes River, a non-constrained tributary to the Sacramento - San Joaquin Delta in California. In general, our data underline the importance of carbon stocks in subsoils >1m, which represent up to 19 and 6% of SOC stocks at the different sampling locations accounting for drillings down to 3 and 7m, respectively. All of our sampling sites revealed a SOC-rich buried A horizon between 70 and 130cm with SOC concentrations between 11 and 17g/kg, representative of the functioning floodplain system pre-disturbance. Radiocarbon dating showed that the 14C age in the buried horizon was younger than in the overlaying soils, indicating a substantial sedimentation phase with sediments of low SOC concentrations and higher carbon age. This sedimentation phase was probably associated with the huge upstream sediment production resulting from the hydraulic gold mining at the Cosumnes River starting around 1860. Apart from larger SOC contents in the buried horizon compared to the recent topsoil, its 13C and 15N isotopic signature also differed suggesting a change in long-term input of plant organic matter as well as different fertilization regimes during the agricultural use of the area from approx. 1890 onwards. In summary, deep alluvial soils in floodplains store large amounts of SOC not yet accounted for in global models. Intensive agricultural use of these floodplains often combined with river regulation and embanking of floodplain areas may lead to a slow but continuous release of the buried SOC to the atmosphere. However, restoration of floodplains may promote the stabilization of alluvial SOC in floodplains and hence contribute to more sustainable soils.

Field operating experience in locating and re-recovering landslide-damaged oil wells

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

Johnson, R.J.

1974-01-01

Landslides have damaged 65 oil wells on Getty Oil Co.'s leases in the Ventura Avenue field. During a landslide, some wells may remain connected to the surface while other wells may be buried. Well damage ranges from slight bending to complete severing of all casing strings, and depth of damage varies from 15 to 120 ft. Two major problems have been encountered when repair work is planned for a landslide damaged well. The first problem is to locate the undamaged well casing below the landslide. The second problem is to recover the well and replace the damaged casing. Some methodsmore » used by Getty Oil Co. to locate the undamaged portion of a well are conventional surveys, dipneedle surveys, magnetometer surveys, kink-meter surveys, and test holes. Three methods have been used to recover landslide damaged wells in the Ventura Avenue field. The simplest method is an open excavation made with standard earthmoving equipment. This method is limited to shallow depths and locations where the landslide would not be reactivated. To reach greater depths, special methods such as hand-dug or machine-dug shafts must be used. All 3 methods have been used successfully by Getty Oil Co.« less

Progress on determining the vapor signature of a buried land mine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

George, Vivian; Jenkins, Thomas F.; Leggett, Daniel C.; Cragin, James H.; Phelan, James M.; Oxley, Jimmie C.; Pennington, Judy

1999-08-01

The goal of the DARPA 'Dog's Nose' program is to develop a sensor capable of detecting explosives contained in all buried landmines. In support of the DARPA program, the purpose of the Explosives Fate and Transport experiments is to define in detail the accessible trace chemical signature produced by the explosives contained in buried landmines. We intend to determine the partitioning, composition, and quantity of explosive related chemicals which emanate from different kinds of landmines buried in multiple soil types and exposed to various climatic events. We are also developing a computer model that will enable us to predict the composition and quantity of ERC under a much wider range of environmental conditions than we are able to test experimentally.

Brief description as of April, 1968, of the geology and hydrology of the Lake Minnequa area, Pueblo, Colorado, and suggested solutions for trouble caused by a high water table

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scott, Glenn R.

1972-01-01

Lake Minnequa lies in a poorly drained broad upland buried valley west of the valley of Salt Creek. Immediately north of Lake Minnequa the buried valley is sharply constricted in sees. 11 and 12, T. 21 S., R. 65 W., where it is entrenched in a buried ridge of bedrock (see geologic map).  The bedrock throughout the buried valley is composed of calcareous shale, limestone, and chalk of the Smoky Hill Shale Member of the Niobrara Formation.  These beds are relatively impermeable to the flow of ground water, but contribute large quantities of sodium sulfate to both the surface and ground water.

Extracting interface locations in multilayer polymer waveguide films using scanning angle Raman spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Bobbitt, Jonathan M.; Smith, Emily A.

2017-11-09

There is an increasing demand for nondestructive in situ techniques that measure chemical content, total thickness, and interface locations for multilayer polymer films, and SA Raman spectroscopy in combination with appropriate data models can provide this information. A scanning angle (SA) Raman spectroscopy method was developed to measure the chemical composition of multilayer polymer waveguide films and to extract the location of buried interfaces between polymer layers with 7–80-nm axial spatial resolution. The SA Raman method measures Raman spectra as the incident angle of light upon a prism-coupled thin film is scanned. Six multilayer films consisting of poly(methyl methacrylate)/polystyrene ormore » poly(methyl methacrylate)/polystyrene/poly(methyl methacrylate) were prepared with total thicknesses ranging from 330-1260 nm. The interface locations were varied by altering the individual layer thicknesses between 140-680 nm. The Raman amplitude ratio of the 1605 cm -1 peak for PS and 812 cm -1 peak for PMMA was used in calculations of the electric field intensity within the polymer layers to model the SA Raman data and extract the total thickness and interface locations. There is an average 8% and 7% difference in the measured thickness between the SA Raman and profilometry measurements for bilayer and trilayer films, respectively.« less

Extracting interface locations in multilayer polymer waveguide films using scanning angle Raman spectroscopy

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

Bobbitt, Jonathan M.; Smith, Emily A.

There is an increasing demand for nondestructive in situ techniques that measure chemical content, total thickness, and interface locations for multilayer polymer films, and SA Raman spectroscopy in combination with appropriate data models can provide this information. A scanning angle (SA) Raman spectroscopy method was developed to measure the chemical composition of multilayer polymer waveguide films and to extract the location of buried interfaces between polymer layers with 7–80-nm axial spatial resolution. The SA Raman method measures Raman spectra as the incident angle of light upon a prism-coupled thin film is scanned. Six multilayer films consisting of poly(methyl methacrylate)/polystyrene ormore » poly(methyl methacrylate)/polystyrene/poly(methyl methacrylate) were prepared with total thicknesses ranging from 330-1260 nm. The interface locations were varied by altering the individual layer thicknesses between 140-680 nm. The Raman amplitude ratio of the 1605 cm -1 peak for PS and 812 cm -1 peak for PMMA was used in calculations of the electric field intensity within the polymer layers to model the SA Raman data and extract the total thickness and interface locations. There is an average 8% and 7% difference in the measured thickness between the SA Raman and profilometry measurements for bilayer and trilayer films, respectively.« less

Petamenophis (Padiamenemipet), an Egyptian Child Mummy Protected for Eternity: Revelation by Multidetector Computed Tomography.

PubMed

Martina, Maria Cristina; Cesarani, Federico; Boano, Rosa; Fiore Marochetti, Elisa; Gandini, Giovanni

The objective of our work was to report the most recent findings obtained with multidetector computed tomography of a child mummy from the Roman period (119-123 CE) housed at the Egyptian Museum in Turin, Italy. Multidetector computed tomography and postprocessing were applied to understand the embalming techniques, the nature of a foreign object, and anthropometrical values. The information was compared with that from other mummies that were buried in the same tomb, but today housed in different museums. New information regarding the embalming technique was revealed. Multidetector computed tomography allowed the identification of a knife-like metallic object, probably an amulet for the child's protection in the afterlife. Multidetector computed tomography and image postprocessing confirm their valuable role in noninvasive studies in ancient mummies and provided evidence of a unique cultural practice in the late history of Ancient Egypt such as placing a knife possibly as an amulet.

Laying Futility to Rest

PubMed Central

Nair-Collins, Michael

2015-01-01

In this essay I examine the formal structure of the concept of futility, enabling identification of the appropriate roles played by patient, professional, and society. I argue that the concept of futility does not justify unilateral decisions to forego life-sustaining medical treatment over patient or legitimate surrogate objection, even when futility is determined by a process or subject to ethics committee review. Furthermore, I argue for a limited positive ethical obligation on the part of health care professionals to assist patients in achieving certain restricted goals, including the preservation of life, even in circumstances in which most would agree that that life is of no benefit to the patient. Finally, I address the objection that professional integrity overrides this limited obligation and find the objection unconvincing. In short, my aim in this essay is to see the concept of futility finally buried, once and for all. PMID:26232595

Detection of explosive remnants of war by neutron thermalisation.

PubMed

Brooks, F D; Drosg, M; Smit, F D; Wikner, C

2012-01-01

The HYDAD-D landmine detector (Brooks and Drosg, 2005) has been modified and field-tested for 17 months in a variety of soil conditions. Test objects containing about the same mass of hydrogen (20g) as small explosive remnants of war, such as antipersonnel landmines, were detected with efficiency 100% when buried at cover depths up to 10cm. The false alarm rate under the same conditions was 9%. Plots of detection efficiency versus false alarm rate are presented. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Detection of leaks in buried rural water pipelines using thermal infrared images

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eidenshink, Jeffery C.

1985-01-01

Leakage is a major problem in many pipelines. Minor leaks called 'seeper leaks', which generally range from 2 to 10 m3 per day, are common and are difficult to detect using conventional ground surveys. The objective of this research was to determine whether airborne thermal-infrared remote sensing could be used in detecting leaks and monitoring rural water pipelines. This study indicates that such leaks can be detected using low-altitude 8.7- to 11.5. micrometer wavelength, thermal infrared images collected under proper conditions.

TDEM survey in urban environmental for hydrogeological study at USP campus in São Paulo city, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porsani, Jorge Luís; Bortolozo, Cassiano Antonio; Almeida, Emerson Rodrigo; Sobrinho, Esther Novais Santos; Santos, Thiago Gomes dos

2012-01-01

In this work, some TDEM (Time Domain Electromagnetic) results at USP ( University of São Paulo) campus in São Paulo city, Brazil, are presented. The data were acquired focusing on two mains objectives: (i) to map geoelectrical stratigraphy of São Paulo sedimentary basin, emphasizing on hydrogeological studies about sedimentary and crystalline aquifers, and (ii) to analyze the viability of TDEM data acquisition use in urban environment. The study area is located in São Paulo basin border, characterized by Resende and São Paulo formations, which are constituted by sand-clays sediments over a granite-gneissic basement. Two equipments were used in order to acquire database: Protem47 (low power), and Protem57-MK2 (high power). Capacitive noise affect obtained data with Protem47 due to the presence of metal pipes buried at IAG/USP (Institute of Astronomy, Geophysics, and Atmospheric Science) test site at USP. On the other hand, capacitive noise did not affect acquired data with Protem57-MK2, and the data present high signal to noise ratio. Surveys helped in determining sedimentary and crystalline aquifers, characterized by a fracture zone with water inside basin basement (conductive zone). Results show good agreement with local geology obtained from lithological boreholes located in the study areas. Moreover, it shows that TDEM method can be used in urban environments with a countless potential in hydrogeological studies, offering great reliability. Studies showed that main TDEM-method limitation at USP was the lack of space for opening the transmitter loop. Results are very promising and open new perspectives for TDEM-method use in urban environments as this area remains unexplored.

The Vertical Distribution of Buried Volatiles at the Moon revealed by Thermal and Epithermal Neutron Fluxes from LEND Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chin, G.; Sagdeev, R.; Su, J. J.; Murray, J.; Livengood, T. A.

2015-12-01

Determining the quantity and vertical distribution of volatile species on and below the surface of planetary bodies is vital to understand the primordial chemical inventory and subsequent evolution of planets. Volatiles may provide resources to support future human exploration. This is particularly true for the Moon, which is well observed by many methods from ground-based, lunar orbit, and in situ, and is an accessible destination or way station for human exploration. We present Geant4 models of relative fluxes of Fast, Epithermal, and Thermal neutron emission generated in a planetary regolith by galactic cosmic rays to reveal the first 1-2 meters vertical structure of embedded hydrogen or water. Varying ratios of Thermal versus Epithermal, low-energy-Epithermal versus high-energy-Epithermal, and Thermal versus Fast neutron emissions are diagnostics of the depth in which hydrogen/water layers are buried within the top 1-2 meters of the regolith. In addition, we apply model calculations to Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND) thermal and epithermal data, acquired on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), in specific regions of the Moon to retrieve the vertical distribution of buried ice from the remote sensing information. GEANT4 is a set of particle physics transport simulation codes that exploits object-oriented software methods to deliver a comprehensive and flexible toolkit that is modular and extensible, based on a free open-source development model. GEANT4 has become a standard tool to simulate applications as diverse as particle telescope and detector response, space radiation shielding and optimization, total ionizing dose in spacecraft components, and biological effects of radiation.

Plasmon-enhanced scattering and charge transfer in few-layer graphene interacting with buried printed 2D-pattern of silver nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carles, R.; Bayle, M.; Bonafos, C.

2018-04-01

Hybrid structures combing silver nanoparticles and few-layer graphene have been synthetized by combining low-energy ion beam synthesis and stencil techniques. A single plane of metallic nanoparticles plays the role of an embedded plasmonic enhancer located in dedicated areas at a controlled nanometer distance from deposited graphene layers. Optical imaging, reflectance and Raman scattering mapping are used to measure the enhancement of electronic and vibrational properties of these layers. In particular electronic Raman scattering is shown as notably efficient to analyze the optical transfer of charge carriers between the systems and the presence of intrinsic and extrinsic defects.

Plasmon-enhanced scattering and charge transfer in few-layer graphene interacting with buried printed 2D-pattern of silver nanoparticles.

PubMed

Carles, R; Bayle, M; Bonafos, C

2018-04-27

Hybrid structures combing silver nanoparticles and few-layer graphene have been synthetized by combining low-energy ion beam synthesis and stencil techniques. A single plane of metallic nanoparticles plays the role of an embedded plasmonic enhancer located in dedicated areas at a controlled nanometer distance from deposited graphene layers. Optical imaging, reflectance and Raman scattering mapping are used to measure the enhancement of electronic and vibrational properties of these layers. In particular electronic Raman scattering is shown as notably efficient to analyze the optical transfer of charge carriers between the systems and the presence of intrinsic and extrinsic defects.

Results of Gravity Fieldwork Conducted in March 2008 in the Moapa Valley Region of Clark County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scheirer, Daniel S.; Andreasen, Arne Dossing

2008-01-01

In March 2008, we collected gravity data along 12 traverses across newly-mapped faults in the Moapa Valley region of Clark County, Nevada. In areas crossed by these faults, the traverses provide better definition of the gravity field and, thus, the density structure, than prior gravity observations. Access problems prohibited complete gravity coverage along all of the planned gravity traverses, and we added and adjusted the locations of traverses to maximize our data collection. Most of the traverses exhibit isostatic gravity anomalies that have gradients characteristic of exposed or buried faults, including several of the newly-mapped faults.

Wind-related processes detected by the Spirit rover at Gusev crater, Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Greeley, R.; Squyres, S. W.; Arvidson, R. E.; Bartlett, P.; Bell, J.F.; Blaney, D.; Cabrol, N.A.; Farmer, J.; Farrand, B.; Golombek, M.P.; Gorevan, S.P.; Grant, J. A.; Haldemann, A.F.C.; Herkenhoff, K. E.; Johnson, J.; Landis, G.; Madsen, M.B.; McLennan, S.H.; Moersch, J.; Rice, J. W.; Richter, L.; Ruff, S.; Sullivan, R.J.; Thompson, S.D.; Wang, A.; Weitz, C.M.; Whelley, P.

2004-01-01

Wind-abraded rocks, ripples, drifts, and other deposits of windblown sediments are seen at the Columbia Memorial Station where the Spirit rover landed. Orientations of these features suggest formative winds from the north-northwest, consistent with predictions from atmospheric models of afternoon winds in Gusev Crater. Cuttings from the rover Rock Abrasion Tool are asymmetrically distributed toward the south-southeast, suggesting active winds from the north-northwest at the time (midday) of the abrasion operations. Characteristics of some rocks, such as a two-toned appearance, suggest that they were possibly buried and exhumed on the order of 5 to 60 centimeters by wind deflation, depending on location.

On the stability of a class of isothermal, magnetostatic atmospheres. [in sun

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Webb, G. M.; Ko, C. M.

1989-01-01

The stability of a class of isothermal magnetostatic atmospheres with one ignorable coordinate corresponding to a uniform gravitational field in a plane geometry is explored. Special attention is given to the stability of nonpotential equilibria that have the same magnetic field geometry as the potential equilibrium of the solution family. It is found that equilibria in which the source currents for the potential field are buried at large distances below the photospheric base are stable. Also considered is the stability of configurations in which the source currents for the potential field are located at a finite depth below the base.

The Panther Mountain circular structure, a possible buried meteorite crater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isachsen, Y. W.; Wright, S. F.; Revetta, F. A.; Duneen, R. J.

Panther Mountain, located near Phoenicia, New York, is part of the Catskill Mountains, which form the eastern end of the Allegheny Plateau in New York. It is a circular mass defined physiographically by an anomalous circular drainage pattern produced by Esopus Creek and its tributary Woodland Creek. The circular valley that rings the mountain is fracture-controlled; where bedrock is exposed, it shows a joint density 5 to 10 times greater than that on either side of the valley. Where obscured by alluvial valley fill, the bedrock's low seismic velocity suggests that this anomalous fracturing is continuous in the bedrock underlying the rim valley. North-south and east-west gravity and magnetic profiles were made across the structure. Terrane-corrected, residual gravity profiles show an 18-mgal negative anomaly, and very steep gradients indicate a near-surface source. Several possible explanations of the gravity data were modeled. We conclude that the Panther Mountain circular structure is probably a buried meteorite crater that formed contemporaneously with marine or fluvial sedimentation during Silurian or Devonian time. An examination of drill core and cuttings in the region is underway to search for ejecta deposits and possible seismic and tsunami effects in the sedimentary section. Success would result in both dating the impact and furnishing a chronostratigraphic marker horizon.

Multivariate thermo-hygrometric characterisation of the archaeological site of Plaza de l'Almoina (Valencia, Spain) for preventive conservation.

PubMed

Fernández-Navajas, Angel; Merello, Paloma; Beltrán, Pedro; García-Diego, Fernando-Juan

2013-07-29

Preventive conservation requires monitoring and control of the parameters involved in the deterioration process, mainly temperature and relative humidity. It is important to characterise an archaeological site prior to carrying out comparative studies in the future for preventive conservation, either by regular studies to verify whether the conditions are constant, or occasional ones when the boundary conditions are altered. There are numerous covered archaeological sites, but few preventive conservation works that give special attention to the type of cover installed. In particular, there is no background of microclimatic studies in sites that are in the ground and, as in the Plaza de l'Almoina (Valencia, Spain), are buried and partially covered by a transparent roof. A large effect of the transparent cover was found by the sensors located below this area, with substantial increases in temperature and a decrease in the relative humidity during the day. Surrounding zones also have values above the recommended temperature values. On the other hand, the influence of a buried water drainage line near the site is notable, causing an increase in relative humidity levels in the surrounding areas. Multivariate statistical analyses enabled us to characterise the microclimate of the archaeological site, allowing future testing to determine whether the conservation conditions have been altered.

Thermal Convection in High-Pressure Ice Layers Beneath a Buried Ocean within Titan and Ganymede

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tobie, G.; Choblet, G.; Dumont, M.

2014-12-01

Deep interiors of large icy satellites such as Titan and Ganymede probably harbor a buried ocean sandwiched between low pressure ice and high-pressure ice layers. The nature and location of the lower interface of the ocean involves equilibration of heat and melt transfer in the HP ices and is ultimately controlled by the amount heat transferred through the surface ice Ih layer. Here, we perform 3D simulations of thermal convection, using the OEDIPUS numerical tool (Choblet et al. GJI 2007), to determine the efficiency of heat and mass transfer through these HP ice mantles. In a first series of simulations with no melting, we show that a significant fraction of the HP layer reaches the melting point. Using a simple description of water production and transport, our simulations demonstrate that the melt generation in the outermost part of the HP ice layer and its extraction to the overlying ocean increase the efficiency of heat transfer and reduce strongly the internal temperature. structure and the efficiency of the heat transfer. Scaling relationships are proposed to describe the cooling effect of melt production/extraction and used to investigate the consequences of internal melting on the thermal history of Titan and Ganymede's interior.