Development of a lithium fluoride zinc sulfide based neutron multiplicity counter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cowles, Christian; Behling, Spencer; Baldez, Phoenix; Folsom, Micah; Kouzes, Richard; Kukharev, Vladislav; Lintereur, Azaree; Robinson, Sean; Siciliano, Edward; Stave, Sean; Valdez, Patrick

2018-04-01

The feasibility of a full-scale lithium fluoride zinc sulfide (LiF/ZnS) based neutron multiplicity counter has been demonstrated. The counter was constructed of modular neutron detecting stacks that each contain five sheets of LiF/ZnS interleaved between six sheets of wavelength shifting plastic with a photomultiplier tube on each end. Twelve such detector stacks were placed around a sample chamber in a square arrangement with lithiated high-density polyethylene blocks in the corners to reflect high-energy neutrons and capture low-energy neutrons. The final system design was optimized via modeling and small-scale test. Measuring neutrons from a 252Cf source, the counter achieved a 36% neutron detection efficiency (ɛ) and an 11 . 7 μs neutron die-away time (τ) for a doubles figure-of-merit (ɛ2 / τ) of 109. This is the highest doubles figure-of-merit measured to-date for a 3He-free neutron multiplicity counter.

Development of a lithium fluoride zinc sulfide based neutron multiplicity counter

DOE PAGES

Cowles, Christian; Behling, Spencer; Baldez, Phoenix; ...

2018-01-12

Here, the feasibility of a full-scale lithium fluoride zinc sulfide (LiF/ZnS) based neutron multiplicity counter has been demonstrated. The counter was constructed of modular neutron detecting stacks that each contain five sheets of LiF/ZnS interleaved between six sheets of wavelength shifting plastic with a photomultiplier tube on each end. Twelve such detector stacks were placed around a sample chamber in a square arrangement with lithiated high-density polyethylene blocks in the corners to reflect high-energy neutrons and capture low-energy neutrons. The final system design was optimized via modeling and small-scale test. Measuring neutrons from a 252Cf source, the counter achieved amore » 36% neutron detection efficiency (ϵϵ) and an View the MathML source11.7μs neutron die-away time (ττ) for a doubles figure-of-merit (ϵ 2/τ) of 109. This is the highest doubles figure-of-merit measured to-date for a 3He-free neutron multiplicity counter.« less

Parallel Tracks as Quasi-steady States for the Magnetic Boundary Layers in Neutron-star Low-mass X-Ray Binaries

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

Erkut, M. Hakan; Çatmabacak, Onur, E-mail: mherkut@gmail.com

The neutron stars in low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) are usually thought to be weakly magnetized objects accreting matter from their low-mass companions in the form of a disk. Albeit weak compared to those in young neutron-star systems, the neutron-star magnetospheres in LMXBs can play an important role in determining the correlations between spectral and temporal properties. Parallel tracks appearing in the kilohertz (kHz) quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) frequency versus X-ray flux plane can be used as a tool to study the magnetosphere–disk interaction in neutron-star LMXBs. For dynamically important weak fields, the formation of a non-Keplerian magnetic boundary layer at themore » innermost disk truncated near the surface of the neutron star is highly likely. Such a boundary region may harbor oscillatory modes of frequencies in the kHz range. We generate parallel tracks using the boundary region model of kHz QPOs. We also present the direct application of our model to the reproduction of the observed parallel tracks of individual sources such as 4U 1608–52, 4U 1636–53, and Aql X-1. We reveal how the radial width of the boundary layer must vary in the long-term flux evolution of each source to regenerate the parallel tracks. The run of the radial width looks similar for different sources and can be fitted by a generic model function describing the average steady behavior of the boundary region over the long term. The parallel tracks then correspond to the possible quasi-steady states the source can occupy around the average trend.« less

Parallel Tracks as Quasi-steady States for the Magnetic Boundary Layers in Neutron-star Low-mass X-Ray Binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erkut, M. Hakan; Çatmabacak, Onur

2017-11-01

The neutron stars in low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) are usually thought to be weakly magnetized objects accreting matter from their low-mass companions in the form of a disk. Albeit weak compared to those in young neutron-star systems, the neutron-star magnetospheres in LMXBs can play an important role in determining the correlations between spectral and temporal properties. Parallel tracks appearing in the kilohertz (kHz) quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) frequency versus X-ray flux plane can be used as a tool to study the magnetosphere-disk interaction in neutron-star LMXBs. For dynamically important weak fields, the formation of a non-Keplerian magnetic boundary layer at the innermost disk truncated near the surface of the neutron star is highly likely. Such a boundary region may harbor oscillatory modes of frequencies in the kHz range. We generate parallel tracks using the boundary region model of kHz QPOs. We also present the direct application of our model to the reproduction of the observed parallel tracks of individual sources such as 4U 1608-52, 4U 1636-53, and Aql X-1. We reveal how the radial width of the boundary layer must vary in the long-term flux evolution of each source to regenerate the parallel tracks. The run of the radial width looks similar for different sources and can be fitted by a generic model function describing the average steady behavior of the boundary region over the long term. The parallel tracks then correspond to the possible quasi-steady states the source can occupy around the average trend.

Quantitative Image Feature Engine (QIFE): an Open-Source, Modular Engine for 3D Quantitative Feature Extraction from Volumetric Medical Images.

PubMed

Echegaray, Sebastian; Bakr, Shaimaa; Rubin, Daniel L; Napel, Sandy

2017-10-06

The aim of this study was to develop an open-source, modular, locally run or server-based system for 3D radiomics feature computation that can be used on any computer system and included in existing workflows for understanding associations and building predictive models between image features and clinical data, such as survival. The QIFE exploits various levels of parallelization for use on multiprocessor systems. It consists of a managing framework and four stages: input, pre-processing, feature computation, and output. Each stage contains one or more swappable components, allowing run-time customization. We benchmarked the engine using various levels of parallelization on a cohort of CT scans presenting 108 lung tumors. Two versions of the QIFE have been released: (1) the open-source MATLAB code posted to Github, (2) a compiled version loaded in a Docker container, posted to DockerHub, which can be easily deployed on any computer. The QIFE processed 108 objects (tumors) in 2:12 (h/mm) using 1 core, and 1:04 (h/mm) hours using four cores with object-level parallelization. We developed the Quantitative Image Feature Engine (QIFE), an open-source feature-extraction framework that focuses on modularity, standards, parallelism, provenance, and integration. Researchers can easily integrate it with their existing segmentation and imaging workflows by creating input and output components that implement their existing interfaces. Computational efficiency can be improved by parallelizing execution at the cost of memory usage. Different parallelization levels provide different trade-offs, and the optimal setting will depend on the size and composition of the dataset to be processed.

Efficiency Measurement of VANDLE Modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters, William; Matei, C.; Cizewski, J. A.; O'Malley, P. D.; Spassova, I.; Bardayan, D.; Blackmon, J. C.; Brune, C.; Massey, T.; Grzywacz, R. K.; Madurga, M.; Sarazin, F.; Raiola, F.

2010-02-01

The Versatile Array of Neutron Detectors at Low Energy (VANDLE) is a new array of plastic scintillator bars being developed at the Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility (HRIBF) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The modular design enables optimization of different configurations for particular experiments, such as (d,n) and beta-delayed neutron-decay experiments, with rare ion beams. Two prototype modules were moved to the Edwards Accelerator Laboratory at Ohio University to measure their efficiency using a calibrated ^27Al(d,n) reaction as a neutron source. Results show that one bar with a cross section of 3x3 cm^2 is over 25% efficient to neutrons around 1 MeV with sensitivity down to 100 keV neutrons. Other design features such as wrapping and coupling will be presented, as well as results from resolution tests. )

Performance of the Versatile Array of Neutron Detectors at Low Energy (VANDLE)

DOE PAGES

Peters, W. A.; Ilyushkin, S.; Madurga, M.; ...

2016-08-26

The Versatile Array of Neutron Detectors at Low Energy (VANDLE) is a new, highly efficient plastic-scintillator array constructed for decay and transfer reaction experimental setups that require neutron detection. The versatile and modular design allows for customizable experimental setups including beta-delayed neutron spectroscopy and (d,n) transfer reactions in normal and inverse kinematics. The neutron energy and prompt-photon discrimination is determined through the time of flight technique. Fully digital data acquisition electronics and integrated triggering logic enables some VANDLE modules to achieve an intrinsic efficiency over 70% for 300-keV neutrons, measured through two different methods. A custom Geant4 simulation models aspectsmore » of the detector array and the experimental setups to determine efficiency and detector response. Lastly, a low detection threshold, due to the trigger logic and digitizing data acquisition, allowed us to measure the light-yield response curve from elastically scattered carbon nuclei inside the scintillating plastic from incident neutrons with kinetic energies below 2 MeV.« less

Multidimensional bioseparation with modular microfluidics

DOEpatents

Chirica, Gabriela S.; Renzi, Ronald F.

2013-08-27

A multidimensional chemical separation and analysis system is described including a prototyping platform and modular microfluidic components capable of rapid and convenient assembly, alteration and disassembly of numerous candidate separation systems. Partial or total computer control of the separation system is possible. Single or multiple alternative processing trains can be tested, optimized and/or run in parallel. Examples related to the separation and analysis of human bodily fluids are given.

Performance comparison of MoNA and LISA neutron detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purtell, Kimberly; Rethman, Kaitlynne; Haagsma, Autumn; Finck, Joseph; Smith, Jenna; Snyder, Jesse

2010-11-01

In 2002 eight primarily undergraduate institutions constructed and tested the Modular Neutron Array (MoNA) which has been used to detect high energy neutrons at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL). Nine institutions have now designed, constructed and tested the Large-area multi-Institutional Scintillator Array (LISA) neutron detector which will be used at the NSCL and the future Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). Both detectors are comprised of 144 detector modules. Each module is a 200 x 10 x 10 cm^3 bar organic plastic scintillator with a photomultiplier tube mounted on each end. Using cosmic rays and a gamma source, we compared the performance of MoNA and LISA by using the same electronics to check light attenuation, position resolution, rise times, and cosmic ray peak widths. Results will be presented.

AMPX-77: A modular code system for generating coupled multigroup neutron-gamma cross-section libraries from ENDF/B-IV and/or ENDF/B-V

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

Greene, N.M.; Ford, W.E. III; Petrie, L.M.

AMPX-77 is a modular system of computer programs that pertain to nuclear analyses, with a primary emphasis on tasks associated with the production and use of multigroup cross sections. AH basic cross-section data are to be input in the formats used by the Evaluated Nuclear Data Files (ENDF/B), and output can be obtained in a variety of formats, including its own internal and very general formats, along with a variety of other useful formats used by major transport, diffusion theory, and Monte Carlo codes. Processing is provided for both neutron and gamma-my data. The present release contains codes all writtenmore » in the FORTRAN-77 dialect of FORTRAN and wig process ENDF/B-V and earlier evaluations, though major modules are being upgraded in order to process ENDF/B-VI and will be released when a complete collection of usable routines is available.« less

The effects of stainless steel radial reflector on core reactivity for small modular reactor

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

Kang, Jung Kil, E-mail: jkkang@email.kings.ac.kr; Hah, Chang Joo, E-mail: changhah@kings.ac.kr; Cho, Sung Ju, E-mail: sungju@knfc.co.kr

Commercial PWR core is surrounded by a radial reflector, which consists of a baffle and water. Radial reflector is designed to reflect neutron back into the core region to improve the neutron efficiency of the reactor and to protect the reactor vessels from the embrittling effects caused by irradiation during power operation. Reflector also helps to flatten the neutron flux and power distributions in the reactor core. The conceptual nuclear design for boron-free small modular reactor (SMR) under development in Korea requires to have the cycle length of 4∼5 years, rated power of 180 MWth and enrichment less than 5more » w/o. The aim of this paper is to analyze the effects of stainless steel radial reflector on the performance of the SMR using UO{sub 2} fuels. Three types of reflectors such as water, water/stainless steel 304 mixture and stainless steel 304 are selected to investigate the effect on core reactivity. Additionally, the thickness of stainless steel and double layer reflector type are also investigated. CASMO-4/SIMULATE-3 code system is used for this analysis. The results of analysis show that single layer stainless steel reflector is the most efficient reflector.« less

User's guide to the Reliability Estimation System Testbed (REST)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nicol, David M.; Palumbo, Daniel L.; Rifkin, Adam

1992-01-01

The Reliability Estimation System Testbed is an X-window based reliability modeling tool that was created to explore the use of the Reliability Modeling Language (RML). RML was defined to support several reliability analysis techniques including modularization, graphical representation, Failure Mode Effects Simulation (FMES), and parallel processing. These techniques are most useful in modeling large systems. Using modularization, an analyst can create reliability models for individual system components. The modules can be tested separately and then combined to compute the total system reliability. Because a one-to-one relationship can be established between system components and the reliability modules, a graphical user interface may be used to describe the system model. RML was designed to permit message passing between modules. This feature enables reliability modeling based on a run time simulation of the system wide effects of a component's failure modes. The use of failure modes effects simulation enhances the analyst's ability to correctly express system behavior when using the modularization approach to reliability modeling. To alleviate the computation bottleneck often found in large reliability models, REST was designed to take advantage of parallel processing on hypercube processors.

Software Tools for Design and Performance Evaluation of Intelligent Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-08-01

Self-calibration of Three-Legged Modular Reconfigurable Parallel Robots Based on Leg-End Distance Errors,” Robotica , Vol. 19, pp. 187-198. [4...9] Lintott, A. B., and Dunlop, G. R., “Parallel Topology Robot Calibration,” Robotica . [10] Vischer, P., and Clavel, R., “Kinematic Calibration...of the Parallel Delta Robot,” Robotica , Vol. 16, pp.207- 218, 1998. [11] Joshi, S.A., and Surianarayan, A., “Calibration of a 6-DOF Cable Robot Using

WARP

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

Bergmann, Ryan M.; Rowland, Kelly L.

2017-04-12

WARP, which can stand for ``Weaving All the Random Particles,'' is a three-dimensional (3D) continuous energy Monte Carlo neutron transport code developed at UC Berkeley to efficiently execute on NVIDIA graphics processing unit (GPU) platforms. WARP accelerates Monte Carlo simulations while preserving the benefits of using the Monte Carlo method, namely, that very few physical and geometrical simplifications are applied. WARP is able to calculate multiplication factors, neutron flux distributions (in both space and energy), and fission source distributions for time-independent neutron transport problems. It can run in both criticality or fixed source modes, but fixed source mode is currentlymore » not robust, optimized, or maintained in the newest version. WARP can transport neutrons in unrestricted arrangements of parallelepipeds, hexagonal prisms, cylinders, and spheres. The goal of developing WARP is to investigate algorithms that can grow into a full-featured, continuous energy, Monte Carlo neutron transport code that is accelerated by running on GPUs. The crux of the effort is to make Monte Carlo calculations faster while producing accurate results. Modern supercomputers are commonly being built with GPU coprocessor cards in their nodes to increase their computational efficiency and performance. GPUs execute efficiently on data-parallel problems, but most CPU codes, including those for Monte Carlo neutral particle transport, are predominantly task-parallel. WARP uses a data-parallel neutron transport algorithm to take advantage of the computing power GPUs offer.« less

NEUTRONIC REACTORS

DOEpatents

Wigner, E.P.

1960-11-22

A nuclear reactor is described wherein horizontal rods of thermal- neutron-fissionable material are disposed in a body of heavy water and extend through and are supported by spaced parallel walls of graphite.

A modular reactor to simulate biofilm development in orthopedic materials.

PubMed

Barros, Joana; Grenho, Liliana; Manuel, Cândida M; Ferreira, Carla; Melo, Luís F; Nunes, Olga C; Monteiro, Fernando J; Ferraz, Maria P

2013-09-01

Surfaces of medical implants are generally designed to encourage soft- and/or hard-tissue adherence, eventually leading to tissue- or osseo-integration. Unfortunately, this feature may also encourage bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. To understand the mechanisms of bone tissue infection associated with contaminated biomaterials, a detailed understanding of bacterial adhesion and subsequent biofilm formation on biomaterial surfaces is needed. In this study, a continuous-flow modular reactor composed of several modular units placed in parallel was designed to evaluate the activity of circulating bacterial suspensions and thus their predilection for biofilm formation during 72 h of incubation. Hydroxyapatite discs were placed in each modular unit and then removed at fixed times to quantify biofilm accumulation. Biofilm formation on each replicate of material, unchanged in structure, morphology, or cell density, was reproducibly observed. The modular reactor therefore proved to be a useful tool for following mature biofilm formation on different surfaces and under conditions similar to those prevailing near human-bone implants.

Optimisation of a parallel ocean general circulation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beare, M. I.; Stevens, D. P.

1997-10-01

This paper presents the development of a general-purpose parallel ocean circulation model, for use on a wide range of computer platforms, from traditional scalar machines to workstation clusters and massively parallel processors. Parallelism is provided, as a modular option, via high-level message-passing routines, thus hiding the technical intricacies from the user. An initial implementation highlights that the parallel efficiency of the model is adversely affected by a number of factors, for which optimisations are discussed and implemented. The resulting ocean code is portable and, in particular, allows science to be achieved on local workstations that could otherwise only be undertaken on state-of-the-art supercomputers.

Applications of Parallel Process HiMAP for Large Scale Multidisciplinary Problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guruswamy, Guru P.; Potsdam, Mark; Rodriguez, David; Kwak, Dochay (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

HiMAP is a three level parallel middleware that can be interfaced to a large scale global design environment for code independent, multidisciplinary analysis using high fidelity equations. Aerospace technology needs are rapidly changing. Computational tools compatible with the requirements of national programs such as space transportation are needed. Conventional computation tools are inadequate for modern aerospace design needs. Advanced, modular computational tools are needed, such as those that incorporate the technology of massively parallel processors (MPP).

Introduction to COFFE: The Next-Generation HPCMP CREATE-AV CFD Solver

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glasby, Ryan S.; Erwin, J. Taylor; Stefanski, Douglas L.; Allmaras, Steven R.; Galbraith, Marshall C.; Anderson, W. Kyle; Nichols, Robert H.

2016-01-01

HPCMP CREATE-AV Conservative Field Finite Element (COFFE) is a modular, extensible, robust numerical solver for the Navier-Stokes equations that invokes modularity and extensibility from its first principles. COFFE implores a flexible, class-based hierarchy that provides a modular approach consisting of discretization, physics, parallelization, and linear algebra components. These components are developed with modern software engineering principles to ensure ease of uptake from a user's or developer's perspective. The Streamwise Upwind/Petrov-Galerkin (SU/PG) method is utilized to discretize the compressible Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations tightly coupled with a variety of turbulence models. The mathematics and the philosophy of the methodology that makes up COFFE are presented.

Advanced Electric Distribution, Switching, and Conversion Technology for Power Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soltis, James V.

1998-01-01

The Electrical Power Control Unit currently under development by Sundstrand Aerospace for use on the Fluids Combustion Facility of the International Space Station is the precursor of modular power distribution and conversion concepts for future spacecraft and aircraft applications. This unit combines modular current-limiting flexible remote power controllers and paralleled power converters into one package. Each unit includes three 1-kW, current-limiting power converter modules designed for a variable-ratio load sharing capability. The flexible remote power controllers can be used in parallel to match load requirements and can be programmed for an initial ON or OFF state on powerup. The unit contains an integral cold plate. The modularity and hybridization of the Electrical Power Control Unit sets the course for future spacecraft electrical power systems, both large and small. In such systems, the basic hybridized converter and flexible remote power controller building blocks could be configured to match power distribution and conversion capabilities to load requirements. In addition, the flexible remote power controllers could be configured in assemblies to feed multiple individual loads and could be used in parallel to meet the specific current requirements of each of those loads. Ultimately, the Electrical Power Control Unit design concept could evolve to a common switch module hybrid, or family of hybrids, for both converter and switchgear applications. By assembling hybrids of a common current rating and voltage class in parallel, researchers could readily adapt these units for multiple applications. The Electrical Power Control Unit concept has the potential to be scaled to larger and smaller ratings for both small and large spacecraft and for aircraft where high-power density, remote power controllers or power converters are required and a common replacement part is desired for multiples of a base current rating.

Modeling the Martian neutron and gamma-ray leakage fluxes using Geant4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pirard, Benoit; Desorgher, Laurent; Diez, Benedicte; Gasnault, Olivier

A new evaluation of the Martian neutron and gamma-ray (continuum and line) leakage fluxes has been performed using the Geant4 code. Even if numerous studies have recently been carried out with Monte Carlo methods to characterize planetary radiation environments, only a few however have been able to reproduce in detail the neutron and gamma-ray spectra observed in orbit. We report on the efforts performed to adapt and validate the Geant4-based PLAN- ETOCOSMICS code for use in planetary neutron and gamma-ray spectroscopy data analysis. Beside the advantage of high transparency and modularity common to Geant4 applications, the new code uses reviewed nuclear cross section data, realistic atmospheric profiles and soil layering, as well as specific effects such as gravity acceleration for low energy neutrons. Results from first simulations are presented for some Martian reference compositions and show a high consistency with corresponding neutron and gamma-ray spectra measured on board Mars Odyssey. Finally we discuss the advantages and perspectives of the improved code for precise simulation of planetary radiation environments.

Parallel deterministic neutronics with AMR in 3D

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

Clouse, C.; Ferguson, J.; Hendrickson, C.

1997-12-31

AMTRAN, a three dimensional Sn neutronics code with adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) has been parallelized over spatial domains and energy groups and runs on the Meiko CS-2 with MPI message passing. Block refined AMR is used with linear finite element representations for the fluxes, which allows for a straight forward interpretation of fluxes at block interfaces with zoning differences. The load balancing algorithm assumes 8 spatial domains, which minimizes idle time among processors.

Control and protection system for paralleled modular static inverter-converter systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Birchenough, A. G.; Gourash, F.

1973-01-01

A control and protection system was developed for use with a paralleled 2.5-kWe-per-module static inverter-converter system. The control and protection system senses internal and external fault parameters such as voltage, frequency, current, and paralleling current unbalance. A logic system controls contactors to isolate defective power conditioners or loads. The system sequences contactor operation to automatically control parallel operation, startup, and fault isolation. Transient overload protection and fault checking sequences are included. The operation and performance of a control and protection system, with detailed circuit descriptions, are presented.

Piezoelectric transformer and modular connections for high power and high voltage power supplies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vazquez Carazo, Alfredo (Inventor)

2006-01-01

A modular design for combining piezoelectric transformers is provided for high voltage and high power conversion applications. The input portions of individual piezoelectric transformers are driven for a single power supply. This created the vibration and the conversion of electrical to electrical energy from the input to the output of the transformers. The output portions of the single piezoelectric transformers are combining in series and/or parallel to provide multiple outputs having different rating of voltage and current.

Pressurized bellows flat contact heat exchanger interface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Voss, Fred E. (Inventor); Howell, Harold R. (Inventor); Winkler, Roger V. (Inventor)

1990-01-01

Disclosed is an interdigitated plate-type heat exchanger interface. The interface includes a modular interconnect to thermally connect a pair or pairs of plate-type heat exchangers to a second single or multiple plate-type heat exchanger. The modular interconnect comprises a series of parallel, plate-type heat exchangers arranged in pairs to form a slot therebetween. The plate-type heat exchangers of the second heat exchanger insert into the slots of the modular interconnect. Bellows are provided between the pairs of fins of the modular interconnect so that when the bellows are pressurized, they drive the plate-type heat exchangers of the modular interconnect toward one another, thus closing upon the second heat exchanger plates. Each end of the bellows has a part thereof a thin, membrane diaphragm which readily conforms to the contours of the heat exchanger plates of the modular interconnect when the bellows is pressurized. This ensures an even distribution of pressure on the heat exchangers of the modular interconnect thus creating substantially planar contact between the two heat exchangers. The effect of the interface of the present invention is to provide a dry connection between two heat exchangers whereby the rate of heat transfer can be varied by varying the pressure within the bellows.

A parallel and modular deformable cell Car-Parrinello code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavazzoni, Carlo; Chiarotti, Guido L.

1999-12-01

We have developed a modular parallel code implementing the Car-Parrinello [Phys. Rev. Lett. 55 (1985) 2471] algorithm including the variable cell dynamics [Europhys. Lett. 36 (1994) 345; J. Phys. Chem. Solids 56 (1995) 510]. Our code is written in Fortran 90, and makes use of some new programming concepts like encapsulation, data abstraction and data hiding. The code has a multi-layer hierarchical structure with tree like dependences among modules. The modules include not only the variables but also the methods acting on them, in an object oriented fashion. The modular structure allows easier code maintenance, develop and debugging procedures, and is suitable for a developer team. The layer structure permits high portability. The code displays an almost linear speed-up in a wide range of number of processors independently of the architecture. Super-linear speed up is obtained with a "smart" Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) that uses the available memory on the single node (increasing for a fixed problem with the number of processing elements) as temporary buffer to store wave function transforms. This code has been used to simulate water and ammonia at giant planet conditions for systems as large as 64 molecules for ˜50 ps.

New Result for the β-decay Asymmetry Parameter A0 from the UCNA Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, M. A.-P.; UCNA Collaboration

2017-09-01

The UCNA Experiment at the Ultracold Neutron facility at LANL uses polarized ultracold neutrons (UCN) to determine the neutron β-decay asymmetry parameter A0, the angular correlation between the neutron spin and the decay electron's momentum. A0 further determines λ =gA /gV , which, when combined with the neutron lifetime, permits extraction of the CKM matrix element Vud solely from neutron decay. In the UCNA experiment, UCN are produced in a pulsed, spallation driven solid deuterium source, polarized using a 7 T magnetic field, and transported through an Adiabatic Fast Passage (AFP) spin flipper prior to storage within a 1 T solenoidal spectrometer housing electron detectors at each end. The spin-flipper allows one to form a super-ratio of decay rates for neutron spins aligned parallel and anti-parallel to the 1 T magnetic field, eliminating to first order errors due to variations in the decay rate and detector efficiencies. Leading systematics and analysis techniques from the most recent analysis of data collected from 2011-2013 will be presented. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics, under Award Number DE-SC-0014622.

Ex-vessel neutron dosimetry analysis for westinghouse 4-loop XL pressurized water reactor plant using the RadTrack{sup TM} Code System with the 3D parallel discrete ordinates code RAPTOR-M3G

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

Chen, J.; Alpan, F. A.; Fischer, G.A.

2011-07-01

Traditional two-dimensional (2D)/one-dimensional (1D) SYNTHESIS methodology has been widely used to calculate fast neutron (>1.0 MeV) fluence exposure to reactor pressure vessel in the belt-line region. However, it is expected that this methodology cannot provide accurate fast neutron fluence calculation at elevations far above or below the active core region. A three-dimensional (3D) parallel discrete ordinates calculation for ex-vessel neutron dosimetry on a Westinghouse 4-Loop XL Pressurized Water Reactor has been done. It shows good agreement between the calculated results and measured results. Furthermore, the results show very different fast neutron flux values at some of the former plate locationsmore » and elevations above and below an active core than those calculated by a 2D/1D SYNTHESIS method. This indicates that for certain irregular reactor internal structures, where the fast neutron flux has a very strong local effect, it is required to use a 3D transport method to calculate accurate fast neutron exposure. (authors)« less

A portable neutron spectroscope (NSPECT) for detection, imaging and identification of nuclear material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryan, James M.; Bancroft, Christopher; Bloser, Peter; Bravar, Ulisse; Fourguette, Dominique; Frost, Colin; Larocque, Liane; McConnell, Mark L.; Legere, Jason; Pavlich, Jane; Ritter, Greg; Wassick, Greg; Wood, Joshua; Woolf, Richard

2010-08-01

We have developed, fabricated and tested a prototype imaging neutron spectrometer designed for real-time neutron source location and identification. Real-time detection and identification is important for locating materials. These materials, specifically uranium and transuranics, emit neutrons via spontaneous or induced fission. Unlike other forms of radiation (e.g. gamma rays), penetrating neutron emission is very uncommon. The instrument detects these neutrons, constructs images of the emission pattern, and reports the neutron spectrum. The device will be useful for security and proliferation deterrence, as well as for nuclear waste characterization and monitoring. The instrument is optimized for imaging and spectroscopy in the 1-20 MeV range. The detection principle is based upon multiple elastic neutron-proton scatters in organic scintillator. Two detector panel layers are utilized. By measuring the recoil proton and scattered neutron locations and energies, the direction and energy spectrum of the incident neutrons can be determined and discrete and extended sources identified. Event reconstruction yields an image of the source and its location. The hardware is low power, low mass, and rugged. Its modular design allows the user to combine multiple units for increased sensitivity. We will report the results of laboratory testing of the instrument, including exposure to a calibrated Cf-252 source. Instrument parameters include energy and angular resolution, gamma rejection, minimum source identification distances and times, and projected effective area for a fully populated instrument.

Research on Parallel Three Phase PWM Converters base on RTDS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Yan; Zou, Jianxiao; Li, Kai; Liu, Jingbo; Tian, Jun

2018-01-01

Converters parallel operation can increase capacity of the system, but it may lead to potential zero-sequence circulating current, so the control of circulating current was an important goal in the design of parallel inverters. In this paper, the Real Time Digital Simulator (RTDS) is used to model the converters parallel system in real time and study the circulating current restraining. The equivalent model of two parallel converters and zero-sequence circulating current(ZSCC) were established and analyzed, then a strategy using variable zero vector control was proposed to suppress the circulating current. For two parallel modular converters, hardware-in-the-loop(HIL) study based on RTDS and practical experiment were implemented, results prove that the proposed control strategy is feasible and effective.

Parallel language constructs for tensor product computations on loosely coupled architectures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehrotra, Piyush; Vanrosendale, John

1989-01-01

Distributed memory architectures offer high levels of performance and flexibility, but have proven awkard to program. Current languages for nonshared memory architectures provide a relatively low level programming environment, and are poorly suited to modular programming, and to the construction of libraries. A set of language primitives designed to allow the specification of parallel numerical algorithms at a higher level is described. Tensor product array computations are focused on along with a simple but important class of numerical algorithms. The problem of programming 1-D kernal routines is focused on first, such as parallel tridiagonal solvers, and then how such parallel kernels can be combined to form parallel tensor product algorithms is examined.

Modular time division multiplexer: Efficient simultaneous characterization of fast and slow transients in multiple samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Stephan D.; Luo, Jiajun; Buchholz, D. Bruce; Chang, R. P. H.; Grayson, M.

2016-09-01

A modular time division multiplexer (MTDM) device is introduced to enable parallel measurement of multiple samples with both fast and slow decay transients spanning from millisecond to month-long time scales. This is achieved by dedicating a single high-speed measurement instrument for rapid data collection at the start of a transient, and by multiplexing a second low-speed measurement instrument for slow data collection of several samples in parallel for the later transients. The MTDM is a high-level design concept that can in principle measure an arbitrary number of samples, and the low cost implementation here allows up to 16 samples to be measured in parallel over several months, reducing the total ensemble measurement duration and equipment usage by as much as an order of magnitude without sacrificing fidelity. The MTDM was successfully demonstrated by simultaneously measuring the photoconductivity of three amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide thin films with 20 ms data resolution for fast transients and an uninterrupted parallel run time of over 20 days. The MTDM has potential applications in many areas of research that manifest response times spanning many orders of magnitude, such as photovoltaics, rechargeable batteries, amorphous semiconductors such as silicon and amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide.

Modular time division multiplexer: Efficient simultaneous characterization of fast and slow transients in multiple samples.

PubMed

Kim, Stephan D; Luo, Jiajun; Buchholz, D Bruce; Chang, R P H; Grayson, M

2016-09-01

A modular time division multiplexer (MTDM) device is introduced to enable parallel measurement of multiple samples with both fast and slow decay transients spanning from millisecond to month-long time scales. This is achieved by dedicating a single high-speed measurement instrument for rapid data collection at the start of a transient, and by multiplexing a second low-speed measurement instrument for slow data collection of several samples in parallel for the later transients. The MTDM is a high-level design concept that can in principle measure an arbitrary number of samples, and the low cost implementation here allows up to 16 samples to be measured in parallel over several months, reducing the total ensemble measurement duration and equipment usage by as much as an order of magnitude without sacrificing fidelity. The MTDM was successfully demonstrated by simultaneously measuring the photoconductivity of three amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide thin films with 20 ms data resolution for fast transients and an uninterrupted parallel run time of over 20 days. The MTDM has potential applications in many areas of research that manifest response times spanning many orders of magnitude, such as photovoltaics, rechargeable batteries, amorphous semiconductors such as silicon and amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide.

A Robust and Scalable Software Library for Parallel Adaptive Refinement on Unstructured Meshes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lou, John Z.; Norton, Charles D.; Cwik, Thomas A.

1999-01-01

The design and implementation of Pyramid, a software library for performing parallel adaptive mesh refinement (PAMR) on unstructured meshes, is described. This software library can be easily used in a variety of unstructured parallel computational applications, including parallel finite element, parallel finite volume, and parallel visualization applications using triangular or tetrahedral meshes. The library contains a suite of well-designed and efficiently implemented modules that perform operations in a typical PAMR process. Among these are mesh quality control during successive parallel adaptive refinement (typically guided by a local-error estimator), parallel load-balancing, and parallel mesh partitioning using the ParMeTiS partitioner. The Pyramid library is implemented in Fortran 90 with an interface to the Message-Passing Interface (MPI) library, supporting code efficiency, modularity, and portability. An EM waveguide filter application, adaptively refined using the Pyramid library, is illustrated.

Neutronic calculation of fast reactors by the EUCLID/V1 integrated code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koltashev, D. A.; Stakhanova, A. A.

2017-01-01

This article considers neutronic calculation of a fast-neutron lead-cooled reactor BREST-OD-300 by the EUCLID/V1 integrated code. The main goal of development and application of integrated codes is a nuclear power plant safety justification. EUCLID/V1 is integrated code designed for coupled neutronics, thermomechanical and thermohydraulic fast reactor calculations under normal and abnormal operating conditions. EUCLID/V1 code is being developed in the Nuclear Safety Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The integrated code has a modular structure and consists of three main modules: thermohydraulic module HYDRA-IBRAE/LM/V1, thermomechanical module BERKUT and neutronic module DN3D. In addition, the integrated code includes databases with fuel, coolant and structural materials properties. Neutronic module DN3D provides full-scale simulation of neutronic processes in fast reactors. Heat sources distribution, control rods movement, reactivity level changes and other processes can be simulated. Neutron transport equation in multigroup diffusion approximation is solved. This paper contains some calculations implemented as a part of EUCLID/V1 code validation. A fast-neutron lead-cooled reactor BREST-OD-300 transient simulation (fuel assembly floating, decompression of passive feedback system channel) and cross-validation with MCU-FR code results are presented in this paper. The calculations demonstrate EUCLID/V1 code application for BREST-OD-300 simulating and safety justification.

EFFECT OF MASSIVE NEUTRON EXPOSURE ON THE DISTORTION OF REACTOR GRAPHITE

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

Helm, J.W.; Davidson, J.M.

1963-05-28

Distortion of reactor-grade graphites was studied at varying neutron exposures ranging up to 14 x 10/sup 21/ neutrons per cm/sup 2/ (nvt)/sup */ at temperatures of irradiation ranging from 425 to 800 deg C. This exposure level corresponds to approximately 100,000 megawatt days per adjacent ton of fuel (Mwd/ At) in a graphite-moderated reactor. A conventionalcoke graphite, CSF, and two needle-coke graphites, NC-7 and NC-8, were studied. At all temperatures of irradiation the contraction rate of the samples cut parallel to the extrusion axis increased with increasing neutron exposure. For parallel samples the needle- coke graphites and the CSF graphitemore » contracted approximately the same amount. In the transverse direction the rate of cortraction at the higher irradiation temperntures appeared to be decreasing. Volume contractions derived from the linear contractions are discussed. (auth)« less

Encoding Schemes For A Digital Optical Multiplier Using The Modified Signed-Digit Number Representation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lasher, Mark E.; Henderson, Thomas B.; Drake, Barry L.; Bocker, Richard P.

1986-09-01

The modified signed-digit (MSD) number representation offers full parallel, carry-free addition. A MSD adder has been described by the authors. This paper describes how the adder can be used in a tree structure to implement an optical multiply algorithm. Three different optical schemes, involving position, polarization, and intensity encoding, are proposed for realizing the trinary logic system. When configured in the generic multiplier architecture, these schemes yield the combinatorial logic necessary to carry out the multiplication algorithm. The optical systems are essentially three dimensional arrangements composed of modular units. Of course, this modularity is important for design considerations, while the parallelism and noninterfering communication channels of optical systems are important from the standpoint of reduced complexity. The authors have also designed electronic hardware to demonstrate and model the combinatorial logic required to carry out the algorithm. The electronic and proposed optical systems will be compared in terms of complexity and speed.

An Analytical Time–Domain Expression for the Net Ripple Produced by Parallel Interleaved Converters

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

Johnson, Brian B.; Krein, Philip T.

We apply modular arithmetic and Fourier series to analyze the superposition of N interleaved triangular waveforms with identical amplitudes and duty-ratios. Here, interleaving refers to the condition when a collection of periodic waveforms with identical periods are each uniformly phase-shifted across one period. The main result is a time-domain expression which provides an exact representation of the summed and interleaved triangular waveforms, where the peak amplitude and parameters of the time-periodic component are all specified in closed-form. Analysis is general and can be used to study various applications in multi-converter systems. This model is unique not only in that itmore » reveals a simple and intuitive expression for the net ripple, but its derivation via modular arithmetic and Fourier series is distinct from prior approaches. The analytical framework is experimentally validated with a system of three parallel converters under time-varying operating conditions.« less

Parallel simulations of Grover's algorithm for closest match search in neutron monitor data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kussainov, Arman; White, Yelena

We are studying the parallel implementations of Grover's closest match search algorithm for neutron monitor data analysis. This includes data formatting, and matching quantum parameters to a conventional structure of a chosen programming language and selected experimental data type. We have employed several workload distribution models based on acquired data and search parameters. As a result of these simulations, we have an understanding of potential problems that may arise during configuration of real quantum computational devices and the way they could run tasks in parallel. The work was supported by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan Grant #2532/GF3.

Increasing Flexibility and Agility at the National Reconnaissance Office: Lessons from Modular Design, Occupational Surprise, and Commercial Research and Development Processes

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

with newly evolved technology. An example from the music industry , which was brought to our attention by one of the modularity experts with whom we...Super CD. Yet, Super CDs do not exist today. What happened? The reason that Super CDs have not been commercialized is because the music industry got it... music industry either failed to identify this parallelism or simply followed the wrong metric. The lesson is that predicting future needs is not

Breaking Barriers to Low-Cost Modular Inverter Production & Use

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

Bogdan Borowy; Leo Casey; Jerry Foshage

2005-05-31

The goal of this cost share contract is to advance key technologies to reduce size, weight and cost while enhancing performance and reliability of Modular Inverter Product for Distributed Energy Resources (DER). Efforts address technology development to meet technical needs of DER market protection, isolation, reliability, and quality. Program activities build on SatCon Technology Corporation inverter experience (e.g., AIPM, Starsine, PowerGate) for Photovoltaic, Fuel Cell, Energy Storage applications. Efforts focused four technical areas, Capacitors, Cooling, Voltage Sensing and Control of Parallel Inverters. Capacitor efforts developed a hybrid capacitor approach for conditioning SatCon's AIPM unit supply voltages by incorporating several typesmore » and sizes to store energy and filter at high, medium and low frequencies while minimizing parasitics (ESR and ESL). Cooling efforts converted the liquid cooled AIPM module to an air-cooled unit using augmented fin, impingement flow cooling. Voltage sensing efforts successfully modified the existing AIPM sensor board to allow several, application dependent configurations and enabling voltage sensor galvanic isolation. Parallel inverter control efforts realized a reliable technique to control individual inverters, connected in a parallel configuration, without a communication link. Individual inverter currents, AC and DC, were balanced in the paralleled modules by introducing a delay to the individual PWM gate pulses. The load current sharing is robust and independent of load types (i.e., linear and nonlinear, resistive and/or inductive). It is a simple yet powerful method for paralleling both individual devices dramatically improves reliability and fault tolerance of parallel inverter power systems. A patent application has been made based on this control technology.« less

Slotted rotatable target assembly and systematic error analysis for a search for long range spin dependent interactions from exotic vector boson exchange using neutron spin rotation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haddock, C.; Crawford, B.; Fox, W.; Francis, I.; Holley, A.; Magers, S.; Sarsour, M.; Snow, W. M.; Vanderwerp, J.

2018-03-01

We discuss the design and construction of a novel target array of nonmagnetic test masses used in a neutron polarimetry measurement made in search for new possible exotic spin dependent neutron-atominteractions of Nature at sub-mm length scales. This target was designed to accept and efficiently transmit a transversely polarized slow neutron beam through a series of long open parallel slots bounded by flat rectangular plates. These openings possessed equal atom density gradients normal to the slots from the flat test masses with dimensions optimized to achieve maximum sensitivity to an exotic spin-dependent interaction from vector boson exchanges with ranges in the mm - μm regime. The parallel slots were oriented differently in four quadrants that can be rotated about the neutron beam axis in discrete 90°increments using a Geneva drive. The spin rotation signals from the 4 quadrants were measured using a segmented neutron ion chamber to suppress possible systematic errors from stray magnetic fields in the target region. We discuss the per-neutron sensitivity of the target to the exotic interaction, the design constraints, the potential sources of systematic errors which could be present in this design, and our estimate of the achievable sensitivity using this method.

Compatibility of photomultiplier tube operation with SQUIDs for a neutron EDM experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Libersky, Matthew; nEDM Collaboration

2013-10-01

An experiment at the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory with the goal of reducing the experimental limit on the electric dipole moment (EDM) of the neutron will measure the precession frequencies of neutrons when a strong electric field is applied parallel and anti-parallel to a weak magnetic field. A difference in these frequencies would indicate a nonzero neutron EDM. To correct for drifts of the magnetic field in the measurement volume, polarized 3He will be used as a co-magnetometer. In one of the two methods built into the apparatus, superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) will be used to read out the 3He magnetization. Photomultiplier tubes will be used concurrently to measure scintillation light from neutron capture by 3He. However, the simultaneous noise-sensitive magnetic field measurement by the SQUIDs makes conventional PMT operation problematic due to the alternating current involved in generating the high voltages needed. Tests were carried out at Los Alamos National Laboratory to study the compatibility of simultaneous SQUID and PMT operation, using a custom battery-powered high-voltage power supply developed by Meyer and Smith (NIM A 647.1) to operate the PMT. The results of these tests will be presented.

Parallel processing in a host plus multiple array processor system for radar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barkan, B. Z.

1983-01-01

Host plus multiple array processor architecture is demonstrated to yield a modular, fast, and cost-effective system for radar processing. Software methodology for programming such a system is developed. Parallel processing with pipelined data flow among the host, array processors, and discs is implemented. Theoretical analysis of performance is made and experimentally verified. The broad class of problems to which the architecture and methodology can be applied is indicated.

The use of the long modular diagnostics shield module to mitigate shutdown dose rates in the ITER diagnostics equatorial ports

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juárez, R.; Guirao, J.; Kolsek, A.; Lopez, A.; Pedroche, G.; Bertalot, L.; Udintsev, V. S.; Walsh, M. J.; Sauvan, P.; Sanz, J.

2018-05-01

The ITER equatorial port plugs are submitted to a drained weight limit of 45 T. This limitation can conflict with their radiation shielding demands, although some weight margin is being discussed. The port interspaces are subject to a shutdown dose rate limit of 100 µSv h‑1 after 106 s of cooling time. To meet it, the port plugs must show a neutron flux attenuation comparable to their neighborhood, despite considering penetrations to host systems. Most of this task relies on the drawer shield module (DSM). In this work, two DSM concepts are analyzed with this perspective: the box-based DSM and the modular DSM. Regardless the penetrations, the box-based DSM leads to unsatisfactory port plugs to meet both weight and SDDR requirements. On the contrary, the modular DSM shows a performance which allows for the adoption of such DSM concept, or equivalent, a port may comply with both requirements at the same time, provided the penetrations are well designed.

MODULAR CORE UNITS FOR A NEUTRONIC REACTOR

DOEpatents

Gage, J.F. Jr.; Sherer, D.B.

1964-04-01

A modular core unit for use in a nuclear reactor is described. Many identical core modules can be placed next to each other to make up a complete core. Such a module includes a cylinder of moderator material surrounding a fuel- containing re-entrant coolant channel. The re-entrant channel provides for the circulation of coolant such as liquid sodium from one end of the core unit, through the fuel region, and back out through the same end as it entered. Thermal insulation surrounds the moderator exterior wall inducing heat to travel inwardly to the coolant channel. Spaces between units may be used to accommodate control rods and support structure, which may be cooled by a secondary gas coolant, independently of the main coolant. (AEC)

Portable parallel portfolio optimization in the Aurora Financial Management System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laure, Erwin; Moritsch, Hans

2001-07-01

Financial planning problems are formulated as large scale, stochastic, multiperiod, tree structured optimization problems. An efficient technique for solving this kind of problems is the nested Benders decomposition method. In this paper we present a parallel, portable, asynchronous implementation of this technique. To achieve our portability goals we elected the programming language Java for our implementation and used a high level Java based framework, called OpusJava, for expressing the parallelism potential as well as synchronization constraints. Our implementation is embedded within a modular decision support tool for portfolio and asset liability management, the Aurora Financial Management System.

Parallel Processing Strategies of the Primate Visual System

PubMed Central

Nassi, Jonathan J.; Callaway, Edward M.

2009-01-01

Preface Incoming sensory information is sent to the brain along modality-specific channels corresponding to the five senses. Each of these channels further parses the incoming signals into parallel streams to provide a compact, efficient input to the brain. Ultimately, these parallel input signals must be elaborated upon and integrated within the cortex to provide a unified and coherent percept. Recent studies in the primate visual cortex have greatly contributed to our understanding of how this goal is accomplished. Multiple strategies including retinal tiling, hierarchical and parallel processing and modularity, defined spatially and by cell type-specific connectivity, are all used by the visual system to recover the rich detail of our visual surroundings. PMID:19352403

DOSE PROFILE MODELING OF IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORY’S ACTIVE NEUTRON INTERROGATION TEST FACILITY

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

D. L. Chichester; E. H. Seabury; J. M. Zabriskie

2009-06-01

A new research and development laboratory has been commissioned at Idaho National Laboratory for performing active neutron interrogation research and development. The facility is designed to provide radiation shielding for DT fusion (14.1 MeV) neutron generators (2 x 108 neutrons per second), DD fusion (2.5 MeV) neutron generators (up to 2 x 106 neutrons per second), and 252Cf spontaneous fission neutron sources (6.7 x 107 neutrons per second, 30 micrograms). Shielding at the laboratory is comprised of modular concrete shield blocks 0.76 m thick with tongue-in-groove features to prevent radiation streaming, arranged into one small and one large test vault.more » The larger vault is designed to allow operation of the DT generator and has walls 3.8 m tall, an entrance maze, and a fully integrated electrical interlock system; the smaller test vault is designed for 252Cf and DD neutron sources and has walls 1.9 m tall and a simple entrance maze. Both analytical calculations and numerical simulations were used in the design process for the building to assess the performance of the shielding walls and to ensure external dose rates are within required facility limits. Dose rate contour plots have been generated for the facility to visualize the effectiveness of the shield wall and entrance maze and to illustrate the spatial profile of the radiation dose field above the facility and the effects of skyshine around the vaults.« less

The multi-purpose three-axis spectrometer (TAS) MIRA at FRM II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Georgii, R.; Weber, T.; Brandl, G.; Skoulatos, M.; Janoschek, M.; Mühlbauer, S.; Pfleiderer, C.; Böni, P.

2018-02-01

The cold-neutron three-axis spectrometer MIRA is an instrument optimized for low-energy excitations. Its excellent intrinsic Q-resolution makes it ideal for studying incommensurate magnetic systems (elastic and inelastic). MIRA is at the forefront of using advanced neutron focusing optics such as elliptic guides, which enable the investigation of small samples under extreme conditions. Another advantage of MIRA is the modular assembly allowing for instrumental adaption to the needs of the experiment within a few hours. The development of new methods such as the spin-echo technique MIEZE is another important application at MIRA. Scientific topics include the investigation of complex inter-metallic alloys and spectroscopy on incommensurate magnetic structures.

A possible explanation of the parallel tracks in kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations from low-mass-X-ray binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Chang-Sheng; Zhang, Shuang-Nan; Li, Xiang-Dong

2018-05-01

We recalculate the modes of the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) waves in the MHD model (Shi, Zhang & Li 2014) of the kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations (kHz QPOs) in neutron star low mass X-ray binaries (NS-LMXBs), in which the compressed magnetosphere is considered. A method on point-by-point scanning for every parameter of a normal LMXBs is proposed to determine the wave number in a NS-LMXB. Then dependence of the twin kHz QPO frequencies on accretion rates (\\dot{M}) is obtained with the wave number and magnetic field (B*) determined by our method. Based on the MHD model, a new explanation of the parallel tracks, i.e. the slowly varying effective magnetic field leads to the shift of parallel tracks in a source, is presented. In this study, we obtain a simple power-law relation between the kHz QPO frequencies and \\dot{M}/B_{\\ast }^2 in those sources. Finally, we study the dependence of kHz quasi-periodic oscillation frequencies on the spin, mass and radius of a neutron star. We find that the effective magnetic field, the spin, mass and radius of a neutron star lead to the parallel tracks in different sources.

Reactor Dosimetry Applications Using RAPTOR-M3G:. a New Parallel 3-D Radiation Transport Code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longoni, Gianluca; Anderson, Stanwood L.

2009-08-01

The numerical solution of the Linearized Boltzmann Equation (LBE) via the Discrete Ordinates method (SN) requires extensive computational resources for large 3-D neutron and gamma transport applications due to the concurrent discretization of the angular, spatial, and energy domains. This paper will discuss the development RAPTOR-M3G (RApid Parallel Transport Of Radiation - Multiple 3D Geometries), a new 3-D parallel radiation transport code, and its application to the calculation of ex-vessel neutron dosimetry responses in the cavity of a commercial 2-loop Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). RAPTOR-M3G is based domain decomposition algorithms, where the spatial and angular domains are allocated and processed on multi-processor computer architectures. As compared to traditional single-processor applications, this approach reduces the computational load as well as the memory requirement per processor, yielding an efficient solution methodology for large 3-D problems. Measured neutron dosimetry responses in the reactor cavity air gap will be compared to the RAPTOR-M3G predictions. This paper is organized as follows: Section 1 discusses the RAPTOR-M3G methodology; Section 2 describes the 2-loop PWR model and the numerical results obtained. Section 3 addresses the parallel performance of the code, and Section 4 concludes this paper with final remarks and future work.

Intelligent subsystem interface for modular hardware system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caffrey, Robert T. (Inventor); Krening, Douglas N. (Inventor); Lannan, Gregory B. (Inventor); Schneiderwind, Michael J. (Inventor); Schneiderwind, Robert A. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

A single chip application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which provides a flexible, modular interface between a subsystem and a standard system bus. The ASIC includes a microcontroller/microprocessor, a serial interface for connection to the bus, and a variety of communications interface devices available for coupling to the subsystem. A three-bus architecture, utilizing arbitration, provides connectivity within the ASIC and between the ASIC and the subsystem. The communication interface devices include UART (serial), parallel, analog, and external device interface utilizing bus connections paired with device select signals. A low power (sleep) mode is provided as is a processor disable option.

Using collective variables to drive molecular dynamics simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiorin, Giacomo; Klein, Michael L.; Hénin, Jérôme

2013-12-01

A software framework is introduced that facilitates the application of biasing algorithms to collective variables of the type commonly employed to drive massively parallel molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The modular framework that is presented enables one to combine existing collective variables into new ones, and combine any chosen collective variable with available biasing methods. The latter include the classic time-dependent biases referred to as steered MD and targeted MD, the temperature-accelerated MD algorithm, as well as the adaptive free-energy biases called metadynamics and adaptive biasing force. The present modular software is extensible, and portable between commonly used MD simulation engines.

Static inverter with synchronous output waveform synthesized by time-optimal-response feedback

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kernick, A.; Stechschulte, D. L.; Shireman, D. W.

1976-01-01

Time-optimal-response 'bang-bang' or 'bang-hang' technique, using four feedback control loops, synthesizes static-inverter sinusoidal output waveform by self-oscillatory but yet synchronous pulse-frequency-modulation (SPFM). A single modular power stage per phase of ac output entails the minimum of circuit complexity while providing by feedback synthesis individual phase voltage regulation, phase position control and inherent compensation simultaneously for line and load disturbances. Clipped sinewave performance is described under off-limit load or input voltage conditions. Also, approaches to high power levels, 3-phase arraying and parallel modular connection are given.

Automatization of hardware configuration for plasma diagnostic system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wojenski, A.; Pozniak, K. T.; Kasprowicz, G.; Kolasinski, P.; Krawczyk, R. D.; Zabolotny, W.; Linczuk, P.; Chernyshova, M.; Czarski, T.; Malinowski, K.

2016-09-01

Soft X-ray plasma measurement systems are mostly multi-channel, high performance systems. In case of the modular construction it is necessary to perform sophisticated system discovery in parallel with automatic system configuration. In the paper the structure of the modular system designed for tokamak plasma soft X-ray measurements is described. The concept of the system discovery and further automatic configuration is also presented. FCS application (FMC/ FPGA Configuration Software) is used for running sophisticated system setup with automatic verification of proper configuration. In order to provide flexibility of further system configurations (e.g. user setup), common communication interface is also described. The approach presented here is related to the automatic system firmware building presented in previous papers. Modular construction and multichannel measurements are key requirement in term of SXR diagnostics with use of GEM detectors.

PEM Water Electrolysis: Preliminary Investigations Using Neutron Radiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Beer, Frikkie; van der Merwe, Jan-Hendrik; Bessarabov, Dmitri

The quasi-dynamic water distribution and performance of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer at both a small fuel cell's anode and cathode was observed and quantitatively measured in the in-plane imaging geometry direction(neutron beam parallel to membrane and with channels parallel to the beam) by applying the neutron radiography principle at the neutron imaging facility (NIF) of NIST, Gaithersburg, USA. The test section had 6 parallel channels with an active area of 5 cm2 and in-situ neutron radiography observation entails the liquid water content along the total length of each of the channels. The acquisition was made with a neutron cMOS-camera system with performance of 10 sec per frame to achieve a relatively good pixel dynamic range and at a pixel resolution of 10 x 10 μm2. A relatively high S/N ratio was achieved in the radiographs to observe in quasi real time the water management as well as quantification of water / gas within the channels. The water management has been observed at increased steps (0.2A/cm2) of current densities until 2V potential has been achieved. These observations were made at 2 different water flow rates, at 3 temperatures for each flow rate and repeated for both the vertical and horizontal electrolyzer orientation geometries. It is observed that there is water crossover from the anode through the membrane to the cathode. A first order quantification (neutron scattering correction not included) shows that the physical vertical and horizontal orientation of the fuel cell as well as the temperature of the system up to 80 °C has no significant influence on the percentage water (∼18%) that crossed over into the cathode. Additionally, a higher water content was observed in the Gas Diffusion Layer at the position of the channels with respect to the lands.

Determination of the fast-neutron-induced fission cross-section of 242Pu at nELBE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kögler, Toni; Beyer, Roland; Junghans, Arnd R.; Schwengner, Ronald; Wagner, Andreas

2018-03-01

The fast-neutron-induced fission cross section of 242Pu was determined in the energy range of 0.5 MeV to 10MeV at the neutron time-of-flight facility nELBE. Using a parallel-plate fission ionization chamber this quantity was measured relative to 235U(n,f). The number of target nuclei was thereby calculated by means of measuring the spontaneous fission rate of 242Pu. An MCNP 6 neutron transport simulation was used to correct the relative cross section for neutron scattering. The determined results are in good agreement with current experimental and evaluated data sets.

Solar heating and cooling diode module

DOEpatents

Maloney, Timothy J.

1986-01-01

A high efficiency solar heating system comprising a plurality of hollow modular units each for receiving a thermal storage mass, the units being arranged in stacked relation in the exterior frame of a building, each of the units including a port for filling the unit with the mass, a collector region and a storage region, each region having inner and outer walls, the outer wall of the collector region being oriented for exposure to sunlight for heating the thermal storage mass; the storage region having an opening therein and the collector region having a corresponding opening, the openings being joined for communicating the thermal storage mass between the storage and collector regions by thermosiphoning; the collector region being disposed substantially below and in parallel relation to the storage region in the modular unit; and the inner wall of the collector region of each successive modular unit in the stacked relation extending over the outer wall of the storage region of the next lower modular unit in the stacked relation for reducing heat loss from the system. Various modifications and alternatives are disclosed for both heating and cooling applications.

Flexible neutron shielding composite material of EPDM rubber with boron trioxide: Mechanical, thermal investigations and neutron shielding tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Özdemir, T.; Güngör, A.; Reyhancan, İ. A.

2017-02-01

In this study, EPDM and boron trioxide composite was produced and mechanical, thermal and neutron shielding tests were performed. EPDM rubber (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) having a considerably high hydrogen content is an effective neutron shielding material. On the other hand, the materials containing boron components have effective thermal neutron absorption crossection. The composite of EPDM and boron trioxide would be an effective solution for both respects of flexibility and effectiveness for developing a neutron shielding material. Flexible nature of EPDM would be a great asset for the shielding purpose in case of intervention action to a radiation accident. The theoretical calculations and experimental neutron absorption tests have shown that the results were in parallel and an effective neutron shielding has been achieved with the use of the developed composite material.

Nested Focusing Optics for Compact Neutron Sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nabors, Sammy A.

2015-01-01

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the University of Alabama Huntsville (UAH) have developed novel neutron grazing incidence optics for use with small-scale portable neutron generators. The technology was developed to enable the use of commercially available neutron generators for applications requiring high flux densities, including high performance imaging and analysis. Nested grazing incidence mirror optics, with high collection efficiency, are used to produce divergent, parallel, or convergent neutron beams. Ray tracing simulations of the system (with source-object separation of 10m for 5 meV neutrons) show nearly an order of magnitude neutron flux increase on a 1-mm diameter object. The technology is a result of joint development efforts between NASA and MIT researchers seeking to maximize neutron flux from diffuse sources for imaging and testing applications.

Tunable smart digital structure (SDS) to modularly assemble soft actuators with layered adhesive bonding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Hu; Dong, Erbao; Xu, Min; Xia, Qirong; Liu, Shuai; Li, Weihua; Yang, Jie

2018-01-01

Many shape memory alloy (SMA)-based soft actuators have specific composite structures and manufacture processes, and are therefore unique. However, these exclusive characteristics limit their capabilities and applications, so in this article a soft and smart digital structure (SDS) is proposed that acts like a modular unit to assemble soft actuators by a layered adhesive bonding process. The SDS is a fully soft structure that encapsulates a digital skeleton consisting of four groups of parallel and independently actuated SMA wires capable of outputting a four-channel tunable force. The layered adhesive bonding process modularly bonds several SDSs with an elastic backbone to fabricate a layered soft actuator where the elastic backbone is used to recover the SDSs in a cooling process using the SMA wires. Two kinds of SDS-based soft actuators were modularly assembled, an actuator, SDS-I, with a two-dimensional reciprocal motion, and an actuator, SDS-II, capable of bi-directional reciprocal motion. The thermodynamics and phase transformation modeling of the SDS-based actuator were analyzed. Several extensional soft actuators were also assembled by bonding the SDS with an anomalous elastic backbone or modularly assembling the SDS-Is and SDS-IIs. These modularly assembled soft actuators delivered more output channels and a complicated motion, e.g., an actinomorphic soft actuator with four SDS-Is jumps in a series of hierarchical heights and directional movement by tuning the input channels of the SDSs. This result showed that the SDS can modularly assemble multifarious soft actuators with diverse capabilities, steerability and tunable outputs.

SDA 7: A modular and parallel implementation of the simulation of diffusional association software

PubMed Central

Martinez, Michael; Romanowska, Julia; Kokh, Daria B.; Ozboyaci, Musa; Yu, Xiaofeng; Öztürk, Mehmet Ali; Richter, Stefan

2015-01-01

The simulation of diffusional association (SDA) Brownian dynamics software package has been widely used in the study of biomacromolecular association. Initially developed to calculate bimolecular protein–protein association rate constants, it has since been extended to study electron transfer rates, to predict the structures of biomacromolecular complexes, to investigate the adsorption of proteins to inorganic surfaces, and to simulate the dynamics of large systems containing many biomacromolecular solutes, allowing the study of concentration‐dependent effects. These extensions have led to a number of divergent versions of the software. In this article, we report the development of the latest version of the software (SDA 7). This release was developed to consolidate the existing codes into a single framework, while improving the parallelization of the code to better exploit modern multicore shared memory computer architectures. It is built using a modular object‐oriented programming scheme, to allow for easy maintenance and extension of the software, and includes new features, such as adding flexible solute representations. We discuss a number of application examples, which describe some of the methods available in the release, and provide benchmarking data to demonstrate the parallel performance. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Computational Chemistry Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:26123630

Parareal in time 3D numerical solver for the LWR Benchmark neutron diffusion transient model

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

Baudron, Anne-Marie, E-mail: anne-marie.baudron@cea.fr; CEA-DRN/DMT/SERMA, CEN-Saclay, 91191 Gif sur Yvette Cedex; Lautard, Jean-Jacques, E-mail: jean-jacques.lautard@cea.fr

2014-12-15

In this paper we present a time-parallel algorithm for the 3D neutrons calculation of a transient model in a nuclear reactor core. The neutrons calculation consists in numerically solving the time dependent diffusion approximation equation, which is a simplified transport equation. The numerical resolution is done with finite elements method based on a tetrahedral meshing of the computational domain, representing the reactor core, and time discretization is achieved using a θ-scheme. The transient model presents moving control rods during the time of the reaction. Therefore, cross-sections (piecewise constants) are taken into account by interpolations with respect to the velocity ofmore » the control rods. The parallelism across the time is achieved by an adequate use of the parareal in time algorithm to the handled problem. This parallel method is a predictor corrector scheme that iteratively combines the use of two kinds of numerical propagators, one coarse and one fine. Our method is made efficient by means of a coarse solver defined with large time step and fixed position control rods model, while the fine propagator is assumed to be a high order numerical approximation of the full model. The parallel implementation of our method provides a good scalability of the algorithm. Numerical results show the efficiency of the parareal method on large light water reactor transient model corresponding to the Langenbuch–Maurer–Werner benchmark.« less

Neutron capture and neutron-induced fission experiments on americium isotopes with DANCE

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

Jandel, M.; Bredeweg, T. A.; Fowler, M. M.

2009-01-28

Neutron capture cross section data on Am isotopes were measured using the Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiments (DANCE) at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The neutron capture cross section was determined for {sup 241}Am for neutron energies between thermal and 320 keV. Preliminary results were also obtained for {sup 243}Am for neutron energies between 10 eV and 250 keV. The results on concurrent neutron-induced fission and neutron-capture measurements on {sup 242m}Am will be presented where the fission events were actively triggered during the experiments. In these experiments, a Parallel-Plate Avalanche Counter (PPAC) detector that surrounds the target located in themore » center of the DANCE array was used as a fission-tagging detector to separate (n,{gamma}) events from (n,f) events. The first direct observation of neutron capture on {sup 242m}Am in the resonance region in between 2 and 9 eV of the neutron energy was obtained.« less

Neutron capture and neutron-induced fission experiments on americium isotopes with DANCE

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

Jandel, Marian

2008-01-01

Neutron capture cross section data on Am isotopes were measured using the Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiments (DANCE) at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The neutron capture cross section was determined for {sup 241}Am for neutron energies between thermal and 320 keV. Preliminary results were also obtained for {sup 243}Am for neutron energies between 35 eV and 200 keV. The results on concurrent neutron-induced fission and neutron-capture measurements on {sup 242m}Am will be presented, where the fission events were actively triggered during the experiments. In these experiments, the Parallel-Plate Avalanche Counter (PPAC) detector that surrounds the target located in themore » center of the DANCE array was used as a fission-tagging detector to separate (n,{gamma}) from (n,f) events. The first evidence of neutron capture on {sup 242m}Am in the resonance region in between 2 and 9 eV of the neutron energy was obtained.« less

COSY-11: an Experimental Facility for Studying Meson Production in Free and Quasi-free Nucleon-Nucleon Collisions

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

Klaja, P.; Janusz, M.; Jarczyk, L.

2005-10-26

The COSY-11 experimental setup is an internal facility installed at the COoler SYnchrotron COSY in Juelich. It allows to investigate meson production in free and quasi-free nucleon-nucleon collisions, eg. pp {yields} pp meson and pd {yields} pspnp meson reactions. Drift chambers and scintillators permit to measure outgoing protons, separated in the magnetic field of the COSY-11 dipole. Neutrons are registered in the neutron modular detector installed downstream from the target. Recently, the experimental setup has been extended with spectator detector, deuteron drift chamber and polarization monitoring system, and since then meson production can be investigated also as a function ofmore » spin and isospin of colliding nucleons.« less

The multi-purpose three-axis spectrometer (TAS) MIRA at FRM II

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

Georgii, Robert; Weber, Tobias; Brandl, Georg

The cold-neutron three-axis spectrometer MIRA is an instrument optimized for low-energy excitations. Its excellent intrinsic $Q$-resolution makes it ideal for studying incommensurate magnetic systems (elastic and inelastic). MIRA is at the forefront of using advanced neutron focusing optics such as elliptic guides, which enable the investigation of small samples under extreme conditions. Another advantage of MIRA is the modular assembly allowing for instrumental adaption to the needs of the experiment within a few hours. The development of new methods such as the spin-echo technique MIEZE is another important application at MIRA. Finally, scientific topics include the investigation of complex inter-metallicmore » alloys and spectroscopy on incommensurate magnetic structures.« less

SNM detection with an optimized water Cherenkov neutron detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dazeley, S.; Sweany, M.; Bernstein, A.

2012-11-01

Special Nuclear Material (SNM) can either spontaneously fission or be induced to do so: either case results in neutron emission. For this reason, neutron detection performs a crucial role in the functionality of Radiation Portal Monitoring (RPM) devices. Since neutrons are highly penetrating and difficult to shield, they could potentially be detected escaping even a well-shielded cargo container. If the shielding were sophisticated, detecting escaping neutrons would require a highly efficient detector with close to full solid angle coverage. In 2008, we reported the successful detection of neutrons with a 250 liter (l) gadolinium doped water Cherenkov prototype [1]—a technology that could potentially be employed cost effectively with full solid angle coverage. More recently we have built and tested both 1-kl and 3.5-kl versions [2], demonstrating that very large, cost effective, non-flammable and environmentally benign neutron detectors can be operated efficiently without being overwhelmed by background. In this paper, we present a new design for a modular system of water-based neutron detectors that could be deployed as a real RPM. The modules contain a number of optimizations that have not previously been combined within a single system. We present simulations of the new system, based on the performance of our previous detectors. Our simulations indicate that an optimized system such as is presented here could achieve SNM sensitivity competitive with a large 3He-based system. Moreover, the realization of large, cost effective neutron detectors could, for the first time, enable the detection of multiple neutrons per fission from within a large object such as a cargo container. Such a signal would provide a robust indication of the presence of fissioning material, reducing the frequency of false alarms while increasing sensitivity.

SNM Detection with an Optimized Water Cherenkov Neutron Detector

DOE PAGES

Dazeley, S.; Sweany, M.; Bernstein, A.

2012-07-23

Special Nuclear Material (SNM) can either spontaneously fission or be induced to do so: either case results in neutron emission. For this reason, neutron detection performs a crucial role in the functionality of Radiation Portal Monitoring (RPM) devices. Since neutrons are highly penetrating and difficult to shield, they could potentially be detected escaping even a well-shielded cargo container. If the shielding were sophisticated, detecting escaping neutrons would require a highly efficient detector with close to full solid angle coverage. In 2008, we reported the successful detection of neutrons with a 250 liter (l) gadolinium doped water Cherenkov prototype—a technology thatmore » could potentially be employed cost effectively with full solid angle coverage. More recently we have built and tested both 1-kl and 3.5-kl versions, demonstrating that very large, cost effective, non-flammable and environmentally benign neutron detectors can be operated efficiently without being overwhelmed by background. In our paper, we present a new design for a modular system of water-based neutron detectors that could be deployed as a real RPM. The modules contain a number of optimizations that have not previously been combined within a single system. We present simulations of the new system, based on the performance of our previous detectors. These simulations indicate that an optimized system such as is presented here could achieve SNM sensitivity competitive with a large 3He-based system. Moreover, the realization of large, cost effective neutron detectors could, for the first time, enable the detection of multiple neutrons per fission from within a large object such as a cargo container. Such a signal would provide a robust indication of the presence of fissioning material, reducing the frequency of false alarms while increasing sensitivity.« less

Second International Workshop on Software Engineering and Code Design in Parallel Meteorological and Oceanographic Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

OKeefe, Matthew (Editor); Kerr, Christopher L. (Editor)

1998-01-01

This report contains the abstracts and technical papers from the Second International Workshop on Software Engineering and Code Design in Parallel Meteorological and Oceanographic Applications, held June 15-18, 1998, in Scottsdale, Arizona. The purpose of the workshop is to bring together software developers in meteorology and oceanography to discuss software engineering and code design issues for parallel architectures, including Massively Parallel Processors (MPP's), Parallel Vector Processors (PVP's), Symmetric Multi-Processors (SMP's), Distributed Shared Memory (DSM) multi-processors, and clusters. Issues to be discussed include: (1) code architectures for current parallel models, including basic data structures, storage allocation, variable naming conventions, coding rules and styles, i/o and pre/post-processing of data; (2) designing modular code; (3) load balancing and domain decomposition; (4) techniques that exploit parallelism efficiently yet hide the machine-related details from the programmer; (5) tools for making the programmer more productive; and (6) the proliferation of programming models (F--, OpenMP, MPI, and HPF).

Harmony Theory: A Mathematical Framework for Stochastic Parallel Processing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smolensky, Paul

This paper presents preliminary results of research founded on the hypothesis that in real environments there exist regularities that can be idealized as mathematical structures that are simple enough to be analyzed. The author considered three steps in analyzing the encoding of modularity of the environment. First, a general information…

T.Node, industrial version of supernode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flieller, Sylvain

1989-12-01

The Esprit I P1085 "SuperNode" project developed a modular reconfigurable archtecture, based on transputers. This highly parallel machine is now marketed by Telmat Informatique under the name T.Node. This paper presents the P1085 project, the architecture of SuperNode, its industrial implementation and its software enviroment.

The NASA Neutron Star Grand Challenge: The coalescences of Neutron Star Binary System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suen, Wai-Mo

1998-04-01

NASA funded a Grand Challenge Project (9/1996-1999) for the development of a multi-purpose numerical treatment for relativistic astrophysics and gravitational wave astronomy. The coalescence of binary neutron stars is chosen as the model problem for the code development. The institutes involved in it are the Argonne Lab, Livermore lab, Max-Planck Institute at Potsdam, StonyBrook, U of Illinois and Washington U. We have recently succeeded in constructing a highly optimized parallel code which is capable of solving the full Einstein equations coupled with relativistic hydrodynamics, running at over 50 GFLOPS on a T3E (the second milestone point of the project). We are presently working on the head-on collisions of two neutron stars, and the inclusion of realistic equations of state into the code. The code will be released to the relativity and astrophysics community in April of 1998. With the full dynamics of the spacetime, relativistic hydro and microphysics all combined into a unified 3D code for the first time, many interesting large scale calculations in general relativistic astrophysics can now be carried out on massively parallel computers.

Photodetection Characterization of SiPM Technologies for their Application in Scintillator based Neutron Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, S.; Durini, D.; Degenhardt, C.; van Waasen, S.

2018-01-01

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments have become one of the most important techniques in the investigation of the properties of material on the atomic scale. Until 2001, nearly exclusively 3He-based detectors were used for neutron detection in these experiments, but due to the scarcity of 3He and its steeply rising price, researchers started to look for suitable alternatives. Scintillation based solid state detectors appeared as a prominent alternative. Silicon photomultipliers (SiPM), having single photon resolution, lower bias voltages compared to photomultiplier tubes (PMT), insensitivity to magnetic fields, low cost, possibility of modular design and higher readout rates, have the potential of becoming a photon detector of choice in scintillator based neutron detectors. The major concerns for utilizing the SiPM technology in this kind of applications are the increase in their noise performance and the decrease in their photon detection efficiency (PDE) due to direct exposure to neutrons. Here, a detailed comparative analysis of the PDE performance in the range between UV and NIR parts of the spectra for three different SiPM technologies, before and after irradiation with cold neutrons, has been carried out. For this investigation, one digital and two analog SiPM arrays were irradiated with 5Å wavelength cold neutrons and up to a dose of 6×1012 n/cm2 at the KWS-1 instrument of the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) in Garching, Germany.

The Basal Ganglia and Adaptive Motor Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graybiel, Ann M.; Aosaki, Toshihiko; Flaherty, Alice W.; Kimura, Minoru

1994-09-01

The basal ganglia are neural structures within the motor and cognitive control circuits in the mammalian forebrain and are interconnected with the neocortex by multiple loops. Dysfunction in these parallel loops caused by damage to the striatum results in major defects in voluntary movement, exemplified in Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. These parallel loops have a distributed modular architecture resembling local expert architectures of computational learning models. During sensorimotor learning, such distributed networks may be coordinated by widely spaced striatal interneurons that acquire response properties on the basis of experienced reward.

Design of a facility for the in situ measurement of catalytic reaction by neutron scattering spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Shuai; Cheng, Yongqiang; Daemen, Luke L.; Lutterman, Daniel A.

2018-01-01

Catalysis is a critical enabling science for future energy needs. The next frontier of catalysis is to evolve from catalyst discovery to catalyst design, and for this next step to be realized, we must develop new techniques to better understand reaction mechanisms. To do this, we must connect catalytic reaction rates and selectivities to the kinetics, energetics, and dynamics of individual elementary steps and relate these to the structure and dynamics of the catalytic sites involved. Neutron scattering spectroscopies offer unique capabilities that are difficult or impossible to match by other techniques. The current study presents the development of a compact and portable instrumental design that enables the in situ investigation of catalytic samples by neutron scattering techniques. The developed apparatus was tested at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) in Oak Ridge National Laboratory and includes a gas handling panel that allows for computer hookups to control the panel externally and online measurement equipment such as coupled GC-FID/TCD (Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detector/Thermal Conductivity Detector) and MS (Mass Spectrometry) to characterize offgassing while the sample is in the neutron scattering spectrometer. This system is flexible, modular, compact, and portable enabling its use for many types of gas-solid and liquid-solid reactions at the various beamlines housed at the SNS.

Thermal insulating barrier and neutron shield providing integrated protection for a nuclear reactor vessel

DOEpatents

Schreiber, R.B.; Fero, A.H.; Sejvar, J.

1997-12-16

The reactor vessel of a nuclear reactor installation which is suspended from the cold leg nozzles in a reactor cavity is provided with a lower thermal insulating barrier spaced from the reactor vessel to form a chamber which can be flooded with cooling water through passive valving to directly cool the reactor vessel in the event of a severe accident. The passive valving also includes bistable vents at the upper end of the thermal insulating barrier for releasing steam. A removable, modular neutron shield extending around the upper end of the reactor cavity below the nozzles forms with the upwardly and outwardly tapered transition on the outer surface of the reactor vessel, a labyrinthine channel which reduces neutron streaming while providing a passage for the escape of steam during a severe accident, and for the cooling air which is circulated along the reactor cavity walls outside the thermal insulating barrier during normal operation of the reactor. 8 figs.

Thermal insulating barrier and neutron shield providing integrated protection for a nuclear reactor vessel

DOEpatents

Schreiber, Roger B.; Fero, Arnold H.; Sejvar, James

1997-01-01

The reactor vessel of a nuclear reactor installation which is suspended from the cold leg nozzles in a reactor cavity is provided with a lower thermal insulating barrier spaced from the reactor vessel to form a chamber which can be flooded with cooling water through passive valving to directly cool the reactor vessel in the event of a severe accident. The passive valving also includes bistable vents at the upper end of the thermal insulating barrier for releasing steam. A removable, modular neutron shield extending around the upper end of the reactor cavity below the nozzles forms with the upwardly and outwardly tapered transition on the outer surface of the reactor vessel, a labyrinthine channel which reduces neutron streaming while providing a passage for the escape of steam during a severe accident, and for the cooling air which is circulated along the reactor cavity walls outside the thermal insulating barrier during normal operation of the reactor.

Measurements of energy dependence of average number of prompt neutrons from neutron-induced fission of 242Pu from 0.5 to 10 Mev

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khokhlov, Yurii A.; Ivanin, Igor A.; In'kov, Valerii I.; Danilin, Lev D.

1998-10-01

The results of energy dependence measurements of the average number of prompt neutrons from neutrons-induced fission of 242Pu from 0.5 to 10 MeV are presented. The measurements were carried out with neutrons beam from uranium target of electron linac of Russian Federal Nuclear Center using time-of-flight technique on 28.5 m flight-path. The neutrons from fission were detected by a liquid scintillator detector loaded with gadolinium, events of fission—by parallel plate avalanche detector for fission fragments. Least squares fitting results give ν¯p(En)=(2.881±0.033)+(0.141±0.003)ṡEn. The work is executed on ISTC project # 471-97.

Optics for Advanced Neutron Imaging and Scattering

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

Moncton, David E.; Khaykovich, Boris

2016-03-30

During the report period, we continued the work as outlined in the original proposal. We have analyzed potential optical designs of Wolter mirrors for the neutron-imaging instrument VENUS, which is under construction at SNS. In parallel, we have conducted the initial polarized imaging experiment at Helmholtz Zentrum, Berlin, one of very few of currently available polarized-imaging facilities worldwide.

Determination of rhenium in molybdenite by neutron-activation analysis.

PubMed

Terada, K; Yoshimura, Y; Osaki, S; Kiba, T

1967-01-01

A neutron-activation method is described for the determination of rhenium in molybdenite. Radiochemical separation by a carrier technique was carried out very rapidly by means of successive liquid-liquid extraction processes. The recovery of rhenium, which was determined by a spectrophotometric method, was about 93%. About 10 samples could be analysed within 6 hr in parallel runs.

Separator assembly for use in spent nuclear fuel shipping cask

DOEpatents

Bucholz, James A.

1983-01-01

A separator assembly for use in a spent nuclear fuel shipping cask has a honeycomb-type wall structure defining parallel cavities for holding nuclear fuel assemblies. Tubes formed of an effective neutron-absorbing material are embedded in the wall structure around each of the cavities and provide neutron flux traps when filled with water.

Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamic Simulator

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

2016-10-05

This code is a highly modular framework for developing smoothed particle hydrodynamic (SPH) simulations running on parallel platforms. The compartmentalization of the code allows for rapid development of new SPH applications and modifications of existing algorithms. The compartmentalization also allows changes in one part of the code used by many applications to instantly be made available to all applications.

Digital Control Technologies for Modular DC-DC Converters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Button, Robert M.; Kascak, Peter E.; Lebron-Velilla, Ramon

2002-01-01

Recent trends in aerospace Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) systems focus on using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components as standard building blocks. This move to more modular designs has been driven by a desire to reduce costs and development times, but is also due to the impressive power density and efficiency numbers achieved by today's commercial DC-DC converters. However, the PMAD designer quickly learns of the hidden "costs" of using COTS converters. The most significant cost is the required addition of external input filters to meet strict electromagnetic interference (MIAMI) requirements for space systems. In fact, the high power density numbers achieved by the commercial manufacturers are greatly due to the lack of necessary input filters included in the COTS module. The NASA Glenn Research Center is currently pursuing a digital control technology that addresses this problem with modular DC-DC converters. This paper presents the digital control technologies that have been developed to greatly reduce the input filter requirements for paralleled, modular DC-DC converters. Initial test result show that the input filter's inductor size was reduced by 75 percent, and the capacitor size was reduced by 94 percent while maintaining the same power quality specifications.

Compton Scattering Cross Sections in Strong Magnetic Fields: Advances for Neutron Star Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eiles, Matthew; Gonthier, P. L.; Baring, M. G.; Wadiasingh, Z.

2013-04-01

Various telescopes including RXTE, INTEGRAL and Suzaku have detected non-thermal X-ray emission in the 10 - 200 keV band from strongly magnetic neutron stars. Inverse Compton scattering, a quantum-electrodynamical process, is believed to be a leading candidate for the production of this intense X-ray radiation. Magnetospheric conditions are such that electrons may well possess ultra-relativistic energies, which lead to attractive simplifications of the cross section. We have recently addressed such a case by developing compact analytic expressions using correct spin-dependent widths and Sokolov & Ternov (ST) basis states, focusing specifically on ground state-to-ground state scattering. However, inverse Compton scattering can cool electrons down to mildly-relativistic energies, necessitating the development of a more general case where the incoming photons acquire nonzero incident angles relative to the field in the rest frame of the electron, and the intermediate state can be excited to arbitrary Landau levels. In this paper, we develop results pertaining to this general case using ST formalism, and treating the plethora of harmonic resonances associated with various cyclotron transitions between Landau states. Four possible scattering modes (parallel-parallel, perpendicular-perpendicular, parallel-perpendicular, and perpendicular-parallel) encapsulate the polarization dependence of the cross section. We present preliminary analytic and numerical investigations of the magnitude of the extra Landau state contributions to obtain the full cross section, and compare these new analytic developments with the spin-averaged cross sections, which we develop in parallel. Results will find application to various neutron star problems, including computation of Eddington luminosities in the magnetospheres of magnetars. We express our gratitude for the generous support of the Michigan Space Grant Consortium, of the National Science Foundation (REU and RUI), and the NASA Astrophysics Theory and Fundamental Program.

Re-emergence of modular brain networks in stroke recovery.

PubMed

Siegel, Joshua S; Seitzman, Benjamin A; Ramsey, Lenny E; Ortega, Mario; Gordon, Evan M; Dosenbach, Nico U F; Petersen, Steven E; Shulman, Gordon L; Corbetta, Maurizio

2018-04-01

Studies of stroke have identified local reorganization in perilesional tissue. However, because the brain is highly networked, strokes also broadly alter the brain's global network organization. Here, we assess brain network structure longitudinally in adult stroke patients using resting state fMRI. The topology and boundaries of cortical regions remain grossly unchanged across recovery. In contrast, the modularity of brain systems i.e. the degree of integration within and segregation between networks, was significantly reduced sub-acutely (n = 107), but partially recovered by 3 months (n = 85), and 1 year (n = 67). Importantly, network recovery correlated with recovery from language, spatial memory, and attention deficits, but not motor or visual deficits. Finally, in-depth single subject analyses were conducted using tools for visualization of changes in brain networks over time. This exploration indicated that changes in modularity during successful recovery reflect specific alterations in the relationships between different networks. For example, in a patient with left temporo-parietal stroke and severe aphasia, sub-acute loss of modularity reflected loss of association between frontal and temporo-parietal regions bi-hemispherically across multiple modules. These long-distance connections then returned over time, paralleling aphasia recovery. This work establishes the potential importance of normalization of large-scale modular brain systems in stroke recovery. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

REVIEWS OF TOPICAL PROBLEMS: Superfluidity and the magnetic field of pulsars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sedrakyan, D. M.; Shakhabasyan, K. M.

1991-07-01

The current state of the theory of superfluidity in pulsars is presented. The superfluidity of hadronic matter in neutron stars is considered. It is shown that strong interaction between the neutron and proton condensates leads to a drag current of superconducting protons and to the generation of a strong time-independent magnetic field (B = 1012 G) parallel to the axis of rotation. The strength of this field depends on the microscopic parameters of the superfluid hadrons. Models explaining the origin of glitches and postglitch relaxation are discussed. The coupling time between the neutron superfluid and the rigid crust of the neutron star is calculated.

GRAVIDY, a GPU modular, parallel direct-summation N-body integrator: dynamics with softening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maureira-Fredes, Cristián; Amaro-Seoane, Pau

2018-01-01

A wide variety of outstanding problems in astrophysics involve the motion of a large number of particles under the force of gravity. These include the global evolution of globular clusters, tidal disruptions of stars by a massive black hole, the formation of protoplanets and sources of gravitational radiation. The direct-summation of N gravitational forces is a complex problem with no analytical solution and can only be tackled with approximations and numerical methods. To this end, the Hermite scheme is a widely used integration method. With different numerical techniques and special-purpose hardware, it can be used to speed up the calculations. But these methods tend to be computationally slow and cumbersome to work with. We present a new graphics processing unit (GPU), direct-summation N-body integrator written from scratch and based on this scheme, which includes relativistic corrections for sources of gravitational radiation. GRAVIDY has high modularity, allowing users to readily introduce new physics, it exploits available computational resources and will be maintained by regular updates. GRAVIDY can be used in parallel on multiple CPUs and GPUs, with a considerable speed-up benefit. The single-GPU version is between one and two orders of magnitude faster than the single-CPU version. A test run using four GPUs in parallel shows a speed-up factor of about 3 as compared to the single-GPU version. The conception and design of this first release is aimed at users with access to traditional parallel CPU clusters or computational nodes with one or a few GPU cards.

Lanl Neutron-Induced Fission Cross Section Measurement Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laptev, A. B.; Tovesson, F.; Hill, T. S.

2014-09-01

A well established program of neutron-induced fission cross section measurement at Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) is supporting the Fuel Cycle Research program (FC R&D). Combining measurements at two LANSCE facilities, the Lujan Center and the Weapons Neutron Research facility (WNR), cover neutron energies over 10 orders of magnitude: from sub-thermal up to 200 MeV. A parallel-plate fission ionization chamber was used as a fission fragment detector. The 235U(n,f) standard was used as the reference. Fission cross sections have been measured for multiple actinides. The new data presented here completes the suite of long-lived Uranium isotopes that were investigated with this experimental approach. The cross section data are presented in comparison with existing evaluations and previous measurements.

Fast parallel molecular algorithms for DNA-based computation: factoring integers.

PubMed

Chang, Weng-Long; Guo, Minyi; Ho, Michael Shan-Hui

2005-06-01

The RSA public-key cryptosystem is an algorithm that converts input data to an unrecognizable encryption and converts the unrecognizable data back into its original decryption form. The security of the RSA public-key cryptosystem is based on the difficulty of factoring the product of two large prime numbers. This paper demonstrates to factor the product of two large prime numbers, and is a breakthrough in basic biological operations using a molecular computer. In order to achieve this, we propose three DNA-based algorithms for parallel subtractor, parallel comparator, and parallel modular arithmetic that formally verify our designed molecular solutions for factoring the product of two large prime numbers. Furthermore, this work indicates that the cryptosystems using public-key are perhaps insecure and also presents clear evidence of the ability of molecular computing to perform complicated mathematical operations.

NEUTRON SHIELDING STRUCTURE

DOEpatents

Mattingly, J.T.

1962-09-25

A lightweight neutron shielding structure comprises a honeycomb core which is filled with a neutron absorbing powder. The honeycomb core is faced with parallel planar facing sheets to form a lightweight rigid unit. Suitable absorber powders are selected from among the following: B, B/sub 4/C, B/sub 2/O/ sub 3/, CaB/sub 6/, Li/sub 2/CO3, LiOH, LiBO/sub 2/, Li/s ub 2/O. The facing sheets are constructed of a neutron moderating material, so that fast neutrons will be moderated while traversing the facing sheets, and ultimately be absorbed by the absorber powder in the honeycomb. Beryllium is a preferred moderator material for use in the facing sheets. The advantage of the structure is that it combines the rigidity and light weight of a honeycomb construction with the neutron absorption properties of boron and lithium. (AEC)

Parallel computation safety analysis irradiation targets fission product molybdenum in neutronic aspect using the successive over-relaxation algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Susmikanti, Mike; Dewayatna, Winter; Sulistyo, Yos

2014-09-01

One of the research activities in support of commercial radioisotope production program is a safety research on target FPM (Fission Product Molybdenum) irradiation. FPM targets form a tube made of stainless steel which contains nuclear-grade high-enrichment uranium. The FPM irradiation tube is intended to obtain fission products. Fission materials such as Mo99 used widely the form of kits in the medical world. The neutronics problem is solved using first-order perturbation theory derived from the diffusion equation for four groups. In contrast, Mo isotopes have longer half-lives, about 3 days (66 hours), so the delivery of radioisotopes to consumer centers and storage is possible though still limited. The production of this isotope potentially gives significant economic value. The criticality and flux in multigroup diffusion model was calculated for various irradiation positions and uranium contents. This model involves complex computation, with large and sparse matrix system. Several parallel algorithms have been developed for the sparse and large matrix solution. In this paper, a successive over-relaxation (SOR) algorithm was implemented for the calculation of reactivity coefficients which can be done in parallel. Previous works performed reactivity calculations serially with Gauss-Seidel iteratives. The parallel method can be used to solve multigroup diffusion equation system and calculate the criticality and reactivity coefficients. In this research a computer code was developed to exploit parallel processing to perform reactivity calculations which were to be used in safety analysis. The parallel processing in the multicore computer system allows the calculation to be performed more quickly. This code was applied for the safety limits calculation of irradiated FPM targets containing highly enriched uranium. The results of calculations neutron show that for uranium contents of 1.7676 g and 6.1866 g (× 106 cm-1) in a tube, their delta reactivities are the still within safety limits; however, for 7.9542 g and 8.838 g (× 106 cm-1) the limits were exceeded.

Calculation of the Effective Cross Sections of the Reaction X(n,p)Y with Neutrons in the Energy Range 2-5 Mev; CALCULO DE SECCIONES EFICACES X(n,p)Y CON NEUTRONES DE ENERGIAS ENTRE 2-5 Mev

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

Rapaport, J.; Trier, A.

1960-05-01

Parallel with experimental work to measure the ic neutrons between 2 and 3.6 Mev, it was necessary to estimate the theoretical behavior of these cross sections. The statistical theory of Blatt and Weisskopf was used in the calculation. The theoretical results obtained for squarewell and diffuse-well development are compared with the experimental results. (J.S.R.)

In situ neutron diffraction study of twin reorientation and pseudoplastic strain in Ni-Mn-Ga single crystals

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

Stoica, Alexandru Dan

2011-01-01

Twin variant reorientation in single-crystal Ni-Mn-Ga during quasi-static mechanical compression was studied using in situ neutron diffraction. The volume fraction of reoriented twin variants for different stress amplitudes were obtained from the changes in integrated intensities of high-order neutron diffraction peaks. It is shown that, during compressive loading, {approx}85% of the twins were reoriented parallel to the loading direction resulting in a maximum pseudoplasticstrain of {approx}5.5%, which is in agreement with measured macroscopic strain.

Hadron Therapy in Latin America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kreiner, A. J.; Bergueiro, J.; Burlon, A. A.; Di Paolo, H.; Castell, W.; Thatar Vento, V.; Levinas, P.; Cartelli, D.; Kesque, J. M.; Valda, A. A.; Ilardo, J. C.; Baldo, M.; Erhardt, J.; Debray, M. E.; Somacal, H. R.; Minsky, D. M.; Estrada, L.; Hazarabedian, A.; Johann, F.; Suarez Sandin, J. C.; Igarzabal, M.; Huck, H.; Repetto, M.; Obligado, M.; Lell, J.; Padulo, J.; Herrera, M.; Gonzalez, S. R.; Capoulat, M. E.; Davidson, J.; Davidson, M.

2010-08-01

The use of proton and heavy ion beams for radiotherapy is a well established cancer treatment modality in the first world, which is becoming increasingly widespread, due to its clear advantages over conventional photon-based treatments. This strategy is suitable when the tumor is spatially well localized. Also the use of neutrons has tradition. Here Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) stands out, though on a much smaller scale, being a promising alternative for tumors which are diffuse and infiltrating. On this sector, so far only nuclear reactors have been used as neutron sources. In this paper we briefly describe the situation in Latin America and in particular we discuss the present status of an ongoing project to develop a folded Tandem-ElectroStatic-Quadrupole (TESQ) accelerator for Accelerator-Based (AB)-Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) at the Atomic Energy Commission of Argentina. The project goal is a machine capable of delivering 30 mA of 2.4 MeV protons to be used in conjunction with a neutron production target based on the 7Li(p,n)7Be reaction. These are the specifications needed to produce sufficiently intense and clean epithermal neutron beams to perform BNCT for deep-seated tumors in less than an hour. The machine being currently designed and constructed is a folded TESQ with a terminal at 0.6 MV as a smaller scale prototype. Since the concept is modular the same structure will be used for the 1.2 MV final accelerator.

Dose profile modeling of Idaho National Laboratory's active neutron interrogation laboratory.

PubMed

Chichester, D L; Seabury, E H; Zabriskie, J M; Wharton, J; Caffrey, A J

2009-06-01

A new laboratory has been commissioned at Idaho National Laboratory for performing active neutron interrogation research and development. The facility is designed to provide radiation shielding for deuterium-tritium (DT) fusion (14.1 MeV) neutron generators (2 x 10(8) n/s), deuterium-deuterium (DD) fusion (2.5 MeV) neutron generators (1 x 10(7) n/s), and (252)Cf spontaneous fission neutron sources (6.96 x 10(7) n/s, 30 microg). Shielding at the laboratory is comprised of modular concrete shield blocks 0.76 m thick with tongue-in-groove features to prevent radiation streaming, arranged into one small and one large test vault. The larger vault is designed to allow operation of the DT generator and has walls 3.8m tall, an entrance maze, and a fully integrated electrical interlock system; the smaller test vault is designed for (252)Cf and DD neutron sources and has walls 1.9 m tall and a simple entrance maze. Both analytical calculations and numerical simulations were used in the design process for the building to assess the performance of the shielding walls and to ensure external dose rates are within required facility limits. Dose rate contour plots have been generated for the facility to visualize the effectiveness of the shield walls and entrance mazes and to illustrate the spatial profile of the radiation dose field above the facility and the effects of skyshine around the vaults.

An Element-Based Concurrent Partitioner for Unstructured Finite Element Meshes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ding, Hong Q.; Ferraro, Robert D.

1996-01-01

A concurrent partitioner for partitioning unstructured finite element meshes on distributed memory architectures is developed. The partitioner uses an element-based partitioning strategy. Its main advantage over the more conventional node-based partitioning strategy is its modular programming approach to the development of parallel applications. The partitioner first partitions element centroids using a recursive inertial bisection algorithm. Elements and nodes then migrate according to the partitioned centroids, using a data request communication template for unpredictable incoming messages. Our scalable implementation is contrasted to a non-scalable implementation which is a straightforward parallelization of a sequential partitioner.

Advances in the spatially distributed ages-w model: parallel computation, java connection framework (JCF) integration, and streamflow/nitrogen dynamics assessment

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

AgroEcoSystem-Watershed (AgES-W) is a modular, Java-based spatially distributed model which implements hydrologic and water quality (H/WQ) simulation components under the Java Connection Framework (JCF) and the Object Modeling System (OMS) environmental modeling framework. AgES-W is implicitly scala...

First measurement of the neutron beta asymmetry with ultracold neutrons.

PubMed

Pattie, R W; Anaya, J; Back, H O; Boissevain, J G; Bowles, T J; Broussard, L J; Carr, R; Clark, D J; Currie, S; Du, S; Filippone, B W; Geltenbort, P; García, A; Hawari, A; Hickerson, K P; Hill, R; Hino, M; Hoedl, S A; Hogan, G E; Holley, A T; Ito, T M; Kawai, T; Kirch, K; Kitagaki, S; Lamoreaux, S K; Liu, C-Y; Liu, J; Makela, M; Mammei, R R; Martin, J W; Melconian, D; Meier, N; Mendenhall, M P; Morris, C L; Mortensen, R; Pichlmaier, A; Pitt, M L; Plaster, B; Ramsey, J C; Rios, R; Sabourov, K; Sallaska, A L; Saunders, A; Schmid, R; Seestrom, S; Servicky, C; Sjue, S K L; Smith, D; Sondheim, W E; Tatar, E; Teasdale, W; Terai, C; Tipton, B; Utsuro, M; Vogelaar, R B; Wehring, B W; Xu, Y P; Young, A R; Yuan, J

2009-01-09

We report the first measurement of an angular correlation parameter in neutron beta decay using polarized ultracold neutrons (UCN). We utilize UCN with energies below about 200 neV, which we guide and store for approximately 30 s in a Cu decay volume. The interaction of the neutron magnetic dipole moment with a static 7 T field external to the decay volume provides a 420 neV potential energy barrier to the spin state parallel to the field, polarizing the UCN before they pass through an adiabatic fast passage spin flipper and enter a decay volume, situated within a 1 T field in a 2x2pi solenoidal spectrometer. We determine a value for the beta-asymmetry parameter A_{0}=-0.1138+/-0.0046+/-0.0021.

Parallel and Portable Monte Carlo Particle Transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, S. R.; Cummings, J. C.; Nolen, S. D.; Keen, N. D.

1997-08-01

We have developed a multi-group, Monte Carlo neutron transport code in C++ using object-oriented methods and the Parallel Object-Oriented Methods and Applications (POOMA) class library. This transport code, called MC++, currently computes k and α eigenvalues of the neutron transport equation on a rectilinear computational mesh. It is portable to and runs in parallel on a wide variety of platforms, including MPPs, clustered SMPs, and individual workstations. It contains appropriate classes and abstractions for particle transport and, through the use of POOMA, for portable parallelism. Current capabilities are discussed, along with physics and performance results for several test problems on a variety of hardware, including all three Accelerated Strategic Computing Initiative (ASCI) platforms. Current parallel performance indicates the ability to compute α-eigenvalues in seconds or minutes rather than days or weeks. Current and future work on the implementation of a general transport physics framework (TPF) is also described. This TPF employs modern C++ programming techniques to provide simplified user interfaces, generic STL-style programming, and compile-time performance optimization. Physics capabilities of the TPF will be extended to include continuous energy treatments, implicit Monte Carlo algorithms, and a variety of convergence acceleration techniques such as importance combing.

Quasielastic neutron scattering in biology: Theory and applications

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

Vural, Derya; Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN; Hu, Xiaohu

Neutrons scatter quasielastically from stochastic, diffusive processes, such as overdamped vibrations, localized diffusion and transitions between energy minima. In biological systems, such as proteins and membranes, these relaxation processes are of considerable physical interest. We review here recent methodological advances and applications of quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) in biology, concentrating on the role of molecular dynamics simulation in generating data with which neutron profiles can be unambiguously interpreted. We examine the use of massively-parallel computers in calculating scattering functions, and the application of Markov state modeling. The decomposition of MD-derived neutron dynamic susceptibilities is described, and the use of thismore » in combination with NMR spectroscopy. We discuss dynamics at very long times, including approximations to the infinite time mean-square displacement and nonequilibrium aspects of single-protein dynamics. Lastly, we examine how neutron scattering and MD can be combined to provide information on lipid nanodomains.« less

Quasielastic neutron scattering in biology: Theory and applications

DOE PAGES

Vural, Derya; Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN; Hu, Xiaohu; ...

2016-06-15

Neutrons scatter quasielastically from stochastic, diffusive processes, such as overdamped vibrations, localized diffusion and transitions between energy minima. In biological systems, such as proteins and membranes, these relaxation processes are of considerable physical interest. We review here recent methodological advances and applications of quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) in biology, concentrating on the role of molecular dynamics simulation in generating data with which neutron profiles can be unambiguously interpreted. We examine the use of massively-parallel computers in calculating scattering functions, and the application of Markov state modeling. The decomposition of MD-derived neutron dynamic susceptibilities is described, and the use of thismore » in combination with NMR spectroscopy. We discuss dynamics at very long times, including approximations to the infinite time mean-square displacement and nonequilibrium aspects of single-protein dynamics. Lastly, we examine how neutron scattering and MD can be combined to provide information on lipid nanodomains.« less

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

Li, C.; Yu, G.; Wang, K.

The physical designs of the new concept reactors which have complex structure, various materials and neutronic energy spectrum, have greatly improved the requirements to the calculation methods and the corresponding computing hardware. Along with the widely used parallel algorithm, heterogeneous platforms architecture has been introduced into numerical computations in reactor physics. Because of the natural parallel characteristics, the CPU-FPGA architecture is often used to accelerate numerical computation. This paper studies the application and features of this kind of heterogeneous platforms used in numerical calculation of reactor physics through practical examples. After the designed neutron diffusion module based on CPU-FPGA architecturemore » achieves a 11.2 speed up factor, it is proved to be feasible to apply this kind of heterogeneous platform into reactor physics. (authors)« less

Ising versus XY anisotropy in frustrated R(2)Ti(2)O(7) compounds as "Seen" by Polarized Neutrons.

PubMed

Cao, H; Gukasov, A; Mirebeau, I; Bonville, P; Decorse, C; Dhalenne, G

2009-07-31

We studied the field induced magnetic order in R(2)Ti(2)O(7) pyrochlore compounds with either uniaxial (R=Ho, Tb) or planar (R=Er, Yb) anisotropy, by polarized neutron diffraction. The determination of the local susceptibility tensor {chi(parallel to),chi(perpendicular)} provides a universal description of the field induced structures in the paramagnetic phase (2-270 K), whatever the field value (1-7 T) and direction. Comparison of the thermal variations of chi(parallel to) and chi(perpendicular) with calculations using the rare earth crystal field shows that exchange and dipolar interactions must be taken into account. We determine the molecular field tensor in each case and show that it can be strongly anisotropic.

Monte Carlo simulation of the operational quantities at the realistic mixed neutron-photon radiation fields CANEL and SIGMA.

PubMed

Lacoste, V; Gressier, V

2007-01-01

The Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety owns two facilities producing realistic mixed neutron-photon radiation fields, CANEL, an accelerator driven moderator modular device, and SIGMA, a graphite moderated americium-beryllium assembly. These fields are representative of some of those encountered at nuclear workplaces, and the corresponding facilities are designed and used for calibration of various instruments, such as survey meters, personal dosimeters or spectrometric devices. In the framework of the European project EVIDOS, irradiations of personal dosimeters were performed at CANEL and SIGMA. Monte Carlo calculations were performed to estimate the reference values of the personal dose equivalent at both facilities. The Hp(10) values were calculated for three different angular positions, 0 degrees, 45 degrees and 75 degrees, of an ICRU phantom located at the position of irradiation.

A lightweight, flow-based toolkit for parallel and distributed bioinformatics pipelines

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Bioinformatic analyses typically proceed as chains of data-processing tasks. A pipeline, or 'workflow', is a well-defined protocol, with a specific structure defined by the topology of data-flow interdependencies, and a particular functionality arising from the data transformations applied at each step. In computer science, the dataflow programming (DFP) paradigm defines software systems constructed in this manner, as networks of message-passing components. Thus, bioinformatic workflows can be naturally mapped onto DFP concepts. Results To enable the flexible creation and execution of bioinformatics dataflows, we have written a modular framework for parallel pipelines in Python ('PaPy'). A PaPy workflow is created from re-usable components connected by data-pipes into a directed acyclic graph, which together define nested higher-order map functions. The successive functional transformations of input data are evaluated on flexibly pooled compute resources, either local or remote. Input items are processed in batches of adjustable size, all flowing one to tune the trade-off between parallelism and lazy-evaluation (memory consumption). An add-on module ('NuBio') facilitates the creation of bioinformatics workflows by providing domain specific data-containers (e.g., for biomolecular sequences, alignments, structures) and functionality (e.g., to parse/write standard file formats). Conclusions PaPy offers a modular framework for the creation and deployment of parallel and distributed data-processing workflows. Pipelines derive their functionality from user-written, data-coupled components, so PaPy also can be viewed as a lightweight toolkit for extensible, flow-based bioinformatics data-processing. The simplicity and flexibility of distributed PaPy pipelines may help users bridge the gap between traditional desktop/workstation and grid computing. PaPy is freely distributed as open-source Python code at http://muralab.org/PaPy, and includes extensive documentation and annotated usage examples. PMID:21352538

A lightweight, flow-based toolkit for parallel and distributed bioinformatics pipelines.

PubMed

Cieślik, Marcin; Mura, Cameron

2011-02-25

Bioinformatic analyses typically proceed as chains of data-processing tasks. A pipeline, or 'workflow', is a well-defined protocol, with a specific structure defined by the topology of data-flow interdependencies, and a particular functionality arising from the data transformations applied at each step. In computer science, the dataflow programming (DFP) paradigm defines software systems constructed in this manner, as networks of message-passing components. Thus, bioinformatic workflows can be naturally mapped onto DFP concepts. To enable the flexible creation and execution of bioinformatics dataflows, we have written a modular framework for parallel pipelines in Python ('PaPy'). A PaPy workflow is created from re-usable components connected by data-pipes into a directed acyclic graph, which together define nested higher-order map functions. The successive functional transformations of input data are evaluated on flexibly pooled compute resources, either local or remote. Input items are processed in batches of adjustable size, all flowing one to tune the trade-off between parallelism and lazy-evaluation (memory consumption). An add-on module ('NuBio') facilitates the creation of bioinformatics workflows by providing domain specific data-containers (e.g., for biomolecular sequences, alignments, structures) and functionality (e.g., to parse/write standard file formats). PaPy offers a modular framework for the creation and deployment of parallel and distributed data-processing workflows. Pipelines derive their functionality from user-written, data-coupled components, so PaPy also can be viewed as a lightweight toolkit for extensible, flow-based bioinformatics data-processing. The simplicity and flexibility of distributed PaPy pipelines may help users bridge the gap between traditional desktop/workstation and grid computing. PaPy is freely distributed as open-source Python code at http://muralab.org/PaPy, and includes extensive documentation and annotated usage examples.

Getting Things Done. A Learning Package for Process Skills. An Occasional Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Max

This manual is designed to help teachers and tutors implement a 4-day modular course in the skills and processes necessary to get things done. The aims and content of the course are described. A course summary is provided along with a model course program that includes parallel lists of objectives, suggested learning activities and text materials,…

Credit-Based Systems as Vehicles for Change in Universities and Colleges. Managing Innovation and Change in Universities and Colleges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Robert; Layer, Geoff

This book discusses organizational, management and professional dimensions of change as credit-based systems are introduced in higher education institutions in the United Kingdom. Credit-based systems are taken to mean the flexible academic structures based around the parallel but interrelated concepts of credit and modularity. They are being…

Tables of model atmospheres of bursting neutron stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madej, Jerzy

1991-01-01

This paper presents tables of plane-parallel neutron star model atmospheres in radiative and hydrostatic equilibrium, with effective temperatures of 8 x 10 exp 6, 1.257 x 10 exp 7, 2 x 10 exp 7, and 3 x 10 exp 7 K, and surface gravities of 15.0 and less (cgs units). The equations of model atmospheres on which the tables are based fully account for nonisotropies of the radiation field and effects of noncoherent Compton scattering of thermal X-rays by free electrons. Both the effective temperatures and gravities listed above are measured on the neutron star surface.

Final Stage in the Design of a Boron Neutron Capture Therapy facility at CEADEN, Cuba

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

Cabal, F. Padilla; Martin, G.

A neutron beam simulation study is carried out to determine the most suitable neutron energy for treatment of shallow and deep-seated brain tumors in the context of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT). Two figures-of-merit, the therapeutic gain and the neutron fluence are utilized as beam assessment parameters. An irradiation cavity is used instead of a parallel beam port for the therapy. Calculations are performed using the MCNP5 code. After the optimization of our beam-shaper a study of the dose distribution in the head, neck, tyroids, lungs and upper and middle spine had been made. The therapeutic gain is increased whilemore » the current required for one hour treatment is decreased in comparison with the trading prototypes of NG used for BNCT.« less

New in-situ neutron diffraction cell for electrode materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biendicho, Jordi Jacas; Roberts, Matthew; Offer, Colin; Noréus, Dag; Widenkvist, Erika; Smith, Ronald I.; Svensson, Gunnar; Edström, Kristina; Norberg, Stefan T.; Eriksson, Sten G.; Hull, Stephen

2014-02-01

A novel neutron diffraction cell has been constructed to allow in-situ studies of the structural changes in materials of relevance to battery applications during charge/discharge cycling. The new design is based on the coin cell geometry, but has larger dimensions compared to typical commercial batteries in order to maximize the amount of electrode material and thus, collect diffraction data of good statistical quality within the shortest possible time. An important aspect of the design is its modular nature, allowing flexibility in both the materials studied and the battery configuration. This paper reports electrochemical tests using a Nickel-metal-hydride battery (Ni-MH), which show that the cell is able to deliver 90% of its theoretical capacity when using deuterated components. Neutron diffraction studies performed on the Polaris diffractometer using nickel metal and a hydrogen-absorbing alloy (MH) clearly show observable changes in the neutron diffraction patterns as a function of the discharge state. Due to the high quality of the diffraction patterns collected in-situ (i.e. good peak-to-background ratio), phase analysis and peak indexing can be performed successfully using data collected in around 30 min. In addition to this, structural parameters for the β-phase (charged) MH electrode obtained by Rietveld refinement are presented.

Periodic magnetic field as a polarized and focusing thermal neutron spectrometer and monochromator.

PubMed

Cremer, J T; Williams, D L; Fuller, M J; Gary, C K; Piestrup, M A; Pantell, R H; Feinstein, J; Flocchini, R G; Boussoufi, M; Egbert, H P; Kloh, M D; Walker, R B

2010-01-01

A novel periodic magnetic field (PMF) optic is shown to act as a prism, lens, and polarizer for neutrons and particles with a magnetic dipole moment. The PMF has a two-dimensional field in the axial direction of neutron propagation. The PMF alternating magnetic field polarity provides strong gradients that cause separation of neutrons by wavelength axially and by spin state transversely. The spin-up neutrons exit the PMF with their magnetic spins aligned parallel to the PMF magnetic field, and are deflected upward and line focus at a fixed vertical height, proportional to the PMF period, at a downstream focal distance that increases with neutron energy. The PMF has no attenuation by absorption or scatter, as with material prisms or crystal monochromators. Embodiments of the PMF include neutron spectrometer or monochromator, and applications include neutron small angle scattering, crystallography, residual stress analysis, cross section measurements, and reflectometry. Presented are theory, experimental results, computer simulation, applications of the PMF, and comparison of its performance to Stern-Gerlach gradient devices and compound material and magnetic refractive prisms.

Periodic magnetic field as a polarized and focusing thermal neutron spectrometer and monochromator

PubMed Central

Cremer, J. T.; Williams, D. L.; Fuller, M. J.; Gary, C. K.; Piestrup, M. A.; Pantell, R. H.; Feinstein, J.; Flocchini, R. G.; Boussoufi, M.; Egbert, H. P.; Kloh, M. D.; Walker, R. B.

2010-01-01

A novel periodic magnetic field (PMF) optic is shown to act as a prism, lens, and polarizer for neutrons and particles with a magnetic dipole moment. The PMF has a two-dimensional field in the axial direction of neutron propagation. The PMF alternating magnetic field polarity provides strong gradients that cause separation of neutrons by wavelength axially and by spin state transversely. The spin-up neutrons exit the PMF with their magnetic spins aligned parallel to the PMF magnetic field, and are deflected upward and line focus at a fixed vertical height, proportional to the PMF period, at a downstream focal distance that increases with neutron energy. The PMF has no attenuation by absorption or scatter, as with material prisms or crystal monochromators. Embodiments of the PMF include neutron spectrometer or monochromator, and applications include neutron small angle scattering, crystallography, residual stress analysis, cross section measurements, and reflectometry. Presented are theory, experimental results, computer simulation, applications of the PMF, and comparison of its performance to Stern–Gerlach gradient devices and compound material and magnetic refractive prisms. PMID:20113108

Design of a highly parallel board-level-interconnection with 320 Gbps capacity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lohmann, U.; Jahns, J.; Limmer, S.; Fey, D.; Bauer, H.

2012-01-01

A parallel board-level interconnection design is presented consisting of 32 channels, each operating at 10 Gbps. The hardware uses available optoelectronic components (VCSEL, TIA, pin-diodes) and a combination of planarintegrated free-space optics, fiber-bundles and available MEMS-components, like the DMD™ from Texas Instruments. As a specific feature, we present a new modular inter-board interconnect, realized by 3D fiber-matrix connectors. The performance of the interconnect is evaluated with regard to optical properties and power consumption. Finally, we discuss the application of the interconnect for strongly distributed system architectures, as, for example, in high performance embedded computing systems and data centers.

Serial multiplier arrays for parallel computation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winters, Kel

1990-01-01

Arrays of systolic serial-parallel multiplier elements are proposed as an alternative to conventional SIMD mesh serial adder arrays for applications that are multiplication intensive and require few stored operands. The design and operation of a number of multiplier and array configurations featuring locality of connection, modularity, and regularity of structure are discussed. A design methodology combining top-down and bottom-up techniques is described to facilitate development of custom high-performance CMOS multiplier element arrays as well as rapid synthesis of simulation models and semicustom prototype CMOS components. Finally, a differential version of NORA dynamic circuits requiring a single-phase uncomplemented clock signal introduced for this application.

Implementation of a flexible and scalable particle-in-cell method for massively parallel computations in the mantle convection code ASPECT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gassmöller, Rene; Bangerth, Wolfgang

2016-04-01

Particle-in-cell methods have a long history and many applications in geodynamic modelling of mantle convection, lithospheric deformation and crustal dynamics. They are primarily used to track material information, the strain a material has undergone, the pressure-temperature history a certain material region has experienced, or the amount of volatiles or partial melt present in a region. However, their efficient parallel implementation - in particular combined with adaptive finite-element meshes - is complicated due to the complex communication patterns and frequent reassignment of particles to cells. Consequently, many current scientific software packages accomplish this efficient implementation by specifically designing particle methods for a single purpose, like the advection of scalar material properties that do not evolve over time (e.g., for chemical heterogeneities). Design choices for particle integration, data storage, and parallel communication are then optimized for this single purpose, making the code relatively rigid to changing requirements. Here, we present the implementation of a flexible, scalable and efficient particle-in-cell method for massively parallel finite-element codes with adaptively changing meshes. Using a modular plugin structure, we allow maximum flexibility of the generation of particles, the carried tracer properties, the advection and output algorithms, and the projection of properties to the finite-element mesh. We present scaling tests ranging up to tens of thousands of cores and tens of billions of particles. Additionally, we discuss efficient load-balancing strategies for particles in adaptive meshes with their strengths and weaknesses, local particle-transfer between parallel subdomains utilizing existing communication patterns from the finite element mesh, and the use of established parallel output algorithms like the HDF5 library. Finally, we show some relevant particle application cases, compare our implementation to a modern advection-field approach, and demonstrate under which conditions which method is more efficient. We implemented the presented methods in ASPECT (aspect.dealii.org), a freely available open-source community code for geodynamic simulations. The structure of the particle code is highly modular, and segregated from the PDE solver, and can thus be easily transferred to other programs, or adapted for various application cases.

SU-E-J-115: Graticule for Verification of Treatment Position in Neutron Therapy.

PubMed

Halford, R; Snyder, M

2012-06-01

Until recently the treatment verification for patients undergoing fast neutron therapy at our facility was accomplished through a combination of neutron beam portal films aligned with a graticule mounted on an orthronormal x-ray tube. To eliminate uncertainty with respect to the relative positions of the x-ray graticule and the therapy beam, we have developed a graticule which is placed in the neutron beam itself. For a graticule to be visible on the portal film, the attenuation of the neutron beam by the graticule landmarks must be significantly greater than that of the material in which the landmarks are mounted. Various materials, thicknesses, and mounting points were tried to gain the largest contrast between the graticule landmarks and the mounting material. The final design involved 2 inch steel pins of 0.125 inch diameter captured between two parallel plates of 0.25 inch thick clear acrylic plastic. The distance between the two acrylic plates was 1.625 inches, held together at the perimeter with acrylic sidewall spacers. This allowed the majority of length of the steel pins to be surrounded by air. The pins were set 1 cm apart and mounted at angles parallel to the divergence of the beam dependent on their position within the array. The entire steel pin and acrylic plate assembly was mounted on an acrylic accessory tray to allow for graticule alignment. Despite the inherent difficulties in attenuating fast neutrons, our simple graticule design produces the required difference of attenuation between the arrays of landmarks and the mounting material. The graticule successfully provides an in-beam frame of reference for patient portal verification. © 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

NEUTRONIC REACTORS

DOEpatents

Anderson, J.B.

1960-01-01

A reactor is described which comprises a tank, a plurality of coaxial steel sleeves in the tank, a mass of water in the tank, and wire grids in abutting relationship within a plurality of elongated parallel channels within the steel sleeves, the wire being provided with a plurality of bends in the same plane forming adjacent parallel sections between bends, and the sections of adjacent grids being normally disposed relative to each other.

A modular case-mix classification system for medical rehabilitation illustrated.

PubMed

Stineman, M G; Granger, C V

1997-01-01

The authors present a modular set of patient classification systems designed for medical rehabilitation that predict resource use and outcomes for clinically similar groups of individuals. The systems, based on the Functional Independence Measure, are referred to as Function-Related Groups (FIM-FRGs). Using data from 23,637 lower extremity fracture patients from 458 inpatient medical rehabilitation facilities, 1995 benchmarks are provided and illustrated for length of stay, functional outcome, and discharge to home and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). The FIM-FRG modules may be used in parallel to study interactions between resource use and quality and could ultimately yield an integrated strategy for payment and outcomes measurement. This could position the rehabilitation community to take a pioneering role in the application of outcomes-based clinical indicators.

Construction and Resource Utilization Explorer (CRUX): Implementing Instrument Suite Data Fusion to Characterize Regolith Hydrogen Resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haldemann, Albert F. C.; Johnson, Jerome B.; Elphic, Richard C.; Boynton, William V.; Wetzel, John

2006-01-01

CRUX is a modular suite of geophysical and borehole instruments combined with display and decision support system (MapperDSS) tools to characterize regolith resources, surface conditions, and geotechnical properties. CRUX is a NASA-funded Technology Maturation Program effort to provide enabling technology for Lunar and Planetary Surface Operations (LPSO). The MapperDSS uses data fusion methods with CRUX instruments, and other available data and models, to provide regolith properties information needed for LPSO that cannot be determined otherwise. We demonstrate the data fusion method by showing how it might be applied to characterize the distribution and form of hydrogen using a selection of CRUX instruments: Borehole Neutron Probe and Thermal Evolved Gas Analyzer data as a function of depth help interpret Surface Neutron Probe data to generate 3D information. Secondary information from other instruments along with physical models improves the hydrogen distribution characterization, enabling information products for operational decision-making.

A cryogenic high pressure cell for inelastic neutron scattering measurements of quantum fluids and solids.

PubMed

Carmichael, J R; Diallo, S O

2013-01-01

We present our new development of a high pressure cell for inelastic neutron scattering measurements of helium at ultra-low temperatures. The cell has a large sample volume of ~140 cm(3) and a working pressure of ~7 MPa, with a relatively thin wall-thickness (1.1 mm)--thanks to the high yield strength aluminum used in the design. Two variants of this cell have been developed. The first cell is permanently joined components using electron-beam welding and explosion welding, methods that have little or no impact on the global heat treatment of the cell. The second cell discussed has modular and interchangeable components, which includes a capacitance pressure gauge, that can be sealed using the traditional indium wire technique. The performance of the cells have been tested in recent measurements on superfluid liquid helium near the solidification line.

A cryogenic high pressure cell for inelastic neutron scattering measurements of quantum fluids and solids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carmichael, J. R.; Diallo, S. O.

2013-01-01

We present our new development of a high pressure cell for inelastic neutron scattering measurements of helium at ultra-low temperatures. The cell has a large sample volume of ˜140 cm3 and a working pressure of ˜7 MPa, with a relatively thin wall-thickness (1.1 mm)—thanks to the high yield strength aluminum used in the design. Two variants of this cell have been developed. The first cell is permanently joined components using electron-beam welding and explosion welding, methods that have little or no impact on the global heat treatment of the cell. The second cell discussed has modular and interchangeable components, which includes a capacitance pressure gauge, that can be sealed using the traditional indium wire technique. The performance of the cells have been tested in recent measurements on superfluid liquid helium near the solidification line.

Capillary optics for radiation focusing

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

Peurrung, A.J.; Reeder, P.L.; Bliss, M.

Capillary lens technology may ultimately bring benefits to neutron and x-ray-based science like conventional lenses with visible light. Although the technology is not yet 10 years old, these lenses have already had a significant impact in engineering, science, and medicine. Capillary lenses are advantageous when it is desirable to increase the radiation flux at a location without regard to its angular divergence. PNNL has worked to improve the technology in several ways. A single, optimally tapered capillary was manufactured, which allows intensity gains of a factor of 270 for an initially parallel, incident x-ray beam. Feasibility of constructing neutron lensesmore » using {sup 58}Ni (particularly effective at reflecting neutrons) has been explored. Three applications for capillary optics have been identified and studied: neutron telescope, Gandolphi x-ray diffractometry, and neutron radiotherapy. A brief guide is given for determining which potential applications are likely to be helped by capillary optics.« less

242Pu absolute neutron-capture cross section measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buckner, M. Q.; Wu, C. Y.; Henderson, R. A.; Bucher, B.; Chyzh, A.; Bredeweg, T. A.; Baramsai, B.; Couture, A.; Jandel, M.; Mosby, S.; O'Donnell, J. M.; Ullmann, J. L.

2017-09-01

The absolute neutron-capture cross section of 242Pu was measured at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center using the Detector for Advanced Neutron-Capture Experiments array along with a compact parallel-plate avalanche counter for fission-fragment detection. During target fabrication, a small amount of 239Pu was added to the active target so that the absolute scale of the 242Pu(n,γ) cross section could be set according to the known 239Pu(n,f) resonance at En,R = 7.83 eV. The relative scale of the 242Pu(n,γ) cross section covers four orders of magnitude for incident neutron energies from thermal to ≈ 40 keV. The cross section reported in ENDF/B-VII.1 for the 242Pu(n,γ) En,R = 2.68 eV resonance was found to be 2.4% lower than the new absolute 242Pu(n,γ) cross section.

Simple Interpretation of Proton-Neutron Interactions in Rare Earth Nuclei

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

Oktem, Y.; Cakirli, R. B.; Wright Nuclear Structure Laboratory, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520

2007-04-23

Empirical values of the average interactions of the last two protons and last two neutrons, {delta}Vpn, which can be obtained from double differences of binding energies, provide significant information about nuclear structure. Studies of {delta}Vpn showed striking behavior across major shell gaps and the relation of proton-neutron (p-n) interaction strengths to the increasing collectivity and onset of deformation in nuclei. Here we focus on the strong regularity at the {delta}Vpn values in A{approx}150-180 mass region. Experimentally, for each nucleus, the valence p-n interaction strengths increase systematically against the neutron number and it decreases for the observed last neutron number. Thesemore » experimental results give almost nearly perfect parallel trajectories. A microscopic interpretation with a zero range {delta}-interaction in a Nilsson basis gives reasonable agreement for Er-W but more significant discrepancies appear for Gd and Dy.« less

DataForge: Modular platform for data storage and analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nozik, Alexander

2018-04-01

DataForge is a framework for automated data acquisition, storage and analysis based on modern achievements of applied programming. The aim of the DataForge is to automate some standard tasks like parallel data processing, logging, output sorting and distributed computing. Also the framework extensively uses declarative programming principles via meta-data concept which allows a certain degree of meta-programming and improves results reproducibility.

Neutron-induced fission cross section measurements for uranium isotopes 236U and 234U at LANSCE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laptev, A. B.; Tovesson, F.; Hill, T. S.

2013-04-01

A well established program of neutron-induced fission cross section measurement at Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) is supporting the Fuel Cycle Research program (FC R&D). The incident neutron energy range spans from sub-thermal up to 200 MeV by combining two LANSCE facilities, the Lujan Center and the Weapons Neutron Research facility (WNR). The time-of-flight method is implemented to measure the incident neutron energy. A parallel-plate fission ionization chamber was used as a fission fragment detector. The event rate ratio between the investigated foil and a standard 235U foil is converted into a fission cross section ratio. In addition to previously measured data new measurements include 236U data which is being analyzed, and 234U data acquired in the 2011-2012 LANSCE run cycle. The new data complete the full suite of Uranium isotopes which were investigated with this experimental approach. Obtained data are presented in comparison with existing evaluations and previous data.

Neutrons on a surface of liquid helium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grigoriev, P. D.; Zimmer, O.; Grigoriev, A. D.; Ziman, T.

2016-08-01

We investigate the possibility of ultracold neutron (UCN) storage in quantum states defined by the combined potentials of the Earth's gravity and the neutron optical repulsion by a horizontal surface of liquid helium. We analyze the stability of the lowest quantum state, which is most susceptible to perturbations due to surface excitations, against scattering by helium atoms in the vapor and by excitations of the liquid, comprised of ripplons, phonons, and surfons. This is an unusual scattering problem since the kinetic energy of the neutron parallel to the surface may be much greater than the binding energies perpendicular. The total scattering time of these UCNs at 0.7 K is found to exceed 1 h, and rapidly increases with decreasing temperature. Such low scattering rates should enable high-precision measurements of the sequence of discrete energy levels, thus providing improved tests of short-range gravity. The system might also be useful for neutron β -decay experiments. We also sketch new experimental propositions for level population and trapping of ultracold neutrons above a flat horizontal mirror.

A compositional reservoir simulator on distributed memory parallel computers

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

Rame, M.; Delshad, M.

1995-12-31

This paper presents the application of distributed memory parallel computes to field scale reservoir simulations using a parallel version of UTCHEM, The University of Texas Chemical Flooding Simulator. The model is a general purpose highly vectorized chemical compositional simulator that can simulate a wide range of displacement processes at both field and laboratory scales. The original simulator was modified to run on both distributed memory parallel machines (Intel iPSC/960 and Delta, Connection Machine 5, Kendall Square 1 and 2, and CRAY T3D) and a cluster of workstations. A domain decomposition approach has been taken towards parallelization of the code. Amore » portion of the discrete reservoir model is assigned to each processor by a set-up routine that attempts a data layout as even as possible from the load-balance standpoint. Each of these subdomains is extended so that data can be shared between adjacent processors for stencil computation. The added routines that make parallel execution possible are written in a modular fashion that makes the porting to new parallel platforms straight forward. Results of the distributed memory computing performance of Parallel simulator are presented for field scale applications such as tracer flood and polymer flood. A comparison of the wall-clock times for same problems on a vector supercomputer is also presented.« less

The Constellation-X Focal Plane Microcalorimeter Array: An NTD-Germanium Solution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beeman, J.; Silver, E.; Bandler, S.; Schnopper, H.; Murray, S.; Madden, N.; Landis, D.; Haller, E. E.; Barbera, M.

2001-01-01

The hallmarks of Neutron Transmutation Doped (NTD) germanium cryogenic thermistors include high reliability, reproducibility, and long term stability of bulk carrier transport properties. Using micro-machined NTD Ge thermistors with integral 'flying' leads, we can now fabricate two-dimensional arrays that are built up from a series of stacked linear arrays. We believe that this modular approach of building, assembling, and perhaps replacing individual modules of detectors is essential to the successful fabrication and testing of large multi-element instruments. Details of construction are presented.

The characteristics and limitations of the MPS/MMS battery charging system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ford, F. E.; Palandati, C. F.; Davis, J. F.; Tasevoli, C. M.

1980-01-01

A series of tests was conducted on two 12 ampere hour nickel cadmium batteries under a simulated cycle regime using the multiple voltage versus temperature levels designed into the modular power system (MPS). These tests included: battery recharge as a function of voltage control level; temperature imbalance between two parallel batteries; a shorted or partially shorted cell in one of the two parallel batteries; impedance imbalance of one of the parallel battery circuits; and disabling and enabling one of the batteries from the bus at various charge and discharge states. The results demonstrate that the eight commandable voltage versus temperature levels designed into the MPS provide a very flexible system that not only can accommodate a wide range of normal power system operation, but also provides a high degree of flexibility in responding to abnormal operating conditions.

SMITHERS: An object-oriented modular mapping methodology for MCNP-based neutronic–thermal hydraulic multiphysics

DOE PAGES

Richard, Joshua; Galloway, Jack; Fensin, Michael; ...

2015-04-04

A novel object-oriented modular mapping methodology for externally coupled neutronics–thermal hydraulics multiphysics simulations was developed. The Simulator using MCNP with Integrated Thermal-Hydraulics for Exploratory Reactor Studies (SMITHERS) code performs on-the-fly mapping of material-wise power distribution tallies implemented by MCNP-based neutron transport/depletion solvers for use in estimating coolant temperature and density distributions with a separate thermal-hydraulic solver. The key development of SMITHERS is that it reconstructs the hierarchical geometry structure of the material-wise power generation tallies from the depletion solver automatically, with only a modicum of additional information required from the user. In addition, it performs the basis mapping from themore » combinatorial geometry of the depletion solver to the required geometry of the thermal-hydraulic solver in a generalizable manner, such that it can transparently accommodate varying levels of thermal-hydraulic solver geometric fidelity, from the nodal geometry of multi-channel analysis solvers to the pin-cell level of discretization for sub-channel analysis solvers.« less

Design Study of Modular Nuclear Power Plant with Small Long Life Gas Cooled Fast Reactors Utilizing MOX Fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilham, Muhammad; Su'ud, Zaki

2017-01-01

Growing energy needed due to increasing of the world’s population encourages development of technology and science of nuclear power plant in its safety and security. In this research, it will be explained about design study of modular fast reactor with helium gas cooling (GCFR) small long life reactor, which can be operated over 20 years. It had been conducted about neutronic design GCFR with Mixed Oxide (UO2-PuO2) fuel in range of 100-200 MWth NPPs of power and 50-60% of fuel fraction variation with cylindrical pin cell and cylindrical balance of reactor core geometry. Calculation method used SRAC-CITATION code. The obtained results are the effective multiplication factor and density value of core reactor power (with geometry optimalization) to obtain optimum design core reactor power, whereas the obtained of optimum core reactor power is 200 MWth with 55% of fuel fraction and 9-13% of percentages.

ENEL overall PWR plant models and neutronic integrated computing systems

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

Pedroni, G.; Pollachini, L.; Vimercati, G.

1987-01-01

To support the design activity of the Italian nuclear energy program for the construction of pressurized water reactors, the Italian Electricity Board (ENEL) needs to verify the design as a whole (that is, the nuclear steam supply system and balance of plant) both in steady-state operation and in transient. The ENEL has therefore developed two computer models to analyze both operational and incidental transients. The models, named STRIP and SFINCS, perform the analysis of the nuclear as well as the conventional part of the plant (the control system being properly taken into account). The STRIP model has been developed bymore » means of the French (Electricite de France) modular code SICLE, while SFINCS is based on the Italian (ENEL) modular code LEGO. STRIP validation was performed with respect to Fessenheim French power plant experimental data. Two significant transients were chosen: load step and total load rejection. SFINCS validation was performed with respect to Saint-Laurent French power plant experimental data and also by comparing the SFINCS-STRIP responses.« less

Performance of a Micro-Strip Gas Chamber for event wise, high rate thermal neutron detection with accurate 2D position determination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mindur, B.; Alimov, S.; Fiutowski, T.; Schulz, C.; Wilpert, T.

2014-12-01

A two-dimensional (2D) position sensitive detector for neutron scattering applications based on low-pressure gas amplification and micro-strip technology was built and tested with an innovative readout electronics and data acquisition system. This detector contains a thin solid neutron converter and was developed for time- and thus wavelength-resolved neutron detection in single-event counting mode, which improves the image contrast in comparison with integrating detectors. The prototype detector of a Micro-Strip Gas Chamber (MSGC) was built with a solid natGd/CsI thermal neutron converter for spatial resolutions of about 100 μm and counting rates up to 107 neutrons/s. For attaining very high spatial resolutions and counting rates via micro-strip readout with centre-of-gravity evaluation of the signal amplitude distributions, a fast, channel-wise, self-triggering ASIC was developed. The front-end chips (MSGCROCs), which are very first signal processing components, are read out into powerful ADC-FPGA boards for on-line data processing and thereafter via Gigabit Ethernet link into the data receiving PC. The workstation PC is controlled by a modular, high performance dedicated software suite. Such a fast and accurate system is crucial for efficient radiography/tomography, diffraction or imaging applications based on high flux thermal neutron beam. In this paper a brief description of the detector concept with its operation principles, readout electronics requirements and design together with the signals processing stages performed in hardware and software are presented. In more detail the neutron test beam conditions and measurement results are reported. The focus of this paper is on the system integration, two dimensional spatial resolution, the time resolution of the readout system and the imaging capabilities of the overall setup. The detection efficiency of the detector prototype is estimated as well.

Geopotential Error Analysis from Satellite Gradiometer and Global Positioning System Observables on Parallel Architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schutz, Bob E.; Baker, Gregory A.

1997-01-01

The recovery of a high resolution geopotential from satellite gradiometer observations motivates the examination of high performance computational techniques. The primary subject matter addresses specifically the use of satellite gradiometer and GPS observations to form and invert the normal matrix associated with a large degree and order geopotential solution. Memory resident and out-of-core parallel linear algebra techniques along with data parallel batch algorithms form the foundation of the least squares application structure. A secondary topic includes the adoption of object oriented programming techniques to enhance modularity and reusability of code. Applications implementing the parallel and object oriented methods successfully calculate the degree variance for a degree and order 110 geopotential solution on 32 processors of the Cray T3E. The memory resident gradiometer application exhibits an overall application performance of 5.4 Gflops, and the out-of-core linear solver exhibits an overall performance of 2.4 Gflops. The combination solution derived from a sun synchronous gradiometer orbit produce average geoid height variances of 17 millimeters.

Geopotential error analysis from satellite gradiometer and global positioning system observables on parallel architectures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, Gregory Allen

The recovery of a high resolution geopotential from satellite gradiometer observations motivates the examination of high performance computational techniques. The primary subject matter addresses specifically the use of satellite gradiometer and GPS observations to form and invert the normal matrix associated with a large degree and order geopotential solution. Memory resident and out-of-core parallel linear algebra techniques along with data parallel batch algorithms form the foundation of the least squares application structure. A secondary topic includes the adoption of object oriented programming techniques to enhance modularity and reusability of code. Applications implementing the parallel and object oriented methods successfully calculate the degree variance for a degree and order 110 geopotential solution on 32 processors of the Cray T3E. The memory resident gradiometer application exhibits an overall application performance of 5.4 Gflops, and the out-of-core linear solver exhibits an overall performance of 2.4 Gflops. The combination solution derived from a sun synchronous gradiometer orbit produce average geoid height variances of 17 millimeters.

Real-time multiplicity counter

DOEpatents

Rowland, Mark S [Alamo, CA; Alvarez, Raymond A [Berkeley, CA

2010-07-13

A neutron multi-detector array feeds pulses in parallel to individual inputs that are tied to individual bits in a digital word. Data is collected by loading a word at the individual bit level in parallel. The word is read at regular intervals, all bits simultaneously, to minimize latency. The electronics then pass the word to a number of storage locations for subsequent processing, thereby removing the front-end problem of pulse pileup.

Development of a Nanomaterial Anode for a Low-Voltage Proportional Counter for Neutron Detection

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

Craps, Matthew Greg

NanoTechLabs (NTL) in collaboration with the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) and Clemson University have continued development of a next generation proportional counter (PC) for neutron detection utilizing robust, inexpensive nanostructured anodes while maximizing neutron capture. Neutron detectors are vital to national security as they can be used to detect illicit trafficking of radioactive materials, which could mean the presence of or planning of a dirty bomb attack. Typical PCs operate with high bias potentials that create electronic noise. Incorporating nanomaterials into the anode of PCs can theoretically operate at low voltages (eg. 10-300V) due to an increase in themore » electric field associated with a smaller diameter nano-scale anode. In addition to the lower operating voltage, typical high PC voltages (500-1200V) could be used to generate a larger electric field resulting in more electrons being collected, thus increasing the sensitivity of the PC. Other advantages of nano-PC include reduced platform size, weight, cost, and improved ruggedness. Clemson modeled the electric field around the CNT array tips. NTL grew many ordered CNT arrays as well as control samples and densified the arrays to improve the performance. The primary objective for this work is to provide evidence of a commercially viable technique for reducing the voltage of a parallel plate proportional counter using nanosized anodes. The parallel plate geometry has advantages over the typical cylindrical design based on more feasible placement of solid neutron absorbers and more geometrically practical windows for radiation capture and directional detection.« less

Simultaneous measurement of (n,{gamma}) and (n,fission) cross sections with the DANCE 4{pi} BaF2 array

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

Bredeweg, T. A.; Fowler, M. M.; Bond, E. M.

2006-03-13

Neutron capture cross section measurements on many of the actinides are complicated by low-energy neutron-induced fission, which competes with neutron capture to varying degrees depending on the nuclide of interest. Measurements of neutron capture on 235U using the Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiments (DANCE) have shown that we can partially resolve capture from fission events based on total photon calorimetry (i.e. total {gamma}-ray energy and {gamma}-ray multiplicity per event). The addition of a fission-tagging detector to the DANCE array will greatly improve our ability to separate these two competing processes so that improved neutron capture and (n,{gamma})/(n,fission) cross sectionmore » ratio measurements can be obtained. The addition of a fission-tagging detector to the DANCE array will also provide a means to study several important issues associated with neutron-induced fission, including (n,fission) cross sections as a function of incident neutron energy, and total energy and multiplicity of prompt fission photons. We have focused on two detector designs with complementary capabilities, a parallel-plate avalanche counter and an array of solar cells.« less

New Multi-group Transport Neutronics (PHISICS) Capabilities for RELAP5-3D and its Application to Phase I of the OECD/NEA MHTGR-350 MW Benchmark

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

Gerhard Strydom; Cristian Rabiti; Andrea Alfonsi

2012-10-01

PHISICS is a neutronics code system currently under development at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Its goal is to provide state of the art simulation capability to reactor designers. The different modules for PHISICS currently under development are a nodal and semi-structured transport core solver (INSTANT), a depletion module (MRTAU) and a cross section interpolation (MIXER) module. The INSTANT module is the most developed of the mentioned above. Basic functionalities are ready to use, but the code is still in continuous development to extend its capabilities. This paper reports on the effort of coupling the nodal kinetics code package PHISICSmore » (INSTANT/MRTAU/MIXER) to the thermal hydraulics system code RELAP5-3D, to enable full core and system modeling. This will enable the possibility to model coupled (thermal-hydraulics and neutronics) problems with more options for 3D neutron kinetics, compared to the existing diffusion theory neutron kinetics module in RELAP5-3D (NESTLE). In the second part of the paper, an overview of the OECD/NEA MHTGR-350 MW benchmark is given. This benchmark has been approved by the OECD, and is based on the General Atomics 350 MW Modular High Temperature Gas Reactor (MHTGR) design. The benchmark includes coupled neutronics thermal hydraulics exercises that require more capabilities than RELAP5-3D with NESTLE offers. Therefore, the MHTGR benchmark makes extensive use of the new PHISICS/RELAP5-3D coupling capabilities. The paper presents the preliminary results of the three steady state exercises specified in Phase I of the benchmark using PHISICS/RELAP5-3D.« less

Modular high voltage power supply for chemical analysis

DOEpatents

Stamps, James F [Livermore, CA; Yee, Daniel D [Dublin, CA

2007-01-09

A high voltage power supply for use in a system such as a microfluidics system, uses a DC--DC converter in parallel with a voltage-controlled resistor. A feedback circuit provides a control signal for the DC--DC converter and voltage-controlled resistor so as to regulate the output voltage of the high voltage power supply, as well as, to sink or source current from the high voltage supply.

Modular high voltage power supply for chemical analysis

DOEpatents

Stamps, James F [Livermore, CA; Yee, Daniel D [Dublin, CA

2010-05-04

A high voltage power supply for use in a system such as a microfluidics system, uses a DC-DC converter in parallel with a voltage-controlled resistor. A feedback circuit provides a control signal for the DC-DC converter and voltage-controlled resistor so as to regulate the output voltage of the high voltage power supply, as well as, to sink or source current from the high voltage supply.

Modular high voltage power supply for chemical analysis

DOEpatents

Stamps, James F [Livermore, CA; Yee, Daniel D [Dublin, CA

2008-07-15

A high voltage power supply for use in a system such as a microfluidics system, uses a DC-DC converter in parallel with a voltage-controlled resistor. A feedback circuit provides a control signal for the DC-DC converter and voltage-controlled resistor so as to regulate the output voltage of the high voltage power supply, as well as, to sink or source current from the high voltage supply.

Modular, security enclosure and method of assembly

DOEpatents

Linker, Kevin L.; Moyer, John W.

1995-01-01

A transportable, reusable rapidly assembled and disassembled, resizable modular, security enclosure utilizes a stepped panel construction. Each panel has an inner portion and an outer portion which form joints. A plurality of channels can be affixed to selected joints of the panels. Panels can be affixed to a base member and then affixed to one another by the use of elongated pins extending through the channel joints. Alternatively, the base member can be omitted and the panels themselves can be used as the floor of the enclosure. The pins will extend generally parallel to the joint in which they are located. These elongated pins are readily inserted into and removable from the channels in a predetermined sequence to allow assembly and disassembly of the enclosure. A door constructed from panels is used to close the opening to the enclosure.

Application of pixel-cell detector technology for Advanced Neutron Beam Monitors

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

Kopp, Daniel M.

2011-01-11

Application of Pixel-Cell Detector Technology for Advanced Neutron Beam Monitors Specifications of currently available neutron beam detectors limit their usefulness at intense neutron beams of large-scale national user facilities used for the advanced study of materials. A large number of neutron-scattering experiments require beam monitors to operate in an intense neutron beam flux of >10E+7 neutrons per second per square centimeter. For instance, a 4 cm x 4 cm intense beam flux of 6.25 x 10E+7 n/s/cm2 at the Spallation Neutron Source will put a flux of 1.00 x 10E+9 n/s at the beam monitor. Currently available beam monitors withmore » a typical efficiency of 1 x 10E-4 will need to be replaced in less than two years of operation due to wire and gas degradation issues. There is also a need at some instruments for beam position information that are beyond the capabilities of currently available He-3 and BF3 neutron beam monitors. ORDELA, Inc.’s research under USDOE SBIR Grant (DE-FG02-07ER84844) studied the feasibility of using pixel-cell technology for developing a new generation of stable, long-life neutron beam monitors. The research effort has led to the development and commercialization of advanced neutron beam detectors that will directly benefit the Spallation Neutron Source and other intense neutron sources such as the High Flux Isotope Reactor. A prototypical Pixel-Cell Neutron Beam Monitor was designed and constructed during this research effort. This prototype beam monitor was exposed to an intense neutron beam at the HFIR SNS HB-2 test beam site. Initial measurements on efficiency, uniformity across the detector, and position resolution yielded excellent results. The development and test results have provided the required data to initiate the fabrication and commercialization of this next generation of neutron-detector systems. ORDELA, Inc. has (1) identified low-cost design and fabrication strategies, (2) developed and built pixel-cell detectors and instrumented a 64-pixel-cell detector to specifications for the Cold-Neutron Chopper Spectrometer and POWGEN instruments, (3) investigated the general characteristics of this technology, (4) studied pixel-cell configurations and arrived at an optimized modular design, and (5) evaluated fabrication costs of mass production for these configurations. The resulting technology will enable a complete line of pixel-cell-based neutron detectors to be commercially under available. ORDELA, Inc has a good track history of application of innovative technology into the marketplace. Our commercialization record reflects this. For additional information, please contact Daniel Kopp at ORDELA, Inc. at +1 (865) 483-8675 or check our website at www.ordela.com.« less

Paradigms and strategies for scientific computing on distributed memory concurrent computers

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

Foster, I.T.; Walker, D.W.

1994-06-01

In this work we examine recent advances in parallel languages and abstractions that have the potential for improving the programmability and maintainability of large-scale, parallel, scientific applications running on high performance architectures and networks. This paper focuses on Fortran M, a set of extensions to Fortran 77 that supports the modular design of message-passing programs. We describe the Fortran M implementation of a particle-in-cell (PIC) plasma simulation application, and discuss issues in the optimization of the code. The use of two other methodologies for parallelizing the PIC application are considered. The first is based on the shared object abstraction asmore » embodied in the Orca language. The second approach is the Split-C language. In Fortran M, Orca, and Split-C the ability of the programmer to control the granularity of communication is important is designing an efficient implementation.« less

ACHIEVING THE REQUIRED COOLANT FLOW DISTRIBUTION FOR THE ACCELERATOR PRODUCTION OF TRITIUM (APT) TUNGSTEN NEUTRON SOURCE

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

D. SIEBE; K. PASAMEHMETOGLU

The Accelerator Production of Tritium neutron source consists of clad tungsten targets, which are concentric cylinders with a center rod. These targets are arranged in a matrix of tubes, producing a large number of parallel coolant paths. The coolant flow required to meet thermal-hydraulic design criteria varies with location. This paper describes the work performed to ensure an adequate coolant flow for each target for normal operation and residual heat-removal conditions.

Parallel Study of HEND, RAD, and DAN Instrument Response to Martian Radiation and Surface Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martiniez Sierra, Luz Maria; Jun, Insoo; Litvak, Maxim; Sanin, Anton; Mitrofanov, Igor; Zeitlin, Cary

2015-01-01

Nuclear detection methods are being used to understand the radiation environment at Mars. JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) assets on Mars include: Orbiter -2001 Mars Odyssey [High Energy Neutron Detector (HEND)]; Mars Science Laboratory Rover -Curiosity [(Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD); Dynamic Albedo Neutron (DAN))]. Spacecraft have instruments able to detect ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. Instrument response on orbit and on the surface of Mars to space weather and local conditions [is discussed] - Data available at NASA-PDS (Planetary Data System).

FAST NEUTRON SPECTROMETER

DOEpatents

Davis, F.J.; Hurst, G.S.; Reinhardt, P.W.

1959-08-18

An improved proton recoil spectrometer for determining the energy spectrum of a fast neutron beam is described. Instead of discriminating against and thereby"throwing away" the many recoil protons other than those traveling parallel to the neutron beam axis as do conventional spectrometers, this device utilizes protons scattered over a very wide solid angle. An ovoidal gas-filled recoil chamber is coated on the inside with a scintillator. The ovoidal shape of the sensitive portion of the wall defining the chamber conforms to the envelope of the range of the proton recoils from the radiator disposed within the chamber. A photomultiplier monitors the output of the scintillator, and a counter counts the pulses caused by protons of energy just sufficient to reach the scintillator.

Pathways to agility in the production of neutron generators

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

Stoltz, R.E.; Beavis, L.C.; Cutchen, J.T.

1994-02-01

This report is the result of a study team commissioned to explore pathways for increased agility in the manufacture of neutron generators. As a part of Sandia`s new responsibility for generator production, the goal of the study was to identify opportunities to reduce costs and increase flexibility in the manufacturing operation. Four parallel approaches (or pathways) were recommended: (1) Know the goal, (2) Use design leverage effectively, (3) Value simplicity, and (4) Configure for flexibility. Agility in neutron generator production can be enhanced if all of these pathways are followed. The key role of the workforce in achieving agility wasmore » also noted, with emphasis on ownership, continuous learning, and a supportive environment.« less

Transition from Longitudinal to Block Structure of Preclinical Courses: Outcomes and Experiences

PubMed Central

Marinović, Darko; Hren, Darko; Sambunjak, Dario; Rašić, Ivan; Škegro, Ivan; Marušić, Ana; Marušić, Matko

2009-01-01

Aim To evaluate the transition from a longitudinal to block/modular structure of preclinical courses in a medical school adapting to the process of higher education harmonization in Europe. Methods Average grades and the exam pass rates were compared for 11 preclinical courses before and after the transition from the longitudinal (academic years 1999/2000 to 2001/2002) to block/modular curriculum (academic years 2002/2003 to 2004/2005) at Zagreb University School of Medicine, Croatia. Attitudes of teachers toward the 2 curriculum structures were assessed by a semantic differential scale, and the experiences during the transition were explored in focus groups of students and teachers. Results With the introduction of the block/modular curriculum, average grades mostly increased, except in 3 major courses: Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathology. The proportion of students who passed the exams at first attempt decreased in most courses, but the proportion of students who successfully passed the exam by the end of the summer exam period increased. Teachers generally had more positive attitudes toward the longitudinal (median [C]±intequartile range [Q], 24 ± 16) than block/modular curriculum (C±Q, 38 ± 26) (P = 0.001, Wilcoxon signed rank test). The qualitative inquiry indicated that the dissatisfaction of students and teachers with the block/modular preclinical curriculum was caused by perceived hasty introduction of the reform under pressure and without much adaptation of the teaching program and materials, which reflected negatively on the learning processes and outcomes. Conclusion Any significant alteration in the temporal structure of preclinical courses should be paralleled by a change in the content and teaching methodology, and carefully planned and executed in order to achieve better academic outcomes. PMID:19839073

Dependence of the prompt fission γ-ray spectrum on the entrance channel of compound nucleus: Spontaneous vs. neutron-induced fission

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

Chyzh, A.; Jaffke, P.; Wu, C. Y.

Prompt γ-ray spectra were measured for the spontaneous fission of 240,242Pu and the neutron-induced fission of 239,241Pu with incident neutron energies ranging from thermal to about 100 keV. Measurements were made using the Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiments (DANCE) array in coincidence with the detection of fission fragments using a parallel-plate avalanche counter. The unfolded prompt fission γ-ray energy spectra can be reproduced reasonably well by Monte Carlo Hauser–Feshbach statistical model for the neutron-induced fission channel but not for the spontaneous fission channel. However, this entrance-channel dependence of the prompt fission γ-ray emission can be described qualitatively by themore » model due to the very different fission-fragment mass distributions and a lower average fragment spin for spontaneous fission. The description of measurements and the discussion of results under the framework of a Monte Carlo Hauser–Feshbach statistical approach are presented.« less

Dependence of the prompt fission γ-ray spectrum on the entrance channel of compound nucleus: Spontaneous vs. neutron-induced fission

DOE PAGES

Chyzh, A.; Jaffke, P.; Wu, C. Y.; ...

2018-06-07

Prompt γ-ray spectra were measured for the spontaneous fission of 240,242Pu and the neutron-induced fission of 239,241Pu with incident neutron energies ranging from thermal to about 100 keV. Measurements were made using the Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiments (DANCE) array in coincidence with the detection of fission fragments using a parallel-plate avalanche counter. The unfolded prompt fission γ-ray energy spectra can be reproduced reasonably well by Monte Carlo Hauser–Feshbach statistical model for the neutron-induced fission channel but not for the spontaneous fission channel. However, this entrance-channel dependence of the prompt fission γ-ray emission can be described qualitatively by themore » model due to the very different fission-fragment mass distributions and a lower average fragment spin for spontaneous fission. The description of measurements and the discussion of results under the framework of a Monte Carlo Hauser–Feshbach statistical approach are presented.« less

Monte Carlo simulation of thermal neutron flux of americium-beryllium source used in neutron activation analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Didi, Abdessamad; Dadouch, Ahmed; Bencheikh, Mohamed; Jai, Otman

2017-09-01

The neutron activation analysis is a method of exclusively elemental analysis. Its implementation of irradiates the sample which can be analyzed by a high neutron flux, this method is widely used in developed countries with nuclear reactors or accelerators of particle. The purpose of this study is to develop a prototype to increase the neutron flux such as americium-beryllium and have the opportunity to produce radioisotopes. Americium-beryllium is a mobile source of neutron activity of 20 curie, and gives a thermal neutron flux of (1.8 ± 0.0007) × 106 n/cm2 s when using water as moderator, when using the paraffin, the thermal neutron flux increases to (2.2 ± 0.0008) × 106 n/cm2 s, in the case of adding two solid beryllium barriers, the distance between them is 24 cm, parallel and symmetrical about the source, the thermal flux is increased to (2.5 ± 0.0008) × 106 n/cm2 s and in the case of multi-source (6 sources), with-out barriers, increases to (1.17 ± 0.0008) × 107 n/cm2 s with a rate of increase equal to 4.3 and with the both barriers flux increased to (1.37 ± 0.0008) × 107 n/cm2 s.

Parallel computation with molecular-motor-propelled agents in nanofabricated networks.

PubMed

Nicolau, Dan V; Lard, Mercy; Korten, Till; van Delft, Falco C M J M; Persson, Malin; Bengtsson, Elina; Månsson, Alf; Diez, Stefan; Linke, Heiner; Nicolau, Dan V

2016-03-08

The combinatorial nature of many important mathematical problems, including nondeterministic-polynomial-time (NP)-complete problems, places a severe limitation on the problem size that can be solved with conventional, sequentially operating electronic computers. There have been significant efforts in conceiving parallel-computation approaches in the past, for example: DNA computation, quantum computation, and microfluidics-based computation. However, these approaches have not proven, so far, to be scalable and practical from a fabrication and operational perspective. Here, we report the foundations of an alternative parallel-computation system in which a given combinatorial problem is encoded into a graphical, modular network that is embedded in a nanofabricated planar device. Exploring the network in a parallel fashion using a large number of independent, molecular-motor-propelled agents then solves the mathematical problem. This approach uses orders of magnitude less energy than conventional computers, thus addressing issues related to power consumption and heat dissipation. We provide a proof-of-concept demonstration of such a device by solving, in a parallel fashion, the small instance {2, 5, 9} of the subset sum problem, which is a benchmark NP-complete problem. Finally, we discuss the technical advances necessary to make our system scalable with presently available technology.

Utilizing GPUs to Accelerate Turbomachinery CFD Codes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

MacCalla, Weylin; Kulkarni, Sameer

2016-01-01

GPU computing has established itself as a way to accelerate parallel codes in the high performance computing world. This work focuses on speeding up APNASA, a legacy CFD code used at NASA Glenn Research Center, while also drawing conclusions about the nature of GPU computing and the requirements to make GPGPU worthwhile on legacy codes. Rewriting and restructuring of the source code was avoided to limit the introduction of new bugs. The code was profiled and investigated for parallelization potential, then OpenACC directives were used to indicate parallel parts of the code. The use of OpenACC directives was not able to reduce the runtime of APNASA on either the NVIDIA Tesla discrete graphics card, or the AMD accelerated processing unit. Additionally, it was found that in order to justify the use of GPGPU, the amount of parallel work being done within a kernel would have to greatly exceed the work being done by any one portion of the APNASA code. It was determined that in order for an application like APNASA to be accelerated on the GPU, it should not be modular in nature, and the parallel portions of the code must contain a large portion of the code's computation time.

Fast neutron measurements with 7Li and 6Li enriched CLYC scintillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giaz, A.; Blasi, N.; Boiano, C.; Brambilla, S.; Camera, F.; Cattadori, C.; Ceruti, S.; Gramegna, F.; Marchi, T.; Mattei, I.; Mentana, A.; Million, B.; Pellegri, L.; Rebai, M.; Riboldi, S.; Salamida, F.; Tardocchi, M.

2016-07-01

The recently developed Cs2LiYCl6:Ce (CLYC) crystals are interesting scintillation detectors not only for their gamma energy resolution (<5% at 662 keV) but also for their capability to identify and measure the energy of both gamma rays and fast/thermal neutrons. The thermal neutrons were detected by the 6Li(n,α)t reaction while for the fast neutrons the 35Cl(n,p)35S and 35Cl(n,α)32P neutron-capture reactions were exploited. The energy of the outgoing proton or α particle scales linearly with the incident neutron energy. The kinetic energy of the fast neutrons can be measured using both the Time Of Flight (TOF) technique and using the CLYC energy signal. In this work, the response to monochromatic fast neutrons (1.9-3.8 MeV) of two CLYC 1″×1″ crystals was measured using both the TOF and the energy signal. The observables were combined to identify fast neutrons, to subtract the thermal neutron background and to identify different fast neutron-capture reactions on 35Cl, in other words to understand if the detected particle is an α or a proton. We performed a dedicated measurement at the CN accelerator facility of the INFN Legnaro National Laboratories (Italy), where the fast neutrons were produced by impinging a proton beam (4.5, 5.0 and 5.5 MeV) on a 7LiF target. We tested a CLYC detector 6Li-enriched at about 95%, which is ideal for thermal neutron measurements, in parallel with another CLYC detector 7Li-enriched at more than 99%, which is suitable for fast neutron measurements.

Parallel Optical Random Access Memory (PORAM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alphonse, G. A.

1989-01-01

It is shown that the need to minimize component count, power and size, and to maximize packing density require a parallel optical random access memory to be designed in a two-level hierarchy: a modular level and an interconnect level. Three module designs are proposed, in the order of research and development requirements. The first uses state-of-the-art components, including individually addressed laser diode arrays, acousto-optic (AO) deflectors and magneto-optic (MO) storage medium, aimed at moderate size, moderate power, and high packing density. The next design level uses an electron-trapping (ET) medium to reduce optical power requirements. The third design uses a beam-steering grating surface emitter (GSE) array to reduce size further and minimize the number of components.

Loop models, modular invariance, and three-dimensional bosonization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldman, Hart; Fradkin, Eduardo

2018-05-01

We consider a family of quantum loop models in 2+1 spacetime dimensions with marginally long-ranged and statistical interactions mediated by a U (1 ) gauge field, both purely in 2+1 dimensions and on a surface in a (3+1)-dimensional bulk system. In the absence of fractional spin, these theories have been shown to be self-dual under particle-vortex duality and shifts of the statistical angle of the loops by 2 π , which form a subgroup of the modular group, PSL (2 ,Z ) . We show that careful consideration of fractional spin in these theories completely breaks their statistical periodicity and describe how this occurs, resolving a disagreement with the conformal field theories they appear to approach at criticality. We show explicitly that incorporation of fractional spin leads to loop model dualities which parallel the recent web of (2+1)-dimensional field theory dualities, providing a nontrivial check on its validity.

Development of a front end controller/heap manager for PHENIX

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

Ericson, M.N.; Allen, M.D.; Musrock, M.S.

1996-12-31

A controller/heap manager has been designed for applicability to all detector subsystem types of PHENIX. the heap manager performs all functions associated with front end electronics control including ADC and analog memory control, data collection, command interpretation and execution, and data packet forming and communication. Interfaces to the unit consist of a timing and control bus, a serial bus, a parallel data bus, and a trigger interface. The topology developed is modular so that many functional blocks are identical for a number of subsystem types. Programmability is maximized through the use of flexible modular functions and implementation using field programmablemore » gate arrays (FPGAs). Details of unit design and functionality will be discussed with particular detail given to subsystems having analog memory-based front end electronics. In addition, mode control, serial functions, and FPGA implementation details will be presented.« less

Real-Time Model and Simulation Architecture for Half- and Full-Bridge Modular Multilevel Converters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashourloo, Mojtaba

This work presents an equivalent model and simulation architecture for real-time electromagnetic transient analysis of either half-bridge or full-bridge modular multilevel converter (MMC) with 400 sub-modules (SMs) per arm. The proposed CPU/FPGA-based architecture is optimized for the parallel implementation of the presented MMC model on the FPGA and is beneficiary of a high-throughput floating-point computational engine. The developed real-time simulation architecture is capable of simulating MMCs with 400 SMs per arm at 825 nanoseconds. To address the difficulties of the sorting process implementation, a modified Odd-Even Bubble sorting is presented in this work. The comparison of the results under various test scenarios reveals that the proposed real-time simulator is representing the system responses in the same way of its corresponding off-line counterpart obtained from the PSCAD/EMTDC program.

Design of a Modular 5-kW Power Processing Unit for the Next-Generation 40-cm Ion Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinero, Luis R.; Bond, Thomas; Okada, Don; Pyter, Janusz; Wiseman, Steve

2002-01-01

NASA Glenn Research Center is developing a 5/10-kW ion engine for a broad range of mission applications. Simultaneously, a 5-kW breadboard poster processing unit is being designed and fabricated. The design includes a beam supply consisting of four 1.1 kW power modules connected in parallel, equally sharing the output current. A novel phase-shifted/pulse-width-modulated dual full-bridge topology was chosen for its soft-switching characteristics. The proposed modular approach allows scalability to higher powers as well as the possibility of implementing an N+1 redundant beam supply. Efficiencies in excess of 96% were measured during testing of a breadboard beam power module. A specific mass of 3.0 kg/kW is expected for a flight PRO. This represents a 50% reduction from the state of the art NSTAR power processor.

Targeting multiple heterogeneous hardware platforms with OpenCL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fox, Paul A.; Kozacik, Stephen T.; Humphrey, John R.; Paolini, Aaron; Kuller, Aryeh; Kelmelis, Eric J.

2014-06-01

The OpenCL API allows for the abstract expression of parallel, heterogeneous computing, but hardware implementations have substantial implementation differences. The abstractions provided by the OpenCL API are often insufficiently high-level to conceal differences in hardware architecture. Additionally, implementations often do not take advantage of potential performance gains from certain features due to hardware limitations and other factors. These factors make it challenging to produce code that is portable in practice, resulting in much OpenCL code being duplicated for each hardware platform being targeted. This duplication of effort offsets the principal advantage of OpenCL: portability. The use of certain coding practices can mitigate this problem, allowing a common code base to be adapted to perform well across a wide range of hardware platforms. To this end, we explore some general practices for producing performant code that are effective across platforms. Additionally, we explore some ways of modularizing code to enable optional optimizations that take advantage of hardware-specific characteristics. The minimum requirement for portability implies avoiding the use of OpenCL features that are optional, not widely implemented, poorly implemented, or missing in major implementations. Exposing multiple levels of parallelism allows hardware to take advantage of the types of parallelism it supports, from the task level down to explicit vector operations. Static optimizations and branch elimination in device code help the platform compiler to effectively optimize programs. Modularization of some code is important to allow operations to be chosen for performance on target hardware. Optional subroutines exploiting explicit memory locality allow for different memory hierarchies to be exploited for maximum performance. The C preprocessor and JIT compilation using the OpenCL runtime can be used to enable some of these techniques, as well as to factor in hardware-specific optimizations as necessary.

New controller for high voltage converter modulator at spallation neutron source

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

Wezensky, Mark W; Brown, David L; Lee, Sung-Woo

2017-01-01

The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) has developed a new control system for the High Voltage Convertor Modulator (HVCM) at the SNS to replace the original control system which is approaching obsolescence. The original system was based on controllers for similar high voltage systems that were already in use [1]. The new controller, based on National Instruments PXI/FlexRIO Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) platform, offers enhancements such as modular construction, flexibility and non-proprietary software. The new controller also provides new capabilities like various methods for modulator pulse flattening, waveform capture, and first fault detection. This paper will discuss the design ofmore » the system, including the human machine interface, based on lessons learned at the SNS and other projects. It will also discuss performance and other issues related to its operation in an accelerator facility which requires high availability. To date, 73% of the operational HVCMs have been upgraded to with the new controller, and the remainder are scheduled for completion by mid-2017.« less

Mechanical design of a light water breeder reactor

DOEpatents

Fauth, Jr., William L.; Jones, Daniel S.; Kolsun, George J.; Erbes, John G.; Brennan, John J.; Weissburg, James A.; Sharbaugh, John E.

1976-01-01

In a light water reactor system using the thorium-232 -- uranium-233 fuel system in a seed-blanket modular core configuration having the modules arranged in a symmetrical array surrounded by a reflector blanket region, the seed regions are disposed for a longitudinal movement between the fixed or stationary blanket region which surrounds each seed region. Control of the reactor is obtained by moving the inner seed region thus changing the geometry of the reactor, and thereby changing the leakage of neutrons from the relatively small seed region into the blanket region. The mechanical design of the Light Water Breeder Reactor (LWBR) core includes means for axially positioning of movable fuel assemblies to achieve the neutron economy required of a breeder reactor, a structure necessary to adequately support the fuel modules without imposing penalties on the breeding capability, a structure necessary to support fuel rods in a closely packed array and a structure necessary to direct and control the flow of coolant to regions in the core in accordance with the heat transfer requirements.

A real-time n/γ digital pulse shape discriminator based on FPGA.

PubMed

Li, Shiping; Xu, Xiufeng; Cao, Hongrui; Yuan, Guoliang; Yang, Qingwei; Yin, Zejie

2013-02-01

A FPGA-based real-time digital pulse shape discriminator has been employed to distinguish between neutrons (n) and gammas (γ) in the Neutron Flux Monitor (NFM) for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). The discriminator takes advantages of the Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) parallel and pipeline process capabilities to carry out the real-time sifting of neutrons in n/γ mixed radiation fields, and uses the rise time and amplitude inspection techniques simultaneously as the discrimination algorithm to observe good n/γ separation. Some experimental results have been presented which show that this discriminator can realize the anticipated goals of NFM perfectly with its excellent discrimination quality and zero dead time. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Retrieval of phase information in neutron reflectometry

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

de Haan, V.; van Well, A.A.; Adenwalla, S.

Neutron reflectometry can determine unambiguously the chemical depth profile of a thin film if both phase and amplitude of the reflectance are known. The recovery of the phase information is achieved by adding to the unknown layered structure a known ferromagnetic layer. The ferromagnetic layer is magnetized by an external magnetic field in a direction lying in the plane of the layer and subsequently perpendicular to it. The neutrons are polarized either parallel or opposite to the magnetic field. In this way three measurements can be made, with different (and known) scattering-length densities of the ferromagnetic layer. The reflectivity obtainedmore » from each measurement can be represented by a circle in the (complex) reflectance plane. The intersections of these circles provide the reflectance.« less

Cyclotron line resonant transfer through neutron star atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, John C. L.; Wasserman, Ira M.; Salpeter, Edwin E.

1988-01-01

Monte Carlo methods are used to study in detail the resonant radiative transfer of cyclotron line photons with recoil through a purely scattering neutron star atmosphere for both the polarized and unpolarized cases. For each case, the number of scatters, the path length traveled, the escape frequency shift, the escape direction cosine, the emergent frequency spectra, and the angular distribution of escaping photons are investigated. In the polarized case, transfer is calculated using both the cold plasma e- and o-modes and the magnetic vacuum perpendicular and parallel modes.

Twin-variant reorientation strain in Ni-Mn-Ga single crystal during quasi-static mechanical compression

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

Pramanick, Abhijit; An, Ke; Stoica, Alexandru Dan

2011-01-01

Twin variant reorientation in single crystal Ni-Mn-Ga during quasi-static mechanical compression was studied using in-situ neutron diffraction. The volume fraction of reoriented twin variants for different stress amplitudes were obtained from the changes in integrated intensities of high-order neutron diffraction peaks. It is shown that during compressive loading, ~85% of the twins were reoriented parallel to the loading direction resulting in a maximum macroscopic strain of ~5.5%, which is in agreement with measured macroscopic strain.

Modulated magnetic structure of ScFe 4Al 8 by X-ray, neutron powder diffraction and Mössbauer effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reċko, Katarzyna; Hauback, Bjørn C.; Dobrzy nski, Ludwik; Szymański, Krzysztof; Satula, Dariusz; Kotur, B. Yu.; Suski, Wojciech

2004-05-01

ScFe 4Al 8 alloy belongs to the extensively investigated ThMn 12-type family. The results of Mössbauer experiments are compared with the neutrons data. ScFe 4Al 8 alloy orders around 250 K by forming antiferromagnetic spiral iron sublattice, within the tetragonal basis plane ab and magnetic iron moments close to 1 μ B at 8 K. The spins are rotating in a plane parallel to the wave vector q=( qx, qx,0).

FUEL ASSEMBLY FOR A NEUTRONIC REACTOR

DOEpatents

Wigner, E.P.

1958-04-29

A fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor of the type wherein liquid coolant is circulated through the core of the reactor in contact with the external surface of the fuel elements is described. In this design a plurality of parallel plates containing fissionable material are spaced about one-tenth of an inch apart and are supported between a pair of spaced parallel side members generally perpendicular to the plates. The plates all have a small continuous and equal curvature in the same direction between the side members.

INL Results for Phases I and III of the OECD/NEA MHTGR-350 Benchmark

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

Gerhard Strydom; Javier Ortensi; Sonat Sen

2013-09-01

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) Technology Development Office (TDO) Methods Core Simulation group led the construction of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Modular High Temperature Reactor (MHTGR) 350 MW benchmark for comparing and evaluating prismatic VHTR analysis codes. The benchmark is sponsored by the OECD's Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), and the project will yield a set of reference steady-state, transient, and lattice depletion problems that can be used by the Department of Energy (DOE), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and vendors to assess their code suits. The Methods group is responsible formore » defining the benchmark specifications, leading the data collection and comparison activities, and chairing the annual technical workshops. This report summarizes the latest INL results for Phase I (steady state) and Phase III (lattice depletion) of the benchmark. The INSTANT, Pronghorn and RattleSnake codes were used for the standalone core neutronics modeling of Exercise 1, and the results obtained from these codes are compared in Section 4. Exercise 2 of Phase I requires the standalone steady-state thermal fluids modeling of the MHTGR-350 design, and the results for the systems code RELAP5-3D are discussed in Section 5. The coupled neutronics and thermal fluids steady-state solution for Exercise 3 are reported in Section 6, utilizing the newly developed Parallel and Highly Innovative Simulation for INL Code System (PHISICS)/RELAP5-3D code suit. Finally, the lattice depletion models and results obtained for Phase III are compared in Section 7. The MHTGR-350 benchmark proved to be a challenging simulation set of problems to model accurately, and even with the simplifications introduced in the benchmark specification this activity is an important step in the code-to-code verification of modern prismatic VHTR codes. A final OECD/NEA comparison report will compare the Phase I and III results of all other international participants in 2014, while the remaining Phase II transient case results will be reported in 2015.« less

Towards a Modular, Robust, and Portable Sensing Platform for Biological and Point of Care Diagnostics

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-07-01

drugs at potentially very low concentrations in a variety of complex media such as saliva, blood, urine , and other bodily fluids. These handheld...flow assays, such as pregnancy tests, disease and drug abuse screens, and blood protein markers, exhibit widespread use. Recent parallel advances...gadgets have the potential to lower the cost of diagnosis and save immense amounts of time by removing the need to collect, preserve, and ship samples

Modular C3 Interface Analysis (Flexible Intraconnect). Volume 1, Part 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-04-01

was prepared in parallel with a separate Flexible^ Intraconnect design definition study conducted by Hughes Aircraft Company under F19628-77-O-0261...reported herein consists of Task I, Task II, and Task III of Phase I of an on-going study being conducted by the Air Force to develop a Flexible...Intraconnect for tactical C^ tivity. equipment connec- As evidenced by the quantity of analyses performed and docu- mented during the period of this study

The shear-Hall instability in newborn neutron stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kondić, T.; Rüdiger, G.; Hollerbach, R.

2011-11-01

Aims: In the first few minutes of a newborn neutron star's life the Hall effect and differential rotation may both be important. We demonstrate that these two ingredients are sufficient for generating a "shear-Hall instability" and for studying its excitation conditions, growth rates, and characteristic magnetic field patterns. Methods: We numerically solve the induction equation in a spherical shell, with a kinematically prescribed differential rotation profile Ω(s), where s is the cylindrical radius. The Hall term is linearized about an imposed uniform axial field. The linear stability of individual azimuthal modes, both axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric, is then investigated. Results: For the shear-Hall instability to occur, the axial field must be parallel to the rotation axis if Ω(s) decreases outward, whereas if Ω(s) increases outward it must be anti-parallel. The instability draws its energy from the differential rotation, and occurs on the short rotational timescale rather than on the much longer Hall timescale. It operates most efficiently if the Hall time is comparable to the diffusion time. Depending on the precise field strengths B0, either axisymmetric or non-axisymmetric modes may be the most unstable. Conclusions: Even if the differential rotation in newborn neutron stars is quenched within minutes, the shear-Hall instability may nevertheless amplify any seed magnetic fields by many orders of magnitude.

Experimental characterization of HOTNES: A new thermal neutron facility with large homogeneity area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bedogni, R.; Sperduti, A.; Pietropaolo, A.; Pillon, M.; Pola, A.; Gómez-Ros, J. M.

2017-01-01

A new thermal neutron irradiation facility, called HOTNES (HOmogeneous Thermal NEutron Source), was established in the framework of a collaboration between INFN-LNF and ENEA-Frascati. HOTNES is a polyethylene assembly, with about 70 cmx70 cm square section and 100 cm height, including a large, cylindrical cavity with diameter 30 cm and height 70 cm. The facility is supplied by a 241Am-B source located at the bottom of this cavity. The facility was designed in such a way that the iso-thermal-fluence surfaces, characterizing the irradiation volume, coincide with planes parallel to the cavity bottom. The thermal fluence rate across a given isofluence plane is as uniform as 1% on a disk with 30 cm diameter. Thermal fluence rate values from about 700 cm-2 s-1 to 1000 cm-2 s-1 can be achieved. The facility design, previously optimized by Monte Carlo simulation, was experimentally verified. The following techniques were used: gold activation foils to assess the thermal fluence rate, semiconductor-based active detector for mapping the irradiation volume, and Bonner Sphere Spectrometer to determine the complete neutron spectrum. HOTNES is expected to be attractive for the scientific community involved in neutron metrology, neutron dosimetry and neutron detector testing.

Flow-through compression cell for small-angle and ultra-small-angle neutron scattering measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hjelm, Rex P.; Taylor, Mark A.; Frash, Luke P.; Hawley, Marilyn E.; Ding, Mei; Xu, Hongwu; Barker, John; Olds, Daniel; Heath, Jason; Dewers, Thomas

2018-05-01

In situ measurements of geological materials under compression and with hydrostatic fluid pressure are important in understanding their behavior under field conditions, which in turn provides critical information for application-driven research. In particular, understanding the role of nano- to micro-scale porosity in the subsurface liquid and gas flow is critical for the high-fidelity characterization of the transport and more efficient extraction of the associated energy resources. In other applications, where parts are produced by the consolidation of powders by compression, the resulting porosity and crystallite orientation (texture) may affect its in-use characteristics. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and ultra SANS are ideal probes for characterization of these porous structures over the nano to micro length scales. Here we show the design, realization, and performance of a novel neutron scattering sample environment, a specially designed compression cell, which provides compressive stress and hydrostatic pressures with effective stress up to 60 MPa, using the neutron beam to probe the effects of stress vectors parallel to the neutron beam. We demonstrate that the neutron optics is suitable for the experimental objectives and that the system is highly stable to the stress and pressure conditions of the measurements.

Measurement of the Am 242 m neutron-induced reaction cross sections

DOE PAGES

Buckner, M. Q.; Wu, C. Y.; Henderson, R. A.; ...

2017-02-17

The neutron-induced reaction cross sections of 242mAm were measured at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center using the Detector for Advanced Neutron-Capture Experiments array along with a compact parallel-plate avalanche counter for fission-fragment detection. A new neutron-capture cross section was determined, and the absolute scale was set according to a concurrent measurement of the well-known 242mAm(n,f) cross section. The (n,γ) cross section was measured from thermal energy to an incident energy of 1 eV at which point the data quality was limited by the reaction yield in the laboratory. Our new 242mAm fission cross section was normalized to ENDF/B-VII.1 tomore » set the absolute scale, and it agreed well with the (n,f) cross section from thermal energy to 1 keV. Lastly, the average absolute capture-to-fission ratio was determined from thermal energy to E n = 0.1 eV, and it was found to be 26(4)% as opposed to the ratio of 19% from the ENDF/B-VII.1 evaluation.« less

A modular and low­cost 3D­-printed microfluidic device with assembly of capillaries for droplet mass production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguirre-Pablo, A. A.; Zhang, J. M.; Li, E. Q.; Thoroddsen, S. T.

2015-11-01

We report a new 3D­-printed microfluidic system with assembly of capillaries for droplet generation. The system consists of the following parts: 3D­printed Droplet Generation Units (DGUs) with embedded capillaries and two 3D-printed pyramid distributors for supplying two different fluid phases into every DGU. A single DGU consists of four independent parts: a top channel, a bottom channel, a capillary and a sealing gasket. All components are produced by 3d­printing except the capillaries, which are formed in a glass-­puller. DGUs are independent of the distributor and from each other; they can easily be assembled, replaced and modified due to its modular design which is an advantage in case of a faulty part or clogging, eliminating the need to fabricate a complete new system which is cost and time demanding. We assessed the feasibility of producing droplets in this device varying different fluid parameters, such as liquid viscosity and flow rate, which affect droplet size and generation frequency. The design and fabrication of this device is simple and low­-cost with the 3D printing technology. Due to the modular design of independent parts, low-cost fabrication and easy parallelization of multiple DGU's, this system provides great flexibility for industrial applications.

Parallel digital modem using multirate digital filter banks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sadr, Ramin; Vaidyanathan, P. P.; Raphaeli, Dan; Hinedi, Sami

1994-01-01

A new class of architectures for an all-digital modem is presented in this report. This architecture, referred to as the parallel receiver (PRX), is based on employing multirate digital filter banks (DFB's) to demodulate, track, and detect the received symbol stream. The resulting architecture is derived, and specifications are outlined for designing the DFB for the PRX. The key feature of this approach is a lower processing rate then either the Nyquist rate or the symbol rate, without any degradation in the symbol error rate. Due to the freedom in choosing the processing rate, the designer is able to arbitrarily select and use digital components, independent of the speed of the integrated circuit technology. PRX architecture is particularly suited for high data rate applications, and due to the modular structure of the parallel signal path, expansion to even higher data rates is accommodated with each. Applications of the PRX would include gigabit satellite channels, multiple spacecraft, optical links, interactive cable-TV, telemedicine, code division multiple access (CDMA) communications, and others.

Fast non-overlapping Schwarz domain decomposition methods for solving the neutron diffusion equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamelot, Erell; Ciarlet, Patrick

2013-05-01

Studying numerically the steady state of a nuclear core reactor is expensive, in terms of memory storage and computational time. In order to address both requirements, one can use a domain decomposition method, implemented on a parallel computer. We present here such a method for the mixed neutron diffusion equations, discretized with Raviart-Thomas-Nédélec finite elements. This method is based on the Schwarz iterative algorithm with Robin interface conditions to handle communications. We analyse this method from the continuous point of view to the discrete point of view, and we give some numerical results in a realistic highly heterogeneous 3D configuration. Computations are carried out with the MINOS solver of the APOLLO3® neutronics code. APOLLO3 is a registered trademark in France.

RAMONA-3B application to Browns Ferry ATWS

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

Slovik, G.C.; Neymotin, L.; Cazzoli, E.

1984-01-01

This paper discusses two preliminary MSIV clsoure ATWS calculations done using the RAMONA-3B code and the work being done to create the necessary cross section sets for the Browns Ferry Unit 1 reactor. The RAMONA-3B code employs a three-dimensional neutron kinetics model coupled with one-dimensional, four equation, nonhomogeneous, nonequilibrium thermal hydraulics. To be compatible with 3-D neutron kinetics, the code uses parallel coolant channels in the core. It also includes a boron transport model and all necessary BWR components such as jet pump, recirculation pump, steam separator, steamline with safety and relief valves, main steam isolation valve, turbine stop valve,more » and turbine bypass valve. A summary of RAMONA-3B neutron kinetics and thermal hydraulics models is presented in the Appendix.« less

Parallel theoretical study of the two components of the prompt fission neutrons: Dynamically released at scission and evaporated from fully accelerated fragments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carjan, Nicolae; Rizea, Margarit; Talou, Patrick

2017-09-01

Prompt fission neutrons (PFN) angular and energy distributions for the reaction 235U(nth,f) are calculated as a function of the mass asymmetry of the fission fragments using two extreme assumptions: 1) PFN are released during the neck rupture due to the diabatic coupling between the neutron degree of freedom and the rapidly changing neutron-nucleus potential. These unbound neutrons are faster than the separation of the nascent fragments and most of them leave the fissioning system in few 10-21 sec. i.e., at the begining of the acceleration phase. Surrounding the fissioning nucleus by a sphere one can calculate the radial component of the neutron current density. Its time integral gives the angular distribution with respect to the fission axis. The average energy of each emitted neutron is also calculated using the unbound part of each neutron wave packet. The distribution of these average energies gives the general trends of the PFN spectrum: the slope, the range and the average value. 2) PFN are evaporated from fully accelerated, fully equilibrated fission fragments. To follow the de-excitation of these fragments via neutron and γ-ray sequential emissions, a Monte Carlo sampling of the initial conditions and a Hauser-Feshbach statistical approach is used. Recording at each step the emission probability, the energy and the angle of each evaporated neutron one can construct the PFN energy and the PFN angular distribution in the laboratory system. The predictions of these two methods are finally compared with recent experimental results obtained for a given fragment mass ratio.

Requirements for implementing real-time control functional modules on a hierarchical parallel pipelined system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wheatley, Thomas E.; Michaloski, John L.; Lumia, Ronald

1989-01-01

Analysis of a robot control system leads to a broad range of processing requirements. One fundamental requirement of a robot control system is the necessity of a microcomputer system in order to provide sufficient processing capability.The use of multiple processors in a parallel architecture is beneficial for a number of reasons, including better cost performance, modular growth, increased reliability through replication, and flexibility for testing alternate control strategies via different partitioning. A survey of the progression from low level control synchronizing primitives to higher level communication tools is presented. The system communication and control mechanisms of existing robot control systems are compared to the hierarchical control model. The impact of this design methodology on the current robot control systems is explored.

Spherical harmonic results for the 3D Kobayashi Benchmark suite

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

Brown, P N; Chang, B; Hanebutte, U R

1999-03-02

Spherical harmonic solutions are presented for the Kobayashi benchmark suite. The results were obtained with Ardra, a scalable, parallel neutron transport code developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The calculations were performed on the IBM ASCI Blue-Pacific computer at LLNL.

Vectorized and multitasked solution of the few-group neutron diffusion equations

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

Zee, S.K.; Turinsky, P.J.; Shayer, Z.

1989-03-01

A numerical algorithm with parallelism was used to solve the two-group, multidimensional neutron diffusion equations on computers characterized by shared memory, vector pipeline, and multi-CPU architecture features. Specifically, solutions were obtained on the Cray X/MP-48, the IBM-3090 with vector facilities, and the FPS-164. The material-centered mesh finite difference method approximation and outer-inner iteration method were employed. Parallelism was introduced in the inner iterations using the cyclic line successive overrelaxation iterative method and solving in parallel across lines. The outer iterations were completed using the Chebyshev semi-iterative method that allows parallelism to be introduced in both space and energy groups. Formore » the three-dimensional model, power, soluble boron, and transient fission product feedbacks were included. Concentrating on the pressurized water reactor (PWR), the thermal-hydraulic calculation of moderator density assumed single-phase flow and a closed flow channel, allowing parallelism to be introduced in the solution across the radial plane. Using a pinwise detail, quarter-core model of a typical PWR in cycle 1, for the two-dimensional model without feedback the measured million floating point operations per second (MFLOPS)/vector speedups were 83/11.7. 18/2.2, and 2.4/5.6 on the Cray, IBM, and FPS without multitasking, respectively. Lower performance was observed with a coarser mesh, i.e., shorter vector length, due to vector pipeline start-up. For an 18 x 18 x 30 (x-y-z) three-dimensional model with feedback of the same core, MFLOPS/vector speedups of --61/6.7 and an execution time of 0.8 CPU seconds on the Cray without multitasking were measured. Finally, using two CPUs and the vector pipelines of the Cray, a multitasking efficiency of 81% was noted for the three-dimensional model.« less

Multichannel microscale system for high throughput preparative separation with comprehensive collection and analysis

DOEpatents

Karger, Barry L.; Kotler, Lev; Foret, Frantisek; Minarik, Marek; Kleparnik, Karel

2003-12-09

A modular multiple lane or capillary electrophoresis (chromatography) system that permits automated parallel separation and comprehensive collection of all fractions from samples in all lanes or columns, with the option of further on-line automated sample fraction analysis, is disclosed. Preferably, fractions are collected in a multi-well fraction collection unit, or plate (40). The multi-well collection plate (40) is preferably made of a solvent permeable gel, most preferably a hydrophilic, polymeric gel such as agarose or cross-linked polyacrylamide.

Analytical Study on Thermal and Mechanical Design of Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger

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

Yoon, Su-Jong; Sabharwall, Piyush; Kim, Eung-Soo

2013-09-01

The analytical methodologies for the thermal design, mechanical design and cost estimation of printed circuit heat exchanger are presented in this study. In this study, three flow arrangements of parallel flow, countercurrent flow and crossflow are taken into account. For each flow arrangement, the analytical solution of temperature profile of heat exchanger is introduced. The size and cost of printed circuit heat exchangers for advanced small modular reactors, which employ various coolants such as sodium, molten salts, helium, and water, are also presented.

Progress in FMIT test assembly development

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

Opperman, E.K.; Vogel, M.A.; Shen, E.J.

Research and development supporting the completed design of the Fusion Materials Irradiation Test (FMIT) Facility is continuing at the Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory (HEDL) in Richland, Washington. The FMIT, a deuteron accelerator based (d + Li) neutron source, will produce an intense flux of high energy neutrons for use in radiation damage studies of fusion reactor materials. The most intense flux magnitude of greater than 10/sup 15/ n/cm/sup 2/-s is located close to the neutron producing lithium target and is distributed within a volume about the size of an American football. The conceptual design and development of FMIT experiments calledmore » Test Assemblies has progressed over the past five years in parallel with the design of the FMIT. The paper will describe the recent accomplishments made in developing test assemblies appropriate for use in the limited volume close to the FMIT target where high neutron flux and heating rates and the associated spacial gradients significantly impact design considerations.« less

Hippo/crates-in-situ deformation strain and testure studies using neutron time-of-flight diffraction.

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

Vogel, S. C.; Hartig, C.; Brissier, T. D.

2005-01-01

In situ deformation studies by diffraction allow studying of deformation mechanisms and provide valuable data to validate and improve deformation models. In particular, deformation studies using time-of-flight neutrons provide averages over large numbers of grains and allow to probing the response of lattice planes parallel and perpendicular to the applied load simultaneously. In this paper we describe the load-frame CRATES, designed for the HIPPO neutron time-of-flight diffractometer at LANSCE. The HIPPO/CRATES combination allows probing up to 20 diffraction vectors simultaneously and provides rotation of the sample in the beam while under load. With this, deformation texture, i.e. the change ofmore » grain orientation due to plastic deformation, or strain pole figures may be measured. We report initial results of a validation experiment, comparing deformation of a Zircaloy specimen measured using the NPD neutron diffractometer with results obtained for the same material using HIPPO/CRATES.« less

Maser Emission from Gravitational States on Isolated Neutron Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tepliakov, Nikita V.; Vovk, Tatiana A.; Rukhlenko, Ivan D.; Rozhdestvensky, Yuri V.

2018-04-01

Despite years of research on neutron stars, the source of their radio emission is still under debate. Here we propose a new coherent mechanism of pulsar radio emission based on transitions between gravitational states of electrons confined above the pulsar atmosphere. Our mechanism assumes that the coherent radiation is generated upon the electric and magnetic dipole transitions of electrons falling onto the polar caps of the pulsar, and predicts that this radiation occurs at radio frequencies—in full agreement with the observed emission spectra. We show that while the linearly polarized electric dipole radiation propagates parallel to the neutron star surface and has a fan-shape angular spectrum, the magnetic dipole emission comes from the magnetic poles of the pulsar in the form of two narrow beams and is elliptically polarized due to the spin–orbit coupling of electrons confined by the magnetic field. By explaining the main observables of the pulsar radio emission, the proposed mechanism indicates that gravitational quantum confinement plays an essential role in the physics of neutron stars.

MPACT Standard Input User s Manual, Version 2.2.0

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

Collins, Benjamin S.; Downar, Thomas; Fitzgerald, Andrew

The MPACT (Michigan PArallel Charactistics based Transport) code is designed to perform high-fidelity light water reactor (LWR) analysis using whole-core pin-resolved neutron transport calculations on modern parallel-computing hardware. The code consists of several libraries which provide the functionality necessary to solve steady-state eigenvalue problems. Several transport capabilities are available within MPACT including both 2-D and 3-D Method of Characteristics (MOC). A three-dimensional whole core solution based on the 2D-1D solution method provides the capability for full core depletion calculations.

Radiography and partial tomography of wood with thermal neutrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osterloh, K.; Fratzscher, D.; Schwabe, A.; Schillinger, B.; Zscherpel, U.; Ewert, U.

2011-09-01

The effective high neutron scattering absorption coefficient of hydrogen (48.5 cm 2/g) due to the scattering allows neutrons to reveal hydrocarbon structures with more contrast than X-rays, but at the same time limits the sample size and thickness that can be investigated. Many planar shaped objects, particularly wood samples, are sufficiently thin to allow thermal neutrons to transmit through the sample in a direction perpendicular to the planar face but not in a parallel direction, due to increased thickness. Often, this is an obstacle that prevents some tomographic reconstruction algorithms from obtaining desired results because of inadequate information or presence of distracting artifacts due to missing projections. This can be true for samples such as the distribution of glue in glulam (boards of wooden layers glued together), or the course of partially visible annual rings in trees where the features of interest are parallel to the planar surface of the sample. However, it should be possible to study these features by rotating the specimen within a limited angular range. In principle, this approach has been shown previously in a study with fast neutrons [2]. A study of this kind was performed at the Antares facility of FRM II in Garching with a 2.6×10 7/cm 2 s thermal neutron beam. The limit of penetration was determined for a wooden step wedge carved from a 2 cm×4 cm block of wood in comparison to other materials such as heavy metals and Lucite as specimens rich in hydrogen. The depth of the steps was 1 cm, the height 0.5 cm. The annual ring structures were clearly detectable up to 2 cm thickness. Wooden specimens, i.e. shivers, from a sunken old ship have been subjected to tomography. Not visible from the outside, clear radial structures have been found that are typical for certain kinds of wood. This insight was impaired in a case where the specimen had been soaked with ethylene glycol. In another large sample study, a planar board made of glulam has been studied to show the glued layers. This study shows not only the limits of penetration in wood but also demonstrates access to structures perpendicular to the surface in larger planar objects by tomography with fast neutrons, even with incomplete sets of projection data that covers an angular range of only 90° or even 60°.

PFLOTRAN: Reactive Flow & Transport Code for Use on Laptops to Leadership-Class Supercomputers

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

Hammond, Glenn E.; Lichtner, Peter C.; Lu, Chuan

PFLOTRAN, a next-generation reactive flow and transport code for modeling subsurface processes, has been designed from the ground up to run efficiently on machines ranging from leadership-class supercomputers to laptops. Based on an object-oriented design, the code is easily extensible to incorporate additional processes. It can interface seamlessly with Fortran 9X, C and C++ codes. Domain decomposition parallelism is employed, with the PETSc parallel framework used to manage parallel solvers, data structures and communication. Features of the code include a modular input file, implementation of high-performance I/O using parallel HDF5, ability to perform multiple realization simulations with multiple processors permore » realization in a seamless manner, and multiple modes for multiphase flow and multicomponent geochemical transport. Chemical reactions currently implemented in the code include homogeneous aqueous complexing reactions and heterogeneous mineral precipitation/dissolution, ion exchange, surface complexation and a multirate kinetic sorption model. PFLOTRAN has demonstrated petascale performance using 2{sup 17} processor cores with over 2 billion degrees of freedom. Accomplishments achieved to date include applications to the Hanford 300 Area and modeling CO{sub 2} sequestration in deep geologic formations.« less

Neutron-Induced Fission Cross Section Measurements for Full Suite of Uranium Isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laptev, Alexander; Tovesson, Fredrik; Hill, Tony

2010-11-01

A well established program of neutron-induced fission cross section measurement at Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) is supporting the Fuel Cycle Research program (FC R&D). The incident neutron energy range spans energies from sub-thermal energies up to 200 MeV by measuring both the Lujan Center and the Weapons Neutron Research center (WNR). Conventional parallel-plate fission ionization chambers with actinide deposited foils are used as a fission detector. The time-of-flight method is implemented to measure neutron energy. Counting rate ratio from investigated and standard U-235 foils is translated into fission cross section ratio. Different methods of normalization for measured ratio are employed, namely, using of actinide deposit thicknesses, normalization to evaluated data, etc. Finally, ratios are converted to cross sections based on the standard U-235 fission cross section data file. Preliminary data for newly investigated isotopes U-236 and U-234 will be reported. Those new data complete a full suite of Uranium isotopes, which were investigated with presented experimental approach. When analysis of the new measured data will is completed, data will be delivered to evaluators. Having data for full set of Uranium isotopes will increase theoretical modeling capabilities and make new data evaluations much more reliable.

Bifrost: a Modular Python/C++ Framework for Development of High-Throughput Data Analysis Pipelines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cranmer, Miles; Barsdell, Benjamin R.; Price, Danny C.; Garsden, Hugh; Taylor, Gregory B.; Dowell, Jayce; Schinzel, Frank; Costa, Timothy; Greenhill, Lincoln J.

2017-01-01

Large radio interferometers have data rates that render long-term storage of raw correlator data infeasible, thus motivating development of real-time processing software. For high-throughput applications, processing pipelines are challenging to design and implement. Motivated by science efforts with the Long Wavelength Array, we have developed Bifrost, a novel Python/C++ framework that eases the development of high-throughput data analysis software by packaging algorithms as black box processes in a directed graph. This strategy to modularize code allows astronomers to create parallelism without code adjustment. Bifrost uses CPU/GPU ’circular memory’ data buffers that enable ready introduction of arbitrary functions into the processing path for ’streams’ of data, and allow pipelines to automatically reconfigure in response to astrophysical transient detection or input of new observing settings. We have deployed and tested Bifrost at the latest Long Wavelength Array station, in Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, NM, where it handles throughput exceeding 10 Gbps per CPU core.

Craniux: A LabVIEW-Based Modular Software Framework for Brain-Machine Interface Research

PubMed Central

Degenhart, Alan D.; Kelly, John W.; Ashmore, Robin C.; Collinger, Jennifer L.; Tyler-Kabara, Elizabeth C.; Weber, Douglas J.; Wang, Wei

2011-01-01

This paper presents “Craniux,” an open-access, open-source software framework for brain-machine interface (BMI) research. Developed in LabVIEW, a high-level graphical programming environment, Craniux offers both out-of-the-box functionality and a modular BMI software framework that is easily extendable. Specifically, it allows researchers to take advantage of multiple features inherent to the LabVIEW environment for on-the-fly data visualization, parallel processing, multithreading, and data saving. This paper introduces the basic features and system architecture of Craniux and describes the validation of the system under real-time BMI operation using simulated and real electrocorticographic (ECoG) signals. Our results indicate that Craniux is able to operate consistently in real time, enabling a seamless work flow to achieve brain control of cursor movement. The Craniux software framework is made available to the scientific research community to provide a LabVIEW-based BMI software platform for future BMI research and development. PMID:21687575

Craniux: a LabVIEW-based modular software framework for brain-machine interface research.

PubMed

Degenhart, Alan D; Kelly, John W; Ashmore, Robin C; Collinger, Jennifer L; Tyler-Kabara, Elizabeth C; Weber, Douglas J; Wang, Wei

2011-01-01

This paper presents "Craniux," an open-access, open-source software framework for brain-machine interface (BMI) research. Developed in LabVIEW, a high-level graphical programming environment, Craniux offers both out-of-the-box functionality and a modular BMI software framework that is easily extendable. Specifically, it allows researchers to take advantage of multiple features inherent to the LabVIEW environment for on-the-fly data visualization, parallel processing, multithreading, and data saving. This paper introduces the basic features and system architecture of Craniux and describes the validation of the system under real-time BMI operation using simulated and real electrocorticographic (ECoG) signals. Our results indicate that Craniux is able to operate consistently in real time, enabling a seamless work flow to achieve brain control of cursor movement. The Craniux software framework is made available to the scientific research community to provide a LabVIEW-based BMI software platform for future BMI research and development.

Detail design of the surface tension propellant management device for the Intelsat VII communication satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giacalone, Philip L.

1993-06-01

The design of the Intelsat VII surface tension propellant management device (PMD) (an all-welded assembly consisting of about 100 individual components) was developed using a modular design approach that allowed the complex PMD assembly to be divided into smaller modules. The modular approach reduces manufacturing-related technical and schedule risks and allows many components and assemblies to be processed in parallel, while also facilitating the incorporation of quality assurance tests at all critical PMD subassembly levels. The baseline PMD assembly is made from titanium and stainless steel materials. In order to obtain a 100 percent titanium PMD, a new, state-of-the-art fine mesh titanium screen material was developed, tested, and qualified for use as an alternaltive to the stainless steel screen material. The Ti based screen material demonstrated a high level of bubble point performance. It was integrated into a PMD assembly and was successfully qualification tested at the tank assembly level.

Application of a Modular Particle-Continuum Method to Partially Rarefied, Hypersonic Flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deschenes, Timothy R.; Boyd, Iain D.

2011-05-01

The Modular Particle-Continuum (MPC) method is used to simulate partially-rarefied, hypersonic flow over a sting-mounted planetary probe configuration. This hybrid method uses computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to solve the Navier-Stokes equations in regions that are continuum, while using direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) in portions of the flow that are rarefied. The MPC method uses state-based coupling to pass information between the two flow solvers and decouples both time-step and mesh densities required by each solver. It is parallelized for distributed memory systems using dynamic domain decomposition and internal energy modes can be consistently modeled to be out of equilibrium with the translational mode in both solvers. The MPC results are compared to both full DSMC and CFD predictions and available experimental measurements. By using DSMC in only regions where the flow is nonequilibrium, the MPC method is able to reproduce full DSMC results down to the level of velocity and rotational energy probability density functions while requiring a fraction of the computational time.

ATLAS (Automatic Tool for Local Assembly Structures) - A Comprehensive Infrastructure for Assembly, Annotation, and Genomic Binning of Metagenomic and Metaranscripomic Data

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

White, Richard A.; Brown, Joseph M.; Colby, Sean M.

ATLAS (Automatic Tool for Local Assembly Structures) is a comprehensive multiomics data analysis pipeline that is massively parallel and scalable. ATLAS contains a modular analysis pipeline for assembly, annotation, quantification and genome binning of metagenomics and metatranscriptomics data and a framework for reference metaproteomic database construction. ATLAS transforms raw sequence data into functional and taxonomic data at the microbial population level and provides genome-centric resolution through genome binning. ATLAS provides robust taxonomy based on majority voting of protein coding open reading frames rolled-up at the contig level using modified lowest common ancestor (LCA) analysis. ATLAS provides robust taxonomy based onmore » majority voting of protein coding open reading frames rolled-up at the contig level using modified lowest common ancestor (LCA) analysis. ATLAS is user-friendly, easy install through bioconda maintained as open-source on GitHub, and is implemented in Snakemake for modular customizable workflows.« less

Structure of aqueous proline via parallel tempering molecular dynamics and neutron diffraction.

PubMed

Troitzsch, R Z; Martyna, G J; McLain, S E; Soper, A K; Crain, J

2007-07-19

The structure of aqueous L-proline amino acid has been the subject of much debate centering on the validity of various proposed models, differing widely in the extent to which local and long-range correlations are present. Here, aqueous proline is investigated by atomistic, replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations, and the results are compared to neutron diffraction and small angle neutron scattering (SANS) data, which have been reported recently (McLain, S.; Soper, A.; Terry, A.; Watts, A. J. Phys. Chem. B 2007, 111, 4568). Comparisons between neutron experiments and simulation are made via the static structure factor S(Q) which is measured and computed from several systems with different H/D isotopic compositions at a concentration of 1:20 molar ratio. Several different empirical water models (TIP3P, TIP4P, and SPC/E) in conjunction with the CHARMM22 force field are investigated. Agreement between experiment and simulation is reasonably good across the entire Q range although there are significant model-dependent variations in some cases. In general, agreement is improved slightly upon application of approximate quantum corrections obtained from gas-phase path integral simulations. Dimers and short oligomeric chains formed by hydrogen bonds (frequently bifurcated) coexist with apolar (hydrophobic) contacts. These emerge as the dominant local motifs in the mixture. Evidence for long-range association is more equivocal: No long-range structures form spontaneously in the MD simulations, and no obvious low-Q signature is seen in the SANS data. Moreover, associations introduced artificially to replicate a long-standing proposed mesoscale structure for proline correlations as an initial condition are annealed out by parallel tempering MD simulations. However, some small residual aggregates do remain, implying a greater degree of long-range order than is apparent in the SANS data.

Modular fabrication and characterization of complex silicon carbide composite structures Advanced Reactor Technologies (ART) Research Final Report (Feb 2015 – May 2017)

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

Khalifa, Hesham

Advanced ceramic materials exhibit properties that enable safety and fuel cycle efficiency improvements in advanced nuclear reactors. In order to fully exploit these desirable properties, new processing techniques are required to produce the complex geometries inherent to nuclear fuel assemblies and support structures. Through this project, the state of complex SiC-SiC composite fabrication for nuclear components has advanced significantly. New methods to produce complex SiC-SiC composite structures have been demonstrated in the form factors needed for in-core structural components in advanced high temperature nuclear reactors. Advanced characterization techniques have been employed to demonstrate that these complex SiC-SiC composite structures providemore » the strength, toughness and hermeticity required for service in harsh reactor conditions. The complex structures produced in this project represent a significant step forward in leveraging the excellent high temperature strength, resistance to neutron induced damage, and low neutron cross section of silicon carbide in nuclear applications.« less

Summary of comparison and analysis of results from exercises 1 and 2 of the OECD PBMR coupled neutronics/thermal hydraulics transient benchmark

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

Mkhabela, P.; Han, J.; Tyobeka, B.

2006-07-01

The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has accepted, through the Nuclear Science Committee (NSC), the inclusion of the Pebble-Bed Modular Reactor 400 MW design (PBMR-400) coupled neutronics/thermal hydraulics transient benchmark problem as part of their official activities. The scope of the benchmark is to establish a well-defined problem, based on a common given library of cross sections, to compare methods and tools in core simulation and thermal hydraulics analysis with a specific focus on transient events through a set of multi-dimensional computational test problems. The benchmark includes three steady state exercises andmore » six transient exercises. This paper describes the first two steady state exercises, their objectives and the international participation in terms of organization, country and computer code utilized. This description is followed by a comparison and analysis of the participants' results submitted for these two exercises. The comparison of results from different codes allows for an assessment of the sensitivity of a result to the method employed and can thus help to focus the development efforts on the most critical areas. The two first exercises also allow for removing of user-related modeling errors and prepare core neutronics and thermal-hydraulics models of the different codes for the rest of the exercises in the benchmark. (authors)« less

Neptune: An astrophysical smooth particle hydrodynamics code for massively parallel computer architectures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandalski, Stou

Smooth particle hydrodynamics is an efficient method for modeling the dynamics of fluids. It is commonly used to simulate astrophysical processes such as binary mergers. We present a newly developed GPU accelerated smooth particle hydrodynamics code for astrophysical simulations. The code is named neptune after the Roman god of water. It is written in OpenMP parallelized C++ and OpenCL and includes octree based hydrodynamic and gravitational acceleration. The design relies on object-oriented methodologies in order to provide a flexible and modular framework that can be easily extended and modified by the user. Several pre-built scenarios for simulating collisions of polytropes and black-hole accretion are provided. The code is released under the MIT Open Source license and publicly available at http://code.google.com/p/neptune-sph/.

MOOSE: A PARALLEL COMPUTATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR COUPLED SYSTEMS OF NONLINEAR EQUATIONS.

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

G. Hansen; C. Newman; D. Gaston

Systems of coupled, nonlinear partial di?erential equations often arise in sim- ulation of nuclear processes. MOOSE: Multiphysics Ob ject Oriented Simulation Environment, a parallel computational framework targeted at solving these systems is presented. As opposed to traditional data / ?ow oriented com- putational frameworks, MOOSE is instead founded on mathematics based on Jacobian-free Newton Krylov (JFNK). Utilizing the mathematical structure present in JFNK, physics are modularized into “Kernels” allowing for rapid production of new simulation tools. In addition, systems are solved fully cou- pled and fully implicit employing physics based preconditioning allowing for a large amount of ?exibility even withmore » large variance in time scales. Background on the mathematics, an inspection of the structure of MOOSE and several rep- resentative solutions from applications built on the framework are presented.« less

A pluggable framework for parallel pairwise sequence search.

PubMed

Archuleta, Jeremy; Feng, Wu-chun; Tilevich, Eli

2007-01-01

The current and near future of the computing industry is one of multi-core and multi-processor technology. Most existing sequence-search tools have been designed with a focus on single-core, single-processor systems. This discrepancy between software design and hardware architecture substantially hinders sequence-search performance by not allowing full utilization of the hardware. This paper presents a novel framework that will aid the conversion of serial sequence-search tools into a parallel version that can take full advantage of the available hardware. The framework, which is based on a software architecture called mixin layers with refined roles, enables modules to be plugged into the framework with minimal effort. The inherent modular design improves maintenance and extensibility, thus opening up a plethora of opportunities for advanced algorithmic features to be developed and incorporated while routine maintenance of the codebase persists.

NASA Tech Briefs, August 2003

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

Topics covered include: Stable, Thermally Conductive Fillers for Bolted Joints; Connecting to Thermocouples with Fewer Lead Wires; Zipper Connectors for Flexible Electronic Circuits; Safety Interlock for Angularly Misdirected Power Tool; Modular, Parallel Pulse-Shaping Filter Architectures; High-Fidelity Piezoelectric Audio Device; Photovoltaic Power Station with Ultracapacitors for Storage; Time Analyzer for Time Synchronization and Monitor of the Deep Space Network; Program for Computing Albedo; Integrated Software for Analyzing Designs of Launch Vehicles; Abstract-Reasoning Software for Coordinating Multiple Agents; Software Searches for Better Spacecraft-Navigation Models; Software for Partly Automated Recognition of Targets; Antistatic Polycarbonate/Copper Oxide Composite; Better VPS Fabrication of Crucibles and Furnace Cartridges; Burn-Resistant, Strong Metal-Matrix Composites; Self-Deployable Spring-Strip Booms; Explosion Welding for Hermetic Containerization; Improved Process for Fabricating Carbon Nanotube Probes; Automated Serial Sectioning for 3D Reconstruction; and Parallel Subconvolution Filtering Architectures.

Engineering rules for evaluating the efficiency of multiplexing traffic streams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klincewicz, John G.

2004-09-01

It is common, either for a telecommunications service provider or for a corporate enterprise, to have multiple data networks. For example, both an IP network and an ATM or Frame Relay network could be in operation to serve different applications. This can result in parallel transport links between the same two locations, each carrying data traffic under a different protocol. In this paper, we consider some practical engineering rules, for particular situations, to evaluate whether or not it is advantageous to combine these parallel traffic streams onto a single transport link. Combining the streams requires additional overhead (a so-called "cell tax" ) but, in at least some situations, can result in more efficient use of modular transport capacity. Simple graphs can be used to summarize the analysis. Some interesting, and perhaps unexpected, observations can be made.

MOOSE: A parallel computational framework for coupled systems of nonlinear equations.

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

Derek Gaston; Chris Newman; Glen Hansen

Systems of coupled, nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs) often arise in simulation of nuclear processes. MOOSE: Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation Environment, a parallel computational framework targeted at the solution of such systems, is presented. As opposed to traditional data-flow oriented computational frameworks, MOOSE is instead founded on the mathematical principle of Jacobian-free Newton-Krylov (JFNK) solution methods. Utilizing the mathematical structure present in JFNK, physics expressions are modularized into `Kernels,'' allowing for rapid production of new simulation tools. In addition, systems are solved implicitly and fully coupled, employing physics based preconditioning, which provides great flexibility even with large variance in timemore » scales. A summary of the mathematics, an overview of the structure of MOOSE, and several representative solutions from applications built on the framework are presented.« less

New result for the neutron β -asymmetry parameter A0 from UCNA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, M. A.-P.; Dees, E. B.; Adamek, E.; Allgeier, B.; Blatnik, M.; Bowles, T. J.; Broussard, L. J.; Carr, R.; Clayton, S.; Cude-Woods, C.; Currie, S.; Ding, X.; Filippone, B. W.; García, A.; Geltenbort, P.; Hasan, S.; Hickerson, K. P.; Hoagland, J.; Hong, R.; Hogan, G. E.; Holley, A. T.; Ito, T. M.; Knecht, A.; Liu, C.-Y.; Liu, J.; Makela, M.; Martin, J. W.; Melconian, D.; Mendenhall, M. P.; Moore, S. D.; Morris, C. L.; Nepal, S.; Nouri, N.; Pattie, R. W.; Pérez Galván, A.; Phillips, D. G.; Picker, R.; Pitt, M. L.; Plaster, B.; Ramsey, J. C.; Rios, R.; Salvat, D. J.; Saunders, A.; Sondheim, W.; Seestrom, S. J.; Sjue, S.; Slutsky, S.; Sun, X.; Swank, C.; Swift, G.; Tatar, E.; Vogelaar, R. B.; VornDick, B.; Wang, Z.; Wexler, J.; Womack, T.; Wrede, C.; Young, A. R.; Zeck, B. A.; UCNA Collaboration

2018-03-01

Background: The neutron β -decay asymmetry parameter A0 defines the angular correlation between the spin of the neutron and the momentum of the emitted electron. Values for A0 permit an extraction of the ratio of the weak axial-vector to vector coupling constants, λ ≡gA/gV , which under assumption of the conserved vector current hypothesis (gV=1 ) determines gA. Precise values for gA are important as a benchmark for lattice QCD calculations and as a test of the standard model. Purpose: The UCNA experiment, carried out at the Ultracold Neutron (UCN) source at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center, was the first measurement of any neutron β -decay angular correlation performed with UCN. This article reports the most precise result for A0 obtained to date from the UCNA experiment, as a result of higher statistics and reduced key systematic uncertainties, including from the neutron polarization and the characterization of the electron detector response. Methods: UCN produced via the downscattering of moderated spallation neutrons in a solid deuterium crystal were polarized via transport through a 7 T polarizing magnet and a spin flipper, which permitted selection of either spin state. The UCN were then contained within a 3-m long cylindrical decay volume, situated along the central axis of a superconducting 1 T solenoidal spectrometer. With the neutron spins then oriented parallel or anti-parallel to the solenoidal field, an asymmetry in the numbers of emitted decay electrons detected in two electron detector packages located on both ends of the spectrometer permitted an extraction of A0. Results: The UCNA experiment reports a new 0.67% precision result for A0 of A0=-0.12054 (44) stat(68) syst , which yields λ =gA/gV=-1.2783 (22 ) . Combination with the previous UCNA result and accounting for correlated systematic uncertainties produces A0=-0.12015 (34) stat(63) syst and λ =gA/gV=-1.2772 (20 ) . Conclusions: This new result for A0 and gA/gV from the UCNA experiment has provided confirmation of the shift in values for gA/gV that has emerged in the published results from more recent experiments, which are in striking disagreement with the results from older experiments. Individual systematic corrections to the asymmetries in older experiments (published prior to 2002) were >10 %, whereas those in the more recent ones (published after 2002) have been of the scale of <2 %. The impact of these older results on the global average will be minimized should future measurements of A0 reach the 0.1% level of precision with central values near the most recent results.

OFF, Open source Finite volume Fluid dynamics code: A free, high-order solver based on parallel, modular, object-oriented Fortran API

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaghi, S.

2014-07-01

OFF, an open source (free software) code for performing fluid dynamics simulations, is presented. The aim of OFF is to solve, numerically, the unsteady (and steady) compressible Navier-Stokes equations of fluid dynamics by means of finite volume techniques: the research background is mainly focused on high-order (WENO) schemes for multi-fluids, multi-phase flows over complex geometries. To this purpose a highly modular, object-oriented application program interface (API) has been developed. In particular, the concepts of data encapsulation and inheritance available within Fortran language (from standard 2003) have been stressed in order to represent each fluid dynamics "entity" (e.g. the conservative variables of a finite volume, its geometry, etc…) by a single object so that a large variety of computational libraries can be easily (and efficiently) developed upon these objects. The main features of OFF can be summarized as follows: Programming LanguageOFF is written in standard (compliant) Fortran 2003; its design is highly modular in order to enhance simplicity of use and maintenance without compromising the efficiency; Parallel Frameworks Supported the development of OFF has been also targeted to maximize the computational efficiency: the code is designed to run on shared-memory multi-cores workstations and distributed-memory clusters of shared-memory nodes (supercomputers); the code's parallelization is based on Open Multiprocessing (OpenMP) and Message Passing Interface (MPI) paradigms; Usability, Maintenance and Enhancement in order to improve the usability, maintenance and enhancement of the code also the documentation has been carefully taken into account; the documentation is built upon comprehensive comments placed directly into the source files (no external documentation files needed): these comments are parsed by means of doxygen free software producing high quality html and latex documentation pages; the distributed versioning system referred as git has been adopted in order to facilitate the collaborative maintenance and improvement of the code; CopyrightsOFF is a free software that anyone can use, copy, distribute, study, change and improve under the GNU Public License version 3. The present paper is a manifesto of OFF code and presents the currently implemented features and ongoing developments. This work is focused on the computational techniques adopted and a detailed description of the main API characteristics is reported. OFF capabilities are demonstrated by means of one and two dimensional examples and a three dimensional real application.

Development of a simultaneous SANS / FTIR measuring system and its application to polymer cocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaneko, F.; Seto, N.; Sato, S.; Radulescu, A.; Schiavone, M. M.; Allgaier, J.; Ute, K.

2016-09-01

In order to provide plenty of structure information which would assist in the analysis and interpretation of small angle neutron scattering (SANS) profile, a novel method for the simultaneous time-resolved measurement of SANS and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has been developed. The method was realized by building a device consisting of a portable FTIR spectrometer and an optical system equipped with two aluminum coated quartz plates that are fully transparent to neutron beams but play as mirrors for infrared radiation. The optical system allows both a neutron beam and an infrared beam pass through the same position of a test specimen coaxially. The device was installed on a small angle neutron diffractometer, KWS2 of the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) outstation at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Center (MLZ) in Garching, Germany. In order to check the performance of this simultaneous measuring system, the structural changes in the cocrystals of syndiotactic polystyrene during the course of heating were followed. It has been confirmed that FTIR spectra measured in parallel are able to provide information about the behavior of each component and also useful to grasp in real time what is actually happening in the sample system.

Measurement of neutron-induced reactions on 242mAm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buckner, M. Q.; Wu, C.-Y.; Henderson, R. A.; Bucher, B.; Chyzh, A.; Bredeweg, T. A.; Baramsai, B.; Couture, A.; Jandel, M.; Mosby, S.; Ullmann, J. L.; Dance Collaboration

2016-09-01

Neutron-induced reaction cross sections of 242mAm were measured at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center using the Detector for Advanced Neutron-Capture Experiments array along with a compact parallel-plate avalanche counter for fission-fragment detection. A new neutron-capture cross section was determined relative to a simultaneous measurement of the well-known 242mAm(n,f) cross section. The (n, γ) cross section was measured from thermal to an incident energy of 1 eV. Our new 242mAm fission cross section was normalized to ENDF/B-VII.1 and agreed well with the (n,f) cross section reported in the literature from thermal energy to 1 keV. The capture-to-fission ratio was determined from thermal energy to En = 0.1 eV, and it was found to be (n, γ)/(n,f) = 26(4)% compared to 19% from ENDF/B-VII.1. Our latest results will be reported. US Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344 and Los Alamos National Security, LLC Contract DE-AC52-06NA25396 and U.S. DOE/NNSA Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development.

jInv: A Modular and Scalable Framework for Electromagnetic Inverse Problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belliveau, P. T.; Haber, E.

2016-12-01

Inversion is a key tool in the interpretation of geophysical electromagnetic (EM) data. Three-dimensional (3D) EM inversion is very computationally expensive and practical software for inverting large 3D EM surveys must be able to take advantage of high performance computing (HPC) resources. It has traditionally been difficult to achieve those goals in a high level dynamic programming environment that allows rapid development and testing of new algorithms, which is important in a research setting. With those goals in mind, we have developed jInv, a framework for PDE constrained parameter estimation problems. jInv provides optimization and regularization routines, a framework for user defined forward problems, and interfaces to several direct and iterative solvers for sparse linear systems. The forward modeling framework provides finite volume discretizations of differential operators on rectangular tensor product meshes and tetrahedral unstructured meshes that can be used to easily construct forward modeling and sensitivity routines for forward problems described by partial differential equations. jInv is written in the emerging programming language Julia. Julia is a dynamic language targeted at the computational science community with a focus on high performance and native support for parallel programming. We have developed frequency and time-domain EM forward modeling and sensitivity routines for jInv. We will illustrate its capabilities and performance with two synthetic time-domain EM inversion examples. First, in airborne surveys, which use many sources, we achieve distributed memory parallelism by decoupling the forward and inverse meshes and performing forward modeling for each source on small, locally refined meshes. Secondly, we invert grounded source time-domain data from a gradient array style induced polarization survey using a novel time-stepping technique that allows us to compute data from different time-steps in parallel. These examples both show that it is possible to invert large scale 3D time-domain EM datasets within a modular, extensible framework written in a high-level, easy to use programming language.

TEST-HOLE CONSTRUCTION FOR A NEUTRONIC REACTOR

DOEpatents

Ohlinger, L.A.; Seitz, F.; Young, G.J.

1959-02-17

Test-hole construction is described for a reactor which provides safe and ready access to the neutron flux region for specimen materials which are to be irradiated therein. An elongated tubular thimble adapted to be inserted in the access hole through the wall of the reactor is constructed of aluminum and is provided with a plurality of holes parallel to the axis of the thimble for conveying the test specimens into position for irradiation, and a conduit for the circulation of coolant. A laminated shield formed of alternate layers of steel and pressed wood fiber is disposed lengthwise of the thimble near the outer end thereof.

JCell--a Java-based framework for inferring regulatory networks from time series data.

PubMed

Spieth, C; Supper, J; Streichert, F; Speer, N; Zell, A

2006-08-15

JCell is a Java-based application for reconstructing gene regulatory networks from experimental data. The framework provides several algorithms to identify genetic and metabolic dependencies based on experimental data conjoint with mathematical models to describe and simulate regulatory systems. Owing to the modular structure, researchers can easily implement new methods. JCell is a pure Java application with additional scripting capabilities and thus widely usable, e.g. on parallel or cluster computers. The software is freely available for download at http://www-ra.informatik.uni-tuebingen.de/software/JCell.

MerCat: a versatile k-mer counter and diversity estimator for database-independent property analysis obtained from metagenomic and/or metatranscriptomic sequencing data

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

White, Richard A.; Panyala, Ajay R.; Glass, Kevin A.

MerCat is a parallel, highly scalable and modular property software package for robust analysis of features in next-generation sequencing data. MerCat inputs include assembled contigs and raw sequence reads from any platform resulting in feature abundance counts tables. MerCat allows for direct analysis of data properties without reference sequence database dependency commonly used by search tools such as BLAST and/or DIAMOND for compositional analysis of whole community shotgun sequencing (e.g. metagenomes and metatranscriptomes).

Parallel Implementation of Numerical Solution of Few-Body Problem Using Feynman's Continual Integrals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naumenko, Mikhail; Samarin, Viacheslav

2018-02-01

Modern parallel computing algorithm has been applied to the solution of the few-body problem. The approach is based on Feynman's continual integrals method implemented in C++ programming language using NVIDIA CUDA technology. A wide range of 3-body and 4-body bound systems has been considered including nuclei described as consisting of protons and neutrons (e.g., 3,4He) and nuclei described as consisting of clusters and nucleons (e.g., 6He). The correctness of the results was checked by the comparison with the exactly solvable 4-body oscillatory system and experimental data.

Neutron Energy Spectra and Yields from the 7Li(p,n) Reaction for Nuclear Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tessler, M.; Friedman, M.; Schmidt, S.; Shor, A.; Berkovits, D.; Cohen, D.; Feinberg, G.; Fiebiger, S.; Krása, A.; Paul, M.; Plag, R.; Plompen, A.; Reifarth, R.

2016-01-01

Neutrons produced by the 7Li(p, n)7Be reaction close to threshold are widely used to measure the cross section of s-process nucleosynthesis reactions. While experiments have been performed so far with Van de Graaff accelerators, the use of RF accelerators with higher intensities is planned to enable investigations on radioactive isotopes. In parallel, high-power Li targets for the production of high-intensity neutrons at stellar energies are developed at Goethe University (Frankfurt, Germany) and SARAF (Soreq NRC, Israel). However, such setups pose severe challenges for the measurement of the proton beam intensity or the neutron fluence. In order to develop appropriate methods, we studied in detail the neutron energy distribution and intensity produced by the thick-target 7Li(p,n)7Be reaction and compared them to state-of- the-art simulation codes. Measurements were performed with the bunched and chopped proton beam at the Van de Graaff facility of the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) using the time-of-flight (TOF) technique with thin (1/8") and thick (1") detectors. The importance of detailed simulations of the detector structure and geometry for the conversion of TOF to a neutron energy is stressed. The measured neutron spectra are consistent with those previously reported and agree well with Monte Carlo simulations that include experimentally determined 7Li(p,n) cross sections, two-body kinematics and proton energy loss in the Li-target.

Schnek: A C++ library for the development of parallel simulation codes on regular grids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitz, Holger

2018-05-01

A large number of algorithms across the field of computational physics are formulated on grids with a regular topology. We present Schnek, a library that enables fast development of parallel simulations on regular grids. Schnek contains a number of easy-to-use modules that greatly reduce the amount of administrative code for large-scale simulation codes. The library provides an interface for reading simulation setup files with a hierarchical structure. The structure of the setup file is translated into a hierarchy of simulation modules that the developer can specify. The reader parses and evaluates mathematical expressions and initialises variables or grid data. This enables developers to write modular and flexible simulation codes with minimal effort. Regular grids of arbitrary dimension are defined as well as mechanisms for defining physical domain sizes, grid staggering, and ghost cells on these grids. Ghost cells can be exchanged between neighbouring processes using MPI with a simple interface. The grid data can easily be written into HDF5 files using serial or parallel I/O.

Organ and effective dose coefficients for cranial and caudal irradiation geometries: Neutrons

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

Veinot, K. G.; Eckerman, K. F.; Hertel, N. E.

Dose coefficients based on the recommendations of International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 103 were reported in ICRP Publication 116, the revision of ICRP Publication 74 and ICRU Publication 57 for the six reference irradiation geometries: anterior–posterior, posterior–anterior, right and left lateral, rotational and isotropic. In this work, dose coefficients for neutron irradiation of the body with parallel beams directed upward from below the feet (caudal) and downward from above the head (cranial) using the ICRP 103 methodology were computed using the MCNP 6.1 radiation transport code. The dose coefficients were determined for neutrons ranging in energy from 10more » –9 MeV to 10 GeV. Here, at energies below about 500 MeV, the cranial and caudal dose coefficients are less than those for the six reference geometries reported in ICRP Publication 116.« less

Organ and effective dose coefficients for cranial and caudal irradiation geometries: Neutrons

DOE PAGES

Veinot, K. G.; Eckerman, K. F.; Hertel, N. E.; ...

2016-08-29

Dose coefficients based on the recommendations of International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 103 were reported in ICRP Publication 116, the revision of ICRP Publication 74 and ICRU Publication 57 for the six reference irradiation geometries: anterior–posterior, posterior–anterior, right and left lateral, rotational and isotropic. In this work, dose coefficients for neutron irradiation of the body with parallel beams directed upward from below the feet (caudal) and downward from above the head (cranial) using the ICRP 103 methodology were computed using the MCNP 6.1 radiation transport code. The dose coefficients were determined for neutrons ranging in energy from 10more » –9 MeV to 10 GeV. Here, at energies below about 500 MeV, the cranial and caudal dose coefficients are less than those for the six reference geometries reported in ICRP Publication 116.« less

In situ investigation of deformation mechanisms in magnesium-based metal matrix composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farkas, Gergely; Choe, Heeman; Máthis, Kristián; Száraz, Zoltán; Noh, Yoonsook; Trojanová, Zuzanka; Minárik, Peter

2015-07-01

We studied the effect of short fibers on the mechanical properties of a magnesium alloy. In particular, deformation mechanisms in a Mg-Al-Sr alloy reinforced with short alumina fibers were studied in situ using neutron diffraction and acoustic emission methods. The fibers' plane orientation with respect to the loading axis was found to be a key parameter, which influences the acting deformation processes, such as twinning or dislocation slip. Furthermore, the twinning activity was much more significant in samples with parallel fiber plane orientation, which was confirmed by both acoustic emission and electron backscattering diffraction results. Neutron diffraction was also used to assist in analyzing the acoustic emission and electron backscattering diffraction results. The simultaneous application of the two in situ methods, neutron diffraction and acoustic emission, was found to be beneficial for obtaining complementary datasets about the twinning and dislocation slip in the magnesium alloys and composites used in this study.

Total prompt γ-ray emission in fission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, C. Y.; Chyzh, A.; Kwan, E.; Henderson, R. A.; Bredeweg, T. A.; Haight, R. C.; Hayes-Sterbenz, A. C.; Lee, H. Y.; O'Donnell, J. M.; Ullmann, J. L.

2017-09-01

The total prompt γ-ray energy distributions were measured for the neutron-induced fission of 235U, 239,241Pu at incident neutron energy of 0.025 eV-100 keV, and the spontaneous fission of 252Cf using the Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiments (DANCE) array in coincidence with the detection of fission fragments by a parallel-plate avalanche counter. Corrections were made to the measured distribution by unfolding the two-dimension spectrum of total prompt γ-ray energy vs multiplicity using a simulated DANCE response matrix. A summary of this work is presented with the emphasis on the comparison of total prompt fission γ-ray energy between our results and previous ones. The mean values of the total prompt γ-ray energy ⟨Eγ,tot⟩, determined from the unfolded distributions, are ˜20% higher than those derived from measurements using single γ-ray detector for all the fissile nuclei studied.

Use of SRIM and Garfield with Geant4 for the characterization of a hybrid 10B/3He neutron detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Ende, B. M.; Rand, E. T.; Erlandson, A.; Li, L.

2018-06-01

This paper describes a method for more complete neutron detector characterization using Geant4's Monte Carlo methods for characterizing overall detector response rate and Garfield interfaced with SRIM for the simulation of the detector's raw pulses, as applied to a hybrid 10B/3He detector. The Geant4 models characterizing the detector's interaction with a 252Cf point source and parallel beams of mono-energetic neutrons (assuming ISO 8529 reference energy values) compare and agree well with calibrated 252Cf measurements to within 6.4%. Validated Geant4 model outputs serve as input to Garfield+SRIM calculations to provide meaningful pulse height spectra. Modifications to Garfield for this work were necessary to account for simultaneous tracking of electrons resulting from proton and triton reaction products from a single 3He neutron capture event, and it was further necessary to interface Garfield with the energy loss, range, and straggling calculations provided by SRIM. Individual raw pulses generated by Garfield+SRIM are also observed to agree well with experimentally measured raw pulses from the detector.

High-Dose Neutron Detector Development Using 10B Coated Cells

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

Menlove, Howard Olsen; Henzlova, Daniela

2016-11-08

During FY16 the boron-lined parallel-plate technology was optimized to fully benefit from its fast timing characteristics in order to enhance its high count rate capability. To facilitate high count rate capability, a novel fast amplifier with timing and operating properties matched to the detector characteristics was developed and implemented in the 8” boron plate detector that was purchased from PDT. Each of the 6 sealed-cells was connected to a fast amplifier with corresponding List mode readout from each amplifier. The FY16 work focused on improvements in the boron-10 coating materials and procedures at PDT to significantly improve the neutron detectionmore » efficiency. An improvement in the efficiency of a factor of 1.5 was achieved without increasing the metal backing area for the boron coating. This improvement has allowed us to operate the detector in gamma-ray backgrounds that are four orders of magnitude higher than was previously possible while maintaining a relatively high counting efficiency for neutrons. This improvement in the gamma-ray rejection is a key factor in the development of the high dose neutron detector.« less

Absolute measurement of the 242Pu neutron-capture cross section

DOE PAGES

Buckner, M. Q.; Wu, C. Y.; Henderson, R. A.; ...

2016-04-21

Here, the absolute neutron-capture cross section of 242Pu was measured at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center using the Detector for Advanced Neutron-Capture Experiments array along with a compact parallel-plate avalanche counter for fission-fragment detection. The first direct measurement of the 242Pu(n,γ) cross section was made over the incident neutron energy range from thermal to ≈ 6 keV, and the absolute scale of the (n,γ) cross section was set according to the known 239Pu(n,f) resonance at E n,R = 7.83 eV. This was accomplished by adding a small quantity of 239Pu to the 242Pu sample. The relative scale of themore » cross section, with a range of four orders of magnitude, was determined for incident neutron energies from thermal to ≈ 40 keV. Our data, in general, are in agreement with previous measurements and those reported in ENDF/B-VII.1; the 242Pu(n,γ) cross section at the E n,R = 2.68 eV resonance is within 2.4% of the evaluated value. However, discrepancies exist at higher energies; our data are ≈30% lower than the evaluated data at E n ≈ 1 keV and are approximately 2σ away from the previous measurement at E n ≈ 20 keV.« less

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.

Branson: A Mini-App for Studying Parallel IMC, Version 1.0

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

Long, Alex

This code solves the gray thermal radiative transfer (TRT) equations in parallel using simple opacities and Cartesian meshes. Although Branson solves the TRT equations it is not designed to model radiation transport: Branson contains simple physics and does not have a multigroup treatment, nor can it use physical material data. The opacities have are simple polynomials in temperature there is a limited ability to specify complex geometries and sources. Branson was designed only to capture the computational demands of production IMC codes, especially in large parallel runs. It was also intended to foster collaboration with vendors, universities and other DOEmore » partners. Branson is similar in character to the neutron transport proxy-app Quicksilver from LLNL, which was recently open-sourced.« less

Anisotropic dynamics of water ultra-confined in macroscopically oriented channels of single-crystal beryl: A multi-frequency analysis

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

Anovitz, Lawrence; Mamontov, Eugene; Ishai, Paul ben

2013-01-01

The properties of fluids can be significantly altered by the geometry of their confining environments. While there has been significant work on the properties of such confined fluids, the properties of fluids under ultraconfinement, environments where, at least in one plane, the dimensions of the confining environment are similar to that of the confined molecule, have not been investigated. This paper investigates the dynamic properties of water in beryl (Be3Al2Si6O18), the structure of which contains approximately 5-A-diam channels parallel to the c axis. Three techniques, inelastic neutron scattering, quasielastic neutron scattering, and dielectric spectroscopy, have been used to quantify thesemore » properties over a dynamic range covering approximately 16 orders of magnitude. Because beryl can be obtained in large single crystals we were able to quantify directional variations, perpendicular and parallel to the channel directions, in the dynamics of the confined fluid. These are significantly anisotropic and, somewhat counterintuitively, show that vibrations parallel to the c-axis channels are significantly more hindered than those perpendicular to the channels. The effective potential for vibrations in the c direction is harder than the potential in directions perpendicular to it. There is evidence of single-file diffusion of water molecules along the channels at higher temperatures, but below 150 K this diffusion is strongly suppressed. No such suppression, however, has been observed in the channel-perpendicular direction. Inelastic neutron scattering spectra include an intramolecular stretching O-H peak at 465 meV. As this is nearly coincident with that known for free water molecules and approximately 30 meV higher than that in liquid water or ice, this suggests that there is no hydrogen bonding constraining vibrations between the channel water and the beryl structure. However, dielectric spectroscopic measurements at higher temperatures and lower frequencies yield an activation energy for the dipole reorientation of 16.4 0.14 kJ/mol, close to the energy required to break a hydrogen bond in bulk water. This may suggest the presence of some other form of bonding between the water molecules and the structure, but the resolution of the apparent contradiction between the inelastic neutron and dielectric spectroscopic results remains uncertain.« less

Simultaneous G-Quadruplex DNA Logic.

PubMed

Bader, Antoine; Cockroft, Scott L

2018-04-03

A fundamental principle of digital computer operation is Boolean logic, where inputs and outputs are described by binary integer voltages. Similarly, inputs and outputs may be processed on the molecular level as exemplified by synthetic circuits that exploit the programmability of DNA base-pairing. Unlike modern computers, which execute large numbers of logic gates in parallel, most implementations of molecular logic have been limited to single computing tasks, or sensing applications. This work reports three G-quadruplex-based logic gates that operate simultaneously in a single reaction vessel. The gates respond to unique Boolean DNA inputs by undergoing topological conversion from duplex to G-quadruplex states that were resolved using a thioflavin T dye and gel electrophoresis. The modular, addressable, and label-free approach could be incorporated into DNA-based sensors, or used for resolving and debugging parallel processes in DNA computing applications. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Evaluation of the Intel iWarp parallel processor for space flight applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hine, Butler P., III; Fong, Terrence W.

1993-01-01

The potential of a DARPA-sponsored advanced processor, the Intel iWarp, for use in future SSF Data Management Systems (DMS) upgrades is evaluated through integration into the Ames DMS testbed and applications testing. The iWarp is a distributed, parallel computing system well suited for high performance computing applications such as matrix operations and image processing. The system architecture is modular, supports systolic and message-based computation, and is capable of providing massive computational power in a low-cost, low-power package. As a consequence, the iWarp offers significant potential for advanced space-based computing. This research seeks to determine the iWarp's suitability as a processing device for space missions. In particular, the project focuses on evaluating the ease of integrating the iWarp into the SSF DMS baseline architecture and the iWarp's ability to support computationally stressing applications representative of SSF tasks.

ls1 mardyn: The Massively Parallel Molecular Dynamics Code for Large Systems.

PubMed

Niethammer, Christoph; Becker, Stefan; Bernreuther, Martin; Buchholz, Martin; Eckhardt, Wolfgang; Heinecke, Alexander; Werth, Stephan; Bungartz, Hans-Joachim; Glass, Colin W; Hasse, Hans; Vrabec, Jadran; Horsch, Martin

2014-10-14

The molecular dynamics simulation code ls1 mardyn is presented. It is a highly scalable code, optimized for massively parallel execution on supercomputing architectures and currently holds the world record for the largest molecular simulation with over four trillion particles. It enables the application of pair potentials to length and time scales that were previously out of scope for molecular dynamics simulation. With an efficient dynamic load balancing scheme, it delivers high scalability even for challenging heterogeneous configurations. Presently, multicenter rigid potential models based on Lennard-Jones sites, point charges, and higher-order polarities are supported. Due to its modular design, ls1 mardyn can be extended to new physical models, methods, and algorithms, allowing future users to tailor it to suit their respective needs. Possible applications include scenarios with complex geometries, such as fluids at interfaces, as well as nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulation of heat and mass transfer.

Structure and phase transitions of monolayers of intermediate-length n-alkanes on graphite studied by neutron diffraction and molecular dynamics simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diama, A.; Matthies, B.; Herwig, K. W.; Hansen, F. Y.; Criswell, L.; Mo, H.; Bai, M.; Taub, H.

2009-08-01

We present evidence from neutron diffraction measurements and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of three different monolayer phases of the intermediate-length alkanes tetracosane (n-C24H50 denoted as C24) and dotriacontane (n-C32H66 denoted as C32) adsorbed on a graphite basal-plane surface. Our measurements indicate that the two monolayer films differ principally in the transition temperatures between phases. At the lowest temperatures, both C24 and C32 form a crystalline monolayer phase with a rectangular-centered (RC) structure. The two sublattices of the RC structure each consists of parallel rows of molecules in their all-trans conformation aligned with their long axis parallel to the surface and forming so-called lamellas of width approximately equal to the all-trans length of the molecule. The RC structure is uniaxially commensurate with the graphite surface in its [110] direction such that the distance between molecular rows in a lamella is 4.26 Å=√3 ag, where ag=2.46 Å is the lattice constant of the graphite basal plane. Molecules in adjacent rows of a lamella alternate in orientation between the carbon skeletal plane being parallel and perpendicular to the graphite surface. Upon heating, the crystalline monolayers transform to a "smectic" phase in which the inter-row spacing within a lamella expands by ˜10% and the molecules are predominantly oriented with the carbon skeletal plane parallel to the graphite surface. In the smectic phase, the MD simulations show evidence of broadening of the lamella boundaries as a result of molecules diffusing parallel to their long axis. At still higher temperatures, they indicate that the introduction of gauche defects into the alkane chains drives a melting transition to a monolayer fluid phase as reported previously.

Structure and phase transitions of monolayers of intermediate-length n-alkanes on graphite studied by neutron diffraction and molecular dynamics simulation.

PubMed

Diama, A; Matthies, B; Herwig, K W; Hansen, F Y; Criswell, L; Mo, H; Bai, M; Taub, H

2009-08-28

We present evidence from neutron diffraction measurements and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of three different monolayer phases of the intermediate-length alkanes tetracosane (n-C(24)H(50) denoted as C24) and dotriacontane (n-C(32)H(66) denoted as C32) adsorbed on a graphite basal-plane surface. Our measurements indicate that the two monolayer films differ principally in the transition temperatures between phases. At the lowest temperatures, both C24 and C32 form a crystalline monolayer phase with a rectangular-centered (RC) structure. The two sublattices of the RC structure each consists of parallel rows of molecules in their all-trans conformation aligned with their long axis parallel to the surface and forming so-called lamellas of width approximately equal to the all-trans length of the molecule. The RC structure is uniaxially commensurate with the graphite surface in its [110] direction such that the distance between molecular rows in a lamella is 4.26 A=sqrt[3a(g)], where a(g)=2.46 A is the lattice constant of the graphite basal plane. Molecules in adjacent rows of a lamella alternate in orientation between the carbon skeletal plane being parallel and perpendicular to the graphite surface. Upon heating, the crystalline monolayers transform to a "smectic" phase in which the inter-row spacing within a lamella expands by approximately 10% and the molecules are predominantly oriented with the carbon skeletal plane parallel to the graphite surface. In the smectic phase, the MD simulations show evidence of broadening of the lamella boundaries as a result of molecules diffusing parallel to their long axis. At still higher temperatures, they indicate that the introduction of gauche defects into the alkane chains drives a melting transition to a monolayer fluid phase as reported previously.

Application of parallelized software architecture to an autonomous ground vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shakya, Rahul; Wright, Adam; Shin, Young Ho; Momin, Orko; Petkovsek, Steven; Wortman, Paul; Gautam, Prasanna; Norton, Adam

2011-01-01

This paper presents improvements made to Q, an autonomous ground vehicle designed to participate in the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition (IGVC). For the 2010 IGVC, Q was upgraded with a new parallelized software architecture and a new vision processor. Improvements were made to the power system reducing the number of batteries required for operation from six to one. In previous years, a single state machine was used to execute the bulk of processing activities including sensor interfacing, data processing, path planning, navigation algorithms and motor control. This inefficient approach led to poor software performance and made it difficult to maintain or modify. For IGVC 2010, the team implemented a modular parallel architecture using the National Instruments (NI) LabVIEW programming language. The new architecture divides all the necessary tasks - motor control, navigation, sensor data collection, etc. into well-organized components that execute in parallel, providing considerable flexibility and facilitating efficient use of processing power. Computer vision is used to detect white lines on the ground and determine their location relative to the robot. With the new vision processor and some optimization of the image processing algorithm used last year, two frames can be acquired and processed in 70ms. With all these improvements, Q placed 2nd in the autonomous challenge.

Curved Waveguide Based Nuclear Fission for Small, Lightweight Reactors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coker, Robert; Putnam, Gabriel

2012-01-01

The focus of the presented work is on the creation of a system of grazing incidence, supermirror waveguides for the capture and reuse of fission sourced neutrons. Within research reactors, neutron guides are a well known tool for directing neutrons from the confined and hazardous central core to a more accessible testing or measurement location. Typical neutron guides have rectangular, hollow cross sections, which are crafted as thin, mirrored waveguides plated with metal (commonly nickel). Under glancing angles with incoming neutrons, these waveguides can achieve nearly lossless transport of neutrons to distant instruments. Furthermore, recent developments have created supermirror surfaces which can accommodate neutron grazing angles up to four times as steep as nickel. A completed system will form an enclosing ring or spherical resonator system to a coupled neutron source for the purpose of capturing and reusing free neutrons to sustain and/or accelerate fission. While grazing incidence mirrors are a known method of directing and safely using neutrons, no method has been disclosed for capture and reuse of neutrons or sustainment of fission using a circular waveguide structure. The presented work is in the process of fabricating a functional, highly curved, neutron supermirror using known methods of Ni-Ti layering capable of achieving incident reflection angles up to four times steeper than nickel alone. Parallel work is analytically investigating future geometries, mirror compositions, and sources for enabling sustained fission with applicability to the propulsion and energy goals of NASA and other agencies. Should research into this concept prove feasible, it would lead to development of a high energy density, low mass power source potentially capable of sustaining fission with a fraction of the standard critical mass for a given material and a broadening of feasible materials due to reduced rates of release, absorption, and non-fission for neutrons. This advance could be applied to direct propulsion through guided fission products or as a secondary energy source for high impulse electric propulsion. It would help meet national needs for highly efficient energy sources with limited dependence on fossil fuels or conflict materials, and it would improve the use of low grade fissile materials which would help reduce national stockpiles and waste.

A Generic and Efficient E-field Parallel Imaging Correlator for Next-Generation Radio Telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thyagarajan, Nithyanandan; Beardsley, Adam P.; Bowman, Judd D.; Morales, Miguel F.

2017-05-01

Modern radio telescopes are favouring densely packed array layouts with large numbers of antennas (NA ≳ 1000). Since the complexity of traditional correlators scales as O(N_A^2), there will be a steep cost for realizing the full imaging potential of these powerful instruments. Through our generic and efficient E-field Parallel Imaging Correlator (epic), we present the first software demonstration of a generalized direct imaging algorithm, namely the Modular Optimal Frequency Fourier imager. Not only does it bring down the cost for dense layouts to O(N_A log _2N_A) but can also image from irregular layouts and heterogeneous arrays of antennas. epic is highly modular, parallelizable, implemented in object-oriented python, and publicly available. We have verified the images produced to be equivalent to those from traditional techniques to within a precision set by gridding coarseness. We have also validated our implementation on data observed with the Long Wavelength Array (LWA1). We provide a detailed framework for imaging with heterogeneous arrays and show that epic robustly estimates the input sky model for such arrays. Antenna layouts with dense filling factors consisting of a large number of antennas such as LWA, the Square Kilometre Array, Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array, and Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment will gain significant computational advantage by deploying an optimized version of epic. The algorithm is a strong candidate for instruments targeting transient searches of fast radio bursts as well as planetary and exoplanetary phenomena due to the availability of high-speed calibrated time-domain images and low output bandwidth relative to visibility-based systems.

Coding of Class I and II aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases

PubMed Central

Carter, Charles W.

2018-01-01

SUMMARY The aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases and their cognate transfer RNAs translate the universal genetic code. The twenty canonical amino acids are sufficiently diverse to create a selective advantage for dividing amino acid activation between two distinct, apparently unrelated superfamilies of synthetases, Class I amino acids being generally larger and less polar, Class II amino acids smaller and more polar. Biochemical, bioinformatic, and protein engineering experiments support the hypothesis that the two Classes descended from opposite strands of the same ancestral gene. Parallel experimental deconstructions of Class I and II synthetases reveal parallel losses in catalytic proficiency at two novel modular levels—protozymes and Urzymes—associated with the evolution of catalytic activity. Bi-directional coding supports an important unification of the proteome; affords a genetic relatedness metric—middle base-pairing frequencies in sense/antisense alignments—that probes more deeply into the evolutionary history of translation than do single multiple sequence alignments; and has facilitated the analysis of hitherto unknown coding relationships in tRNA sequences. Reconstruction of native synthetases by modular thermodynamic cycles facilitated by domain engineering emphasizes the subtlety associated with achieving high specificity, shedding new light on allosteric relationships in contemporary synthetases. Synthetase Urzyme structural biology suggests that they are catalytically active molten globules, broadening the potential manifold of polypeptide catalysts accessible to primitive genetic coding and motivating revisions of the origins of catalysis. Finally, bi-directional genetic coding of some of the oldest genes in the proteome places major limitations on the likelihood that any RNA World preceded the origins of coded proteins. PMID:28828732

The help of simulation codes in designing waste assay systems using neutron measurement methods: Application to the alpha low level waste assay system PROMETHEE 6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mariani, A.; Passard, C.; Jallu, F.; Toubon, H.

2003-11-01

The design of a specific nuclear assay system for a dedicated application begins with a phase of development, which relies on information from the literature or on knowledge resulting from experience, and on specific experimental verifications. The latter ones may require experimental devices which can be restricting in terms of deadline, cost and safety. One way generally chosen to bypass these difficulties is to use simulation codes to study particular aspects. This paper deals with the potentialities offered by the simulation in the case of a passive-active neutron (PAN) assay system for alpha low level waste characterization; this system has been carried out at the Nuclear Measurements Development Laboratory of the French Atomic Energy Commission. Due to the high number of parameters to be taken into account for its development, this is a particularly sophisticated example. Since the PAN assay system, called PROMETHEE (prompt epithermal and thermal interrogation experiment), must have a detection efficiency of more than 20% and preserve a high level of modularity for various applications, an improved version has been studied using the MCNP4 (Monte Carlo N-Particle) transport code. Parameters such as the dimensions of the assay system, of the cavity and of the detection blocks, and the thicknesses of the nuclear materials of neutronic interest have been optimised. Therefore, the number of necessary experiments was reduced.

Low-complexity nonlinear adaptive filter based on a pipelined bilinear recurrent neural network.

PubMed

Zhao, Haiquan; Zeng, Xiangping; He, Zhengyou

2011-09-01

To reduce the computational complexity of the bilinear recurrent neural network (BLRNN), a novel low-complexity nonlinear adaptive filter with a pipelined bilinear recurrent neural network (PBLRNN) is presented in this paper. The PBLRNN, inheriting the modular architectures of the pipelined RNN proposed by Haykin and Li, comprises a number of BLRNN modules that are cascaded in a chained form. Each module is implemented by a small-scale BLRNN with internal dynamics. Since those modules of the PBLRNN can be performed simultaneously in a pipelined parallelism fashion, it would result in a significant improvement of computational efficiency. Moreover, due to nesting module, the performance of the PBLRNN can be further improved. To suit for the modular architectures, a modified adaptive amplitude real-time recurrent learning algorithm is derived on the gradient descent approach. Extensive simulations are carried out to evaluate the performance of the PBLRNN on nonlinear system identification, nonlinear channel equalization, and chaotic time series prediction. Experimental results show that the PBLRNN provides considerably better performance compared to the single BLRNN and RNN models.

GELATIO: a general framework for modular digital analysis of high-purity Ge detector signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agostini, M.; Pandola, L.; Zavarise, P.; Volynets, O.

2011-08-01

GELATIO is a new software framework for advanced data analysis and digital signal processing developed for the GERDA neutrinoless double beta decay experiment. The framework is tailored to handle the full analysis flow of signals recorded by high purity Ge detectors and photo-multipliers from the veto counters. It is designed to support a multi-channel modular and flexible analysis, widely customizable by the user either via human-readable initialization files or via a graphical interface. The framework organizes the data into a multi-level structure, from the raw data up to the condensed analysis parameters, and includes tools and utilities to handle the data stream between the different levels. GELATIO is implemented in C++. It relies upon ROOT and its extension TAM, which provides compatibility with PROOF, enabling the software to run in parallel on clusters of computers or many-core machines. It was tested on different platforms and benchmarked in several GERDA-related applications. A stable version is presently available for the GERDA Collaboration and it is used to provide the reference analysis of the experiment data.

180 MW/180 KW pulse modulator for S-band klystron of LUE-200 linac of IREN installation of JINR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Kim Dong; Sumbaev, A. P.; Shvetsov, V. N.

2014-09-01

The offer on working out of the pulse modulator with 180 MW pulse power and 180 kW average power for pulse S-band klystrons of LUE-200 linac of IREN installation at the Laboratory of neutron physics (FLNP) at JINR is formulated. Main requirements, key parameters and element base of the modulator are presented. The variant of the basic scheme on the basis of 14 (or 11) stage 2 parallel PFN with the thyratron switchboard (TGI2-10K/50) and six parallel high voltage power supplies (CCPS Power Supply) is considered.

Twisting Neutron Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pushin, Dmitry

Most waves encountered in nature can be given a ``twist'', so that their phase winds around an axis parallel to the direction of wave propagation. Such waves are said to possess orbital angular momentum (OAM). For quantum particles such as photons, atoms, and electrons, this corresponds to the particle wavefunction having angular momentum of Lℏ along its propagation axis. Controlled generation and detection of OAM states of photons began in the 1990s, sparking considerable interest in applications of OAM in light and matter waves. OAM states of photons have found diverse applications such as broadband data multiplexing, massive quantum entanglement, optical trapping, microscopy, quantum state determination and teleportation, and interferometry. OAM states of electron beams have been used to rotate nanoparticles, determine the chirality of crystals and for magnetic microscopy. Here I discuss the first demonstration of OAM control of neutrons. Using neutron interferometry with a spatially incoherent input beam, we show the addition and conservation of quantum angular momenta, entanglement between quantum path and OAM degrees of freedom. Neutron-based quantum information science heretofore limited to spin, path, and energy degrees of freedom, now has access to another quantized variable, and OAM modalities of light, x-ray, and electron beams are extended to a massive, penetrating neutral particle. The methods of neutron phase imprinting demonstrated here expand the toolbox available for development of phase-sensitive techniques of neutron imaging. Financial support provided by the NSERC Create and Discovery programs, CERC and the NIST Quantum Information Program is acknowledged.

The magnetic structure of Co(NCNH)₂ as determined by (spin-polarized) neutron diffraction

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

Jacobs, Philipp; Houben, Andreas; Senyshyn, Anatoliy

The magnetic structure of Co(NCNH)₂ has been studied by neutron diffraction data below 10 K using the SPODI and DNS instruments at FRM II, Munich. There is an intensity change in the (1 1 0) and (0 2 0) reflections around 4 K, to be attributed to the onset of a magnetic ordering of the Co²⁺ spins. Four different spin orientations have been evaluated on the basis of Rietveld refinements, comprising antiferromagnetic as well as ferromagnetic ordering along all three crystallographic axes. Both residual values and supplementary susceptibility measurements evidence that only a ferromagnetic ordering with all Co²⁺ spins parallelmore » to the c axis is a suitable description of the low-temperature magnetic ground state of Co(NCNH)₂. The deviation of the magnetic moment derived by the Rietveld refinement from the expectancy value may be explained either by an incomplete saturation of the moment at temperatures slightly below the Curie temperature or by a small Jahn–Teller distortion. - Graphical abstract: The magnetic ground state of Co(NCNH)₂ has been clarified by (spin-polarized) neutron diffraction data at low temperatures. Intensity changes below 4 K arise due to the onset of ferromagnetic ordering of the Co²⁺ spins parallel to the c axis, corroborated by various (magnetic) Rietveld refinements. Highlights: • Powderous Co(NCNH)₂ has been subjected to (spin-polarized) neutron diffraction. • Magnetic susceptibility data of Co(NCNH)₂ have been collected. • Below 4 K, the magnetic moments align ferromagnetically with all Co²⁺ spins parallel to the c axis. • The magnetic susceptibility data yield an effective magnetic moment of 4.68 and a Weiss constant of -13(2) K. • The ferromagnetic Rietveld refinement leads to a magnetic moment of 2.6 which is close to the expectancy value of 3.« less

High-order Spatio-temporal Schemes for Coupled, Multi-physics Reactor Simulations

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

Mr. Vijay S. Mahadevan; Dr. Jean C. Ragusa

2008-09-01

This report summarizes the work done in the summer of 08 by the Ph.D. student Vijay Mahadevan. The main focus of the work was to coupled 3-D neutron difusion to 3-D heat conduction in parallel with accuracy greater than or equal to 2nd order in space and time. Results show that the goal was attained.

Final report. Superconducting materials

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

John Ruvalds

1999-09-11

Our group has discovered a many body effect that explains the surprising divergence of the spin susceptibility which has been measured by neutron scattering experiments on high temperature superconductors and vanadium oxide metals. Electron interactions on nested - i.e., nearly parallel paths - have been analyzed extensively by our group, and such processes provide a physical explanation for many anomalous features that distinguish cuprate superconductors from ordinary metals.

Simulation and optimization of a new focusing polarizing bender for the diffuse neutrons scattering spectrometer DNS at MLZ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nemkovski, K.; Ioffe, A.; Su, Y.; Babcock, E.; Schweika, W.; Brückel, Th

2017-06-01

We present the concept and the results of the simulations of a new polarizer for the diffuse neutron scattering spectrometer DNS at MLZ. The concept of the polarizer is based on the idea of a bender made from the stack of the silicon wafers with a double-side supermirror polarizing coating and absorbing spacers in between. Owing to its compact design, such a system provides more free space for the arrangement of other instrument components. To reduce activation of the polarizer in the high intensity neutron beam of the DNS spectrometer we plan to use the Fe/Si supermirrors instead of currently used FeCoV/Ti:N ones. Using the VITESS simulation package we have performed simulations for horizontally focusing polarizing benders with different geometries in the combination with the double-focusing crystal monochromator of DNS. Neutron transmission and polarization efficiency as well as the effects of the focusing for convergent conventional C-benders and S-benders have been analyzed both for wedge-like and plane-parallel convergent geometries of the channels. The results of these simulations and the advantages/disadvantages of the various configurations are discussed.

Measuring Light-ion Production and Fission Cross Sections Normalised to H(n,p) Scattering at the Upcoming NFS Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jansson, K.; Gustavsson, C.; Pomp, S.; Prokofiev, A. V.; Scian, G.; Tarrío, D.

2014-05-01

The Medley detector setup is planned to be moved to and used at the new neutron facility NFS where measurements of light-ion production and fission cross-sections are planned at 1-40 MeV. Medley has eight detector telescopes providing ΔE-ΔE-E data, each consisting of two silicon detectors and a CsI(Tl) detector at the back. The telescope setup can be rotated and arranged to cover any angle. Medley has previously been used in many measurements at The Svedberg Laboratory (TSL) in Uppsala mainly with a quasi-mono-energetic neutron beam at 96 and 175 MeV. To be able to do measurements at NFS, which will have a white neutron beam, Medley needs to detect the reaction products with a high timing resolution providing the ToF of the primary neutron. In this paper we discuss the design of the Medley upgrade along with simulations of the setup. We explore the use of Parallel Plate Avalanche Counters (PPACs) which work very well for detecting fission fragments but require more consideration for detecting deeply penetrating particles.

CAD-Based Shielding Analysis for ITER Port Diagnostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serikov, Arkady; Fischer, Ulrich; Anthoine, David; Bertalot, Luciano; De Bock, Maartin; O'Connor, Richard; Juarez, Rafael; Krasilnikov, Vitaly

2017-09-01

Radiation shielding analysis conducted in support of design development of the contemporary diagnostic systems integrated inside the ITER ports is relied on the use of CAD models. This paper presents the CAD-based MCNP Monte Carlo radiation transport and activation analyses for the Diagnostic Upper and Equatorial Port Plugs (UPP #3 and EPP #8, #17). The creation process of the complicated 3D MCNP models of the diagnostics systems was substantially accelerated by application of the CAD-to-MCNP converter programs MCAM and McCad. High performance computing resources of the Helios supercomputer allowed to speed-up the MCNP parallel transport calculations with the MPI/OpenMP interface. The found shielding solutions could be universal, reducing ports R&D costs. The shield block behind the Tritium and Deposit Monitor (TDM) optical box was added to study its influence on Shut-Down Dose Rate (SDDR) in Port Interspace (PI) of EPP#17. Influence of neutron streaming along the Lost Alpha Monitor (LAM) on the neutron energy spectra calculated in the Tangential Neutron Spectrometer (TNS) of EPP#8. For the UPP#3 with Charge eXchange Recombination Spectroscopy (CXRS-core), an excessive neutron streaming along the CXRS shutter, which should be prevented in further design iteration.

A Computational Approach for Modeling Neutron Scattering Data from Lipid Bilayers

DOE PAGES

Carrillo, Jan-Michael Y.; Katsaras, John; Sumpter, Bobby G.; ...

2017-01-12

Biological cell membranes are responsible for a range of structural and dynamical phenomena crucial to a cell's well-being and its associated functions. Due to the complexity of cell membranes, lipid bilayer systems are often used as biomimetic models. These systems have led to signficant insights into vital membrane phenomena such as domain formation, passive permeation and protein insertion. Experimental observations of membrane structure and dynamics are, however, limited in resolution, both spatially and temporally. Importantly, computer simulations are starting to play a more prominent role in interpreting experimental results, enabling a molecular under- standing of lipid membranes. Particularly, the synergymore » between scattering experiments and simulations offers opportunities for new discoveries in membrane physics, as the length and time scales probed by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations parallel those of experiments. We also describe a coarse-grained MD simulation approach that mimics neutron scattering data from large unilamellar lipid vesicles over a range of bilayer rigidity. Specfically, we simulate vesicle form factors and membrane thickness fluctuations determined from small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and neutron spin echo (NSE) experiments, respectively. Our simulations accurately reproduce trends from experiments and lay the groundwork for investigations of more complex membrane systems.« less

Colloquium: Laser probing of neutron-rich nuclei in light atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Z.-T.; Mueller, P.; Drake, G. W. F.; Nörtershäuser, W.; Pieper, Steven C.; Yan, Z.-C.

2013-10-01

The neutron-rich He6 and He8 isotopes exhibit an exotic nuclear structure that consists of a tightly bound He4-like core with additional neutrons orbiting at a relatively large distance, forming a halo. Recent experimental efforts have succeeded in laser trapping and cooling these short-lived, rare helium atoms and have measured the atomic isotope shifts along the He4-He6-He8 chain by performing laser spectroscopy on individual trapped atoms. Meanwhile, the few-electron atomic structure theory, including relativistic and QED corrections, has reached a comparable degree of accuracy in the calculation of the isotope shifts. In parallel efforts, also by measuring atomic isotope shifts, the nuclear charge radii of lithium and beryllium isotopes have been studied. The techniques employed were resonance ionization spectroscopy on neutral, thermal lithium atoms and collinear laser spectroscopy on beryllium ions. Combining advances in both atomic theory and laser spectroscopy, the charge radii of these light halo nuclei have now been determined for the first time independent of nuclear structure models. The results are compared with the values predicted by a number of nuclear structure calculations and are used to guide our understanding of the nuclear forces in the extremely neutron-rich environment.

A Simplified Model of Local Structure in Aqueous Proline Amino Acid Revealed by First-Principles Molecular Dynamics Simulations

PubMed Central

Troitzsch, Raphael Z.; Tulip, Paul R.; Crain, Jason; Martyna, Glenn J.

2008-01-01

Aqueous proline solutions are deceptively simple as they can take on complex roles such as protein chaperones, cryoprotectants, and hydrotropic agents in biological processes. Here, a molecular level picture of proline/water mixtures is developed. Car-Parrinello ab initio molecular dynamics (CPAIMD) simulations of aqueous proline amino acid at the B-LYP level of theory, performed using IBM's Blue Gene/L supercomputer and massively parallel software, reveal hydrogen-bonding propensities that are at odds with the predictions of the CHARMM22 empirical force field but are in better agreement with results of recent neutron diffraction experiments. In general, the CPAIMD (B-LYP) simulations predict a simplified structural model of proline/water mixtures consisting of fewer distinct local motifs. Comparisons of simulation results to experiment are made by direct evaluation of the neutron static structure factor S(Q) from CPAIMD (B-LYP) trajectories as well as to the results of the empirical potential structure refinement reverse Monte Carlo procedure applied to the neutron data. PMID:18790850

Developing Discontinuous Galerkin Methods for Solving Multiphysics Problems in General Relativity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kidder, Lawrence; Field, Scott; Teukolsky, Saul; Foucart, Francois; SXS Collaboration

2016-03-01

Multi-messenger observations of the merger of black hole-neutron star and neutron star-neutron star binaries, and of supernova explosions will probe fundamental physics inaccessible to terrestrial experiments. Modeling these systems requires a relativistic treatment of hydrodynamics, including magnetic fields, as well as neutrino transport and nuclear reactions. The accuracy, efficiency, and robustness of current codes that treat all of these problems is not sufficient to keep up with the observational needs. We are building a new numerical code that uses the Discontinuous Galerkin method with a task-based parallelization strategy, a promising combination that will allow multiphysics applications to be treated both accurately and efficiently on petascale and exascale machines. The code will scale to more than 100,000 cores for efficient exploration of the parameter space of potential sources and allowed physics, and the high-fidelity predictions needed to realize the promise of multi-messenger astronomy. I will discuss the current status of the development of this new code.

A simplified model of local structure in aqueous proline amino acid revealed by first-principles molecular dynamics simulations.

PubMed

Troitzsch, Raphael Z; Tulip, Paul R; Crain, Jason; Martyna, Glenn J

2008-12-01

Aqueous proline solutions are deceptively simple as they can take on complex roles such as protein chaperones, cryoprotectants, and hydrotropic agents in biological processes. Here, a molecular level picture of proline/water mixtures is developed. Car-Parrinello ab initio molecular dynamics (CPAIMD) simulations of aqueous proline amino acid at the B-LYP level of theory, performed using IBM's Blue Gene/L supercomputer and massively parallel software, reveal hydrogen-bonding propensities that are at odds with the predictions of the CHARMM22 empirical force field but are in better agreement with results of recent neutron diffraction experiments. In general, the CPAIMD (B-LYP) simulations predict a simplified structural model of proline/water mixtures consisting of fewer distinct local motifs. Comparisons of simulation results to experiment are made by direct evaluation of the neutron static structure factor S(Q) from CPAIMD (B-LYP) trajectories as well as to the results of the empirical potential structure refinement reverse Monte Carlo procedure applied to the neutron data.

Collision of Physics and Software in the Monte Carlo Application Toolkit (MCATK)

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

Sweezy, Jeremy Ed

2016-01-21

The topic is presented in a series of slides organized as follows: MCATK overview, development strategy, available algorithms, problem modeling (sources, geometry, data, tallies), parallelism, miscellaneous tools/features, example MCATK application, recent areas of research, and summary and future work. MCATK is a C++ component-based Monte Carlo neutron-gamma transport software library with continuous energy neutron and photon transport. Designed to build specialized applications and to provide new functionality in existing general-purpose Monte Carlo codes like MCNP, it reads ACE formatted nuclear data generated by NJOY. The motivation behind MCATK was to reduce costs. MCATK physics involves continuous energy neutron & gammamore » transport with multi-temperature treatment, static eigenvalue (k eff and α) algorithms, time-dependent algorithm, and fission chain algorithms. MCATK geometry includes mesh geometries and solid body geometries. MCATK provides verified, unit-test Monte Carlo components, flexibility in Monte Carlo application development, and numerous tools such as geometry and cross section plotters.« less

Measurement and modeling of polarized specular neutron reflectivity in large magnetic fields.

PubMed

Maranville, Brian B; Kirby, Brian J; Grutter, Alexander J; Kienzle, Paul A; Majkrzak, Charles F; Liu, Yaohua; Dennis, Cindi L

2016-08-01

The presence of a large applied magnetic field removes the degeneracy of the vacuum energy states for spin-up and spin-down neutrons. For polarized neutron reflectometry, this must be included in the reference potential energy of the Schrödinger equation that is used to calculate the expected scattering from a magnetic layered structure. For samples with magnetization that is purely parallel or antiparallel to the applied field which defines the quantization axis, there is no mixing of the spin states (no spin-flip scattering) and so this additional potential is constant throughout the scattering region. When there is non-collinear magnetization in the sample, however, there will be significant scattering from one spin state into the other, and the reference potentials will differ between the incoming and outgoing wavefunctions, changing the angle and intensities of the scattering. The theory of the scattering and recommended experimental practices for this type of measurement are presented, as well as an example measurement.

Measurement and modeling of polarized specular neutron reflectivity in large magnetic fields

PubMed Central

Maranville, Brian B.; Kirby, Brian J.; Grutter, Alexander J.; Kienzle, Paul A.; Majkrzak, Charles F.; Liu, Yaohua; Dennis, Cindi L.

2016-01-01

The presence of a large applied magnetic field removes the degeneracy of the vacuum energy states for spin-up and spin-down neutrons. For polarized neutron reflectometry, this must be included in the reference potential energy of the Schrödinger equation that is used to calculate the expected scattering from a magnetic layered structure. For samples with magnetization that is purely parallel or antiparallel to the applied field which defines the quantization axis, there is no mixing of the spin states (no spin-flip scattering) and so this additional potential is constant throughout the scattering region. When there is non-collinear magnetization in the sample, however, there will be significant scattering from one spin state into the other, and the reference potentials will differ between the incoming and outgoing wavefunctions, changing the angle and intensities of the scattering. The theory of the scattering and recommended experimental practices for this type of measurement are presented, as well as an example measurement. PMID:27504074

Measurement and modeling of polarized specular neutron reflectivity in large magnetic fields

DOE PAGES

Maranville, Brian B.; Kirby, Brian J.; Grutter, Alexander J.; ...

2016-06-09

The presence of a large applied magnetic field removes the degeneracy of the vacuum energy states for spin-up and spin-down neutrons. For polarized neutron reflectometry, this must be included in the reference potential energy of the Schrödinger equation that is used to calculate the expected scattering from a magnetic layered structure. For samples with magnetization that is purely parallel or antiparallel to the applied field which defines the quantization axis, there is no mixing of the spin states (no spin-flip scattering) and so this additional potential is constant throughout the scattering region. When there is non-collinear magnetization in the sample,more » however, there will be significant scattering from one spin state into the other, and the reference potentials will differ between the incoming and outgoing wavefunctions, changing the angle and intensities of the scattering. In conclusion, the theory of the scattering and recommended experimental practices for this type of measurement are presented, as well as an example measurement.« less

Rigid-flexible coupling dynamic modeling and investigation of a redundantly actuated parallel manipulator with multiple actuation modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Dong; Song, Yimin; Sun, Tao; Jin, Xueying

2017-09-01

A systematic dynamic modeling methodology is presented to develop the rigid-flexible coupling dynamic model (RFDM) of an emerging flexible parallel manipulator with multiple actuation modes. By virtue of assumed mode method, the general dynamic model of an arbitrary flexible body with any number of lumped parameters is derived in an explicit closed form, which possesses the modular characteristic. Then the completely dynamic model of system is formulated based on the flexible multi-body dynamics (FMD) theory and the augmented Lagrangian multipliers method. An approach of combining the Udwadia-Kalaba formulation with the hybrid TR-BDF2 numerical algorithm is proposed to address the nonlinear RFDM. Two simulation cases are performed to investigate the dynamic performance of the manipulator with different actuation modes. The results indicate that the redundant actuation modes can effectively attenuate vibration and guarantee higher dynamic performance compared to the traditional non-redundant actuation modes. Finally, a virtual prototype model is developed to demonstrate the validity of the presented RFDM. The systematic methodology proposed in this study can be conveniently extended for the dynamic modeling and controller design of other planar flexible parallel manipulators, especially the emerging ones with multiple actuation modes.

Forward osmosis membrane modular configurations for osmotic dilution of seawater by forward osmosis and reverse osmosis hybrid system.

PubMed

Kim, Jung Eun; Phuntsho, Sherub; Ali, Syed Muztuza; Choi, Joon Young; Shon, Ho Kyong

2018-01-01

This study evaluates various options for full-scale modular configuration of forward osmosis (FO) process for osmotic dilution of seawater using wastewater for simultaneous desalination and water reuse through FO-reverse osmosis (RO) hybrid system. Empirical relationship obtained from one FO membrane element operation was used to simulate the operational performances of different FO module configurations. The main limiting criteria for module operation is to always maintain the feed pressure higher than the draw pressure throughout the housing module for safe operation without affecting membrane integrity. Experimental studies under the conditions tested in this study show that a single membrane housing cannot accommodate more than four elements as the draw pressure exceeds the feed pressure. This then indicates that a single stage housing with eight elements is not likely to be practical for safe FO operation. Hence, six different FO modular configurations were proposed and simulated. A two-stage FO configuration with multiple housings (in parallel) in the second stage using same or larger spacer thickness reduces draw pressure build-up as the draw flow rates are reduced to half in the second stage thereby allowing more than four elements in the second stage housing. The loss of feed pressure (pressure drop) and osmotic driving force in the second stage are compensated by operating under the pressure assisted osmosis (PAO) mode, which helps enhance permeate flux and maintains positive pressure differences between the feed and draw chamber. The PAO energy penalty is compensated by enhanced permeate throughput, reduced membrane area, and plant footprint. The contribution of FO/PAO to total energy consumption was not significant compared to post RO desalination (90%) indicating that the proposed two-stage FO modular configuration is one way of making the FO full-scale operation practical for FO-RO hybrid system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A crack model of the Hiroshima atomic bomb: explanation of the contradiction of "Dosimetry system 1986".

PubMed

Hoshi, M; Endo, S; Takada, J; Ishikawa, M; Nitta, Y; Iwatani, K; Oka, T; Fujita, S; Shizuma, K; Hasai, H

1999-12-01

There has been a large discrepancy between the Dosimetry system 1986 (DS86) and measured data, some of which data in Hiroshima at about 1.5 km ground distance from the hypocenter are about 10 times larger than the calculation. Therefore its causes have long been discussed, since it will change the estimated radiation risks obtained based on the Hiroshima and Nagasaki data. In this study the contradiction was explained by a bare-fission-neutron leakage model through a crack formed at the time of neutron emission. According to the present calculation, the crack has a 3 cm parallel spacing, which is symmetric with respect to the polar axis from the hypocenter to the epicenter of the atomic bomb. We made also an asymmetric opening closing 3/4 of this symmetric geometry, because there are some data which shows asymmetry. In addition, the height of the neutron emission point was elevated 90 m. By using the asymmetric calculation, especially for long distant data located more than 1 km, it was verified that all of the activity data induced by thermal and fast neutrons, were simultaneously explained within the data scattering. The neutron kerma at a typical 1.5 km ground distance increases 3 and 8 times more than DS86 based on the symmetric and asymmetric model, respectively.

Hydration of Caffeine at High Temperature by Neutron Scattering and Simulation Studies.

PubMed

Tavagnacco, L; Brady, J W; Bruni, F; Callear, S; Ricci, M A; Saboungi, M L; Cesàro, A

2015-10-22

The solvation of caffeine in water is examined with neutron diffraction experiments at 353 K. The experimental data, obtained by taking advantage of isotopic H/D substitution in water, were analyzed by empirical potential structure refinement (EPSR) in order to extract partial structure factors and site-site radial distribution functions. In parallel, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were carried out to interpret the data and gain insight into the intermolecular interactions in the solutions and the solvation process. The results obtained with the two approaches evidence differences in the individual radial distribution functions, although both confirm the presence of caffeine stacks at this temperature. The two approaches point to different accessibility of water to the caffeine sites due to different stacking configurations.

Neutron scattering investigation of a macroscopic single crystal of a lyotropic Lα phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goecking, K. D.; Monkenbusch, M.

1998-07-01

Water-rich lamellar samples of the quaternary microemulsion SDS-pentanol-water-dodecane have been prepared in form of 1 mm×10 mm×20 mm macroscopic mono domains. The shape is given by the quartz cuvette containing the sample, the layer planes are parallel to the cuvette walls. Diffraction patterns and "rocking curves" have been obtained by neutron diffraction using a triple-axis spectrometer. Three "pseudo-Bragg peaks" have been observed, their (relative) intensities yield a new experimental access to estimate the product of the elastic constants η-2 propto Bκ resulting in a lower value than obtained from synchrotron investigation using peak shape fitting (Roux D. et al., Micelles, Membranes, Microemulsions and Monolayers (Springer, New York, Berlin) 1994).

The magnetic order of GdMn₂Ge₂ studied by neutron diffraction and x-ray resonant magnetic scattering.

PubMed

Granovsky, S A; Kreyssig, A; Doerr, M; Ritter, C; Dudzik, E; Feyerherm, R; Canfield, P C; Loewenhaupt, M

2010-06-09

The magnetic structure of GdMn₂Ge₂ (tetragonal I4/mmm) has been studied by hot neutron powder diffraction and x-ray resonant magnetic scattering techniques. These measurements, along with the results of bulk experiments, confirm the collinear ferrimagnetic structure with moment direction parallel to the c-axis below T(C) = 96 K and the collinear antiferromagnetic phase in the temperature region T(C) < T < T(N) = 365 K. In the antiferromagnetic phase, x-ray resonant magnetic scattering has been detected at Mn K and Gd L₂ absorption edges. The Gd contribution is a result of an induced Gd 5d electron polarization caused by the antiferromagnetic order of Mn-moments.

Increased Energy Delivery for Parallel Battery Packs with No Regulated Bus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, Chung-Ti

In this dissertation, a new approach to paralleling different battery types is presented. A method for controlling charging/discharging of different battery packs by using low-cost bi-directional switches instead of DC-DC converters is proposed. The proposed system architecture, algorithms, and control techniques allow batteries with different chemistry, voltage, and SOC to be properly charged and discharged in parallel without causing safety problems. The physical design and cost for the energy management system is substantially reduced. Additionally, specific types of failures in the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) in a photovoltaic (PV) system when tracking only the load current of a DC-DC converter are analyzed. The periodic nonlinear load current will lead MPPT realized by the conventional perturb and observe (P&O) algorithm to be problematic. A modified MPPT algorithm is proposed and it still only requires typically measured signals, yet is suitable for both linear and periodic nonlinear loads. Moreover, for a modular DC-DC converter using several converters in parallel, the input power from PV panels is processed and distributed at the module level. Methods for properly implementing distributed MPPT are studied. A new approach to efficient MPPT under partial shading conditions is presented. The power stage architecture achieves fast input current change rate by combining a current-adjustable converter with a few converters operating at a constant current.

Parallel processor for real-time structural control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tise, Bert L.

1993-07-01

A parallel processor that is optimized for real-time linear control has been developed. This modular system consists of A/D modules, D/A modules, and floating-point processor modules. The scalable processor uses up to 1,000 Motorola DSP96002 floating-point processors for a peak computational rate of 60 GFLOPS. Sampling rates up to 625 kHz are supported by this analog-in to analog-out controller. The high processing rate and parallel architecture make this processor suitable for computing state-space equations and other multiply/accumulate-intensive digital filters. Processor features include 14-bit conversion devices, low input-to-output latency, 240 Mbyte/s synchronous backplane bus, low-skew clock distribution circuit, VME connection to host computer, parallelizing code generator, and look- up-tables for actuator linearization. This processor was designed primarily for experiments in structural control. The A/D modules sample sensors mounted on the structure and the floating- point processor modules compute the outputs using the programmed control equations. The outputs are sent through the D/A module to the power amps used to drive the structure's actuators. The host computer is a Sun workstation. An OpenWindows-based control panel is provided to facilitate data transfer to and from the processor, as well as to control the operating mode of the processor. A diagnostic mode is provided to allow stimulation of the structure and acquisition of the structural response via sensor inputs.

A communication-avoiding, hybrid-parallel, rank-revealing orthogonalization method.

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

Hoemmen, Mark

2010-11-01

Orthogonalization consumes much of the run time of many iterative methods for solving sparse linear systems and eigenvalue problems. Commonly used algorithms, such as variants of Gram-Schmidt or Householder QR, have performance dominated by communication. Here, 'communication' includes both data movement between the CPU and memory, and messages between processors in parallel. Our Tall Skinny QR (TSQR) family of algorithms requires asymptotically fewer messages between processors and data movement between CPU and memory than typical orthogonalization methods, yet achieves the same accuracy as Householder QR factorization. Furthermore, in block orthogonalizations, TSQR is faster and more accurate than existing approaches formore » orthogonalizing the vectors within each block ('normalization'). TSQR's rank-revealing capability also makes it useful for detecting deflation in block iterative methods, for which existing approaches sacrifice performance, accuracy, or both. We have implemented a version of TSQR that exploits both distributed-memory and shared-memory parallelism, and supports real and complex arithmetic. Our implementation is optimized for the case of orthogonalizing a small number (5-20) of very long vectors. The shared-memory parallel component uses Intel's Threading Building Blocks, though its modular design supports other shared-memory programming models as well, including computation on the GPU. Our implementation achieves speedups of 2 times or more over competing orthogonalizations. It is available now in the development branch of the Trilinos software package, and will be included in the 10.8 release.« less

Parallelization of KENO-Va Monte Carlo code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramón, Javier; Peña, Jorge

1995-07-01

KENO-Va is a code integrated within the SCALE system developed by Oak Ridge that solves the transport equation through the Monte Carlo Method. It is being used at the Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear (CSN) to perform criticality calculations for fuel storage pools and shipping casks. Two parallel versions of the code: one for shared memory machines and other for distributed memory systems using the message-passing interface PVM have been generated. In both versions the neutrons of each generation are tracked in parallel. In order to preserve the reproducibility of the results in both versions, advanced seeds for random numbers were used. The CONVEX C3440 with four processors and shared memory at CSN was used to implement the shared memory version. A FDDI network of 6 HP9000/735 was employed to implement the message-passing version using proprietary PVM. The speedup obtained was 3.6 in both cases.

Optimization of coupled multiphysics methodology for safety analysis of pebble bed modular reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mkhabela, Peter Tshepo

The research conducted within the framework of this PhD thesis is devoted to the high-fidelity multi-physics (based on neutronics/thermal-hydraulics coupling) analysis of Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR), which is a High Temperature Reactor (HTR). The Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) will be a HTR design. The core design and safety analysis methods are considerably less developed and mature for HTR analysis than those currently used for Light Water Reactors (LWRs). Compared to LWRs, the HTR transient analysis is more demanding since it requires proper treatment of both slower and much longer transients (of time scale in hours and days) and fast and short transients (of time scale in minutes and seconds). There is limited operation and experimental data available for HTRs for validation of coupled multi-physics methodologies. This PhD work developed and verified reliable high fidelity coupled multi-physics models subsequently implemented in robust, efficient, and accurate computational tools to analyse the neutronics and thermal-hydraulic behaviour for design optimization and safety evaluation of PBMR concept The study provided a contribution to a greater accuracy of neutronics calculations by including the feedback from thermal hydraulics driven temperature calculation and various multi-physics effects that can influence it. Consideration of the feedback due to the influence of leakage was taken into account by development and implementation of improved buckling feedback models. Modifications were made in the calculation procedure to ensure that the xenon depletion models were accurate for proper interpolation from cross section tables. To achieve this, the NEM/THERMIX coupled code system was developed to create the system that is efficient and stable over the duration of transient calculations that last over several tens of hours. Another achievement of the PhD thesis was development and demonstration of full-physics, three-dimensional safety analysis methodology for the PBMR to provide reference solutions. Investigation of different aspects of the coupled methodology and development of efficient kinetics treatment for the PBMR were carried out, which accounts for all feedback phenomena in an efficient manner. The OECD/NEA PBMR-400 coupled code benchmark was used as a test matrix for the proposed investigations. The integrated thermal-hydraulics and neutronics (multi-physics) methods were extended to enable modeling of a wider range of transients pertinent to the PBMR. First, the effect of the spatial mapping schemes (spatial coupling) was studied and quantified for different types of transients, which resulted in implementation of improved mapping methodology based on user defined criteria. The second aspect that was studied and optimized is the temporal coupling and meshing schemes between the neutronics and thermal-hydraulics time step selection algorithms. The coupled code convergence was achieved supplemented by application of methods to accelerate it. Finally, the modeling of all feedback phenomena in PBMRs was investigated and a novel treatment of cross-section dependencies was introduced for improving the representation of cross-section variations. The added benefit was that in the process of studying and improving the coupled multi-physics methodology more insight was gained into the physics and dynamics of PBMR, which will help also to optimize the PBMR design and improve its safety. One unique contribution of the PhD research is the investigation of the importance of the correct representation of the three-dimensional (3-D) effects in the PBMR analysis. The performed studies demonstrated that explicit 3-D modeling of control rod movement is superior and removes the errors associated with the grey curtain (2-D homogenized) approximation.

Magnetic behaviour of synthetic Co(2)SiO(4).

PubMed

Sazonov, Andrew; Meven, Martin; Hutanu, Vladimir; Heger, Gernot; Hansen, Thomas; Gukasov, Arsen

2009-12-01

Synthetic Co(2)SiO(4) crystallizes in the olivine structure (space group Pnma) with two crystallographically non-equivalent Co positions and shows antiferromagnetic ordering below 50 K. We have investigated the temperature variation of the Co(2)SiO(4) magnetic structure by means of non-polarized and polarized neutron diffraction for single crystals. Measurements with non-polarized neutrons were made at 2.5 K (below T(N)), whereas polarized neutron diffraction experiments were carried out at 70 and 150 K (above T(N)) in an external magnetic field of 7 T parallel to the b axis. Additional accurate non-polarized powder diffraction studies were performed in a broad temperature range from 5 to 500 K with small temperature increments. Detailed symmetry analysis of the Co(2)SiO(4) magnetic structure shows that it corresponds to the magnetic (Shubnikov) group Pnma, which allows the antiferromagnetic configuration (G(x), C(y), A(z)) for the 4a site with inversion symmetry 1 (Co1 position) and (0,C(y),0) for the 4c site with mirror symmetry m (Co2 position). The temperature dependence of the Co1 and Co2 magnetic moments obtained from neutron diffraction experiments was fitted in a modified molecular-field model. The polarized neutron study of the magnetization induced by an applied field shows a non-negligible amount of magnetic moment on the oxygen positions, indicating a delocalization of the magnetic moment from Co towards neighbouring O owing to superexchange coupling. The relative strength of the exchange interactions is discussed based on the non-polarized and polarized neutron data.

Coupled Monte Carlo neutronics and thermal hydraulics for power reactors

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

Bernnat, W.; Buck, M.; Mattes, M.

The availability of high performance computing resources enables more and more the use of detailed Monte Carlo models even for full core power reactors. The detailed structure of the core can be described by lattices, modeled by so-called repeated structures e.g. in Monte Carlo codes such as MCNP5 or MCNPX. For cores with mainly uniform material compositions, fuel and moderator temperatures, there is no problem in constructing core models. However, when the material composition and the temperatures vary strongly a huge number of different material cells must be described which complicate the input and in many cases exceed code ormore » memory limits. The second problem arises with the preparation of corresponding temperature dependent cross sections and thermal scattering laws. Only if these problems can be solved, a realistic coupling of Monte Carlo neutronics with an appropriate thermal-hydraulics model is possible. In this paper a method for the treatment of detailed material and temperature distributions in MCNP5 is described based on user-specified internal functions which assign distinct elements of the core cells to material specifications (e.g. water density) and temperatures from a thermal-hydraulics code. The core grid itself can be described with a uniform material specification. The temperature dependency of cross sections and thermal neutron scattering laws is taken into account by interpolation, requiring only a limited number of data sets generated for different temperatures. Applications will be shown for the stationary part of the Purdue PWR benchmark using ATHLET for thermal- hydraulics and for a generic Modular High Temperature reactor using THERMIX for thermal- hydraulics. (authors)« less

Hardware-Abbildung eines videobasierten Verfahrens zur echtzeitfähigen Auswertung von Winkelhistogrammen auf eine modulare Coprozessor-Architektur

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flatt, H.; Tarnowsky, A.; Blume, H.; Pirsch, P.

2010-10-01

Dieser Beitrag behandelt die Abbildung eines videobasierten Verfahrens zur echtzeitfähigen Auswertung von Winkelhistogrammen auf eine modulare Coprozessor-Architektur. Die Architektur besteht aus mehreren dedizierten Recheneinheiten zur parallelen Verarbeitung rechenintensiver Bildverarbeitungsverfahren und ist mit einem RISC-Prozessor verbunden. Eine konfigurierbare Architekturerweiterung um eine Recheneinheit zur Auswertung von Winkelhistogrammen von Objekten ermöglicht in Verbindung mit dem RISC eine echtzeitfähige Klassifikation. Je nach Konfiguration sind für die Architekturerweiterung auf einem Xilinx Virtex-5-FPGA zwischen 3300 und 12 000 Lookup-Tables erforderlich. Bei einer Taktfrequenz von 100 MHz können unabhängig von der Bildauflösung pro Einzelbild in einem 25-Hz-Videodatenstrom bis zu 100 Objekte der Größe 256×256 Pixel analysiert werden. This paper presents the mapping of a video-based approach for real-time evaluation of angular histograms on a modular coprocessor architecture. The architecture comprises several dedicated processing elements for parallel processing of computation-intensive image processing tasks and is coupled with a RISC processor. A configurable architecture extension, especially a processing element for evaluating angular histograms of objects in conjunction with a RISC processor, provides a real-time classification. Depending on the configuration of the architecture extension, 3 300 to 12 000 look-up tables are required for a Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA implementation. Running at a clock frequency of 100 MHz and independently of the image resolution per frame, 100 objects of size 256×256 pixels are analyzed in a 25 Hz video stream by the architecture.

Software platform for simulation of a prototype proton CT scanner.

PubMed

Giacometti, Valentina; Bashkirov, Vladimir A; Piersimoni, Pierluigi; Guatelli, Susanna; Plautz, Tia E; Sadrozinski, Hartmut F-W; Johnson, Robert P; Zatserklyaniy, Andriy; Tessonnier, Thomas; Parodi, Katia; Rosenfeld, Anatoly B; Schulte, Reinhard W

2017-03-01

Proton computed tomography (pCT) is a promising imaging technique to substitute or at least complement x-ray CT for more accurate proton therapy treatment planning as it allows calculating directly proton relative stopping power from proton energy loss measurements. A proton CT scanner with a silicon-based particle tracking system and a five-stage scintillating energy detector has been completed. In parallel a modular software platform was developed to characterize the performance of the proposed pCT. The modular pCT software platform consists of (1) a Geant4-based simulation modeling the Loma Linda proton therapy beam line and the prototype proton CT scanner, (2) water equivalent path length (WEPL) calibration of the scintillating energy detector, and (3) image reconstruction algorithm for the reconstruction of the relative stopping power (RSP) of the scanned object. In this work, each component of the modular pCT software platform is described and validated with respect to experimental data and benchmarked against theoretical predictions. In particular, the RSP reconstruction was validated with both experimental scans, water column measurements, and theoretical calculations. The results show that the pCT software platform accurately reproduces the performance of the existing prototype pCT scanner with a RSP agreement between experimental and simulated values to better than 1.5%. The validated platform is a versatile tool for clinical proton CT performance and application studies in a virtual setting. The platform is flexible and can be modified to simulate not yet existing versions of pCT scanners and higher proton energies than those currently clinically available. © 2017 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Automation of a Wave-Optics Simulation and Image Post-Processing Package on Riptide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werth, M.; Lucas, J.; Thompson, D.; Abercrombie, M.; Holmes, R.; Roggemann, M.

Detailed wave-optics simulations and image post-processing algorithms are computationally expensive and benefit from the massively parallel hardware available at supercomputing facilities. We created an automated system that interfaces with the Maui High Performance Computing Center (MHPCC) Distributed MATLAB® Portal interface to submit massively parallel waveoptics simulations to the IBM iDataPlex (Riptide) supercomputer. This system subsequently postprocesses the output images with an improved version of physically constrained iterative deconvolution (PCID) and analyzes the results using a series of modular algorithms written in Python. With this architecture, a single person can simulate thousands of unique scenarios and produce analyzed, archived, and briefing-compatible output products with very little effort. This research was developed with funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The views, opinions, and/or findings expressed are those of the author(s) and should not be interpreted as representing the official views or policies of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government.

Architecture and design of a 500-MHz gallium-arsenide processing element for a parallel supercomputer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fouts, Douglas J.; Butner, Steven E.

1991-01-01

The design of the processing element of GASP, a GaAs supercomputer with a 500-MHz instruction issue rate and 1-GHz subsystem clocks, is presented. The novel, functionally modular, block data flow architecture of GASP is described. The architecture and design of a GASP processing element is then presented. The processing element (PE) is implemented in a hybrid semiconductor module with 152 custom GaAs ICs of eight different types. The effects of the implementation technology on both the system-level architecture and the PE design are discussed. SPICE simulations indicate that parts of the PE are capable of being clocked at 1 GHz, while the rest of the PE uses a 500-MHz clock. The architecture utilizes data flow techniques at a program block level, which allows efficient execution of parallel programs while maintaining reasonably good performance on sequential programs. A simulation study of the architecture indicates that an instruction execution rate of over 30,000 MIPS can be attained with 65 PEs.

PCSIM: A Parallel Simulation Environment for Neural Circuits Fully Integrated with Python

PubMed Central

Pecevski, Dejan; Natschläger, Thomas; Schuch, Klaus

2008-01-01

The Parallel Circuit SIMulator (PCSIM) is a software package for simulation of neural circuits. It is primarily designed for distributed simulation of large scale networks of spiking point neurons. Although its computational core is written in C++, PCSIM's primary interface is implemented in the Python programming language, which is a powerful programming environment and allows the user to easily integrate the neural circuit simulator with data analysis and visualization tools to manage the full neural modeling life cycle. The main focus of this paper is to describe PCSIM's full integration into Python and the benefits thereof. In particular we will investigate how the automatically generated bidirectional interface and PCSIM's object-oriented modular framework enable the user to adopt a hybrid modeling approach: using and extending PCSIM's functionality either employing pure Python or C++ and thus combining the advantages of both worlds. Furthermore, we describe several supplementary PCSIM packages written in pure Python and tailored towards setting up and analyzing neural simulations. PMID:19543450

Flexible language constructs for large parallel programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosing, Matthew; Schnabel, Robert

1993-01-01

The goal of the research described is to develop flexible language constructs for writing large data parallel numerical programs for distributed memory (MIMD) multiprocessors. Previously, several models have been developed to support synchronization and communication. Models for global synchronization include SIMD (Single Instruction Multiple Data), SPMD (Single Program Multiple Data), and sequential programs annotated with data distribution statements. The two primary models for communication include implicit communication based on shared memory and explicit communication based on messages. None of these models by themselves seem sufficient to permit the natural and efficient expression of the variety of algorithms that occur in large scientific computations. An overview of a new language that combines many of these programming models in a clean manner is given. This is done in a modular fashion such that different models can be combined to support large programs. Within a module, the selection of a model depends on the algorithm and its efficiency requirements. An overview of the language and discussion of some of the critical implementation details is given.

Durham extremely large telescope adaptive optics simulation platform.

PubMed

Basden, Alastair; Butterley, Timothy; Myers, Richard; Wilson, Richard

2007-03-01

Adaptive optics systems are essential on all large telescopes for which image quality is important. These are complex systems with many design parameters requiring optimization before good performance can be achieved. The simulation of adaptive optics systems is therefore necessary to categorize the expected performance. We describe an adaptive optics simulation platform, developed at Durham University, which can be used to simulate adaptive optics systems on the largest proposed future extremely large telescopes as well as on current systems. This platform is modular, object oriented, and has the benefit of hardware application acceleration that can be used to improve the simulation performance, essential for ensuring that the run time of a given simulation is acceptable. The simulation platform described here can be highly parallelized using parallelization techniques suited for adaptive optics simulation, while still offering the user complete control while the simulation is running. The results from the simulation of a ground layer adaptive optics system are provided as an example to demonstrate the flexibility of this simulation platform.

OWL: A scalable Monte Carlo simulation suite for finite-temperature study of materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ying Wai; Yuk, Simuck F.; Cooper, Valentino R.; Eisenbach, Markus; Odbadrakh, Khorgolkhuu

The OWL suite is a simulation package for performing large-scale Monte Carlo simulations. Its object-oriented, modular design enables it to interface with various external packages for energy evaluations. It is therefore applicable to study the finite-temperature properties for a wide range of systems: from simple classical spin models to materials where the energy is evaluated by ab initio methods. This scheme not only allows for the study of thermodynamic properties based on first-principles statistical mechanics, it also provides a means for massive, multi-level parallelism to fully exploit the capacity of modern heterogeneous computer architectures. We will demonstrate how improved strong and weak scaling is achieved by employing novel, parallel and scalable Monte Carlo algorithms, as well as the applications of OWL to a few selected frontier materials research problems. This research was supported by the Office of Science of the Department of Energy under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725.

Kinematics and dynamics analysis of a quadruped walking robot with parallel leg mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hongbo; Sang, Lingfeng; Hu, Xing; Zhang, Dianfan; Yu, Hongnian

2013-09-01

It is desired to require a walking robot for the elderly and the disabled to have large capacity, high stiffness, stability, etc. However, the existing walking robots cannot achieve these requirements because of the weight-payload ratio and simple function. Therefore, Improvement of enhancing capacity and functions of the walking robot is an important research issue. According to walking requirements and combining modularization and reconfigurable ideas, a quadruped/biped reconfigurable walking robot with parallel leg mechanism is proposed. The proposed robot can be used for both a biped and a quadruped walking robot. The kinematics and performance analysis of a 3-UPU parallel mechanism which is the basic leg mechanism of a quadruped walking robot are conducted and the structural parameters are optimized. The results show that performance of the walking robot is optimal when the circumradius R, r of the upper and lower platform of leg mechanism are 161.7 mm, 57.7 mm, respectively. Based on the optimal results, the kinematics and dynamics of the quadruped walking robot in the static walking mode are derived with the application of parallel mechanism and influence coefficient theory, and the optimal coordination distribution of the dynamic load for the quadruped walking robot with over-determinate inputs is analyzed, which solves dynamic load coupling caused by the branches’ constraint of the robot in the walk process. Besides laying a theoretical foundation for development of the prototype, the kinematics and dynamics studies on the quadruped walking robot also boost the theoretical research of the quadruped walking and the practical applications of parallel mechanism.

Final Technical Report: Application of in situ Neutron Diffraction to Understand the Mechanism of Phase Transitions

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

Chandran, Ravi

In this research, phase transitions in the bulk electrodes for Li-ion batteries were investigated using neutron diffraction (ND) as well as neutron imaging techniques. The objectives of this research is to design of a novel in situ electrochemical cell to obtain Rietveld refinable neutron diffraction experiments using small volume electrodes of various laboratory/research-scale electrodes intended for Li-ion batteries. This cell is also to be used to investigate the complexity of phase transitions in Li(Mg) alloy electrodes, either by diffraction or by neutron imaging, which occur under electrochemical lithiation and delithiation, and to determine aspects of phase transition that enable/limit energymore » storage capacity. Additional objective is to investigate the phase transitions in electrodes made of etched micro-columns of silicon and investigate the effect of particle/column size on phase transitions and nonequilibrium structures. An in situ electrochemical cell was designed successfully and was used to study the phase transitions under in-situ neutron diffraction in both the electrodes (anode/cathode) simultaneously in graphite/LiCoO 2 and in graphite/LiMn 2O 4 cells each with two cells. The diffraction patterns fully validated the working of the in situ cell. Additional experimental were performed using the Si micro-columnar electrodes. The results revealed new lithiation phenomena, as evidenced by mosaicity formation in silicon electrode. These experiments were performed in Vulcan diffractometer at SNS, Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In parallel, the spatial distribution of Li during lithiation and delithiation processes in Li-battery electrodes were investigated. For this purpose, neutron tomographic imaging technique has been used for 3D mapping of Li distribution in bulk Li(Mg) alloy electrodes. It was possible to observe the phase boundary of Li(Mg) alloy indicating phase transition from Li-rich BCC β-phase to Li-lean α-phase. These experiments have been performed at CG-1D Neutron Imaging Prototype Station at SNS.« less

SINQ layout, operation, applications and R&D to high power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, G. S.; Dai, Y.; Wagner, W.

2002-09-01

Since 1997, the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) is operating a 1 MW class research spallation neutron source, named SINQ. SINQ is driven by a cascade of three accelerators, the final stage being a 590 MeV isochronous ring cyclotron which delivers a beam current of 1.8 mA at an rf-frequency of 51 MHz. Since for neutron production this is essentially a dc-device, SINQ is a continuous neutron source and is optimized in its design for high time average neutron flux. This makes the facility similar to a research reactor in terms of utilization, but, in terms of beam power, it is, by a large margin, the most powerful spallation neutron source currently in operation world wide. As a consequence, target load levels prevail in SINQ which are beyond the realm of existing experience, demanding a careful approach to the design and operation of a high power target. While the best neutronic performance of the source is expected for a liquid lead-bismuth eutectic target, no experience with such systems exists. For this reason a staged approach has been embarked upon, starting with a heavy water cooled rod target of Zircaloy-2 and proceeding via steel clad lead rods towards the final goal of a target optimised in both, neutronic performance and service life time. Experience currently accruing with a test target containing sample rods with different materials specimens will help to select the proper structural material and make dependable life time estimates accounting for the real operating conditions that prevail in the facility. In parallel, both theoretical and experimental work is going on within the MEGAPIE (MEGAwatt Pilot Experiment) project, a joint initiative by six European research institutions and JAERI (Japan), DOE (USA) and KAERI (Korea), to design, build, operate and explore a liquid lead-bismuth spallation target for 1MW of beam power, taking advantage of the existing spallation neutron facility SINQ.

CAD-Based Aerodynamic Design of Complex Configurations using a Cartesian Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nemec, Marian; Aftosmis, Michael J.; Pulliam, Thomas H.

2003-01-01

A modular framework for aerodynamic optimization of complex geometries is developed. By working directly with a parametric CAD system, complex-geometry models are modified nnd tessellated in an automatic fashion. The use of a component-based Cartesian method significantly reduces the demands on the CAD system, and also provides for robust and efficient flowfield analysis. The optimization is controlled using either a genetic or quasi-Newton algorithm. Parallel efficiency of the framework is maintained even when subject to limited CAD resources by dynamically re-allocating the processors of the flow solver. Overall, the resulting framework can explore designs incorporating large shape modifications and changes in topology.

The architecture of a video image processor for the space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yalamanchili, S.; Lee, D.; Fritze, K.; Carpenter, T.; Hoyme, K.; Murray, N.

1987-01-01

The architecture of a video image processor for space station applications is described. The architecture was derived from a study of the requirements of algorithms that are necessary to produce the desired functionality of many of these applications. Architectural options were selected based on a simulation of the execution of these algorithms on various architectural organizations. A great deal of emphasis was placed on the ability of the system to evolve and grow over the lifetime of the space station. The result is a hierarchical parallel architecture that is characterized by high level language programmability, modularity, extensibility and can meet the required performance goals.

Petri nets SM-cover-based on heuristic coloring algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tkacz, Jacek; Doligalski, Michał

2015-09-01

In the paper, coloring heuristic algorithm of interpreted Petri nets is presented. Coloring is used to determine the State Machines (SM) subnets. The present algorithm reduces the Petri net in order to reduce the computational complexity and finds one of its possible State Machines cover. The proposed algorithm uses elements of interpretation of Petri nets. The obtained result may not be the best, but it is sufficient for use in rapid prototyping of logic controllers. Found SM-cover will be also used in the development of algorithms for decomposition, and modular synthesis and implementation of parallel logic controllers. Correctness developed heuristic algorithm was verified using Gentzen formal reasoning system.

Emulating the logic of monoterpenoid alkaloid biogenesis to access a skeletally diverse chemical library.

PubMed

Liu, Song; Scotti, John S; Kozmin, Sergey A

2013-09-06

We have developed a synthetic strategy that mimics the diversity-generating power of monoterpenoid indole alkaloid biosynthesis. Our general approach goes beyond diversification of a single natural product-like substructure and enables production of a highly diverse collection of small molecules. The reaction sequence begins with rapid and highly modular assembly of the tetracyclic indoloquinolizidine core, which can be chemoselectively processed into several additional skeletally diverse structural frameworks. The general utility of this approach was demonstrated by parallel synthesis of two representative chemical libraries containing 847 compounds with favorable physicochemical properties to enable its subsequent broad pharmacological evaluation.

Applications of Elpasolites as a Multimode Radiation Sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guckes, Amber

This study consists of both computational and experimental investigations. The computational results enabled detector design selections and confirmed experimental results. The experimental results determined that the CLYC scintillation detector can be applied as a functional and field-deployable multimode radiation sensor. The computational study utilized MCNP6 code to investigate the response of CLYC to various incident radiations and to determine the feasibility of its application as a handheld multimode sensor and as a single-scintillator collimated directional detection system. These simulations include: • Characterization of the response of the CLYC scintillator to gamma-rays and neutrons; • Study of the isotopic enrichment of 7Li versus 6Li in the CLYC for optimal detection of both thermal neutrons and fast neutrons; • Analysis of collimator designs to determine the optimal collimator for the single CLYC sensor directional detection system to assay gamma rays and neutrons; Simulations of a handheld CLYC multimode sensor and a single CLYC scintillator collimated directional detection system with the optimized collimator to determine the feasibility of detecting nuclear materials that could be encountered during field operations. These nuclear materials include depleted uranium, natural uranium, low-enriched uranium, highly-enriched uranium, reactor-grade plutonium, and weapons-grade plutonium. The experimental study includes the design, construction, and testing of both a handheld CLYC multimode sensor and a single CLYC scintillator collimated directional detection system. Both were designed in the Inventor CAD software and based on results of the computational study to optimize its performance. The handheld CLYC multimode sensor is modular, scalable, low?power, and optimized for high count rates. Commercial?off?the?shelf components were used where possible in order to optimize size, increase robustness, and minimize cost. The handheld CLYC multimode sensor was successfully tested to confirm its ability for gamma-ray and neutron detection, and gamma?ray and neutron spectroscopy. The sensor utilizes wireless data transfer for possible radiation mapping and network?centric deployment. The handheld multimode sensor was tested by performing laboratory measurements with various gamma-ray sources and neutron sources. The single CLYC scintillator collimated directional detection system is portable, robust, and capable of source localization and identification. The collimator was designed based on the results of the computational study and is constructed with high density polyethylene (HDPE) and lead (Pb). The collimator design and construction allows for the directional detection of gamma rays and fast neutrons utilizing only one scintillator which is interchangeable. For this study, a CLYC-7 scintillator was used. The collimated directional detection system was tested by performing laboratory directional measurements with various gamma-ray sources, 252Cf and a 239PuBe source.

Single crystal polarized neutron diffraction study of the magnetic structure of HoFeO3.

PubMed

Chatterji, T; Stunault, A; Brown, P J

2017-09-27

Polarised neutron diffraction measurements have been made on HoFeO 3 single crystals magnetised in both the [0 0 1] and [1 0 0] directions (Pbnm setting). The polarisation dependencies of Bragg reflection intensities were measured both with a high field of [Formula: see text] T parallel to [0 0 1] at [Formula: see text] K and with the lower field [Formula: see text] T parallel to [1 0 0] at [Formula: see text] K. A Fourier projection of magnetization induced parallel to [0 0 1], made using the hk0 reflections measured in 9 T, indicates that almost all of it is due to alignment of Ho moments. Further analysis of the asymmetries of general reflections in these data showed that although, at 70 K, 9 T applied parallel to [0 0 1] hardly perturbs the antiferromagnetic order of the Fe sublattices, it induces significant antiferromagnetic order of the Ho sublattices in the [Formula: see text] plane, with the antiferromagnetic components of moment having the same order of magnitude as the induced ferromagnetic ones. Strong intensity asymmetries measured in the low temperature [Formula: see text] structure with a lower field, 0.5 T [Formula: see text] [1 0 0] allowed the variation of the ordered components of the Ho and Fe moments to be followed. Their absolute orientations, in the [Formula: see text] domain stabilised by the field were determined relative to the distorted perovskite structure. This relationship fixes the sign of the Dzyalshinski-Moriya (D-M) interaction which leads to the weak ferromagnetism. Our results indicate that the combination of strong y-axis anisotropy of the Ho moments and Ho-Fe exchange interactions breaks the centrosymmetry of the structure and could lead to ferroelectric polarization.

Pressure Measurement Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1990-01-01

System 8400 is an advanced system for measurement of gas and liquid pressure, along with a variety of other parameters, including voltage, frequency and digital inputs. System 8400 offers exceptionally high speed data acquisition through parallel processing, and its modular design allows expansion from a relatively inexpensive entry level system by the addition of modular Input Units that can be installed or removed in minutes. Douglas Juanarena was on the team of engineers that developed a new technology known as ESP (electronically scanned pressure). The Langley ESP measurement system was based on miniature integrated circuit pressure-sensing transducers that communicated pressure information to a minicomputer. In 1977, Juanarena formed PSI to exploit the NASA technology. In 1978 he left Langley, obtained a NASA license for the technology, introduced the first commercial product, the 780B pressure measurement system. PSI developed a pressure scanner for automation of industrial processes. Now in its second design generation, the DPT-6400 is capable of making 2,000 measurements a second and has 64 channels by addition of slave units. New system 8400 represents PSI's bid to further exploit the 600 million U.S. industrial pressure measurement market. It is geared to provide a turnkey solution to physical measurement.

Development of an optical character recognition pipeline for handwritten form fields from an electronic health record.

PubMed

Rasmussen, Luke V; Peissig, Peggy L; McCarty, Catherine A; Starren, Justin

2012-06-01

Although the penetration of electronic health records is increasing rapidly, much of the historical medical record is only available in handwritten notes and forms, which require labor-intensive, human chart abstraction for some clinical research. The few previous studies on automated extraction of data from these handwritten notes have focused on monolithic, custom-developed recognition systems or third-party systems that require proprietary forms. We present an optical character recognition processing pipeline, which leverages the capabilities of existing third-party optical character recognition engines, and provides the flexibility offered by a modular custom-developed system. The system was configured and run on a selected set of form fields extracted from a corpus of handwritten ophthalmology forms. The processing pipeline allowed multiple configurations to be run, with the optimal configuration consisting of the Nuance and LEADTOOLS engines running in parallel with a positive predictive value of 94.6% and a sensitivity of 13.5%. While limitations exist, preliminary experience from this project yielded insights on the generalizability and applicability of integrating multiple, inexpensive general-purpose third-party optical character recognition engines in a modular pipeline.

Development of an optical character recognition pipeline for handwritten form fields from an electronic health record

PubMed Central

Peissig, Peggy L; McCarty, Catherine A; Starren, Justin

2011-01-01

Background Although the penetration of electronic health records is increasing rapidly, much of the historical medical record is only available in handwritten notes and forms, which require labor-intensive, human chart abstraction for some clinical research. The few previous studies on automated extraction of data from these handwritten notes have focused on monolithic, custom-developed recognition systems or third-party systems that require proprietary forms. Methods We present an optical character recognition processing pipeline, which leverages the capabilities of existing third-party optical character recognition engines, and provides the flexibility offered by a modular custom-developed system. The system was configured and run on a selected set of form fields extracted from a corpus of handwritten ophthalmology forms. Observations The processing pipeline allowed multiple configurations to be run, with the optimal configuration consisting of the Nuance and LEADTOOLS engines running in parallel with a positive predictive value of 94.6% and a sensitivity of 13.5%. Discussion While limitations exist, preliminary experience from this project yielded insights on the generalizability and applicability of integrating multiple, inexpensive general-purpose third-party optical character recognition engines in a modular pipeline. PMID:21890871

A novel modular ANN architecture for efficient monitoring of gases/odours in real-time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, A.; Rajput, N. S.

2018-04-01

Data pre-processing is tremendously used for enhanced classification of gases. However, it suppresses the concentration variances of different gas samples. A classical solution of using single artificial neural network (ANN) architecture is also inefficient and renders degraded quantification. In this paper, a novel modular ANN design has been proposed to provide an efficient and scalable solution in real–time. Here, two separate ANN blocks viz. classifier block and quantifier block have been used to provide efficient and scalable gas monitoring in real—time. The classifier ANN consists of two stages. In the first stage, the Net 1-NDSRT has been trained to transform raw sensor responses into corresponding virtual multi-sensor responses using normalized difference sensor response transformation (NDSRT). These responses have been fed to the second stage (i.e., Net 2-classifier ). The Net 2-classifier has been trained to classify various gas samples to their respective class. Further, the quantifier block has parallel ANN modules, multiplexed to quantify each gas. Therefore, the classifier ANN decides class and quantifier ANN decides the exact quantity of the gas/odor present in the respective sample of that class.

Shuttle active thermal control system development testing. Volume 3: Modular radiator system test data correlation with thermal model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, M. A.

1973-01-01

Results are presented of an analysis which compares the performance predictions of a thermal model of a multi-panel modular radiator system with thermal vacuum test data. Comparisons between measured and predicted individual panel outlet temperatures and pressure drops and system outlet temperatures have been made over the full range of heat loads, environments and plumbing arrangements expected for the shuttle radiators. Both two sided and one sided radiation have been included. The model predictions show excellent agreement with the test data for the maximum design conditions of high load and hot environment. Predictions under minimum design conditions of low load-cold environments indicate good agreement with the measured data, but evaluation of low load predictions should consider the possibility of parallel flow instabilities due to main system freezing. Performance predictions under intermediate conditions in which the majority of the flow is not in either the main or prime system are adequate although model improvements in this area may be desired. The primary modeling objective of providing an analytical technique for performance predictions of a multi-panel radiator system under the design conditions has been met.

Modular techniques for dynamic fault-tree analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson-Hine, F. A.; Dugan, Joanne B.

1992-01-01

It is noted that current approaches used to assess the dependability of complex systems such as Space Station Freedom and the Air Traffic Control System are incapable of handling the size and complexity of these highly integrated designs. A novel technique for modeling such systems which is built upon current techniques in Markov theory and combinatorial analysis is described. It enables the development of a hierarchical representation of system behavior which is more flexible than either technique alone. A solution strategy which is based on an object-oriented approach to model representation and evaluation is discussed. The technique is virtually transparent to the user since the fault tree models can be built graphically and the objects defined automatically. The tree modularization procedure allows the two model types, Markov and combinatoric, to coexist and does not require that the entire fault tree be translated to a Markov chain for evaluation. This effectively reduces the size of the Markov chain required and enables solutions with less truncation, making analysis of longer mission times possible. Using the fault-tolerant parallel processor as an example, a model is built and solved for a specific mission scenario and the solution approach is illustrated in detail.

Smart Antenna UKM Testbed for Digital Beamforming System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Islam, Mohammad Tariqul; Misran, Norbahiah; Yatim, Baharudin

2009-12-01

A new design of smart antenna testbed developed at UKM for digital beamforming purpose is proposed. The smart antenna UKM testbed developed based on modular design employing two novel designs of L-probe fed inverted hybrid E-H (LIEH) array antenna and software reconfigurable digital beamforming system (DBS). The antenna is developed based on using the novel LIEH microstrip patch element design arranged into [InlineEquation not available: see fulltext.] uniform linear array antenna. An interface board is designed to interface to the ADC board with the RF front-end receiver. The modular concept of the system provides the capability to test the antenna hardware, beamforming unit, and beamforming algorithm in an independent manner, thus allowing the smart antenna system to be developed and tested in parallel, hence reduces the design time. The DBS was developed using a high-performance [InlineEquation not available: see fulltext.] floating-point DSP board and a 4-channel RF front-end receiver developed in-house. An interface board is designed to interface to the ADC board with the RF front-end receiver. A four-element receiving array testbed at 1.88-2.22 GHz frequency is constructed, and digital beamforming on this testbed is successfully demonstrated.

Bubble-detector measurements of neutron radiation in the international space station: ISS-34 to ISS-37

PubMed Central

Smith, M. B.; Khulapko, S.; Andrews, H. R.; Arkhangelsky, V.; Ing, H.; Koslowksy, M. R.; Lewis, B. J.; Machrafi, R.; Nikolaev, I.; Shurshakov, V.

2016-01-01

Bubble detectors have been used to characterise the neutron dose and energy spectrum in several modules of the International Space Station (ISS) as part of an ongoing radiation survey. A series of experiments was performed during the ISS-34, ISS-35, ISS-36 and ISS-37 missions between December 2012 and October 2013. The Radi-N2 experiment, a repeat of the 2009 Radi-N investigation, included measurements in four modules of the US orbital segment: Columbus, the Japanese experiment module, the US laboratory and Node 2. The Radi-N2 dose and spectral measurements are not significantly different from the Radi-N results collected in the same ISS locations, despite the large difference in solar activity between 2009 and 2013. Parallel experiments using a second set of detectors in the Russian segment of the ISS included the first characterisation of the neutron spectrum inside the tissue-equivalent Matroshka-R phantom. These data suggest that the dose inside the phantom is ∼70 % of the dose at its surface, while the spectrum inside the phantom contains a larger fraction of high-energy neutrons than the spectrum outside the phantom. The phantom results are supported by Monte Carlo simulations that provide good agreement with the empirical data. PMID:25899609

APPARATUS FOR MEASURING TOTAL NEUTRON CROSS SECTIONS

DOEpatents

Cranberg, L.

1959-10-13

An apparatus is described for measuring high-resolution total neutron cross sections at high counting rate in the range above 50-kev neutron energy. The pulsed-beam time-of-flight technique is used to identify the neutrons of interest which are produced in the target of an electrostatic accelerator. Energy modulation of the accelerator . makes it possible to make observations at 100 energy points simultaneously. 761O An apparatus is described for monitoring the proton resonance of a liquid which is particulariy useful in the continuous purity analysis of heavy water. A hollow shell with parallel sides defines a meander chamber positioned within a uniform magnetic fieid. The liquid passes through an inlet at the outer edge of the chamber and through a spiral channel to the central region of the chamber where an outlet tube extends into the chamber perpendicular to the magnetic field. The radiofrequency energy for the monitor is coupled to a coil positioned coaxially with the outlet tube at its entrance point within the chamber. The improvement lies in the compact mechanical arrangement of the monitor unit whereby the liquid under analysis is subjected to the same magnetic field in the storage and sensing areas, and the entire unit is shielded from external electrostatic influences.

Asymmetric neutrino reaction and pulsar kick in magnetized proto-neutron stars in fully relativistic framework

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

Maruyama, Tomoyuki; Kajino, Toshitaka; Yasutake, Nobutoshi

2012-11-12

We calculate neutrino scattering and absorption on the hot and dense neutron-star matter with hyperons under the strong magnetic field using a perturbative approach. We find that the absorption cross-sections show a remarkable angular dependence. Its strength is reduced in the direction parallel to the magnetic field and enhanced in the opposite direction. This asymmetric variation becomes maximally 2.2 % of entire neutrino momentum when the magnetic field is assumed as about 2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 17} G. Since the pulsar kick after the supernova explosion may have relationships to this asymmetry, detailed discussions about the pulsar kick and the asymmetrymore » are presented with the comparison to the observed kick velocities in a fully relativistic approach.« less

A novel digital neutron flux monitor for international thermonuclear experimental reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiang, ZHOU; Zihao, LIU; Chao, CHEN; Renjie, ZHU; Li, ZHAO; Lingfeng, WEI; Zejie, YIN

2018-04-01

A novel full-digital real-time neutron flux monitor (NFM) has been developed for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. A measurement range of 109 counts per second is achieved with 3 different sensitive fission chambers. The Counting mode and Campbelling mode have been combined as a means to achieve higher measurement range. The system is based on high speed as well as parallel and pipeline processing of the field programmable gate array and has the ability to upload raw-data of analog-to-digital converter in real-time through the PXIe platform. With the advantages of the measurement range, real time performance and the ability of raw-data uploading, the digital NFM has been tested in HL-2A experiments and reflected good experimental performance.

Protein hydration in solution: Experimental observation by x-ray and neutron scattering

PubMed Central

Svergun, D. I.; Richard, S.; Koch, M. H. J.; Sayers, Z.; Kuprin, S.; Zaccai, G.

1998-01-01

The structure of the protein–solvent interface is the subject of controversy in theoretical studies and requires direct experimental characterization. Three proteins with known atomic resolution crystal structure (lysozyme, Escherichia coli thioredoxin reductase, and protein R1 of E. coli ribonucleotide reductase) were investigated in parallel by x-ray and neutron scattering in H2O and D2O solutions. The analysis of the protein–solvent interface is based on the significantly different contrasts for the protein and for the hydration shell. The results point to the existence of a first hydration shell with an average density ≈10% larger than that of the bulk solvent in the conditions studied. Comparisons with the results of other studies suggest that this may be a general property of aqueous interfaces. PMID:9482874

IMPROVED TYPE OF FUEL ELEMENT

DOEpatents

Monson, H.O.

1961-01-24

A radiator-type fuel block assembly is described. It has a hexagonal body of neutron fissionable material having a plurality of longitudinal equal- spaced coolant channels therein aligned in rows parallel to each face of the hexagonal body. Each of these coolant channels is hexagonally shaped with the corners rounded and enlarged and the assembly has a maximum temperature isothermal line around each channel which is approximately straight and equidistant between adjacent channels.

Investigation of a 129Xe magnetometer for the Neutron Electric Dipole Moment Experiment at TRIUMF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lang, Michael; Nedm At Triumf Collaboration

2016-03-01

A non-zero neutron electric dipole moment (nEDM) would signify a previously unknown source of CP (or T) violation. New sources of CP violation are believed to be required to explain the baryon asymmetry of the universe. Employing a newly developed high-density UCN source, an experiment at TRIUMF aims to measure the nEDM to the level of 10-27 e . cm in its initial phase. Precession frequency differences for UCN stored in a bottle subject to parallel and anti-parallel E and B fields signify a permanent nEDM. Magnetic field instability and inhomogeneity, as well as field changes resulting from leakage currents (correlated with E fields) are the dominant systematic effects in nEDM measurements. To address this, passive and active magnetic shielding are in development along with a dual species (129Xe and 199Hg) atomic comagnetometer. Simultaneously introducing both atomic species into the UCN cell, the comagnetometer can mitigate false EDMs. 199Hg precession will be detected by Faraday rotation spectroscopy, and 129Xe precession will measured via two-photon excitation and emission. The present comagnetometer progress will be discussed, with focus on polarized 129Xe production and delivery. Work supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Application of an impedance matching transformer to a plasma focus.

PubMed

Bures, B L; James, C; Krishnan, M; Adler, R

2011-10-01

A plasma focus was constructed using an impedance matching transformer to improve power transfer between the pulse power and the dynamic plasma load. The system relied on two switches and twelve transformer cores to produce a 100 kA pulse in short circuit on the secondary at 27 kV on the primary with 110 J stored. With the two transformer systems in parallel, the Thevenin equivalent circuit parameters on the secondary side of the driver are: C = 10.9 μF, V(0) = 4.5 kV, L = 17 nH, and R = 5 mΩ. An equivalent direct drive circuit would require a large number of switches in parallel, to achieve the same Thevenin equivalent. The benefits of this approach are replacement of consumable switches with non-consumable transformer cores, reduction of the driver inductance and resistance as viewed by the dynamic load, and reduction of the stored energy to produce a given peak current. The system is designed to operate at 100 Hz, so minimizing the stored energy results in less load on the thermal management system. When operated at 1 Hz, the neutron yield from the transformer matched plasma focus was similar to the neutron yield from a conventional (directly driven) plasma focus at the same peak current.

Neutron Powder Diffraction Study on the Magnetic Structure of NdPd 5 Al 2

DOE PAGES

Metoki, Naoto; Yamauchi, Hiroki; Kitazawa, Hideaki; ...

2017-02-24

The magnetic structure of NdPd 5Al 2 has been studied by neutron powder diffraction. Here, we observed the magnetic reflections with the modulation vector q=(1/2,0,0)q=(1/2,0,0) below the ordering temperature T N. We also found a collinear magnetic structure with a Nd moment of 2.7(3) μB at 0.5 K parallel to the c-axis, where the ferromagnetically ordered a-planes stack with a four-Nd-layer period having a ++-- sequence along the a-direction with the distance between adjacent Nd layers equal to a/2 (magnetic space group P anma). This “stripe”-like modulation is very similar to that in CePd 5Al 2 with q=(0.235,0.235,0)q=(0.235,0.235,0) with themore » Ce moment parallel to the c-axis. These structures with in-plane modulation are a consequence of the two-dimensional nature of the Fermi surface topology in this family, originating from the unique crystal structure with a very long tetragonal unit cell and a large distance of >7 Å between the rare-earth layers separated by two Pd and one Al layers.« less

Effect of Extrusion Temperature on the Plastic Deformation of an Mg-Y-Zn Alloy Containing LPSO Phase Using In Situ Neutron Diffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garces, G.; Perez, P.; Cabeza, S.; Kabra, S.; Gan, W.; Adeva, P.

2017-11-01

The evolution of the internal strains during in situ tension and compression tests has been measured in an MgY2Zn1 alloy containing long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) phase using neutron diffraction. The alloy was extruded at two different temperatures to study the influence of the microstructure and texture of the magnesium and the LPSO phases on the deformation mechanisms. The alloy extruded at 623 K (350 °C) exhibits a strong fiber texture with the basal plane parallel to the extrusion direction due to the presence of areas of coarse non-recrystallised grains. However, at 723 K (450 °C), the magnesium phase is fully recrystallised with grains randomly oriented. On the other hand, at the two extrusion temperatures, the LPSO phase orients their basal plane parallel to the extrusion direction. Yield stress is always slightly higher in compression than in tension. Independently on the stress sign and the extrusion temperature, the beginning of plasticity is controlled by the activation of the basal slip system in the dynamic recrystallized grains. Therefore, the elongated fiber-shaped LPSO phase which behaves as the reinforcement in a metal matrix composite is responsible for this tension-compression asymmetry.

Neutron Powder Diffraction Study on the Magnetic Structure of NdPd 5 Al 2

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

Metoki, Naoto; Yamauchi, Hiroki; Kitazawa, Hideaki

The magnetic structure of NdPd 5Al 2 has been studied by neutron powder diffraction. Here, we observed the magnetic reflections with the modulation vector q=(1/2,0,0)q=(1/2,0,0) below the ordering temperature T N. We also found a collinear magnetic structure with a Nd moment of 2.7(3) μB at 0.5 K parallel to the c-axis, where the ferromagnetically ordered a-planes stack with a four-Nd-layer period having a ++-- sequence along the a-direction with the distance between adjacent Nd layers equal to a/2 (magnetic space group P anma). This “stripe”-like modulation is very similar to that in CePd 5Al 2 with q=(0.235,0.235,0)q=(0.235,0.235,0) with themore » Ce moment parallel to the c-axis. These structures with in-plane modulation are a consequence of the two-dimensional nature of the Fermi surface topology in this family, originating from the unique crystal structure with a very long tetragonal unit cell and a large distance of >7 Å between the rare-earth layers separated by two Pd and one Al layers.« less

Proceedings of the OECD/CSNI workshop on transient thermal-hydraulic and neutronic codes requirements

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

Ebert, D.

1997-07-01

This is a report on the CSNI Workshop on Transient Thermal-Hydraulic and Neutronic Codes Requirements held at Annapolis, Maryland, USA November 5-8, 1996. This experts` meeting consisted of 140 participants from 21 countries; 65 invited papers were presented. The meeting was divided into five areas: (1) current and prospective plans of thermal hydraulic codes development; (2) current and anticipated uses of thermal-hydraulic codes; (3) advances in modeling of thermal-hydraulic phenomena and associated additional experimental needs; (4) numerical methods in multi-phase flows; and (5) programming language, code architectures and user interfaces. The workshop consensus identified the following important action items tomore » be addressed by the international community in order to maintain and improve the calculational capability: (a) preserve current code expertise and institutional memory, (b) preserve the ability to use the existing investment in plant transient analysis codes, (c) maintain essential experimental capabilities, (d) develop advanced measurement capabilities to support future code validation work, (e) integrate existing analytical capabilities so as to improve performance and reduce operating costs, (f) exploit the proven advances in code architecture, numerics, graphical user interfaces, and modularization in order to improve code performance and scrutibility, and (g) more effectively utilize user experience in modifying and improving the codes.« less

Particular features of ternary fission induced by polarized neutrons in the major actinides U,235233 and Pu,241239

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gagarski, A.; Gönnenwein, F.; Guseva, I.; Jesinger, P.; Kopatch, Yu.; Kuzmina, T.; Lelièvre-Berna, E.; Mutterer, M.; Nesvizhevsky, V.; Petrov, G.; Soldner, T.; Tiourine, G.; Trzaska, W. H.; Zavarukhina, T.

2016-05-01

Ternary fission in (n ,f ) reactions was studied with polarized neutrons for the isotopes U,235233 and Pu,241239. A cold longitudinally polarized neutron beam was available at the High Flux Reactor of the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble, France. The beam was hitting the fissile targets mounted at the center of a reaction chamber. Detectors for fission fragments and ternary particles were installed in a plane perpendicular to the beam. In earlier work it was discovered that the angular correlations between neutron spin and the momenta of fragments and ternary particles were very different for 233U or 235U. These correlations could now be shown to be simultaneously present in all of the above major actinides though with different weights. For one of the correlations it was observed that up to scission the compound nucleus is rotating with the axis of rotation parallel to the neutron beam polarization. Entrained by the fragments also the trajectories of ternary particles are turned away albeit by a smaller angle. The difference in turning angles becomes observable upon reversing the sense of rotation by flipping neutron spin. All turning angles are smaller than 1∘. The phenomenon was called the ROT effect. As a distinct second phenomenon it was found that for fission induced by polarized neutrons an asymmetry in the emission probability of ternary particles relative to a plane formed by fragment momentum and neutron spin appears. The asymmetry is attributed to the Coriolis force present in the nucleus while it is rotating up to scission. The size of the asymmetry is typically 10-3. This asymmetry was termed the TRI effect. The interpretation of both effects is based on the transition state model. Both effects are shown to be steered by the properties of the collective (J ,K ) transition states which are specific for any of the reactions studied. The study of asymmetries of ternary particle emission in fission induced by slow polarized neutrons provides a new method for the spectroscopy of transition states (J ,K ) near the fission barrier. Implications of collective rotation on fragment angular momenta are discussed.

Hardware accelerated high performance neutron transport computation based on AGENT methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Shanjie

The spatial heterogeneity of the next generation Gen-IV nuclear reactor core designs brings challenges to the neutron transport analysis. The Arbitrary Geometry Neutron Transport (AGENT) AGENT code is a three-dimensional neutron transport analysis code being developed at the Laboratory for Neutronics and Geometry Computation (NEGE) at Purdue University. It can accurately describe the spatial heterogeneity in a hierarchical structure through the R-function solid modeler. The previous version of AGENT coupled the 2D transport MOC solver and the 1D diffusion NEM solver to solve the three dimensional Boltzmann transport equation. In this research, the 2D/1D coupling methodology was expanded to couple two transport solvers, the radial 2D MOC solver and the axial 1D MOC solver, for better accuracy. The expansion was benchmarked with the widely applied C5G7 benchmark models and two fast breeder reactor models, and showed good agreement with the reference Monte Carlo results. In practice, the accurate neutron transport analysis for a full reactor core is still time-consuming and thus limits its application. Therefore, another content of my research is focused on designing a specific hardware based on the reconfigurable computing technique in order to accelerate AGENT computations. It is the first time that the application of this type is used to the reactor physics and neutron transport for reactor design. The most time consuming part of the AGENT algorithm was identified. Moreover, the architecture of the AGENT acceleration system was designed based on the analysis. Through the parallel computation on the specially designed, highly efficient architecture, the acceleration design on FPGA acquires high performance at the much lower working frequency than CPUs. The whole design simulations show that the acceleration design would be able to speedup large scale AGENT computations about 20 times. The high performance AGENT acceleration system will drastically shortening the computation time for 3D full-core neutron transport analysis, making the AGENT methodology unique and advantageous, and thus supplies the possibility to extend the application range of neutron transport analysis in either industry engineering or academic research.

The Particle Accelerator Simulation Code PyORBIT

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

Gorlov, Timofey V; Holmes, Jeffrey A; Cousineau, Sarah M

2015-01-01

The particle accelerator simulation code PyORBIT is presented. The structure, implementation, history, parallel and simulation capabilities, and future development of the code are discussed. The PyORBIT code is a new implementation and extension of algorithms of the original ORBIT code that was developed for the Spallation Neutron Source accelerator at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The PyORBIT code has a two level structure. The upper level uses the Python programming language to control the flow of intensive calculations performed by the lower level code implemented in the C++ language. The parallel capabilities are based on MPI communications. The PyORBIT ismore » an open source code accessible to the public through the Google Open Source Projects Hosting service.« less

Electric field control of the skyrmion lattice in Cu2OSeO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, J. S.; Levatić, I.; Omrani, A. A.; Egetenmeyer, N.; Prša, K.; Živković, I.; Gavilano, J. L.; Kohlbrecher, J.; Bartkowiak, M.; Berger, H.; Rønnow, H. M.

2012-10-01

Small-angle neutron scattering has been employed to study the influence of applied electric (E-)fields on the skyrmion lattice in the chiral lattice magnetoelectric Cu2OSeO3. Using an experimental geometry with the E-field parallel to the [111] axis, and the magnetic field parallel to the [1\\bar {1}0] axis, we demonstrate that the effect of applying an E-field is to controllably rotate the skyrmion lattice around the magnetic field axis. Our results are an important first demonstration for a microscopic coupling between applied E-fields and the skyrmions in an insulator, and show that the general emergent properties of skyrmions may be tailored according to the properties of the host system.

Structural Studies of Three-Arm Star Block Copolymers Exposed to Extreme Stretch Suggests a Persistent Polymer Tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mortensen, Kell; Borger, Anine L.; Kirkensgaard, Jacob J. K.; Garvey, Christopher J.; Almdal, Kristoffer; Dorokhin, Andriy; Huang, Qian; Hassager, Ole

2018-05-01

We present structural small-angle neutron scattering studies of a three-armed polystyrene star polymer with short deuterated segments at the end of each arm. We show that the form factor of the three-armed star molecules in the relaxed state agrees with that of the random phase approximation of Gaussian chains. Upon exposure to large extensional flow conditions, the star polymers change conformation resulting in a highly stretched structure that mimics a fully extended three-armed tube model. All three arms are parallel to the flow, one arm being either in positive or negative stretching direction, while the two other arms are oriented parallel, right next to each other in the direction opposite to the first arm.

Radiation Characterization Summary: ACRR Polyethylene-Lead-Graphite (PLG) Bucket Located in the Central Cavity on the 32-Inch Pedestal at the Core Centerline (ACRR-PLG-CC-32-cl).

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

Parma, Edward J.,; Vehar, David W.; Lippert, Lance L.

2015-06-01

This document presents the facility-recommended characterization of the neutron, prompt gamma-ray, and delayed gamma-ray radiation fields in the Annular Core Research Reactor (ACRR) for the polyethylene-lead-graphite (PLG) bucket in the central cavity on the 32-inch pedestal at the core centerline. The designation for this environment is ACRR-PLG-CC-32-cl. The neutron, prompt gamma-ray, and delayed gamma-ray energy spectra, uncertainties, and covariance matrices are presented as well as radial and axial neutron and gamma-ray fluence profiles within the experiment area of the bucket. Recommended constants are given to facilitate the conversion of various dosimetry readings into radiation metrics desired by experimenters. Representative pulsemore » operations are presented with conversion examples. Acknowledgements The authors wish to thank the Annular Core Research Reactor staff and the Radiation Metrology Laboratory staff for their support of this work. Also thanks to David Ames for his assistance in running MCNP on the Sandia parallel machines.« less

Radiation Characterization Summary: ACRR Central Cavity Free-Field Environment with the 32-Inch Pedestal at the Core Centerline (ACRR-FF-CC-32-cl).

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

Vega, Richard Manuel; Parma, Edward J.; Naranjo, Gerald E.

2015-08-01

This document presents the facilit y - recommended characteri zation o f the neutron, prompt gamma - ray, and delayed gamma - ray radiation fields in the Annular Core Research Reactor ( ACRR ) for the cen tral cavity free - field environment with the 32 - inch pedestal at the core centerline. The designation for this environmen t is ACRR - FF - CC - 32 - cl. The neutron, prompt gamma - ray , and delayed gamma - ray energy spectra , uncertainties, and covariance matrices are presented as well as radial and axial neutron and gamma -more » ray fluence profiles within the experiment area of the cavity . Recommended constants are given to facilitate the conversion of various dosimetry readings into radiation metrics desired by experimenters. Representative pulse operations are presented with conversion examples . Acknowledgements The authors wish to th ank the Annular Core Research Reactor staff and the Radiation Metrology Laboratory staff for their support of this work . Also thanks to David Ames for his assistance in running MCNP on the Sandia parallel machines.« less

The cosmic matrix in the 50th anniversary of relativistic astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruffini, R.; Aimuratov, Y.; Becerra, L.; Bianco, C. L.; Karlica, M.; Kovacevic, M.; Melon Fuksman, J. D.; Moradi, R.; Muccino, M.; Penacchioni, A. V.; Pisani, G. B.; Primorac, D.; Rueda, J. A.; Shakeri, S.; Vereshchagin, G. V.; Wang, Y.; Xue, S.-S.

Our concept of induced gravitational collapse (IGC paradigm) starting from a supernova occurring with a companion neutron star, has unlocked the understanding of seven different families of gamma ray bursts (GRBs), indicating a path for the formation of black holes in the universe. An authentic laboratory of relativistic astrophysics has been unveiled in which new paradigms have been introduced in order to advance knowledge of the most energetic, distant and complex systems in our universe. A novel cosmic matrix paradigm has been introduced at a relativistic cosmic level, which parallels the concept of an S-matrix introduced by Feynmann, Wheeler and Heisenberg in the quantum world of microphysics. Here the “in” states are represented by a neutron star and a supernova, while the “out” states, generated within less than a second, are a new neutron star and a black hole. This novel field of research needs very powerful technological observations in all wavelengths ranging from radio through optical, X-ray and gamma ray radiation all the way up to ultra-high-energy cosmic rays.

Comparison of quartz crystallographic preferred orientations identified with optical fabric analysis, electron backscatter and neutron diffraction techniques.

PubMed

Hunter, N J R; Wilson, C J L; Luzin, V

2017-02-01

Three techniques are used to measure crystallographic preferred orientations (CPO) in a naturally deformed quartz mylonite: transmitted light cross-polarized microscopy using an automated fabric analyser, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and neutron diffraction. Pole figure densities attributable to crystal-plastic deformation are variably recognizable across the techniques, particularly between fabric analyser and diffraction instruments. Although fabric analyser techniques offer rapid acquisition with minimal sample preparation, difficulties may exist when gathering orientation data parallel with the incident beam. Overall, we have found that EBSD and fabric analyser techniques are best suited for studying CPO distributions at the grain scale, where individual orientations can be linked to their source grain or nearest neighbours. Neutron diffraction serves as the best qualitative and quantitative means of estimating the bulk CPO, due to its three-dimensional data acquisition, greater sample area coverage, and larger sample size. However, a number of sampling methods can be applied to FA and EBSD data to make similar approximations. © 2016 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2016 Royal Microscopical Society.

Self-assembled iron oxide nanoparticle multilayer: x-ray and polarized neutron reflectivity.

PubMed

Mishra, D; Benitez, M J; Petracic, O; Badini Confalonieri, G A; Szary, P; Brüssing, F; Theis-Bröhl, K; Devishvili, A; Vorobiev, A; Konovalov, O; Paulus, M; Sternemann, C; Toperverg, B P; Zabel, H

2012-02-10

We have investigated the structure and magnetism of self-assembled, 20 nm diameter iron oxide nanoparticles covered by an oleic acid shell for scrutinizing their structural and magnetic correlations. The nanoparticles were spin-coated on an Si substrate as a single monolayer and as a stack of 5 ML forming a multilayer. X-ray scattering (reflectivity and grazing incidence small-angle scattering) confirms high in-plane hexagonal correlation and a good layering property of the nanoparticles. Using polarized neutron reflectivity we have also determined the long range magnetic correlations parallel and perpendicular to the layers in addition to the structural ones. In a field of 5 kOe we determine a magnetization value of about 80% of the saturation value. At remanence the global magnetization is close to zero. However, polarized neutron reflectivity reveals the existence of regions in which magnetic moments of nanoparticles are well aligned, while losing order over longer distances. These findings confirm that in the nanoparticle assembly the magnetic dipole-dipole interaction is rather strong, dominating the collective magnetic properties at room temperature.

End-compensated magnetostatic cavity for polarized 3He neutron spin filters.

PubMed

McIver, J W; Erwin, R; Chen, W C; Gentile, T R

2009-06-01

We have expanded upon the "Magic Box" concept, a coil driven magnetic parallel plate capacitor constructed out of mu-metal, by introducing compensation sections at the ends of the box that are tuned to limit end-effects similar to those of short solenoids. This ability has reduced the length of the magic box design without sacrificing any loss in field homogeneity, making the device far more applicable to the often space limited neutron beam line. The appeal of the design beyond affording longer polarized 3He lifetimes is that it provides a vertical guide field, which facilitates neutron spin transport for typical polarized beam experiments. We have constructed two end-compensated magic boxes of dimensions 28.4 x 40 x 15 cm3 (length x width x height) with measured, normalized volume-averaged transverse field gradients ranging from 3.3 x 10(-4) to 6.3 x 10(-4) cm(-1) for cell sizes ranging from 8.1 x 6.0 to 12.0 x 7.9 cm2 (diameter x length), respectively.

Porting plasma physics simulation codes to modern computing architectures using the libmrc framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Germaschewski, Kai; Abbott, Stephen

2015-11-01

Available computing power has continued to grow exponentially even after single-core performance satured in the last decade. The increase has since been driven by more parallelism, both using more cores and having more parallelism in each core, e.g. in GPUs and Intel Xeon Phi. Adapting existing plasma physics codes is challenging, in particular as there is no single programming model that covers current and future architectures. We will introduce the open-source libmrc framework that has been used to modularize and port three plasma physics codes: The extended MHD code MRCv3 with implicit time integration and curvilinear grids; the OpenGGCM global magnetosphere model; and the particle-in-cell code PSC. libmrc consolidates basic functionality needed for simulations based on structured grids (I/O, load balancing, time integrators), and also introduces a parallel object model that makes it possible to maintain multiple implementations of computational kernels, on e.g. conventional processors and GPUs. It handles data layout conversions and enables us to port performance-critical parts of a code to a new architecture step-by-step, while the rest of the code can remain unchanged. We will show examples of the performance gains and some physics applications.

Parallel processor for real-time structural control

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

Tise, B.L.

1992-01-01

A parallel processor that is optimized for real-time linear control has been developed. This modular system consists of A/D modules, D/A modules, and floating-point processor modules. The scalable processor uses up to 1,000 Motorola DSP96002 floating-point processors for a peak computational rate of 60 GFLOPS. Sampling rates up to 625 kHz are supported by this analog-in to analog-out controller. The high processing rate and parallel architecture make this processor suitable for computing state-space equations and other multiply/accumulate-intensive digital filters. Processor features include 14-bit conversion devices, low input-output latency, 240 Mbyte/s synchronous backplane bus, low-skew clock distribution circuit, VME connection tomore » host computer, parallelizing code generator, and look-up-tables for actuator linearization. This processor was designed primarily for experiments in structural control. The A/D modules sample sensors mounted on the structure and the floating-point processor modules compute the outputs using the programmed control equations. The outputs are sent through the D/A module to the power amps used to drive the structure's actuators. The host computer is a Sun workstation. An Open Windows-based control panel is provided to facilitate data transfer to and from the processor, as well as to control the operating mode of the processor. A diagnostic mode is provided to allow stimulation of the structure and acquisition of the structural response via sensor inputs.« less

Theory for the Emergence of Modularity in Complex Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deem, Michael; Park, Jeong-Man

2013-03-01

Biological systems are modular, and this modularity evolves over time and in different environments. A number of observations have been made of increased modularity in biological systems under increased environmental pressure. We here develop a theory for the dynamics of modularity in these systems. We find a principle of least action for the evolved modularity at long times. In addition, we find a fluctuation dissipation relation for the rate of change of modularity at short times. We discuss a number of biological and social systems that can be understood with this framework. The modularity of the protein-protein interaction network increases when yeast are exposed to heat shock, and the modularity of the protein-protein networks in both yeast and E. coli appears to have increased over evolutionary time. Food webs in low-energy, stressful environments are more modular than those in plentiful environments, arid ecologies are more modular during droughts, and foraging of sea otters is more modular when food is limiting. The modularity of social networks changes over time: stock brokers instant messaging networks are more modular under stressful market conditions, criminal networks are more modular under increased police pressure, and world trade network modularity has decreased

Invited Parallel Talk: Lattice results on nucleon/roper properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Huey-Wen

2009-12-01

In this proceeding, I review the attempts to calculate the Nucleon resonance (including Roper as first radially excited state of nucleon and other excited states) using lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD). The latest preliminary results from Hadron Spectrum Collaboration (HSC) with mπ thickapprox 380 MeV are reported. The Sachs electric form factor of the proton and neutron and their transition with the Roper at large Q2 are also updated in this work.

The Early Stage of Neutron Tomography for Cultural Heritage Study in Thailand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khaweerat, S.; Ratanatongchai, W.; S. Wonglee; Schillinger, B.

In parallel to the upgrade of neutron imaging facility at TRR-1/M1 since 2015, the practice on image processing software has led to implementation of neutron tomography (NT). The current setup provides a thermal neutron flux of 1.08×106 cm-2sec-1 at the exposure position. In general, the sample was fixed on a plate at the top of rotary stage controlled by Labview 2009 Version 9.0.1. The incremental step can be adjusted from 0.45 to 7.2 degree. A 16 bit CCD camera assembled with a Nikkor 50 mm f/1.2 lens was used to record light from 6LiF/ZnS (green) neutron converter screen. The exposure time for each shot was 60 seconds, resulting in the acquisition time of approximately three hours for completely turning the sample around. Afterwards, the batch of two dimensional neutron images of the sample was read into the reconstruction and visualization software Octopus reconstruction 8.8 and Octopus visualization 2.0, respectively. The results revealed that the system alignment is important. Maintaining the stability of heavy sample at every particular angle of rotation is important. Previous alignment showed instability of the supporting plane while tilting the sample. This study showed that the sample stage should be replaced. Even though the NT is a lengthy process and involves large data processing, it offers an opportunity to better understand features of an object in more details than with neutron radiography. The digital NT also allows us to separate inner features that appear superpositioned in radiography by cross-sectioning the 3D data set of an object without destruction. As a result, NT is a significant tool for revealing hidden information included in the inner structure of cultural heritage objects, providing great benefits in archaeological study, conservation process and authenticity investigating.

Measurement of the np total cross section difference Δ σ L(np) at 1.39, 1.69, 1.89 and 1.99 GeV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharov, V. I.; Anischenko, N. G.; Antonenko, V. G.; Averichev, S. A.; Azhgirey, L. S.; Bartenev, V. D.; Bazhanov, N. A.; Belyaev, A. A.; Blinov, N. A.; Borisov, N. S.; Borzakov, S. B.; Borzunov, Yu T.; Bushuev, Yu P.; Chernenko, L. P.; Chernykh, E. V.; Chumakov, V. F.; Dolgii, S. A.; Fedorov, A. N.; Fimushkin, V. V.; Finger, M.; Finger, M.; Golovanov, L. B.; Gurevich, G. M.; Janata, A.; Kirillov, A. D.; Kolomiets, V. G.; Komogorov, E. V.; Kovalenko, A. D.; Kovalev, A. I.; Krasnov, V. A.; Krstonoshich, P.; Kuzmin, E. S.; Ladygin, V. P.; Lazarev, A. B.; Lehar, F.; de Lesquen, A.; Liburg, M. Yu; Livanov, A. N.; Lukhanin, A. A.; Maniakov, P. K.; Matafonov, V. N.; Matyushevsky, E. A.; Moroz, V. D.; Morozov, A. A.; Neganov, A. B.; Nikolaevsky, G. P.; Nomofilov, A. A.; Panteleev, Tz; Pilipenko, Yu K.; Pisarev, I. L.; Plis, Yu A.; Polunin, Yu P.; Prokofiev, A. N.; Prytkov, V. Yu; Rukoyatkin, P. A.; Schedrov, V. A.; Schevelev, O. N.; Shilov, S. N.; Shindin, R. A.; Slunečka, M.; Slunečková, V.; Starikov, A. Yu; Stoletov, G. D.; Strunov, L. N.; Svetov, A. L.; Usov, Yu A.; Vasiliev, T.; Volkov, V. I.; Vorobiev, E. I.; Yudin, I. P.; Zaitsev, I. V.; Zhdanov, A. A.; Zhmyrov, V. N.

2004-09-01

New accurate results of the neutron-proton spin-dependent total cross section difference Δσ_L(np) at the neutron beam kinetic energies 1.39, 1.69, 1.89 and 1.99 GeV are presented. Measurements were carried out in 2001 at the Synchrophasotron of the Veksler and Baldin Laboratory of High Energies of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research. A quasi-monochromatic neutron beam was produced by break-up of extracted polarized deuterons. The deuteron (and hence neutron) polarization direction was flipped every accelerator burst. The vertical neutron polarization direction was rotated onto the neutron beam direction and longitudinally (L) polarized neutrons were transmitted through a large proton L-polarized target. The target polarization vector was inverted after 1-2 days of measurements. The data were recorded for four different combinations of the beam and target parallel and antiparallel polarization directions at each energy. A fast decrease of Δσ_L(np) with increasing energy above 1.1 GeV was confirmed. The structure in the Δσ_L(np) energy dependence around 1.8 GeV, first observed from our previous data, seems to be well pronounced. The new results are also compared with model predictions and with phase shift analysis fits. The Δσ_L quantities for isosinglet state I = 0, deduced from the measured Δσ_L(np) values and the known Δσ_L(pp) data, are also given. The results were completed by the measurements of unpolarized total cross sections σ_{0tot}(np) at 1.3, 1.4 and 1.5 GeV and σ_{0tot}(nC) at 1.4 and 1.5 GeV. These data were obtained using the same apparatus and high intensity unpolarized deuteron beams were extracted either from the Synchrophasotron, or from the Nuclotron.

Supercell Depletion Studies for Prismatic High Temperature Reactors

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

J. Ortensi

2012-10-01

The traditional two-step method of analysis is not accurate enough to represent the neutronic effects present in the prismatic high temperature reactor concept. The long range coupling of the various regions in high temperature reactors poses a set of challenges that are not seen in either LWRs or fast reactors. Unlike LWRs, which exhibit large, localized effects, the dominant effects in PMRs are, for the most part, distributed over larger regions, but with lower magnitude. The 1-D in-line treatment currently used in pebble bed reactor analysis is not sufficient because of the 2-D nature of the prismatic blocks. Considerable challengesmore » exist in the modeling of blocks in the vicinity of reflectors, which, for current small modular reactor designs with thin annular cores, include the majority of the blocks. Additional challenges involve the treatment of burnable poisons, operational and shutdown control rods. The use of a large domain for cross section preparation provides a better representation of the neutron spectrum, enables the proper modeling of BPs and CRs, allows the calculation of generalized equivalence theory parameters, and generates a relative power distribution that can be used in compact power reconstruction. The purpose of this paper is to quantify the effects of the reflector, burnable poison, and operational control rods on an LEU design and to delineate an analysis approach for the Idaho National Laboratory. This work concludes that the use of supercells should capture these long-range effects in the preparation of cross sections and along with a set of triangular meshes to treat BPs, and CRs a high fidelity neutronics computation is attainable.« less

Residual stress measurements via neutron diffraction of additive manufactured stainless steel 17-4 PH.

PubMed

Masoomi, Mohammad; Shamsaei, Nima; Winholtz, Robert A; Milner, Justin L; Gnäupel-Herold, Thomas; Elwany, Alaa; Mahmoudi, Mohamad; Thompson, Scott M

2017-08-01

Neutron diffraction was employed to measure internal residual stresses at various locations along stainless steel (SS) 17-4 PH specimens additively manufactured via laser-powder bed fusion (L-PBF). Of these specimens, two were rods (diameter=8 mm, length=80 mm) built vertically upward and one a parallelepiped (8×80×9 mm 3 ) built with its longest edge parallel to ground. One rod and the parallelepiped were left in their as-built condition, while the other rod was heat treated. Data presented provide insight into the microstructural characteristics of typical L-PBF SS 17-4 PH specimens and their dependence on build orientation and post-processing procedures such as heat treatment. Data have been deposited in the Data in Brief Dataverse repository (doi:10.7910/DVN/T41S3V).

An analog neural hardware implementation using charge-injection multipliers and neutron-specific gain control.

PubMed

Massengill, L W; Mundie, D B

1992-01-01

A neural network IC based on a dynamic charge injection is described. The hardware design is space and power efficient, and achieves massive parallelism of analog inner products via charge-based multipliers and spatially distributed summing buses. Basic synaptic cells are constructed of exponential pulse-decay modulation (EPDM) dynamic injection multipliers operating sequentially on propagating signal vectors and locally stored analog weights. Individually adjustable gain controls on each neutron reduce the effects of limited weight dynamic range. A hardware simulator/trainer has been developed which incorporates the physical (nonideal) characteristics of actual circuit components into the training process, thus absorbing nonlinearities and parametric deviations into the macroscopic performance of the network. Results show that charge-based techniques may achieve a high degree of neural density and throughput using standard CMOS processes.

The Athena optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bavdaz, Marcos; Wille, Eric; Shortt, Brian; Fransen, Sebastiaan; Collon, Maximilien; Vacanti, Giuseppe; Günther, Ramses; Yanson, Alexei; Vervest, Mark; Haneveld, Jeroen; van Baren, Coen; Zuknik, Karl-Heinz; Christensen, Finn; Krumrey, Michael; Burwitz, Vadim; Pareschi, Giovanni; Valsecchi, Giuseppe

2015-09-01

The Advanced Telescope for High ENergy Astrophysics (Athena) was selected in 2014 as the second large class mission (L2) of the ESA Cosmic Vision Science Programme within the Directorate of Science and Robotic Exploration. The mission development is proceeding via the implementation of the system studies and in parallel a comprehensive series of technology preparation activities. [1-3]. The core enabling technology for the high performance mirror is the Silicon Pore Optics (SPO), a modular X-ray optics technology, which utilises processes and equipment developed for the semiconductor industry [4-31]. This paper provides an overview of the programmatic background, the status of SPO technology and give an outline of the development roadmap and activities undertaken and planned by ESA.

FALCON: A distributed scheduler for MIMD architectures

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

Grimshaw, A.S.; Vivas, V.E. Jr.

1991-01-01

This paper describes FALCON (Fully Automatic Load COordinator for Networks), the scheduler for the Mentat parallel processing system. FALCON has a modular structure and is designed for systems that use a task scheduling mechanism. FALCON is distributed, stable, supports system heterogeneities, and employs a sender-initiated adaptive load sharing policy with static task assignment. FALCON is parameterizable and is implemented in Mentat, a working distributed system. We present the design and implementation of FALCON as well as a brief introduction to those features of the Mentat run-time system that influence FALCON. Performance measures under different scheduler configurations are also presented andmore » analyzed with respect to the system parameters. 36 refs., 8 figs.« less

Domain decomposition methods in computational fluid dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gropp, William D.; Keyes, David E.

1991-01-01

The divide-and-conquer paradigm of iterative domain decomposition, or substructuring, has become a practical tool in computational fluid dynamic applications because of its flexibility in accommodating adaptive refinement through locally uniform (or quasi-uniform) grids, its ability to exploit multiple discretizations of the operator equations, and the modular pathway it provides towards parallelism. These features are illustrated on the classic model problem of flow over a backstep using Newton's method as the nonlinear iteration. Multiple discretizations (second-order in the operator and first-order in the preconditioner) and locally uniform mesh refinement pay dividends separately, and they can be combined synergistically. Sample performance results are included from an Intel iPSC/860 hypercube implementation.

Recursive inverse factorization.

PubMed

Rubensson, Emanuel H; Bock, Nicolas; Holmström, Erik; Niklasson, Anders M N

2008-03-14

A recursive algorithm for the inverse factorization S(-1)=ZZ(*) of Hermitian positive definite matrices S is proposed. The inverse factorization is based on iterative refinement [A.M.N. Niklasson, Phys. Rev. B 70, 193102 (2004)] combined with a recursive decomposition of S. As the computational kernel is matrix-matrix multiplication, the algorithm can be parallelized and the computational effort increases linearly with system size for systems with sufficiently sparse matrices. Recent advances in network theory are used to find appropriate recursive decompositions. We show that optimization of the so-called network modularity results in an improved partitioning compared to other approaches. In particular, when the recursive inverse factorization is applied to overlap matrices of irregularly structured three-dimensional molecules.

Survey of Modular Military Vehicles: Benefits and Burdens

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

Survey of Modular Military Vehicles: BENEFITS and BURDENS Jean M. Dasch and David J. Gorsich Modularity in military vehicle design is generally...considered a positive attribute that promotes adaptability, resilience, and cost savings. The benefits and burdens of modularity are considered by...Engineering Center, vehicles were considered based on horizontal modularity , vertical modularity , and distributed modularity . Examples were given for each

Designing an upgrade of the Medley setup for light-ion production and fission cross-section measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jansson, K.; Gustavsson, C.; Al-Adili, A.; Hjalmarsson, A.; Andersson-Sundén, E.; Prokofiev, A. V.; Tarrío, D.; Pomp, S.

2015-09-01

Measurements of neutron-induced fission cross-sections and light-ion production are planned in the energy range 1-40 MeV at the upcoming Neutrons For Science (NFS) facility. In order to prepare our detector setup for the neutron beam with continuous energy spectrum, a simulation software was written using the Geant4 toolkit for both measurement situations. The neutron energy range around 20 MeV is troublesome when it comes to the cross-sections used by Geant4 since data-driven cross-sections are only available below 20 MeV but not above, where they are based on semi-empirical models. Several customisations were made to the standard classes in Geant4 in order to produce consistent results over the whole simulated energy range. Expected uncertainties are reported for both types of measurements. The simulations have shown that a simultaneous precision measurement of the three standard cross-sections H(n,n), 235U(n,f) and 238U(n,f) relative to each other is feasible using a triple layered target. As high resolution timing detectors for fission fragments we plan to use Parallel Plate Avalanche Counters (PPACs). The simulation results have put some restrictions on the design of these detectors as well as on the target design. This study suggests a fissile target no thicker than 2 μm (1.7 mg/cm2) and a PPAC foil thickness preferably less than 1 μm. We also comment on the usability of Geant4 for simulation studies of neutron reactions in this energy range.

Multi-Grid detector for neutron spectroscopy: results obtained on time-of-flight spectrometer CNCS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anastasopoulos, M.; Bebb, R.; Berry, K.; Birch, J.; Bryś, T.; Buffet, J.-C.; Clergeau, J.-F.; Deen, P. P.; Ehlers, G.; van Esch, P.; Everett, S. M.; Guerard, B.; Hall-Wilton, R.; Herwig, K.; Hultman, L.; Höglund, C.; Iruretagoiena, I.; Issa, F.; Jensen, J.; Khaplanov, A.; Kirstein, O.; Lopez Higuera, I.; Piscitelli, F.; Robinson, L.; Schmidt, S.; Stefanescu, I.

2017-04-01

The Multi-Grid detector technology has evolved from the proof-of-principle and characterisation stages. Here we report on the performance of the Multi-Grid detector, the MG.CNCS prototype, which has been installed and tested at the Cold Neutron Chopper Spectrometer, CNCS at SNS. This has allowed a side-by-side comparison to the performance of 3He detectors on an operational instrument. The demonstrator has an active area of 0.2 m2. It is specifically tailored to the specifications of CNCS. The detector was installed in June 2016 and has operated since then, collecting neutron scattering data in parallel to the He-3 detectors of CNCS. In this paper, we present a comprehensive analysis of this data, in particular on instrument energy resolution, rate capability, background and relative efficiency. Stability, gamma-ray and fast neutron sensitivity have also been investigated. The effect of scattering in the detector components has been measured and provides input to comparison for Monte Carlo simulations. All data is presented in comparison to that measured by the 3He detectors simultaneously, showing that all features recorded by one detector are also recorded by the other. The energy resolution matches closely. We find that the Multi-Grid is able to match the data collected by 3He, and see an indication of a considerable advantage in the count rate capability. Based on these results, we are confident that the Multi-Grid detector will be capable of producing high quality scientific data on chopper spectrometers utilising the unprecedented neutron flux of the ESS.

Neutron organ dose and the influence of adipose tissue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simpkins, Robert Wayne

Neutron fluence to dose conversion coefficients have been assessed considering the influences of human adipose tissue. Monte Carlo code MCNP4C was used to simulate broad parallel beam monoenergetic neutrons ranging in energy from thermal to 10 MeV. Simulated Irradiations were conducted for standard irradiation geometries. The targets were on gender specific mathematical anthropomorphic phantoms modified to approximate human adipose tissue distributions. Dosimetric analysis compared adipose tissue influence against reference anthropomorphic phantom characteristics. Adipose Male and Post-Menopausal Female Phantoms were derived introducing interstitial adipose tissue to account for 22 and 27 kg additional body mass, respectively, each demonstrating a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30. An Adipose Female Phantom was derived introducing specific subcutaneous adipose tissue accounting for 15 kg of additional body mass demonstrating a BMI of 26. Neutron dose was shielded in the superficial tissues; giving rise to secondary photons which dominated the effective dose for Incident energies less than 100 keV. Adipose tissue impact on the effective dose was a 25% reduction at the anterior-posterior incidence ranging to a 10% increase at the lateral incidences. Organ dose impacts were more distinctive; symmetrically situated organs demonstrated a 15% reduction at the anterior-posterior Incidence ranging to a 2% increase at the lateral incidences. Abdominal or asymmetrically situated organs demonstrated a 50% reduction at the anterior-posterior incidence ranging to a 25% increase at the lateral incidences.

Bubble-detector measurements of neutron radiation in the international space station: ISS-34 to ISS-37.

PubMed

Smith, M B; Khulapko, S; Andrews, H R; Arkhangelsky, V; Ing, H; Koslowksy, M R; Lewis, B J; Machrafi, R; Nikolaev, I; Shurshakov, V

2016-02-01

Bubble detectors have been used to characterise the neutron dose and energy spectrum in several modules of the International Space Station (ISS) as part of an ongoing radiation survey. A series of experiments was performed during the ISS-34, ISS-35, ISS-36 and ISS-37 missions between December 2012 and October 2013. The Radi-N2 experiment, a repeat of the 2009 Radi-N investigation, included measurements in four modules of the US orbital segment: Columbus, the Japanese experiment module, the US laboratory and Node 2. The Radi-N2 dose and spectral measurements are not significantly different from the Radi-N results collected in the same ISS locations, despite the large difference in solar activity between 2009 and 2013. Parallel experiments using a second set of detectors in the Russian segment of the ISS included the first characterisation of the neutron spectrum inside the tissue-equivalent Matroshka-R phantom. These data suggest that the dose inside the phantom is ∼70% of the dose at its surface, while the spectrum inside the phantom contains a larger fraction of high-energy neutrons than the spectrum outside the phantom. The phantom results are supported by Monte Carlo simulations that provide good agreement with the empirical data. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Development and applications of methodologies for the neutronic design of the Pebble Bed Advanced High Temperature Reactor (PB-AHTR)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fratoni, Massimiliano

This study investigated the neutronic characteristics of the Pebble Bed Advanced High Temperature Reactor (PB-AHTR), a novel nuclear reactor concept that combines liquid salt (7LiF-BeF2---flibe) cooling and TRISO coated-particle fuel technology. The use of flibe enables operation at high power density and atmospheric pressure and improves passive decay-heat removal capabilities, but flibe, unlike conventional helium coolant, is not transparent to neutrons. The flibe occupies 40% of the PB-AHTR core volume and absorbs ˜8% of the neutrons, but also acts as an effective neutron moderator. Two novel methodologies were developed for calculating the time dependent and equilibrium core composition: (1) a simplified single pebble model that is relatively fast; (2) a full 3D core model that is accurate and flexible but computationally intensive. A parametric analysis was performed spanning a wide range of fuel kernel diameters and graphite-to-heavy metal atom ratios to determine the attainable burnup and reactivity coefficients. Using 10% enriched uranium ˜130 GWd/tHM burnup was found to be attainable, when the graphite-to-heavy metal atom ratio (C/HM) is in the range of 300 to 400. At this or smaller C/HM ratio all reactivity coefficients examined---coolant temperature, coolant small and full void, fuel temperature, and moderator temperature, were found to be negative. The PB-AHTR performance was compared to that of alternative options for HTRs, including the helium-cooled pebble-bed reactor and prismatic fuel reactors, both gas-cooled and flibe-cooled. The attainable burnup of all designs was found to be similar. The PB-AHTR generates at least 30% more energy per pebble than the He-cooled pebble-bed reactor. Compared to LWRs the PB-AHTR requires 30% less natural uranium and 20% less separative work per unit of electricity generated. For deep burn TRU fuel made from recycled LWR spent fuel, it was found that in a single pass through the core ˜66% of the TRU can be transmuted; this burnup is slightly superior to that attainable in helium-cooled reactors. A preliminary analysis of the modular variant for the PB-AHTR investigated the triple heterogeneity of this design and determined its performance characteristics.

Preliminary design for a standard 10 sup 7 bit Solid State Memory (SSM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayes, P. J.; Howle, W. M., Jr.; Stermer, R. L., Jr.

1978-01-01

A modular concept with three separate modules roughly separating bubble domain technology, control logic technology, and power supply technology was employed. These modules were respectively the standard memory module (SMM), the data control unit (DCU), and power supply module (PSM). The storage medium was provided by bubble domain chips organized into memory cells. These cells and the circuitry for parallel data access to the cells make up the SMM. The DCU provides a flexible serial data interface to the SMM. The PSM provides adequate power to enable one DCU and one SMM to operate simultaneously at the maximum data rate. The SSM was designed to handle asynchronous data rates from dc to 1.024 Mbs with a bit error rate less than 1 error in 10 to the eight power bits. Two versions of the SSM, a serial data memory and a dual parallel data memory were specified using the standard modules. The SSM specification includes requirements for radiation hardness, temperature and mechanical environments, dc magnetic field emission and susceptibility, electromagnetic compatibility, and reliability.

Scalable software architecture for on-line multi-camera video processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camplani, Massimo; Salgado, Luis

2011-03-01

In this paper we present a scalable software architecture for on-line multi-camera video processing, that guarantees a good trade off between computational power, scalability and flexibility. The software system is modular and its main blocks are the Processing Units (PUs), and the Central Unit. The Central Unit works as a supervisor of the running PUs and each PU manages the acquisition phase and the processing phase. Furthermore, an approach to easily parallelize the desired processing application has been presented. In this paper, as case study, we apply the proposed software architecture to a multi-camera system in order to efficiently manage multiple 2D object detection modules in a real-time scenario. System performance has been evaluated under different load conditions such as number of cameras and image sizes. The results show that the software architecture scales well with the number of camera and can easily works with different image formats respecting the real time constraints. Moreover, the parallelization approach can be used in order to speed up the processing tasks with a low level of overhead.

Parallel SCF Adaptor Capture Proteomics Reveals a Role for SCFFBXL17 in NRF2 Activation via BACH1 Repressor Turnover

PubMed Central

Tan, Meng-Kwang Marcus; Lim, Hui-Jun; Bennett, Eric J.; Shi, Yang; Harper, J. Wade

2014-01-01

Modular Cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligases (CRLs) use substrate binding adaptor proteins to specify target ubiquitylation. Many of the ~200 human CRL adaptor proteins remain poorly studied due to a shortage of efficient methods to identify biologically relevant substrates. Here, we report the development of Parallel Adaptor Capture (PAC) proteomics, and its use to systematically identify candidate targets for the leucine-rich repeat family of F-box proteins (FBXLs) that function with SKP1-CUL1-F-box protein (SCF) E3s. In validation experiments, we identify the unstudied F-box protein FBXL17 as a regulator of the NFR2 oxidative stress pathway. We demonstrate that FBXL17 controls the transcription of the NRF2 target HMOX1 via turnover of the transcriptional repressor BACH1 in the absence or presence of extrinsic oxidative stress. This work identifies a role for SCFFBXL17 in controlling the threshold for NRF2-dependent gene activation and provides a framework for elucidating the functions of CRL adaptor proteins. PMID:24035498

Parallel SCF adaptor capture proteomics reveals a role for SCFFBXL17 in NRF2 activation via BACH1 repressor turnover.

PubMed

Tan, Meng-Kwang Marcus; Lim, Hui-Jun; Bennett, Eric J; Shi, Yang; Harper, J Wade

2013-10-10

Modular cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligases (CRLs) use substrate binding adaptor proteins to specify target ubiquitylation. Many of the ~200 human CRL adaptor proteins remain poorly studied due to a shortage of efficient methods to identify biologically relevant substrates. Here, we report the development of parallel adaptor capture (PAC) proteomics and its use to systematically identify candidate targets for the leucine-rich repeat family of F-box proteins (FBXLs) that function with SKP1-CUL1-F-box protein (SCF) E3s. In validation experiments, we identify the unstudied F-box protein FBXL17 as a regulator of the NFR2 oxidative stress pathway. We demonstrate that FBXL17 controls the transcription of the NRF2 target HMOX1 via turnover of the transcriptional repressor BACH1 in the absence or presence of extrinsic oxidative stress. This work identifies a role for SCF(FBXL17) in controlling the threshold for NRF2-dependent gene activation and provides a framework for elucidating the functions of CRL adaptor proteins. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The two parallel photocycles of the Chlamydomonas sensory photoreceptor histidine kinase rhodopsin 1.

PubMed

Luck, Meike; Hegemann, Peter

2017-10-01

Histidine kinase rhodopsins (HKRs) belong to a class of unexplored sensory photoreceptors that share a similar modular architecture. The light sensing rhodopsin domain is covalently linked to signal-transducing modules and in some cases to a C-terminal guanylyl-cyclase effector. In spite of their wide distribution in unicellular organisms, very little is known about their physiological role and mechanistic functioning. We investigated the photochemical properties of the recombinant rhodopsin-fragment of Cr-HKR1 originating from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Our spectroscopic studies revealed an unusual thermal stability of the photoproducts with the deprotonated retinal Schiff base (RSB). Upon UV-irradiation these Rh-UV states with maximal absorbance in the UVA-region (Rh-UV) photochemically convert to stable blue light absorbing rhodopsin (Rh-Bl) with protonated chromophore. The heterogeneity of the sample is based on two parallel photocycles with the chromophore in C 15 =N-syn- or -anti-configuration. This report represents an attempt to decipher the underlying reaction schemes and interconversions of the two coexisting photocycles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

MaMiCo: Software design for parallel molecular-continuum flow simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neumann, Philipp; Flohr, Hanno; Arora, Rahul; Jarmatz, Piet; Tchipev, Nikola; Bungartz, Hans-Joachim

2016-03-01

The macro-micro-coupling tool (MaMiCo) was developed to ease the development of and modularize molecular-continuum simulations, retaining sequential and parallel performance. We demonstrate the functionality and performance of MaMiCo by coupling the spatially adaptive Lattice Boltzmann framework waLBerla with four molecular dynamics (MD) codes: the light-weight Lennard-Jones-based implementation SimpleMD, the node-level optimized software ls1 mardyn, and the community codes ESPResSo and LAMMPS. We detail interface implementations to connect each solver with MaMiCo. The coupling for each waLBerla-MD setup is validated in three-dimensional channel flow simulations which are solved by means of a state-based coupling method. We provide sequential and strong scaling measurements for the four molecular-continuum simulations. The overhead of MaMiCo is found to come at 10%-20% of the total (MD) runtime. The measurements further show that scalability of the hybrid simulations is reached on up to 500 Intel SandyBridge, and more than 1000 AMD Bulldozer compute cores.

Flexible Language Constructs for Large Parallel Programs

DOE PAGES

Rosing, Matt; Schnabel, Robert

1994-01-01

The goal of the research described in this article is to develop flexible language constructs for writing large data parallel numerical programs for distributed memory (multiple instruction multiple data [MIMD]) multiprocessors. Previously, several models have been developed to support synchronization and communication. Models for global synchronization include single instruction multiple data (SIMD), single program multiple data (SPMD), and sequential programs annotated with data distribution statements. The two primary models for communication include implicit communication based on shared memory and explicit communication based on messages. None of these models by themselves seem sufficient to permit the natural and efficient expression ofmore » the variety of algorithms that occur in large scientific computations. In this article, we give an overview of a new language that combines many of these programming models in a clean manner. This is done in a modular fashion such that different models can be combined to support large programs. Within a module, the selection of a model depends on the algorithm and its efficiency requirements. In this article, we give an overview of the language and discuss some of the critical implementation details.« less

The relative efficiency of modular and non-modular networks of different size

PubMed Central

Tosh, Colin R.; McNally, Luke

2015-01-01

Most biological networks are modular but previous work with small model networks has indicated that modularity does not necessarily lead to increased functional efficiency. Most biological networks are large, however, and here we examine the relative functional efficiency of modular and non-modular neural networks at a range of sizes. We conduct a detailed analysis of efficiency in networks of two size classes: ‘small’ and ‘large’, and a less detailed analysis across a range of network sizes. The former analysis reveals that while the modular network is less efficient than one of the two non-modular networks considered when networks are small, it is usually equally or more efficient than both non-modular networks when networks are large. The latter analysis shows that in networks of small to intermediate size, modular networks are much more efficient that non-modular networks of the same (low) connective density. If connective density must be kept low to reduce energy needs for example, this could promote modularity. We have shown how relative functionality/performance scales with network size, but the precise nature of evolutionary relationship between network size and prevalence of modularity will depend on the costs of connectivity. PMID:25631996

A hybrid pulse combining topology utilizing the combination of modularized avalanche transistor Marx circuits, direct pulse adding, and transmission line transformer.

PubMed

Li, Jiangtao; Zhao, Zheng; Sun, Yi; Liu, Yuhao; Ren, Ziyuan; He, Jiaxin; Cao, Hui; Zheng, Minjun

2017-03-01

Numerous applications driven by pulsed voltage require pulses to be with high amplitude, high repetitive frequency, and narrow width, which could be satisfied by utilizing avalanche transistors. The output improvement is severely limited by power capacities of transistors. Pulse combining is an effective approach to increase the output amplitude while still adopting conventional pulse generating modules. However, there are drawbacks in traditional topologies including the saturation tendency of combining efficiency and waveform oscillation. In this paper, a hybrid pulse combining topology was adopted utilizing the combination of modularized avalanche transistor Marx circuits, direct pulse adding, and transmission line transformer. The factors affecting the combining efficiency were determined including the output time synchronization of Marx circuits, and the quantity and position of magnetic cores. The numbers of the parallel modules and the stages were determined by the output characteristics of each combining method. Experimental results illustrated the ability of generating pulses with 2-14 kV amplitude, 7-11 ns width, and a maximum 10 kHz repetitive rate on a matched 50-300 Ω resistive load. The hybrid topology would be a convinced pulse combining method for similar nanosecond pulse generators based on the solid-state switches.

Action-based sensory encoding in spinal sensorimotor circuits.

PubMed

Schouenborg, Jens

2008-01-01

The concept of a modular organisation of the spinal withdrawal reflex circuits has proven to be fundamental for the understanding of how the spinal cord is organised and how the sensorimotor circuits translate sensory information into adequate movement corrections. Recent studies indicate that a task-related body representation is engraved at the network level through learning-dependent mechanisms involving an active probing procedure termed 'somatosensory imprinting' during development. It was found that somatosensory imprinting depends on the tactile input that is associated with spontaneous movements that occur during sleep and results in elimination of erroneous connections and establishment of correct connections. In parallel studies it was found that the strength of the first order tactile synapses in rostrocaudally elongated zones in the adult dorsal horn in the lower lumbar cord is related to the modular organisation of the withdrawal reflexes. Hence, the topographical organisation of the tactile input to this spinal area seems to be action-based rather than a simple body map as previously thought. Far from being innate and adult like at birth, the adult organisation seems to emerge from an initial 'floating' and diffuse body representation with many inappropriate connections through profound activity-dependent rearrangements of afferent synaptic connections. It is suggested that somatosensory imprinting plays a key role in the self-organisation of the spinal cord during development.

A hybrid pulse combining topology utilizing the combination of modularized avalanche transistor Marx circuits, direct pulse adding, and transmission line transformer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jiangtao; Zhao, Zheng; Sun, Yi; Liu, Yuhao; Ren, Ziyuan; He, Jiaxin; Cao, Hui; Zheng, Minjun

2017-03-01

Numerous applications driven by pulsed voltage require pulses to be with high amplitude, high repetitive frequency, and narrow width, which could be satisfied by utilizing avalanche transistors. The output improvement is severely limited by power capacities of transistors. Pulse combining is an effective approach to increase the output amplitude while still adopting conventional pulse generating modules. However, there are drawbacks in traditional topologies including the saturation tendency of combining efficiency and waveform oscillation. In this paper, a hybrid pulse combining topology was adopted utilizing the combination of modularized avalanche transistor Marx circuits, direct pulse adding, and transmission line transformer. The factors affecting the combining efficiency were determined including the output time synchronization of Marx circuits, and the quantity and position of magnetic cores. The numbers of the parallel modules and the stages were determined by the output characteristics of each combining method. Experimental results illustrated the ability of generating pulses with 2-14 kV amplitude, 7-11 ns width, and a maximum 10 kHz repetitive rate on a matched 50-300 Ω resistive load. The hybrid topology would be a convinced pulse combining method for similar nanosecond pulse generators based on the solid-state switches.

BEaTriX, expanded x-ray beam facility for testing modular elements of telescope optics: an update

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelliciari, C.; Spiga, D.; Bonnini, E.; Buffagni, E.; Ferrari, C.; Pareschi, G.; Tagliaferri, G.

2015-09-01

We present in this paper an update on the design of BEaTriX (Beam Expander Testing X-ray facility), an X-ray apparatus to be realized at INAF/OAB and that will generate an expanded, uniform and parallel beam of soft X-rays. BEaTriX will be used to perform the functional tests of X-ray focusing modules of large X-ray optics such as those for the ATHENA X-ray observatory, using the Silicon Pore Optics (SPO) as a baseline technology, and Slumped Glass Optics (SGO) as a possible alternative. Performing the tests in X-rays provides the advantage of an in-situ, at-wavelength quality control of the optical modules produced in series by the industry, performing a selection of the modules with the best angular resolution, and, in the case of SPOs, there is also the interesting possibility to align the parabolic and the hyperbolic stacks directly under X-rays, to minimize the aberrations. However, a parallel beam with divergence below 2 arcsec is necessary in order to measure mirror elements that are expected to reach an angular resolution of about 4 arcsec, since the ATHENA requirement for the entire telescope is 5 arcsec. Such a low divergence over the typical aperture of modular optics would require an X-ray source to be located in a several kilometers long vacuum tube. In contrast, BEaTriX will be compact enough (5 m x 14 m) to be housed in a small laboratory, will produce an expanded X-ray beam 60 mm x 200 mm broad, characterized by a very low divergence (1.5 arcsec HEW), strong polarization, high uniformity, and X-ray energy selectable between 1.5 keV and 4.5 keV. In this work we describe the BEaTriX layout and show a performance simulation for the X-ray energy of 4.5 keV.

Parallel robot for micro assembly with integrated innovative optical 3D-sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hesselbach, Juergen; Ispas, Diana; Pokar, Gero; Soetebier, Sven; Tutsch, Rainer

2002-10-01

Recent advances in the fields of MEMS and MOEMS often require precise assembly of very small parts with an accuracy of a few microns. In order to meet this demand, a new approach using a robot based on parallel mechanisms in combination with a novel 3D-vision system has been chosen. The planar parallel robot structure with 2 DOF provides a high resolution in the XY-plane. It carries two additional serial axes for linear and rotational movement in/about z direction. In order to achieve high precision as well as good dynamic capabilities, the drive concept for the parallel (main) axes incorporates air bearings in combination with a linear electric servo motors. High accuracy position feedback is provided by optical encoders with a resolution of 0.1 μm. To allow for visualization and visual control of assembly processes, a camera module fits into the hollow tool head. It consists of a miniature CCD camera and a light source. In addition a modular gripper support is integrated into the tool head. To increase the accuracy a control loop based on an optoelectronic sensor will be implemented. As a result of an in-depth analysis of different approaches a photogrammetric system using one single camera and special beam-splitting optics was chosen. A pattern of elliptical marks is applied to the surfaces of workpiece and gripper. Using a model-based recognition algorithm the image processing software identifies the gripper and the workpiece and determines their relative position. A deviation vector is calculated and fed into the robot control to guide the gripper.

Moose: An Open-Source Framework to Enable Rapid Development of Collaborative, Multi-Scale, Multi-Physics Simulation Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slaughter, A. E.; Permann, C.; Peterson, J. W.; Gaston, D.; Andrs, D.; Miller, J.

2014-12-01

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL)-developed Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE; www.mooseframework.org), is an open-source, parallel computational framework for enabling the solution of complex, fully implicit multiphysics systems. MOOSE provides a set of computational tools that scientists and engineers can use to create sophisticated multiphysics simulations. Applications built using MOOSE have computed solutions for chemical reaction and transport equations, computational fluid dynamics, solid mechanics, heat conduction, mesoscale materials modeling, geomechanics, and others. To facilitate the coupling of diverse and highly-coupled physical systems, MOOSE employs the Jacobian-free Newton-Krylov (JFNK) method when solving the coupled nonlinear systems of equations arising in multiphysics applications. The MOOSE framework is written in C++, and leverages other high-quality, open-source scientific software packages such as LibMesh, Hypre, and PETSc. MOOSE uses a "hybrid parallel" model which combines both shared memory (thread-based) and distributed memory (MPI-based) parallelism to ensure efficient resource utilization on a wide range of computational hardware. MOOSE-based applications are inherently modular, which allows for simulation expansion (via coupling of additional physics modules) and the creation of multi-scale simulations. Any application developed with MOOSE supports running (in parallel) any other MOOSE-based application. Each application can be developed independently, yet easily communicate with other applications (e.g., conductivity in a slope-scale model could be a constant input, or a complete phase-field micro-structure simulation) without additional code being written. This method of development has proven effective at INL and expedites the development of sophisticated, sustainable, and collaborative simulation tools.

Adaptive multi-resolution Modularity for detecting communities in networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Shi; Wang, Zhi-Zhong; Bao, Mei-Hua; Tang, Liang; Zhou, Ji; Xiang, Ju; Li, Jian-Ming; Yi, Chen-He

2018-02-01

Community structure is a common topological property of complex networks, which attracted much attention from various fields. Optimizing quality functions for community structures is a kind of popular strategy for community detection, such as Modularity optimization. Here, we introduce a general definition of Modularity, by which several classical (multi-resolution) Modularity can be derived, and then propose a kind of adaptive (multi-resolution) Modularity that can combine the advantages of different Modularity. By applying the Modularity to various synthetic and real-world networks, we study the behaviors of the methods, showing the validity and advantages of the multi-resolution Modularity in community detection. The adaptive Modularity, as a kind of multi-resolution method, can naturally solve the first-type limit of Modularity and detect communities at different scales; it can quicken the disconnecting of communities and delay the breakup of communities in heterogeneous networks; and thus it is expected to generate the stable community structures in networks more effectively and have stronger tolerance against the second-type limit of Modularity.

Product modular design incorporating preventive maintenance issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Yicong; Feng, Yixiong; Tan, Jianrong

2016-03-01

Traditional modular design methods lead to product maintenance problems, because the module form of a system is created according to either the function requirements or the manufacturing considerations. For solving these problems, a new modular design method is proposed with the considerations of not only the traditional function related attributes, but also the maintenance related ones. First, modularity parameters and modularity scenarios for product modularity are defined. Then the reliability and economic assessment models of product modularity strategies are formulated with the introduction of the effective working age of modules. A mathematical model used to evaluate the difference among the modules of the product so that the optimal module of the product can be established. After that, a multi-objective optimization problem based on metrics for preventive maintenance interval different degrees and preventive maintenance economics is formulated for modular optimization. Multi-objective GA is utilized to rapidly approximate the Pareto set of optimal modularity strategy trade-offs between preventive maintenance cost and preventive maintenance interval difference degree. Finally, a coordinate CNC boring machine is adopted to depict the process of product modularity. In addition, two factorial design experiments based on the modularity parameters are constructed and analyzed. These experiments investigate the impacts of these parameters on the optimal modularity strategies and the structure of module. The research proposes a new modular design method, which may help to improve the maintainability of product in modular design.

Comparative Study on Various Geometrical Core Design of 300 MWth Gas Cooled Fast Reactor with UN-PuN Fuel Longlife without Refuelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dewi Syarifah, Ratna; Su'ud, Zaki; Basar, Khairul; Irwanto, Dwi

2017-07-01

Nuclear power has progressive improvement in the operating performance of exiting reactors and ensuring economic competitiveness of nuclear electricity around the world. The GFR use gas coolant and fast neutron spectrum. This research use helium coolant which has low neutron moderation, chemical inert and single phase. Comparative study on various geometrical core design for modular GFR with UN-PuN fuel long life without refuelling has been done. The calculation use SRAC2006 code both PIJ calculation and CITATION calculation. The data libraries use JENDL 4.0. The variation of fuel fraction is 40% until 65%. In this research, we varied the geometry of core reactor to find the optimum geometry design. The variation of the geometry design is balance cylinder; it means that the diameter active core (D) same with height active core (H). Second, pancake cylinder (D>H) and third, tall cylinder (D

Teaching: the Wave Mechanics of McLeods' Stringy Electron, Explicit Nucleons, and Through-the-Earth Projections of Constellations' Stick Figures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLeod, Roger David; McLeod, David Matthew

2012-02-01

This shows how Hooke's law, for electron, proton and neutron, 2D and 3D, strings, builds electromagnetic string-waves, extending, and pleasing, Schr"odinger. These are composed of spirally linked, parallel, north-pole oriented, neutrino and antineutrino strings, stable by magnetic repulsions. Their Dumbo Proton is antineutrino-scissor cut, and compressed in the vicinity of a neutron star, where electrostatic marriage occurs with a neutrino-scissor cut, and compressed, electron, so a Mickey Neutron emerges. Strings predict: electron charge is - 1/3 e, Dumbo P is 25 % longer than Mickey N, and Hooke says relaxing springs fuel three, separate, non-eternal, inflations, after Big Bangs. Gravity is strings, longitudinally linked. Einstein says Herman Grid's black diagonals prove human vision reads its information from algebraically-signed electromagnetic field distributions, (diffraction) patterns, easily known by ray-tracing, not requiring difficult Spatial Fourier Transformation. High-schoolers understand its application to Wave Mechanics, agreeing that positive-numbered probabilities do not enter, to possibly displease God. Detected stick-figure forms of constellations: like Phoenix, Leo, Canis Major, and especially Orion, fool some observers into false beliefs in things like UFHumanoids, or Kokopelli, Pele and Pamola!

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

Rouxelin, Pascal Nicolas; Strydom, Gerhard

Best-estimate plus uncertainty analysis of reactors is replacing the traditional conservative (stacked uncertainty) method for safety and licensing analysis. To facilitate uncertainty analysis applications, a comprehensive approach and methodology must be developed and applied. High temperature gas cooled reactors (HTGRs) have several features that require techniques not used in light-water reactor analysis (e.g., coated-particle design and large graphite quantities at high temperatures). The International Atomic Energy Agency has therefore launched the Coordinated Research Project on HTGR Uncertainty Analysis in Modeling to study uncertainty propagation in the HTGR analysis chain. The benchmark problem defined for the prismatic design is represented bymore » the General Atomics Modular HTGR 350. The main focus of this report is the compilation and discussion of the results obtained for various permutations of Exercise I 2c and the use of the cross section data in Exercise II 1a of the prismatic benchmark, which is defined as the last and first steps of the lattice and core simulation phases, respectively. The report summarizes the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) best estimate results obtained for Exercise I 2a (fresh single-fuel block), Exercise I 2b (depleted single-fuel block), and Exercise I 2c (super cell) in addition to the first results of an investigation into the cross section generation effects for the super-cell problem. The two dimensional deterministic code known as the New ESC based Weighting Transport (NEWT) included in the Standardized Computer Analyses for Licensing Evaluation (SCALE) 6.1.2 package was used for the cross section evaluation, and the results obtained were compared to the three dimensional stochastic SCALE module KENO VI. The NEWT cross section libraries were generated for several permutations of the current benchmark super-cell geometry and were then provided as input to the Phase II core calculation of the stand alone neutronics Exercise II 1a. The steady state core calculations were simulated with the INL coupled-code system known as the Parallel and Highly Innovative Simulation for INL Code System (PHISICS) and the system thermal-hydraulics code known as the Reactor Excursion and Leak Analysis Program (RELAP) 5 3D using the nuclear data libraries previously generated with NEWT. It was observed that significant differences in terms of multiplication factor and neutron flux exist between the various permutations of the Phase I super-cell lattice calculations. The use of these cross section libraries only leads to minor changes in the Phase II core simulation results for fresh fuel but shows significantly larger discrepancies for spent fuel cores. Furthermore, large incongruities were found between the SCALE NEWT and KENO VI results for the super cells, and while some trends could be identified, a final conclusion on this issue could not yet be reached. This report will be revised in mid 2016 with more detailed analyses of the super-cell problems and their effects on the core models, using the latest version of SCALE (6.2). The super-cell models seem to show substantial improvements in terms of neutron flux as compared to single-block models, particularly at thermal energies.« less

Target assembly

DOEpatents

Lewis, Richard A.

1980-01-01

A target for a proton beam which is capable of generating neutrons for absorption in a breeding blanket includes a plurality of solid pins formed of a neutron emissive target material disposed parallel to the path of the beam and which are arranged axially in a plurality of layers so that pins in each layer are offset with respect to pins in all other layers, enough layers being used so that each proton in the beam will strike at least one pin with means being provided to cool the pins. For a 300 mA, 1 GeV beam (300 MW), stainless steel pins, 12 inches long and 0.23 inches in diameter are arranged in triangular array in six layers with one sixth of the pins in each layer, the number of pins being such that the entire cross sectional area of the beam is covered by the pins with minimum overlap of pins.

Beam ion acceleration by ICRH in JET discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budny, R. V.; Gorelenkova, M.; Bertelli, N.; JET Collaboration

2015-11-01

The ion Monte-Carlo orbit integrator NUBEAM, used in TRANSP has been enhanced to include an ``RF-kick'' operator to simulate the interaction of RF fields and fast ions. The RF quasi-linear operator (localized in space) uses a second R-Z orbit integrator. We apply this to analysis of recent JET discharges using ICRH with the ITER-like first wall. An example of results for a high performance Hybrid discharge for which standard TRANSP analysis simulated the DD neutron emission rate below measurements, re-analysis using the RF-kick operator results in increased beam parallel and perpendicular energy densities (~=40% and 15% respectively), and increased beam-thermal neutron emission (~= 35%), making the total rate closer to the measurement. Checks of the numerics, comparisons with measurements, and ITER implications will be presented. Supported in part by the US DoE contract DE-AC02-09CH11466 and by EUROfusion No 633053.

Chemical detection system and related methods

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

Caffrey, Augustine J.; Chichester, David L.; Egger, Ann E.

2017-06-27

A chemical detection system includes a frame, an emitter coupled to the frame, and a detector coupled to the frame proximate the emitter. The system also includes a shielding system coupled to the frame and positioned at least partially between the emitter and the detector, wherein the frame positions a sensing surface of the detector in a direction substantially parallel to a plane extending along a front portion of the frame. A method of analyzing composition of a suspect object includes directing neutrons at the object, detecting gamma rays emitted from the object, and communicating spectrometer information regarding the gammamore » rays. The method also includes presenting a GUI to a user with a dynamic status of an ongoing neutron spectroscopy process. The dynamic status includes a present confidence for a plurality of compounds being present in the suspect object responsive to changes in the spectrometer information during the ongoing process.« less

NEUTRONIC REACTOR FUEL ELEMENT AND CORE SYSTEM

DOEpatents

Moore, W.T.

1958-09-01

This patent relates to neutronic reactors and in particular to an improved fuel element and a novel reactor core system for facilitating removal of contaminating fission products, as they are fermed, from association with the flssionable fuel, so as to mitigate the interferent effects of such fission products during reactor operation. The fuel elements are comprised of tubular members impervious to fluid and contatning on their interior surfaces a thin layer of fissionable material providing a central void. The core structure is comprised of a plurality of the tubular fuel elements arranged in parallel and a closed manifold connected to their ends. In the reactor the core structure is dispersed in a water moderator and coolant within a pressure vessel, and a means connected to said manifuld is provided for withdrawing and disposing of mobile fission product contamination from the interior of the feel tubes and manifold.

Polarized Neutron Diffraction to Probe Local Magnetic Anisotropy of a Low-Spin Fe(III) Complex.

PubMed

Ridier, Karl; Mondal, Abhishake; Boilleau, Corentin; Cador, Olivier; Gillon, Béatrice; Chaboussant, Grégory; Le Guennic, Boris; Costuas, Karine; Lescouëzec, Rodrigue

2016-03-14

We have determined by polarized neutron diffraction (PND) the low-temperature molecular magnetic susceptibility tensor of the anisotropic low-spin complex PPh4 [Fe(III) (Tp)(CN)3]⋅H2O. We found the existence of a pronounced molecular easy magnetization axis, almost parallel to the C3 pseudo-axis of the molecule, which also corresponds to a trigonal elongation direction of the octahedral coordination sphere of the Fe(III) ion. The PND results are coherent with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, magnetometry, and ab initio investigations. Through this particular example, we demonstrate the capabilities of PND to provide a unique, direct, and straightforward picture of the magnetic anisotropy and susceptibility tensors, offering a clear-cut way to establish magneto-structural correlations in paramagnetic molecular complexes. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

An object-oriented, coprocessor-accelerated model for ice sheet simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seddik, H.; Greve, R.

2013-12-01

Recently, numerous models capable of modeling the thermo-dynamics of ice sheets have been developed within the ice sheet modeling community. Their capabilities have been characterized by a wide range of features with different numerical methods (finite difference or finite element), different implementations of the ice flow mechanics (shallow-ice, higher-order, full Stokes) and different treatments for the basal and coastal areas (basal hydrology, basal sliding, ice shelves). Shallow-ice models (SICOPOLIS, IcIES, PISM, etc) have been widely used for modeling whole ice sheets (Greenland and Antarctica) due to the relatively low computational cost of the shallow-ice approximation but higher order (ISSM, AIF) and full Stokes (Elmer/Ice) models have been recently used to model the Greenland ice sheet. The advance in processor speed and the decrease in cost for accessing large amount of memory and storage have undoubtedly been the driving force in the commoditization of models with higher capabilities, and the popularity of Elmer/Ice (http://elmerice.elmerfem.com) with an active user base is a notable representation of this trend. Elmer/Ice is a full Stokes model built on top of the multi-physics package Elmer (http://www.csc.fi/english/pages/elmer) which provides the full machinery for the complex finite element procedure and is fully parallel (mesh partitioning with OpenMPI communication). Elmer is mainly written in Fortran 90 and targets essentially traditional processors as the code base was not initially written to run on modern coprocessors (yet adding support for the recently introduced x86 based coprocessors is possible). Furthermore, a truly modular and object-oriented implementation is required for quick adaptation to fast evolving capabilities in hardware (Fortran 2003 provides an object-oriented programming model while not being clean and requiring a tricky refactoring of Elmer code). In this work, the object-oriented, coprocessor-accelerated finite element code Sainou is introduced. Sainou is an Elmer fork which is reimplemented in Objective C and used for experimenting with ice sheet models running on coprocessors, essentially GPU devices. GPUs are highly parallel processors that provide opportunities for fine-grained parallelization of the full Stokes problem using the standard OpenCL language (http://www.khronos.org/opencl/) to access the device. Sainou is built upon a collection of Objective C base classes that service a modular kernel (itself a base class) which provides the core methods to solve the finite element problem. An early implementation of Sainou will be presented with emphasis on the object architecture and the strategies of parallelizations. The computation of a simple heat conduction problem is used to test the implementation which also provides experimental support for running the global matrix assembly on GPU.

Efficient Parallel Algorithms for Landscape Evolution Modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moresi, L. N.; Mather, B.; Beucher, R.

2017-12-01

Landscape erosion and the deposition of sediments by river systems are strongly controlled bytopography, rainfall patterns, and the susceptibility of the basement to the action ofrunning water. It is well understood that each of these processes depends on the other, for example:topography results from active tectonic processes; deformation, metamorphosis andexhumation alter the competence of the basement; rainfall patterns depend on topography;uplift and subsidence in response to tectonic stress can be amplified by erosionand sediment deposition. We typically gain understanding of such coupled systems through forward models which capture theessential interactions of the various components and attempt parameterise those parts of the individual systemthat are unresolvable at the scale of the interaction. Here we address the problem of predicting erosion and deposition rates at a continental scalewith a resolution of tens to hundreds of metres in a dynamic, Lagrangian framework. This isa typical requirement for a code to interface with a mantle / lithosphere dynamics model anddemands an efficient, unstructured, parallel implementation. We address this through a very general algorithm that treats all parts of the landscape evolution equationsin sparse-matrix form including those for stream-flow accumulation, dam-filling and catchment determination. This givesus considerable flexibility in developing unstructured, parallel code, and in creating a modular packagethat can be configured by users to work at different temporal and spatial scales, but is also has potential advantagesin treating the non-linear parts of the problem in a general manner.

Development of modularity in the neural activity of childrenʼs brains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Man; Deem, Michael W.

2015-02-01

We study how modularity of the human brain changes as children develop into adults. Theory suggests that modularity can enhance the response function of a networked system subject to changing external stimuli. Thus, greater cognitive performance might be achieved for more modular neural activity, and modularity might likely increase as children develop. The value of modularity calculated from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data is observed to increase during childhood development and peak in young adulthood. Head motion is deconvolved from the fMRI data, and it is shown that the dependence of modularity on age is independent of the magnitude of head motion. A model is presented to illustrate how modularity can provide greater cognitive performance at short times, i.e. task switching. A fitness function is extracted from the model. Quasispecies theory is used to predict how the average modularity evolves with age, illustrating the increase of modularity during development from children to adults that arises from selection for rapid cognitive function in young adults. Experiments exploring the effect of modularity on cognitive performance are suggested. Modularity may be a potential biomarker for injury, rehabilitation, or disease.

Project Luna Succendo: The Lunar Evolutionary Growth-Optimized (LEGO) Reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bess, John Darrell

A final design has been established for a basic Lunar Evolutionary Growth-Optimized (LEGO) Reactor using current and near-term technologies. The LEGO Reactor is a modular, fast-fission, heatpipe-cooled, clustered-reactor system for lunar-surface power generation. The reactor is divided into subcritical units that can be safely launched within lunar shipments from the Earth, and then emplaced directly into holes drilled into the lunar regolith to form a critical reactor assembly. The regolith would not just provide radiation shielding, but serve as neutron-reflector material as well. The reactor subunits are to be manufactured using proven and tested materials for use in radiation environments, such as uranium-dioxide fuel, stainless-steel cladding and structural support, and liquid-sodium heatpipes. The LEGO Reactor system promotes reliability, safety, and ease of manufacture and testing at the cost of an increase in launch mass per overall rated power level and a reduction in neutron economy when compared to a single-reactor system. A single unshielded LEGO Reactor subunit has an estimated mass of approximately 448 kg and provides 5 kWe using a free-piston Stirling space converter. The overall envelope for a single unit with fully extended radiator panels has a height of 8.77 m and a diameter of 0.50 m. The subunits can be placed with centerline distances of approximately 0.6 m in a hexagonal-lattice pattern to provide sufficient neutronic coupling while allowing room for heat rejection and interstitial control. A lattice of six subunits could provide sufficient power generation throughout the initial stages of establishing a lunar outpost. Portions of the reactor may be neutronically decoupled to allow for reduced power production during unmanned periods of base operations. During later stages of lunar-base development, additional subunits may be emplaced and coupled into the existing LEGO Reactor network Future improvements include advances in reactor control methods, fuel form and matrix, determination of shielding requirements, as well as power conversion and heat rejection techniques to generate an even more competitive LEGO Reactor design. Further modifications in the design could provide power generative opportunities for use on other extraterrestrial surfaces such as Mars, other moons, and asteroids.

Dynamics of modularity of neural activity in the brain during development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deem, Michael; Chen, Man

2014-03-01

Theory suggests that more modular systems can have better response functions at short times. This theory suggests that greater cognitive performance may be achieved for more modular neural activity, and that modularity of neural activity may, therefore, likely increase with development in children. We study the relationship between age and modularity of brain neural activity in developing children. The value of modularity calculated from fMRI data is observed to increase during childhood development and peak in young adulthood. We interpret these results as evidence of selection for plasticity in the cognitive function of the human brain. We present a model to illustrate how modularity can provide greater cognitive performance at short times and enhance fast, low-level, automatic cognitive processes. Conversely, high-level, effortful, conscious cognitive processes may not benefit from modularity. We use quasispecies theory to predict how the average modularity evolves with age, given a fitness function extracted from the model. We suggest further experiments exploring the effect of modularity on cognitive performance and suggest that modularity may be a potential biomarker for injury, rehabilitation, or disease.

DENSITY CONTROL IN A REACTOR

DOEpatents

Marshall, J. Jr.

1961-10-24

A reactor is described in which natural-uranium bodies are located in parallel channels which extend through the graphite mass in a regular lattice. The graphite mass has additional channels that are out of the lattice and contain no uranium. These additional channels decrease in number per unit volume of graphite from the center of the reactor to the exterior and have the effect of reducing the density of the graphite more at the center than at the exterior, thereby spreading neutron activity throughout the reactor. (AEC)

Direct comparison of elastic incoherent neutron scattering experiments with molecular dynamics simulations of DMPC phase transitions.

PubMed

Aoun, Bachir; Pellegrini, Eric; Trapp, Marcus; Natali, Francesca; Cantù, Laura; Brocca, Paola; Gerelli, Yuri; Demé, Bruno; Marek Koza, Michael; Johnson, Mark; Peters, Judith

2016-04-01

Neutron scattering techniques have been employed to investigate 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn -glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) membranes in the form of multilamellar vesicles (MLVs) and deposited, stacked multilamellar-bilayers (MLBs), covering transitions from the gel to the liquid phase. Neutron diffraction was used to characterise the samples in terms of transition temperatures, whereas elastic incoherent neutron scattering (EINS) demonstrates that the dynamics on the sub-macromolecular length-scale and pico- to nano-second time-scale are correlated with the structural transitions through a discontinuity in the observed elastic intensities and the derived mean square displacements. Molecular dynamics simulations have been performed in parallel focussing on the length-, time- and temperature-scales of the neutron experiments. They correctly reproduce the structural features of the main gel-liquid phase transition. Particular emphasis is placed on the dynamical amplitudes derived from experiment and simulations. Two methods are used to analyse the experimental data and mean square displacements. They agree within a factor of 2 irrespective of the probed time-scale, i.e. the instrument utilized. Mean square displacements computed from simulations show a comparable level of agreement with the experimental values, albeit, the best match with the two methods varies for the two instruments. Consequently, experiments and simulations together give a consistent picture of the structural and dynamical aspects of the main lipid transition and provide a basis for future, theoretical modelling of dynamics and phase behaviour in membranes. The need for more detailed analytical models is pointed out by the remaining variation of the dynamical amplitudes derived in two different ways from experiments on the one hand and simulations on the other.

Dose distribution of secondary radiation in a water phantom for a proton pencil beam-EURADOS WG9 intercomparison exercise.

PubMed

Stolarczyk, L; Trinkl, S; Romero-Expósito, M; Mojżeszek, N; Ambrozova, I; Domingo, C; Davídková, M; Farah, J; Kłodowska, M; Knežević, Ž; Liszka, M; Majer, M; Miljanić, S; Ploc, O; Schwarz, M; Harrison, R M; Olko, P

2018-04-19

Systematic 3D mapping of out-of-field doses induced by a therapeutic proton pencil scanning beam in a 300  ×  300  ×  600 mm 3 water phantom was performed using a set of thermoluminescence detectors (TLDs): MTS-7 ( 7 LiF:Mg,Ti), MTS-6 ( 6 LiF:Mg,Ti), MTS-N ( nat LiF:Mg,Ti) and TLD-700 ( 7 LiF:Mg,Ti), radiophotoluminescent (RPL) detectors GD-352M and GD-302M, and polyallyldiglycol carbonate (PADC)-based (C 12 H 18 O 7 ) track-etched detectors. Neutron and gamma-ray doses, as well as linear energy transfer distributions, were experimentally determined at 200 points within the phantom. In parallel, the Geant4 Monte Carlo code was applied to calculate neutron and gamma radiation spectra at the position of each detector. For the cubic proton target volume of 100  ×  100  ×  100 mm 3 (spread out Bragg peak with a modulation of 100 mm) the scattered photon doses along the main axis of the phantom perpendicular to the primary beam were approximately 0.5 mGy Gy -1 at a distance of 100 mm and 0.02 mGy Gy -1 at 300 mm from the center of the target. For the neutrons, the corresponding values of dose equivalent were found to be ~0.7 and ~0.06 mSv Gy -1 , respectively. The measured neutron doses were comparable with the out-of-field neutron doses from a similar experiment with 20 MV x-rays, whereas photon doses for the scanning proton beam were up to three orders of magnitude lower.

Dose distribution of secondary radiation in a water phantom for a proton pencil beam—EURADOS WG9 intercomparison exercise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stolarczyk, L.; Trinkl, S.; Romero-Expósito, M.; Mojżeszek, N.; Ambrozova, I.; Domingo, C.; Davídková, M.; Farah, J.; Kłodowska, M.; Knežević, Ž.; Liszka, M.; Majer, M.; Miljanić, S.; Ploc, O.; Schwarz, M.; Harrison, R. M.; Olko, P.

2018-04-01

Systematic 3D mapping of out-of-field doses induced by a therapeutic proton pencil scanning beam in a 300  ×  300  ×  600 mm3 water phantom was performed using a set of thermoluminescence detectors (TLDs): MTS-7 (7LiF:Mg,Ti), MTS-6 (6LiF:Mg,Ti), MTS-N (natLiF:Mg,Ti) and TLD-700 (7LiF:Mg,Ti), radiophotoluminescent (RPL) detectors GD-352M and GD-302M, and polyallyldiglycol carbonate (PADC)-based (C12H18O7) track-etched detectors. Neutron and gamma-ray doses, as well as linear energy transfer distributions, were experimentally determined at 200 points within the phantom. In parallel, the Geant4 Monte Carlo code was applied to calculate neutron and gamma radiation spectra at the position of each detector. For the cubic proton target volume of 100  ×  100  ×  100 mm3 (spread out Bragg peak with a modulation of 100 mm) the scattered photon doses along the main axis of the phantom perpendicular to the primary beam were approximately 0.5 mGy Gy‑1 at a distance of 100 mm and 0.02 mGy Gy‑1 at 300 mm from the center of the target. For the neutrons, the corresponding values of dose equivalent were found to be ~0.7 and ~0.06 mSv Gy‑1, respectively. The measured neutron doses were comparable with the out-of-field neutron doses from a similar experiment with 20 MV x-rays, whereas photon doses for the scanning proton beam were up to three orders of magnitude lower.

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

Stewart, Gary

The primary objective of this project was to demonstrate the feasibility and reliability of utilizing high-temperature superconducting (HTS) materials in a Transmission Level Superconducting Fault Current Limiter (SFCL) application. During the project, the type of high-temperature superconducting material used evolved from 1 st generation (1G) BSCCO-2212 melt cast bulk high-temperature superconductors to 2 nd generation (2G) YBCO-based high-temperature superconducting tape. The SFCL employed SuperPower's “Matrix” technology, that offers modular features to enable scale up to transmission voltage levels. The SFCL consists of individual modules that contain elements and parallel inductors that assist in carrying the current during the fault. Amore » number of these modules are arranged in an m x n array to form the current-limiting matrix.« less

Multispectral determination of soil moisture-2. [Guymon, Oklahoma and Dalhart, Texas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estes, J. E.; Simonett, D. S. (Principal Investigator); Hajic, E. J.; Hilton, B. M.; Lees, R. D.

1982-01-01

Soil moisture data obtained using scatterometers, modular multispectral scanners and passive microwave radiometers were revised and grouped into four field cover types for statistical anaysis. Guymon data are grouped as alfalfa, bare, milo with rows perpendicular to the field view, and milo viewed parallel to the field of view. Dalhart data are grouped as bare combo, stubble, disked stubble, and corn field. Summary graphs combine selected analyses to compare the effects of field cover. The analysis for each of the cover types is presented in tables and graphs. Other tables show elementary statistics, correlation matrices, and single variable regressions. Selected eigenvectors and factor analyses are included and the highest correlating sensor typs for each location are summarized.

The 'wired' universe of organic chemistry.

PubMed

Grzybowski, Bartosz A; Bishop, Kyle J M; Kowalczyk, Bartlomiej; Wilmer, Christopher E

2009-04-01

The millions of reactions performed and compounds synthesized by organic chemists over the past two centuries connect to form a network larger than the metabolic networks of higher organisms and rivalling the complexity of the World Wide Web. Despite its apparent randomness, the network of chemistry has a well-defined, modular architecture. The network evolves in time according to trends that have not changed since the inception of the discipline, and thus project into chemistry's future. Analysis of organic chemistry using the tools of network theory enables the identification of most 'central' organic molecules, and for the prediction of which and how many molecules will be made in the future. Statistical analyses based on network connectivity are useful in optimizing parallel syntheses, in estimating chemical reactivity, and more.

The Language Grid: supporting intercultural collaboration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishida, T.

2018-03-01

A variety of language resources already exist online. Unfortunately, since many language resources have usage restrictions, it is virtually impossible for each user to negotiate with every language resource provider when combining several resources to achieve the intended purpose. To increase the accessibility and usability of language resources (dictionaries, parallel texts, part-of-speech taggers, machine translators, etc.), we proposed the Language Grid [1]; it wraps existing language resources as atomic services and enables users to create new services by combining the atomic services, and reduces the negotiation costs related to intellectual property rights [4]. Our slogan is “language services from language resources.” We believe that modularization with recombination is the key to creating a full range of customized language environments for various user communities.

Bonsai: an event-based framework for processing and controlling data streams

PubMed Central

Lopes, Gonçalo; Bonacchi, Niccolò; Frazão, João; Neto, Joana P.; Atallah, Bassam V.; Soares, Sofia; Moreira, Luís; Matias, Sara; Itskov, Pavel M.; Correia, Patrícia A.; Medina, Roberto E.; Calcaterra, Lorenza; Dreosti, Elena; Paton, Joseph J.; Kampff, Adam R.

2015-01-01

The design of modern scientific experiments requires the control and monitoring of many different data streams. However, the serial execution of programming instructions in a computer makes it a challenge to develop software that can deal with the asynchronous, parallel nature of scientific data. Here we present Bonsai, a modular, high-performance, open-source visual programming framework for the acquisition and online processing of data streams. We describe Bonsai's core principles and architecture and demonstrate how it allows for the rapid and flexible prototyping of integrated experimental designs in neuroscience. We specifically highlight some applications that require the combination of many different hardware and software components, including video tracking of behavior, electrophysiology and closed-loop control of stimulation. PMID:25904861

The ATHENA telescope and optics status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bavdaz, Marcos; Wille, Eric; Ayre, Mark; Ferreira, Ivo; Shortt, Brian; Fransen, Sebastiaan; Collon, Maximilien; Vacanti, Giuseppe; Barriere, Nicolas; Landgraf, Boris; Haneveld, Jeroen; van Baren, Coen; Zuknik, Karl-Heintz; Della Monica Ferreira, Desiree; Massahi, Sonny; Christensen, Finn; Krumrey, Michael; Burwitz, Vadim; Pareschi, Giovanni; Spiga, Daniele; Valsecchi, Giuseppe; Vernani, Dervis; Oliver, Paul; Seidel, André

2017-08-01

The work on the definition and technological preparation of the ATHENA (Advanced Telescope for High ENergy Astrophysics) mission continues to progress. In parallel to the study of the accommodation of the telescope, many aspects of the X-ray optics are being evolved further. The optics technology chosen for ATHENA is the Silicon Pore Optics (SPO), which hinges on technology spin-in from the semiconductor industry, and uses a modular approach to produce large effective area lightweight telescope optics with a good angular resolution. Both system studies and the technology developments are guided by ESA and implemented in industry, with participation of institutional partners. In this paper an overview of the current status of the telescope optics accommodation and technology development activities is provided.

The TFTR E Parallel B Spectrometer for Mass and Energy Resolved Multi-Ion Charge Exchange Diagnostics

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

A.L. Roquemore; S.S. Medley

1998-01-01

The Charge Exchange Neutral Analyzer diagnostic for the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor was designed to measure the energy distributions of both the thermal ions and the supra thermal populations arising from neutral-beam injection and ion cyclotron radio-frequency heating. These measurements yield the plasma ion temperature, as well as several other plasma parameters necessary to provide an understanding of the plasma condition and the performance of the auxiliary heating methods. For this application, a novel charge-exchange spectrometer using a dee-shaped region of parallel electric and magnetic fields was developed at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The design and performance of thismore » spectrometer is described in detail, including the effects of exposure of the microchannel plate detector to magnetic fields, neutrons, and tritium.« less

Real-time multi-mode neutron multiplicity counter

DOEpatents

Rowland, Mark S; Alvarez, Raymond A

2013-02-26

Embodiments are directed to a digital data acquisition method that collects data regarding nuclear fission at high rates and performs real-time preprocessing of large volumes of data into directly useable forms for use in a system that performs non-destructive assaying of nuclear material and assemblies for mass and multiplication of special nuclear material (SNM). Pulses from a multi-detector array are fed in parallel to individual inputs that are tied to individual bits in a digital word. Data is collected by loading a word at the individual bit level in parallel, to reduce the latency associated with current shift-register systems. The word is read at regular intervals, all bits simultaneously, with no manipulation. The word is passed to a number of storage locations for subsequent processing, thereby removing the front-end problem of pulse pileup. The word is used simultaneously in several internal processing schemes that assemble the data in a number of more directly useable forms. The detector includes a multi-mode counter that executes a number of different count algorithms in parallel to determine different attributes of the count data.

Phonon coupling to dynamic short-range polar order in a relaxor ferroelectric near the morphotropic phase boundary

DOE PAGES

John A. Schneeloch; Xu, Zhijun; Winn, B.; ...

2015-12-28

We report neutron inelastic scattering experiments on single-crystal PbMg 1/3Nb 2/3O 3 doped with 32% PbTiO 3, a relaxor ferroelectric that lies close to the morphotropic phase boundary. When cooled under an electric field E∥ [001] into tetragonal and monoclinic phases, the scattering cross section from transverse acoustic (TA) phonons polarized parallel to E weakens and shifts to higher energy relative to that under zero-field-cooled conditions. Likewise, the scattering cross section from transverse optic (TO) phonons polarized parallel to E weakens for energy transfers 4 ≤ ℏω ≤ 9 meV. However, TA and TO phonons polarized perpendicular to E showmore » no change. This anisotropic field response is similar to that of the diffuse scattering cross section, which, as previously reported, is suppressed when polarized parallel to E but not when polarized perpendicular to E. Lastly, our findings suggest that the lattice dynamics and dynamic short-range polar correlations that give rise to the diffuse scattering are coupled.« less

Modular Courses in British Higher Education: A Critical Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Church, Clive

1975-01-01

The trends towards modular course structures is examined. British conceptions of modularization are compared with American interpretations of modular instruction, the former shown to be concerned almost exclusively with content, the latter attempting more radical changes in students' learning behavior. Rationales for British modular schemes are…

Design and performance of A 3He-free coincidence counter based on parallel plate boron-lined proportional technology

DOE PAGES

Henzlova, D.; Menlove, H. O.; Marlow, J. B.

2015-07-01

Thermal neutron counters utilized and developed for deployment as non-destructive assay (NDA) instruments in the field of nuclear safeguards traditionally rely on 3He-based proportional counting systems. 3He-based proportional counters have provided core NDA detection capabilities for several decades and have proven to be extremely reliable with range of features highly desirable for nuclear facility deployment. Facing the current depletion of 3He gas supply and the continuing uncertainty of options for future resupply, a search for detection technologies that could provide feasible short-term alternative to 3He gas was initiated worldwide. As part of this effort, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) designedmore » and built a 3He-free full scale thermal neutron coincidence counter based on boron-lined proportional technology. The boronlined technology was selected in a comprehensive inter-comparison exercise based on its favorable performance against safeguards specific parameters. This paper provides an overview of the design and initial performance evaluation of the prototype High Level Neutron counter – Boron (HLNB). The initial results suggest that current HLNB design is capable to provide ~80% performance of a selected reference 3He-based coincidence counter (High Level Neutron Coincidence Counter, HLNCC). Similar samples are expected to be measurable in both systems, however, slightly longer measurement times may be anticipated for large samples in HLNB. The initial evaluation helped to identify potential for further performance improvements via additional tailoring of boron-layer thickness.« less

VVER-440 and VVER-1000 reactor dosimetry benchmark - BUGLE-96 versus ALPAN VII.0

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

Duo, J. I.

2011-07-01

Document available in abstract form only, full text of document follows: Analytical results of the vodo-vodyanoi energetichesky reactor-(VVER-) 440 and VVER-1000 reactor dosimetry benchmarks developed from engineering mockups at the Nuclear Research Inst. Rez LR-0 reactor are discussed. These benchmarks provide accurate determination of radiation field parameters in the vicinity and over the thickness of the reactor pressure vessel. Measurements are compared to calculated results with two sets of tools: TORT discrete ordinates code and BUGLE-96 cross-section library versus the newly Westinghouse-developed RAPTOR-M3G and ALPAN VII.0. The parallel code RAPTOR-M3G enables detailed neutron distributions in energy and space in reducedmore » computational time. ALPAN VII.0 cross-section library is based on ENDF/B-VII.0 and is designed for reactor dosimetry applications. It uses a unique broad group structure to enhance resolution in thermal-neutron-energy range compared to other analogous libraries. The comparison of fast neutron (E > 0.5 MeV) results shows good agreement (within 10%) between BUGLE-96 and ALPAN VII.O libraries. Furthermore, the results compare well with analogous results of participants of the REDOS program (2005). Finally, the analytical results for fast neutrons agree within 15% with the measurements, for most locations in all three mockups. In general, however, the analytical results underestimate the attenuation through the reactor pressure vessel thickness compared to the measurements. (authors)« less

A feasibility study on the use of phantoms with statistical lung masses for determining the uncertainty in the dose absorbed by the lung from broad beams of incident photons and neutrons

PubMed Central

Khankook, Atiyeh Ebrahimi; Hakimabad, Hashem Miri

2017-01-01

Abstract Computational models of the human body have gradually become crucial in the evaluation of doses absorbed by organs. However, individuals may differ considerably in terms of organ size and shape. In this study, the authors sought to determine the energy-dependent standard deviations due to lung size of the dose absorbed by the lung during external photon and neutron beam exposures. One hundred lungs with different masses were prepared and located in an adult male International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) reference phantom. Calculations were performed using the Monte Carlo N-particle code version 5 (MCNP5). Variation in the lung mass caused great uncertainty: ~90% for low-energy broad parallel photon beams. However, for high-energy photons, the lung-absorbed dose dependency on the anatomical variation was reduced to <1%. In addition, the results obtained indicated that the discrepancy in the lung-absorbed dose varied from 0.6% to 8% for neutron beam exposure. Consequently, the relationship between absorbed dose and organ volume was found to be significant for low-energy photon sources, whereas for higher energy photon sources the organ-absorbed dose was independent of the organ volume. In the case of neutron beam exposure, the maximum discrepancy (of 8%) occurred in the energy range between 0.1 and 5 MeV. PMID:28077627

Dissociation of modular total hip arthroplasty at the neck-stem interface without dislocation.

PubMed

Kouzelis, A; Georgiou, C S; Megas, P

2012-12-01

Modular femoral and acetabular components are now widely used, but only a few complications related to the modularity itself have been reported. We describe a case of dissociation of the modular total hip arthroplasty (THA) at the femoral neck-stem interface during walking. The possible causes of this dissociation are discussed. Successful treatment was provided with surgical revision and replacement of the modular neck components. Surgeons who use modular components in hip arthroplasties should be aware of possible early complications in which the modularity of the prostheses is the major factor of failure.

Quasispecies theory for evolution of modularity.

PubMed

Park, Jeong-Man; Niestemski, Liang Ren; Deem, Michael W

2015-01-01

Biological systems are modular, and this modularity evolves over time and in different environments. A number of observations have been made of increased modularity in biological systems under increased environmental pressure. We here develop a quasispecies theory for the dynamics of modularity in populations of these systems. We show how the steady-state fitness in a randomly changing environment can be computed. We derive a fluctuation dissipation relation for the rate of change of modularity and use it to derive a relationship between rate of environmental changes and rate of growth of modularity. We also find a principle of least action for the evolved modularity at steady state. Finally, we compare our predictions to simulations of protein evolution and find them to be consistent.

Self-organized modularization in evolutionary algorithms.

PubMed

Dauscher, Peter; Uthmann, Thomas

2005-01-01

The principle of modularization has proven to be extremely successful in the field of technical applications and particularly for Software Engineering purposes. The question to be answered within the present article is whether mechanisms can also be identified within the framework of Evolutionary Computation that cause a modularization of solutions. We will concentrate on processes, where modularization results only from the typical evolutionary operators, i.e. selection and variation by recombination and mutation (and not, e.g., from special modularization operators). This is what we call Self-Organized Modularization. Based on a combination of two formalizations by Radcliffe and Altenberg, some quantitative measures of modularity are introduced. Particularly, we distinguish Built-in Modularity as an inherent property of a genotype and Effective Modularity, which depends on the rest of the population. These measures can easily be applied to a wide range of present Evolutionary Computation models. It will be shown, both theoretically and by simulation, that under certain conditions, Effective Modularity (as defined within this paper) can be a selection factor. This causes Self-Organized Modularization to take place. The experimental observations emphasize the importance of Effective Modularity in comparison with Built-in Modularity. Although the experimental results have been obtained using a minimalist toy model, they can lead to a number of consequences for existing models as well as for future approaches. Furthermore, the results suggest a complex self-amplification of highly modular equivalence classes in the case of respected relations. Since the well-known Holland schemata are just the equivalence classes of respected relations in most Simple Genetic Algorithms, this observation emphasizes the role of schemata as Building Blocks (in comparison with arbitrary subsets of the search space).

[Modular enteral nutrition in pediatrics].

PubMed

Murillo Sanchís, S; Prenafeta Ferré, M T; Sempere Luque, M D

1991-01-01

Modular Enteral Nutrition may be a substitute for Parenteral Nutrition in children with different pathologies. Study of 4 children with different pathologies selected from a group of 40 admitted to the Maternal-Childrens Hospital "Valle de Hebrón" in Barcelona, who received modular enteral nutrition. They were monitored on a daily basis by the Dietician Service. Modular enteral nutrition consists of modules of proteins, peptides, lipids, glucids and mineral salts-vitamins. 1.--Craneo-encephalic traumatisms with loss of consciousness, Feeding with a combination of parenteral nutrition and modular enteral nutrition for 7 days. In view of the tolerance and good results of the modular enteral nutrition, the parenteral nutrition was suspended and modular enteral nutrition alone used up to a total of 43 days. 2.--55% burns with 36 days of hyperproteic modular enteral nutrition together with normal feeding. A more rapid recovery was achieved with an increase in total proteins and albumin. 3.--Persistent diarrhoea with 31 days of modular enteral nutrition, 5 days on parenteral nutrition alone and 8 days on combined parenteral nutrition and modular enteral nutrition. In view of the tolerance and good results of the modular enteral nutrition, the parenteral nutrition was suspended. 4.--Mucoviscidosis with a total of 19 days on modular enteral nutrition, 12 of which were exclusively on modular enteral nutrition and 7 as a night supplement to normal feeding. We administered proteic intakes of up to 20% of the total calorific intake and in concentrations of up to 1.2 calories/ml of the final preparation, always with a good tolerance. Modular enteral nutrition can and should be used as a substitute for parenteral nutrition in children with different pathologies, thus preventing the complications inherent in parenteral nutrition.

Convergent evolution of modularity in metabolic networks through different community structures.

PubMed

Zhou, Wanding; Nakhleh, Luay

2012-09-14

It has been reported that the modularity of metabolic networks of bacteria is closely related to the variability of their living habitats. However, given the dependency of the modularity score on the community structure, it remains unknown whether organisms achieve certain modularity via similar or different community structures. In this work, we studied the relationship between similarities in modularity scores and similarities in community structures of the metabolic networks of 1021 species. Both similarities are then compared against the genetic distances. We revisited the association between modularity and variability of the microbial living environments and extended the analysis to other aspects of their life style such as temperature and oxygen requirements. We also tested both topological and biological intuition of the community structures identified and investigated the extent of their conservation with respect to the taxonomy. We find that similar modularities are realized by different community structures. We find that such convergent evolution of modularity is closely associated with the number of (distinct) enzymes in the organism's metabolome, a consequence of different life styles of the species. We find that the order of modularity is the same as the order of the number of the enzymes under the classification based on the temperature preference but not on the oxygen requirement. Besides, inspection of modularity-based communities reveals that these communities are graph-theoretically meaningful yet not reflective of specific biological functions. From an evolutionary perspective, we find that the community structures are conserved only at the level of kingdoms. Our results call for more investigation into the interplay between evolution and modularity: how evolution shapes modularity, and how modularity affects evolution (mainly in terms of fitness and evolvability). Further, our results call for exploring new measures of modularity and network communities that better correspond to functional categorizations.

Development and construction of a neutron beam line for accelerator-based boron neutron capture synovectomy.

PubMed

Gierga, D P; Yanch, J C; Shefer, R E

2000-01-01

A potential application of the 10B(n, alpha)7Li nuclear reaction for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, termed Boron Neutron Capture Synovectomy (BNCS), is under investigation. In an arthritic joint, the synovial lining becomes inflamed and is a source of great pain and discomfort for the afflicted patient. The goal of BNCS is to ablate the synovium, thereby eliminating the symptoms of the arthritis. A BNCS treatment would consist of an intra-articular injection of boron followed by neutron irradiation of the joint. Monte Carlo radiation transport calculations have been used to develop an accelerator-based epithermal neutron beam line for BNCS treatments. The model includes a moderator/reflector assembly, neutron producing target, target cooling system, and arthritic joint phantom. Single and parallel opposed beam irradiations have been modeled for the human knee, human finger, and rabbit knee joints. Additional reflectors, placed to the side and back of the joint, have been added to the model and have been shown to improve treatment times and skin doses by about a factor of 2. Several neutron-producing charged particle reactions have been examined for BNCS, including the 9Be(p,n) reaction at proton energies of 4 and 3.7 MeV, the 9Be(d,n) reaction at deuteron energies of 1.5 and 2.6 MeV, and the 7Li(p,n) reaction at a proton energy of 2.5 MeV. For an accelerator beam current of 1 mA and synovial boron uptake of 1000 ppm, the time to deliver a therapy dose of 10,000 RBEcGy ranges from 3 to 48 min, depending on the treated joint and the neutron producing charged particle reaction. The whole-body effective dose that a human would incur during a knee treatment has been estimated to be 3.6 rem or 0.75 rem, for 1000 ppm or 19,000 ppm synovial boron uptake, respectively, although the shielding configuration has not yet been optimized. The Monte Carlo design process culminated in the construction, installation, and testing of a dedicated BNCS beam line on the high-current tandem electrostatic accelerator at the Laboratory for Accelerator Beam Applications at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Implicit Contractive Mappings in Modular Metric and Fuzzy Metric Spaces

PubMed Central

Hussain, N.; Salimi, P.

2014-01-01

The notion of modular metric spaces being a natural generalization of classical modulars over linear spaces like Lebesgue, Orlicz, Musielak-Orlicz, Lorentz, Orlicz-Lorentz, and Calderon-Lozanovskii spaces was recently introduced. In this paper we investigate the existence of fixed points of generalized α-admissible modular contractive mappings in modular metric spaces. As applications, we derive some new fixed point theorems in partially ordered modular metric spaces, Suzuki type fixed point theorems in modular metric spaces and new fixed point theorems for integral contractions. In last section, we develop an important relation between fuzzy metric and modular metric and deduce certain new fixed point results in triangular fuzzy metric spaces. Moreover, some examples are provided here to illustrate the usability of the obtained results. PMID:25003157

Modular Power Standard for Space Explorations Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oeftering, Richard C.; Gardner, Brent G.

2016-01-01

Future human space exploration will most likely be composed of assemblies of multiple modular spacecraft elements with interconnected electrical power systems. An electrical system composed of a standardized set modular building blocks provides significant development, integration, and operational cost advantages. The modular approach can also provide the flexibility to configure power systems to meet the mission needs. A primary goal of the Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Modular Power System (AMPS) project is to establish a Modular Power Standard that is needed to realize these benefits. This paper is intended to give the space exploration community a "first look" at the evolving Modular Power Standard and invite their comments and technical contributions.

Advanced medium-voltage bidirectional dc-dc conversion systems for future electric energy delivery and management systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Haifeng

2011-12-01

The distributed renewable energy generation and utilization are constantly growing, and are expected to be integrated with the conventional grid. The growing pressure for innovative solutions will demand power electronics to take an even larger role in future electric energy delivery and management systems, since power electronics are required for the conversion and control of electric energy by most dispersed generation systems Furthermore, power electronics systems can provide additional intelligent energy management, grid stability and power quality capabilities. Medium-voltage isolated dc-dc converter will become one of the key interfaces for grid components with moderate power ratings. To address the demand of medium voltage (MV) and high power capability for future electric energy delivery and management systems, the power electronics community and industry have been reacting in two different ways: developing semiconductor technology or directly connecting devices in series/parallel to reach higher nominal voltages and currents while maintaining conventional converter topologies; and by developing new converter topologies with traditional semiconductor technology, known as multilevel converters or modular converters. The modular approach uses the well-known, mature, and cheaper power semiconductor devices by adopting new converter topologies. The main advantages of the modular approach include: significant improvement in reliability by introducing desired level of redundancy; standardization of components leading to reduction in manufacturing cost and time; power systems can be easily reconfigured to support varying input-output specifications; and possibly higher efficiency and power density of the overall system. Input-series output-parallel (ISOP) modular configuration is a good choice to realize MV to low voltage (LV) conversion for utility application. However, challenges still remain. First of all, for the high-frequency MV utility application, the low switching loss and conduction loss are must-haves for high efficiency, while bidirectional power flow capability is a must for power management requirement. To address the demand, the phase-shift dual-halfbridge (DHB) is proposed as the constituent module of ISOP configuration for MV application. The proposed ISOP DHB converter employs zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) technique combined with LV MOSFETs to achieve low switching and conduction losses under high frequency operation, and therefore high efficiency and high power density, and bidirectional power flow as well. Secondly, a large load range of high efficiency is desired rather than only a specific load point due to the continuous operation and large load variation range of utility application, which is of high importance because of the rising energy cost. This work proposes a novel DHB converter with an adaptive commutation inductor. By utilizing an adaptive inductor as the main energy transfer element, the output power can be controlled by not only the phase shift but also the commutation inductance, which allows the circulating energy to be optimized for different load conditions to maintain ZVS under light load conditions and minimize additional conduction losses under heavy load conditions as well. As a result, the efficiency at both light and heavy load can be significantly improved compared with the conventional DHB converter, and therefore extended high-efficiency range can be achieved. In addition, current stress of switch devices can be reduced. The theoretical analysis is presented and validated by the experimental results on a 50 kHz, 1 kW dc-dc converter module. Thirdly, input-voltage sharing and output-current sharing are critical to assure the advantages of the ISOP modular configuration. To solve this issue, an identically distributed control scheme is proposed in this work. The proposed control scheme, using only one distributed voltage loop to realize both input-voltage and output-current sharing, provides plug-and-play capability, possible high-level fault tolerance, and easy implementation. Another unique advantage of the proposed ISOP DHB converter is the power rating can be easily extended further by directly connecting multiple ISOP DHB converters in input-parallel-outparallel (IPOP) while no additional control is needed. The proposed control scheme is elaborated using the large-signal average model. Further, the stability of the control schemes is analyzed in terms of the constituent modules' topology as well as the configuration, and then an important fact that the stability of control scheme depends on not only the configuration but also the constituent module topology is first revealed in this work. Finally, the simulation and experimental results of an ISOP DHB converter consisting of three modules are presented to verify the proposed control scheme and the high frequency high efficiency operation.

Role of nuclear grade graphite in controlling oxidation in modular HTGRs

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

Windes, Willaim; Strydom, G.; Kane, J.

2014-11-01

The passively safe High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) design is one of the primary concepts considered for Generation IV and Small Modular Reactor (SMR) programs. The helium cooled, nuclear grade graphite moderated core achieves extremely high operating temperatures allowing either industrial process heat or electricity generation at high efficiencies. In addition to their neutron moderating properties, nuclear grade graphite core components provide excellent high temperature stability, thermal conductivity, and chemical compatibility with the high temperature nuclear fuel form. Graphite has been continuously used in nuclear reactors since the 1940’s and has performed remarkably well over a wide range of coremore » environments and operating conditions. Graphite moderated, gas-cooled reactor designs have been safely used for research and power production purposes in multiple countries since the inception of nuclear energy development. However, graphite is a carbonaceous material, and this has generated a persistent concern that the graphite components could actually burn during either normal or accident conditions [ , ]. The common assumption is that graphite, since it is ostensibly similar to charcoal and coal, will burn in a similar manner. While charcoal and coal may have the appearance of graphite, the internal microstructure and impurities within these carbonaceous materials are very different. Volatile species and trapped moisture provide a source of oxygen within coal and charcoal allowing them to burn. The fabrication process used to produce nuclear grade graphite eliminates these oxidation enhancing impurities, creating a dense, highly ordered form of carbon possessing high thermal diffusivity and strongly (covalently) bonded atoms.« less

Visualization of Octree Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) in Astrophysical Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Labadens, M.; Chapon, D.; Pomaréde, D.; Teyssier, R.

2012-09-01

Computer simulations are important in current cosmological research. Those simulations run in parallel on thousands of processors, and produce huge amount of data. Adaptive mesh refinement is used to reduce the computing cost while keeping good numerical accuracy in regions of interest. RAMSES is a cosmological code developed by the Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (English: Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission) which uses Octree adaptive mesh refinement. Compared to grid based AMR, the Octree AMR has the advantage to fit very precisely the adaptive resolution of the grid to the local problem complexity. However, this specific octree data type need some specific software to be visualized, as generic visualization tools works on Cartesian grid data type. This is why the PYMSES software has been also developed by our team. It relies on the python scripting language to ensure a modular and easy access to explore those specific data. In order to take advantage of the High Performance Computer which runs the RAMSES simulation, it also uses MPI and multiprocessing to run some parallel code. We would like to present with more details our PYMSES software with some performance benchmarks. PYMSES has currently two visualization techniques which work directly on the AMR. The first one is a splatting technique, and the second one is a custom ray tracing technique. Both have their own advantages and drawbacks. We have also compared two parallel programming techniques with the python multiprocessing library versus the use of MPI run. The load balancing strategy has to be smartly defined in order to achieve a good speed up in our computation. Results obtained with this software are illustrated in the context of a massive, 9000-processor parallel simulation of a Milky Way-like galaxy.

The Data Transfer Kit: A geometric rendezvous-based tool for multiphysics data transfer

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

Slattery, S. R.; Wilson, P. P. H.; Pawlowski, R. P.

2013-07-01

The Data Transfer Kit (DTK) is a software library designed to provide parallel data transfer services for arbitrary physics components based on the concept of geometric rendezvous. The rendezvous algorithm provides a means to geometrically correlate two geometric domains that may be arbitrarily decomposed in a parallel simulation. By repartitioning both domains such that they have the same geometric domain on each parallel process, efficient and load balanced search operations and data transfer can be performed at a desirable algorithmic time complexity with low communication overhead relative to other types of mapping algorithms. With the increased development efforts in multiphysicsmore » simulation and other multiple mesh and geometry problems, generating parallel topology maps for transferring fields and other data between geometric domains is a common operation. The algorithms used to generate parallel topology maps based on the concept of geometric rendezvous as implemented in DTK are described with an example using a conjugate heat transfer calculation and thermal coupling with a neutronics code. In addition, we provide the results of initial scaling studies performed on the Jaguar Cray XK6 system at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for a worse-case-scenario problem in terms of algorithmic complexity that shows good scaling on 0(1 x 104) cores for topology map generation and excellent scaling on 0(1 x 105) cores for the data transfer operation with meshes of O(1 x 109) elements. (authors)« less

Configurable double-sided modular jet impingement assemblies for electronics cooling

DOEpatents

Zhou, Feng; Dede, Ercan Mehmet

2018-05-22

A modular jet impingement assembly includes an inlet tube fluidly coupled to a fluid inlet, an outlet tube fluidly coupled to a fluid outlet, and a modular manifold having a first distribution recess extending into a first side of the modular manifold, a second distribution recess extending into a second side of the modular manifold, a plurality of inlet connection tubes positioned at an inlet end of the modular manifold, and a plurality of outlet connection tubes positioned at an outlet end of the modular manifold. A first manifold insert is removably positioned within the first distribution recess, a second manifold insert is removably positioned within the second distribution recess, and a first and second heat transfer plate each removably coupled to the modular manifold. The first and second heat transfer plates each comprise an impingement surface.

[Methodological approach to designing a telecare system for pre-dialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients].

PubMed

Calvillo-Arbizu, Jorge; Roa-Romero, Laura M; Milán-Martín, José A; Aresté-Fosalba, Nuria; Tornero-Molina, Fernando; Macía-Heras, Manuel; Vega-Díaz, Nicanor

2014-01-01

A major obstacle that hinders the implementation of technological solutions in healthcare is the rejection of developed systems by users (healthcare professionals and patients), who consider that they do not adapt to their real needs. (1) To design technological architecture for the telecare of nephrological patients by applying a methodology that prioritises the involvement of users (professionals and patients) throughout the design and development process; (2) to show how users' needs can be determined and addressed by means of technology, increasing the acceptance level of the final systems. In order to determine the main current needs in Nephrology, a group of Spanish Nephrology Services was involved. Needs were recorded through semi-structured interviews with the medical team and questionnaires for professionals and patients. A set of requirements were garnered from professionals and patients. In parallel, the group of biomedical engineers identified requirements for patient telecare from a technological perspective. All of these requirements drove the design of modular architecture for the telecare of peritoneal dialysis and pre-dialysis patients. This work shows how it is possible to involve users in the whole process of design and development of a system. The result of this work is the design of adaptable modular architecture for the telecare of nephrological patients and it addresses the preferences and needs of patient and professional users consulted.

Gravitational waves: search results, data analysis and parameter estimation: Amaldi 10 Parallel session C2.

PubMed

Astone, Pia; Weinstein, Alan; Agathos, Michalis; Bejger, Michał; Christensen, Nelson; Dent, Thomas; Graff, Philip; Klimenko, Sergey; Mazzolo, Giulio; Nishizawa, Atsushi; Robinet, Florent; Schmidt, Patricia; Smith, Rory; Veitch, John; Wade, Madeline; Aoudia, Sofiane; Bose, Sukanta; Calderon Bustillo, Juan; Canizares, Priscilla; Capano, Colin; Clark, James; Colla, Alberto; Cuoco, Elena; Da Silva Costa, Carlos; Dal Canton, Tito; Evangelista, Edgar; Goetz, Evan; Gupta, Anuradha; Hannam, Mark; Keitel, David; Lackey, Benjamin; Logue, Joshua; Mohapatra, Satyanarayan; Piergiovanni, Francesco; Privitera, Stephen; Prix, Reinhard; Pürrer, Michael; Re, Virginia; Serafinelli, Roberto; Wade, Leslie; Wen, Linqing; Wette, Karl; Whelan, John; Palomba, C; Prodi, G

The Amaldi 10 Parallel Session C2 on gravitational wave (GW) search results, data analysis and parameter estimation included three lively sessions of lectures by 13 presenters, and 34 posters. The talks and posters covered a huge range of material, including results and analysis techniques for ground-based GW detectors, targeting anticipated signals from different astrophysical sources: compact binary inspiral, merger and ringdown; GW bursts from intermediate mass binary black hole mergers, cosmic string cusps, core-collapse supernovae, and other unmodeled sources; continuous waves from spinning neutron stars; and a stochastic GW background. There was considerable emphasis on Bayesian techniques for estimating the parameters of coalescing compact binary systems from the gravitational waveforms extracted from the data from the advanced detector network. This included methods to distinguish deviations of the signals from what is expected in the context of General Relativity.

Gravitational Waves: Search Results, Data Analysis and Parameter Estimation. Amaldi 10 Parallel Session C2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Astone, Pia; Weinstein, Alan; Agathos, Michalis; Bejger, Michal; Christensen, Nelson; Dent, Thomas; Graff, Philip; Klimenko, Sergey; Mazzolo, Giulio; Nishizawa, Atsushi

2015-01-01

The Amaldi 10 Parallel Session C2 on gravitational wave(GW) search results, data analysis and parameter estimation included three lively sessions of lectures by 13 presenters, and 34 posters. The talks and posters covered a huge range of material, including results and analysis techniques for ground-based GW detectors, targeting anticipated signals from different astrophysical sources: compact binary inspiral, merger and ringdown; GW bursts from intermediate mass binary black hole mergers, cosmic string cusps, core-collapse supernovae, and other unmodeled sources; continuous waves from spinning neutron stars; and a stochastic GW background. There was considerable emphasis on Bayesian techniques for estimating the parameters of coalescing compact binary systems from the gravitational waveforms extracted from the data from the advanced detector network. This included methods to distinguish deviations of the signals from what is expected in the context of General Relativity.

Fast Monte Carlo simulation of a dispersive sample on the SEQUOIA spectrometer at the SNS

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

Granroth, Garrett E; Chen, Meili; Kohl, James Arthur

2007-01-01

Simulation of an inelastic scattering experiment, with a sample and a large pixilated detector, usually requires days of time because of finite processor speeds. We report simulations on an SNS (Spallation Neutron Source) instrument, SEQUOIA, that reduce the time to less than 2 hours by using parallelization and the resources of the TeraGrid. SEQUOIA is a fine resolution (∆E/Ei ~ 1%) chopper spectrometer under construction at the SNS. It utilizes incident energies from Ei = 20 meV to 2 eV and will have ~ 144,000 detector pixels covering 1.6 Sr of solid angle. The full spectrometer, including a 1-D dispersivemore » sample, has been simulated using the Monte Carlo package McStas. This paper summarizes the method of parallelization for and results from these simulations. In addition, limitations of and proposed improvements to current analysis software will be discussed.« less

ISCE: A Modular, Reusable Library for Scalable SAR/InSAR Processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agram, P. S.; Lavalle, M.; Gurrola, E. M.; Sacco, G. F.; Rosen, P. A.

2016-12-01

Traditional community SAR/InSAR processing software tools have primarily focused on differential interferometry and Solid Earth applications. The InSAR Scientific Computing Environment (ISCE) was specifically designed to support the Earth Sciences user community as well as large scale operational processing tasks, thanks to its two-layered (Python+C/Fortran) architecture and modular framework. ISCE is freely distributed as a source tarball, allowing advanced users to modify and extend it for their research purposes and developing exploratory applications, while providing a relatively simple user interface for novice users to perform routine data analysis efficiently. Modular design of the ISCE library also enables easier development of applications to address the needs of Ecosystems, Cryosphere and Disaster Response communities in addition to the traditional Solid Earth applications. In this talk, we would like to emphasize the broader purview of the ISCE library and some of its unique features that sets it apart from other freely available community software like GMTSAR and DORIS, including: Support for multiple geometry regimes - Native Doppler (ALOS-1) as well Zero Doppler (ESA missions) systems. Support for data acquired by airborne platforms - e.g, JPL's UAVSAR and AirMOSS, DLR's F-SAR. Radiometric Terrain Correction - Auxiliary output layers from the geometry modules include projection angles, incidence angles, shadow-layover masks. Dense pixel offsets - Parallelized amplitude cross correlation for cryosphere / ionospheric correction applications. Rubber sheeting - Pixel-by-pixel offsets fields for resampling slave imagery for geometric co-registration/ ionospheric corrections. Preliminary Tandem-X processing support - Bistatic geometry modules. Extensibility to support other non-Solid Earth missions - Modules can be directly adopted for use with other SAR missions, e.g., SWOT. Preliminary support for multi-dimensional data products- multi-polarization, multi-frequency, multi-temporal, multi-baseline stacks via the PLANT and GIAnT toolboxes. Rapid prototyping - Geometry manipulation functionality at the python level allows users to prototype and test processing modules at the interpreter level before optimal implementation in C/C++/Fortran.

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

Michael Viola, J. Edwards, T. Brown, L. Dudek, R. Ellis, P. Heitzenroeder, R. Strykowsky and Michael Cole

The National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX) was a collaborative effort between ORNL and PPPL. PPPL provided the assembly techniques with guidance from ORNL to meet design criteria. The individual vacuum vessel segments, modular coils, trim coils, and toroidal field coils components were delivered to the Field Period Assembly (FPA) crew who then would complete the component assemblies and then assemble the final three field period assemblies, each consisting of two sets of three modular coils assembled over a 120o vacuum vessel segment with the trim coils and toroidal field coils providing the outer layer. The requirements for positioning the modularmore » coils were found to be most demanding. The assembly tolerances required for accurate positioning of the field coil windings in order to generate sufficiently accurate magnetic fields strained state of the art techniques in metrology and alignment and required constant monitoring of assembly steps with laser trackers, measurement arms, and photogrammetry. The FPA activities were being performed concurrently while engineering challenges were being resolved. For example, it was determined that high friction electrically isolated shims were needed between the modular coil interface joints and low distortion welding was required in the nose region of those joints. This took months of analysis and development yet the assembly was not significantly impacted because other assembly tasks could be performed in parallel with ongoing assembly tasks as well as tasks such as advance tooling setup preparation for the eventual welding tasks. The crew technicians developed unique, accurate time saving techniques and tooling which provided significant cost and schedule savings. Project management displayed extraordinary foresight and every opportunity to gain advanced knowledge and develop techniques was taken advantage of. Despite many risk concerns, the cost and schedule performance index was maintained nearly 1.0 during the assembly phase until project cancellation. In this paper, the assembly logic, the engineering challenges, solutions to those challenges and some of the unique and clever assembly techniques, will be presented.« less

For AAPT: Teaching the Wave Mechanics of McLeods' Stringy Electron, Explicit Nucleons, and Through-the-Earth Projections of Constellations' Stick Figures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLeod, David Matthew

2011-11-01

McLeods' NEF11#22 submission is from their same-title INVITED presentation at Frontiers in Optics 2011, San Jose, CA. It shows how Hooke's law for electron, proton and neutron strings build electromagnetic waves from strings. These are composed of spirally linked, parallel, north-pole oriented, neutrino and antineutrino strings, stable because of magnetic repulsions. Their Dumbo Proton is antineutrino-scissor cut, and compressed in the vicinity of a neutron star, where electrostatic marriage occurs with a neutrino-scissor cut, and compressed, electron, so a Mickey Neutron emerges. Strings then predict electron charge is -- 1/3 e, Dumbo P is 25 % longer than Mickey N, and Hooke says relaxing springs fuel three separate inflations after each Big Bang oscillation. Gravity can be strings longitudinally linked. Einstein says Herman Grid's black diagonals prove human vision reads its information from algebraically-signed electromagnetic field diffraction patterns known by ray-tracing, not difficult Spatial Fourier Transformation. High-schoolers understand its application to Wave Mechanics, and agree that positive-numbered probabilities do not enter to possibly displease God. Stick figure constellations detected, like Phoenix, Leo, Canis Major, and especially Orion, fool some observers into false beliefs in things like UFHumanoids, or Kokopelli, Pele and Pamola!

A Signature Distinguishing Fissile From Non-Fissile Materials Using Linearly Polarized Gamma Rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller, J. M.; Ahmed, M. W.; Karwowski, H. J.; Myers, L. S.; Sikora, M. H.; Stave, S.; Tompkins, J. R.; Zimmerman, W. R.; Weller, H. R.

2013-04-01

Photofission of ^233,235,238U, ^239,240Pu, and ^232Th was induced by nearly 100% linearly polarized, high intensity (˜10^7 γs per second), and nearly-monoenergetic γ-ray beams of energies between 5.6 and 7.3 MeV at the High Intensity γ-ray Source (HIγS). An array of 18 liquid scintillating detectors was used to measure prompt fission neutron angular distributions. The ratio of prompt fission neutron yields parallel to the plane of beam polarization to the yields perpendicular to this plane was measured as a function of beam and neutron energy, as described in a recent publication showing results from ^235,238U, ^239Pu, and ^232Th [1]. A ratio near unity was found for ^233,235U and ^239Pu while a significant ratio (˜1.5-3) was found for ^238U, ^240Pu, and ^232Th. This large difference could be used to distinguish fissile isotopes (such as ^233,235U and ^239Pu) from non-fissile isotopes (such as ^238U, ^240Pu, and ^232Th). Polarization ratios as a function of the relative abundance of fissile to non-fissile isotopes will be presented. [4pt] [1] J. M. Mueller et al., Phys. Rev. C 85, 014605 (2012).

Magnetic small-angle neutron scattering of bulk ferromagnets.

PubMed

Michels, Andreas

2014-09-24

We summarize recent theoretical and experimental work in the field of magnetic small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) of bulk ferromagnets. The response of the magnetization to spatially inhomogeneous magnetic anisotropy and magnetostatic stray fields is computed using linearized micromagnetic theory, and the ensuing spin-misalignment SANS is deduced. Analysis of experimental magnetic-field-dependent SANS data of various nanocrystalline ferromagnets corroborates the usefulness of the approach, which provides important quantitative information on the magnetic-interaction parameters such as the exchange-stiffness constant, the mean magnetic anisotropy field, and the mean magnetostatic field due to jumps ΔM of the magnetization at internal interfaces. Besides the value of the applied magnetic field, it turns out to be the ratio of the magnetic anisotropy field Hp to ΔM, which determines the properties of the magnetic SANS cross-section of bulk ferromagnets; specifically, the angular anisotropy on a two-dimensional detector, the asymptotic power-law exponent, and the characteristic decay length of spin-misalignment fluctuations. For the two most often employed scattering geometries where the externally applied magnetic field H0 is either perpendicular or parallel to the wave vector k0 of the incoming neutron beam, we provide a compilation of the various unpolarized, half-polarized (SANSPOL), and uniaxial fully-polarized (POLARIS) SANS cross-sections of magnetic materials.

Development of an integrated thermal-hydraulics capability incorporating RELAP5 and PANTHER neutronics code

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

Page, R.; Jones, J.R.

1997-07-01

Ensuring that safety analysis needs are met in the future is likely to lead to the development of new codes and the further development of existing codes. It is therefore advantageous to define standards for data interfaces and to develop software interfacing techniques which can readily accommodate changes when they are made. Defining interface standards is beneficial but is necessarily restricted in application if future requirements are not known in detail. Code interfacing methods are of particular relevance with the move towards automatic grid frequency response operation where the integration of plant dynamic, core follow and fault study calculation toolsmore » is considered advantageous. This paper describes the background and features of a new code TALINK (Transient Analysis code LINKage program) used to provide a flexible interface to link the RELAP5 thermal hydraulics code with the PANTHER neutron kinetics and the SIBDYM whole plant dynamic modelling codes used by Nuclear Electric. The complete package enables the codes to be executed in parallel and provides an integrated whole plant thermal-hydraulics and neutron kinetics model. In addition the paper discusses the capabilities and pedigree of the component codes used to form the integrated transient analysis package and the details of the calculation of a postulated Sizewell `B` Loss of offsite power fault transient.« less

The Development of WARP - A Framework for Continuous Energy Monte Carlo Neutron Transport in General 3D Geometries on GPUs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergmann, Ryan

Graphics processing units, or GPUs, have gradually increased in computational power from the small, job-specific boards of the early 1990s to the programmable powerhouses of today. Compared to more common central processing units, or CPUs, GPUs have a higher aggregate memory bandwidth, much higher floating-point operations per second (FLOPS), and lower energy consumption per FLOP. Because one of the main obstacles in exascale computing is power consumption, many new supercomputing platforms are gaining much of their computational capacity by incorporating GPUs into their compute nodes. Since CPU-optimized parallel algorithms are not directly portable to GPU architectures (or at least not without losing substantial performance), transport codes need to be rewritten to execute efficiently on GPUs. Unless this is done, reactor simulations cannot take full advantage of these new supercomputers. WARP, which can stand for ``Weaving All the Random Particles,'' is a three-dimensional (3D) continuous energy Monte Carlo neutron transport code developed in this work as to efficiently implement a continuous energy Monte Carlo neutron transport algorithm on a GPU. WARP accelerates Monte Carlo simulations while preserving the benefits of using the Monte Carlo Method, namely, very few physical and geometrical simplifications. WARP is able to calculate multiplication factors, flux tallies, and fission source distributions for time-independent problems, and can run in both criticality or fixed source modes. WARP can transport neutrons in unrestricted arrangements of parallelepipeds, hexagonal prisms, cylinders, and spheres. WARP uses an event-based algorithm, but with some important differences. Moving data is expensive, so WARP uses a remapping vector of pointer/index pairs to direct GPU threads to the data they need to access. The remapping vector is sorted by reaction type after every transport iteration using a high-efficiency parallel radix sort, which serves to keep the reaction types as contiguous as possible and removes completed histories from the transport cycle. The sort reduces the amount of divergence in GPU ``thread blocks,'' keeps the SIMD units as full as possible, and eliminates using memory bandwidth to check if a neutron in the batch has been terminated or not. Using a remapping vector means the data access pattern is irregular, but this is mitigated by using large batch sizes where the GPU can effectively eliminate the high cost of irregular global memory access. WARP modifies the standard unionized energy grid implementation to reduce memory traffic. Instead of storing a matrix of pointers indexed by reaction type and energy, WARP stores three matrices. The first contains cross section values, the second contains pointers to angular distributions, and a third contains pointers to energy distributions. This linked list type of layout increases memory usage, but lowers the number of data loads that are needed to determine a reaction by eliminating a pointer load to find a cross section value. Optimized, high-performance GPU code libraries are also used by WARP wherever possible. The CUDA performance primitives (CUDPP) library is used to perform the parallel reductions, sorts and sums, the CURAND library is used to seed the linear congruential random number generators, and the OptiX ray tracing framework is used for geometry representation. OptiX is a highly-optimized library developed by NVIDIA that automatically builds hierarchical acceleration structures around user-input geometry so only surfaces along a ray line need to be queried in ray tracing. WARP also performs material and cell number queries with OptiX by using a point-in-polygon like algorithm. WARP has shown that GPUs are an effective platform for performing Monte Carlo neutron transport with continuous energy cross sections. Currently, WARP is the most detailed and feature-rich program in existence for performing continuous energy Monte Carlo neutron transport in general 3D geometries on GPUs, but compared to production codes like Serpent and MCNP, WARP has limited capabilities. Despite WARP's lack of features, its novel algorithm implementations show that high performance can be achieved on a GPU despite the inherently divergent program flow and sparse data access patterns. WARP is not ready for everyday nuclear reactor calculations, but is a good platform for further development of GPU-accelerated Monte Carlo neutron transport. In it's current state, it may be a useful tool for multiplication factor searches, i.e. determining reactivity coefficients by perturbing material densities or temperatures, since these types of calculations typically do not require many flux tallies. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Convergent evolution of modularity in metabolic networks through different community structures

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background It has been reported that the modularity of metabolic networks of bacteria is closely related to the variability of their living habitats. However, given the dependency of the modularity score on the community structure, it remains unknown whether organisms achieve certain modularity via similar or different community structures. Results In this work, we studied the relationship between similarities in modularity scores and similarities in community structures of the metabolic networks of 1021 species. Both similarities are then compared against the genetic distances. We revisited the association between modularity and variability of the microbial living environments and extended the analysis to other aspects of their life style such as temperature and oxygen requirements. We also tested both topological and biological intuition of the community structures identified and investigated the extent of their conservation with respect to the taxomony. Conclusions We find that similar modularities are realized by different community structures. We find that such convergent evolution of modularity is closely associated with the number of (distinct) enzymes in the organism’s metabolome, a consequence of different life styles of the species. We find that the order of modularity is the same as the order of the number of the enzymes under the classification based on the temperature preference but not on the oxygen requirement. Besides, inspection of modularity-based communities reveals that these communities are graph-theoretically meaningful yet not reflective of specific biological functions. From an evolutionary perspective, we find that the community structures are conserved only at the level of kingdoms. Our results call for more investigation into the interplay between evolution and modularity: how evolution shapes modularity, and how modularity affects evolution (mainly in terms of fitness and evolvability). Further, our results call for exploring new measures of modularity and network communities that better correspond to functional categorizations. PMID:22974099

Modular jet impingement assemblies with passive and active flow control for electronics cooling

DOEpatents

Zhou, Feng; Dede, Ercan Mehmet; Joshi, Shailesh

2016-09-13

Power electronics modules having modular jet impingement assembly utilized to cool heat generating devices are disclosed. The modular jet impingement assemblies include a modular manifold having a distribution recess, one or more angled inlet connection tubes positioned at an inlet end of the modular manifold that fluidly couple the inlet tube to the distribution recess and one or more outlet connection tubes positioned at an outlet end of the modular manifold that fluidly coupling the outlet tube to the distribution recess. The modular jet impingement assemblies include a manifold insert removably positioned within the distribution recess and include one or more inlet branch channels each including an impinging slot and one or more outlet branch channels each including a collecting slot. Further a heat transfer plate coupled to the modular manifold, the heat transfer plate comprising an impingement surface including an array of fins that extend toward the manifold insert.

Modular cathode assemblies and methods of using the same for electrochemical reduction

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

Wiedmeyer, Stanley G.; Barnes, Laurel A.; Williamson, Mark A.

Modular cathode assemblies are useable in electrolytic reduction systems and include a basket through which fluid electrolyte may pass and exchange charge with a material to be reduced in the basket. The basket can be divided into upper and lower sections to provide entry for the material. Example embodiment cathode assemblies may have any shape to permit modular placement at any position in reduction systems. Modular cathode assemblies include a cathode plate in the basket, to which unique and opposite electrical power may be supplied. Example embodiment modular cathode assemblies may have standardized electrical connectors. Modular cathode assemblies may bemore » supported by a top plate of an electrolytic reduction system. Electrolytic oxide reduction systems are operated by positioning modular cathode and anode assemblies at desired positions, placing a material in the basket, and charging the modular assemblies to reduce the metal oxide.« less

Modular cathode assemblies and methods of using the same for electrochemical reduction

DOEpatents

Wiedmeyer, Stanley G; Barnes, Laurel A; Williamson, Mark A; Willit, James L

2014-12-02

Modular cathode assemblies are useable in electrolytic reduction systems and include a basket through which fluid electrolyte may pass and exchange charge with a material to be reduced in the basket. The basket can be divided into upper and lower sections to provide entry for the material. Example embodiment cathode assemblies may have any shape to permit modular placement at any position in reduction systems. Modular cathode assemblies include a cathode plate in the basket, to which unique and opposite electrical power may be supplied. Example embodiment modular cathode assemblies may have standardized electrical connectors. Modular cathode assemblies may be supported by a top plate of an electrolytic reduction system. Electrolytic oxide reduction systems are operated by positioning modular cathode and anode assemblies at desired positions, placing a material in the basket, and charging the modular assemblies to reduce the metal oxide.

A Versatile Image Processor For Digital Diagnostic Imaging And Its Application In Computed Radiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blume, H.; Alexandru, R.; Applegate, R.; Giordano, T.; Kamiya, K.; Kresina, R.

1986-06-01

In a digital diagnostic imaging department, the majority of operations for handling and processing of images can be grouped into a small set of basic operations, such as image data buffering and storage, image processing and analysis, image display, image data transmission and image data compression. These operations occur in almost all nodes of the diagnostic imaging communications network of the department. An image processor architecture was developed in which each of these functions has been mapped into hardware and software modules. The modular approach has advantages in terms of economics, service, expandability and upgradeability. The architectural design is based on the principles of hierarchical functionality, distributed and parallel processing and aims at real time response. Parallel processing and real time response is facilitated in part by a dual bus system: a VME control bus and a high speed image data bus, consisting of 8 independent parallel 16-bit busses, capable of handling combined up to 144 MBytes/sec. The presented image processor is versatile enough to meet the video rate processing needs of digital subtraction angiography, the large pixel matrix processing requirements of static projection radiography, or the broad range of manipulation and display needs of a multi-modality diagnostic work station. Several hardware modules are described in detail. For illustrating the capabilities of the image processor, processed 2000 x 2000 pixel computed radiographs are shown and estimated computation times for executing the processing opera-tions are presented.

The Current Status of Modular Coordination. A Research Correlation Conference of Building Research Institute, Division of Engineering and Industrial Research (Fall 1959).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council, Washington, DC.

Publication of conference presentations include--(1) a brief review of current modular standard development, (2) the statistical status of modular practice, (3) availability of modular products, and (4) educational programs on modular coordination. Included are--(1) explanatory diagrams, (2) text of an open panel discussion, and (3) a list of…

Modular Design in Treaty Verification Equipment

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

Macarthur, Duncan Whittemore; Benz, Jacob; Tolk, Keith

2015-01-27

It is widely believed that modular design is a good thing. However, there are often few explicit arguments, or even an agreed range of definitions, to back up this belief. In this paper, we examine the potential range of design modularity, the implications of various amounts of modularity, and the advantages and disadvantages of each level of modular construction. We conclude with a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of each type, as well as discuss many caveats that should be observed to take advantage of the positive features of modularity and minimize the effects of the negative. The tradeoffsmore » described in this paper will be evaluated during the conceptual design to determine what amount of modularity should be included.« less

A Basic LEGO Reactor Design for the Provision of Lunar Surface Power

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

John Darrell Bess

2008-06-01

A final design has been established for a basic Lunar Evolutionary Growth-Optimized (LEGO) Reactor using current and near-term technologies. The LEGO Reactor is a modular, fast-fission, heatpipe-cooled, clustered-reactor system for lunar-surface power generation. The reactor is divided into subcritical units that can be safely launched with lunar shipments from Earth, and then emplaced directly into holes drilled into the lunar regolith to form a critical reactor assembly. The regolith would not just provide radiation shielding, but serve as neutron-reflector material as well. The reactor subunits are to be manufactured using proven and tested materials for use in radiation environments, suchmore » as uranium-dioxide fuel, stainless-steel cladding and structural support, and liquid-sodium heatpipes. The LEGO Reactor system promotes reliability, safety, and ease of manufacture and testing at the cost of an increase in launch mass per overall rated power level and a reduction in neutron economy when compared to a single-reactor system. A single unshielded LEGO Reactor subunit has an estimated mass of approximately 448 kg and provides approximately 5 kWe. The overall envelope for a single subunit with fully extended radiator panels has a height of 8.77 m and a diameter of 0.50 m. Six subunits could provide sufficient power generation throughout the initial stages of establishing a lunar outpost. Portions of the reactor may be neutronically decoupled to allow for reduced power production during unmanned periods of base operations. During later stages of lunar-base development, additional subunits may be emplaced and coupled into the existing LEGO Reactor network, subject to lunar base power demand. Improvements in reactor control methods, fuel form and matrix, shielding, as well as power conversion and heat rejection techniques can help generate an even more competitive LEGO Reactor design. Further modifications in the design could provide power generative opportunities for use on other extraterrestrial surfaces.« less

Interprocessor bus switching system for simultaneous communication in plural bus parallel processing system

DOEpatents

Atac, R.; Fischler, M.S.; Husby, D.E.

1991-01-15

A bus switching apparatus and method for multiple processor computer systems comprises a plurality of bus switches interconnected by branch buses. Each processor or other module of the system is connected to a spigot of a bus switch. Each bus switch also serves as part of a backplane of a modular crate hardware package. A processor initiates communication with another processor by identifying that other processor. The bus switch to which the initiating processor is connected identifies and secures, if possible, a path to that other processor, either directly or via one or more other bus switches which operate similarly. If a particular desired path through a given bus switch is not available to be used, an alternate path is considered, identified and secured. 11 figures.

Periodic Application of Concurrent Error Detection in Processor Array Architectures. PhD. Thesis -

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Paul Peichuan

1993-01-01

Processor arrays can provide an attractive architecture for some applications. Featuring modularity, regular interconnection and high parallelism, such arrays are well-suited for VLSI/WSI implementations, and applications with high computational requirements, such as real-time signal processing. Preserving the integrity of results can be of paramount importance for certain applications. In these cases, fault tolerance should be used to ensure reliable delivery of a system's service. One aspect of fault tolerance is the detection of errors caused by faults. Concurrent error detection (CED) techniques offer the advantage that transient and intermittent faults may be detected with greater probability than with off-line diagnostic tests. Applying time-redundant CED techniques can reduce hardware redundancy costs. However, most time-redundant CED techniques degrade a system's performance.

LAURA Users Manual: 5.3-48528

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazaheri, Alireza; Gnoffo, Peter A.; Johnston, Chirstopher O.; Kleb, Bil

2010-01-01

This users manual provides in-depth information concerning installation and execution of LAURA, version 5. LAURA is a structured, multi-block, computational aerothermodynamic simulation code. Version 5 represents a major refactoring of the original Fortran 77 LAURA code toward a modular structure afforded by Fortran 95. The refactoring improved usability and maintainability by eliminating the requirement for problem-dependent re-compilations, providing more intuitive distribution of functionality, and simplifying interfaces required for multi-physics coupling. As a result, LAURA now shares gas-physics modules, MPI modules, and other low-level modules with the FUN3D unstructured-grid code. In addition to internal refactoring, several new features and capabilities have been added, e.g., a GNU-standard installation process, parallel load balancing, automatic trajectory point sequencing, free-energy minimization, and coupled ablation and flowfield radiation.

LAURA Users Manual: 5.5-64987

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazaheri, Alireza; Gnoffo, Peter A.; Johnston, Christopher O.; Kleb, William L.

2013-01-01

This users manual provides in-depth information concerning installation and execution of LAURA, version 5. LAURA is a structured, multi-block, computational aerothermodynamic simulation code. Version 5 represents a major refactoring of the original Fortran 77 LAURA code toward a modular structure afforded by Fortran 95. The refactoring improved usability and maintain ability by eliminating the requirement for problem dependent recompilations, providing more intuitive distribution of functionality, and simplifying interfaces required for multi-physics coupling. As a result, LAURA now shares gas-physics modules, MPI modules, and other low-level modules with the Fun3D unstructured-grid code. In addition to internal refactoring, several new features and capabilities have been added, e.g., a GNU standard installation process, parallel load balancing, automatic trajectory point sequencing, free-energy minimization, and coupled ablation and flowfield radiation.

LAURA Users Manual: 5.4-54166

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazaheri, Alireza; Gnoffo, Peter A.; Johnston, Christopher O.; Kleb, Bil

2011-01-01

This users manual provides in-depth information concerning installation and execution of Laura, version 5. Laura is a structured, multi-block, computational aerothermodynamic simulation code. Version 5 represents a major refactoring of the original Fortran 77 Laura code toward a modular structure afforded by Fortran 95. The refactoring improved usability and maintainability by eliminating the requirement for problem dependent re-compilations, providing more intuitive distribution of functionality, and simplifying interfaces required for multi-physics coupling. As a result, Laura now shares gas-physics modules, MPI modules, and other low-level modules with the Fun3D unstructured-grid code. In addition to internal refactoring, several new features and capabilities have been added, e.g., a GNU-standard installation process, parallel load balancing, automatic trajectory point sequencing, free-energy minimization, and coupled ablation and flowfield radiation.

LAURA Users Manual: 5.2-43231

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazaheri, Alireza; Gnoffo, Peter A.; Johnston, Christopher O.; Kleb, Bil

2009-01-01

This users manual provides in-depth information concerning installation and execution of LAURA, version 5. LAURA is a structured, multi-block, computational aerothermodynamic simulation code. Version 5 represents a major refactoring of the original Fortran 77 LAURA code toward a modular structure afforded by Fortran 95. The refactoring improved usability and maintainability by eliminating the requirement for problem-dependent re-compilations, providing more intuitive distribution of functionality, and simplifying interfaces required for multiphysics coupling. As a result, LAURA now shares gas-physics modules, MPI modules, and other low-level modules with the FUN3D unstructured-grid code. In addition to internal refactoring, several new features and capabilities have been added, e.g., a GNU-standard installation process, parallel load balancing, automatic trajectory point sequencing, free-energy minimization, and coupled ablation and flowfield radiation.

FPGA-based coprocessor for matrix algorithms implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amira, Abbes; Bensaali, Faycal

2003-03-01

Matrix algorithms are important in many types of applications including image and signal processing. These areas require enormous computing power. A close examination of the algorithms used in these, and related, applications reveals that many of the fundamental actions involve matrix operations such as matrix multiplication which is of O (N3) on a sequential computer and O (N3/p) on a parallel system with p processors complexity. This paper presents an investigation into the design and implementation of different matrix algorithms such as matrix operations, matrix transforms and matrix decompositions using an FPGA based environment. Solutions for the problem of processing large matrices have been proposed. The proposed system architectures are scalable, modular and require less area and time complexity with reduced latency when compared with existing structures.

Laura Users Manual: 5.1-41601

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazaheri, Alireza; Gnoffo, Peter A.; Johnston, Christopher O.; Kleb, Bil

2009-01-01

This users manual provides in-depth information concerning installation and execution of LAURA, version 5. LAURA is a structured, multi-block, computational aerothermodynamic simulation code. Version 5 represents a major refactoring of the original Fortran 77 LAURA code toward a modular structure afforded by Fortran 95. The refactoring improved usability and maintainability by eliminating the requirement for problem-dependent re-compilations, providing more intuitive distribution of functionality, and simplifying interfaces required for multiphysics coupling. As a result, LAURA now shares gas-physics modules, MPI modules, and other low-level modules with the FUN3D unstructured-grid code. In addition to internal refactoring, several new features and capabilities have been added, e.g., a GNU-standard installation process, parallel load balancing, automatic trajectory point sequencing, free-energy minimization, and coupled ablation and flowfield radiation.

A study of Schwarz converters for nuclear powered spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stuart, Thomas A.; Schwarze, Gene E.

1987-01-01

High power space systems which use low dc voltage, high current sources such as thermoelectric generators, will most likely require high voltage conversion for transmission purposes. This study considers the use of the Schwarz resonant converter for use as the basic building block to accomplish this low-to-high voltage conversion for either a dc or an ac spacecraft bus. The Schwarz converter has the important assets of both inherent fault tolerance and resonant operation; parallel operation in modular form is possible. A regulated dc spacecraft bus requires only a single stage converter while a constant frequency ac bus requires a cascaded Schwarz converter configuration. If the power system requires constant output power from the dc generator, then a second converter is required to route unneeded power to a ballast load.

Interprocessor bus switching system for simultaneous communication in plural bus parallel processing system

DOEpatents

Atac, Robert; Fischler, Mark S.; Husby, Donald E.

1991-01-01

A bus switching apparatus and method for multiple processor computer systems comprises a plurality of bus switches interconnected by branch buses. Each processor or other module of the system is connected to a spigot of a bus switch. Each bus switch also serves as part of a backplane of a modular crate hardware package. A processor initiates communication with another processor by identifying that other processor. The bus switch to which the initiating processor is connected identifies and secures, if possible, a path to that other processor, either directly or via one or more other bus switches which operate similarly. If a particular desired path through a given bus switch is not available to be used, an alternate path is considered, identified and secured.

Advanced capabilities for materials modelling with Quantum ESPRESSO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giannozzi, P.; Andreussi, O.; Brumme, T.; Bunau, O.; Buongiorno Nardelli, M.; Calandra, M.; Car, R.; Cavazzoni, C.; Ceresoli, D.; Cococcioni, M.; Colonna, N.; Carnimeo, I.; Dal Corso, A.; de Gironcoli, S.; Delugas, P.; DiStasio, R. A., Jr.; Ferretti, A.; Floris, A.; Fratesi, G.; Fugallo, G.; Gebauer, R.; Gerstmann, U.; Giustino, F.; Gorni, T.; Jia, J.; Kawamura, M.; Ko, H.-Y.; Kokalj, A.; Küçükbenli, E.; Lazzeri, M.; Marsili, M.; Marzari, N.; Mauri, F.; Nguyen, N. L.; Nguyen, H.-V.; Otero-de-la-Roza, A.; Paulatto, L.; Poncé, S.; Rocca, D.; Sabatini, R.; Santra, B.; Schlipf, M.; Seitsonen, A. P.; Smogunov, A.; Timrov, I.; Thonhauser, T.; Umari, P.; Vast, N.; Wu, X.; Baroni, S.

2017-11-01

Quantum EXPRESSO is an integrated suite of open-source computer codes for quantum simulations of materials using state-of-the-art electronic-structure techniques, based on density-functional theory, density-functional perturbation theory, and many-body perturbation theory, within the plane-wave pseudopotential and projector-augmented-wave approaches. Quantum EXPRESSO owes its popularity to the wide variety of properties and processes it allows to simulate, to its performance on an increasingly broad array of hardware architectures, and to a community of researchers that rely on its capabilities as a core open-source development platform to implement their ideas. In this paper we describe recent extensions and improvements, covering new methodologies and property calculators, improved parallelization, code modularization, and extended interoperability both within the distribution and with external software.

Advanced capabilities for materials modelling with Quantum ESPRESSO.

PubMed

Giannozzi, P; Andreussi, O; Brumme, T; Bunau, O; Buongiorno Nardelli, M; Calandra, M; Car, R; Cavazzoni, C; Ceresoli, D; Cococcioni, M; Colonna, N; Carnimeo, I; Dal Corso, A; de Gironcoli, S; Delugas, P; DiStasio, R A; Ferretti, A; Floris, A; Fratesi, G; Fugallo, G; Gebauer, R; Gerstmann, U; Giustino, F; Gorni, T; Jia, J; Kawamura, M; Ko, H-Y; Kokalj, A; Küçükbenli, E; Lazzeri, M; Marsili, M; Marzari, N; Mauri, F; Nguyen, N L; Nguyen, H-V; Otero-de-la-Roza, A; Paulatto, L; Poncé, S; Rocca, D; Sabatini, R; Santra, B; Schlipf, M; Seitsonen, A P; Smogunov, A; Timrov, I; Thonhauser, T; Umari, P; Vast, N; Wu, X; Baroni, S

2017-10-24

Quantum EXPRESSO is an integrated suite of open-source computer codes for quantum simulations of materials using state-of-the-art electronic-structure techniques, based on density-functional theory, density-functional perturbation theory, and many-body perturbation theory, within the plane-wave pseudopotential and projector-augmented-wave approaches. Quantum EXPRESSO owes its popularity to the wide variety of properties and processes it allows to simulate, to its performance on an increasingly broad array of hardware architectures, and to a community of researchers that rely on its capabilities as a core open-source development platform to implement their ideas. In this paper we describe recent extensions and improvements, covering new methodologies and property calculators, improved parallelization, code modularization, and extended interoperability both within the distribution and with external software.

Advanced capabilities for materials modelling with Quantum ESPRESSO.

PubMed

Andreussi, Oliviero; Brumme, Thomas; Bunau, Oana; Buongiorno Nardelli, Marco; Calandra, Matteo; Car, Roberto; Cavazzoni, Carlo; Ceresoli, Davide; Cococcioni, Matteo; Colonna, Nicola; Carnimeo, Ivan; Dal Corso, Andrea; de Gironcoli, Stefano; Delugas, Pietro; DiStasio, Robert; Ferretti, Andrea; Floris, Andrea; Fratesi, Guido; Fugallo, Giorgia; Gebauer, Ralph; Gerstmann, Uwe; Giustino, Feliciano; Gorni, Tommaso; Jia, Junteng; Kawamura, Mitsuaki; Ko, Hsin-Yu; Kokalj, Anton; Küçükbenli, Emine; Lazzeri, Michele; Marsili, Margherita; Marzari, Nicola; Mauri, Francesco; Nguyen, Ngoc Linh; Nguyen, Huy-Viet; Otero-de-la-Roza, Alberto; Paulatto, Lorenzo; Poncé, Samuel; Giannozzi, Paolo; Rocca, Dario; Sabatini, Riccardo; Santra, Biswajit; Schlipf, Martin; Seitsonen, Ari Paavo; Smogunov, Alexander; Timrov, Iurii; Thonhauser, Timo; Umari, Paolo; Vast, Nathalie; Wu, Xifan; Baroni, Stefano

2017-09-27

Quantum ESPRESSO is an integrated suite of open-source computer codes for quantum simulations of materials using state-of-the art electronic-structure techniques, based on density-functional theory, density-functional perturbation theory, and many-body perturbation theory, within the plane-wave pseudo-potential and projector-augmented-wave approaches. Quantum ESPRESSO owes its popularity to the wide variety of properties and processes it allows to simulate, to its performance on an increasingly broad array of hardware architectures, and to a community of researchers that rely on its capabilities as a core open-source development platform to implement theirs ideas. In this paper we describe recent extensions and improvements, covering new methodologies and property calculators, improved parallelization, code modularization, and extended interoperability both within the distribution and with external software. © 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Data acquisition and processing system for the HT-6M tokamak fusion experiment

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

Shu, Y.T.; Liu, G.C.; Pang, J.Q.

1987-08-01

This paper describes a high-speed data acquisition and processing system which has been successfully operated on the HT-6M tokamak fusion experimental device. The system collects, archives and analyzes up to 512 kilobytes of data from each shot of the experiment. A shot lasts 50-150 milliseconds and occurs every 5-10 minutes. The system consists of two PDP-11/24 computer systems. One PDP-11/24 is used for real-time data taking and on-line data analysis. It is based upon five CAMAC crates organized into a parallel branch. Another PDP-11/24 is used for off-line data processing. Both data acquisition software RSX-DAS and data processing software RSX-DAPmore » have modular, multi-tasking and concurrent processing features.« less

Molecular profiling of single circulating tumor cells from lung cancer patients.

PubMed

Park, Seung-Min; Wong, Dawson J; Ooi, Chin Chun; Kurtz, David M; Vermesh, Ophir; Aalipour, Amin; Suh, Susie; Pian, Kelsey L; Chabon, Jacob J; Lee, Sang Hun; Jamali, Mehran; Say, Carmen; Carter, Justin N; Lee, Luke P; Kuschner, Ware G; Schwartz, Erich J; Shrager, Joseph B; Neal, Joel W; Wakelee, Heather A; Diehn, Maximilian; Nair, Viswam S; Wang, Shan X; Gambhir, Sanjiv S

2016-12-27

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are established cancer biomarkers for the "liquid biopsy" of tumors. Molecular analysis of single CTCs, which recapitulate primary and metastatic tumor biology, remains challenging because current platforms have limited throughput, are expensive, and are not easily translatable to the clinic. Here, we report a massively parallel, multigene-profiling nanoplatform to compartmentalize and analyze hundreds of single CTCs. After high-efficiency magnetic collection of CTC from blood, a single-cell nanowell array performs CTC mutation profiling using modular gene panels. Using this approach, we demonstrated multigene expression profiling of individual CTCs from non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with remarkable sensitivity. Thus, we report a high-throughput, multiplexed strategy for single-cell mutation profiling of individual lung cancer CTCs toward minimally invasive cancer therapy prediction and disease monitoring.

Motion-seeded object-based attention for dynamic visual imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huber, David J.; Khosla, Deepak; Kim, Kyungnam

2017-05-01

This paper† describes a novel system that finds and segments "objects of interest" from dynamic imagery (video) that (1) processes each frame using an advanced motion algorithm that pulls out regions that exhibit anomalous motion, and (2) extracts the boundary of each object of interest using a biologically-inspired segmentation algorithm based on feature contours. The system uses a series of modular, parallel algorithms, which allows many complicated operations to be carried out by the system in a very short time, and can be used as a front-end to a larger system that includes object recognition and scene understanding modules. Using this method, we show 90% accuracy with fewer than 0.1 false positives per frame of video, which represents a significant improvement over detection using a baseline attention algorithm.

ABLE project: Development of an advanced lead-acid storage system for autonomous PV installations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemaire-Potteau, Elisabeth; Vallvé, Xavier; Pavlov, Detchko; Papazov, G.; Borg, Nico Van der; Sarrau, Jean-François

In the advanced battery for low-cost renewable energy (ABLE) project, the partners have developed an advanced storage system for small and medium-size PV systems. It is composed of an innovative valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) battery, optimised for reliability and manufacturing cost, and an integrated regulator, for optimal battery management and anti-fraudulent use. The ABLE battery performances are comparable to flooded tubular batteries, which are the reference in medium-size PV systems. The ABLE regulator has several innovative features regarding energy management and modular series/parallel association. The storage system has been validated by indoor, outdoor and field tests, and it is expected that this concept could be a major improvement for large-scale implementation of PV within the framework of national rural electrification schemes.

Analysis of Advanced Modular Power Systems (AMPS) for Deep Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oeftering, Richard; Soeder, James F.; Beach, Ray

2014-01-01

The Advanced Modular Power Systems (AMPS) project is developing a modular approach to spacecraft power systems for exploration beyond Earth orbit. AMPS is intended to meet the need of reducing the cost of design development, test and integration and also reducing the operational logistics cost of supporting exploration missions. AMPS seeks to establish modular power building blocks with standardized electrical, mechanical, thermal and data interfaces that can be applied across multiple exploration vehicles. The presentation discusses the results of a cost analysis that compares the cost of the modular approach against a traditional non-modular approach.

In Silico Investigation of a Surgical Interface for Remote Control of Modular Miniature Robots in Minimally Invasive Surgery

PubMed Central

Zygomalas, Apollon; Giokas, Konstantinos; Koutsouris, Dimitrios

2014-01-01

Aim. Modular mini-robots can be used in novel minimally invasive surgery techniques like natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) and laparoendoscopic single site (LESS) surgery. The control of these miniature assistants is complicated. The aim of this study is the in silico investigation of a remote controlling interface for modular miniature robots which can be used in minimally invasive surgery. Methods. The conceptual controlling system was developed, programmed, and simulated using professional robotics simulation software. Three different modes of control were programmed. The remote controlling surgical interface was virtually designed as a high scale representation of the respective modular mini-robot, therefore a modular controlling system itself. Results. With the proposed modular controlling system the user could easily identify the conformation of the modular mini-robot and adequately modify it as needed. The arrangement of each module was always known. The in silico investigation gave useful information regarding the controlling mode, the adequate speed of rearrangements, and the number of modules needed for efficient working tasks. Conclusions. The proposed conceptual model may promote the research and development of more sophisticated modular controlling systems. Modular surgical interfaces may improve the handling and the dexterity of modular miniature robots during minimally invasive procedures. PMID:25295187

In silico investigation of a surgical interface for remote control of modular miniature robots in minimally invasive surgery.

PubMed

Zygomalas, Apollon; Giokas, Konstantinos; Koutsouris, Dimitrios

2014-01-01

Aim. Modular mini-robots can be used in novel minimally invasive surgery techniques like natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) and laparoendoscopic single site (LESS) surgery. The control of these miniature assistants is complicated. The aim of this study is the in silico investigation of a remote controlling interface for modular miniature robots which can be used in minimally invasive surgery. Methods. The conceptual controlling system was developed, programmed, and simulated using professional robotics simulation software. Three different modes of control were programmed. The remote controlling surgical interface was virtually designed as a high scale representation of the respective modular mini-robot, therefore a modular controlling system itself. Results. With the proposed modular controlling system the user could easily identify the conformation of the modular mini-robot and adequately modify it as needed. The arrangement of each module was always known. The in silico investigation gave useful information regarding the controlling mode, the adequate speed of rearrangements, and the number of modules needed for efficient working tasks. Conclusions. The proposed conceptual model may promote the research and development of more sophisticated modular controlling systems. Modular surgical interfaces may improve the handling and the dexterity of modular miniature robots during minimally invasive procedures.

Design strategies to address the effect of hydrophobic epitope on stability and in vitro assembly of modular virus‐like particle

PubMed Central

Tekewe, Alemu; Connors, Natalie K.; Middelberg, Anton P. J.

2016-01-01

Abstract Virus‐like particles (VLPs) and capsomere subunits have shown promising potential as safe and effective vaccine candidates. They can serve as platforms for the display of foreign epitopes on their surfaces in a modular architecture. Depending on the physicochemical properties of the antigenic modules, modularization may affect the expression, solubility and stability of capsomeres, and VLP assembly. In this study, three module designs of a rotavirus hydrophobic peptide (RV10) were synthesized using synthetic biology. Among the three synthetic modules, modularization of the murine polyomavirus VP1 with a single copy of RV10 flanked by long linkers and charged residues resulted in the expression of stable modular capsomeres. Further employing the approach of module titration of RV10 modules on each capsomere via Escherichia coli co‐expression of unmodified VP1 and modular VP1‐RV10 successfully translated purified modular capomeres into modular VLPs when assembled in vitro. Our results demonstrate that tailoring the physicochemical properties of modules to enhance modular capsomeres stability is achievable through synthetic biology designs. Combined with module titration strategy to avoid steric hindrance to intercapsomere interactions, this allows bioprocessing of bacterially produced in vitro assembled modular VLPs. PMID:27222486

Design strategies to address the effect of hydrophobic epitope on stability and in vitro assembly of modular virus-like particle.

PubMed

Tekewe, Alemu; Connors, Natalie K; Middelberg, Anton P J; Lua, Linda H L

2016-08-01

Virus-like particles (VLPs) and capsomere subunits have shown promising potential as safe and effective vaccine candidates. They can serve as platforms for the display of foreign epitopes on their surfaces in a modular architecture. Depending on the physicochemical properties of the antigenic modules, modularization may affect the expression, solubility and stability of capsomeres, and VLP assembly. In this study, three module designs of a rotavirus hydrophobic peptide (RV10) were synthesized using synthetic biology. Among the three synthetic modules, modularization of the murine polyomavirus VP1 with a single copy of RV10 flanked by long linkers and charged residues resulted in the expression of stable modular capsomeres. Further employing the approach of module titration of RV10 modules on each capsomere via Escherichia coli co-expression of unmodified VP1 and modular VP1-RV10 successfully translated purified modular capomeres into modular VLPs when assembled in vitro. Our results demonstrate that tailoring the physicochemical properties of modules to enhance modular capsomeres stability is achievable through synthetic biology designs. Combined with module titration strategy to avoid steric hindrance to intercapsomere interactions, this allows bioprocessing of bacterially produced in vitro assembled modular VLPs. © 2016 The Protein Society.

A feasibility study on the use of phantoms with statistical lung masses for determining the uncertainty in the dose absorbed by the lung from broad beams of incident photons and neutrons.

PubMed

Khankook, Atiyeh Ebrahimi; Hakimabad, Hashem Miri; Motavalli, Laleh Rafat

2017-05-01

Computational models of the human body have gradually become crucial in the evaluation of doses absorbed by organs. However, individuals may differ considerably in terms of organ size and shape. In this study, the authors sought to determine the energy-dependent standard deviations due to lung size of the dose absorbed by the lung during external photon and neutron beam exposures. One hundred lungs with different masses were prepared and located in an adult male International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) reference phantom. Calculations were performed using the Monte Carlo N-particle code version 5 (MCNP5). Variation in the lung mass caused great uncertainty: ~90% for low-energy broad parallel photon beams. However, for high-energy photons, the lung-absorbed dose dependency on the anatomical variation was reduced to <1%. In addition, the results obtained indicated that the discrepancy in the lung-absorbed dose varied from 0.6% to 8% for neutron beam exposure. Consequently, the relationship between absorbed dose and organ volume was found to be significant for low-energy photon sources, whereas for higher energy photon sources the organ-absorbed dose was independent of the organ volume. In the case of neutron beam exposure, the maximum discrepancy (of 8%) occurred in the energy range between 0.1 and 5 MeV. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japan Radiation Research Society and Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology.

Diffusion of benzene confined in the oriented nanochannels of chrysotile asbestos fibers

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

Mamontov, E.; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742-2115; Kumzerov, Yu.A.

We used quasielastic neutron scattering to study the dynamics of benzene that completely fills the nanochannels of chrysotile asbestos fibers with a characteristic diameter of about 5 nm. The macroscopical alignment of the nanochannels in fibers provided an interesting opportunity to study anisotropy of the dynamics of confined benzene by means of collecting the data with the scattering vector either parallel or perpendicular to the fibers axes. The translational diffusive motion of benzene molecules was found to be isotropic. While bulk benzene freezes at 278.5 K, we observed the translational dynamics of the supercooled confined benzene on the time scalemore » of hundreds of picoseconds even below 200 K, until at about 160 K its dynamics becomes too slow for the {mu}eV resolution of the neutron backscattering spectrometer. The residence time between jumps for the benzene molecules measured in the temperature range of 260 K to 320 K demonstrated low activation energy of 2.8 kJ/mol.« less

Neutron diffraction study of antiferromagnetic ErNi3Ga9 in magnetic fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ninomiya, Hiroki; Sato, Takaaki; Matsumoto, Yuji; Moyoshi, Taketo; Nakao, Akiko; Ohishi, Kazuki; Kousaka, Yusuke; Akimitsu, Jun; Inoue, Katsuya; Ohara, Shigeo

2018-05-01

We report specific heat, magnetization, magnetoresistance, and neutron diffraction measurements of single crystals of ErNi3Ga9. This compound crystalizes in a chiral structure with space group R 32 . The erbium ions form a two-dimensional honeycomb structure. ErNi3Ga9 displays antiferromagnetic order below 6.4 K. We determined that the magnetic structure is slightly amplitude-modulated as well as antiferromagnetic with q = (0 , 0 , 0.5) . The magnetic properties are described by an Ising-like model in which the magnetic moment is always along the c-axis owing to the large uniaxial anisotropy caused by the crystalline electric field effect in the low temperature region. When the magnetic field is applied along the c-axis, a metamagnetic transition is observed around 12 kOe at 2 K. ErNi3Ga9 possesses crystal chirality, but the antisymmetric magnetic interaction, the so-called Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interaction, does not contribute to the magnetic structure, because the magnetic moments are parallel to the DM-vector.

Hodoscope Cineradiography Of Nuclear Fuel Destruction Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Volpi, A.

1983-08-01

Nuclear reactor safety studies have applied cineradiographic techniques to achieve key information regarding the durability of fuel elements that are subjected to destructive transients in test reactors. Beginning with its development in 1963, the fast-neutron hodoscope has recorded data at the TREAT reactor in the United States of America. Consisting of a collimator instrumented with several hundred parallel channels of detectors and associated instrumentation, the hodoscope measures fuel motion that takes place within thick-walled steel test containers. Fuel movement is determined by detecting the emission of fast neutrons induced in the test capsule by bursts of the test reactor that last from 0.3 to 30 s. The system has been designed so as to achieve under certain typical conditions( horizontal) spatial resolution less than lmm, time resolution close to lms, mass resolution below 0.1 g, with adequate dynamic range and recording duration. A variety of imaging forms have been developed to display the results of processing and analyzing recorded data.*

Shell Model Far From Stability: Island of Inversion Mergers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nowacki, F.; Poves, A.

2018-02-01

In this study we propose a common mechanism for the disappearance of shell closures far from stabilty. With the use of Large Scale Shell Model calculations (SM-CI), we predict that the region of deformation which comprises the heaviest Chromium and Iron isotopes at and beyond N=40 will merge with a new one at N=50 in an astonishing parallel to the N=20 and N=28 case in the Neon and Magnesium isotopes. We propose a valence space including the full pf-shell for the protons and the full sdg shell for the neutrons, which represents a come-back of the the harmonic oscillator shells in the very neutron rich regime. Our calculations preserve the doubly magic nature of the ground state of 78Ni, which, however, exhibits a well deformed prolate band at low excitation energy, providing a striking example of shape coexistence far from stability. This new Island of Inversion (IoI) adds to the four well documented ones at N=8, 20, 28 and 40.

Lattice dynamics and thermal transport in multiferroic CuCrO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bansal, Dipanshu; Niedziela, Jennifer L.; May, Andrew F.; Said, Ayman; Ehlers, Georg; Abernathy, Douglas L.; Huq, Ashfia; Kirkham, Melanie; Zhou, Haidong; Delaire, Olivier

2017-02-01

Inelastic neutron and x-ray scattering measurements of phonons and spin waves were performed in the delafossite compound CuCrO2 over a wide range of temperature, and complemented with first-principles lattice dynamics simulations. The phonon dispersions and density of states are well reproduced by our density functional calculations, and reveal a strong anisotropy of Cu vibrations, which exhibit low-frequency modes of large amplitude parallel to the basal plane of the layered delafossite structure. The low frequency in-plane modes also show a systematic temperature dependence of neutron and x-ray scattering intensities. In addition, we find that spin fluctuations persist above 300 K, far above the Néel temperature for long-range antiferromagnetic order, TN≃24 K . Our modeling of the thermal conductivity, based on our phonon measurements and simulations, reveals a significant anisotropy and indicates that spin fluctuations above TN constitute an important source of phonon scattering, considerably suppressing the thermal conductivity compared to that of the isostructural but nonmagnetic compound CuAlO2.

Computational attributes of the integral form of the equation of transfer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frankel, J. I.

1991-01-01

Difficulties can arise in radiative and neutron transport calculations when a highly anisotropic scattering phase function is present. In the presence of anisotropy, currently used numerical solutions are based on the integro-differential form of the linearized Boltzmann transport equation. This paper, departs from classical thought and presents an alternative numerical approach based on application of the integral form of the transport equation. Use of the integral formalism facilitates the following steps: a reduction in dimensionality of the system prior to discretization, the use of symbolic manipulation to augment the computational procedure, and the direct determination of key physical quantities which are derivable through the various Legendre moments of the intensity. The approach is developed in the context of radiative heat transfer in a plane-parallel geometry, and results are presented and compared with existing benchmark solutions. Encouraging results are presented to illustrate the potential of the integral formalism for computation. The integral formalism appears to possess several computational attributes which are well-suited to radiative and neutron transport calculations.

From Interfaces to Bulk: Experimental-Computational Studies Across Time and Length Scales of Multi-Functional Ionic Polymers

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

Perahia, Dvora; Grest, Gary S.

Neutron experiments coupled with computational components have resulted in unprecedented understanding of the factors that impact the behavior of ionic structured polymers. Additionally, new computational tools to study macromolecules, were developed. In parallel, this DOE funding have enabled the education of the next generation of material researchers who are able to take the advantage neutron tools offer to the understanding and design of advanced materials. Our research has provided unprecedented insight into one of the major factors that limits the use of ionizable polymers, combining the macroscopic view obtained from the experimental techniques with molecular insight extracted from computational studiesmore » leading to transformative knowledge that will impact the design of nano-structured, materials. With the focus on model systems, of broad interest to the scientific community and to industry, the research addressed challenges that cut across a large number of polymers, independent of the specific chemical structure or the transported species.« less

Research on water discharge characteristics of PEM fuel cells by using neutron imaging technology at the NRF, HANARO.

PubMed

Kim, TaeJoo; Sim, CheulMuu; Kim, MooHwan

2008-05-01

An investigation into the water discharge characteristics of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells is carried out by using a feasibility test apparatus and the Neutron Radiography Facility (NRF) at HANARO. The feasibility test apparatus was composed of a distilled water supply line, a compressed air supply line, heating systems, and single PEM fuel cells, which were a 1-parallel serpentine type with a 100 cm(2) active area. Three kinds of methods were used: compressed air supply-only; heating-only; and a combination of the methods of a compressed air supply and heating, respectively. The resultant water discharge characteristics are different according to the applied methods. The compressed air supply only is suitable for removing the water at a flow field and a heating only is suitable for water at the MEA. Therefore, in order to remove all the water at PEM fuel cells, the combination method is needed at the moment.

Methyl group conformation and hydrogen bonds in proteins determined by neutron protein crystallography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Atsushi; Shibata, Kouji; Tanaka, Ichiro; Niimura, Nobuo

2009-02-01

Using 'Hydrogen and Hydration in Proteins Data Base' (HHDB) that catalogs all H atom positions in biological macromolecules and in hydration water molecules that have been determined thus far by neutron macromolecular crystallography, methyl group conformation and hydrogen bonds (H.B.) in proteins are explored. It is found that most of the methyl groups belong to the stable staggered conformation but 11% of them seemed to be close to the eclipsed conformation. And geometrical consideration has been done for H.B. involved in α-helices. 125 H.B. were identified as donors for acceptor C dbnd O in the main chain α-helix. For these H.B., it is found that co-linear H.B. were rare, that hydrogen atoms seen from acceptors C dbnd O can localize upon certain arrangements, that H.B. are not parallel to the helix axis but rather inclined to C-terminal direction, and that hydrogen atoms except water are located inside, not outside of cylinders which the backbones of α-helices form.

Modular workcells: modern methods for laboratory automation.

PubMed

Felder, R A

1998-12-01

Laboratory automation is beginning to become an indispensable survival tool for laboratories facing difficult market competition. However, estimates suggest that only 8% of laboratories will be able to afford total laboratory automation systems. Therefore, automation vendors have developed alternative hardware configurations called 'modular automation', to fit the smaller laboratory. Modular automation consists of consolidated analyzers, integrated analyzers, modular workcells, and pre- and post-analytical automation. These terms will be defined in this paper. Using a modular automation model, the automated core laboratory will become a site where laboratory data is evaluated by trained professionals to provide diagnostic information to practising physicians. Modem software information management and process control tools will complement modular hardware. Proper standardization that will allow vendor-independent modular configurations will assure success of this revolutionary new technology.

The Modular need for the Division Signal Battalion

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-09

findings and analyzes them to expand on them. It is with these findings and subsequent analysis that the case studies shape the answer to the three...These case studies focus on the signal leadership development and how it occurred in the pre-modular force structure, during modularity, and the...the comparative case study research. The case studies focus on signal leader development in a pre-modular signal force, a modular signal force, and

Modular Fixturing System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Littell, Justin Anderson (Inventor); Street, Jon P. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

The modular fixturing system of the present invention is modular, reusable and capable of significant customization, both in terms of system radius and system height, allowing it to be arranged and rearranged in numerous unique configurations. The system includes multiple modular stanchions having stanchion shafts and stanchion feet that removably attach to apertures in a table. Angle brackets attached to the modular stanchions support shelves. These shelves in turn provide support to work pieces during fabrication processes such as welding.

A Modularized Counselor-Education Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Thomas V.; Dimattia, Dominic J.

1978-01-01

Counselor-education programs may be enriched through the use of modularized learning experiences. This article notes several recent articles on competency-based counselor education, the concepts of simulation and modularization, and describes the process of developing a modularized master's program at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut.…

On the classification of weakly integral modular categories

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

Bruillard, Paul; Galindo, César; Ng, Siu-Hung

In this paper we classify all modular categories of dimension 4m, where m is an odd square-free integer, and all rank 6 and rank 7 weakly integral modular categories. This completes the classification of weakly integral modular categories through rank 7. In particular, our results imply that all integral modular categories of rank at most 7 are pointed (that is, every simple object has dimension 1). All the non-integral (but weakly integral) modular categories of ranks 6 and 7 have dimension 4m, with m an odd square free integer, so their classification is an application of our main result. Themore » classification of rank 7 integral modular categories is facilitated by an analysis of the two group actions on modular categories: the Galois group of the field generated by the entries of the S-matrix and the group of invertible isomorphism classes of objects. We derive some valuable arithmetic consequences from these actions.« less

Performance Improvements of the CYCOFOS Flow Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radhakrishnan, Hari; Moulitsas, Irene; Syrakos, Alexandros; Zodiatis, George; Nikolaides, Andreas; Hayes, Daniel; Georgiou, Georgios C.

2013-04-01

The CYCOFOS-Cyprus Coastal Ocean Forecasting and Observing System has been operational since early 2002, providing daily sea current, temperature, salinity and sea level forecasting data for the next 4 and 10 days to end-users in the Levantine Basin, necessary for operational application in marine safety, particularly concerning oil spills and floating objects predictions. CYCOFOS flow model, similar to most of the coastal and sub-regional operational hydrodynamic forecasting systems of the MONGOOS-Mediterranean Oceanographic Network for Global Ocean Observing System is based on the POM-Princeton Ocean Model. CYCOFOS is nested with the MyOcean Mediterranean regional forecasting data and with SKIRON and ECMWF for surface forcing. The increasing demand for higher and higher resolution data to meet coastal and offshore downstream applications motivated the parallelization of the CYCOFOS POM model. This development was carried out in the frame of the IPcycofos project, funded by the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation. The parallel processing provides a viable solution to satisfy these demands without sacrificing accuracy or omitting any physical phenomena. Prior to IPcycofos project, there are been several attempts to parallelise the POM, as for example the MP-POM. The existing parallel code models rely on the use of specific outdated hardware architectures and associated software. The objective of the IPcycofos project is to produce an operational parallel version of the CYCOFOS POM code that can replicate the results of the serial version of the POM code used in CYCOFOS. The parallelization of the CYCOFOS POM model use Message Passing Interface-MPI, implemented on commodity computing clusters running open source software and not depending on any specialized vendor hardware. The parallel CYCOFOS POM code constructed in a modular fashion, allowing a fast re-locatable downscaled implementation. The MPI takes advantage of the Cartesian nature of the POM mesh, and use the built-in functionality of MPI routines to split the mesh, using a weighting scheme, along longitude and latitude among the processors. Each server processor work on the model based on domain decomposition techniques. The new parallel CYCOFOS POM code has been benchmarked against the serial POM version of CYCOFOS for speed, accuracy, and resolution and the results are more than satisfactory. With a higher resolution CYCOFOS Levantine model domain the forecasts need much less time than the serial CYCOFOS POM coarser version, both with identical accuracy.

Modular interdependency in complex dynamical systems.

PubMed

Watson, Richard A; Pollack, Jordan B

2005-01-01

Herbert A. Simon's characterization of modularity in dynamical systems describes subsystems as having dynamics that are approximately independent of those of other subsystems (in the short term). This fits with the general intuition that modules must, by definition, be approximately independent. In the evolution of complex systems, such modularity may enable subsystems to be modified and adapted independently of other subsystems, whereas in a nonmodular system, modifications to one part of the system may result in deleterious side effects elsewhere in the system. But this notion of modularity and its effect on evolvability is not well quantified and is rather simplistic. In particular, modularity need not imply that intermodule dependences are weak or unimportant. In dynamical systems this is acknowledged by Simon's suggestion that, in the long term, the dynamical behaviors of subsystems do interact with one another, albeit in an "aggregate" manner--but this kind of intermodule interaction is omitted in models of modularity for evolvability. In this brief discussion we seek to unify notions of modularity in dynamical systems with notions of how modularity affects evolvability. This leads to a quantifiable measure of modularity and a different understanding of its effect on evolvability.

Individual differences and time-varying features of modular brain architecture.

PubMed

Liao, Xuhong; Cao, Miao; Xia, Mingrui; He, Yong

2017-05-15

Recent studies have suggested that human brain functional networks are topologically organized into functionally specialized but inter-connected modules to facilitate efficient information processing and highly flexible cognitive function. However, these studies have mainly focused on group-level network modularity analyses using "static" functional connectivity approaches. How these extraordinary modular brain structures vary across individuals and spontaneously reconfigure over time remain largely unknown. Here, we employed multiband resting-state functional MRI data (N=105) from the Human Connectome Project and a graph-based modularity analysis to systematically investigate individual variability and dynamic properties in modular brain networks. We showed that the modular structures of brain networks dramatically vary across individuals, with higher modular variability primarily in the association cortex (e.g., fronto-parietal and attention systems) and lower variability in the primary systems. Moreover, brain regions spontaneously changed their module affiliations on a temporal scale of seconds, which cannot be simply attributable to head motion and sampling error. Interestingly, the spatial pattern of intra-subject dynamic modular variability largely overlapped with that of inter-subject modular variability, both of which were highly reproducible across repeated scanning sessions. Finally, the regions with remarkable individual/temporal modular variability were closely associated with network connectors and the number of cognitive components, suggesting a potential contribution to information integration and flexible cognitive function. Collectively, our findings highlight individual modular variability and the notable dynamic characteristics in large-scale brain networks, which enhance our understanding of the neural substrates underlying individual differences in a variety of cognition and behaviors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Crystallographic studies of gas sorption in metal–organic frameworks

PubMed Central

Carrington, Elliot J.; Vitórica-Yrezábal, Iñigo J.; Brammer, Lee

2014-01-01

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of porous crystalline materials of modular design. One of the primary applications of these materials is in the adsorption and separation of gases, with potential benefits to the energy, transport and medical sectors. In situ crystallography of MOFs under gas atmospheres has enabled the behaviour of the frameworks under gas loading to be investigated and has established the precise location of adsorbed gas molecules in a significant number of MOFs. This article reviews progress in such crystallographic studies, which has taken place over the past decade, but has its origins in earlier studies of zeolites, clathrates etc. The review considers studies by single-crystal or powder diffraction using either X-rays or neutrons. Features of MOFs that strongly affect gas sorption behaviour are discussed in the context of in situ crystallographic studies, specifically framework flexibility, and the presence of (organic) functional groups and unsaturated (open) metal sites within pores that can form specific interactions with gas molecules. PMID:24892587

Parallel computation of multigroup reactivity coefficient using iterative method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Susmikanti, Mike; Dewayatna, Winter

2013-09-01

One of the research activities to support the commercial radioisotope production program is a safety research target irradiation FPM (Fission Product Molybdenum). FPM targets form a tube made of stainless steel in which the nuclear degrees of superimposed high-enriched uranium. FPM irradiation tube is intended to obtain fission. The fission material widely used in the form of kits in the world of nuclear medicine. Irradiation FPM tube reactor core would interfere with performance. One of the disorders comes from changes in flux or reactivity. It is necessary to study a method for calculating safety terrace ongoing configuration changes during the life of the reactor, making the code faster became an absolute necessity. Neutron safety margin for the research reactor can be reused without modification to the calculation of the reactivity of the reactor, so that is an advantage of using perturbation method. The criticality and flux in multigroup diffusion model was calculate at various irradiation positions in some uranium content. This model has a complex computation. Several parallel algorithms with iterative method have been developed for the sparse and big matrix solution. The Black-Red Gauss Seidel Iteration and the power iteration parallel method can be used to solve multigroup diffusion equation system and calculated the criticality and reactivity coeficient. This research was developed code for reactivity calculation which used one of safety analysis with parallel processing. It can be done more quickly and efficiently by utilizing the parallel processing in the multicore computer. This code was applied for the safety limits calculation of irradiated targets FPM with increment Uranium.

Modular Apparatus and Method for Attaching Multiple Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Okojie, Robert S (Inventor)

2015-01-01

A modular apparatus for attaching sensors and electronics is disclosed. The modular apparatus includes a square recess including a plurality of cavities and a reference cavity such that a pressure sensor can be connected to the modular apparatus. The modular apparatus also includes at least one voltage input hole and at least one voltage output hole operably connected to each of the plurality of cavities such that voltage can be applied to the pressure sensor and received from the pressure sensor.

Robotic hand with modular extensions

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

Salisbury, Curt Michael; Quigley, Morgan

A robotic device is described herein. The robotic device includes a frame that comprises a plurality of receiving regions that are configured to receive a respective plurality of modular robotic extensions. The modular robotic extensions are removably attachable to the frame at the respective receiving regions by way of respective mechanical fuses. Each mechanical fuse is configured to trip when a respective modular robotic extension experiences a predefined load condition, such that the respective modular robotic extension detaches from the frame when the load condition is met.

Monte Carlo simulations and benchmark measurements on the response of TE(TE) and Mg(Ar) ionization chambers in photon, electron and neutron beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yi-Chun; Huang, Tseng-Te; Liu, Yuan-Hao; Chen, Wei-Lin; Chen, Yen-Fu; Wu, Shu-Wei; Nievaart, Sander; Jiang, Shiang-Huei

2015-06-01

The paired ionization chambers (ICs) technique is commonly employed to determine neutron and photon doses in radiology or radiotherapy neutron beams, where neutron dose shows very strong dependence on the accuracy of accompanying high energy photon dose. During the dose derivation, it is an important issue to evaluate the photon and electron response functions of two commercially available ionization chambers, denoted as TE(TE) and Mg(Ar), used in our reactor based epithermal neutron beam. Nowadays, most perturbation corrections for accurate dose determination and many treatment planning systems are based on the Monte Carlo technique. We used general purposed Monte Carlo codes, MCNP5, EGSnrc, FLUKA or GEANT4 for benchmark verifications among them and carefully measured values for a precise estimation of chamber current from absorbed dose rate of cavity gas. Also, energy dependent response functions of two chambers were calculated in a parallel beam with mono-energies from 20 keV to 20 MeV photons and electrons by using the optimal simple spherical and detailed IC models. The measurements were performed in the well-defined (a) four primary M-80, M-100, M120 and M150 X-ray calibration fields, (b) primary 60Co calibration beam, (c) 6 MV and 10 MV photon, (d) 6 MeV and 18 MeV electron LINACs in hospital and (e) BNCT clinical trials neutron beam. For the TE(TE) chamber, all codes were almost identical over the whole photon energy range. In the Mg(Ar) chamber, MCNP5 showed lower response than other codes for photon energy region below 0.1 MeV and presented similar response above 0.2 MeV (agreed within 5% in the simple spherical model). With the increase of electron energy, the response difference between MCNP5 and other codes became larger in both chambers. Compared with the measured currents, MCNP5 had the difference from the measurement data within 5% for the 60Co, 6 MV, 10 MV, 6 MeV and 18 MeV LINACs beams. But for the Mg(Ar) chamber, the derivations reached 7.8-16.5% below 120 kVp X-ray beams. In this study, we were especially interested in BNCT doses where low energy photon contribution is less to ignore, MCNP model is recognized as the most suitable to simulate wide photon-electron and neutron energy distributed responses of the paired ICs. Also, MCNP provides the best prediction of BNCT source adjustment by the detector's neutron and photon responses.

Neutron Scattering Studies of Vortex Matter in Type-II Superconductors

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

Xinsheng Ling

2012-02-02

The proposed program is an experimental study of the fundamental properties of Abrikosov vortex matter in type-II superconductors. Most superconducting materials used in applications such as MRI are type II and their transport properties are determined by the interplay between random pinning, interaction and thermal fluctuation effects in the vortex state. Given the technological importance of these materials, a fundamental understanding of the vortex matter is necessary. The vortex lines in type-II superconductors also form a useful model system for fundamental studies of a number of important issues in condensed matter physics, such as the presence of a symmetry-breaking phasemore » transition in the presence of random pinning. Recent advances in neutron scattering facilities such as the major upgrade of the NIST cold source and the Spallation Neutron Source are providing unprecedented opportunities in addressing some of the longstanding issues in vortex physics. The core component of the proposed program is to use small angle neutron scattering and Bitter decoration experiments to provide the most stringent test of the Bragg glass theory by measuring the structure factor in both the real and reciprocal spaces. The proposed experiments include a neutron reflectometry experiment to measure the precise Q-dependence of the structure factor of the vortex lattice in the Bragg glass state. A second set of SANS experiments will be on a shear-strained Nb single crystal for testing a recently proposed theory of the stability of Bragg glass. The objective is to artificially create a set of parallel grain boundaries into a Nb single crystal and use SANS to measure the vortex matter diffraction pattern as a function of the changing angle between the applied magnetic field to the grain boundaries. The intrinsic merits of the proposed work are a new fundamental understanding of type-II superconductors on which superconducting technology is based, and a firm understanding of phases and phase transitions in condensed matter systems with random pinning. The broader impact of the program includes the training of future generation of neutron scientists, and further development of neutron scattering and complementary techniques for studies of superconducting materials. The graduate and undergraduate students participating in this project will learn the state-of-the-art neutron scattering techniques, acquire a wide range of materials research experiences, and participate in the frontier research of superconductivity. This should best prepare the students for future careers in academia, industry, or government.« less

Neutron resonance spin echo with longitudinal DC fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krautloher, Maximilian; Kindervater, Jonas; Keller, Thomas; Häußler, Wolfgang

2016-12-01

We report on the design, construction, and performance of a neutron resonance spin echo (NRSE) instrument employing radio frequency (RF) spin flippers combining RF fields with DC fields, the latter oriented parallel (longitudinal) to the neutron propagation direction (longitudinal NRSE (LNRSE)). The advantage of the longitudinal configuration is the inherent homogeneity of the effective magnetic path integrals. In the center of the RF coils, the sign of the spin precession phase is inverted by a π flip of the neutron spins, such that non-uniform spin precession at the boundaries of the RF flippers is canceled. The residual inhomogeneity can be reduced by Fresnel- or Pythagoras-coils as in the case of conventional spin echo instruments (neutron spin echo (NSE)). Due to the good intrinsic homogeneity of the B0 coils, the current densities required for the correction coils are at least a factor of three less than in conventional NSE. As the precision and the current density of the correction coils are the limiting factors for the resolution of both NSE and LNRSE, the latter has the intrinsic potential to surpass the energy resolution of present NSE instruments. Our prototype LNRSE spectrometer described here was implemented at the resonance spin echo for diverse applications (RESEDA) beamline at the MLZ in Garching, Germany. The DC fields are generated by B0 coils, based on resistive split-pair solenoids with an active shielding for low stray fields along the beam path. One pair of RF flippers at a distance of 2 m generates a field integral of ˜0.5 Tm. The LNRSE technique is a future alternative for high-resolution spectroscopy of quasi-elastic excitations. In addition, it also incorporates the MIEZE technique, which allows to achieve spin echo resolution for spin depolarizing samples and sample environments. Here we present the results of numerical optimization of the coil geometry and first data from the prototype instrument.

PHISICS/RELAP5-3D RESULTS FOR EXERCISES II-1 AND II-2 OF THE OECD/NEA MHTGR-350 BENCHMARK

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

Strydom, Gerhard

2016-03-01

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Advanced Reactor Technologies (ART) High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR) Methods group currently leads the Modular High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (MHTGR) 350 benchmark. The benchmark consists of a set of lattice-depletion, steady-state, and transient problems that can be used by HTGR simulation groups to assess the performance of their code suites. The paper summarizes the results obtained for the first two transient exercises defined for Phase II of the benchmark. The Parallel and Highly Innovative Simulation for INL Code System (PHISICS), coupled with the INL system code RELAP5-3D, was used to generate the results for the Depressurized Conductionmore » Cooldown (DCC) (exercise II-1a) and Pressurized Conduction Cooldown (PCC) (exercise II-2) transients. These exercises require the time-dependent simulation of coupled neutronics and thermal-hydraulics phenomena, and utilize the steady-state solution previously obtained for exercise I-3 of Phase I. This paper also includes a comparison of the benchmark results obtained with a traditional system code “ring” model against a more detailed “block” model that include kinetics feedback on an individual block level and thermal feedbacks on a triangular sub-mesh. The higher spatial fidelity that can be obtained by the block model is illustrated with comparisons of the maximum fuel temperatures, especially in the case of natural convection conditions that dominate the DCC and PCC events. Differences up to 125 K (or 10%) were observed between the ring and block model predictions of the DCC transient, mostly due to the block model’s capability of tracking individual block decay powers and more detailed helium flow distributions. In general, the block model only required DCC and PCC calculation times twice as long as the ring models, and it therefore seems that the additional development and calculation time required for the block model could be worth the gain that can be obtained in the spatial resolution« less

Modular femoral neck fracture after primary total hip arthroplasty.

PubMed

Sotereanos, Nicholas G; Sauber, Timothy J; Tupis, Todd T

2013-01-01

The use of modular femoral stems in primary total hip arthroplasty has increased considerably in recent years. These modular components offer the surgeon the ability to independently alter version, offset, and length of the femoral component of a hip arthroplasty. This increases the surgeon's ability to accurately recreate the relevant anatomy but increases the possibilities of corrosion and fracture. Multiple case reports have highlighted fractures of these modular components. We present a case of a fracture of a modular design that has had no previously reported modular neck fractures. The patient was informed that data concerning the case would be submitted, and he consented. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modular properties of 6d (DELL) systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aminov, G.; Mironov, A.; Morozov, A.

2017-11-01

If super-Yang-Mills theory possesses the exact conformal invariance, there is an additional modular invariance under the change of the complex bare charge [InlineMediaObject not available: see fulltext.]. The low-energy Seiberg-Witten prepotential ℱ( a), however, is not explicitly invariant, because the flat moduli also change a - → a D = ∂ℱ/∂ a. In result, the prepotential is not a modular form and depends also on the anomalous Eisenstein series E 2. This dependence is usually described by the universal MNW modular anomaly equation. We demonstrate that, in the 6 d SU( N) theory with two independent modular parameters τ and \\widehat{τ} , the modular anomaly equation changes, because the modular transform of τ is accompanied by an ( N -dependent!) shift of \\widehat{τ} and vice versa. This is a new peculiarity of double-elliptic systems, which deserves further investigation.

Towards a Formal Basis for Modular Safety Cases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Denney, Ewen; Pai, Ganesh

2015-01-01

Safety assurance using argument-based safety cases is an accepted best-practice in many safety-critical sectors. Goal Structuring Notation (GSN), which is widely used for presenting safety arguments graphically, provides a notion of modular arguments to support the goal of incremental certification. Despite the efforts at standardization, GSN remains an informal notation whereas the GSN standard contains appreciable ambiguity especially concerning modular extensions. This, in turn, presents challenges when developing tools and methods to intelligently manipulate modular GSN arguments. This paper develops the elements of a theory of modular safety cases, leveraging our previous work on formalizing GSN arguments. Using example argument structures we highlight some ambiguities arising through the existing guidance, present the intuition underlying the theory, clarify syntax, and address modular arguments, contracts, well-formedness and well-scopedness of modules. Based on this theory, we have a preliminary implementation of modular arguments in our toolset, AdvoCATE.

Brain modularity controls the critical behavior of spontaneous activity.

PubMed

Russo, R; Herrmann, H J; de Arcangelis, L

2014-03-13

The human brain exhibits a complex structure made of scale-free highly connected modules loosely interconnected by weaker links to form a small-world network. These features appear in healthy patients whereas neurological diseases often modify this structure. An important open question concerns the role of brain modularity in sustaining the critical behaviour of spontaneous activity. Here we analyse the neuronal activity of a model, successful in reproducing on non-modular networks the scaling behaviour observed in experimental data, on a modular network implementing the main statistical features measured in human brain. We show that on a modular network, regardless the strength of the synaptic connections or the modular size and number, activity is never fully scale-free. Neuronal avalanches can invade different modules which results in an activity depression, hindering further avalanche propagation. Critical behaviour is solely recovered if inter-module connections are added, modifying the modular into a more random structure.

Why Go Modular? A Review of Modular A-Level Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taverner, Sally; Wright, Martin

1997-01-01

Attitudes, academic intentions, and attainment of students gaining a grade in A-level (Advanced level) mathematics were compared for those who followed a modular course and those assessed at the end of two years of study. Overall, the final grades of those assessed modularly were half a grade higher. (JOW)

On Classification of Modular Categories by Rank: Table A.1

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

Bruillard, Paul; Ng, Siu-Hung; Rowell, Eric C.

2016-04-10

The feasibility of a classification-by-rank program for modular categories follows from the Rank-Finiteness Theorem. We develop arithmetic, representation theoretic and algebraic methods for classifying modular categories by rank. As an application, we determine all possible fusion rules for all rank=5 modular categories and describe the corresponding monoidal equivalence classes.

46 CFR 181.450 - Independent modular smoke detecting units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Independent modular smoke detecting units. 181.450... Independent modular smoke detecting units. (a) An independent modular smoke detecting unit must: (1) Meet UL 217 (incorporated by reference, see 46 CFR 175.600) and be listed as a “Single Station Smoke detector...

46 CFR 181.450 - Independent modular smoke detecting units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Independent modular smoke detecting units. 181.450... Independent modular smoke detecting units. (a) An independent modular smoke detecting unit must: (1) Meet UL 217 (incorporated by reference, see 46 CFR 175.600) and be listed as a “Single Station Smoke detector...

46 CFR 181.450 - Independent modular smoke detecting units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Independent modular smoke detecting units. 181.450... Independent modular smoke detecting units. (a) An independent modular smoke detecting unit must: (1) Meet UL 217 (incorporated by reference, see 46 CFR 175.600) and be listed as a “Single Station Smoke detector...

46 CFR 181.450 - Independent modular smoke detecting units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Independent modular smoke detecting units. 181.450... Independent modular smoke detecting units. (a) An independent modular smoke detecting unit must: (1) Meet UL 217 (incorporated by reference, see 46 CFR 175.600) and be listed as a “Single Station Smoke detector...

46 CFR 181.450 - Independent modular smoke detecting units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Independent modular smoke detecting units. 181.450... Independent modular smoke detecting units. (a) An independent modular smoke detecting unit must: (1) Meet UL 217 (incorporated by reference, see 46 CFR 175.600) and be listed as a “Single Station Smoke detector...

Unraveling the disease consequences and mechanisms of modular structure in animal social networks

PubMed Central

Leu, Stephan T.; Cross, Paul C.; Hudson, Peter J.; Bansal, Shweta

2017-01-01

Disease risk is a potential cost of group living. Although modular organization is thought to reduce this cost in animal societies, empirical evidence toward this hypothesis has been conflicting. We analyzed empirical social networks from 43 animal species to motivate our study of the epidemiological consequences of modular structure in animal societies. From these empirical studies, we identified the features of interaction patterns associated with network modularity and developed a theoretical network model to investigate when and how subdivisions in social networks influence disease dynamics. Contrary to prior work, we found that disease risk is largely unaffected by modular structure, although social networks beyond a modular threshold experience smaller disease burden and longer disease duration. Our results illustrate that the lowering of disease burden in highly modular social networks is driven by two mechanisms of modular organization: network fragmentation and subgroup cohesion. Highly fragmented social networks with cohesive subgroups are able to structurally trap infections within a few subgroups and also cause a structural delay to the spread of disease outbreaks. Finally, we show that network models incorporating modular structure are necessary only when prior knowledge suggests that interactions within the population are highly subdivided. Otherwise, null networks based on basic knowledge about group size and local contact heterogeneity may be sufficient when data-limited estimates of epidemic consequences are necessary. Overall, our work does not support the hypothesis that modular structure universally mitigates the disease impact of group living. PMID:28373567