Benzophenone-3 ultrasound degradation in a multifrequency reactor: Response surface methodology approach.

PubMed

Vega-Garzon, Lina Patricia; Gomez-Miranda, Ingry Natalia; Peñuela, Gustavo A

2018-05-01

Response Surface Methodology was used for optimizing operating variables for a multi-frequency ultrasound reactor using BP-3 as a model compound. The response variable was the Triclosan degradation percent after 10 sonication min. Frequency at levels from 574, 856 and 1134 kHz were used. Power density, pulse time (PT), silent time (ST) and PT/ST ratio effects were also analyzed. 2 2 and 2 3 experimental designs were used for screening purposes and a central composite design was used for optimization. An optimum value of 79.2% was obtained for a frequency of 574 kHz, a power density of 200 W/L, and a PT/ST ratio of 10. Significant variables were frequency and power level, the first having an optimum value after which degradation decreases while power density level had a strong positive effect on the whole operational range. PT, ST, and PT/ST ratio were not significant variables although it was shown that pulsed mode ultrasound has better degradation rates than continuous mode ultrasound; the effect less significant at higher power levels. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

New method to enhance the extraction yield of rutin from Sophora japonica using a novel ultrasonic extraction system by determining optimum ultrasonic frequency.

PubMed

Liao, Jianqing; Qu, Baida; Liu, Da; Zheng, Naiqin

2015-11-01

A new method has been proposed for enhancing extraction yield of rutin from Sophora japonica, in which a novel ultrasonic extraction system has been developed to perform the determination of optimum ultrasonic frequency by a two-step procedure. This study has systematically investigated the influence of a continuous frequency range of 20-92 kHz on rutin yields. The effects of different operating conditions on rutin yields have also been studied in detail such as solvent concentration, solvent to solid ratio, ultrasound power, temperature and particle size. A higher extraction yield was obtained at the ultrasonic frequency of 60-62 kHz which was little affected under other extraction conditions. Comparative studies between existing methods and the present method were done to verify the effectiveness of this method. Results indicated that the new extraction method gave a higher extraction yield compared with existing ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and soxhlet extraction (SE). Thus, the potential use of this method may be promising for extraction of natural materials on an industrial scale in the future. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Wide Temperature Core Loss Characteristics of Transverse Magnetically Annealed Amorphous Tapes for High Frequency Aerospace Magnetics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Niedra, Janis M.; Schwarze, Gene E.

1999-01-01

100 kHz core loss properties of sample transverse magnetically annealed, cobalt-based amorphous and iron-based nanocrystalline tape wound magnetic cores are presented over the temperature range of -150 C to 150 C, at selected values of B(sub peak). For B-fields not close to saturation, the core loss is not sensitive to temperature in this range and is as low as seen in the best MnZn power ferrites at their optimum temperatures. Frequency resolved characteristics are given over the range of 50 kHz to 1 MHz, but at B(sub peak) = 0.1 T and 50 C only. For example, the 100 kHz specific core loss ranged from 50 - 70 mW/cubic cm for the 3 materials, when measured at 0.1 T and 50 C. This very low high frequency core loss, together with near zero saturation magnetostriction and insensitivity to rough handling, makes these amorphous ribbons strong candidates for power magnetics applications in wide temperature aerospace environments.

Optimisation of micro-perforated cylindrical silencers in linear and nonlinear regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bravo, Teresa; Maury, Cédric; Pinhède, Cédric

2016-02-01

This paper describes analytical and experimental studies conducted to understand the potential of lightweight non-fibrous alternatives to dissipative mufflers for in-duct noise control problems, especially under high sound pressure levels (SPLs) and in the low frequency domain. The cost-efficient multi-modal propagation method has been extended to predict nonlinear effects in the dissipation and the transmission loss (TL) of micro-perforated cylindrical liners with sub-millimetric holes diameter. A validation experiment was performed in a standing wave tube to measure the power dissipated and transmitted by a nonlocally reacting liner under moderate and high SPLs. Although nonlinear effects significantly reduce the dissipation and TL around the liner maximum damping frequency, these power quantities may be enhanced below the half-bandwidth resonance. An optimal value of the in-hole peak particle velocity has been found that maximizes the TL of locally reacting liners at low frequencies. Optimisation studies based on dissipation or TL maximization showed the sensitivity of the liner constituting parameters to variations in the design target range such as the center frequency, the levels of acoustic excitation and the nature of the surface impedance (locally or nonlocally reacting). An analysis is proposed of the deviation observed at low frequencies between the optimum impedance of the locally reacting liner under moderate SPLs and Cremer's optimum impedances.

Optimization of an Offset Receiver Optics for Radio Telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeap, Kim Ho; Tham, Choy Yoong

2018-01-01

The latest generation of Cassegrain radio astronomy antennas is designed for multiple frequency bands with receivers for individual bands offset from the antenna axis. The offset feed arrangement typically has two focusing elements in the form of ellipsoidal mirrors in the optical path between the feed horn and the antenna focus. This arrangement aligns the beam from the offset feed horn to illuminate the subreflector. The additional focusing elements increase the number of design variables, namely the distances between the horn aperture and the first mirror and that between the two mirrors, and their focal lengths. There are a huge number of possible combinations of these four variables in which the optics system can take on. The design aim is to seek the combination that will give the optimum antenna efficiency, not only at the centre frequency of the particular band but also across its bandwidth. To pick the optimum combination of the variables, it requires working through, by computational mean, a continuum range of variable values at different frequencies which will fit the optics system within the allocated physical space. Physical optics (PO) is a common technique used in optics design. However, due to the repeated iteration of the huge number of computation involved, the use of PO is not feasible. We present a procedure based on using multimode Gaussian optics to pick the optimum design and using PO for final verification of the system performance. The best antenna efficiency is achieved when the beam illuminating the subreflector is truncated with the optimum edge taper. The optimization procedure uses the beam's edge taper at the subreflector as the iteration target. The band 6 receiver optics design for the Atacama Large Millimetre Array (ALMA) antenna is used to illustrate the optimization procedure.

Frequency stability of maser oscillators operated with cavity Q. [hydrogen and rubidium masers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tetu, M.; Tremblay, P.; Lesage, P.; Petit, P.; Audoin, C.

1982-01-01

The short term frequency stability of masers equipped with an external feedback loop to increase the cavity quality factor was studied. The frequency stability of a hydrogen and a rubidium maser were measured and compared with theoretical evaluation. It is shown that the frequency stability passes through an optimum when the cavity Q is varied. Long term fluctuations are discussed and the optimum mid term frequency stability achievably by small size active and passive H-masers is considered.

[Spatial-temporal distribution of bigeye tuna Thunnus obesus in the tropical Atlantic Ocean based on Argo data].

PubMed

Yang, Sheng-long; Jin, Shao-fei; Hua, Cheng-jun; Dai, Yang

2015-02-01

In order to analyze the correlation between spatial-temporal distribution of the bigeye tuna ( Thunnus obesus) and subsurface factors, the study explored the isothermal distribution of subsurface temperatures in the bigeye tuna fishing grounds in the tropical Atlantic Ocean, and built up the spatial overlay chart of the isothermal lines of 9, 12, 13 and 15 °C and monthly CPUE (catch per unit effort) from bigeye tuna long-lines. The results showed that the bigeye tuna mainly distributed in the water layer (150-450 m) below the lower boundary depth of thermocline. At the isothermal line of 12 °C, the bigeye tuna mainly lived in the water layer of 190-260 m, while few individuals were found at water depth more than 400 m. As to the 13 °C isothermal line, high CPUE often appeared at water depth less than 250 m, mainly between 150-230 m, while no CPUE appeared at water depth more than 300 m. The optimum range of subsurface factors calculated by frequency analysis and empirical cumulative distribution function (ECDF) exhibited that the optimum depth range of 12 °C isothermal depth was 190-260 m and the 13 °C isothermal depth was 160-240 m, while the optimum depth difference range of 12 °C isothermal depth was -10 to 100 m and the 13 °C isothermal depth was -40 to 60 m. The study explored the optimum range of subsurface factors (water temperature and depth) that drive horizontal and vertical distribution of bigeye tuna. The preliminary result would help to discover the central fishing ground, instruct fishing depth, and provide theoretical and practical references for the longline production and resource management of bigeye tuna in the Atlantic Ocean.

Helicopter vibration suppression using simple pendulum absorbers on the rotor blade

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pierce, G. A.; Hanouva, M. N. H.

1982-01-01

A comprehensive anaytical design procedure for the installation of simple pendulums on the blades of a helicopter rotor to suppress the root reactions is presented. A frequency response anaysis is conducted of typical rotor blades excited by a harmonic variation of spanwise airload distributions as well as a concentrated load at the tip. The results presented included the effect of pendulum tuning on the minimization of the hub reactions. It is found that a properly designed flapping pendulum attenuates the root out-of-plane force and moment whereas the optimum designed lead-lag pendulum attenuates the root in-plane reactions. For optimum pendulum tuning the parameters to be determined are the pendulum uncoupled natural frequency, the pendulum spanwise location and its mass. It is found that the optimum pendulum frequency is in the vicinity of the excitation frequency. For the optimum pendulum a parametric study is conducted. The parameters varied include prepitch, pretwist, precone and pendulum hinge offset.

Investigation of self-excited induction generators for wind turbine applications

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

Muljadi, E.; Butterfield, C.P.; Sallan, J.

2000-02-28

The use of squirrel-cage induction machines in wind generation is widely accepted as a generator of choice. The squirrel-cage induction machine is simple, reliable, cheap, lightweight, and requires very little maintenance. Generally, the induction generator is connected to the utility at constant frequency. With a constant frequency operation, the induction generator operates at practically constant speed (small range of slip). The wind turbine operates in optimum efficiency only within a small range of wind speed variation. The variable-speed operation allows an increase in energy captured and reduces both the torque peaks in the drive train and the power fluctuations sentmore » to the utility. In variable-speed operation, an induction generator needs an interface to convert the variable frequency output of the generator to the fixed frequency at the utility. This interface can be simplified by using a self-excited generator because a simple diode bridge is required to perform the ac/dc conversion. The subsequent dc/ac conversion can be performed using different techniques. The use of a thyristor bridge is readily available for large power conversion and has a lower cost and higher reliability. The firing angle of the inverter bridge can be controlled to track the optimum power curve of the wind turbine. With only diodes and thyristors used in power conversion, the system can be scaled up to a very high voltage and high power applications. This paper analyzes the operation of such a system applied to a 1/3-hp self-excited induction generator. It includes the simulations and tests performed for the different excitation configurations.« less

Wide Temperature Characteristics of Transverse Magnetically Annealed Amorphous Tapes for High Frequency Aerospace Magnetics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Niedra, Janis M.

1999-01-01

100 kHz core loss and magnetization properties of sample transverse magnetically annealed, cobalt-based amorphous and iron-based nanocrystalline tape wound magnetic cores are presented over the temperature range of -150 to 150 C, at selected values of B(sub peak). For B-fields not close to saturation, the core loss is not sensitive to temperature in this range and is as low as seen in the best MnZn power ferrites at their optimum temperatures. Frequency resolved characteristics are given over the range of 50 kHz to 1 MHz, at B(sub peak) = 0.1 T and 50 C only. A linear permeability model is used to interpret and present the magnetization characteristics and several figures of merit applicable to inductor materials arc reviewed. This linear modeling shows that, due to their high permeabilities, these cores must he gapped in order to make up high Q or high current inductors. However, they should serve well, as is, for high frequency, anti ratcheting transformer applications.

Acoustic Wave Filter Technology-A Review.

PubMed

Ruppel, Clemens C W

2017-09-01

Today, acoustic filters are the filter technology to meet the requirements with respect to performance dictated by the cellular phone standards and their form factor. Around two billion cellular phones are sold every year, and smart phones are of a very high percentage of approximately two-thirds. Smart phones require a very high number of filter functions ranging from the low double-digit range up to almost triple digit numbers in the near future. In the frequency range up to 1 GHz, surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters are almost exclusively employed, while in the higher frequency range, bulk acoustic wave (BAW) and SAW filters are competing for their shares. Prerequisites for the success of acoustic filters were the availability of high-quality substrates, advanced and highly reproducible fabrication technologies, optimum filter techniques, precise simulation software, and advanced design tools that allow the fast and efficient design according to customer specifications. This paper will try to focus on innovations leading to high volume applications of intermediate frequency (IF) and radio frequency (RF) acoustic filters, e.g., TV IF filters, IF filters for cellular phones, and SAW/BAW RF filters for the RF front-end of cellular phones.

A Comparison of Various magnetic thin films for the application of microscale magnetic components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flynn, David; Desmulliez, Marc

2006-04-01

A novel method to manufacture and assemble a microinductor that is based on flipchip bonding is described in this paper. The fabricated inductors have an inductance ranging from 0.3 µH to 180 µH. An optimum Q-factor of 14 was attained at 1MHz. Cobalt-Copper-iron cores maintained a constant inductance across a 1 kHz-1MHz bandwidth. The thin film laminate minimizes the eddy current loss and the hysteresis loss was negligible. Impedance increases linearly with frequency indicating that parasitic capacitance effects in this frequency range are negligible. The microinductor operated at an efficiency of 92% at 1MHz achieving a power density of 3.75 W/mm3.

Optimum design of a novel pounding tuned mass damper under harmonic excitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wenxi; Hua, Xugang; Wang, Xiuyong; Chen, Zhengqing; Song, Gangbing

2017-05-01

In this paper, a novel pounding tuned mass damper (PTMD) utilizing pounding damping is proposed to reduce structural vibration by increasing the damping ratio of a lightly damped structure. The pounding boundary covered by viscoelastic material is fixed right next to the tuned mass when the spring-mass system is in the equilibrium position. The dynamic properties of the proposed PTMD, including the natural frequency and the equivalent damping ratio, are derived theoretically. Moreover, the numerical simulation method by using an impact force model to study the PTMD is proposed and validated by pounding experiments. To minimize the maximum dynamic magnification factor under harmonic excitations, an optimum design of the PTMD is developed. Finally, the optimal PTMD is implemented to control a lightly damped frame structure. A comparison of experimental and simulated results reveals that the proposed impact force model can accurately model the pounding force. Furthermore, the proposed PTMD is effective to control the vibration in a wide frequency range, as demonstrated experimentally.

Further Development and Assessment of a Broadband Liner Optimization Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nark, Douglas M.; Jones, Michael G.; Sutliff, Daniel L.

2016-01-01

The utilization of advanced fan designs (including higher bypass ratios) and shorter engine nacelles has highlighted a need for increased fan noise reduction over a broader frequency range. Thus, improved broadband liner designs must account for these constraints and, where applicable, take advantage of advanced manufacturing techniques that have opened new possibilities for novel configurations. This work focuses on the use of an established broadband acoustic liner optimization process to design a variable-depth, multi-degree of freedom liner for a high speed fan. Specifically, in-duct attenuation predictions with a statistical source model are used to obtain optimum impedance spectra over the conditions of interest. The predicted optimum impedance information is then used with acoustic liner modeling tools to design a liner aimed at producing impedance spectra that most closely match the predicted optimum values. The multi-degree of freedom design is carried through design, fabrication, and testing. In-duct attenuation predictions compare well with measured data and the multi-degree of freedom liner is shown to outperform a more conventional liner over a range of flow conditions. These promising results provide further confidence in the design tool, as well as the enhancements made to the overall design process.

Influence of the viscoelastic properties of the respiratory system on the energetically optimum breathing frequency.

PubMed

Bates, J H; Milic-Emili, J

1993-01-01

We hypothesized that the viscoelastic properties of the respiratory system should have significant implications for the energetically optimal frequency of breathing, in view of the fact that these properties cause marked dependencies of overall system resistance and elastance on frequency. To test our hypothesis we simulated two models of canine and human respiratory system mechanics during sinusoidal breathing and calculated the inspiratory work (WI) and pressure-time integral (PTI) per minute under both resting and exercise conditions. The two models were a two-compartment viscoelastic model and a single-compartment model. Requiring minute alveolar ventilation to be fixed, we found that both models predicted almost identical optimum breathing frequencies. The calculated PTI was very insensitive to increases in breathing frequency above the optimal frequencies, while WI was found to increase slowly with frequency above its optimum. In contrast, both WI and PTI increased sharply as frequency decreased below their respective optima. A sensitivity analysis showed that the model predictions were very insensitive to the elastance and resistance values chosen to characterize tissue viscoelasticity. We conclude that the WI criterion for choosing the frequency of breathing is compatible with observations in nature, whereas the optimal frequency predictions of the PTI are rather too high. Both criteria allow for a fairly wide margin of choice in frequency above the optimum values without incurring excessive additional energy expenditure. Furthermore, contrary to our expectations, the viscoelastic properties of the respiratory system tissues do not pose a noticeable problem to the respiratory controller in terms of energy expenditure.

Stable, low cost SAW microwave transmitter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lau, K. F.; Yen, K. H.

1986-06-01

The design flexibility and application possibilities of surface acoustic wave (SAW) technology is discussed. When a highly stable, AM-modulated transmitter is required, a SAW resonator can provide an oscillator Q of up to 20,000 at 1 GHz. When FM modulation is required, the SAW delay line can provide a lower oscillator Q, which represents the optimum tradeoff between frequency stability and FM modulability. The capabilities of SAW oscillators are reviewed, and two example transmitters are presented. One transmitter operates at 1680 MHz and provides an AM-modulated signal. The second operates at the 400 to 406 MHz range and provides an FM-modulated output at one of six frequencies. SAW transmitters are suitable for applications where moderately high stability and low cost are key factors. With direct generation of signals at microwave frequencies and the flexibility of SAW oscillator design, a wide range of performance characteristics can be achieved.

Passive millimetre wave imaging for ballistic missile launch detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higgins, Christopher J.; Salmon, Neil A.

2008-10-01

QinetiQ has used a suite of modelling tools to predict the millimetric plume signatures from a range of ballistic missile types, based on the accepted theory that Bremsstrahlung emission, generated by the collision of free electrons with neutral species in a rocket motor plume, is the dominant signature mechanism. Plume signatures in terms of radiation temperatures varied from a few hundred Kelvin to over one thousand Kelvin, and were predicted to be dependent on emission frequency, propellant type and missile thrust. Two types of platform were considered for the passive mmw imager launch detection system; a High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) and a satellite based platform in low, mid and geosynchronous earth orbits. It was concluded that the optimum operating frequency for a HAPS based imager would be 35GHz with a 4.5m aperture and a sensitivity of 20mK providing visibility through 500 vertical feet of cloud. For a satellite based platform with a nadir view, the optimum frequency is 220 GHz. With such a system, in a low earth orbit at an altitude of 320km, with a sensitivity of 20mK, a 29cm aperture would be desirable.

Optimization of low frequency sound absorption by cell size control and multiscale poroacoustics modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Ju Hyuk; Yang, Sei Hyun; Lee, Hyeong Rae; Yu, Cheng Bin; Pak, Seong Yeol; Oh, Chi Sung; Kang, Yeon June; Youn, Jae Ryoun

2017-06-01

Sound absorption of a polyurethane (PU) foam was predicted for various geometries to fabricate the optimum microstructure of a sound absorbing foam. Multiscale numerical analysis for sound absorption was carried out by solving flow problems in representative unit cell (RUC) and the pressure acoustics equation using Johnson-Champoux-Allard (JCA) model. From the numerical analysis, theoretical optimum cell diameter for low frequency sound absorption was evaluated in the vicinity of 400 μm under the condition of 2 cm-80 K (thickness of 2 cm and density of 80 kg/m3) foam. An ultrasonic foaming method was employed to modulate microcellular structure of PU foam. Mechanical activation was only employed to manipulate the internal structure of PU foam without any other treatment. A mean cell diameter of PU foam was gradually decreased with increase in the amplitude of ultrasonic waves. It was empirically found that the reduction of mean cell diameter induced by the ultrasonic wave enhances acoustic damping efficiency in low frequency ranges. Moreover, further analyses were performed with several acoustic evaluation factors; root mean square (RMS) values, noise reduction coefficients (NRC), and 1/3 octave band spectrograms.

Multi-objective optimization and design for free piston Stirling engines based on the dimensionless power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mou, Jian; Hong, Guotong

2017-02-01

In this paper, the dimensionless power is used to optimize the free piston Stirling engines (FPSE). The dimensionless power is defined as a ratio of the heat power loss and the output work. The heat power losses include the losses of expansion space, heater, regenerator, cooler and the compression space and every kind of the heat loss calculated by empirical formula. The output work is calculated by the adiabatic model. The results show that 82.66% of the losses come from the expansion space and 54.59% heat losses of expansion space come from the shuttle loss. At different pressure the optimum bore-stroke ratio, heat source temperature, phase angle and the frequency have different values, the optimum phase angles increase with the increase of pressure, but optimum frequencies drop with the increase of pressure. However, no matter what the heat source temperature, initial pressure and frequency are, the optimum ratios of piston stroke and displacer stroke all about 0.8. The three-dimensional diagram is used to analyse Stirling engine. From the three-dimensional diagram the optimum phase angle, frequency and heat source temperature can be acquired at the same time. This study offers some guides for the design and optimization of FPSEs.

Acoustic Resonator Optimisation for Airborne Particle Manipulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devendran, Citsabehsan; Billson, Duncan R.; Hutchins, David A.; Alan, Tuncay; Neild, Adrian

Advances in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology and biomedical research necessitate micro-machined manipulators to capture, handle and position delicate micron-sized particles. To this end, a parallel plate acoustic resonator system has been investigated for the purposes of manipulation and entrapment of micron sized particles in air. Numerical and finite element modelling was performed to optimise the design of the layered acoustic resonator. To obtain an optimised resonator design, careful considerations of the effect of thickness and material properties are required. Furthermore, the effect of acoustic attenuation which is dependent on frequency is also considered within this study, leading to an optimum operational frequency range. Finally, experimental results demonstrated good particle levitation and capture of various particle properties and sizes ranging to as small as 14.8 μm.

Mass resolution of linear quadrupole ion traps with round rods.

PubMed

Douglas, D J; Konenkov, N V

2014-11-15

Auxiliary dipole excitation is widely used to eject ions from linear radio-frequency quadrupole ion traps for mass analysis. Linear quadrupoles are often constructed with round rod electrodes. The higher multipoles introduced to the electric potential by round rods might be expected to change the ion ejection process. We have therefore investigated the optimum ratio of rod radius, r, to field radius, r0, for excitation and ejection of ions. Trajectory calculations are used to determine the excitation contour, S(q), the fraction of ions ejected when trapped at q values close to the ejection (or excitation) q. Initial conditions are randomly selected from Gaussian distributions of the x and y coordinates and a thermal distribution of velocities. The N = 6 (12 pole) and N = 10 (20 pole) multipoles are added to the quadrupole potential. Peak shapes and resolution were calculated for ratios r/r0 from 1.09 to 1.20 with an excitation time of 1000 cycles of the trapping radio-frequency. Ratios r/r0 in the range 1.140 to 1.160 give the highest resolution and peaks with little tailing. Ratios outside this range give lower resolution and peaks with tails on either the low-mass side or the high-mass side of the peaks. This contrasts with the optimum ratio of 1.126-1.130 for a quadrupole mass filter operated conventionally at the tip of the first stability region. With the optimum geometry the resolution is 2.7 times greater than with an ideal quadrupole field. Adding only a 2.0% hexapole field to a quadrupole field increases the resolution by a factor of 1.6 compared with an ideal quadrupole field. Addition of a 2.0% octopole lowers resolution and degrades peak shape. With the optimum value of r/r0 , the resolution increases with the ejection time (measured in cycles of the trapping rf, n) approximately as R0.5 = 6.64n, in contrast to a pure quadrupole field where R0.5 = 1.94n. Adding weak nonlinear fields to a quadrupole field can improve the resolution with mass-selective ejection of ions by up to a factor of 2.7. The optimum ratio r/r0 is 1.14 to 1.16, which differs from the optimum ratio for a mass filter of 1.128-1.130. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Alkaliphilic and halophilic hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria from Kuwaiti coasts of the Arabian Gulf.

PubMed

Al-Awadhi, H; Sulaiman, Rasha H D; Mahmoud, Huda M; Radwan, S S

2007-11-01

Green animate materials from the intertidal zone of the Arabian Gulf coast accommodated more alkaliphilic and halophilic bacteria than inanimate materials. The alkaliphilic oil-utilizing bacteria, as identified by their 16S ribonucleic acid sequences, belonged to the following genera arranged in decreasing frequences: Marinobacter, Micrococcus, Dietzia, Bacillus, Oceanobacillus, and Citricoccus. The halophilic oil-utilizing bacteria belonged to the genera: Marinobacter, Georgenia, Microbacterium, Stappia, Bacillus, Isoptericola, and Cellulomonas. Most isolates could grow on a wide range of pure n-alkanes and aromatic compounds, as sole sources of carbon and energy. Quantitative gas liquid chromatographic analysis showed that individual isolates attenuated crude oil and representative pure hydrocarbons in culture. The optimum pH for most of the alkaliphilic genera was pH 10, and the optimum salinity for the halophiles ranged between 2.5 and 5% NaCl (w/v). It was concluded that as far as their microbial makeup is concerned, oily alkaline and saline intertidal areas of the Kuwaiti coasts have a self-cleaning potential.

Uncovering the genetic signature of quantitative trait evolution with replicated time series data.

PubMed

Franssen, S U; Kofler, R; Schlötterer, C

2017-01-01

The genetic architecture of adaptation in natural populations has not yet been resolved: it is not clear to what extent the spread of beneficial mutations (selective sweeps) or the response of many quantitative trait loci drive adaptation to environmental changes. Although much attention has been given to the genomic footprint of selective sweeps, the importance of selection on quantitative traits is still not well studied, as the associated genomic signature is extremely difficult to detect. We propose 'Evolve and Resequence' as a promising tool, to study polygenic adaptation of quantitative traits in evolving populations. Simulating replicated time series data we show that adaptation to a new intermediate trait optimum has three characteristic phases that are reflected on the genomic level: (1) directional frequency changes towards the new trait optimum, (2) plateauing of allele frequencies when the new trait optimum has been reached and (3) subsequent divergence between replicated trajectories ultimately leading to the loss or fixation of alleles while the trait value does not change. We explore these 3 phase characteristics for relevant population genetic parameters to provide expectations for various experimental evolution designs. Remarkably, over a broad range of parameters the trajectories of selected alleles display a pattern across replicates, which differs both from neutrality and directional selection. We conclude that replicated time series data from experimental evolution studies provide a promising framework to study polygenic adaptation from whole-genome population genetics data.

Compensation of nonlinearity in a fiber-optic transmission system using frequency-degenerate phase conjugation through counter-propagating dual pump FWM in a semiconductor optical amplifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anchal, Abhishek; K, Pradeep Kumar; O'Duill, Sean; Anandarajah, Prince M.; Landais, Pascal

2018-04-01

We present a scheme of frequency-degenerate mid-span spectral inversion (MSSI) for nonlinearity compensation in fiber-optic transmission systems. The spectral inversion is obtained by using counter-propagating dual pump four-wave mixing in a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). Frequency-degeneracy between signal and conjugate is achieved by keeping two pump frequencies symmetrical about the signal frequency. We simulate the performance of MSSI for nonlinearity compensation by scrutinizing the improvement of the Q-factor of a 200 Gbps QPSK signal transmitted over a standard single mode fiber, as a function of launch power for different span lengths and number of spans. We demonstrate a 7.5 dB improvement in the input power dynamic range and an almost 83% increase in the transmission length for optimum MSSI parameters of -2 dBm pump power and 400 mA SOA current.

AlGaN/GaN-HEMTs with a breakdown voltage higher than 100 V and maximum oscillation frequency f{sub max} as high as 100 GHz

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

Mokerov, V. G., E-mail: vgmokerov@yandex.ru; Kuznetsov, A. L.; Fedorov, Yu. V.

2009-04-15

The N-Al{sub 0.27}Ga{sub 0.73}N/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) with different gate lengths L{sub g} (ranging from 170 nm to 0.5 {mu}m) and gate widths W{sub s} (ranging from 100 to 1200 {mu}m) have been studied. The S parameters have been measured; these parameters have been used to determine the current-gain cutoff frequency f{sub t}, the maximum oscillation frequency f{sub max}, and the power gain MSG/MAG and Mason's coefficients were investigated in the frequency range from 10 MHz to 67 GHz in relation to the gate length and gate width. It was found that the frequencies f{sub t} and f{submore » max} attain their maximum values of f{sub t} = 48 GHz and f{sub max} = 100 GHz at L{sub g} = 170 nm and W{sub g} = 100 {mu}m. The optimum values of W{sub g} and output power P out of the basic transistors have been determined for different frequencies of operation. It has also been demonstrated that the 170 nm Al{sub 0.27}Ga{sub 0.73}N/GaN HEMT technology provides both good frequency characteristics and high breakdown voltages and is very promising for high-frequency applications (up to 40 GHz)« less

Disc piezoelectric ceramic transformers.

PubMed

Erhart, Jirií; Půlpán, Petr; Doleček, Roman; Psota, Pavel; Lédl, Vít

2013-08-01

In this contribution, we present our study on disc-shaped and homogeneously poled piezoelectric ceramic transformers working in planar-extensional vibration modes. Transformers are designed with electrodes divided into wedge, axisymmetrical ring-dot, moonie, smile, or yin-yang segments. Transformation ratio, efficiency, and input and output impedances were measured for low-power signals. Transformer efficiency and transformation ratio were measured as a function of frequency and impedance load in the secondary circuit. Optimum impedance for the maximum efficiency has been found. Maximum efficiency and no-load transformation ratio can reach almost 100% and 52 for the fundamental resonance of ring-dot transformers and 98% and 67 for the second resonance of 2-segment wedge transformers. Maximum efficiency was reached at optimum impedance, which is in the range from 500 Ω to 10 kΩ, depending on the electrode pattern and size. Fundamental vibration mode and its overtones were further studied using frequency-modulated digital holographic interferometry and by the finite element method. Complementary information has been obtained by the infrared camera visualization of surface temperature profiles at higher driving power.

Taguchi Optimization of Pulsed Current GTA Welding Parameters for Improved Corrosion Resistance of 5083 Aluminum Welds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rastkerdar, E.; Shamanian, M.; Saatchi, A.

2013-04-01

In this study, the Taguchi method was used as a design of experiment (DOE) technique to optimize the pulsed current gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) parameters for improved pitting corrosion resistance of AA5083-H18 aluminum alloy welds. A L9 (34) orthogonal array of the Taguchi design was used, which involves nine experiments for four parameters: peak current ( P), base current ( B), percent pulse-on time ( T), and pulse frequency ( F) with three levels was used. Pitting corrosion resistance in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution was evaluated by anodic polarization tests at room temperature and calculating the width of the passive region (∆ E pit). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed on the measured data and S/ N (signal to noise) ratios. The "bigger is better" was selected as the quality characteristic (QC). The optimum conditions were found as 170 A, 85 A, 40%, and 6 Hz for P, B, T, and F factors, respectively. The study showed that the percent pulse-on time has the highest influence on the pitting corrosion resistance (50.48%) followed by pulse frequency (28.62%), peak current (11.05%) and base current (9.86%). The range of optimum ∆ E pit at optimum conditions with a confidence level of 90% was predicted to be between 174.81 and 177.74 mVSCE. Under optimum conditions, the confirmation test was carried out, and the experimental value of ∆ E pit of 176 mVSCE was in agreement with the predicted value from the Taguchi model. In this regard, the model can be effectively used to predict the ∆ E pit of pulsed current gas tungsten arc welded joints.

The 13.9 GHz short pulse radar noise figure measurements utilizing silicon and gallium-arsenide mixer diodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dombrowski, M.

1977-01-01

An analysis was made on two commercially available silicon and gallium arsenide Schottky barrier diodes. These diodes were selected because of their particularly low noise figure in the frequency range of interest. The specified noise figure for the silicon and gallium arsenide diodes were 6.3 db and 5.3 db respectively when functioning as mixers in the 13.6 GHz region with optimum local oscillator drive.

High Frequency Bottom Interaction in Range Dependent Biot Media

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-09-30

acoust . Soc. Am. Stephen, R.A. Benchmark models for propagation and scattering in Biot media. Fall ASA, Norfolk, VA, October...1998, J. Acoust . Soc. Am., 104, 1808. X. Zhu and G. A. McMechan, “Numerical simulation of seismic responses of poroelastic reservoirs using Biot...reverberation from rough and heterogeneous seafloors. J. acoust . Soc. Am. Stephen, R.A., in press. Optimum and standard beam widths for numerical modeling of interface scattering problems. J. acoust . Soc. Am.

Investigation of a slot nanoantenna in optical frequency range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dinesh kumar, V.; Asakawa, Kiyoshi

2009-11-01

Following the analogy of radio frequency slot antenna and its complementary dipole, we propose the implementation of a slot nanoantenna (SNA) in the optical frequency range. Using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, we investigate the electromagnetic (EM) properties of a SNA formed in a thin gold film and compare the results with the properties of a gold dipole nanoantenna (DNA) of the same dimension as the slot. It is found that the response of the SNA is very similar to the DNA, like their counterparts in the radio frequency (RF) range. The SNA can enhance the near field intensity of incident field which strongly depends on its feedgap dimension. The resonance of the SNA is influenced by its slot length; for the increasing slot length, resonant frequency decreases whereas the sharpness of resonance increases. Besides, the resonance of the SNA is found sensitive to the thickness of metal film, when the latter is smaller than the skin depth. The effect of polarization of incident field on the EM response of the SNA was examined; the field enhancement is optimum when polarization is parallel to the feedgap. Finally, we calculate the radiation patterns of the DNA and SNA and compare them with those of the RF dipole antenna. The radiation pattern of the SNA is found to be independent of its slot length when excited at resonant frequency. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on a slot antenna in the optical frequency.

An Optimal Frequency in Ca2+ Oscillations for Stomatal Closure Is an Emergent Property of Ion Transport in Guard Cells.

PubMed

Minguet-Parramona, Carla; Wang, Yizhou; Hills, Adrian; Vialet-Chabrand, Silvere; Griffiths, Howard; Rogers, Simon; Lawson, Tracy; Lew, Virgilio L; Blatt, Michael R

2016-01-01

Oscillations in cytosolic-free Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)]i) have been proposed to encode information that controls stomatal closure. [Ca(2+)]i oscillations with a period near 10 min were previously shown to be optimal for stomatal closure in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), but the studies offered no insight into their origins or mechanisms of encoding to validate a role in signaling. We have used a proven systems modeling platform to investigate these [Ca(2+)]i oscillations and analyze their origins in guard cell homeostasis and membrane transport. The model faithfully reproduced differences in stomatal closure as a function of oscillation frequency with an optimum period near 10 min under standard conditions. Analysis showed that this optimum was one of a range of frequencies that accelerated closure, each arising from a balance of transport and the prevailing ion gradients across the plasma membrane and tonoplast. These interactions emerge from the experimentally derived kinetics encoded in the model for each of the relevant transporters, without the need of any additional signaling component. The resulting frequencies are of sufficient duration to permit substantial changes in [Ca(2+)]i and, with the accompanying oscillations in voltage, drive the K(+) and anion efflux for stomatal closure. Thus, the frequency optima arise from emergent interactions of transport across the membrane system of the guard cell. Rather than encoding information for ion flux, these oscillations are a by-product of the transport activities that determine stomatal aperture. © 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

An Optimal Frequency in Ca2+ Oscillations for Stomatal Closure Is an Emergent Property of Ion Transport in Guard Cells1[CC-BY

PubMed Central

Minguet-Parramona, Carla; Hills, Adrian; Vialet-Chabrand, Silvere; Griffiths, Howard; Lawson, Tracy; Lew, Virgilio L.; Blatt, Michael R.

2016-01-01

Oscillations in cytosolic-free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) have been proposed to encode information that controls stomatal closure. [Ca2+]i oscillations with a period near 10 min were previously shown to be optimal for stomatal closure in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), but the studies offered no insight into their origins or mechanisms of encoding to validate a role in signaling. We have used a proven systems modeling platform to investigate these [Ca2+]i oscillations and analyze their origins in guard cell homeostasis and membrane transport. The model faithfully reproduced differences in stomatal closure as a function of oscillation frequency with an optimum period near 10 min under standard conditions. Analysis showed that this optimum was one of a range of frequencies that accelerated closure, each arising from a balance of transport and the prevailing ion gradients across the plasma membrane and tonoplast. These interactions emerge from the experimentally derived kinetics encoded in the model for each of the relevant transporters, without the need of any additional signaling component. The resulting frequencies are of sufficient duration to permit substantial changes in [Ca2+]i and, with the accompanying oscillations in voltage, drive the K+ and anion efflux for stomatal closure. Thus, the frequency optima arise from emergent interactions of transport across the membrane system of the guard cell. Rather than encoding information for ion flux, these oscillations are a by-product of the transport activities that determine stomatal aperture. PMID:26628748

Which lamp will be optimum to eye? Incandescent, fluorescent or LED etc

PubMed Central

Chen, Liang; Zhang, Xiao-Wei

2014-01-01

Low frequency flicker, high frequency flicker, strong light, strong blue light, infrared, ultraviolet, electromagnetic radiation, ripple flicker and dimming flicker produced by different lamps have negative impact on vision, eyes and health. Negative impact on eyes resulting in myopia or cataract etc: the solution is to remove all the negative factors by applying upright lighting technology and that is optimum to vision, eyes and health. PMID:24634884

Which lamp will be optimum to eye? Incandescent, fluorescent or LED etc.

PubMed

Chen, Liang; Zhang, Xiao-Wei

2014-01-01

Low frequency flicker, high frequency flicker, strong light, strong blue light, infrared, ultraviolet, electromagnetic radiation, ripple flicker and dimming flicker produced by different lamps have negative impact on vision, eyes and health. Negative impact on eyes resulting in myopia or cataract etc: the solution is to remove all the negative factors by applying upright lighting technology and that is optimum to vision, eyes and health.

A Microwave Pressure Sounder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flower, D. A.; Peckham, G. E.

1978-01-01

An instrument to measure atmospheric pressure at the earth's surface from an orbiting satellite would be a valuable addition to the expanding inventory of remote sensors. The subject of this report is such an instrument - the Microwave Pressure Sounder (MPS). It is shown that global-ocean coverage is attainable with sufficient accuracy, resolution and observational frequency for meteorological, oceanographic and climate research applications. Surface pressure can be deduced from a measurement of the absorption by an atmospheric column at a frequency in the wing of the oxygen band centered on 60 GHz. An active multifrequency instrument is needed to make this measurement with sufficient accuracy. The selection of optimum operating frequencies is based upon accepted models of surface reflection, oxygen, water vapor and cloud absorption. Numerical simulation using a range of real atmospheres defined by radiosonde observations were used to validate the frequency selection procedure. Analyses are presented of alternative system configurations that define the balance between accuracy and achievable resolution.

Experimental study of cavity configurations for dye lasers pumped by a copper vapor laser

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

Tang Chaunshun; Sun Wei

1988-04-01

Four cavity configurations are considered for dye lasers pumped transversely by a CuBr laser at high pulse repetition frequencies. Their operating characteristics are compared. Optimum performance is found for a double-prism expander cavity equipped with a Littrow mounted grating. A single longitudinal mode lasing in the 598--640 nm range was achieved with a linewidth of 0.0012 nm and a conversion of efficiency of 7.5%, respectively. The amplified spontaneous emission was 1.5%.

Gallium-doped germanium, evaluation of photoconductors, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, W. J.

1979-01-01

Gallium-doped germanium far infrared detectors were evaluated at low temperatures and low background simulating the space environment. Signal and noise characteristics were determined for detector temperatures in the 2K to 4K range. Optimum performance occurs at about 2.5K for all devices tested. The minimum average NEP in the 40-130 micron region was found to be approximately 4 x 10 to the minus 17th power watt Hz(-1/2) at a frequency of 1 Hz.

A method to design blended rolled edges for compact range reflectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gupta, Inder J.; Burnside, Walter D.

1989-01-01

A method to design blended rolled edges for arbitrary rim shape compact range reflectors is presented. The reflectors may be center-fed or offset-fed. The method leads to rolled edges with minimal surface discontinuities. It is shown that the reflectors designed using the prescribed method can be defined analytically using simple expressions. A procedure to obtain optimum rolled edges parameter is also presented. The procedure leads to blended rolled edges that minimize the diffracted fields emanating from the junction between the paraboloid and the rolled edge surface while satisfying certain constraints regarding the reflector size and the minimum operating frequency of the system.

A method to design blended rolled edges for compact range reflectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gupta, Inder J.; Ericksen, Kurt P.; Burnside, Walter D.

1990-01-01

A method to design blended rolled edges for arbitrary rim shape compact range reflectors is presented. The reflectors may be center-fed or offset-fed. The method leads to rolled edges with minimal surface discontinuities. It is shown that the reflectors designed using the prescribed method can be defined analytically using simple expressions. A procedure to obtain optimum rolled edges parameters is also presented. The procedure leads to blended rolled edges that minimize the diffracted fields emanating from the junction between the paraboloid and the rolled edge surface while satisfying certain constraints regarding the reflector size and the minimum operating frequency of the system.

Atmospheric controls on elephant communication.

PubMed

Garstang, M; Larom, D; Raspet, R; Lindeque, M

1995-04-01

Atmospheric conditions conducive to long-range transmission of low-frequency sound as used by elephants are found to exist in the Etosha National Park in Namibia during the late dry season. Meteorological measurements show that strong temperature inversions form at the surface before sunset and decay with sunrise, often accompanied by calm wind conditions during the early evening. These observations are used in an acoustic model to determine the sensitivity of infrasound to the effects of (a) the strength, thickness and elevation of temperature inversions, and (b) the growth and decay of an inversion typical of dry, elevated African savannas. The results suggest that the range over which elephants communicate more than doubles at night. Optimum conditions occur 1-2 h after sunset on clear, relatively cold, calm nights. At these times, ranges of over 10 km are likely, with the greatest amplification occurring at the lowest frequency tested. This strong diurnal cycle in communication range may be reflected in longer-lasting changes in weather and may exert a significant influence on elephant behaviour on time scales from days to many years.

[Relationship between fishing grounds temporal-spatial distribution of Thunnus obesus and thermocline characteristics in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean].

PubMed

Yang, Sheng Long; Wu, Yu Mei; Zhang, Bian Bian; Zhang, Yu; Fan, Wei; Jin, Shao Fei; Dai, Yang

2017-01-01

A thermocline characteristics contour on a spatial overlay map was plotted using data collected on a monthly basis from Argo buoys and data of monthly CPUE (catch per unit effort) bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) long-lines fishery from the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) to evaluate the relationship between fishing grounds temporal-spatial distribution of bigeye tuna and thermocline characteristics in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO). In addition, Numerical methods were used to calculate the optimum ranges of thermocline characteristics of the central fishing grounds. The results showed that the central fishing grounds were mainly distributed between 10° N and 10° S. Seasonal fishing grounds in the south of equator were related to the seasonal variations in the upper boundary temperature, depth and thickness of thermocline. The fishing grounds were observed in areas where the upper boundary depth of thermocline was deep (70-100 m) and the thermocline thickness was more than 60 m. The CPUE tended to be low in area where the thermocline thickness was less than 40 m. The optimum upper boundary temperature range for distribution was 26-29 ℃, and the CPUE was mostly lower than the threshold value (Q3) of central fishing grounds when the temperature was higher than 29 ℃ or lower than 26 ℃. The temporal and spatial distribution of the fishing grounds was influenced by the seasonal variations in upper boundary depth and thermocline thickness. The central fishing grounds in the south of equator disappeared when the upper boundary depth of thermocline decreased and thermocline thickness became thinner. The lower boundary temperature and depth of thermocline and thermocline strength has little variation, but were strongly linked to the location of fishing grounds. The fishing grounds were mainly located between the two high-value zones of the lower boundary depth of thermocline, where the temperature was lower than 13 ℃ and the strength was high. When the depth was more than 300 m or less than 150 m, the lower boundary temperature was more than 17 ℃, or the strength was low, the CPUE tended to be low. The optimum range of thermocline characteristics was calculated using frequency analysis and empirical cumulative distribution function. The results showed that the optimum ranges for upper boundary thermocline temperature and depth were 26-29 ℃ and 70-110 m, the optimum lower boundary thermocline temperature and depth ranges were 11-13 ℃ and 200-280 m, the optimum ranges for thermocline thickness and thermocline strength were 50-90 m and 0.1-0.16 ℃·m -1 , respectively. The paper documented the distribution interval of thermocline characteristics for central fishing ground of the bigeye tuna in WCPO. The results provided a reference for improving the efficiency of pelagic bigeye tuna fishing operation and tuna resource management in WCPO.

Optimum filters for narrow-band frequency modulation.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shelton, R. D.

1972-01-01

The results of a computer search for the optimum type of bandpass filter for low-index angle-modulated signals are reported. The bandpass filters are discussed in terms of their low-pass prototypes. Only filter functions with constant numerators are considered. The pole locations for the optimum filters of several cases are shown in a table. The results are fairly independent of modulation index and bandwidth.

Transition From High Harmonic Fast Wave to Whistler/Helicon Regime in Tokamaks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, S. P.; Pinsker, R. I.; Porkolab, M.

2014-10-01

Experiments are being prepared1 on DIII-D in which fast waves (FWs) at 0.5 GHz will be used to drive current noninductively in the mid-radius region. Previous DIII-D experiments used FWs at ~0.1 GHz to drive central current; in this work we examine the frequency dependence of wave propagation and damping in the 0.1-1.0 GHz range with the goal of identifying the optimum frequency range for a particular application. Strongly enhanced electron damping and reduced ion damping at higher frequencies must be weighed against increasing coupling difficulties at higher frequencies and more restrictive wave accessibility at low toroidal field. Wave propagation and accessibility is studied with ray tracing models in slab, cylindrical, and fully toroidal geometries. Analytic expressions for electron and ion damping will be derived with an emphasis on understanding the transition from the moderate-to-high ion cyclotron harmonic regime to the very high harmonic or ``whistler''/``helicon''/lower hybrid FW regime. Work supported in part by the National Undergraduate Fellowship Program in Plasma Physics and Fusion Energy Sciences and the US Department of Energy under DE-FC02-04ER54698.

Design of helicopter rotor blades for optimum dynamic characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peters, D. A.; Ko, T.; Korn, A. E.; Rossow, M. P.

1982-01-01

The possibilities and the limitations of tailoring blade mass and stiffness distributions to give an optimum blade design in terms of weight, inertia, and dynamic characteristics are investigated. Changes in mass or stiffness distribution used to place rotor frequencies at desired locations are determined. Theoretical limits to the amount of frequency shift are established. Realistic constraints on blade properties based on weight, mass moment of inertia size, strength, and stability are formulated. The extent hub loads can be minimized by proper choice of EL distribution is determined. Configurations that are simple enough to yield clear, fundamental insights into the structural mechanisms but which are sufficiently complex to result in a realistic result for an optimum rotor blade are emphasized.

Noise and vibration level reduction by covering metal structures with layers of damping materials. [considering viscoelastic insulation layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rugina, I.; Paven, H. T. O.

1974-01-01

One of the most important methods of reducing the noise and vibration level is the damping of the secondary sources, such as metal plates, often used in vehicle structures, by means of covering materials with high internal viscosity. Damping layers are chosen at an optimum thickness corresponding to the frequency and temperature range in which a certain structure works. The structure's response corresponding to various real situations is analyzed by means of a measuring chain including electroacoustical or electromechanical transducers. The experimental results provide the dependence of the loss factor and damping transmission coefficient as a function of the damping layer thickness or of the frequency for various viscoelastic covering materials.

Novel solutions to low-frequency problems with geometrically designed beam-waveguide systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Imbriale, W. A.; Esquivel, M. S.; Manshadi, F.

1995-01-01

The poor low-frequency performance of geometrically designed beam-waveguide (BWG) antennas is shown to be caused by the diffraction phase centers being far from the geometrical optics mirror focus, resulting in substantial spillover and defocusing loss. Two novel solutions are proposed: (1) reposition the mirrors to focus low frequencies and redesign the high frequencies to utilize the new mirror positions, and (2) redesign the input feed system to provide an optimum solution for the low frequency. A novel use of the conjugate phase-matching technique is utilized to design the optimum low-frequency feed system, and the new feed system has been implemented in the JPL research and development BWG as part of a dual S-/X-band (2.3 GHz/8.45 GHz) feed system. The new S-band feed system is shown to perform significantly better than the original geometrically designed system.

Permeability recovery of damaged water sensitive core using ultrasonic waves.

PubMed

Khan, Nasir; Pu, Chunsheng; Li, Xu; He, Yanlong; Zhang, Lei; Jing, Cheng

2017-09-01

It is imperative to recover the well productivity lose due to formation damage nearby wellbore during variant well operations. Some indispensable issues in conventional techniques make ultrasonic technology more attractive due to simple, reliable, favorable, cost-effective, and environment friendly nature. This study proposes the independent and combined use of ultrasonic waves and chemical agents for the treatment of already damaged core samples caused by exposure to distilled water. Results elucidate that ultrasonic waves with optimum (20kHz, 1000W) instead of maximum frequency and power worked well in the recovery owing to peristaltic transport caused by matching of natural frequency with acoustic waves frequency. In addition, hundred minutes was investigated as optimum irradiation time which provided ample time span to detach fine loosely suspended particles. However, further irradiation adversely affected the damaged permeability recovery. Moreover, permeability improvement attributes to cavitation due to ultrasonic waves propagation through fluid contained in porous medium and thermal energy generated by three different ways. Eventually, experimental outcomes indicated that maximum (25.3%) damaged permeability recovery was witnessed by applying ultrasonic waves with transducer #2 (20kHz and 1000W) and optimum irradiation timeframe (100min). This recovery was further increased to 45.8% by applying chemical agent and optimum ultrasonic waves simultaneously. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimization of natural frequencies of a slender beam shaped in a linear combination of its mode shapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, Guilherme Augusto Lopes da; Nicoletti, Rodrigo

2017-06-01

This work focuses on the placement of natural frequencies of beams to desired frequency regions. More specifically, we investigate the effects of combining mode shapes to shape a beam to change its natural frequencies, both numerically and experimentally. First, we present a parametric analysis of a shaped beam and we analyze the resultant effects for different boundary conditions and mode shapes. Second, we present an optimization procedure to find the optimum shape of the beam for desired natural frequencies. In this case, we adopt the Nelder-Mead simplex search method, which allows a broad search of the optimum shape in the solution domain. Finally, the obtained results are verified experimentally for a clamped-clamped beam in three different optimization runs. Results show that the method is effective in placing natural frequencies at desired values (experimental results lie within a 10% error to the expected theoretical ones). However, the beam must be axially constrained to have the natural frequencies changed.

Optimum Detection Of Slow-Frequency-Hopping Signals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levitt, Barry K.; Cheng, Unjeng

1994-01-01

Two papers present theoretical analyses of various schemes for coherent and noncoherent detection of M-ary-frequency-shift-keyed (MFSK) signals with slow frequency hopping. Special attention focused on continuous-phase-modulation (CPM) subset of SFH/MFSK signals, for which frequency modulation such carrier phase remains continuous (albeit unknown) during each hop.

Determination of the ultrasound power effects on flavonoid compounds from Psidium guajava L. using ANFIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratu Ayu, Humairoh; Suryono, Suryono; Endro Suseno, Jatmiko; Kurniawati, Ratna

2018-05-01

The Adaptive Neural Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) model was used to predict and optimize the content of flavonoid compounds in guava leaves (Psidium Guajava L.). The extraction process was carried out by using ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) with the variable parameters: temperature ranging from 25°C to 35°C, ultrasonic frequency (30 - 40 kHz) and extraction time (20 - 40 minutes). ANFIS learning procedure began by providing the input variable data set (temperature, frequency and time) and the output of the flavonoid compounds from the experiments that had been done. Subtractive clustering methods was used in the manufacture of FIS (fuzzy inference system) structures by varying the range of influence parameters to generate the ANFIS system. The ANFIS trainingsconducted wereaimed at minimum error value. The results showed that the best ANFIS models used a subtractive clustering method, in which the ranges of influence 0.1 were 0.70 x 10-4 for training RMSE, 8.11 for testing RMSE, 2.7 % MAPE, and 7.72 MAE. The optimum condition was obtained at a temperature of 35°C and frequency of 40 kHz, for 30 minutes. This result proves that the ANFIS model can be used to predict the content of flavonoid compounds in guava leaves.

Slowdown of group velocity of light in dual-frequency laser-pumped cascade structure of Er3+-doped optical fiber at room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Wei; Yang, Yujing; Gao, Yuan; Liu, Jianjun; Lv, Pin; Jiang, Qiuli

2018-04-01

Slow light is demonstrated in the cascade structure of an erbium-doped fiber with two forward propagation pumps. The results of the numerical simulation of the time delay and the optimum modulation frequency complement each other. The time delay and the optimum modulation frequency depend on the pump ratio G (G  =  {{P}1480}:{{P}980} ). The discussion results of this paper show that a larger time delay of slow light propagation can be obtained in the cascade structure of Er3+-doped optical fibers with dual-frequency laser pumping. Compared to previous research methods, the dual-frequency laser-pumped cascade structure of an Er3+-doped optical fiber is more controllable. Based on our discussion the pump ratio G should be selected in order to obtain a more appropriate time delay and the slowdown of group velocity.

Two-dimensional ionospheric tomography over the low-latitude Indian region: An intercomparison of ART and MART algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Sukanta Kumar; Shukla, Ashish Kumar

2011-04-01

Single-frequency users of a satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) rely on ionospheric models to mitigate the delay due to the ionosphere. The ionosphere is the major source of range and range rate errors for users of the Global Positioning System (GPS) who require high-accuracy positioning. The purpose of the present study is to develop a tomography model to reconstruct the total electron content (TEC) over the low-latitude Indian region which lies in the equatorial ionospheric anomaly belt. In the present study, the TEC data collected from the six TEC collection stations along a longitudinal belt of around 77 degrees are used. The main objective of the study is to find out optimum pixel size which supports a better reconstruction of the electron density and hence the TEC over the low-latitude Indian region. Performance of two reconstruction algorithms Algebraic Reconstruction Technique (ART) and Multiplicative Algebraic Reconstruction Technique (MART) is analyzed for different pixel sizes varying from 1 to 6 degrees in latitude. It is found from the analysis that the optimum pixel size is 5° × 50 km over the Indian region using both ART and MART algorithms.

Evaluation of Novel Liner Concepts for Fan and Airframe Noise Reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, M. G.; Howerton, B. M.

2016-01-01

This paper presents a review of four novel liner concepts: soft vanes, over-the-rotor liners, external liners, and flap side-edge liners. A number of similarities in the design and evaluation of these concepts emerged during these investigations. Since these were the first attempts to study these particular liner concepts, there was limited information to guide the design process. In all cases, the target frequencies (or frequency range) were known, but the optimum acoustic impedance and optimum liner placement were typically not known. For these cases, the maximum available surface was used and a c-impedance was targeted based on the assumption the sound field impinges on the surface at normal incidence. This choice proved fruitful for every application. An impedance prediction model was used to design variable-depth liner configurations, and a graphical design code (ILIAD) was developed to aid in this process. The ability to build increasingly complex liner configurations via additive manufacturing was key, such that multiple designs could quickly be tested in a normal incidence impedance tube. The Two-Thickness Method was used to evaluate available bulk materials, such that bulk liners could also be considered for each application. These novel liner concepts provide sufficient noise reduction to warrant further investigations.

Detecting pulsars in the Galactic Centre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajwade, K. M.; Lorimer, D. R.; Anderson, L. D.

2017-10-01

Although high-sensitivity surveys have revealed a number of highly dispersed pulsars in the inner Galaxy, none have so far been found in the Galactic Centre (GC) region, which we define to be within a projected distance of 1 pc from Sgr A*. This null result is surprising given that several independent lines of evidence predict a sizable population of neutron stars in the region. Here, we present a detailed analysis of both the canonical and millisecond pulsar populations in the GC and consider free-free absorption and multipath scattering to be the two main sources of flux density mitigation. We demonstrate that the sensitivity limits of previous surveys are not sufficient to detect GC pulsar population, and investigate the optimum observing frequency for future surveys. Depending on the degree of scattering and free-free absorption in the GC, current surveys constrain the size of the potentially observable population (I.e. those beaming towards us) to be up to 52 canonical pulsars and 10 000 millisecond pulsars. We find that the optimum frequency for future surveys is in the range of 9-13 GHz. We also predict that future deeper surveys with the Square Kilometre array will probe a significant portion of the existing radio pulsar population in the GC.

Combustion characteristics in the transition region of liquid fuel sprays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cernansky, N. P.; Namer, I.; Tidona, R. J.

1986-01-01

A number of important effects have been observed in the droplet size transition region in spray combustion systems. In this region, where the mechanism of flame propagation is transformed from diffusive to premixed dominated combustion, the following effects have been observed: (1) maxima in burning velocity; (2) extension of flammability limits; (3) minima in ignition energy; and (4) minima in NOx formation. A monodisperse aerosol generator has been used to form and deliver a well controlled liquid fuel spray to the combustion test section where measurements of ignition energy have been made. The ignition studies were performed on monodisperse n-heptane sprays at atmospheric pressure over a range of equivalence ratios and droplet diameters. A capacitive discharge spark ignition system was used as the ignition source, providing independent control of spark energy and duration. Preliminary measurements were made to optimize spark duration and spark gap, optimum conditions being those at which the maximum frequency or probability of ignition was observed. Using the optimum electrode spacing and spark duration, the frequency of ignition was determined as a function of spark energy for three overall equivalence ratios (0.6, 0.8, and 1.0) and for initial droplet diameters of 25, 40, 50, 60, and 70 micro m.

[The extraction and analysis of a- and b- wave from electroretinogram in human].

PubMed

Chen, Zi-he; Zheng, Chang-wei; Lei, Bo

2013-12-01

To determine the frequency range of a-b wave complex in the dark- and light-adapted electroretinogram (ERG) and to isolate the pure a- and b- waves. Case series study. Full-field ERGs were recorded in 16 eyes of 8 normal volunteers from October to November 2011. Digital filtering technique was used to extract the a- and b-waves from dark- and light-adapted ERG responses. The timings of a- and b-wave were measured to determine the frequency range of a-b wave complex. Major frequency components were determined from power spectra using fast Fourier transform (FFT). The effect of different order settings in the digital filter were compared to investigate the optimum condition, where the oscillatory potential (OP) was completely removed while the amplitudes and phases of the a- and b- waves were less affected. The Student-t test was used to compare the frequency range of a-b wave complex in dark- and light-adapted ERG. The averaged frequency range of the dark-adapted a-b wave complex was from (14.99 ± 2.39) to (25.35 ± 3.77) Hz, compared with (25.22 ± 6.56) to (32.47 ± 3.68) Hz for the light-adapted a-b wave complex, respectively, indicating the frequency range of the dark-adapted a-b wave complex was significantly less than the light-adapted a-b wave complex (t = 7.910, 7.693; both P < 0.01). The third order of the digital filter and a passband of 1 to 45 Hz was the best choice in term of removing the high frequency OP from the waveform of ERG and keeping the amplitude and phase of the a- and b- waves. The frequency of a-b wave complex is lower than that of OP. Therefore the a- and b- waves can be isolated from OP using different digital filter settings in human ERG. A third order and a passband of 1 to 45 Hz is the best choice to extract pure a- and b- waves from the original ERG.

Computer-aided design of high-frequency transistor amplifiers.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsieh, C.-C.; Chan, S.-P.

1972-01-01

A systematic step-by-step computer-aided procedure for designing high-frequency transistor amplifiers is described. The technique makes it possible to determine the optimum source impedance which gives a minimum noise figure.

Optimum conditions for producing Cs2 molecular condensates by stimulated Raman adiabatic passage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Zhifang; Li, Weidong; Wang, Lirong; Xiao, Liantuan; Jia, Suotang

2009-10-01

The optimum conditions for producing Cs2 molecular condensates from Cs atomic condensates with high transfer efficiency by stimulated Raman adiabatic passage are presented. Under the extended “two-photon” resonance condition, including the two-photon process, the mean-field correction, and the tunneling coupling between two upper excited molecular levels, a high and stable conversion efficiency is realized. The high conversion efficiency could be achieved by following two methods under experimentally less demanding conditions (relatively small effective Rabi frequency for pump laser pulse). One is adjusting the detuning difference between two laser pulses for same effective Rabi frequencies with up to 87.2% transfer efficiency. Another one is adjusting the effective Rabi frequency, the detuning of dump laser for given effective Rabi frequency, and the detuning of pump laser with up to 80.7% transfer efficiency.

Application of IDT Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring of Windmill Turbine Blades Made of Composite Material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nalladega, V.; Na, J. K.; Druffner, C.

2011-06-01

Interdigital transducers (IDT) generate and receive ultrasonic surface waves without the complexity involved with secondary devices such as angled wedges or combs. The IDT sensors have been successfully applied for the NDE of homogeneous materials like metals in order to detect cracks and de-bond. However, these transducers have not been yet adapted for complex and anisotropic materials like fiber-reinforced composites. This work presents the possibility of using IDT sensors for monitoring structural damages in wind turbine blades, typically made of fiberglass composites. IDT sensors with a range of operating frequency between 250 kHz and 1 MHz are initially tested on representative composite test panels for ultrasonic surface wave properties including beam spread, propagation distance and effect of material's anisotropy. Based on these results, an optimum frequency range for the IDT sensor is found to be 250-500 kHz. Subsequently, IDT sensors with operating frequency 500 kHz are used to detect and quantify artificial defects created in the composite test samples. Discussions are made on the interaction of ultrasonic fields with these defects along with the effects of fiber directionality and composite layer stacking.

Performance characteristics of aerodynamically optimum turbines for wind energy generators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rohrbach, C.; Worobel, R.

1975-01-01

This paper presents a brief discussion of the aerodynamic methodology for wind energy generator turbines, an approach to the design of aerodynamically optimum wind turbines covering a broad range of design parameters, some insight on the effect on performance of nonoptimum blade shapes which may represent lower fabrication costs, the annual wind turbine energy for a family of optimum wind turbines, and areas of needed research. On the basis of the investigation, it is concluded that optimum wind turbines show high performance over a wide range of design velocity ratios; that structural requirements impose constraints on blade geometry; that variable pitch wind turbines provide excellent power regulation and that annual energy output is insensitive to design rpm and solidity of optimum wind turbines.

Improved ionic conductivity of lithium-zinc-tellurite glass-ceramic electrolytes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widanarto, W.; Ramdhan, A. M.; Ghoshal, S. K.; Effendi, M.; Cahyanto, W. T.; Warsito

An enhancement in the secondary battery safety demands the optimum synthesis of glass-ceramics electrolytes with modified ionic conductivity. To achieve improved ionic conductivity and safer operation of the battery, we synthesized Li2O included zinc-tellurite glass-ceramics based electrolytes of chemical composition (85-x)TeO2·xLi2O·15ZnO, where x = 0, 5, 10, 15 mol%. Samples were prepared using the melt quenching method at 800 °C followed by thermal annealing at 320 °C for 3 h and characterized. The effects of varying temperature, alternating current (AC) frequency and Li2O concentration on the structure and ionic conductivity of such glass-ceramics were determined. The SEM images of the annealed glass-ceramic electrolytes displayed rough surface with a uniform distribution of nucleated crystal flakes with sizes less than 1 μm. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the well crystalline nature of achieved electrolytes. Incorporation of Li2O in the electrolytes was found to generate some new crystalline phases including hexagonal Li6(TeO6), monoclinic Zn2Te3O8 and monoclinic Li2Te2O5. The estimated crystallite size of the electrolyte was ranged from ≈40 to 80 nm. AC impedance measurement revealed that the variation in the temperatures, Li2O contents, and high AC frequencies have a significant influence on the ionic conductivity of the electrolytes. Furthermore, electrolyte doped with 15 mol% of Li2O exhibited the optimum performance with an ionic conductivity ≈2.4 × 10-7 S cm-1 at the frequency of 54 Hz and in the temperature range of 323-473 K. This enhancement in the conductivity was attributed to the sizable alteration in the ions vibration and ruptures of covalent bonds in the electrolytes network structures.

Baseline Receiver Concept for a Next Generation Very Large Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srikanth, Sivasankaran; Wes Grammer, Silver Sturgis, Rob Selina

2018-01-01

The Next Generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) is envisioned to be an interferometric array with 10 times the effective collecting area and spatial resolution as the current VLA, operating over a frequency range of 1.2-116 GHz. Achieving these goals will require 214 antennas of nominal 18m diameter, on baselines of 300km. Maximizing sensitivity for each receiver band, while also minimizing the overall operating cost are the primary design goals. Therefore, receivers and feeds will be cryogenically cooled, with multiple bands integrated into a common cryostat to the greatest extent possible. Using feed designs that yield broad bandwidths and high aperture efficiencies are key to meeting these goals.The proposed receiver configuration will be implemented as six independent bands, each with its own feed. The upper five bands will be integrated into a single compact cryostat, while the lowest-frequency band occupies a second cryostat of similar volume and mass. The lowest-band feed is cooled to 80K, while all other feeds are cooled to 20K.For optimum performance at the higher frequencies, waveguide-bandwidth (~1.66:1) receivers are proposed to cover 12.6 – 50.5 GHz and 70 – 116 GHz in four separate bands, integrated into a single cryostat. Excellent LNA noise performance is readily achievable, and using waveguide throughout the signal chain reduces losses and their associated noise contributions, without adding undue size or weight. An axially-corrugated conical feed horn with wide flare angle (~50degree half-angle), based on a design by G. Cortes and L. Baker, is being considered for these receivers.For continuous coverage between 1.2 – 12.6 GHz, waveguide or even octave-bandwidth receivers are not cost-effective, given the > 10:1 frequency range. For these bands, wideband (3.25:1) receivers mated to a Caltech-designed quad-ridge feed horn (QRFH) are proposed. These feeds are highly compact, and cryogenically cooled to reduce losses ahead of the LNAs. Aperture efficiency and LNA noise temperature may be somewhat less than optimum: however, there would be significant cost savings by effectively halving the number of receivers and cryostats required per antenna.

Signal processing system for electrotherapy applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Płaza, Mirosław; Szcześniak, Zbigniew

2017-08-01

The system of signal processing for electrotherapeutic applications is proposed in the paper. The system makes it possible to model the curve of threshold human sensitivity to current (Dalziel's curve) in full medium frequency range (1kHz-100kHz). The tests based on the proposed solution were conducted and their results were compared with those obtained according to the assumptions of High Tone Power Therapy method and referred to optimum values. Proposed system has high dynamics and precision of mapping the curve of threshold human sensitivity to current and can be used in all methods where threshold curves are modelled.

Determination of the optimum phase-matching directions for the self-frequency conversion of Nd:GdCOB and Nd:YCOB crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xueyuan; Huang, Miaoliang; Luo, Zundu; Huang, Yidong

2001-09-01

We report on the nonlinear optical properties of Nd:Ca 4GdO(BO 3) 3 (Nd:GdCOB) and Nd:Ca 4YO(BO 3) 3 (Nd:YCOB) biaxial crystals by theoretical calculation. The phase-matching curves for the self-frequency conversion generation of both crystals are presented. The dependence of the effective nonlinear coefficients and walk-off angles on different phase-matching directions are discussed. The results show that the optimum type-I phase-matching directions for the self-frequency doubling and self-sum-frequency mixing lasers are not in the principal planes but are located respectively in the directions ( θ=67.1°, ϕ=132.35°) and ( θ=68.75°, ϕ=118.1°) for Nd:GdCOB, and ( θ=66.5°, ϕ=143.4°) and ( θ=65.9°, ϕ=134.1°) for Nd:YCOB.

Improved two-photon imaging of living neurons in brain tissue through temporal gating

PubMed Central

Gautam, Vini; Drury, Jack; Choy, Julian M. C.; Stricker, Christian; Bachor, Hans-A.; Daria, Vincent R.

2015-01-01

We optimize two-photon imaging of living neurons in brain tissue by temporally gating an incident laser to reduce the photon flux while optimizing the maximum fluorescence signal from the acquired images. Temporal gating produces a bunch of ~10 femtosecond pulses and the fluorescence signal is improved by increasing the bunch-pulse energy. Gating is achieved using an acousto-optic modulator with a variable gating frequency determined as integral multiples of the imaging sampling frequency. We hypothesize that reducing the photon flux minimizes the photo-damage to the cells. Our results, however, show that despite producing a high fluorescence signal, cell viability is compromised when the gating and sampling frequencies are equal (or effectively one bunch-pulse per pixel). We found an optimum gating frequency range that maintains the viability of the cells while preserving a pre-set fluorescence signal of the acquired two-photon images. The neurons are imaged while under whole-cell patch, and the cell viability is monitored as a change in the membrane’s input resistance. PMID:26504651

An MDOE Assessment of Nozzle Vanes for High Bypass Ratio Jet Noise Reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henderson, Brenda; Norum, Thomas; Bridges, James

2006-01-01

The effect of airfoil-shaped vanes placed in the fan stream of a BPR 8 coannular nozzle model system on the resulting jet noise was investigated. The experiments used a Modern Design of Experiments approach to investigate the impact of a range of vane parameters on the noise reduction achieved at representative takeoff conditions. The experimental results showed that the installation of the vanes decreased low frequency noise radiation in the downstream peak-noise direction and increased high frequency noise in the upstream direction. Results also showed that improper selection of the vane configuration resulted in increased low frequency noise radiation in the upstream direction. Large angles of attack are shown to reduce noise near the peak jet noise angle and increase noise in the upstream direction. The MDOE analysis yields an optimum design that minimizes perceived noise levels. Limited data taken with a BPR 5 nozzle system showed that the vanes result in better effective perceived noise reduction for lower bypass ratio nozzles than for the BPR 8 model.

Analysis of HF interference with application to digital communications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gott, G. F.; Dutta, S.; Doany, P.

1983-08-01

Recent observations of HF spectral occupancy and the design of devices to overcome the effects of interference on digital communications are reported. Spectral occupancy was determined at a resolution bandwidth of 100 Hz in 50-kHz bands, corresponding to the optimum working frequency over 1000 km, at noon, midnight, dawn, and dusk; and the data are analyzed in terms of congestion and voice-band availability. The implications for DPSK, frequency-exchange FSK, and frequency-diversity FSK data-transmission systems are discussed. The findings were used in the design of three improved diversity combiners (Dutta, 1977), which were tested over a 140-km range and found to reduce interference-related losses. Even better results are predicted for a sixth-order diversity modem with a sophisticated hopping scheme, now under development. Preliminary congestion spectra for the entire HF band, obtained with a calibrated active vertical antenna at noon and midnight of the summer and winter solstices in 1980, are presented.

Analytical and numerical calculations of optimum design frequency for focused ultrasound therapy and acoustic radiation force.

PubMed

Ergün, A Sanlı

2011-10-01

Focused ultrasound therapy relies on acoustic power absorption by tissue. The stronger the absorption the higher the temperature increase is. However, strong acoustic absorption also means faster attenuation and limited penetration depth. Hence, there is a trade-off between heat generation efficacy and penetration depth. In this paper, we formulated the acoustic power absorption as a function of frequency and attenuation coefficient, and defined two figures of merit to measure the power absorption: spatial peak of the acoustic power absorption density, and the acoustic power absorbed within the focal area. Then, we derived "rule of thumb" expressions for the optimum frequencies that maximized these figures of merit given the target depth and homogeneous tissue type. We also formulated a method to calculate the optimum frequency for inhomogeneous tissue given the tissue composition for situations where the tissue structure can be assumed to be made of parallel layers of homogeneous tissue. We checked the validity of the rules using linear acoustic field simulations. For a one-dimensional array of 4cm acoustic aperture, and for a two-dimensional array of 4×4cm(2) acoustic aperture, we found that the power absorbed within the focal area is maximized at 0.86MHz, and 0.79MHz, respectively, when the target depth is 4cm in muscle tissue. The rules on the other hand predicted the optimum frequencies for acoustic power absorption as 0.9MHz and 0.86MHz, respectively for the 1D and 2D array case, which are within 6% and 9% of the field simulation results. Because radiation force generated by an acoustic wave in a lossy propagation medium is approximately proportional to the acoustic power absorption, these rules can be used to maximize acoustic radiation force generated in tissue as well. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultra wideband surface wave communications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacomb, Julie Anne

Ultra Wideband (UWB), an impulse carrier waveform, was applied at HF-VHF frequencies to utilize surface wave propagation. UWB involves the propagation of transient pulses rather than continuous waves which makes the system easier to implement, inexpensive, low power and small. Commercial UWB for wireless personal area networks is 3.1 to 10.6 GHz band as approved by the FCC with ranges up to 12 ft. The use of surface wave propagation (instead of commercial SHF UWB) extends the communication range. Surface wave is a means of propagation where the wave is guided by the surface of the Earth. Surface wave is efficient at low frequencies, VLF to HF. The UWB HF channel was modeled and also experimentally characterized. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) defines UWB as a signal with either a fractional bandwidth of 20% of the center frequency or a bandwidth of 500MHz. Designing an antenna to operate over the 20% bandwidth requirement of UWB is one of the greatest challenges. Two different antenna designs are presented, a spoke top antenna and a traveling wave antenna with photonic bandgap. These designs were implemented at the commercial UWB frequencies (3.1--10.6 GHz) due to availability of modeling tools for the higher frequencies, the reduced antenna size and the availability of measurement facilities. The spoke top was optimum for replication of the time domain input signal. The traveling wave antenna with photonic bandgap demonstrated increased impedance bandwidth of the antenna.

Optimization study for the experimental configuration of CMB-S4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barron, Darcy; Chinone, Yuji; Kusaka, Akito; Borril, Julian; Errard, Josquin; Feeney, Stephen; Ferraro, Simone; Keskitalo, Reijo; Lee, Adrian T.; Roe, Natalie A.; Sherwin, Blake D.; Suzuki, Aritoki

2018-02-01

The CMB Stage 4 (CMB-S4) experiment is a next-generation, ground-based experiment that will measure the cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization to unprecedented accuracy, probing the signature of inflation, the nature of cosmic neutrinos, relativistic thermal relics in the early universe, and the evolution of the universe. CMB-S4 will consist of O(500,000) photon-noise-limited detectors that cover a wide range of angular scales in order to probe the cosmological signatures from both the early and late universe. It will measure a wide range of microwave frequencies to cleanly separate the CMB signals from galactic and extra-galactic foregrounds. To advance the progress towards designing the instrument for CMB-S4, we have established a framework to optimize the instrumental configuration to maximize its scientific output. The framework combines cost and instrumental models with a cosmology forecasting tool, and evaluates the scientific sensitivity as a function of various instrumental parameters. The cost model also allows us to perform the analysis under a fixed-cost constraint, optimizing for the scientific output of the experiment given finite resources. In this paper, we report our first results from this framework, using simplified instrumental and cost models. We have primarily studied two classes of instrumental configurations: arrays of large-aperture telescopes with diameters ranging from 2–10 m, and hybrid arrays that combine small-aperture telescopes (0.5-m diameter) with large-aperture telescopes. We explore performance as a function of telescope aperture size, distribution of the detectors into different microwave frequencies, survey strategy and survey area, low-frequency noise performance, and balance between small and large aperture telescopes for hybrid configurations. Both types of configurations must cover both large (~ degree) and small (~ arcmin) angular scales, and the performance depends on assumptions for performance vs. angular scale. The configurations with large-aperture telescopes have a shallow optimum around 4–6 m in aperture diameter, assuming that large telescopes can achieve good performance for low-frequency noise. We explore some of the uncertainties of the instrumental model and cost parameters, and we find that the optimum has a weak dependence on these parameters. The hybrid configuration shows an even broader optimum, spanning a range of 4–10 m in aperture for the large telescopes. We also present two strawperson configurations as an outcome of this optimization study, and we discuss some ideas for improving our simple cost and instrumental models used here. There are several areas of this analysis that deserve further improvement. In our forecasting framework, we adopt a simple two-component foreground model with spatially varying power-law spectral indices. We estimate de-lensing performance statistically and ignore non-idealities such as anisotropic mode coverage, boundary effect, and possible foreground residual. Instrumental systematics, which is not accounted for in our analyses, may also influence the conceptual design. Further study of the instrumental and cost models will be one of the main areas of study by the entire CMB-S4 community. We hope that our framework will be useful for estimating the influence of these improvements in the future, and we will incorporate them in order to further improve the optimization.

Olecranon bursitis.

PubMed

Reilly, Danielle; Kamineni, Srinath

2016-01-01

Bursitis is a common medical condition, and of all the bursae in the body, the olecranon bursa is one of the most frequently affected. Bursitis at this location can be acute or chronic in timing and septic or aseptic. Distinguishing between septic and aseptic bursitis can be difficult, and the current literature is not clear on the optimum length or route of antibiotic treatment for septic cases. The current literature was reviewed to clarify these points. The reported data for olecranon bursitis were compiled from the current literature. The most common physical examination findings were tenderness (88% septic, 36% aseptic), erythema/cellulitis (83% septic, 27% aseptic), warmth (84% septic, 56% aseptic), report of trauma or evidence of a skin lesion (50% septic, 25% aseptic), and fever (38% septic, 0% aseptic). General laboratory data ranges were also summarized. Distinguishing between septic and aseptic olecranon bursitis can be difficult because the physical and laboratory data overlap. Evidence for the optimum length and route of antibiotic treatment for septic cases also differs. In this review we have presented the current data of offending bacteria, frequency of key physical examination findings, ranges of reported laboratory data, and treatment practices so that clinicians might have a better guide for treatment. Copyright © 2016 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High-efficiency resonant coupled wireless power transfer via tunable impedance matching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anowar, Tanbir Ibne; Barman, Surajit Das; Wasif Reza, Ahmed; Kumar, Narendra

2017-10-01

For magnetic resonant coupled wireless power transfer (WPT), the axial movement of near-field coupled coils adversely degrades the power transfer efficiency (PTE) of the system and often creates sub-resonance. This paper presents a tunable impedance matching technique based on optimum coupling tuning to enhance the efficiency of resonant coupled WPT system. The optimum power transfer model is analysed from equivalent circuit model via reflected load principle, and the adequate matching are achieved through the optimum tuning of coupling coefficients at both the transmitting and receiving end of the system. Both simulations and experiments are performed to evaluate the theoretical model of the proposed matching technique, and results in a PTE over 80% at close coil proximity without shifting the original resonant frequency. Compared to the fixed coupled WPT, the extracted efficiency shows 15.1% and 19.9% improvements at the centre-to-centre misalignment of 10 and 70 cm, respectively. Applying this technique, the extracted S21 parameter shows more than 10 dB improvements at both strong and weak couplings. Through the developed model, the optimum coupling tuning also significantly improves the performance over matching techniques using frequency tracking and tunable matching circuits.

High-frequency welding trials.

PubMed

Kelch, R

2000-09-01

The high-frequency weldability of a new family of polyolefin films is compared with that of conventional films made of other polymers. A comparison of the optimum weld parameters of all the films and the results of performance testing of all the pouches produced are reported.

CALCULATED REGENERATOR PERFORMANCE AT 4 K WITH HELIUM-4 AND HELIUM-3

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

Radebaugh, Ray; Huang Yonghua; O'Gallagher, Agnes

2008-03-16

The helium-4 working fluid in regenerative cryocoolers operating with the cold end near 4 K deviates considerably from an ideal gas. As a result, losses in the regenerator, given by the time-averaged enthalpy flux, are increased and are strong functions of the operating pressure and temperature. Helium-3, with its lower boiling point, behaves somewhat closer to an ideal gas in this low temperature range and can reduce the losses in 4 K regenerators. An analytical model is used to find the fluid properties that strongly influence the regenerator losses as well as the gross refrigeration power. The thermodynamic and transportmore » properties of helium-3 were incorporated into the latest NIST regenerator numerical model, known as REGEN3.3, which was used to model regenerator performance with either helium-4 or helium-3. With this model we show how the use of helium-3 in place of helium-4 can improve the performance of 4 K regenerative cryocoolers. The effects of operating pressure, warm-end temperature, and frequency on regenerators with helium-4 and helium-3 are investigated and compared. The results are used to find optimum operating conditions. The frequency range investigated varies from 1 Hz to 30 Hz, with particular emphasis on higher frequencies.« less

Studies of Operating Frequency Effects On Ejector-based Thrust Augmentation in a Pulse Detonation Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landry, K.

2005-01-01

Studies were performed in order to characterize the thrust augmentation potential of an ejector in a Pulse Detonation Engine application. A 49-mm diameter tube of 0.914-m length was constructed with one open end and one closed end. Ethylene, oxygen, and nitrogen were introduced into the tube at the closed end through the implementation of a fast mixing injector. The tube was completely filled with a stoichiometric mixture containing a one to one molar ratio of nitrogen to oxygen. Ethylene was selected as the fuel due to its detonation sensitivity and the molar ratio of the oxidizer was chosen for heat transfer purposes. Detonations were initiated in the tube through the use of a spark ignition system. The PDE was operated in a multi-cycle mode at frequencies ranging from 20-Hz to 50-Hz. Baseline thrust measurements with no ejector present were performed while operating the engine at various frequencies and compared to theoretical estimates. The baseline values were observed to agree with the theoretical model at low operating frequencies and proved to be increasingly lower than the predicted values as the operating frequency was increased. The baseline thrust measurements were observed to agree within 15 percent of the model for all operating frequencies. A straight 152-mm diameter ejector was installed and thrust augmentation percentages were measured. The length of the ejector was varied while the overlap percentage (percent of the ejector length which overlapped the tube) was maintained at 25 percent for all tests. In addition, the effect of ejector inlet geometry was investigated by comparing results with a straight inlet to those of a 38-mm inlet diameter. The thrust augmentation of the straight inlet ejector proved to be independent of engine operating frequency, augmenting thrust by 40 percent for the 0.914-m length ejector. In contrast, the rounded lip ejector of the same length seemed to be highly dependent on the engine operating frequency. An optimum operating frequency observed with the rounded inlet occurred at an operating frequency of 30-Hz, resulting in thrust augmentation percentages greater than 100 percent. The effect that the engine operating frequency had on thrust augmentation levels attained with an ejector was characterized and optimum performance parameters were established. Insight into the frequency dependent nature of the ejector performance was pursued. Suggestions for future experiments which are needed to fully understand the means in which thrust augmentation is achieved in a PDE-ejector configuration were noted.

Large signal design - Performance and simulation of a 3 W C-band GaAs power MMIC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Paul M.; Hendrickson, Mary A.; Chang, Wayne H.; Curtice, Walter R.

1990-04-01

This paper describes a C-band GaAs power MMIC amplifier that achieved a gain of 17 dB and 1 dB compressed CW power output of 34 dBm across a 4.5-6.25-GHz frequency range, without design iteration. The first-pass design success was achieved due to the application of a harmonic balance simulator to define the optimum output load, using a large-signal FET model determined statistically on a well controlled foundry-ready process line. The measured performance was close to that predicted by a full harmonic balance circuit analysis.

Hand-held microwave search detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniels, David J.; Philippakis, Mike

2005-05-01

This paper describes the further development of a patented, novel, low cost, microwave search detector using noise radar technology operating in the 27-40GHz range of frequencies, initially reported in SPIE 2004. Initial experiments have shown that plastic explosives, ceramics and plastic material hidden on the body can be detected with the system. This paper considers the basic physics of the technique and reports on the development of a initial prototype system for hand search of suspects and addresses the work carried out on optimisation of PD and FAR. The radar uses a novel lens system and the design and modelling of this for optimum depth of field of focus will be reported.

Modification of response functions of cat visual cortical cells by spatially congruent perturbing stimuli.

PubMed

Kabara, J F; Bonds, A B

2001-12-01

Responses of cat striate cortical cells to a drifting sinusoidal grating were modified by the superimposition of a second, perturbing grating (PG) that did not excite the cell when presented alone. One consequence of the presence of a PG was a shift in the tuning curves. The orientation tuning of all 41 cells exposed to a PG and the spatial frequency tuning of 83% of the 23 cells exposed to a PG showed statistically significant dislocations of both the response function peak and center of mass from their single grating values. As found in earlier reports, the presence of PGs suppressed responsiveness. However, reductions measured at the single grating optimum orientation or spatial frequency were on average 1.3 times greater than the suppression found at the peak of the response function modified by the presence of the PG. Much of the loss in response seen at the single grating optimum is thus a result of a shift in the tuning function rather than outright suppression. On average orientation shifts were repulsive and proportional (approximately 0.10 deg/deg) to the angle between the perturbing stimulus and the optimum single grating orientation. Shifts in the spatial frequency response function were both attractive and repulsive, resulting in an overall average of zero. For both simple and complex cells, PGs generally broadened orientation response function bandwidths. Similarly, complex cell spatial frequency response function bandwidths broadened. Simple cell spatial frequency response functions usually did not change, and those that did broadened only 4% on average. These data support the hypothesis that additional sinusoidal components in compound stimuli retune cells' response functions for orientation and spatial frequency.

Optimum Construction of Heating Coil for Domestic Induction Cooker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinha, Dola; Bandyopadhyay, Atanu; Sadhu, Pradip Kumar; Pal, Nitai

2010-10-01

The design and optimization of the parameters of heating coil is very important for the analytical analysis of high frequency inverter fed induction cooker. Moreover, accurate prediction of high frequency winding loss (i.e., losses due to skin and proximity effects) is necessary as the induction cooker used in power electronics applications. At high frequency current penetration in the induction coil circuit is very difficult for conducting wire due to skin-effect. To eradicate the skin effect heating coil is made up of bundle conductor i.e., litz wire. In this paper inductances and AC resistances of a litz-wire are calculated and optimized by considering the input parameters like wire type, shape, number of strand, number of spiral turn, number of twist per feet of heating coil and operating frequency. A high frequency half bridge series resonant mirror inverter circuit is used in this paper and taking the optimum values of inductance and ac resistance the circuit is simulated through PSPICE simulations. It has been noticed that the results are feasible enough for real implementation.

Ground-based deep-space LADAR for satellite detection: A parametric study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davey, Kevin F.

1989-12-01

The minimum performance requirements are determined of a ground based infrared LADAR designed to detect deep space satellites, and a candidate sensor design is presented based on current technology. The research examines LADAR techniques and detection methods to determine the optimum LADAR configuration, and then assesses the effects of atmospheric transmission, background radiance, and turbulence across the infrared region to find the optimum laser wavelengths. Diffraction theory is then used in a parametric analysis of the transmitted laser beam and received signal, using a Cassegrainian telescope design and heterodyne detection. The effects of beam truncation and obscuration, heterodyne misalignment, off-boresight detection, and image-pixel geometry are also included in the analysis. The derived equations are then used to assess the feasibility of several candidate designs under a wide range of detection conditions including daylight operation through cirrus. The results show that successful detection is theoretically possible under most conditions by transmitting a high power frequency modulated pulse train from an isotopic 13CO2 laser radiating at 11.17 micrometers, and utilizing post-detection integration and pulse compression techniques.

Variable-frequency inverter controls torque, speed, and braking in ac induction motors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nola, F. J.

1974-01-01

Dc to ac inverter provides optimum frequency and voltage to ac induction motor, in response to different motor-load and speed requirements. Inverter varies slip frequency of motor in proportion to required torque. Inverter protects motor from high current surges, controls negative slip to apply braking, and returns energy stored in momentum of load to dc power source.

Pseudorandom dynamics of frequency combs in free-running quantum cascade lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henry, Nathan; Burghoff, David; Yang, Yang; Hu, Qing; Khurgin, Jacob B.

2018-01-01

Recent research has shown that free-running quantum cascade lasers are capable of producing frequency combs in midinfrared and THz regions of the spectrum. Unlike familiar frequency combs originating from mode-locked lasers, these do not require any additional optical elements inside the cavity and have temporal characteristics that are dramatically different from the periodic pulse train of conventional combs. Frequency combs from quantum cascade lasers are characterized by the absence of sharp pulses and strong frequency modulation, periodic with the cavity round trip time but lacking any periodicity within that period. To explicate for this seemingly perplexing behavior, we develop a model of the gain medium using optical Bloch equations that account for hole burning in spectral, spatial, and temporal domains. With this model, we confirm that the most efficient mode of operation of a free-running quantum cascade laser is indeed a pseudorandom frequency-modulated field with nearly constant intensity. We show that the optimum modulation period is commensurate with the gain recovery time of the laser medium and the optimum modulation amplitude is comparable to the gain bandwidth, behavior that has been observed in the experiments.

Preliminary estimation of the realistic optimum temperature for vegetation growth in China.

PubMed

Cui, Yaoping

2013-07-01

The estimation of optimum temperature of vegetation growth is very useful for a wide range of applications such as agriculture and climate change studies. Thermal conditions substantially affect vegetation growth. In this study, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and daily temperature data set from 1982 to 2006 for China were used to examine optimum temperature of vegetation growth. Based on a simple analysis of ecological amplitude and Shelford's law of tolerance, a scientific framework for calculating the optimum temperature was constructed. The optimum temperature range and referenced optimum temperature (ROT) of terrestrial vegetation were obtained and explored over different eco-geographical regions of China. The results showed that the relationship between NDVI and air temperature was significant over almost all of China, indicating that terrestrial vegetation growth was closely related to thermal conditions. ROTs were different in various regions. The lowest ROT, about 7.0 °C, occurred in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, while the highest ROT, more than 22.0 °C, occurred in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the Southern China region.

Preliminary Estimation of the Realistic Optimum Temperature for Vegetation Growth in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Yaoping

2013-07-01

The estimation of optimum temperature of vegetation growth is very useful for a wide range of applications such as agriculture and climate change studies. Thermal conditions substantially affect vegetation growth. In this study, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and daily temperature data set from 1982 to 2006 for China were used to examine optimum temperature of vegetation growth. Based on a simple analysis of ecological amplitude and Shelford's law of tolerance, a scientific framework for calculating the optimum temperature was constructed. The optimum temperature range and referenced optimum temperature (ROT) of terrestrial vegetation were obtained and explored over different eco-geographical regions of China. The results showed that the relationship between NDVI and air temperature was significant over almost all of China, indicating that terrestrial vegetation growth was closely related to thermal conditions. ROTs were different in various regions. The lowest ROT, about 7.0 °C, occurred in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, while the highest ROT, more than 22.0 °C, occurred in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the Southern China region.

Type-I frequency-doubling characteristics of high-power, ultrafast fiber laser in thick BIBO crystal.

PubMed

Chaitanya N, Apurv; Aadhi, A; Singh, R P; Samanta, G K

2014-09-15

We report on experimental realization of optimum focusing condition for type-I second-harmonic generation (SHG) of high-power, ultrafast laser in "thick" nonlinear crystal. Using single-pass, frequency doubling of a 5 W Yb-fiber laser of pulse width ~260 fs at repetition rate of 78 MHz in a 5-mm-long bismuth triborate (BIBO) crystal we observed that the optimum focusing condition is more dependent on the birefringence of the crystal than its group-velocity mismatch (GVM). A theoretical fit to our experimental results reveals that even in the presence of GVM, the optimum focusing condition matches the theoretical model of Boyd and Kleinman, predicted for continuous-wave and long-pulse SHG. Using a focusing factor of ξ=1.16 close to the estimated optimum value of ξ=1.72 for our experimental conditions, we generated 2.25 W of green radiation of pulse width 176 fs with single-pass conversion efficiency as high as 46.5%. Our study also verifies the effect of pulse narrowing and broadening of angular phase-matching bandwidth of SHG at tighter focusing. This study signifies the advantage of SHG in "thick" crystal in controlling SH-pulse width by changing the focusing lens while accessing high conversion efficiency and broad angular phase-matching bandwidth.

Airfoil Design and Optimization by the One-Shot Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuruvila, G.; Taasan, Shlomo; Salas, M. D.

1995-01-01

An efficient numerical approach for the design of optimal aerodynamic shapes is presented in this paper. The objective of any optimization problem is to find the optimum of a cost function subject to a certain state equation (governing equation of the flow field) and certain side constraints. As in classical optimal control methods, the present approach introduces a costate variable (Lagrange multiplier) to evaluate the gradient of the cost function. High efficiency in reaching the optimum solution is achieved by using a multigrid technique and updating the shape in a hierarchical manner such that smooth (low-frequency) changes are done separately from high-frequency changes. Thus, the design variables are changed on a grid where their changes produce nonsmooth (high-frequency) perturbations that can be damped efficiently by the multigrid. The cost of solving the optimization problem is approximately two to three times the cost of the equivalent analysis problem.

Airfoil optimization by the one-shot method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuruvila, G.; Taasan, Shlomo; Salas, M. D.

1994-01-01

An efficient numerical approach for the design of optimal aerodynamic shapes is presented in this paper. The objective of any optimization problem is to find the optimum of a cost function subject to a certain state equation (Governing equation of the flow field) and certain side constraints. As in classical optimal control methods, the present approach introduces a costate variable (Language multiplier) to evaluate the gradient of the cost function. High efficiency in reaching the optimum solution is achieved by using a multigrid technique and updating the shape in a hierarchical manner such that smooth (low-frequency) changes are done separately from high-frequency changes. Thus, the design variables are changed on a grid where their changes produce nonsmooth (high-frequency) perturbations that can be damped efficiently by the multigrid. The cost of solving the optimization problem is approximately two to three times the cost of the equivalent analysis problem.

Determination of Optimum Operation Parameters for Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound and Low-Level Laser Based Treatment to Induce Proliferation of Osteoblast and Fibroblast Cells.

PubMed

Coskun, Mehmet Emre; Coskun, Kubra Acikalin; Tutar, Yusuf

2018-05-01

The aim of this study was to determine the optimum operating parameters (pulse duration, energy levels, and application time) to promote induction of osteoblast and fibroblast cell proliferation and to maintain cell viability treated with low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) and low-level laser therapy (LLLT). The positive effects of LIPUS and LLLT on cellular activity have been reported in recent years. Comparisons between experimental parameters of previous studies are difficult because scientific studies reported frequencies and the duty cycles of LIPUS and wavelengths and doses of LLLT in a wide range of parameters. However, optimum amount of energy and optimum time exposure must be determined to induce bone and tissue cell proliferation for effective healing process and to avoid cell damage. Fibroblast and osteoblast cell cultures were irradiated with LIPUS (10-50% pulse and continuous mode at 1 and 3 MHz for 1, 3, and 5 min) and LLLT (4, 8, and 16 J at 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 mW). Cell cultures were analyzed using XTT assay. For both cell types, LIPUS treatment with 10% pulse (1:9 duty cycle), 3 MHz, and for 1 min and LLLT treatment over 100 mV for 4, 8, and 16 J modalities contributed to the growth, and may help bone repair and tissue healing process optimally. Bio-stimulating effects of LLLT irradiation promote proliferation and maintain cell viability better than LIPUS treatment without causing thermal response for both cell types, and the therapeutic modality above 200 mV has maximum effectiveness.

MT's algorithm: A new algorithm to search for the optimum set of modulation indices for simultaneous range, command, and telemetry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Tien Manh

1989-01-01

MT's algorithm was developed as an aid in the design of space telecommunications systems when utilized with simultaneous range/command/telemetry operations. This algorithm provides selection of modulation indices for: (1) suppression of undesired signals to achieve desired link performance margins and/or to allow for a specified performance degradation in the data channel (command/telemetry) due to the presence of undesired signals (interferers); and (2) optimum power division between the carrier, the range, and the data channel. A software program using this algorithm was developed for use with MathCAD software. This software program, called the MT program, provides the computation of optimum modulation indices for all possible cases that are recommended by the Consultative Committee on Space Data System (CCSDS) (with emphasis on the squarewave, NASA/JPL ranging system).

Optimum reentry trajectories of a lifting vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chern, J. S.; Vinh, N. X.

1980-01-01

Research results are presented of an investigation of the optimum maneuvers of advanced shuttle type spacecraft during reentry. The equations are formulated by means of modified Chapman variables resulting in a general set of equations for flight analysis which are exact for reentry and for flight in a vacuum. Four planar flight typical optimum manuevers are investigated. For three-dimensional flight the optimum trajectory for maximum cross range is discussed in detail. Techniques for calculating reentry footprints are presented.

Donor understandings of blood and the body in relation to more frequent donation.

PubMed

Lynch, R; Cohn, S

2018-05-01

The INTERVAL trial aimed to find the optimum frequency of blood donation to enhance blood supplies and maintain donor health. This not only requires biological knowledge, but also an appreciation of donor perspectives, and how their experiences and beliefs might be central if any changes are ever to be made. To address this, trial participants were interviewed about their ideas of blood and the body in relation to their experiences of increased donation frequency. Thirty in depth face-to-face interviews conducted with blood donors participating in the trial. Three key themes emerged: ideas about how blood and iron reserves are replenished, and what people did to facilitate this; beliefs about physiological differences relating to age and gender; and practical issues that affected the experience of donation. Overall, participants interviewed welcomed more frequent donation, despite a range of pragmatic concerns. Despite some practical obstacles, increased donation frequency aligned with participant's ideas about bodily replenishment, the value of donation, and their identity as enduring blood donors. They therefore supported the idea of increasing frequency of donation, independently of the biomedical evidence from the trial itself. © 2018 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

Design of dual band FSS by using quadruple L-slot technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fauzi, Noor Azamiah Md; Aziz, Mohamad Zoinol Abidin Abd.; Said, Maizatul Alice Meor; Othman, Mohd Azlishah; Ahmad, Badrul Hisham; Malek, Mohd Fareq Abd

2015-05-01

This paper presents a new design of dual band frequency selective surface (FSS) for band pass microwave transmission application. FSS can be used on energy saving glass to improve the transmission of wireless communication signals through the glass. The microwave signal will be attenuate when propagate throughout the different structure such as building. Therefore, some of the wireless communication system cannot be used in the optimum performance. The aim of this paper is designed, simulated and analyzed the new dual band FSS structure for microwave transmission. This design is based on a quadruple L slot combined with cross slot to produce pass band at 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz. The vertical of pair inverse L slot is used as the band pass for the frequency of 2.4GHz. While, the horizontal of pair inverse L slot is used as the band pass at frequency 900MHz. This design is simulated and analyzed by using Computer Simulation Technology (CST) Microwave Studio (MWS) software. The characteristics of the transmission (S21) and reflection (S11) of the dual band FSS were simulater and analyzed. The bandwidth of the first band is 118.91MHz which covered the frequency range from 833.4MHz until 952.31MHz. Meanwhile, the bandwidth for the second band is 358.84MHz which covered the frequency range from 2.1475GHz until 2.5063GHz. The resonance/center frequency of this design is obtained at 900MHz with a 26.902dB return loss and 2.37GHz with 28.506dB a return loss. This FSS is suitable as microwave filter for GSM900 and WLAN 2.4GHz application.

A newly-designed magnetic/dielectric [Fe3O4/BaTiO3@MWCNT] nanocomposite system for modern electromagnetic absorption applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sardarian, Pouria; Naffakh-Moosavy, Homam; Afghahi, Seyyed Salman Seyyed

2017-11-01

Developments in electronic industries for telecommunications and demands for decreasing electromagnetic radiation pollution result in developing researches on microwave absorption materials. The target of the present study is to design materials with high absorption properties for electromagnetic waves in the 12-18 GHz range. Thus, Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles were syntheses through chemical co-precipitation reinforced by ultrasonic. Then, BaTiO3 nanocrystalline powder was synthesized by the hydrothermal sol-gel method under atmospheric oxygen. Next, nano-particles of barium titanate were deposited on the multi-walled carbon nanotubes (BaTiO3@CNT). It was concluded that a magnetic-dielectric nanocomposite has superior microwave absorption properties in comparison to individual magnetic or dielectric absorbers. Also, in order to obtain an optimum absorption in a wide frequency band, dielectric-CNT nanocomposites represents higher properties than magnetic-CNT composites. It is concluded that composites with more magnetic percentage showed better absorption in low frequency band (12 GHz), whereas composites with more dielectric percentage exhibited superior absorption for high frequency band (18 GHz). 80-93% absorption was obtained in the frequency range of 16.7-18 GHz by composite 40M.20F.40C (40% paraffin, 20% magnetite, 40% multi-walled carbon nanotubes). Also, composite 40M.20B.40B@C (40% paraffin, 20% barium titanate, 40% barium titanate deposited on multi-walled carbon nanotubes) showed the absorption of 80-90%.

Linear theory on temporal instability of megahertz faraday waves for monodisperse microdroplet ejection.

PubMed

Tsai, Shirley C; Tsai, Chen S

2013-08-01

A linear theory on temporal instability of megahertz Faraday waves for monodisperse microdroplet ejection based on mass conservation and linearized Navier-Stokes equations is presented using the most recently observed micrometer- sized droplet ejection from a millimeter-sized spherical water ball as a specific example. The theory is verified in the experiments utilizing silicon-based multiple-Fourier horn ultrasonic nozzles at megahertz frequency to facilitate temporal instability of the Faraday waves. Specifically, the linear theory not only correctly predicted the Faraday wave frequency and onset threshold of Faraday instability, the effect of viscosity, the dynamics of droplet ejection, but also established the first theoretical formula for the size of the ejected droplets, namely, the droplet diameter equals four-tenths of the Faraday wavelength involved. The high rate of increase in Faraday wave amplitude at megahertz drive frequency subsequent to onset threshold, together with enhanced excitation displacement on the nozzle end face, facilitated by the megahertz multiple Fourier horns in resonance, led to high-rate ejection of micrometer- sized monodisperse droplets (>10(7) droplets/s) at low electrical drive power (<;1 W) with short initiation time (<;0.05 s). This is in stark contrast to the Rayleigh-Plateau instability of a liquid jet, which ejects one droplet at a time. The measured diameters of the droplets ranging from 2.2 to 4.6 μm at 2 to 1 MHz drive frequency fall within the optimum particle size range for pulmonary drug delivery.

Optimum Onager: The Classical Mechanics of a Classical Siege Engine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denny, Mark

2009-01-01

The onager is a throwing weapon of classical antiquity, familiar to both the ancient Greeks and Romans. Here we analyze the dynamics of onager operation and derive the optimum angle for launching a projectile to its maximum range. There is plenty of scope for further considerations about increasing onager range, and so by thinking about how this…

Low Intensity and Frequency Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields Selectively Impair Breast Cancer Cell Viability

PubMed Central

Crocetti, Sara; Beyer, Christian; Schade, Grit; Egli, Marcel; Fröhlich, Jürg; Franco-Obregón, Alfredo

2013-01-01

Introduction A common drawback of many anticancer therapies is non-specificity in action of killing. We investigated the potential of ultra-low intensity and frequency pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) to kill breast cancer cells. Our criteria to accept this technology as a potentially valid therapeutic approach were: 1) cytotoxicity to breast cancer cells and; 2) that the designed fields proved innocuous to healthy cell classes that would be exposed to the PEMFs during clinical treatment. Methods MCF7 breast cancer cells and their normal counterparts, MCF10 cells, were exposed to PEMFs and cytotoxic indices measured in order to design PEMF paradigms that best kill breast cancer cells. The PEMF parameters tested were: 1) frequencies ranging from 20 to 50 Hz; 2) intensities ranging from 2 mT to 5 mT and; 3) exposure durations ranging from 30 to 90 minutes per day for up to three days to determine the optimum parameters for selective cancer cell killing. Results We observed a discrete window of vulnerability of MCF7 cells to PEMFs of 20 Hz frequency, 3 mT magnitude and exposure duration of 60 minutes per day. The cell damage accrued in response to PEMFs increased with time and gained significance after three days of consecutive daily exposure. By contrast, the PEMFs parameters determined to be most cytotoxic to breast cancer MCF-7 cells were not damaging to normal MCF-10 cells. Conclusion Based on our data it appears that PEMF-based anticancer strategies may represent a new therapeutic approach to treat breast cancer without affecting normal tissues in a manner that is non-invasive and can be potentially combined with existing anti-cancer treatments. PMID:24039828

Influence of the nozzle angle on refrigeration performance of a gas wave refrigerator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, P.; Zhu, Y.; Wang, H.; Zhu, C.; Zou, J.; Wu, J.; Hu, D.

2017-05-01

A gas wave refrigerator (GWR) is a novel refrigerating device that refrigerates a medium by shock waves and expansion waves generated by gas pressure energy. In a typical GWR, the injection energy losses between the nozzle and the expansion tube are essential factors which influence the refrigeration efficiency. In this study, numerical simulations are used to analyze the underlying mechanism of the injection energy losses. The results of simulations show that the vortex loss, mixing energy loss, and oblique shock wave reflection loss are the main factors contributing to the injection energy losses in the expansion tube. Furthermore, the jet angle of the gas is found to dominate the injection energy losses. Therefore, the optimum jet angle is theoretically calculated based on the velocity triangle method. The value of the optimum jet angle is found to be 4^{circ }, 8^{circ }, and 12^{circ } when the refrigeration efficiency is the first-order, second-order, and third-order maximum value over all working ranges of jet frequency, respectively. Finally, a series of experiments are conducted with the jet angle ranging from -4^{circ } to 12^{circ } at a constant expansion ratio. The results indicate the optimal jet angle obtained by the experiments is in good agreement with the calculated value. The isentropic refrigeration efficiency increased by about 4 % after the jet angle was optimized.

Performance Analysis of a Self-Propelling Flat Plate Fin with Joint Compliance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reddy, N. Srinivasa; Sen, Soumen; Pal, Sumit; Shome, Sankar Nath

2017-12-01

Fish fin muscles are compliant and they regulate the stiffness to suit different swimming conditions. This article attempts to understand the significance of presence of compliance in fin muscle with help of a flexible joint flat plate fin model. Blade element method is employed to model hydrodynamics and to compute the forces of interaction during motion of the plate within fluid. The dynamic model of self-propelling fin is developed through multi-body dynamics approach considering the hydrodynamic forces as external forces acting on the fin. The derived hydrodynamic model is validated with experiments on rigid flat plate fin. The effect of the joint stiffness and flapping frequency on the propulsion speed and efficiency is investigated through simulations using the derived and validated model. The propulsion efficiency is found to be highly influenced by the joint stiffness at a given flapping frequency. The fin attained maximum propulsion efficiency when the joint stiffness is tuned to a value at which flapping frequency matches near natural frequency of the fin. At this tuned joint stiffness and flapping frequency, the resulted Strouhal numbers are observed to fall within the optimum range (0.2 to 0.4) for maximized propulsion efficiency of flying birds and swimming aquatic animals reported in literature.

Comparison of Efficacy and Tolerance of Automatic Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Devices With the Optimum Continuous Positive Airway Pressure.

PubMed

Tommi, George; Aronow, Wilbert S; Sheehan, John C; McCleay, Matthew T; Meyers, Patrick G

Patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome were randomly placed on automatic continuous positive airway pressure (ACPAP) for 2 hours followed by manual titration for the rest of the night. One hundred sixty-one patients entered the study, with at least 50 patients titrated with each of 3 ACPAP devices. The optimum continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) was defined as the lowest pressure with an apnea-hypoxia index of ≤5/hr, which ranged from 4 cm to 18 cm. Success with ACPAP was approximately 60%-80% when the optimum CPAP was 4-6 cm but fell to below 30% if the optimum CPAP was ≥8 cm (P = 0.001). Average ACPAP ranged from 2 to 10 cm below the optimum level if the optimum CPAP was ≥8 cm. Patients who responded to a low CPAP but deteriorated on higher pressures failed to respond to any of the automatic devices. We recommend that CPAP titration be performed manually before initiation of ACPAP in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. The basal pressure for ACPAP should be the optimum pressure obtained by manual titration. Limits on the upper level of ACPAP may be necessary for patients who deteriorate on higher positive pressures.

Efficiency optimization of class-D biomedical inductive wireless power transfer systems by means of frequency adjustment.

PubMed

Schormans, Matthew; Valente, Virgilio; Demosthenous, Andreas

2015-01-01

Inductive powering for implanted medical devices is a commonly employed technique, that allows for implants to avoid more dangerous methods such as the use of transcutaneous wires or implanted batteries. However, wireless powering in this way also comes with a number of difficulties and conflicting requirements, which are often met by using designs based on compromise. In particular, one aspect common to most inductive power links is that they are driven with a fixed frequency, which may not be optimal depending on factors such as coupling and load. In this paper, a method is proposed in which an inductive power link is driven by a frequency that is maintained at an optimum value f(opt), to ensure that the link is in resonance. In order to maintain this resonance, a phase tracking technique is employed at the primary side of the link; this allows for compensation of changes in coil separation and load. The technique is shown to provide significant improvements in maintained secondary voltage and efficiency for a range of loads when the link is overcoupled.

Model analysis and electrical characterization of atmospheric pressure cold plasma jet in pin electrode configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deepak, G. Divya; Joshi, N. K.; Prakash, Ram

2018-05-01

In this study, both model analysis and electrical characterization of a dielectric barrier discharge based argon plasma jet have been carried at atmospheric pressure in a pin electrode configuration. The plasma and fluid dynamics modules of COMSOL multi-physics code have been used for the modeling of the plasma jet. The plasma parameters, such as, electron density, electron temperature and electrical potential have been analyzed with respect to the electrical parameters, i.e., supply voltage and supply frequency with and without the flow of gas. In all the experiments, gas flow rate has been kept constant at 1 liter per minute. This electrode configuration is subjected to a range of supply frequencies (10-25 kHz) and supply voltages (3.5-6.5 kV). The power consumed by the device has been estimated at different applied combinations (supply voltage & frequency) for optimum power consumption at maximum jet length. The maximum power consumed by the device in this configuration for maximum jet length of ˜26 mm is just ˜1 W.

A directed search for extraterrestrial laser signals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Betz, A.

1991-01-01

The focus of NASA's Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Program is on microwave frequencies, where receivers have the best sensitivities for the detection of narrowband signals. Such receivers, when coupled to existing radio telescopes, form an optimal system for broad area searches over the sky. For a directed search, however, such as toward specific stars, calculations show that infrared wavelengths can be equally as effective as radio wavelengths for establishing an interstellar communication link. This is true because infrared telescopes have higher directivities (gains) that effectively compensate for the lower sensitivities of infrared receivers. The result is that, for a given level of transmitted power, the signal to noise ratio for communications is equally as good at infrared and radio wavelengths. It should also be noted that the overall sensitivities of both receiver systems are quite close to their respective fundamental limits: background thermal noise for the radio frequency system and quantum noise for the infrared receiver. Consequently, the choice of an optimum communication frequency may well be determined more by the achievable power levels of transmitters rather than the ultimate sensitivities of receivers at any specific frequency. In the infrared, CO2 laser transmitters with power levels greater than 1 MW can already be built on Earth. For a slightly more advanced civilization, a similar but enormously more powerful laser may be possible using a planetary atmosphere rich in CO2. Because of these possibilities and our own ignorance of what is really the optimum search frequency, a search for narrowband signals at infrared frequencies should be a part of a balanced SETI Program. Detection of narrowband infrared signals is best done with a heterodyne receiver functionally identical to a microwave spectral line receiver. We have built such a receiver for the detection of CO2 laser radiation at wavelengths near 10 microns. The spectrometer uses a high-speed HgCdTe diode as the photomixer and a small CO2 laser as the local oscillator. Output signals in the intermediate frequency range 0.1-2.6 GHz are processed by a 1000-channel acousto-optic signal processor. The receiver is being used on a 1.5-m telescope on Mt. Wilson to survey a selected sample of 150 nearby stars. The current status of the work is discussed along with future project plans.

Frequency Optimization for Enhancement of Surface Defect Classification Using the Eddy Current Technique

PubMed Central

Fan, Mengbao; Wang, Qi; Cao, Binghua; Ye, Bo; Sunny, Ali Imam; Tian, Guiyun

2016-01-01

Eddy current testing is quite a popular non-contact and cost-effective method for nondestructive evaluation of product quality and structural integrity. Excitation frequency is one of the key performance factors for defect characterization. In the literature, there are many interesting papers dealing with wide spectral content and optimal frequency in terms of detection sensitivity. However, research activity on frequency optimization with respect to characterization performances is lacking. In this paper, an investigation into optimum excitation frequency has been conducted to enhance surface defect classification performance. The influences of excitation frequency for a group of defects were revealed in terms of detection sensitivity, contrast between defect features, and classification accuracy using kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) and a support vector machine (SVM). It is observed that probe signals are the most sensitive on the whole for a group of defects when excitation frequency is set near the frequency at which maximum probe signals are retrieved for the largest defect. After the use of KPCA, the margins between the defect features are optimum from the perspective of the SVM, which adopts optimal hyperplanes for structure risk minimization. As a result, the best classification accuracy is obtained. The main contribution is that the influences of excitation frequency on defect characterization are interpreted, and experiment-based procedures are proposed to determine the optimal excitation frequency for a group of defects rather than a single defect with respect to optimal characterization performances. PMID:27164112

Frequency Optimization for Enhancement of Surface Defect Classification Using the Eddy Current Technique.

PubMed

Fan, Mengbao; Wang, Qi; Cao, Binghua; Ye, Bo; Sunny, Ali Imam; Tian, Guiyun

2016-05-07

Eddy current testing is quite a popular non-contact and cost-effective method for nondestructive evaluation of product quality and structural integrity. Excitation frequency is one of the key performance factors for defect characterization. In the literature, there are many interesting papers dealing with wide spectral content and optimal frequency in terms of detection sensitivity. However, research activity on frequency optimization with respect to characterization performances is lacking. In this paper, an investigation into optimum excitation frequency has been conducted to enhance surface defect classification performance. The influences of excitation frequency for a group of defects were revealed in terms of detection sensitivity, contrast between defect features, and classification accuracy using kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) and a support vector machine (SVM). It is observed that probe signals are the most sensitive on the whole for a group of defects when excitation frequency is set near the frequency at which maximum probe signals are retrieved for the largest defect. After the use of KPCA, the margins between the defect features are optimum from the perspective of the SVM, which adopts optimal hyperplanes for structure risk minimization. As a result, the best classification accuracy is obtained. The main contribution is that the influences of excitation frequency on defect characterization are interpreted, and experiment-based procedures are proposed to determine the optimal excitation frequency for a group of defects rather than a single defect with respect to optimal characterization performances.

Test results for rotordynamic coefficients of anti-swirl self-injection seals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, C. H.; Lee, Y. B.

1994-01-01

Test results are presented for rotordynamic coefficients and leakage for three annular seals which use anti-swirl self-injection concept to yield significant improvement in whirl frequency ratios as compared to smooth and damper seals. A new anti-swirl self-inection mechanism is achieved by deliberately machining self-injection holes inside the seal stator mechanism which is used to achieve effective reduction of the tangential flow which is considered as a prime cause of rotor instability in high performance turbomachinery. Test results show that the self-injection mechanism significantly improves whirl frequency ratios; however, the leakage performance degrades due to the introduction of the self-injection mechanism. Through a series of the test program, an optimum anti-swirl self-injection seal which uses a labyrinth stator surface with anti-axial flow injections is selected to obtain a significant improvement in the whirl frequency ratio as compared to a damper seal, while showing moderate leakage performance. Best whirl frequency ratio is achieved by an anti-swirl self-injection seal of 12 holes anti-swirl and 6 degree anti-leakage injection with a labyrinth surface configuration. When compared to a damper seal, the optimum configuration outperforms the whirl frequency ratio by a factor of 2.

Spark Ignition of Monodisperse Fuel Sprays. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Danis, Allen M.; Cernansky, Nicholas P.; Namer, Izak

1987-01-01

A study of spark ignition energy requirements was conducted with a monodisperse spray system allowing independent control of droplet size, equivalent ratio, and fuel type. Minimum ignition energies were measured for n-heptane and methanol sprays characterized at the spark gap in terms of droplet diameter, equivalence ratio (number density) and extent of prevaporization. In addition to sprays, minimum ignition energies were measured for completely prevaporized mixtures of the same fuels over a range of equivalence ratios to provide data at the lower limit of droplet size. Results showed that spray ignition was enhanced with decreasing droplet size and increasing equivalence ratio over the ranges of the parameters studied. By comparing spray and prevaporized ignition results, the existence of an optimum droplet size for ignition was indicated for both fuels. Fuel volatility was seen to be a critical factor in spray ignition. The spray ignition results were analyzed using two different empirical ignition models for quiescent mixtures. Both models accurately predicted the experimental ignition energies for the majority of the spray conditions. Spray ignition was observed to be probabilistic in nature, and ignition was quantified in terms of an ignition frequency for a given spark energy. A model was developed to predict ignition frequencies based on the variation in spark energy and equivalence ratio in the spark gap. The resulting ignition frequency simulations were nearly identical to the experimentally observed values.

[Effects of temperature on the embryonic development and larval growth of Sepia lycidas].

PubMed

Jiang, Xia-Min; Peng, Rui-Bing; Luo, Jiang; Tang, Feng

2013-05-01

A single-factor experiment was conducted to study the effects of different temperature (15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, and 33 degrees C) on the embryonic development and larval growth of Sepia lycidas, aimed to search for the optimum temperature for the development and growth of S. lycidas. The results showed that temperature had significant effects on the embryonic development and larval growth of S. lycidas (P < 0.05). The suitable temperature for hatching ranged from 21 degrees C to 30 degrees C, and the optimum temperature was 24 degrees C. At the optimum temperature, the hatching rate was (93.3 +/- 2.9)%, incubation period was (24.33 +/- 0.58) d, hatching period was (6.00 +/- 1.00) d, completely absorked rate of yolk sac was (96.4 +/- 3.1)%, and newly hatched larvae mass was (0.258 +/- 0.007) g. The effective accumulated temperature model was N = 284.42/(T-12.57). The suitable temperature for the larval survival and growth ranged from 21 degrees C to 30 degrees C, and the optimum temperature was from 24 degrees C to 27 degrees C. At the optimum temperature, the survival rate ranged from 70.0% to 73.3%, and the specific growth rate was from 2.4% to 3.8%.

Quasi-optical design for systems to diagnose the electron temperature and density fluctuations on EAST

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

Cao, Qifo; Liu, Yong; Zhao, Hailin, E-mail: zhaohailin@ipp.ac.cn

A system to simultaneously diagnose the electron temperature and density fluctuations is proposed for Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak device. This system includes a common quasi-optical antenna, a correlation electron cyclotron emission (CECE) system that is used to measure the electron temperature fluctuations and a Doppler backscattering (DBS) system that is used to measure the electron density fluctuations. The frequency range of the proposed CECE system is 108-120 GHz, and this corresponds to a radial coverage of normalized radius ((R − R{sub 0})/a, R{sub 0} = 1850 mm, a = 450 mm) from 0.2 to 0.67 for the plasma operation withmore » a toroidal magnetic field of 2.26 T. This paper focuses on the design of the quasi-optical antenna and aims at optimizing the poloidal resolution for different frequency bands. An optimum result gives the beam radius for the CECE system of 13-15 mm and this corresponds to a wave number range of k{sub θ} < 2.4 cm{sup −1}. The beam radius is 20-30 mm for V band (50-75 GHz) and 15-20 mm for W band (75-110 GHz).« less

The use of SESK as a trend parameter for localized bearing fault diagnosis in induction machines.

PubMed

Saidi, Lotfi; Ben Ali, Jaouher; Benbouzid, Mohamed; Bechhoefer, Eric

2016-07-01

A critical work of bearing fault diagnosis is locating the optimum frequency band that contains faulty bearing signal, which is usually buried in the noise background. Now, envelope analysis is commonly used to obtain the bearing defect harmonics from the envelope signal spectrum analysis and has shown fine results in identifying incipient failures occurring in the different parts of a bearing. However, the main step in implementing envelope analysis is to determine a frequency band that contains faulty bearing signal component with the highest signal noise level. Conventionally, the choice of the band is made by manual spectrum comparison via identifying the resonance frequency where the largest change occurred. In this paper, we present a squared envelope based spectral kurtosis method to determine optimum envelope analysis parameters including the filtering band and center frequency through a short time Fourier transform. We have verified the potential of the spectral kurtosis diagnostic strategy in performance improvements for single-defect diagnosis using real laboratory-collected vibration data sets. Copyright © 2016 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhanced THz extinction in arrays of resonant semiconductor particles.

PubMed

Schaafsma, Martijn C; Georgiou, Giorgos; Rivas, Jaime Gómez

2015-09-21

We demonstrate experimentally the enhanced THz extinction by periodic arrays of resonant semiconductor particles. This phenomenon is explained in terms of the radiative coupling of localized resonances with diffractive orders in the plane of the array (Rayleigh anomalies). The experimental results are described by numerical calculations using a coupled dipole model and by Finite-Difference in Time-Domain simulations. An optimum particle size for enhancing the extinction efficiency of the array is found. This optimum is determined by the frequency detuning between the localized resonances in the individual particles and the Rayleigh anomaly. The extinction calculations and measurements are also compared to near-field simulations illustrating the optimum particle size for the enhancement of the near-field.

Optimal design of wavy microchannel and comparison of heat transfer characteristics with zigzag and straight geometries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parlak, Zekeriya

2018-05-01

Design concept of microchannel heat exchangers is going to plan with new flow microchannel configuration to reduce the pressure drop and improve heat transfer performance. The study aims to find optimum microchannel design providing the best performance of flow and heat transfer characterization in a heat sink. Therefore, three different types of microchannels in which water is used, straight, wavy and zigzag have been studied. The optimization operation has been performed to find optimum geometry with ANSYS's Response Surface Optimization Tool. Primarily, CFD analysis has been performed by parameterizing a wavy microchannel geometry. Optimum wavy microchannel design has been obtained by the response surface created for the range of velocity from 0.5 to 5, the range of amplitude from 0.06 to 0.3, the range of microchannel height from 0.1 to 0.2, the range of microchannel width from 0.1 to 0.2 and range of sinusoidal wave length from 0.25 to 2.0. All simulations have been performed in the laminar regime for Reynolds number ranging from 100 to 900. Results showed that the Reynolds number range corresponding to the industrial pressure drop limits is between 100 and 400. Nu values obtained in this range for optimum wavy geometry were found at a rate of 10% higher than those of the zigzag channel and 40% higher than those of the straight channels. In addition, when the pressure values of the straight channel did not exceed 10 kPa, the inlet pressure data calculated for zigzag and wavy channel data almost coincided with each other.

On Optimum Power Allocation for Multi-Antenna Wideband Helicopter-to-Ground Communications

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-01

optimum [1]. In frequency selective fading, the general approach is to use OFDM and apply these techniques on a per subcarrier basis. This work was...Contracting Office under contract W900KK-09-C-0016. Given the constraints described above, OFDM is often of limited interest in helicopter-to-ground...Naguib, and R. Calderbank, “Finite-length MIMO decision feedback equalization for space-time block-coded signals over multipath-fading channels,” IEEE

Reducing variable frequency vibrations in a powertrain system with an adaptive tuned vibration absorber group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Pu; Xiang, Changle; Liu, Hui; Zhou, Han

2018-07-01

Based on a multiple degrees of freedom dynamic model of a vehicle powertrain system, natural vibration analyses and sensitivity analyses of the eigenvalues are performed to determine the key inertia for each natural vibration of a powertrain system. Then, the results are used to optimize the installation position of each adaptive tuned vibration absorber. According to the relationship between the variable frequency torque excitation and the natural vibration of a powertrain system, the entire vibration frequency band is divided into segments, and the auxiliary vibration absorber and dominant vibration absorber are determined for each sensitive frequency band. The optimum parameters of the auxiliary vibration absorber are calculated based on the optimal frequency ratio and the optimal damping ratio of the passive vibration absorber. The instantaneous change state of the natural vibrations of a powertrain system with adaptive tuned vibration absorbers is studied, and the optimized start and stop tuning frequencies of the adaptive tuned vibration absorber are obtained. These frequencies can be translated into the optimum parameters of the dominant vibration absorber. Finally, the optimal tuning scheme for the adaptive tuned vibration absorber group, which can be used to reduce the variable frequency vibrations of a powertrain system, is proposed, and corresponding numerical simulations are performed. The simulation time history signals are transformed into three-dimensional information related to time, frequency and vibration energy via the Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT). A comprehensive time-frequency analysis is then conducted to verify that the optimal tuning scheme for the adaptive tuned vibration absorber group can significantly reduce the variable frequency vibrations of a powertrain system.

Rotor vibration reduction with polymeric sectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutt, J. K.; Toi, T.

2003-05-01

This work has been undertaken principally with an idea to improving the dynamic performance of rotor-shaft systems, which often suffer from two major problems (a) resonance and (b) loss of stability, resulting in excessive vibration of such systems. Polymeric material in the form of sectors has been considered in this work as bearing supports. Polymeric material has been considered in this work as both stiffness and loss factor of such materials varies with the frequency of excitation. Stiffness and loss factor have been found out for the proposed support system comprising of polymeric sectors. Depending upon the frequency of excitation the system matrix, in this case, changes and dynamic performance of the rotor-shaft system also changes accordingly. Here in this work avoidance of resonance and application of optimum damping in the support have been investigated by finding out the optimum dimension, i.e., the optimum thickness and optimum length of the sectors. It has been theoretically found that use of such sectors reduces the rotor unbalanced response, increases the stability limit speed for simple rotor-shaft systems and thus improves the dynamic characteristics. Parameters of the system have been presented in terms of non-dimensional quantities. Many examples have been presented in support of the conclusion. The life of such supports, particularly in the presence of chemicals and other reagents has not been investigated.

Dynamic response of fluid inside a penny shaped crack

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

Hayashi, Kazuo; Seki, Hitoshi

1997-12-31

In order to discuss the method for estimating the geometric characteristics of geothermal reservoir cracks, a theoretical study is performed on the dynamic response of the fluid inside a reservoir crack in a rock mass subjected to a dynamic excitation due to propagation of an elastic wave. As representative models of reservoir cracks, a penny shaped crack and a two-dimensional crack which are connected to a borehole are considered. It is found that the resonance frequency of the fluid motion is dependent on the crack size, the fluid`s viscosity and the permeability of the formation. The intensity of the resonancemore » is dependent on the fluid`s viscosity when the size, the aperture and the permeability are fixed. It is also found that, at a value of the fluid`s viscosity, the resonance of fluid pressure becomes strongest. The optimum value of the fluid`s viscosity is found to be almost perfectly determined by the permeability of the formation. Furthermore, it is revealed that, if the fluid`s viscosity is fixed to be the optimum value, the resonance frequency is almost independent of the permeability and aperture, but is dependent on the size of crack. Inversely speaking, this implies that the size of the reservoir crack can be estimated from the resonance frequency, if the fluid with the above mentioned optimum value of viscosity is employed for hydraulic fracturing.« less

OPTIMAL AIRCRAFT TRAJECTORIES FOR SPECIFIED RANGE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, H.

1994-01-01

For an aircraft operating over a fixed range, the operating costs are basically a sum of fuel cost and time cost. While minimum fuel and minimum time trajectories are relatively easy to calculate, the determination of a minimum cost trajectory can be a complex undertaking. This computer program was developed to optimize trajectories with respect to a cost function based on a weighted sum of fuel cost and time cost. As a research tool, the program could be used to study various characteristics of optimum trajectories and their comparison to standard trajectories. It might also be used to generate a model for the development of an airborne trajectory optimization system. The program could be incorporated into an airline flight planning system, with optimum flight plans determined at takeoff time for the prevailing flight conditions. The use of trajectory optimization could significantly reduce the cost for a given aircraft mission. The algorithm incorporated in the program assumes that a trajectory consists of climb, cruise, and descent segments. The optimization of each segment is not done independently, as in classical procedures, but is performed in a manner which accounts for interaction between the segments. This is accomplished by the application of optimal control theory. The climb and descent profiles are generated by integrating a set of kinematic and dynamic equations, where the total energy of the aircraft is the independent variable. At each energy level of the climb and descent profiles, the air speed and power setting necessary for an optimal trajectory are determined. The variational Hamiltonian of the problem consists of the rate of change of cost with respect to total energy and a term dependent on the adjoint variable, which is identical to the optimum cruise cost at a specified altitude. This variable uniquely specifies the optimal cruise energy, cruise altitude, cruise Mach number, and, indirectly, the climb and descent profiles. If the optimum cruise cost is specified, an optimum trajectory can easily be generated; however, the range obtained for a particular optimum cruise cost is not known a priori. For short range flights, the program iteratively varies the optimum cruise cost until the computed range converges to the specified range. For long-range flights, iteration is unnecessary since the specified range can be divided into a cruise segment distance and full climb and descent distances. The user must supply the program with engine fuel flow rate coefficients and an aircraft aerodynamic model. The program currently includes coefficients for the Pratt-Whitney JT8D-7 engine and an aerodynamic model for the Boeing 727. Input to the program consists of the flight range to be covered and the prevailing flight conditions including pressure, temperature, and wind profiles. Information output by the program includes: optimum cruise tables at selected weights, optimal cruise quantities as a function of cruise weight and cruise distance, climb and descent profiles, and a summary of the complete synthesized optimal trajectory. This program is written in FORTRAN IV for batch execution and has been implemented on a CDC 6000 series computer with a central memory requirement of approximately 100K (octal) of 60 bit words. This aircraft trajectory optimization program was developed in 1979.

An automatic optimum kernel-size selection technique for edge enhancement

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chavez, Pat S.; Bauer, Brian P.

1982-01-01

Edge enhancement is a technique that can be considered, to a first order, a correction for the modulation transfer function of an imaging system. Digital imaging systems sample a continuous function at discrete intervals so that high-frequency information cannot be recorded at the same precision as lower frequency data. Because of this, fine detail or edge information in digital images is lost. Spatial filtering techniques can be used to enhance the fine detail information that does exist in the digital image, but the filter size is dependent on the type of area being processed. A technique has been developed by the authors that uses the horizontal first difference to automatically select the optimum kernel-size that should be used to enhance the edges that are contained in the image. 

The transmission of low frequency medical data using delta modulation techniques.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arndt, G. D.; Dawson, C. T.

1972-01-01

The transmission of low-frequency medical data using delta modulation techniques is described. The delta modulators are used to distribute the low-frequency data into the passband of the telephone lines. Both adaptive and linear delta modulators are considered. Optimum bit rates to minimize distortion and intersymbol interference are discussed. Vibrocardiographic waves are analyzed as a function of bit rate and delta modulator configuration to determine their reproducibility for medical evaluation.

Film characteristics pertinent to coherent optical data processing systems.

PubMed

Thomas, C E

1972-08-01

Photographic film is studied quantitatively as the input mechanism for coherent optical data recording and processing systems. The two important film characteristics are the amplitude transmission vs exposure (T(A) - E) curve and the film noise power spectral density. Both functions are measured as a function of the type of film, the type of developer, developer time and temperature, and the exposing and readout light wavelengths. A detailed analysis of a coherent optical spatial frequency analyzer reveals that the optimum do bias point for 649-F film is an amplitude transmission of about 70%. This operating point yields minimum harmonic and intermodulation distortion, whereas the 50% amplitude transmission bias point recommended by holographers yields maximum diffraction efficiency. It is also shown that the effective ac gain or contrast of the film is nearly independent of the development conditions for a given film. Finally, the linear dynamic range of one particular coherent optical spatial frequency analyzer is shown to be about 40-50 dB.

Optimization of a matched-filter receiver for frequency hopping code acquisition in jamming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pawlowski, P. R.; Polydoros, A.

A matched-filter receiver for frequency hopping (FH) code acquisition is optimized when either partial-band tone jamming or partial-band Gaussian noise jamming is present. The receiver is matched to a segment of the FH code sequence, sums hard per-channel decisions to form a test, and uses multiple tests to verify acquisition. The length of the matched filter and the number of verification tests are fixed. Optimization is then choosing thresholds to maximize performance based upon the receiver's degree of knowledge about the jammer ('side-information'). Four levels of side-information are considered, ranging from none to complete. The latter level results in a constant-false-alarm-rate (CFAR) design. At each level, performance sensitivity to threshold choice is analyzed. Robust thresholds are chosen to maximize performance as the jammer varies its power distribution, resulting in simple design rules which aid threshold selection. Performance results, which show that optimum distributions for the jammer power over the total FH bandwidth exist, are presented.

Numerical study of a cryogen-free vuilleumier type pulse tube cryocooler operating below 10 K

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y. N.; Wang, X. T.; Dai, W.; Luo, E. C.

2017-12-01

This paper presents a numerical investigation on a Vuilleumier (VM) type pulse tube cooler. Different from previous systems that use liquid nitrogen, Stirling type pre-coolers are used to provide the cooling power for the thermal compressor, which leads to a convenient cryogen-free system and offers the flexibility of changing working temperature range of the thermal compressor to obtain an optimum efficiency. Firstly, main component dimensions were optimized with lowest no-load temperature as the target. Then the dependence of system performance on average pressure, frequency, displacer displacement amplitude and thermal compressor pre-cooling temperature were studied. Finally, the effect of pre-cooling temperature on overall cooling efficiency at 5 K was studied. A highest relative Carnot efficiency of 0.82 % was predicted with an average pressure of 2.5 MPa, a frequency of 3 Hz, a displacer displacement amplitude of 6.5 mm, ambient end temperature 300 K and pre-cooling temperature 65 K, respectively.

Static and Dynamic Measurement of Dopamine Adsorption in Carbon Fiber Microelectrodes Using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Rivera-Serrano, Nilka; Pagan, Miraida; Colón-Rodríguez, Joanisse; Fuster, Christian; Vélez, Román; Almodovar-Faria, Jose; Jiménez-Rivera, Carlos; Cunci, Lisandro

2018-02-06

In this study, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used for the first time to study the adsorption of dopamine in carbon fiber microelectrodes. In order to show a proof-of-concept, static and dynamic measurements were taken at potentials ranging from -0.4 to 0.8 V versus Ag|AgCl to demonstrate the versatility of this technique to study dopamine without the need of its oxidation. We used electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and single frequency electrochemical impedance to measure different concentrations of dopamine as low as 1 nM. Moreover, the capacitance of the microelectrodes surface was found to decrease due to dopamine adsorption, which is dependent on its concentration. The effect of dissolved oxygen and electrochemical oxidation of the surface in the detection of dopamine was also studied. Nonoxidized and oxidized carbon fiber microelectrodes were prepared and characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Optimum working parameters of the electrodes, such as frequency and voltage, were obtained for better measurement. Electrochemical impedance of dopamine was determined at different concentration, voltages, and frequencies. Finally, dynamic experiments were conducted using a flow cell and single frequency impedance in order to study continuous and real-time measurements of dopamine.

Optimum structural design with plate bending elements - A survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haftka, R. T.; Prasad, B.

1981-01-01

A survey is presented of recently published papers in the field of optimum structural design of plates, largely with respect to the minimum-weight design of plates subject to such constraints as fundamental frequency maximization. It is shown that, due to the availability of powerful computers, the trend in optimum plate design is away from methods tailored to specific geometry and loads and toward methods that can be easily programmed for any kind of plate, such as finite element methods. A corresponding shift is seen in optimization from variational techniques to numerical optimization algorithms. Among the topics covered are fully stressed design and optimality criteria, mathematical programming, smooth and ribbed designs, design against plastic collapse, buckling constraints, and vibration constraints.

The effect of shower/bath frequency on the health and operational effectiveness of soldiers in a field setting: Recommendation of showering frequencies for reducing performance-degrading nonsystemic microbial skin infections

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

Hall, L.C.; Daniels, J.I.; Aly, R.

Historically, military personnel deployed in the field, particularly in hot, humid environments, have suffered disabling microbial infections of the skin severe enough to contribute to significant reductions in combat-troop strength. Currently, the US Army makes facilities available to field personnel for showering on a weekly basis to prevent infestations of the body louse and the subsequent spread of louse-borne disease. However, a weekly showering frequency has never been evaluated for its efficacy in preventing microbial infections of the skin -- a significant cause of man-days lost from combat in modern-day military conflicts. Consequently, field showers may be more important formore » maintaining combat effectiveness of military personnel than previously thought; however, providing such facilities requires tremendous logistical support. Therefore, we developed shower frequencies for troops in field environments that should minimize or prevent microbial skin infections. According to our calculations, the optimum showering frequency can range from as often as four times per day to as little as once every seven days, depending on skin integrity, environmental conditions, and cleansing agent. We also reviewed the scientific and regulatory information concerning the efficacy and safety of skin-cleansing products; the antimicrobial and antiseptic compounds, triclocarban and chlorhexidine, may be the most suitable for routine use by US military personnel.« less

Development of a sensor for temperature and water concentration in combustion gases using a single tunable diode laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Xin; Liu, Xiang; Jeffries, Jay B.; Hanson, R. K.

2003-08-01

The water vapour spectrum in the 1-2 µm near-infrared region is systematically analysed to find the best absorption transitions for sensitive measurement of H2O concentration and temperature in combustion environments using a single tunable diode laser with typical distributed feedback single-mode scanning range (1 cm-1). The use of a single laser, even with relatively narrow tuning range, can offer distinct advantages over wavelength-multiplexing techniques. The strategy and spectroscopic criteria for selecting optimum wavelength regions and absorption line combinations are discussed. It should be stressed that no single figure of merit can be derived to simplify the selection process, and the optimum line pair should be chosen case by case. Our investigation reveals that the 1.8 µm spectral region is especially promising, and we have identified 10 of the best water line pairs in this spectral region for temperature measurements in flames. Based on these findings, a pair of H2O transitions near 1.8 µm was targeted for the design and development of an initial single-laser sensor for simultaneously measuring H2O concentration and temperature in atmospheric-pressure flames. As part of the sensor development effort, fundamental spectroscopic parameters including the line strength, line-centre frequency and lower state energies of the probed transitions were measured experimentally to improve the current databases. We conclude with demonstration results in a steady and a forced atmospheric-pressure laboratory combustor.

The Effect of Pulse Length and Ejector Radius on Unsteady Ejector Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Jack

2005-01-01

The thrust augmentation of a set of ejectors driven by a shrouded Hartmann-Sprenger tube has been measured at four different frequencies. Each frequency corresponded to a different length to diameter ratio of the pulse of air leaving the driver shroud. Two of the frequencies had length to diameter ratios below the formation number, and two above. The formation number is the value of length to diameter ratio below which the pulse converts to a vortex ring only, and above which the pulse becomes a vortex ring plus a trailing jet. A three level, three parameter Box-Behnken statistical design of experiment scheme was performed at each frequency, measuring the thrust augmentation generated by the appropriate ejectors from the set. The three parameters were ejector length, radius, and inlet radius. The results showed that there is an optimum ejector radius and length at each frequency. Using a polynomial fit to the data, the results were interpolated to different ejector radii and pulse length to diameter ratios. This showed that a peak in thrust augmentation occurs when the pulse length to diameter ratio equals the formation number, and that the optimum ejector radius is 0.87 times the sum of the vortex ring radius and the core radius.

Damage monitoring in historical murals by speckle interferometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinsch, Klaus D.; Gulker, Gerd; Joost, Holger

2003-11-01

In the conservation of historical murals it is important to identify loose plaster sections that threaten to fall off. Electronic speckle interferometry in combination with acoustic excitation of the object has been employed to monitor loose areas. To avoid disadvantages of high sound irradiation of the complete building a novel directional audio-sound source based on nonlinear mixing of ultrasound has been introduced. The optical system was revised for optimum performance in the new environment. Emphasis is placed on noise suppression to increase sensitivity. Furthermore, amplitude and phase data of object response over the frequency-range inspected are employed to gain additional information on the state of the plaster or paint. Laboratory studies on sample specimen supplement field campaigns at historical sites.

The management of diabetes in terminal illness related to cancer.

PubMed

King, E J; Haboubi, H; Evans, D; Baker, I; Bain, S C; Stephens, J W

2012-01-01

The management of diabetes during terminal illness is complex, with lack of agreement and consensus among physicians and multidisciplinary teams. Despite the plethora of guidelines available for the management of diabetes, there exists no agreed, evidence-based strategy for managing diabetes during terminal illness and at the end of life. A number of physiological factors may influence glycaemic control during terminal illness. These include anorexia, cachexia, malabsorption, renal and hepatic failure. Furthermore, controversy exists on the frequency of blood glucose monitoring, the optimum blood glucose range and how to achieve this. We review the factors influencing blood glucose during terminal illness and provide a suggested approach to managing patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes during the early and late stages of terminal illness.

Neurological Complications Associated With Anti-Programmed Death 1 (PD-1) Antibodies.

PubMed

Kao, Justin C; Liao, Bing; Markovic, Svetomir N; Klein, Christopher J; Naddaf, Elie; Staff, Nathan P; Liewluck, Teerin; Hammack, Julie E; Sandroni, Paola; Finnes, Heidi; Mauermann, Michelle L

2017-10-01

Neurological complications are an increasingly recognized consequence of the use of anti-programmed death 1 (PD-1) antibodies in the treatment of solid-organ tumors, with an estimated frequency of 4.2%. To date, the clinical spectrum and optimum treatment approach are not established. To investigate the frequency, clinical spectrum, and optimum treatment approach to neurological complications associated with anti-PD-1 therapy. This single-center, retrospective cohort study was conducted from either September or December 2014 (the approval dates of the study drugs by the US Food and Drug Administration) to May 19, 2016. All patients receiving anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibodies were identified using the Mayo Cancer Pharmacy Database. Patients with development of neurological symptoms within 12 months of anti-PD-1 therapy were included. Patients with neurological complications directly attributable to metastatic disease or other concurrent cancer-related treatments were excluded. Clinical and pathological characteristics, time to development of neurological symptoms, and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score. Among 347 patients treated with anti-PD1 monoclonal antibodies (pembrolizumab or nivolumab), 10 (2.9%) developed subacute onset of neurological complications. Seven patients were receiving pembrolizumab, and 3 patients were receiving nivolumab. The patients included 8 men and 2 women. Their median age was 71 years (age range, 31-78 years). Neurological complications occurred after a median of 5.5 (range, 1-20) cycles of anti-PD-1 inhibitors. Complications included myopathy (n = 2), varied neuropathies (n = 4), cerebellar ataxia (n = 1), autoimmune retinopathy (n = 1), bilateral internuclear ophthalmoplegia (n = 1), and headache (n = 1). Peripheral neuropathies included axonal and demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathies (n = 2), length-dependent neuropathies (n = 1), and asymmetric vasculitic neuropathy (n = 1). The time to maximum symptom severity varied from 1 day to more than 3 months. The median mRS score was 2.5 (range, 1-5), indicating mild to moderate disability. Five patients experienced other systemic immune-mediated complications, including hypothyroidism (n = 3), colitis (n = 2), and hepatitis (n = 1). Treatment with anti-PD-1 antibodies was discontinued in 7 patients. Treatment included corticosteroids (n = 7), intravenous immunoglobulin (n = 3), and plasma exchange (n = 1). Nine patients improved, with a median mRS score of 2 (range, 0-6). One patient with severe necrotizing myopathy died. Neurological adverse events associated with anti-PD-1 therapy have a diverse phenotype, with more frequent neuromuscular complications. Although rare, they will likely be encountered with increasing frequency as anti-PD-1 therapy expands to other cancers. The time of onset is unpredictable, and evolution may be rapid and life-threatening. Prompt recognition and discontinuation of anti-PD-1 therapy is recommended. In some cases, immune rescue treatment may be required.

Experimental Comparison of Speed : Fuel-flow and Speed-area Controls on a Turbojet Engine for Small Step Disturbances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wenzel, L M; Hart, C E; Craig, R T

1957-01-01

Optimum proportional-plus-integral control settings for speed - fuel-flow control, determined by minimization of integral criteria, correlated well with analytically predicted optimum settings. Engine response data are given for a range of control settings around the optimum. An inherent nonlinearity in the speed-area loop necessitated the use of nonlinear controls. Response data for two such nonlinear control schemes are presented.

Design of helicopter rotor blades for optimum dynamic characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peters, D. A.; Ko, T.; Korn, A.; Rossow, M. P.

1984-01-01

The optimal design of helicopter rotor blades is addressed. The forced response of an initial (i.e., non-optimized) blade to those of a final (optimized) blade are compared. Response of starting design and optimal designs for varying forcing frequencies, blade response to harmonics of rotor speed, and derivation of mass and stiffness matrices or functions of natural frequencies are discussed.

Optimum moisture levels for biodegradation of mortality composting envelope materials.

PubMed

Ahn, H K; Richard, T L; Glanville, T D

2008-01-01

Moisture affects the physical and biological properties of compost and other solid-state fermentation matrices. Aerobic microbial systems experience different respiration rates (oxygen uptake and CO2 evolution) as a function of moisture content and material type. In this study the microbial respiration rates of 12 mortality composting envelope materials were measured by a pressure sensor method at six different moisture levels. A wide range of respiration (1.6-94.2mg O2/g VS-day) rates were observed for different materials, with alfalfa hay, silage, oat straw, and turkey litter having the highest values. These four envelope materials may be particularly suitable for improving internal temperature and pathogen destruction rates for disease-related mortality composting. Optimum moisture content was determined based on measurements across a range that spans the maximum respiration rate. The optimum moisture content of each material was observed near water holding capacity, which ranged from near 60% to over 80% on a wet basis for all materials except a highly stabilized soil compost blend (optimum around 25% w.b.). The implications of the results for moisture management and process control strategies during mortality composting are discussed.

Frequency dispersion in dipolophoresis of metallodielectric Janus spheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boymelgreen, Alicia; Yossifon, Gilad; Miloh, Touvia

2013-11-01

Dipolophoresis (DIP) is an umbrella term for the two non-linear electrokinetic phenomenon of induced-charge electrophoresis (ICEP) and dielectrophoresis (DEP). It has previously been shown that this effect is responsible for the obtainment of a finite velocity by a metallodielectric (comprised of one conducting and one dielectric hemisphere) Janus spheres, even under the application of a uniform AC field. At low frequencies, this mobility is dominated by induced-charge effects, wherein the stronger induced-charge electroosmotic flow around the polarizable hemisphere propels the particle perpendicular to the electric field in the direction of its dielectric end. Surprisingly, it was observed that this motion is at a maximum for applied frequencies in the range of 1kHz beyond which the effect decays. Here we examine the effect of varying experimental conditions including electrolyte concentration and particle size on this limit. Additionally, we present for the first time an analytical solution which is capable of predicting this optimum based on our previous formulation which is uniquely valid for arbitrary electric double layer length. This work is of both fundamental and practical importance and may be used to optimize the behavior of Janus micromotors in lab-on-a-chip systems.

Full-order observer for direct torque control of induction motor based on constant V/F control technique.

PubMed

Pimkumwong, Narongrit; Wang, Ming-Shyan

2018-02-01

This paper presents another control method for the three-phase induction motor that is direct torque control based on constant voltage per frequency control technique. This method uses the magnitude of stator flux and torque errors to generate the stator voltage and phase angle references for controlling the induction motor by using constant voltage per frequency control method. Instead of hysteresis comparators and optimum switching table, the PI controllers and space vector modulation technique are used to reduce torque and stator-flux ripples and achieve constant switching frequency. Moreover, the coordinate transformations are not required. To implement this control method, a full-order observer is used to estimate stator flux and overcome the problems from drift and saturation in using pure integrator. The feedback gains are designed by simple manner to improve the convergence of stator flux estimation, especially in low speed range. Furthermore, the necessary conditions to maintain the stability for feedback gain design are introduced. The simulation and experimental results show accurate and stable operation of the introduced estimator and good dynamic response of the proposed control method. Copyright © 2017 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High Efficiency Wideband Refractive Optics for ALMA Band-1 (35-52 GHz). Design, Implementation, and Measurement Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tapia, V.; González, A.; Finger, R.; Mena, F. P.; Monasterio, D.; Reyes, N.; Sánchez, M.; Bronfman, L.

2017-03-01

We present the design, implementation, and characterization of the optics of ALMA Band 1, the lowest frequency band in the most advanced radio astronomical telescope. Band 1 covers the broad frequency range from 35 to 50 GHz, with the goal of minor degradation up to 52 GHz. This is, up to now, the largest fractional bandwidth of all ALMA bands. Since the optics is the first subsystem of any receiver, low noise figure and maximum aperture efficiency are fundamental for best sensitivity. However, a conjunction of several factors (small cryostat apertures, mechanical constraints, and cost limitations) makes extremely challenging to achieve these goals. To overcome these problems, the optics presented here includes two innovative solutions, a compact optimized-profile corrugated horn and a modified Fresnel lens. The horn profile was optimized for optimum performance and easy fabrication by a single-piece manufacturing process in a lathe. In this way, manufacturability is eased when compared with traditional fabrication methods. To minimize the noise contribution of the optics, a one-step zoned lens was designed. Its parameters were carefully optimized to maximize the frequency coverage and reduce losses. The optical assembly reported here fully complies with ALMA specifications.

Messaging with Cost-Optimized Interstellar Beacons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benford, James; Benford, Gregory; Benford, Dominic

2010-01-01

On Earth, how would we build galactic-scale beacons to attract the attention of extraterrestrials, as some have suggested we should do? From the point of view of expense to a builder on Earth, experience shows an optimum trade-off. This emerges by minimizing the cost of producing a desired power density at long range, which determines the maximum range of detectability of a transmitted signal. We derive general relations for cost-optimal aperture and power. For linear dependence of capital cost on transmitter power and antenna area, minimum capital cost occurs when the cost is equally divided between antenna gain and radiated power. For nonlinear power-law dependence, a similar simple division occurs. This is validated in cost data for many systems; industry uses this cost optimum as a rule of thumb. Costs of pulsed cost-efficient transmitters are estimated from these relations by using current cost parameters ($/W, $/sq m) as a basis. We show the scaling and give examples of such beacons. Galactic-scale beacons can be built for a few billion dollars with our present technology. Such beacons have narrow "searchlight" beams and short "dwell times" when the beacon would be seen by an alien observer in their sky. More-powerful beacons are more efficient and have economies of scale: cost scales only linearly with range R, not as R(exp 2), so number of stars radiated to increases as the square of cost. On a cost basis, they will likely transmit at higher microwave frequencies, -10 GHz. The natural corridor to broadcast is along the galactic radius or along the local spiral galactic arm we are in. A companion paper asks "If someone like us were to produce a beacon, how should we look for it?"

Tailored-waveform Collisional Activation of Peptide Ion Electron Transfer Survivor Ions in Cation Transmission Mode Ion/Ion Reaction Experiments

PubMed Central

Han, Hongling; Londry, Frank A.; Erickson, David E.; McLuckey, Scott A.

2010-01-01

SUMMARY Broad-band resonance excitation via a tailored waveform in a high pressure collision cell (Q2) on a hybrid quadrupole/time-of-flight (QqTOF) tandem mass spectrometer has been implemented for cation transmission mode electron transfer ion/ion reactions of tryptic polypeptides. The frequency components in the broadband waveform were defined to excite the first generation intact electron transfer products for relatively large tryptic peptides. The optimum amplitude of the arbitrary waveform applied has been determined empirically to be 3.0 Vp-p, which is effective for relatively high mass-to-charge (m/z) ratio precursor ions with little elimination of sequence information for low m/z ions. The application of broadband activation during the transmission mode ion/ion reaction obviates frequency and amplitude tuning normally associated with ion trap collision induced dissociation (CID). This approach has been demonstrated with triply and doubly charged tryptic peptides with and without post-translational modifications. Enhanced structural information was achieved by production of a larger number of informative c- and z-type fragments using the tailored waveform on unmodified and modified (phosphorylated and glycosylated) peptides when the first generation intact electron transfer products fell into the defined frequency range. This approach can be applied to a wide range of tryptic peptide ions, making it attractive as a rapid and general approach for ETD LC-MS/MS of tryptic peptides in a QqTOF instrument. PMID:19305916

Using interval maxima regression (IMR) to determine environmental optima controlling Microcystis spp. growth in Lake Taihu.

PubMed

Li, Ming; Peng, Qiang; Xiao, Man

2016-01-01

Fortnightly investigations at 12 sampling sites in Meiliang Bay and Gonghu Bay of Lake Taihu (China) were carried out from June to early November 2010. The relationship between abiotic factors and cell density of different Microcystis species was analyzed using the interval maxima regression (IMR) to determine the optimum temperature and nutrient concentrations for growth of different Microcystis species. Our results showed that cell density of all the Microcystis species increased along with the increase of water temperature, but Microcystis aeruginosa adapted to a wide range of temperatures. The optimum total dissolved nitrogen concentrations for M. aeruginosa, Microcystis wesenbergii, Microcystis ichthyoblabe, and unidentified Microcystis were 3.7, 2.0, 2.4, and 1.9 mg L(-1), respectively. The optimum total dissolved phosphorus concentrations for different species were M. wesenbergii (0.27 mg L(-1)) > M. aeruginosa (0.1 mg L(-1)) > M. ichthyoblabe (0.06 mg L(-1)) ≈ unidentified Microcystis, and the iron (Fe(3+)) concentrations were M. wesenbergii (0.73 mg L(-1)) > M. aeruginosa (0.42 mg L(-1)) > M. ichthyoblabe (0.35 mg L(-1)) > unidentified Microcystis (0.09 mg L(-1)). The above results suggest that if phosphorus concentration was reduced to 0.06 mg L(-1) or/and iron concentration was reduced to 0.35 mg L(-1) in Lake Taihu, the large colonial M. wesenbergii and M. aeruginosa would be replaced by small colonial M. ichthyoblabe and unidentified Microcystis. Thereafter, the intensity and frequency of the occurrence of Microcystis blooms would be reduced by changing Microcystis species composition.

Optimum stacking sequence design of laminated composite circular plates with curvilinear fibres by a layer-wise optimization method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guenanou, A.; Houmat, A.

2018-05-01

The optimum stacking sequence design for the maximum fundamental frequency of symmetrically laminated composite circular plates with curvilinear fibres is investigated for the first time using a layer-wise optimization method. The design variables are two fibre orientation angles per layer. The fibre paths are constructed using the method of shifted paths. The first-order shear deformation plate theory and a curved square p-element are used to calculate the objective function. The blending function method is used to model accurately the geometry of the circular plate. The equations of motion are derived using Lagrange's method. The numerical results are validated by means of a convergence test and comparison with published values for symmetrically laminated composite circular plates with rectilinear fibres. The material parameters, boundary conditions, number of layers and thickness are shown to influence the optimum solutions to different extents. The results should serve as a benchmark for optimum stacking sequences of symmetrically laminated composite circular plates with curvilinear fibres.

GEOS-2 C-band radar system project. Spectral analysis as related to C-band radar data analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

Work performed on spectral analysis of data from the C-band radars tracking GEOS-2 and on the development of a data compaction method for the GEOS-2 C-band radar data is described. The purposes of the spectral analysis study were to determine the optimum data recording and sampling rates for C-band radar data and to determine the optimum method of filtering and smoothing the data. The optimum data recording and sampling rate is defined as the rate which includes an optimum compromise between serial correlation and the effects of frequency folding. The goal in development of a data compaction method was to reduce to a minimum the amount of data stored, while maintaining all of the statistical information content of the non-compacted data. A digital computer program for computing estimates of the power spectral density function of sampled data was used to perform the spectral analysis study.

A review of acoustic dampers applied to combustion chambers in aerospace industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Dan; Li, X. Y.

2015-04-01

In engine combustion systems such as rockets, aero-engines and gas turbines, pressure fluctuations are always present, even during normal operation. One of design prerequisites for the engine combustors is stable operation, since large-amplitude self-sustained pressure fluctuations (also known as combustion instability) have the potential to cause serious structural damage and catastrophic engine failure. To dampen pressure fluctuations and to reduce noise, acoustic dampers are widely applied as a passive control means to stabilize combustion/engine systems. However, they cannot respond to the dynamic changes of operating conditions and tend to be effective over certain narrow range of frequencies. To maintain their optimum damping performance over a broad frequency range, extensive researches have been conducted during the past four decades. The present work is to summarize the status, challenges and progress of implementing such acoustic dampers on engine systems. The damping effect and mechanism of various acoustic dampers, such as Helmholtz resonators, perforated liners, baffles, half- and quarter-wave tube are introduced first. A summary of numerical, experimental and theoretical studies are then presented to review the progress made so far. Finally, as an alternative means, ';tunable acoustic dampers' are discussed. Potential, challenges and issues associated with the dampers practical implementation are highlighted.

A study of digital holographic filter generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calhoun, M.; Ingels, F.

1976-01-01

Problems associated with digital computer generation of holograms are discussed along with a criteria for producing optimum digital holograms. This criteria revolves around amplitude resolution and spatial frequency limitations induced by the computer and plotter process.

A study of the parameters affecting the effectiveness of Moringa oleifera in drinking water purification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pritchard, M.; Craven, T.; Mkandawire, T.; Edmondson, A. S.; O'Neill, J. G.

The powder obtained from the seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree has been shown to be an effective primary coagulant for water treatment. When the seeds are dried, dehusked, crushed and added to water, the powder acts as a coagulant binding colloidal particles and bacteria to form agglomerated particles (flocs), which settle allowing the clarified supernatant to be poured off. Very little research has been undertaken on the parameters affecting the effectiveness of M. oleifera, especially in Malawi, for purification of drinking water and there is a great need for further testing in this area. Conclusive data needs to be compiled to demonstrate the effects of various water parameters have on the efficiency of the seeds. A parametric study was undertaken at Leeds Metropolitan University, UK, with the aim to establish the most appropriate dosing method; the optimum dosage for removal of turbidity; the influence of pH and temperature; together with the shelf life of the M. oleifera seeds. The study revealed that the most suitable dosing method was to mix the powder into a concentrated paste, hence forming a stock suspension. The optimum M. oleifera dose, for turbidity values between 40 and 200 NTU, ranged between 30 and 55 mg/l. With turbidity set at 130 NTU and a M. oleifera dose within the optimum range at 50 mg/l, pH levels were varied between 4 and 9. It was discovered that the coagulant performance was not too sensitive to pH fluctuations when conditions were within the optimum range. The most efficient coagulation, determined by the greatest reduction in turbidity, occurred at pH 6.5. Alkaline conditions were overall more favourable than acidic conditions; pH 9 had an efficiency of 65% of optimum, whilst at pH 5 the efficiency dropped to around 55%. The efficiency further dropped at pH 4, where the powder only produced results of around 10% of optimum conditions. A temperature range of 4-60 °C was studied in this research. Colder waters (<15 °C) were found to hinder the effectiveness of the coagulation process. The higher the temperature the more effective was the coagulation. It was also found that the age of the seeds, up to 18 months, did not have any noticeable effect on dose level and percentage reduction in turbidity, although at 18 months the seeds had a narrower dosing range to produce near-optimum reduction. Seeds aged 24 months showed a significant decline in coagulant efficiency.

The optimal operation of cooling tower systems with variable-frequency control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Yong; Huang, Liqing; Cui, Zhiguo; Liu, Jing

2018-02-01

This study investigates the energy performance of chiller and cooling tower systems integrated with variable-frequency control for cooling tower fans and condenser water pumps. With regard to an example chiller system serving an office building, Chiller and cooling towers models were developed to assess how different variable-frequency control methods of cooling towers fans and condenser water pumps influence the trade-off between the chiller power, pump power and fan power under various operating conditions. The matching relationship between the cooling tower fans frequency and condenser water pumps frequency at optimal energy consumption of the system is introduced to achieve optimum system performance.

A resonant electromagnetic vibration energy harvester for intelligent wireless sensor systems

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

Qiu, Jing, E-mail: jingqiu@cqu.edu.cn; Wen, Yumei; Li, Ping

Vibration energy harvesting is now receiving more interest as a means for powering intelligent wireless sensor systems. In this paper, a resonant electromagnetic vibration energy harvester (VEH) employing double cantilever to convert low-frequency vibration energy into electrical energy is presented. The VEH is made up of two cantilever beams, a coil, and magnetic circuits. The electric output performances of the proposed electromagnetic VEH have been investigated. With the enhancement of turns number N, the optimum peak power of electromagnetic VEH increases sharply and the resonance frequency deceases gradually. When the vibration acceleration is 0.5 g, we obtain the optimum output voltagemore » and power of 9.04 V and 50.8 mW at frequency of 14.9 Hz, respectively. In a word, the prototype device was successfully developed and the experimental results exhibit a great enhancement in the output power and bandwidth compared with other traditional electromagnetic VEHs. Remarkably, the proposed resonant electromagnetic VEH have great potential for applying in intelligent wireless sensor systems.« less

Bidirectional Modulation of Extinction of Drug Seeking by Deep Brain Stimulation of the Ventral Striatum.

PubMed

Martínez-Rivera, Freddyson J; Rodriguez-Romaguera, Jose; Lloret-Torres, Mario E; Do Monte, Fabricio H; Quirk, Gregory J; Barreto-Estrada, Jennifer L

2016-11-01

Recent research in humans and rodents has explored the use of deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventral capsule/ventral striatum (VS) as a possible treatment for drug addiction. However, the optimum electrode placement and optimum DBS parameters have not been thoroughly studied. Here we varied stimulation sites and frequencies to determine whether DBS of the VS could facilitate the extinction of morphine-induced conditioned place preference in rats. Rats were implanted with DBS electrodes in the dorsal or ventral subregions of the VS and trained to the morphine conditioned place preference. Subsequently, rats received extinction sessions over 9 days, combined with 60 min of either high- (130 Hz) or low- (20 Hz) frequency DBS. To study circuit-wide activations after DBS of the VS, c-fos immunohistochemistry was performed in regions involved in the extinction of drug-seeking behaviors. High-frequency DBS of the dorsal-VS impaired both extinction training and extinction memory, whereas high-frequency DBS of the ventral-VS had no effect. In contrast, low-frequency DBS of the dorsal-VS strengthened extinction memory when tested 2 or 9 days after the cessation of stimulation. Both DBS frequencies increased c-fos expression in the infralimbic prefrontal cortex, but only low-frequency DBS increased c-fos expression in the basal amygdala and the medial portion of the central amygdala. Our results suggest that low-frequency (rather than high-frequency) DBS of the dorsal-VS strengthens extinction memory and may be a potential adjunct for extinction-based therapies for treatment-refractory opioid addiction. Copyright © 2016 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Generation of optimum vertical profiles for an advanced flight management system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sorensen, J. A.; Waters, M. H.

1981-01-01

Algorithms for generating minimum fuel or minimum cost vertical profiles are derived and examined. The option for fixing the time of flight is included in the concepts developed. These algorithms form the basis for the design of an advanced on-board flight management system. The variations in the optimum vertical profiles (resulting from these concepts) due to variations in wind, takeoff mass, and range-to-destination are presented. Fuel savings due to optimum climb, free cruise altitude, and absorbing delays enroute are examined.

Buzz-pollination in Neotropical bees: genus-dependent frequencies and lack of optimal frequency for pollen release.

PubMed

Rosi-Denadai, Conrado Augusto; Araújo, Priscila Cássia Souza; Campos, Lucio Antônio de Oliveira; Cosme, Lirio; Guedes, Raul Narciso Carvalho

2018-05-08

Over 50 genera of bees release pollen from flower anthers using thoracic vibrations, a phenomenon known as buzz-pollination. The efficiency of this process is directly affected by the mechanical properties of the buzzes, namely the duration, amplitude, and frequency. Nonetheless, although the effects of the former two properties are well described, the role of buzz frequency on pollen release remains unclear. Furthermore, nearly all of the existing studies describing vibrational properties of natural buzz-pollination are limited to bumblebees (Bombus) and carpenter bees (Xylocopa) constraining our current understanding of this behavior and its evolution. Therefore, we attempted to minimize this shortcoming by testing whether flower anthers exhibit optimal frequency for pollen release and whether bees tune their buzzes to match these (optimal) frequencies. If true, certain frequencies will trigger more pollen release and lighter bees will reach buzz frequencies closer to this optimum to compensate their smaller buzz amplitudes. Two strategies were used to test these hypotheses: (i) the use of (artificial) vibrational playbacks in a broad range of buzz frequencies and amplitudes to assess pollen release by tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and (ii) the recording of natural buzzes of Neotropical bees visiting tomato plants during pollination. The playback experiment indicates that although buzz frequency does affect pollen release, no optimal frequency exists for that. In addition, the recorded results of natural buzz-pollination reveal that buzz frequencies vary with bee genera and are not correlated with body size. Therefore, neither bees nor plants are tuned to optimal pollen release frequencies. Bee frequency of buzz-pollination is a likely consequence of the insect flight machinery adapted to reach higher accelerations, while flower plant response to buzz-pollination is the likely result of its pollen granular properties. © 2018 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Optimization of radar imaging system parameters for geological analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waite, W. P.; Macdonald, H. C.; Kaupp, V. H.

1981-01-01

The use of radar image simulation to model terrain variation and determine optimum sensor parameters for geological analysis is described. Optimum incidence angle is determined by the simulation, which evaluates separately the discrimination of surface features possible due to terrain geometry and that due to terrain scattering. Depending on the relative relief, slope, and scattering cross section, optimum incidence angle may vary from 20 to 80 degrees. Large incident angle imagery (more than 60 deg) is best for the widest range of geological applications, but in many cases these large angles cannot be achieved by satellite systems. Low relief regions require low incidence angles (less than 30 deg), so a satellite system serving a broad range of applications should have at least two selectable angles of incidence.

Optomechanical study and optimization of cantilever plate dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furlong, Cosme; Pryputniewicz, Ryszard J.

1995-06-01

Optimum dynamic characteristics of an aluminum cantilever plate containing holes of different sizes and located at arbitrary positions on the plate are studied computationally and experimentally. The objective function of this optimization is the minimization/maximization of the natural frequencies of the plate in terms of such design variable s as the sizes and locations of the holes. The optimization process is performed using the finite element method and mathematical programming techniques in order to obtain the natural frequencies and the optimum conditions of the plate, respectively. The modal behavior of the resultant optimal plate layout is studied experimentally through the use of holographic interferometry techniques. Comparisons of the computational and experimental results show that good agreement between theory and test is obtained. The comparisons also show that the combined, or hybrid use of experimental and computational techniques complement each other and prove to be a very efficient tool for performing optimization studies of mechanical components.

Investigation on a mechanical vibration absorber with tunable piecewise-linear stiffness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shui, Xin; Wang, Shimin

2018-02-01

The design and characterization of a mechanical vibration absorber are addressed. A distinctive feature of the absorber is its tunable piecewise-linear stiffness, which is realized by means of a slider with two stop-blocks installed constraining the bilateral deflections of the elastic support. A new analytical approach named as the equivalent stiffness technique (EST) is introduced and then employed to obtain the analytical relations of the frequency, amplitude and phase with a view to exhibit a more comprehensive characterization of the absorber. Experiments are conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of the design. The experimental data show good agreement with the analytical results. The final results indicate that the tunable stiffness absorber (TSA) possesses a typical nonlinear characteristic at each given position of the slider, and its stiffness can be tuned in real time over a wide range by adjusting the slider position. Hence the TSA has a large optimum vibration-absorption range together with a wide suppression band around each optimal position, which contributes to its excellent capacity of vibration absorption.

Fresh broad (Vicia faba) tissue homogenate-based biosensor for determination of phenolic compounds.

PubMed

Ozcan, Hakki Mevlut; Sagiroglu, Ayten

2014-08-01

In this study, a novel fresh broad (Vicia faba) tissue homogenate-based biosensor for determination of phenolic compounds was developed. The biosensor was constructed by immobilizing tissue homogenate of fresh broad (Vicia faba) on to glassy carbon electrode. For the stability of the biosensor, general immobilization techniques were used to secure the fresh broad tissue homogenate in gelatin-glutaraldehyde cross-linking matrix. In the optimization and characterization studies, the amount of fresh broad tissue homogenate and gelatin, glutaraldehyde percentage, optimum pH, optimum temperature and optimum buffer concentration, thermal stability, interference effects, linear range, storage stability, repeatability and sample applications (Wine, beer, fruit juices) were also investigated. Besides, the detection ranges of thirteen phenolic compounds were obtained with the help of the calibration graphs. A typical calibration curve for the sensor revealed a linear range of 5-60 μM catechol. In reproducibility studies, variation coefficient (CV) and standard deviation (SD) were calculated as 1.59%, 0.64×10(-3) μM, respectively.

Hardware-Based Non-Optimum Factors for Launch Vehicle Structural Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, K. Chauncey; Cerro, Jeffrey A.

2010-01-01

During aerospace vehicle conceptual and preliminary design, empirical non-optimum factors are typically applied to predicted structural component weights to account for undefined manufacturing and design details. Non-optimum factors are developed here for 32 aluminum-lithium 2195 orthogrid panels comprising the liquid hydrogen tank barrel of the Space Shuttle External Tank using measured panel weights and manufacturing drawings. Minimum values for skin thickness, axial and circumferential blade stiffener thickness and spacing, and overall panel thickness are used to estimate individual panel weights. Panel non-optimum factors computed using a coarse weights model range from 1.21 to 1.77, and a refined weights model (including weld lands and skin and stiffener transition details) yields non-optimum factors of between 1.02 and 1.54. Acreage panels have an average 1.24 non-optimum factor using the coarse model, and 1.03 with the refined version. The observed consistency of these acreage non-optimum factors suggests that relatively simple models can be used to accurately predict large structural component weights for future launch vehicles.

Numerical and experimental analysis of high frequency acoustic microscopy and infrared reflectance system for early detection of melanoma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karagiannis, Georgios; Apostolidis, Georgios; Georgoulias, Panagiotis

2016-03-01

Melanoma is a very malicious type of cancer as it metastasizes early and hence its late diagnosis leads to death. Consequently, early diagnosis of melanoma and its removal is considered the most effective way of treatment. We present a design of a high frequency acoustic microscopy and infrared reflectance system for the early detection of melanoma. Specifically, the identification of morphological changes related to carcinogenesis is required. In this work, we simulate of the propagation of the ultrasonic waves of the order of 100 MHz as well as of electromagnetic waves of the order of 100 THz in melanoma structures targeting to the estimation and optimization of the basic characteristics of the systems. The simulation results of the acoustic microscopy subsystem aim to provide information such as the geometry of the transducer, the center frequency of operation, the focal length where the power transmittance is optimum and the spot size in focal length. As far as the infrared is concerned the optimal frequency range and the spot illumination size of the external probe is provided. This information is next used to assemble a properly designed system which is applied to melanoma phantoms as well as real skin lesions. Finally, the measurement data are visualized to reveal the information of the experimented structures, proving noteworthy accuracy.

Development of a large-area planar surface-wave plasma source with a cavity launcher driven by a 915 MHz UHF wave

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Xijiang; Kunii, Kazuki; Liang, Rongqing; Nagatsu, Masaaki

2013-04-01

A large-area planar surface-wave plasma (SWP) source driven by a 915 MHz ultrahigh frequency (UHF) wave was developed. To avoid using large, thick dielectric plates as vacuum windows, we propose a cavity launcher consisting of a cylindrical cavity with several small quartz discs at the bottom. Three types of launchers with quartz discs located at different positions were tested to compare their plasma production efficiencies and spatial distributions of electron density. With the optimum launcher, large-area plasma discharges with a radial uniformity within ±10% were obtained in a radius of about 25-30 cm in Ar gas at 8 Pa for incident power in the range 0.5-2.5 kW. The maximum electron density and temperature were approximately (0.95-1.1) × 1011 cm-3 and 1.9-2.0 eV, respectively, as measured by a Langmuir probe located 24 cm below the bottom of the cavity launcher. Using an Ar/NH3 SWP with the optimum launcher, we demonstrated large-area amino-group surface modification of polyurethane sheets. Experimental results indicated that a uniform amino-group modification was achieved over a radius of approximately 40 cm, which is slightly larger than the radial uniformity of the electron density distribution.

Optimum Boundaries of Signal-to-Noise Ratio for Adaptive Code Modulations

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-11-14

1510–1521, Feb. 2015. [2]. Pursley, M. B. and Royster, T. C., “Adaptive-rate nonbinary LDPC coding for frequency - hop communications ,” IEEE...and this can cause a very narrowband noise near the center frequency during USRP signal acquisition and generation. This can cause a high BER...Final Report APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION IS UNLIMITED. AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY Space Vehicles Directorate 3550 Aberdeen Ave

High efficiency RF amplifier development over wide dynamic range for accelerator application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, Jitendra Kumar; Ramarao, B. V.; Pande, Manjiri M.; Joshi, Gopal; Sharma, Archana; Singh, Pitamber

2017-10-01

Superconducting (SC) cavities in an accelerating section are designed to have the same geometrical velocity factor (βg). For these cavities, Radio Frequency (RF) power needed to accelerate charged particles varies with the particle velocity factor (β). RF power requirement from one cavity to other can vary by 2-5 dB within the accelerating section depending on the energy gain in the cavity and beam current. In this paper, we have presented an idea to improve operating efficiency of the SC RF accelerators using envelope tracking technique. A study on envelope tracking technique without feedback is carried out on a 1 kW, 325 MHz, class B (conduction angle of 180 degrees) tuned load power amplifier (PA). We have derived expressions for the efficiency and power output for tuned load amplifier operating on the envelope tracking technique. From the derived expressions, it is observed that under constant load resistance to the device (MOSFET), optimum amplifier efficiency is invariant whereas output power varies with the square of drain bias voltage. Experimental results on 1 kW PA module show that its optimum efficiency is always greater than 62% with variation less than 5% from mean value over 7 dB dynamic range. Low power amplifier modules are the basic building block for the high power amplifiers. Therefore, results for 1 kW PA modules remain valid for the high power solid state amplifiers built using these PA modules. The SC RF accelerators using these constant efficiency power amplifiers can improve overall accelerator efficiency.

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

Kar, Durga P.; Nayak, Praveen P.; Bhuyan, Satyanarayan

In order to power or charge electronic devices wirelessly, a bi-directional wireless power transfer method has been proposed and experimentally investigated. In the proposed design, two receiving coils are used on both sides of a transmitting coil along its central axis to receive the power wirelessly from the generated magnetic fields through strongly coupled magnetic resonance. It has been observed experimentally that the maximum power transfer occurs at the operating resonant frequency for optimum electric load connected across the receiving coils on both side. The optimum wireless power transfer efficiency is 88% for the bi-directional power transfer technique compared 84%more » in the one side receiver system. By adopting the developed bi-directional power transfer method, two electronic devices can be powered up or charged simultaneously instead of a single device through usual one side receiver system without affecting the optimum power transfer efficiency.« less

Optimum performance and potential flow field of hovering rotors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, J. C.; Sigman, R. K.

1975-01-01

Rotor and propeller performance and induced potential flowfields were studied on the basis of a rotating actuator disk concept, with special emphasis on rotors hovering out of ground effect. A new theory for the optimum performance of rotors hovering OGE is developed and presented. An extended theory for the optimum performance of rotors and propellers in axial motion is also presented. Numerical results are presented for the optimum distributions of blade-bound circulation together with axial inflow and ultimate wake velocities for the hovering rotor over the range of thrust coefficient of interest in rotorcraft applications. Shapes of the stream tubes and of the velocities in the slipstream are obtained, using available methods, for optimum and off-optimum circulation distributions for rotors hovering in and out of ground effect. A number of explicit formulae useful in computing rotor and propeller induced flows are presented for stream functions and velocities due to distributions of circular vortices over axi-symmetric surfaces.

Design of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Charging System for Underway, Underwater Recharging

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-09

again increase the size of the system. A comparison between switching frequency and efficiency for a nominal DC/DC converter was done in an EE ...Choosing the Optimum Switching Frequency of your DC / DC Converter,” EE Times, pp. 1–7, 2006. [19] ON Semiconductors, “Effects of High Switching Frequency...3.1W OUTPUT FILTER CAPACITOR EEE -FC1H101P 100uF ELECTROLYTIC 50V OUTPUT FILTER CAPACITOR C5750X7S2A106M230KB 10uF CERAMIC 100V

Analysis of the Optimum Gain of a High-Pass L-Matching Network for Rectennas

PubMed Central

Jordana, Josep; Robert, Francesc-Josep; Berenguer, Jordi

2017-01-01

Rectennas, which mainly consist of an antenna, matching network, and rectifier, are used to harvest radiofrequency energy in order to power tiny sensor nodes, e.g., the nodes of the Internet of Things. This paper demonstrates for the first time, the existence of an optimum voltage gain for high-pass L-matching networks used in rectennas by deriving an analytical expression. The optimum gain is that which leads to maximum power efficiency of the rectenna. Here, apart from the L-matching network, a Schottky single-diode rectifier was used for the rectenna, which was optimized at 868 MHz for a power range from −30 dBm to −10 dBm. As the theoretical expression depends on parameters not very well-known a priori, an accurate search of the optimum gain for each power level was performed via simulations. Experimental results show remarkable power efficiencies ranging from 16% at −30 dBm to 55% at −10 dBm, which are for almost all the tested power levels the highest published in the literature for similar designs. PMID:28757592

Analysis of the Optimum Gain of a High-Pass L-Matching Network for Rectennas.

PubMed

Gasulla, Manel; Jordana, Josep; Robert, Francesc-Josep; Berenguer, Jordi

2017-07-25

Rectennas, which mainly consist of an antenna, matching network, and rectifier, are used to harvest radiofrequency energy in order to power tiny sensor nodes, e.g., the nodes of the Internet of Things. This paper demonstrates for the first time, the existence of an optimum voltage gain for high-pass L-matching networks used in rectennas by deriving an analytical expression. The optimum gain is that which leads to maximum power efficiency of the rectenna. Here, apart from the L-matching network, a Schottky single-diode rectifier was used for the rectenna, which was optimized at 868 MHz for a power range from -30 dBm to -10 dBm. As the theoretical expression depends on parameters not very well-known a priori, an accurate search of the optimum gain for each power level was performed via simulations. Experimental results show remarkable power efficiencies ranging from 16% at -30 dBm to 55% at -10 dBm, which are for almost all the tested power levels the highest published in the literature for similar designs.

Bayesian focalization: quantifying source localization with environmental uncertainty.

PubMed

Dosso, Stan E; Wilmut, Michael J

2007-05-01

This paper applies a Bayesian formulation to study ocean acoustic source localization as a function of uncertainty in environmental properties (water column and seabed) and of data information content [signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and number of frequencies]. The approach follows that of the optimum uncertain field processor [A. M. Richardson and L. W. Nolte, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 89, 2280-2284 (1991)], in that localization uncertainty is quantified by joint marginal probability distributions for source range and depth integrated over uncertain environmental properties. The integration is carried out here using Metropolis Gibbs' sampling for environmental parameters and heat-bath Gibbs' sampling for source location to provide efficient sampling over complicated parameter spaces. The approach is applied to acoustic data from a shallow-water site in the Mediterranean Sea where previous geoacoustic studies have been carried out. It is found that reliable localization requires a sufficient combination of prior (environmental) information and data information. For example, sources can be localized reliably for single-frequency data at low SNR (-3 dB) only with small environmental uncertainties, whereas successful localization with large environmental uncertainties requires higher SNR and/or multifrequency data.

Interim Report on Fatigue Characteristics of a Typical Metal Wing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kepert, J L; Payne, A O

1956-01-01

Constant amplitude fatigue tests of seventy-two P-51D "Mustang" wings are reported. The tests were performed by a vibrational loading system and by an hydraulic loading device for conditions with and without varying amounts of pre-load. The results indicate that: (a) the frequency of occurrence of fatigue at any one location is related to the range of the loads applied, (b) the rate of propagation of visible cracks is more or less constant for a large portion of the life of the specimen, (c) the fatigue strength of the structure is similar to that of notched material having a theoretical stress concentration factor of more than 3.0, (d) the frequency distribution of fatigue life is approximately logarithmic normal, (e) the relative increase in fatigue life for a given pre-load depends on the maximum load of the loading cycle only, while the optimum pre-load value is approximately 85 percent of the ultimate failing load, and (f) that normal design procedure will not permit the determination of local stress levels with sufficient accuracy to determine the fatigue strength of an element of a redundant structure.

Development of a miniature Stirling cryocooler for LWIR small satellite applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirkconnell, C. S.; Hon, R. C.; Perella, M. D.; Crittenden, T. M.; Ghiaasiaan, S. M.

2017-05-01

The optimum small satellite (SmallSat) cryocooler system must be extremely compact and lightweight, achieved in this paper by operating a linear cryocooler at a frequency of approximately 300 Hz. Operation at this frequency, which is well in excess of the 100-150 Hz reported in recent papers on related efforts, requires an evolution beyond the traditional Oxford-class, flexure-based methods of setting the mechanical resonance. A novel approach that optimizes the electromagnetic design and the mechanical design together to simultaneously achieve the required dynamic and thermodynamic performances is described. Since highly miniaturized pulse tube coolers are fundamentally ill-suited for the sub-80K temperature range of interest because the boundary layer losses inside the pulse tube become dominant at the associated very small pulse tube size, a moving displacer Stirling cryocooler architecture is used. Compact compressor mechanisms developed on a previous program are reused for this design, and they have been adapted to yield an extremely compact Stirling warm end motor mechanism. Supporting thermodynamic and electromagnetic analysis results are reported.

Shuttle S-band communications technical concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seyl, J. W.; Seibert, W. W.; Porter, J. A.; Eggers, D. S.; Novosad, S. W.; Vang, H. A.; Lenett, S. D.; Lewton, W. A.; Pawlowski, J. F.

1985-01-01

Using the S-band communications system, shuttle orbiter can communicate directly with the Earth via the Ground Spaceflight Tracking and Data Network (GSTDN) or via the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS). The S-band frequencies provide the primary links for direct Earth and TDRSS communications during all launch and entry/landing phases of shuttle missions. On orbit, S-band links are used when TDRSS Ku-band is not available, when conditions require orbiter attitudes unfavorable to Ku-band communications, or when the payload bay doors are closed. the S-band communications functional requirements, the orbiter hardware configuration, and the NASA S-band communications network are described. The requirements and implementation concepts which resulted in techniques for shuttle S-band hardware development discussed include: (1) digital voice delta modulation; (2) convolutional coding/Viterbi decoding; (3) critical modulation index for phase modulation using a Costas loop (phase-shift keying) receiver; (4) optimum digital data modulation parameters for continuous-wave frequency modulation; (5) intermodulation effects of subcarrier ranging and time-division multiplexing data channels; (6) radiofrequency coverage; and (7) despreading techniques under poor signal-to-noise conditions. Channel performance is reviewed.

On the role of magnetic field intensity for better micro-structural characterization during Barkhausen Noise analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yusufzai, Mohd Zaheer Khan; Vashista, M.

2018-04-01

Barkhausen Noise analysis is a popular and preferred technique for micro-structural characterization. The root mean square value and peak value of Barkhausen Noise burst are important parameters to assess the micro-hardness and residual stress. Barkhausen Noise burst can be enveloped using a curve known as Barkhausen Noise profile. Peak position of profile changes with change in micro-structure. In the present work, raw signal of Barkhausen Noise burst was obtained from Ni based sample at various magnetic field intensity to observe the effect of variation in field intensity on Barkhausen Noise burst. Raw signal was opened using MATLAB to further process for microstructure analysis. Barkhausen Noise analysis parameters such as magnetizing frequency, number of burst, high pass and low pass filter frequency were kept constant and magnetizing field was varied in wide range between 200 Oe to 1200 Oe. The processed profiles of Barkhausen Noise burst obtained at various magnetizing field intensity clearly reveals requirement of optimum magnetic field strength for better characterization of micro-structure.

Inactivation disinfection property of Moringa Oleifera seed extract: optimization and kinetic studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Idris, M. A.; Jami, M. S.; Hammed, A. M.

2017-05-01

This paper presents the statistical optimization study of disinfection inactivation parameters of defatted Moringa oleifera seed extract on Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterial cells. Three level factorial design was used to estimate the optimum range and the kinetics of the inactivation process was also carried. The inactivation process involved comparing different disinfection models of Chicks-Watson, Collins-Selleck and Homs models. The results from analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the statistical optimization process revealed that only contact time was significant. The optimum disinfection range of the seed extract was 125 mg/L, 30 minutes and 120rpm agitation. At the optimum dose, the inactivation kinetics followed the Collin-Selleck model with coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.6320. This study is the first of its kind in determining the inactivation kinetics of pseudomonas aeruginosa using the defatted seed extract.

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

Liu, Yizhou, E-mail: yliu062@ucr.edu; Yin, Gen; Lake, Roger K., E-mail: rlake@ece.ucr.edu

Single skyrmion creation and annihilation by spin waves in a crossbar geometry are theoretically analyzed. A critical spin-wave frequency is required both for the creation and the annihilation of a skyrmion. The minimum frequencies for creation and annihilation are similar, but the optimum frequency for creation is below the critical frequency for skyrmion annihilation. If a skyrmion already exists in the cross bar region, a spin wave below the critical frequency causes the skyrmion to circulate within the central region. A heat assisted creation process reduces the spin-wave frequency and amplitude required for creating a skyrmion. The effective field resultingmore » from the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction and the emergent field of the skyrmion acting on the spin wave drive the creation and annihilation processes.« less

Matching technique yields optimum LNA performance. [Low Noise Amplifiers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sifri, J. D.

1986-01-01

The present article is concerned with a case in which an optimum noise figure and unconditional stability have been designed into a 2.385-GHz low-noise preamplifier via an unusual method for matching the input with a suspended line. The results obtained with several conventional line-matching techniques were not satisfactory. Attention is given to the minimization of thermal noise, the design procedure, requirements for a high-impedance line, a sampling of four matching networks, the noise figure of the single-line matching network as a function of frequency, and the approaches used to achieve unconditional stability.

A Real Options Approach to Quantity and Cost Optimization for Lifetime and Bridge Buys of Parts

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-30

fixed EOS of 40 years and a fixed WACC of 3%, decreases to a minimum and then increases. The minimum of this curve gives the optimum buy size for...considered in both analyses. For a 3% WACC , as illustrated in Figure 9(a), the DES method gives an optimum buy size range of 2,923–3,191 with an average...Hence, both methods are consistent in determining the optimum lifetime/bridge buy size. To further verify this consistency, other WACC values

Active stabilization to prevent surge in centrifugal compression systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Epstein, Alan H.; Greitzer, Edward M.; Simon, Jon S.; Valavani, Lena

1993-01-01

This report documents an experimental and analytical study of the active stabilization of surge in a centrifugal engine. The aims of the research were to extend the operating range of a compressor as far as possible and to establish the theoretical framework for the active stabilization of surge from both an aerodynamic stability and a control theoretic perspective. In particular, much attention was paid to understanding the physical limitations of active stabilization and how they are influenced by control system design parameters. Previously developed linear models of actively stabilized compressors were extended to include such nonlinear phenomena as bounded actuation, bandwidth limits, and robustness criteria. This model was then used to systematically quantify the influence of sensor-actuator selection on system performance. Five different actuation schemes were considered along with four different sensors. Sensor-actuator choice was shown to have a profound effect on the performance of the stabilized compressor. The optimum choice was not unique, but rather shown to be a strong function of some of the non-dimensional parameters which characterize the compression system dynamics. Specifically, the utility of the concepts were shown to depend on the system compliance to inertia ratio ('B' parameter) and the local slope of the compressor speedline. In general, the most effective arrangements are ones in which the actuator is most closely coupled to the compressor, such as a close-coupled bleed valve inlet jet, rather than elsewhere in the flow train, such as a fuel flow modulator. The analytical model was used to explore the influence of control system bandwidth on control effectiveness. The relevant reference frequency was shown to be the compression system's Helmholtz frequency rather than the surge frequency. The analysis shows that control bandwidths of three to ten times the Helmholtz frequency are required for larger increases in the compressor flow range. This has important implications for implementation in gas turbine engines since the Helmholtz frequencies can be over 100 Hz, making actuator design extremely challenging.

Optimum design of structures subject to general periodic loads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reiss, Robert; Qian, B.

1989-01-01

A simplified version of Icerman's problem regarding the design of structures subject to a single harmonic load is discussed. The nature of the restrictive conditions that must be placed on the design space in order to ensure an analytic optimum are discussed in detail. Icerman's problem is then extended to include multiple forcing functions with different driving frequencies. And the conditions that now must be placed upon the design space to ensure an analytic optimum are again discussed. An important finding is that all solutions to the optimality condition (analytic stationary design) are local optima, but the global optimum may well be non-analytic. The more general problem of distributing the fixed mass of a linear elastic structure subject to general periodic loads in order to minimize some measure of the steady state deflection is also considered. This response is explicitly expressed in terms of Green's functional and the abstract operators defining the structure. The optimality criterion is derived by differentiating the response with respect to the design parameters. The theory is applicable to finite element as well as distributed parameter models.

Optimum Damping in a Non-Linear Base Isolation System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jangid, R. S.

1996-02-01

Optimum isolation damping for minimum acceleration of a base-isolated structure subjected to earthquake ground excitation is investigated. The stochastic model of the El-Centro1940 earthquake, which preserves the non-stationary evolution of amplitude and frequency content of ground motion, is used as an earthquake excitation. The base isolated structure consists of a linear flexible shear type multi-storey building supported on a base isolation system. The resilient-friction base isolator (R-FBI) is considered as an isolation system. The non-stationary stochastic response of the system is obtained by the time dependent equivalent linearization technique as the force-deformation of the R-FBI system is non-linear. The optimum damping of the R-FBI system is obtained under important parametric variations; i.e., the coefficient of friction of the R-FBI system, the period and damping of the superstructure; the effective period of base isolation. The criterion selected for optimality is the minimization of the top floor root mean square (r.m.s.) acceleration. It is shown that the above parameters have significant effects on optimum isolation damping.

A C-band 55% PAE high gain two-stage power amplifier based on AlGaN/GaN HEMT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Jia-Xin; Ma, Xiao-Hua; Lu, Yang; Zhao, Bo-Chao; Zhang, Hong-He; Zhang, Meng; Cao, Meng-Yi; Hao, Yue

2015-10-01

A C-band high efficiency and high gain two-stage power amplifier based on AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) is designed and measured in this paper. The input and output impedances for the optimum power-added efficiency (PAE) are determined at the fundamental and 2nd harmonic frequency (f0 and 2f0). The harmonic manipulation networks are designed both in the driver stage and the power stage which manipulate the second harmonic to a very low level within the operating frequency band. Then the inter-stage matching network and the output power combining network are calculated to achieve a low insertion loss. So the PAE and the power gain is greatly improved. In an operation frequency range of 5.4 GHz-5.8 GHz in CW mode, the amplifier delivers a maximum output power of 18.62 W, with a PAE of 55.15% and an associated power gain of 28.7 dB, which is an outstanding performance. Project supported by the National Key Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2011CBA00606), Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University, China (Grant No. NCET-12-0915), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61334002).

A parametric study of motor starting for a 2- to 10-kilowatt Brayton power system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cantoni, D. A.

1971-01-01

A study of the motor starting of a Brayton cycle power system was conducted to provide estimates of system sensitivity to several controllable parameters. These sensitivity estimates were used as a basis for selection of an optimum motor-start scheme to be implemented on the 2- to 10-kilowatt Brayton power system designed and presently under test. The studies were conducted with an analog simulation of the Brayton power system and covered a range of frequencies from 400 Hz (33 percent design) to 1200 Hz (design), voltage-to-frequency ratios of 0.050 (50 percent design) to 0.100 (design), turbine-inlet temperatures of 800 K (1440 R, 70 percent design) to 1140 K (2060 deg R, design), and prestart pressure levels of 14.5 psia to 29.0 psia. These studies have shown the effect of selected system variables on motor starting. The final selection of motor-start variables can therefore be made on the basis of motor-start inverter complexity, battery size and weight, desired steady-state pressure level after startup, and other operational limitations. In general, the study showed the time required for motor starting to be inversely proportional to motor frequency, voltage, turbine-inlet temperature, and pressure level. An increase in any of these parameters decreases startup time.

Evaluating signal-to-noise ratios, loudness, and related measures as indicators of airborne sound insulation.

PubMed

Park, H K; Bradley, J S

2009-09-01

Subjective ratings of the audibility, annoyance, and loudness of music and speech sounds transmitted through 20 different simulated walls were used to identify better single number ratings of airborne sound insulation. The first part of this research considered standard measures such as the sound transmission class the weighted sound reduction index (R(w)) and variations of these measures [H. K. Park and J. S. Bradley, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 126, 208-219 (2009)]. This paper considers a number of other measures including signal-to-noise ratios related to the intelligibility of speech and measures related to the loudness of sounds. An exploration of the importance of the included frequencies showed that the optimum ranges of included frequencies were different for speech and music sounds. Measures related to speech intelligibility were useful indicators of responses to speech sounds but were not as successful for music sounds. A-weighted level differences, signal-to-noise ratios and an A-weighted sound transmission loss measure were good predictors of responses when the included frequencies were optimized for each type of sound. The addition of new spectrum adaptation terms to R(w) values were found to be the most practical approach for achieving more accurate predictions of subjective ratings of transmitted speech and music sounds.

The effect of step height on the performance of three-dimensional ac electro-osmotic microfluidic pumps.

PubMed

Urbanski, John Paul; Levitan, Jeremy A; Burch, Damian N; Thorsen, Todd; Bazant, Martin Z

2007-05-15

Recent numerical and experimental studies have investigated the increase in efficiency of microfluidic ac electro-osmotic pumps by introducing nonplanar geometries with raised steps on the electrodes. In this study, we analyze the effect of the step height on ac electro-osmotic pump performance. AC electro-osmotic pumps with three-dimensional electroplated steps are fabricated on glass substrates and pumping velocities of low ionic strength electrolyte solutions are measured systematically using a custom microfluidic device. Numerical simulations predict an improvement in pump performance with increasing step height, at a given frequency and voltage, up to an optimal step height, which qualitatively matches the trend observed in experiment. For a broad range of step heights near the optimum, the observed flow is much faster than with existing planar pumps (at the same voltage and minimum feature size) and in the theoretically predicted direction of the "fluid conveyor belt" mechanism. For small step heights, the experiments also exhibit significant flow reversal at the optimal frequency, which cannot be explained by the theory, although the simulations predict weak flow reversal at higher frequencies due to incomplete charging. These results provide insight to an important parameter for the design of nonplanar electro-osmotic pumps and clues to improve the fundamental theory of ACEO.

Hyperspectral venous image quality assessment for optimum illumination range selection based on skin tone characteristics

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Subcutaneous veins localization is usually performed manually by medical staff to find suitable vein to insert catheter for medication delivery or blood sample function. The rule of thumb is to find large and straight enough vein for the medication to flow inside of the selected blood vessel without any obstruction. The problem of peripheral difficult venous access arises when patient’s veins are not visible due to any reason like dark skin tone, presence of hair, high body fat or dehydrated condition, etc. Methods To enhance the visibility of veins, near infrared imaging systems is used to assist medical staff in veins localization process. Optimum illumination is crucial to obtain a better image contrast and quality, taking into consideration the limited power and space on portable imaging systems. In this work a hyperspectral image quality assessment is done to get the optimum range of illumination for venous imaging system. A database of hyperspectral images from 80 subjects has been created and subjects were divided in to four different classes on the basis of their skin tone. In this paper the results of hyper spectral image analyses are presented in function of the skin tone of patients. For each patient, four mean images were constructed by taking mean with a spectral span of 50 nm within near infrared range, i.e. 750–950 nm. Statistical quality measures were used to analyse these images. Conclusion It is concluded that the wavelength range of 800 to 850 nm serve as the optimum illumination range to get best near infrared venous image quality for each type of skin tone. PMID:25087016

Current transport mechanisms in mercury cadmium telluride diode

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

Gopal, Vishnu, E-mail: vishnu-46@yahoo.com, E-mail: wdhu@mail.sitp.ac.cn; Li, Qing; He, Jiale

This paper reports the results of modelling of the current-voltage characteristics (I-V) of a planar mid-wave Mercury Cadmium Telluride photodiode in a gate controlled diode experiment. It is reported that the diode exhibits nearly ideal I-V characteristics under the optimum surface potential leading to the minimal surface leakage current. Deviations from the optimum surface potential lead to non ideal I–V characteristics, indicating a strong relationship between the ideality factor of the diode with its surface leakage current. Diode's I–V characteristics have been modelled over a range of gate voltages from −9 V to −2 V. This range of gate voltages includes accumulation,more » flat band, and depletion and inversion conditions below the gate structure of the diode. It is shown that the I–V characteristics of the diode can be very well described by (i) thermal diffusion current, (ii) ohmic shunt current, (iii) photo-current due to background illumination, and (iv) excess current that grows by the process of avalanche multiplication in the gate voltage range from −3 V to −5 V that corresponds to the optimum surface potential. Outside the optimum gate voltage range, the origin of the excess current of the diode is associated with its high surface leakage currents. It is reported that the ohmic shunt current model applies to small surface leakage currents. The higher surface leakage currents exhibit a nonlinear shunt behaviour. It is also shown that the observed zero-bias dynamic resistance of the diode over the entire gate voltage range is the sum of ohmic shunt resistance and estimated zero-bias dynamic resistance of the diode from its thermal saturation current.« less

Frequency comb generation in a silicon ring resonator modulator.

PubMed

Demirtzioglou, Iosif; Lacava, Cosimo; Bottrill, Kyle R H; Thomson, David J; Reed, Graham T; Richardson, David J; Petropoulos, Periklis

2018-01-22

We report on the generation of an optical comb of highly uniform in power frequency lines (variation less than 0.7 dB) using a silicon ring resonator modulator. A characterization involving the measurement of the complex transfer function of the ring is presented and five frequency tones with a 10-GHz spacing are produced using a dual-frequency electrical input at 10 and 20 GHz. A comb shape comparison is conducted for different modulator bias voltages, indicating optimum operation at a small forward-bias voltage. A time-domain measurement confirmed that the comb signal was highly coherent, forming 20.3-ps-long pulses.

On the Application of Time-Reversed Space-Time Block Code to Aeronautical Telemetry

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

Keying (SOQPSK), bit error rate (BER), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing ( OFDM ), Generalized time-reversed space-time block codes (GTR-STBC) 16...Alamouti code [4]) is optimum [2]. Although OFDM is generally applied on a per subcarrier basis in frequency selective fading, it is not a viable...Calderbank, “Finite-length MIMO decision feedback equal- ization for space-time block-coded signals over multipath-fading channels,” IEEE Transac- tions on

DC and small-signal physical models for the AlGaAs/GaAs high electron mobility transistor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarker, J. C.; Purviance, J. E.

1991-01-01

Analytical and numerical models are developed for the microwave small-signal performance, such as transconductance, gate-to-source capacitance, current gain cut-off frequency and the optimum cut-off frequency of the AlGaAs/GaAs High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT), in both normal and compressed transconductance regions. The validated I-V characteristics and the small-signal performances of four HeMT's are presented.

Experimental optimum design and luminescence properties of NaY(Gd)(MoO4)2:Er3+ phosphors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia-Shi, Sun; Sai, Xu; Shu-Wei, Li; Lin-Lin, Shi; Zi-Hui, Zhai; Bao-Jiu, Chen

2016-06-01

Three-factor orthogonal design (OD) of Er3+/Gd3+/T (calcination temperature) is used to optimize the luminescent intensity of NaY(Gd)(MoO4)2:Er3+ phosphor. Firstly, the uniform design (UD) is introduced to explore the doping concentration range of Er3+/Gd3+. Then OD and range analysis are performed based on the results of UD to obtain the primary and secondary sequence and the best combination of Er3+, Gd3+, and T within the experimental range. The optimum sample is prepared by the high temperature solid state method. Photoluminescence excitation and emission spectra of the optimum sample are detected. The intense green emissions (530 nm and 550 nm) are observed which originate from Er3+ 2H11/2→ 4I15/2 and 4S3/2→4I15/2, respectively. Thermal effect is investigated in the optimum NaY(Gd3+)(MoO4)2:Er3+ phosphors, and the green emission intensity decreases as temperature increases. Project supported by Education Reform Fund of Dalian Maritime University, China (Grant No. 2015Y37), the Natural Science Foundation of Liaoning Province, China (Grant Nos. 2015020190 and 2014025010), the Open Fund of the State Key Laboratory on Integrated Optoelectronics, China (Grant No. IOSKL2015KF27), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China (Grant No. 3132016121).

Use of computed tomography to define a sacral safe corridor for placement of 2.7 mm cortical screws in feline sacroiliac luxation.

PubMed

Philp, Helen; Durand, Alexane; De Vicente, Felipe

2018-06-01

Objectives This study aimed to define a safe corridor for 2.7 mm cortical sacroiliac screw insertion in the dorsal plane (craniocaudal direction) using radiography and CT, and in the transverse plane (dorsoventral direction) using CT in feline cadavers. A further aim was to compare the values obtained by CT with those previously reported by radiography in the transverse plane. Methods Thirteen pelvises were retrieved from feline cadavers and dissected to expose one of the articular surfaces of the sacrum. A 2.7 mm screw was placed in the sacrum to a depth of approximately 1 cm in each exposed articular surface. Dorsoventral radiography and CT scanning of each specimen were performed. Multiplanar reconstructions were performed to allow CT evaluation in both the dorsal and transverse planes. Calculations were made to find the maximum, minimum and optimum angles for screw placement in craniocaudal (radiography and CT) and dorsoventral (CT) directions when using a 2.7 mm cortical screw. Results Radiographic measurement showed a mean optimum craniocaudal angle of 106° (range 97-112°). The mean minimum angle was 95° (range 87-107°), whereas the mean maximum angle was 117° (108-124°). Measurement of the dorsal CT scan images showed a mean optimum craniocaudal angle of 101° (range 94-110°). The mean minimum angle was 90° (range 83-99°), whereas the mean maximum angle was 113° (104-125°). The transverse CT scan images showed a mean dorsoventral minimum angle of 103° (range 95-113°), mean maximum angle of 115° (104-125°) and mean optimum dorsoventral angle of 111° (102-119°). Conclusions and relevance An optimum craniocaudal angle of 101° is recommended for 2.7 mm cortical screw placement in the feline sacral body, with a safety margin between 99° and 104°. No single angle can be recommended in the dorsoventral direction and therefore preoperative measuring on individual cats using CT images is recommended to establish the ideal individual angle in the transverse plane.

Optimum decoding and detection of a multiplicative amplitude-encoded watermark

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barni, Mauro; Bartolini, Franco; De Rosa, Alessia; Piva, Alessandro

2002-04-01

The aim of this paper is to present a novel approach to the decoding and the detection of multibit, multiplicative, watermarks embedded in the frequency domain. Watermark payload is conveyed by amplitude modulating a pseudo-random sequence, thus resembling conventional DS spread spectrum techniques. As opposed to conventional communication systems, though, the watermark is embedded within the host DFT coefficients by using a multiplicative rule. The watermark decoding technique presented in the paper is an optimum one, in that it minimizes the bit error probability. The problem of watermark presence assessment, which is often underestimated by state-of-the-art research on multibit watermarking, is addressed too, and the optimum detection rule derived according to the Neyman-Pearson criterion. Experimental results are shown both to demonstrate the validity of the theoretical analysis and to highlight the good performance of the proposed system.

A methodology to condition distorted acoustic emission signals to identify fracture timing from human cadaver spine impact tests.

PubMed

Arun, Mike W J; Yoganandan, Narayan; Stemper, Brian D; Pintar, Frank A

2014-12-01

While studies have used acoustic sensors to determine fracture initiation time in biomechanical studies, a systematic procedure is not established to process acoustic signals. The objective of the study was to develop a methodology to condition distorted acoustic emission data using signal processing techniques to identify fracture initiation time. The methodology was developed from testing a human cadaver lumbar spine column. Acoustic sensors were glued to all vertebrae, high-rate impact loading was applied, load-time histories were recorded (load cell), and fracture was documented using CT. Compression fracture occurred to L1 while other vertebrae were intact. FFT of raw voltage-time traces were used to determine an optimum frequency range associated with high decibel levels. Signals were bandpass filtered in this range. Bursting pattern was found in the fractured vertebra while signals from other vertebrae were silent. Bursting time was associated with time of fracture initiation. Force at fracture was determined using this time and force-time data. The methodology is independent of selecting parameters a priori such as fixing a voltage level(s), bandpass frequency and/or using force-time signal, and allows determination of force based on time identified during signal processing. The methodology can be used for different body regions in cadaver experiments. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimum take-off angle in the long jump.

PubMed

Linthorne, Nicholas P; Guzman, Maurice S; Bridgett, Lisa A

2005-07-01

In this study, we found that the optimum take-off angle for a long jumper may be predicted by combining the equation for the range of a projectile in free flight with the measured relations between take-off speed, take-off height and take-off angle for the athlete. The prediction method was evaluated using video measurements of three experienced male long jumpers who performed maximum-effort jumps over a wide range of take-off angles. To produce low take-off angles the athletes used a long and fast run-up, whereas higher take-off angles were produced using a progressively shorter and slower run-up. For all three athletes, the take-off speed decreased and the take-off height increased as the athlete jumped with a higher take-off angle. The calculated optimum take-off angles were in good agreement with the athletes' competition take-off angles.

Optimization of Experimental Conditions of the Pulsed Current GTAW Parameters for Mechanical Properties of SDSS UNS S32760 Welds Based on the Taguchi Design Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yousefieh, M.; Shamanian, M.; Saatchi, A.

2012-09-01

Taguchi design method with L9 orthogonal array was implemented to optimize the pulsed current gas tungsten arc welding parameters for the hardness and the toughness of super duplex stainless steel (SDSS, UNS S32760) welds. In this regard, the hardness and the toughness were considered as performance characteristics. Pulse current, background current, % on time, and pulse frequency were chosen as main parameters. Each parameter was varied at three different levels. As a result of pooled analysis of variance, the pulse current is found to be the most significant factor for both the hardness and the toughness of SDSS welds by percentage contribution of 71.81 for hardness and 78.18 for toughness. The % on time (21.99%) and the background current (17.81%) had also the next most significant effect on the hardness and the toughness, respectively. The optimum conditions within the selected parameter values for hardness were found as the first level of pulse current (100 A), third level of background current (70 A), first level of % on time (40%), and first level of pulse frequency (1 Hz), while they were found as the second level of pulse current (120 A), second level of background current (60 A), second level of % on time (60%), and third level of pulse frequency (5 Hz) for toughness. The Taguchi method was found to be a promising tool to obtain the optimum conditions for such studies. Finally, in order to verify experimental results, confirmation tests were carried out at optimum working conditions. Under these conditions, there were good agreements between the predicted and the experimental results for the both hardness and toughness.

Source conductance scaling for high frequency superconducting quasiparticle receivers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ke, Qing; Feldman, M. J.

1992-01-01

It has been suggested that the optimum source conductance G(sub s) for the superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) quasiparticle mixer should have a l/f dependence. This would imply that the critical current density of SIS junctions used for mixing should increase as frequency squared, a stringent constraint on the design of submillimeter SIS mixers, rather than in simple proportion to frequency as previously believed. We have used Tucker's quantum theory of mixing for extensive numerical calculations to determine G(sub s) for an optimized SIS receiver. We find that G(sub s) is very roughly independent of frequency (except for the best junctions at low frequency), and discuss the implications of our results for the design of submillimeter SIS mixers.

Optimum viewing distance for target acquisition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holst, Gerald C.

2015-05-01

Human visual system (HVS) "resolution" (a.k.a. visual acuity) varies with illumination level, target characteristics, and target contrast. For signage, computer displays, cell phones, and TVs a viewing distance and display size are selected. Then the number of display pixels is chosen such that each pixel subtends 1 min-1. Resolution of low contrast targets is quite different. It is best described by Barten's contrast sensitivity function. Target acquisition models predict maximum range when the display pixel subtends 3.3 min-1. The optimum viewing distance is nearly independent of magnification. Noise increases the optimum viewing distance.

Optimum Code Rates for Noncoherent MFSK with Errors and Erasures Decoding over Rayleigh Fading Channels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ritcey, Adina Matache James A.

1997-01-01

In this paper, we analyze the performance of a communication system employing M-ary frequency shift keying (FSK) modulation with errors-and-erasures decoding using Viterbi ratio threshold technique for erasure insertion, in Rayleigh fading and AWGN channels.

[Research of preparation craft of Danshen phenolic acid fast release unit in multi-drug delivery system of Tongmai micro-pellets].

PubMed

Chen, Bin; Xiao, Wei; Jia, Xiao-Bin; Huang, Yang

2012-07-01

To prepare Danshen phenolic acid fast release micro-pellets and study its preparation craft. The factors which could impact yield, extrude shaping, dissolution of Danshen phenolic acid micro-pellets such as wetting agent, drug loading dose, adjuvant, lactose dose, disintegrant, CMS-Na dose and wetting agent dose was investigated. The optimum preparation craft of Danshen phenolic acid fast release micro-pellets was screened out by orhogonal design. Formula of Danshen phenolic acid fast release micro-pellets was calculated as volume dose 50 g. The formula was as follows: principal agent 22.5 g, lactose 5 g, CMS-Na 2 g, MCC 20.5 g, 27 mL 30% ethanol as wetting agent. Extrusion-spheronization was applied. The optimum conditions were screened out as follows: extrusion frequency (25 Hz), spheronization machine frequency (50 Hz), spheronization time (4 min). The process was scientific and rational. The preparation is stable settles basis for multi-drug delivery system of Tongmai micro-pellets.

A method searching for optimum fractional order and its application in self-phase modulation induced nonlinear phase noise estimation in coherent optical fiber transmission systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Chuan; Guo, Peng; Yang, Aiying; Qiao, Yaojun

2018-07-01

In single channel systems, the nonlinear phase noise only comes from the channel itself through self-phase modulation (SPM). In this paper, a fast-nonlinear effect estimation method is proposed based on fractional Fourier transformation (FrFT). The nonlinear phase noise caused by Self-phase modulation effect is accurately estimated for single model 10Gbaud OOK and RZ-QPSK signals with the fiber length range of 0-200 km and the launch power range of 1-10 mW. The pulse windowing is adopted to search the optimum fractional order for the OOK and RZ-QPSK signals. Since the nonlinear phase shift caused by the SPM effect is very small, the accurate optimum fractional order of the signal cannot be found based on the traditional method. In this paper, a new method magnifying the phase shift is proposed to get the accurate optimum order and thus the nonlinear phase shift is calculated. The simulation results agree with the theoretical analysis and the method is applicable to signals whose pulse type has the similar characteristics with Gaussian pulse.

Evaluation of Optimum Moisture Content for Composting of Beef Manure and Bedding Material Mixtures Using Oxygen Uptake Measurement

PubMed Central

Kim, Eunjong; Lee, Dong-Hyun; Won, Seunggun; Ahn, Heekwon

2016-01-01

Moisture content influences physiological characteristics of microbes and physical structure of solid matrices during composting of animal manure. If moisture content is maintained at a proper level, aerobic microorganisms show more active oxygen consumption during composting due to increased microbial activity. In this study, optimum moisture levels for composting of two bedding materials (sawdust, rice hull) and two different mixtures of bedding and beef manure (BS, Beef cattle manure+sawdust; BR, Beef cattle manure+rice hull) were determined based on oxygen uptake rate measured by a pressure sensor method. A broad range of oxygen uptake rates (0.3 to 33.3 mg O2/g VS d) were monitored as a function of moisture level and composting feedstock type. The maximum oxygen consumption of each material was observed near the saturated condition, which ranged from 75% to 98% of water holding capacity. The optimum moisture content of BS and BR were 70% and 57% on a wet basis, respectively. Although BS’s optimum moisture content was near saturated state, its free air space kept a favorable level (above 30%) for aerobic composting due to the sawdust’s coarse particle size and bulking effect. PMID:26954138

Evaluation of Optimum Moisture Content for Composting of Beef Manure and Bedding Material Mixtures Using Oxygen Uptake Measurement.

PubMed

Kim, Eunjong; Lee, Dong-Hyun; Won, Seunggun; Ahn, Heekwon

2016-05-01

Moisture content influences physiological characteristics of microbes and physical structure of solid matrices during composting of animal manure. If moisture content is maintained at a proper level, aerobic microorganisms show more active oxygen consumption during composting due to increased microbial activity. In this study, optimum moisture levels for composting of two bedding materials (sawdust, rice hull) and two different mixtures of bedding and beef manure (BS, Beef cattle manure+sawdust; BR, Beef cattle manure+rice hull) were determined based on oxygen uptake rate measured by a pressure sensor method. A broad range of oxygen uptake rates (0.3 to 33.3 mg O2/g VS d) were monitored as a function of moisture level and composting feedstock type. The maximum oxygen consumption of each material was observed near the saturated condition, which ranged from 75% to 98% of water holding capacity. The optimum moisture content of BS and BR were 70% and 57% on a wet basis, respectively. Although BS's optimum moisture content was near saturated state, its free air space kept a favorable level (above 30%) for aerobic composting due to the sawdust's coarse particle size and bulking effect.

Optimal Control of Airfoil Flow Separation using Fluidic Excitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahrabi, Arireza F.

This thesis deals with the control of flow separation around a symmetric airfoils with the aid of multiple synthetic jet actuators (SJAs). CFD simulation methods have been implemented to uncover the flow separation regimes and associated properties such as frequencies and momentum ratio. In the first part of the study, the SJA was studied thoroughly. Large Eddy Simulations (LES) were performed for one individual cavity; the time history of SJA of the outlet velocity profile and the net momentum imparted to the flow were analyzed. The studied SJA is asymmetrical and operates with the aid of a piezoelectric (PZT) ceramic circular plate actuator. A three-dimensional mesh for the computational domain of the SJA and the surrounding volume was developed and was used to evaluate the details of the airflow conditions inside the SJA as well as at the outlet. The vibration of the PZT ceramic actuator was used as a boundary condition in the computational model to drive the SJA. Particular attention was given to developing a predictive model of the SJA outlet velocity. Results showed that the SJA velocity output is correlated to the PZT ceramic plate vibration, especially for the first frequency mode. SJAs are a particular class of zero net mass flux (ZNMF) fluidic devices with net imparted momentum to the flow. The net momentum imparted to the flow in the separated region is such that positive enhancement during AFC operations is achieved. Flows around the NACA 0015 airfoil were simulated for a range of operating conditions. Attention was given to the active open and closed loop control solutions for an airfoil with SJA at different angles of attack and flap angles. A large number of simulations using RANS & LES models were performed to study the effects of the momentum ratio (Cμ) in the range of 0 to 11% and of the non-dimensional frequency, F+, in the range of 0 to 2 for the control of flow separation at a practical angle of attack and flap angle. The optimum value of Cμ as well as F+ were evaluated and discussed. The computational model predictions showed good agreement with the experimental data. It was observed that different angles of attack and flap angles have different requirements for the minimum value of the momentum coefficient, Cμ, in order for the SJA to be effective for control of separation. It was also found that the variation of F + noticeably affects the lift and drag forces acting on the airfoil. The optimum values of parameters during open loop control simulations have been applied in order to introduce the optimal open loop control outcome. An innovative approach has been implemented to formulate optimal frequencies and momentum ratios of vortex shedding which depends on angle of attack and static pressure of the separation zone in the upper chord. Optimal open loop results have been compared with the optimal closed loop results. Cumulative case studies in the matter of angle of attacks, flap angles, Re, Cμ and F+ provide a convincing collection of evidence to the following conclusion. An improvement of a direct closed loop control was demonstrated, and an analytical formula describing the properties of a separated flow and vortex shedding was proposed. Best AFC solutions are offered by providing optimal frequencies and momentum ratios at a variety of flow conditions.

[Climatic factors influencing the performance of cattle and buffalos in Egypt].

PubMed

Legel, S

1979-01-01

Previous analogous investigations of climatic factors influencing the performance of cattle in Syria were continued for Egypt between August 1975 and July 1977. Temperature and humidity data were recorded and related to standard physiological compatibility ranges for cattle and buffalos, respectively. The values found for the two test years largely agreed. 23.3% of the average temperatures of the two years were above the 0 to 24 degrees C temperature range, which is physiologically compatible. Only 28.8% of the total hours were within the optimum temperature range for cattle and buffalos. The values of the relative humidity in the first year were up to 38.5% within the optimum compatibility range, whereas 11.0% were within the too dry and 50.5% within the too moist range. The percentage increased when the animals were in direct sunshine, which reduced their performance.

The Front-End System For MARE In Milano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnaboldi, Claudio; Pessina, Gianluigi

2009-12-01

The first phase of MARE consists of 72 μ-bolometers composed each of a crystal of AgReO4 readout by Si thermistors. The spread in the thermistor characteristics and bolometer thermal coupling leads to different energy conversion gains and optimum operating points of the detectors. Detector biasing levels and voltage gains are completely remote-adjustable by the front end system developed, the subject of this paper, achieving the same signal range at the input of the DAQ system. The front end consists of a cold buffer stage, a second pseudo differential stage followed by a gain stage, an antialiasing filter, and a battery powered detector biasing set up. The DAQ system can be used to set all necessary parameters of the electronics remotely, by writing to a μ-controller located on each board. Fiber optics are used for the serial communication between the DAQ and the front end. To suppress interference noise during normal operation, the clocked devices of the front end are maintained in sleep-mode, except during the set-up phase of the experiment. An automatic DC detector characterization procedure is used to establish the optimum operating point of every detector of the array. A very low noise level has been achieved: about 3nV/□Hz at 1 Hz and 1 nV/□Hz for the white component, high frequencies.

Development of a shuttle recovery Commercial Materials Processing in Space (CMPS) program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

The work performed has covered the following tasks: update commercial users requirements; assess availability of carriers and facilities; shuttle availability assessment; development of optimum accommodations plan; and payload documentation requirements assessment. The results from the first four tasks are presented. To update commercial user requirements, contacts were made with the JEA and CCDS partners to obtain copies of their most recent official flight requests. From these requests the commercial partners' short and long range plans for flight dates, flight frequency, experiment hardware and carriers was determined. A 34 by 44 inch chart was completed to give a snapshot view of the progress of commercialization in space. Further, an assessment was made of the availability of carriers and facilities. Both existing carriers and those under development were identified for use by the commercial partners. A data base was compiled to show the capabilities of the carriers. A shuttle availability assessment was performed using the primary and secondary shuttle manifests released by NASA. Analysis of the manifest produced a flight-by-flight list of flight opportunities available to commercial users. Using inputs from the first three tasks, an Optimum Accommodations Plan was developed. The Accommodation Plan shows the commercial users manifested by flight, the experiment flown, the carrier used and complete list of commercial users that could not be manifested in each calendar year.

Turbulent boundary layer separation over a rearward facing ramp and its control through mechanical excitation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckinzie, Daniel J., Jr.

1991-01-01

A vane oscillating about a fixed point at the inlet to a two-dimensional 20 degree rearward facing ramp has proven effective in delaying the separation of a turbulent boundary layer. Measurements of the ramp surface static pressure coefficient obtained under the condition of vane oscillation and constant inlet velocity revealed that two different effects occurred with surface distance along the ramp. In the vicinity of the oscillating vane, the pressure coefficients varied as a negative function of the vane's trailing edge rms velocity; the independent variable on which the rms velocity depends are the vane's oscillation frequency and its displacement amplitude. From a point downstream of the vane to the exit of the ramp; however, the pressure coefficient varied as a more complex function of the two independent variables. That is, it was found to vary as a function of the vane's oscillation frequency throughout the entire range of frequencies covered during the test, but over only a limited range of the trailing edge displacement amplitudes covered. More specifically, the value of the pressure coefficient was independent of increases in the vane's displacement amplitude above approximately 35 inner wall units of the boundary layer. Below this specific amplitude it varied as a function of the vane's trailing edge rms velocity. This height is close to the upper limit of the buffer layer. A parametric study was made to determine the variation of the maximum static pressure recovery as a function of the vane's oscillation frequency, for several ramp inlet velocities and a constant displacement amplitude of the vane's trailing edge. The results indicate that the phenomenon producing the optimum delay of separation may be Strouhal number dependent. Corona anemometer measurements obtained in the inner wall regions of the boundary layer for the excited case reveal a large range of unsteadiness in the local velocities. These measurements imply the existence of inflections in the profiles, which provide a mechanism for resulting inviscid flow instabilities to produce turbulence in the near wall region, thereby delaying separation of the boundary layer.

Guaranteed Discrete Energy Optimization on Large Protein Design Problems.

PubMed

Simoncini, David; Allouche, David; de Givry, Simon; Delmas, Céline; Barbe, Sophie; Schiex, Thomas

2015-12-08

In Computational Protein Design (CPD), assuming a rigid backbone and amino-acid rotamer library, the problem of finding a sequence with an optimal conformation is NP-hard. In this paper, using Dunbrack's rotamer library and Talaris2014 decomposable energy function, we use an exact deterministic method combining branch and bound, arc consistency, and tree-decomposition to provenly identify the global minimum energy sequence-conformation on full-redesign problems, defining search spaces of size up to 10(234). This is achieved on a single core of a standard computing server, requiring a maximum of 66GB RAM. A variant of the algorithm is able to exhaustively enumerate all sequence-conformations within an energy threshold of the optimum. These proven optimal solutions are then used to evaluate the frequencies and amplitudes, in energy and sequence, at which an existing CPD-dedicated simulated annealing implementation may miss the optimum on these full redesign problems. The probability of finding an optimum drops close to 0 very quickly. In the worst case, despite 1,000 repeats, the annealing algorithm remained more than 1 Rosetta unit away from the optimum, leading to design sequences that could differ from the optimal sequence by more than 30% of their amino acids.

Calculation of the transitions in the amine inversion vibration of some local anesthetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alcolea Palafox, M.

1988-05-01

In the para-amino group of the local anesthetics benzocaine, procaine and procaine hydrochloride, the potential function of inversion, the barrier height V̂ i and the optimum ω o inversion angle have been determinated. Two methods are shown for calculating transitions based on the two frequencies of inversion which easily can be detected in the infrared absorption and Raman spectra in solid compounds. Also the frequencies associated with tra nsitions are able to be obtained.

Radiometer Testbed Development for SWOT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kangaslahti, Pekka; Brown, Shannon; Gaier, Todd; Dawson, Douglas; Harding, Dennis; Fu, Lee-Lueng; Esteban-Fernandez, Daniel

2010-01-01

Conventional altimeters include nadir looking colocated 18-37 GHz microwave radiometer to measure wet tropospheric path delay. These have reduced accuracy in coastal zone (within 50 km from land) and do not provide wet path delay over land. The addition of high frequency channels to Jason-class radiometer will improve retrievals in coastal regions and enable retrievals over land. High-frequency window channels, 90, 130 and 166 GHz are optimum for improving performance in coastal region and channels on 183 GHz water vapor line are ideal for over-land retrievals.

Power spectral ensity of markov texture fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shanmugan, K. S.; Holtzman, J. C.

1984-01-01

Texture is an important image characteristic. A variety of spatial domain techniques were proposed for extracting and utilizing textural features for segmenting and classifying images. for the most part, these spatial domain techniques are ad hos in nature. A markov random field model for image texture is discussed. A frequency domain description of image texture is derived in terms of the power spectral density. This model is used for designing optimum frequency domain filters for enhancing, restoring and segmenting images based on their textural properties.

Visualizing Current Flow at the Mesoscale in Disordered Assemblies of Touching Semiconductor Nanocrystals

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

Chen, Qinyi; Guest, Jeffrey R.; Thimsen, Elijah

2017-07-12

The transport of electrons through assemblies of nanocrystals is important to performance in optoelectronic applications for these materials. Previous work has primarily focused on single nanocrystals or transitions between pairs of nanocrystals. There is a gap in knowledge of how large numbers of nanocrystals in an assembly behave collectively, and how this collective behavior manifests at the mesoscale. In this work, the variable range hopping (VRH) transport of electrons in disordered assemblies of touching, heavily doped ZnO nanocrystals was visualized at the mesoscale as a function of temperature both theoretically, using the model of Skinner, Chen and Shklovskii (SCS), andmore » experimentally, with conductive atomic force microscopy on ultrathin films only a few particle layers thick. Agreement was obtained between the model and experiments, with a few notable exceptions. The SCS model predicts that a single network within the nanocrystal assembly, comprised of sites connected by small resistances, dominates conduction - namely the optimum band from variable range hopping theory. However, our experiments revealed that in addition to the optimum band, there are subnetworks that appear as additional peaks in the resistance histogram of conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM) maps. Furthermore, the connections of these subnetworks to the optimum band change in time, such that some subnetworks become connected to the optimum band while others become disconnected and isolated from the optimum band; this observation appears to be an experimental manifestation of the ‘blinking’ phenomenon in our images of mesoscale transport.« less

Antenna concepts for interstellar search systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Basler, R. P.; Johnson, G. L.; Vondrak, R. R.

1977-01-01

An evaluation is made of microwave receiving systems designed to search for signals from extraterrestrial intelligence. Specific design concepts are analyzed parametrically to determine whether the optimum antenna system location is on earth, in space, or on the moon. Parameters considered include the hypothesized number of transmitting civilizations, the number of stars that must be searched to give any desired probability of receiving a signal, the antenna collecting area, the search time, the search range, and the cost. This analysis suggests that (1) search systems based on the moon are not cost-competitive, (2) if the search is extended only a few hundred light years from the earth, a Cyclops-type array on earth may be the most cost-effective system, (3) for a search extending to 500 light years or more, a substantial cost and search-time advantage can be achieved with a large spherical reflector in space with multiple feeds, (4) radio frequency interference shields can be provided for space systems, and (5) cost can range from a few hundred million to tens of billions of dollars, depending on the parameter values assumed.

Methodology for Selection of Optimum Light Stringers in Functionally Graded Panels Designed for Prescribed Fundamental Frequency or Buckling Load

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birman, Victor; Byrd, Larry W.

2008-02-01

The interest to functionally graded materials (FGM) and structures has been generated by their potential advantages, including enhanced thermal properties, reduced or eliminated delamination concerns, a potential for an improved stress distribution, etc. Various aspects of the processing, design, micromechanics and analysis of FGM have been outlined in a number of reviews, mentioned here are [1-3]. In particular, functionally graded panels may be advantageous compared to their conventional counterparts in numerous applications. However, a typical FGM panel is asymmetric about its middle plane resulting in lower buckling loads and fundamental frequencies as well as higher stresses and deformations than the counterpart with a symmetric distribution of the same constituents. The reduced stiffness of FGM panels can be compensated by reinforcing them with stringers. For example, metallic stringers at the metal-rich surface of a FGM ceramic-metal panel may provide an efficient solution enabling a designer to increase both buckling loads as well as natural frequencies. The list of studies on optimization of FGM is extensive as could be anticipated for such tailored structural elements. For example, recent papers by Batra and his collaborators present optimization of the natural frequencies of a FGM plate through material grading [4] and through the graded fiber orientation [5]. The present paper is concerned with an optimum design of the system of stringers for a specified FGM panel. The task is to design the lightest system of stringers enabling the panel to achieve prescribed buckling loads or fundamental frequency.

Suppression of thermal frequency noise in erbium-doped fiber random lasers.

PubMed

Saxena, Bhavaye; Bao, Xiaoyi; Chen, Liang

2014-02-15

Frequency and intensity noise are characterized for erbium-doped fiber (EDF) random lasers based on Rayleigh distributed feedback mechanism. We propose a theoretical model for the frequency noise of such random lasers using the property of random phase modulations from multiple scattering points in ultralong fibers. We find that the Rayleigh feedback suppresses the noise at higher frequencies by introducing a Lorentzian envelope over the thermal frequency noise of a long fiber cavity. The theoretical model and measured frequency noise agree quantitatively with two fitting parameters. The random laser exhibits a noise level of 6  Hz²/Hz at 2 kHz, which is lower than what is found in conventional narrow-linewidth EDF fiber lasers and nonplanar ring laser oscillators (NPROs) by a factor of 166 and 2, respectively. The frequency noise has a minimum value for an optimum length of the Rayleigh scattering fiber.

An Optimum Strategy for Learning to Read Foreign Scientific and Technical Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alford, M.H.T.

A report on a series of computer programs being written to make frequency counts designed to indicate the learning problems to be encountered in any approach to a target literature discusses how these programs can be used to aid in foreign language vocabulary learning. (Author/AF)

Piezoelectric performance enhancement of Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.25PbTiO3 crystals by alternating current polarization for ultrasonic transducer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jialin; Deng, Hao; Zeng, Zhou; Zhang, Zhang; Zhao, Kunyu; Chen, Jianwei; Nakamori, Nami; Wang, Feifei; Ma, Jinpeng; Li, Xiaobing; Luo, Haosu

2018-04-01

The [001]-oriented Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.25PbTiO3(PMN-0.25PT) single crystal has been poled by alternating current polarization (ACP). The piezoelectric, dielectric, and electromechanical properties of PMN-0.25PT crystals were investigated with the variations of the electric field, polarization frequency, and cycles. For the piezoelectric performance of the PMN-0.25PT crystal, the optimum ACP condition was obtained under the electric field of 12-18 kV/cm in the frequency range of 20-40 Hz and after 20 cycles. It gives the crystals an increase by 40% from 1220 pC/N to 1730 pC/N in the piezoelectric coefficient compared with traditional direct current polarization. The patterns of the periodic stripe nanodomains under different polarization conditions were revealed by piezoresponse force microscopy. The enhancement of the piezoelectric performance is attributed to the high density of these domain walls. This work indicates that ACP is an effective way to modify the piezoelectric performance of PMN-0.25PT crystals and make it a promising candidate for sensors and transducers.

AC Resonant charger with charge rate unrelated to primary power frequency

DOEpatents

Watson, Harold

1982-01-01

An AC resonant charger for a capacitive load, such as a PFN, is provided with a variable repetition rate unrelated to the frequency of a multi-phase AC power source by using a control unit to select and couple the phase of the power source to the resonant charger in order to charge the capacitive load with a phase that is the next to begin a half cycle. For optimum range in repetition rate and increased charging voltage, the resonant charger includes a step-up transformer and full-wave rectifier. The next phase selected may then be of either polarity, but is always selected to be of a polarity opposite the polarity of the last phase selected so that the transformer core does not saturate. Thyristors are used to select and couple the correct phase just after its zero crossover in response to a sharp pulse generated by a zero-crossover detector. The thyristor that is turned on then automatically turns off after a full half cycle of its associated phase input. A full-wave rectifier couples the secondary winding of the transformer to the load so that the load capacitance is always charged with the same polarity.

High-throughput machining using high average power ultrashort pulse lasers and ultrafast polygon scanner

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schille, Joerg; Schneider, Lutz; Streek, André; Kloetzer, Sascha; Loeschner, Udo

2016-03-01

In this paper, high-throughput ultrashort pulse laser machining is investigated on various industrial grade metals (Aluminium, Copper, Stainless steel) and Al2O3 ceramic at unprecedented processing speeds. This is achieved by using a high pulse repetition frequency picosecond laser with maximum average output power of 270 W in conjunction with a unique, in-house developed two-axis polygon scanner. Initially, different concepts of polygon scanners are engineered and tested to find out the optimal architecture for ultrafast and precision laser beam scanning. Remarkable 1,000 m/s scan speed is achieved on the substrate, and thanks to the resulting low pulse overlap, thermal accumulation and plasma absorption effects are avoided at up to 20 MHz pulse repetition frequencies. In order to identify optimum processing conditions for efficient high-average power laser machining, the depths of cavities produced under varied parameter settings are analyzed and, from the results obtained, the characteristic removal values are specified. The maximum removal rate is achieved as high as 27.8 mm3/min for Aluminium, 21.4 mm3/min for Copper, 15.3 mm3/min for Stainless steel and 129.1 mm3/min for Al2O3 when full available laser power is irradiated at optimum pulse repetition frequency.

Synergistic acceleration of experimental tooth movement by supplementary high-frequency vibration applied with a static force in rats.

PubMed

Takano-Yamamoto, Teruko; Sasaki, Kiyo; Fatemeh, Goudarzi; Fukunaga, Tomohiro; Seiryu, Masahiro; Daimaruya, Takayoshi; Takeshita, Nobuo; Kamioka, Hiroshi; Adachi, Taiji; Ida, Hiroto; Mayama, Atsushi

2017-10-25

Several recent prospective clinical trials have investigated the effect of supplementary vibration applied with fixed appliances in an attempt to accelerate tooth movement and shorten the duration of orthodontic treatment. Among them, some studies reported an increase in the rate of tooth movement, but others did not. This technique is still controversial, and the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we developed a new vibration device for a tooth movement model in rats, and investigated the efficacy and safety of the device when used with fixed appliances. The most effective level of supplementary vibration to accelerate tooth movement stimulated by a continuous static force was 3 gf at 70 Hz for 3 minutes once a week. Furthermore, at this optimum-magnitude, high-frequency vibration could synergistically enhance osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast function via NF-κB activation, leading to alveolar bone resorption and finally, accelerated tooth movement, but only when a static force was continuously applied to the teeth. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanism by which optimum-magnitude high-frequency vibration accelerates tooth movement, and may lead to novel approaches for the safe and effective treatment of malocclusion.

[In vitro flowering of cultures from a hybrid of Cymbidium goeringii and C. hybridium].

PubMed

Zheng, Li-Ming; Pang, Ji-Liang

2006-06-01

Wild-type female spring orchid (Cymbidium goeringii) was crossed with male Cymbidium hybridium. Over eight hundred protocorm clones were obtained from hybrid offsprings. Among them, one protocorm clone was identified to differentiate visible floral buds two months after subculture in vitro (Plate I). The protocorms and shoots derived from this clone were further used in studying the effects of abscisic acid (ABA) and paclobutrazol (PP333) pretreatment as well as different concentrations of 6-benzyladenine (6-BA) on floral bud differentiation. The optimum combination of hormones in floral bud induction was 6-BA 1.0 mg/L and NAA 0.1 mg/L, and total frequency of floral bud formation was up to 31% (Table 1). The optimum length of shoots used in floral bud induction was 1-2 cm, and the frequency of floral bud formation was 19% (Table 1). The increase in total frequency was not significant in floral bud induction from protocorms and shoots with length of 1-2 cm or 2-4 cm cultured on MS medium containing 6-BA 1.0 mg/L and NAA 0.1 mg/L after pretreatment on MS medium supplemented with ABA 0.5 mg/L and PP333 0.5 mg/L for 35 d (Table 2).

Optimum Adaptive Modulation and Channel Coding Scheme for Frequency Domain Channel-Dependent Scheduling in OFDM Based Evolved UTRA Downlink

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miki, Nobuhiko; Kishiyama, Yoshihisa; Higuchi, Kenichi; Sawahashi, Mamoru; Nakagawa, Masao

In the Evolved UTRA (UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access) downlink, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) based radio access was adopted because of its inherent immunity to multipath interference and flexible accommodation of different spectrum arrangements. This paper presents the optimum adaptive modulation and channel coding (AMC) scheme when resource blocks (RBs) is simultaneously assigned to the same user when frequency and time domain channel-dependent scheduling is assumed in the downlink OFDMA radio access with single-antenna transmission. We start by presenting selection methods for the modulation and coding scheme (MCS) employing mutual information both for RB-common and RB-dependent modulation schemes. Simulation results show that, irrespective of the application of power adaptation to RB-dependent modulation, the improvement in the achievable throughput of the RB-dependent modulation scheme compared to that for the RB-common modulation scheme is slight, i.e., 4 to 5%. In addition, the number of required control signaling bits in the RB-dependent modulation scheme becomes greater than that for the RB-common modulation scheme. Therefore, we conclude that the RB-common modulation and channel coding rate scheme is preferred, when multiple RBs of the same coded stream are assigned to one user in the case of single-antenna transmission.

Impact of the phase-mismatch in the SHG crystal and consequential self-action of the fundamental wave by cascaded second-order effects on the THG efficiency of a Q-switched 1342 nm Nd:YVO₄ laser.

PubMed

Koch, Peter; Bartschke, Juergen; L'huillier, Johannes A

2015-05-18

We report on the influence of self-focusing and self-defocusing in the phase-mismatched frequency doubling crystal on the third harmonic generation (THG) efficiency in a two crystal frequency tripling scheme. By detuning the temperature of the doubling crystal, the impact of a phase-mismatch in second harmonic generation (SHG) on the subsequent sum frequency mixing process was investigated. It was found that adjusting the temperature not only affected the power ratio of the second harmonic to the fundamental but also the beam diameter of the fundamental beam in the THG crystal, which was caused by self-focusing and self-defocusing of the fundamental beam, respectively. This self-action was induced by a cascaded χ(2) : χ(2) process in the phase-mismatched SHG crystal. Self-defocusing was observable for positive detuning and self-focusing for negative detuning of the phase-matching temperature. Hence, the THG efficiency was not symmetric with respect to the point of optimum phase-matching. Optimum THG was obtained for positive detuning and the resulting self-defocusing in combination with the focusing lens in front of the THG stage was also beneficial for the beam quality of the third harmonic.

A fault-tolerant addressable spin qubit in a natural silicon quantum dot

PubMed Central

Takeda, Kenta; Kamioka, Jun; Otsuka, Tomohiro; Yoneda, Jun; Nakajima, Takashi; Delbecq, Matthieu R.; Amaha, Shinichi; Allison, Giles; Kodera, Tetsuo; Oda, Shunri; Tarucha, Seigo

2016-01-01

Fault-tolerant quantum computing requires high-fidelity qubits. This has been achieved in various solid-state systems, including isotopically purified silicon, but is yet to be accomplished in industry-standard natural (unpurified) silicon, mainly as a result of the dephasing caused by residual nuclear spins. This high fidelity can be achieved by speeding up the qubit operation and/or prolonging the dephasing time, that is, increasing the Rabi oscillation quality factor Q (the Rabi oscillation decay time divided by the π rotation time). In isotopically purified silicon quantum dots, only the second approach has been used, leaving the qubit operation slow. We apply the first approach to demonstrate an addressable fault-tolerant qubit using a natural silicon double quantum dot with a micromagnet that is optimally designed for fast spin control. This optimized design allows access to Rabi frequencies up to 35 MHz, which is two orders of magnitude greater than that achieved in previous studies. We find the optimum Q = 140 in such high-frequency range at a Rabi frequency of 10 MHz. This leads to a qubit fidelity of 99.6% measured via randomized benchmarking, which is the highest reported for natural silicon qubits and comparable to that obtained in isotopically purified silicon quantum dot–based qubits. This result can inspire contributions to quantum computing from industrial communities. PMID:27536725

A fault-tolerant addressable spin qubit in a natural silicon quantum dot.

PubMed

Takeda, Kenta; Kamioka, Jun; Otsuka, Tomohiro; Yoneda, Jun; Nakajima, Takashi; Delbecq, Matthieu R; Amaha, Shinichi; Allison, Giles; Kodera, Tetsuo; Oda, Shunri; Tarucha, Seigo

2016-08-01

Fault-tolerant quantum computing requires high-fidelity qubits. This has been achieved in various solid-state systems, including isotopically purified silicon, but is yet to be accomplished in industry-standard natural (unpurified) silicon, mainly as a result of the dephasing caused by residual nuclear spins. This high fidelity can be achieved by speeding up the qubit operation and/or prolonging the dephasing time, that is, increasing the Rabi oscillation quality factor Q (the Rabi oscillation decay time divided by the π rotation time). In isotopically purified silicon quantum dots, only the second approach has been used, leaving the qubit operation slow. We apply the first approach to demonstrate an addressable fault-tolerant qubit using a natural silicon double quantum dot with a micromagnet that is optimally designed for fast spin control. This optimized design allows access to Rabi frequencies up to 35 MHz, which is two orders of magnitude greater than that achieved in previous studies. We find the optimum Q = 140 in such high-frequency range at a Rabi frequency of 10 MHz. This leads to a qubit fidelity of 99.6% measured via randomized benchmarking, which is the highest reported for natural silicon qubits and comparable to that obtained in isotopically purified silicon quantum dot-based qubits. This result can inspire contributions to quantum computing from industrial communities.

Prediction of Classroom Reverberation Time using Neural Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liyana Zainudin, Fathin; Kadir Mahamad, Abd; Saon, Sharifah; Nizam Yahya, Musli

2018-04-01

In this paper, an alternative method for predicting the reverberation time (RT) using neural network (NN) for classroom was designed and explored. Classroom models were created using Google SketchUp software. The NN applied training dataset from the classroom models with RT values that were computed from ODEON 12.10 software. The NN was conducted separately for 500Hz, 1000Hz, and 2000Hz as absorption coefficient that is one of the prominent input variable is frequency dependent. Mean squared error (MSE) and regression (R) values were obtained to examine the NN efficiency. Overall, the NN shows a good result with MSE < 0.005 and R > 0.9. The NN also managed to achieve a percentage of accuracy of 92.53% for 500Hz, 93.66% for 1000Hz, and 93.18% for 2000Hz and thus displays a good and efficient performance. Nevertheless, the optimum RT value is range between 0.75 – 0.9 seconds.

Optimization studies of the ITER low field side reflectometer.

PubMed

Diem, S J; Wilgen, J B; Bigelow, T S; Hanson, G R; Harvey, R W; Smirnov, A P

2010-10-01

Microwave reflectometry will be used on ITER to measure the electron density profile, density fluctuations due to MHD/turbulence, edge localized mode (ELM) density transients, and as an L-H transition monitor. The ITER low field side reflectometer system will measure both core and edge quantities using multiple antenna arrays spanning frequency ranges of 15-155 GHz for the O-mode system and 55-220 GHz for the X-mode system. Optimization studies using the GENRAY ray-tracing code have been done for edge and core measurements. The reflectometer launchers will utilize the HE11 mode launched from circular corrugated waveguide. The launched beams are assumed to be Gaussian with a beam waist diameter of 0.643 times the waveguide diameter. Optimum launcher size and placement are investigated by computing the antenna coupling between launchers, assuming the launched and received beams have a Gaussian beam pattern.

Flow-injection assay of catalase activity.

PubMed

Ukeda, Hiroyuki; Adachi, Yukiko; Sawamura, Masayoshi

2004-03-01

A novel flow-injection assay (FIA) system with a double line for catalase activity was constructed in which an oxidase is immobilized and the substrate is continuously pumped to reduce the dissolved oxygen and to generate a given level of hydrogen peroxide. The catalase in a sample decomposed the hydrogen peroxide, and thus the increase in dissolved oxygen dependent on the activity was amperometrically monitored using a Clark-type oxygen electrode. Among the examined several oxidases, uricase was most suitable for the continuous formation of hydrogen peroxide from a consideration of the stability and the conversion efficiency. Under the optimum conditions, a linear calibration curve was obtained in the range from 21 to 210 units/mg and the reproducibility (CV) was better than 2% by 35 successive determinations of 210 units/ml catalase preparation. The sampling frequency was about 15 samples/h. The present FIA system was applicable to monitor the inactivation of catalase by glycation.

Energy harvesting device based on a metallic glass/PVDF magnetoelectric laminated composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lasheras, A.; Gutiérrez, J.; Reis, S.; Sousa, D.; Silva, M.; Martins, P.; Lanceros-Mendez, S.; Barandiarán, J. M.; Shishkin, D. A.; Potapov, A. P.

2015-06-01

A flexible, low-cost energy-harvesting device based on the magnetoelectric (ME) effect was designed using Fe64Co17Si7B12 as amorphous magnetostrictive ribbons and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as the piezoelectric element. A 3 cm-long sandwich-type laminated composite was fabricated by gluing the ribbons to the PVDF with an epoxy resin. A voltage multiplier circuit was designed to produce enough voltage to charge a battery. The power output and power density obtained were 6.4 μW and 1.5 mW cm-3, respectively, at optimum load resistance and measured at the magnetomechanical resonance of the laminate. The effect of the length of the ME laminate on power output was also studied: the power output exhibited decays proportionally with the length of the ME laminate. Nevertheless, good performance was obtained for a 0.5 cm-long device working at 337 KHz within the low radio frequency (LRF) range.

Probiotics and human health: a clinical perspective

PubMed Central

Gill, H; Guarner, F

2004-01-01

There is unequivocal evidence that administration of probiotics could be effective in the treatment of acute infectious diarrhoea in children and the prevention of antibiotic associated diarrhoea and nosocomial/community acquired diarrhoea. Encouraging evidence is also emerging for the effectiveness of probiotics in the prevention and management of pouchitis and paediatric atopic diseases, and the prevention of postoperative infections. There is also strong evidence that certain probiotic strains are able to enhance immune function, especially in subjects with less than adequate immune function such as the elderly. Efficacy of probiotics in the prevention of traveller's diarrhoea, sepsis associated with severe acute pancreatitis, and cancers, the management of ulcerative colitis, and lowering of blood cholesterol remains unproven. In addition to firm evidence of efficacy (for a range of conditions), major gaps exist in our knowledge regarding the mechanisms by which probiotics modulate various physiological functions and the optimum dose, frequency, and duration of treatment for different probiotic strains. PMID:15356352

Effect of Precipitation Morphology on the Second Harmonic Generation of Ultrasonic Wave During Tempering in P92 Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahu, Minati Kumari; Swaminathan, J.; Bandyopadhyay, Nil Ratan; Sagar, Sarmistha Palit

2017-10-01

This paper reports the generation of second harmonic of ultrasound wave and the variation of its amplitude with the precipitation morphology in P92 steel. P92 steel samples were normalized at 1075 °C and tempered in a range of 715-835 °C at a step of 30 °C to study the effect of nucleation and growth of precipitates on the amplitude of second harmonic of ultrasound wave. It has been observed that the non linear ultrasonic (NLU) parameter which is defined as the ratio of the amplitude of second harmonic to the square of the amplitude of the transmitted signal frequency increases with the nucleation and growth of precipitates. Whereas when the growth of precipitate is restricted and fine secondary precipitates start to nucleate, it decreases. The maximum of NLU parameter corresponds to the optimum tempering temperature for the studied material.

Balancing Dynamic Strength of Spur Gears Operated at Extended Center Distance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1996-01-01

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

Application of non-attenuating frequency radars for prediction of rain attenuation and space diversity performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldhirsh, J.

1979-01-01

In order to establish transmitter power and receiver sensitivity levels at frequencies above 10 GHz, the designers of earth-satellite telecommunication systems are interested in cumulative rain fade statistics at variable path orientations, elevation angles, climatological regions, and frequencies. They are also interested in establishing optimum space diversity performance parameters. In this work are examined the many elements involved in the employment of single non-attenuating frequency radars for arriving at the desired information. The elements examined include radar techniques and requirements, phenomenological assumptions, path attenation formulations and procedures, as well as error budgeting and calibration analysis. Included are the pertinent results of previous investigators who have used radar for rain attenuation modeling. Suggestions are made for improving present methods.

[Antitumor effect of low-intensity extremely high-frequency electromagnetic radiation on a model of solid Ehrlich carcinoma].

PubMed

Gapeev, A B; Shved, D M; Mikhaĭlik, E N; Korystov, Iu N; Levitman, M Kh; Shaposhnikova, V V; Sadovnikov, V B; Alekhin, A I; Goncharov, N G; Chemeris, N K

2009-01-01

The influence of different exposure regimes of low-intensity extremely high-frequency electromagnetic radiation on the growth rate of solid Ehrlich carcinoma in mice has been studied. It was shown that, at an optimum repetition factor of exposure (20 min daily for five consecutive days after the tumor inoculation), there is a clearly pronounced frequency dependence of the antitumor effect. The analysis of experimental data indicates that the mechanisms of antitumor effects of the radiation may be related to the modification of the immune status of the organism. The results obtained show that extremely high-frequency electromagnetic radiation at a proper selection of exposure regimes can result in distinct and stable antitumor effects.

Optimization of microwave-assisted extraction (MAP) for ginseng components by response surface methodology.

PubMed

Kwon, Joong-Ho; Bélanger, Jacqueline M R; Paré, J R Jocelyn

2003-03-26

Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to predict optimum conditions for microwave-assisted extraction-a MAP technology-of saponin components from ginseng roots. A central composite design was used to monitor the effect of ethanol concentration (30-90%, X(1)) and extraction time (30-270 s, X(2)) on dependent variables, such as total extract yield (Y(1)), crude saponin content (Y(2)), and saponin ratio (Y(3)), under atmospheric pressure conditions when focused microwaves were applied at an emission frequency of 2450 MHz. In MAP under pre-established conditions, correlation coefficients (R (2)) of the models for total extract yield and crude saponin were 0.9841 (p < 0.001) and 0.9704 (p < 0.01). Optimum extraction conditions were predicted for each variable as 52.6% ethanol and 224.7 s in extract yield and as 77.3% ethanol and 295.1 s in crude saponins, respectively. Estimated maximum values at predicted optimum conditions were in good agreement with experimental values.

Hybrid acoustic energy harvesting using combined electromagnetic and piezoelectric conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Farid Ullah; Izhar

2016-02-01

This paper reports a novel hybrid acoustic energy harvester. The harvester utilizes both the electromagnetic and piezoelectric conversion mechanisms simultaneously to convert the ambient acoustical noise into electrical power for self-powered wireless sensor nodes. The proposed harvester is comprised of a Helmholtz resonator, two magnets mounted on a piezoelectric plate, and a wound coil located under the magnets. The harvester is characterized both under harmonic and real random acoustical excitations. In-lab, under harmonic acoustical excitation at a sound pressure level of 130 dB and frequency of 2.1 kHz, an optimum power of 2.86 μW (at 114 Ω optimum load) is obtained from electromagnetic conversion and 50 μW (at 1000 Ω optimum load) is generated by the piezoelectric harvester's part. Moreover, in real acoustical environment of a domestic electric generator the peak voltages of 40 and 123 mV are produced by the electromagnetic and piezoelectric portions of the acoustic energy harvester.

Hybrid acoustic energy harvesting using combined electromagnetic and piezoelectric conversion.

PubMed

Khan, Farid Ullah; Izhar

2016-02-01

This paper reports a novel hybrid acoustic energy harvester. The harvester utilizes both the electromagnetic and piezoelectric conversion mechanisms simultaneously to convert the ambient acoustical noise into electrical power for self-powered wireless sensor nodes. The proposed harvester is comprised of a Helmholtz resonator, two magnets mounted on a piezoelectric plate, and a wound coil located under the magnets. The harvester is characterized both under harmonic and real random acoustical excitations. In-lab, under harmonic acoustical excitation at a sound pressure level of 130 dB and frequency of 2.1 kHz, an optimum power of 2.86 μW (at 114 Ω optimum load) is obtained from electromagnetic conversion and 50 μW (at 1000 Ω optimum load) is generated by the piezoelectric harvester's part. Moreover, in real acoustical environment of a domestic electric generator the peak voltages of 40 and 123 mV are produced by the electromagnetic and piezoelectric portions of the acoustic energy harvester.

Next Generation of Magneto-Dielectric Antennas and Optimum Flux Channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yousefi, Tara

There is an ever-growing need for broadband conformal antennas to not only reduce the number of antennas utilized to cover a broad range of frequencies (VHF-UHF) but also to reduce visual and RF signatures associated with communication systems. In many applications antennas needs to be very close to low-impedance mediums or embedded inside low-impedance mediums. However, for conventional metal and dielectric antennas to operate efficiently in such environments either a very narrow bandwidth must be tolerated, or enough loss added to expand the bandwidth, or they must be placed one quarter of a wavelength above the conducting surface. The latter is not always possible since in the HF through low UHF bands, critical to Military and Security functions, this quarter-wavelength requirement would result in impractically large antennas. Despite an error based on a false assumption in the 1950’s, which had severely underestimated the efficiency of magneto-dielectric antennas, recently demonstrated magnetic-antennas have been shown to exhibit extraordinary efficiency in conformal applications. Whereas conventional metal-and-dielectric antennas carrying radiating electric currents suffer a significant disadvantage when placed conformal to the conducting surface of a platform, because they induce opposing image currents in the surface, magnetic-antennas carrying magnetic radiating currents have no such limitation. Their magnetic currents produce co-linear image currents in electrically conducting surfaces. However, the permeable antennas built to date have not yet attained the wide bandwidth expected because the magnetic-flux-channels carrying the wave have not been designed to guide the wave near the speed of light at all frequencies. Instead, they tend to lose the wave by a leaky fast-wave mechanism at low frequencies or they over-bind a slow-wave at high frequencies. In this dissertation, we have studied magnetic antennas in detail and presented the design approach and apparatus required to implement a flux-channel carrying the magnetic current wave near the speed of light over a very broad frequency range which also makes the design of a frequency independent antenna (spiral) possible. We will learn how to construct extremely thin conformal antennas, frequency-independent permeable antennas, and even micron-sized antennas that can be embedded inside the brain without damaging the tissue.

Temperature dependence of the exchange coupling in the Fe(001) whisker/11 ML Cr/20 ML Fe structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

From, M.; Liao, L. X.; Cochran, J. F.; Heinrich, B.

1994-05-01

The exchange coupling between iron layers separated by 11 monolayers (ML) of Cr(001) has been investigated using a structure in which the Cr(001) was grown on a bulk iron whisker Fe(001) surface at a temperature of approximately 300 °C. This temperature was selected to produce near optimum smoothness of the Cr layer. The Cr(001) deposition was followed by the deposition of 20 ML of Fe(001) at room temperature, and by the deposition of a 20 ML Au(001) protective layer. The frequencies corresponding to the magnetic excitations in this structure were measured by means of Brillouin light scattering (BLS). One of the observed frequencies corresponds to a surface mode in the bulk iron whisker. Another observed frequency corresponds to the lowest lying precessional mode of the magnetization in the 20 ML thick Fe(001) thin film. Typically, the thin film frequency exhibits a dependence on applied magnetic field that displays two cusps. The positions of the cusps are dependent on the exchange coupling between the 20 ML Fe film and the bulk iron substrate. The surface mode frequency increases monotonically with increasing field over most of the field range investigated. However, at the field corresponding to the low field cusp in the thin film frequency, the surface mode frequency undergoes an abrupt jump in magnitude. We have used the position of the cusps in the thin film data to deduce values for the bilinear, J1, and biquadratic, J2, coupling terms, where the coupling energy is written in the form EAB=-J1 cos(Δφ)+J2 cos2(Δφ); Δφ is the angle between the thin film and bulk iron magnetizations. Measurements of J1 and J2 have been carried out at six temperatures that span the range 100-350 K. Both J1 and J2 are found to depend strongly on temperature. The data are well described by the quadratic expression J2=-0.54+1.46 ×‖J1‖-0.52×J12, where J1 and J2 are expressed in erg/cm2. The large nonzero intercept and the linear term probably imply a significant intrinsic contribution to the biquadratic exchange.

Estimating Low-Flow Frequency Statistics and Hydrologic Analysis of Selected Streamflow-Gaging Stations, Nooksack River Basin, Northwestern Washington and Canada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curran, Christopher A.; Olsen, Theresa D.

2009-01-01

Low-flow frequency statistics were computed at 17 continuous-record streamflow-gaging stations and 8 miscellaneous measurement sites in and near the Nooksack River basin in northwestern Washington and Canada, including the 1, 3, 7, 15, 30, and 60 consecutive-day low flows with recurrence intervals of 2 and 10 years. Using these low-flow statistics, 12 regional regression equations were developed for estimating the same low-flow statistics at ungaged sites in the Nooksack River basin using a weighted-least-squares method. Adjusted R2 (coefficient of determination) values for the equations ranged from 0.79 to 0.93 and the root-mean-squared error (RMSE) expressed as a percentage ranged from 77 to 560 percent. Streamflow records from six gaging stations located in mountain-stream or lowland-stream subbasins of the Nooksack River basin were analyzed to determine if any of the gaging stations could be removed from the network without significant loss of information. Using methods of hydrograph comparison, daily-value correlation, variable space, and flow-duration ratios, and other factors relating to individual subbasins, the six gaging stations were prioritized from most to least important as follows: Skookum Creek (12209490), Anderson Creek (12210900), Warm Creek (12207750), Fishtrap Creek (12212050), Racehorse Creek (12206900), and Clearwater Creek (12207850). The optimum streamflow-gaging station network would contain all gaging stations except Clearwater Creek, and the minimum network would include Skookum Creek and Anderson Creek.

A numerical study on flexoelectric bistable energy harvester

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Anuruddh; Sharma, Anshul; Vaish, Rahul; Kumar, Rajeev; Jain, Satish Chandra

2018-07-01

A flexoelectric energy harvesting can be a viable solution of energy source for low power devices and sensors due to its higher performance at nano/micro domain size. Numerical study has been performed on energy harvester based on flexoelectric phenomenon of dielectric materials. Cantilever type structure was opted here as it induces the polarization due to the breaking of lattice symmetry upon bending. Host layer of cantilever is made of barium strontium titanate (BST) as it has high flexoelectric coefficient, and electrodes are attached with the host layer to collect the charges. In this study, nonlinearity has been introduced using pair of magnets at the free end of the cantilever. Characteristics of the harvester performance (linear-non-linear) changes by varying the distance between magnets. Results revealed that the bistable energy harvester gives more operating frequency range when excitation is random as compared to the linear energy harvester. For the given dimension of the harvester, when magnets distance d = 6 mm, effective harvesting frequency ranges are 5-17.3 and 17.6-26 Hz as compared to linear harvester. Further, role of load resistance was investigated to understand the impact on the performance. Hysteresis loop between voltage and displacement significantly varies with the resistance. This hysteresis loop confirmed the backward coupling of flexoelectric layer, in which voltage affects the displacement due to actuation. Area under the hysteresis loop is maximum for optimum resistance value (20.4 kΩ) which confirms the maximum extraction of power during vibration.

Optimum design using VICONOPT, a buckling and strength constraint program for prismatic assemblies of anisotropic plates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, R.; Williams, F. W.

1992-01-01

A computer program for obtaining the optimum (least mass) dimensions of the kind of prismatic assemblies of laminated, composite plates which occur in advanced aerospace construction is described. Rigorous buckling analysis (derived from exact member theory) and a tailored design procedure are used to produce designs which satisfy buckling and material strength constraints and configurational requirements. Analysis is two to three orders of magnitude quicker than FEM, keeps track of all the governing modes of failure and is efficiently adapted to give sensitivities and to maintain feasibility. Tailoring encourages convergence in fewer sizing cycles than competing programs and permits start designs which are a long way from feasible and/or optimum. Comparisons with its predecessor, PASCO, show that the program is more likely to produce an optimum, will do so more quickly in some cases, and remains accurate for a wider range of problems.

The combined theoretical and experimental approach to arrive at optimum parameters in friction stir welding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jagadeesha, C. B.

2017-12-01

Even though friction stir welding was invented long back (1991) by TWI England, till now there has no method or procedure or approach developed, which helps to obtain quickly optimum or exact parameters yielding good or sound weld. An approach has developed in which an equation has been derived, by which approximate rpm can be obtained and by setting range of rpm ±100 or 50 rpm over approximate rpm and by setting welding speed equal to 60 mm/min or 50 mm/min one can conduct FSW experiment to reach optimum parameters; one can reach quickly to optimum parameters, i.e. desired rpm, and welding speed, which yield sound weld by the approach. This approach can be effectively used to obtain sound welds for all similar and dissimilar combinations of materials such as Steel, Al, Mg, Ti, etc.

Methodology for processing pressure traces used as inputs for combustion analyses in diesel engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rašić, Davor; Vihar, Rok; Žvar Baškovič, Urban; Katrašnik, Tomaž

2017-05-01

This study proposes a novel methodology for designing an optimum equiripple finite impulse response (FIR) filter for processing in-cylinder pressure traces of a diesel internal combustion engine, which serve as inputs for high-precision combustion analyses. The proposed automated workflow is based on an innovative approach of determining the transition band frequencies and optimum filter order. The methodology is based on discrete Fourier transform analysis, which is the first step to estimate the location of the pass-band and stop-band frequencies. The second step uses short-time Fourier transform analysis to refine the estimated aforementioned frequencies. These pass-band and stop-band frequencies are further used to determine the most appropriate FIR filter order. The most widely used existing methods for estimating the FIR filter order are not effective in suppressing the oscillations in the rate- of-heat-release (ROHR) trace, thus hindering the accuracy of combustion analyses. To address this problem, an innovative method for determining the order of an FIR filter is proposed in this study. This method is based on the minimization of the integral of normalized signal-to-noise differences between the stop-band frequency and the Nyquist frequency. Developed filters were validated using spectral analysis and calculation of the ROHR. The validation results showed that the filters designed using the proposed innovative method were superior compared with those using the existing methods for all analyzed cases. Highlights • Pressure traces of a diesel engine were processed by finite impulse response (FIR) filters with different orders • Transition band frequencies were determined with an innovative method based on discrete Fourier transform and short-time Fourier transform • Spectral analyses showed deficiencies of existing methods in determining the FIR filter order • A new method of determining the FIR filter order for processing pressure traces was proposed • The efficiency of the new method was demonstrated by spectral analyses and calculations of rate-of-heat-release traces

Effects of processing parameters in the sonic assisted water extraction (SAWE) of 6-gingerol.

PubMed

Syed Jaapar, Syaripah Zaimah; Morad, Noor Azian; Iwai, Yoshio; Nordin, Mariam Firdhaus Mad

2017-09-01

The use of water in subcritical conditions for extraction has several drawbacks. These include the safety features, higher production costs and possible degradation of the bioactive compounds. To overcome these problems, sonic energy and an entrainer were used as external interventions to decrease the polarity of water at milder operating conditions. The effect of low (28kHz) and high (800kHz) frequencies of sonication in the extraction of the main ginger bioactive compound (6-gingerol) were compared. Six parameters were studied: mean particle size (MPS, mm), time of extraction, applied power, sample to solvent ratio (w/v), temperature of extraction, and the percentage of entrainer. The optimum conditions for high frequency SAWE prototype were MPS 0.89-1.77mm, 45min, 40W applied power, 1:30 (w/v), 45°C, and 15% of ethanol as entrainer. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) gave the most significant parameter, which was power with F (1, 45.07), p<2.50×10 -9 . Although the effect of low frequency was stronger than high frequency, at the optimum conditions of the sample to solvent ratio 1:30 (w/v) with 700mL solvent and temperature 45°C, the concentration and recovery of 6-gingerol from high frequency of SAWE prototype was 2.69 times higher than at low frequency of SAWE. It was found that although the effects of high frequency (800kHz) were negligible in other studies, it could extract suitable compounds, such as 6-gingerol, at lower temperature. Therefore, the effects of sonication, which cause an enlargement in the cell wall of the ginger plant matrix, were observed using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). It was found that the applied power of sonication was the most significant parameter compared to the other parameters. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

About Mass Transfer in Capillaries of Biological Systems under Influence of Vibrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prisniakov, K.

Vibrations accompany the flight of the manned spacecraft both at a stage of a orbital injection to an orbit, and during long flights (as noise), rendering undesirable physiological influence on crew, reducing serviceability and creating constant discomfort. The report represents attempt to predict a state of the cosmonaut in conditions of influence of vibrations for the period of start and stay in Space, being based on researches of mass transfer processes in capillary systems. For this purpose the original researches on heat and mass transfer processes with evaporation of liquids in capillary - porous structures in conditions of vibration actions and changes of a direction of action of gravitation are generalized. Report demonstrates the existence of modes at which increased or lowered mass transfer is achieved on border of separation "liquid - gas". The possible mechanism of influence of vibrations on evaporation of a liquid in capillaries is examined. The magnitudes of frequencies and amplitudes are submitted at which minimax characteristics are observed. The opportunity of application of the developed mathematical model of heat and mass transfer in capillary - porous structures to forecasting influence of vibrations for biological processes in capillaries of alive essences is analyzed. Such approach is justified on the mechanical nature of harmful influence of vibrations on an organism of the person. In addition the range of vibration frequencies which arise during space flights, corresponds to own resonant frequencies of a human body and his separate organs. Comparison of these resonant frequencies of a body of the person (5-80 Hertz) with vibration frequencies of optimum modes of heat and mass transfer in capillary - porous structures (20-40 Hertz) is shown their ranges of coverage. It gives the basis to assume existence of similar effects in capillaries of human body. It is supposed, that the difficulty of breath, change of a rhythm of breath, the subsequent weariness under vibration action are attributable to infringements of normal mass transfer between the inhaled air and blood. The opportunity of use of the received laws is discussed for assessment of influence of gravitational fields on intensity mass transfer in capillaries of biosystems also.

Size effects on miniature Stirling cycle cryocoolers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xiaoqin; Chung, J. N.

2005-08-01

Size effects on the performance of Stirling cycle cryocoolers were investigated by examining each individual loss associated with the regenerator and combining these effects. For the fixed cycle parameters and given regenerator length scale, it was found that only for a specific range of the hydrodynamic diameter the system can produce net refrigeration and there is an optimum hydraulic diameter at which the maximum net refrigeration is achieved. When the hydraulic diameter is less than the optimum value, the regenerator performance is controlled by the pressure drop loss; when the hydraulic diameter is greater than the optimum value, the system performance is controlled by the thermal losses. It was also found that there exists an optimum ratio between the hydraulic diameter and the length of the regenerator that offers the maximum net refrigeration. As the regenerator length is decreased, the optimum hydraulic diameter-to-length ratio increases; and the system performance is increased that is controlled by the pressure drop loss and heat conduction loss. Choosing appropriate regenerator characteristic sizes in small-scale systems are more critical than in large-scale ones.

Fuel alcohol biosynthesis by Zymomonas anaerobia: optimization studies

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

Kosaric, N.; Ong, S.L.; Davnjak, Z.

1982-03-01

The optimum operating conditions for growth and ethanol production of Zymomonas anaerobia ATCC 29501 were established. The optimum pH range and temperature were found to be 5.0-6.0 and 35/sup 0/C, respectively. Based on the results obtained from the temperature optimization study, an Arrhenius-type temperature relationship for the specific growth rate was developed. The growth and ethanol production of this microbe also have been optimized in terms of concentrations of glucose, essential nutrients, and minerals. With optimum medium and operating conditions, an ethanol concentration of 96 g/L was obtained in 23h. Both growth and ethanol yield coefficients in dependence on initialmore » glucose concentrations were determined.« less

Fuel alcohol biosynthesis by Zymomonas anaerobia: optimization studies

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

Kosaric, N.; Ong, S.L.; Duvnjak, Z.

1982-03-01

The optimum operating conditions for growth and ethanol production of Zymomonas anaerobia ATCC 29501 were established. The optimum pH range and temperature were found to be 5.0-6.0 and 35 degrees C, respectively. Based on the results obtained from the temperature optimization study, an Arrhenius-type temperature relationship for the specific growth rate was developed. The growth and ethanol production of this microbe also have been optimized in terms of concentrations of glucose, essential nutrients, and minerals. With optimum medium and operating conditions, an ethanol concentration of 96 g/L was obtained in 23 hours. Both growth and ethanol yield coefficients in dependencemore » on initial glucose concentrations were determined. (Refs. 16).« less

Implementation of an optimum profile guidance system on STOLAND

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flanagan, P. F.

1978-01-01

The implementation on the STOLAND airborne digital computer of an optimum profile guidance system for the augmentor wing jet STOL research aircraft is described. Major tasks were to implement the guidance and control logic to airborne computer software and to integrate the module with the existing STOLAND navigation, display, and autopilot routines. The optimum profile guidance system comprises an algorithm for synthesizing mimimum fuel trajectories for a wide range of starting positions in the terminal area and a control law for flying the aircraft automatically along the trajectory. The avionics software developed is described along with a FORTRAN program that was constructed to reflect the modular nature and algorthms implemented in the avionics software.

Intervention Efficacy and Intensity for Children with Speech Sound Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Melissa M.

2013-01-01

Purpose: Clinicians do not have an evidence base they can use to recommend optimum intervention intensity for preschool children who present with speech sound disorder (SSD). This study examined the effect of dose frequency on phonological performance and the efficacy of the multiple oppositions approach. Method: Fifty-four preschool children with…

Sampling to assess species diversity of herbaceous layer vegetation in Allegheny hardwood forests

Treesearch

Todd E. Ristau; Stephen B. Horsley; Larry H. McCormick

2001-01-01

The optimum frequency and time of sampling required to generate comprehensive diversity indices of herbaceous species in Allegheny hardwood forests was studied. Four 8-ha sites on the Allegheny National Forest were sampled monthly from May to August in 1992 and 1993 for herbaceous layer species composition and percent cover.

Parametric Study of High Frequency Pulse Detonation Tubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cutler, Anderw D.

2008-01-01

This paper describes development of high frequency pulse detonation tubes similar to a small pulse detonation engine (PDE). A high-speed valve injects a charge of a mixture of fuel and air at rates of up to 1000 Hz into a constant area tube closed at one end. The reactants detonate in the tube and the products exit as a pulsed jet. High frequency pressure transducers are used to monitor the pressure fluctuations in the device and thrust is measured with a balance. The effects of injection frequency, fuel and air flow rates, tube length, and injection location are considered. Both H2 and C2H4 fuels are considered. Optimum (maximum specific thrust) fuel-air compositions and resonant frequencies are identified. Results are compared to PDE calculations. Design rules are postulated and applications to aerodynamic flow control and propulsion are discussed.

Flexible, transparent electrodes using carbon nanotubes

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

We prepare thin single-walled carbon nanotube networks on a transparent and flexible substrate with different densities, using a very simple spray method. We measure the electric impedance at different frequencies Z(f) in the frequency range of 40 Hz to 20 GHz using two different methods: a two-probe method in the range up to 110 MHz and a coaxial (Corbino) method in the range of 10 MHz to 20 GHz. We measure the optical absorption and electrical conductivity in order to optimize the conditions for obtaining optimum performance films with both high electrical conductivity and transparency. We observe a square resistance of 1 to 8.5 kΩ for samples showing 65% to 85% optical transmittance, respectively. For some applications, we need flexibility and not transparency: for this purpose, we deposit a thick film of single-walled carbon nanotubes on a flexible silicone substrate by spray method from an aqueous suspension of carbon nanotubes in a surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulphate), thereby obtaining a flexible conducting electrode showing an electrical resistance as low as 200 Ω/sq. When stretching up to 10% and 20%, the electrical resistance increases slightly, recovering the initial value for small elongations up to 10%. We analyze the stretched and unstretched samples by Raman spectroscopy and observe that the breathing mode on the Raman spectra is highly sensitive to stretching. The high-energy Raman modes do not change, which indicates that no defects are introduced when stretching. Using this method, flexible conducting films that may be transparent are obtained just by employing a very simple spray method and can be deposited on any type or shape of surface. PMID:23074999

Cyclically optimized electrochemical processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruedisueli, Robert Louis

It has been frequently observed in experiment and industry practice that electrochemical processes (deposition, dissolution, fuel cells) operated in an intermittent or cyclic (AC) mode show improvements in efficiency and/or quality and yield over their steady (DC) mode of operation. Whether rationally invoked by design or empirically tuned-in, the optimal operating frequency and duty cycle is dependent upon the dominant relaxation time constant for the process in question. The electrochemical relaxation time constant is a function of: double-layer and reaction intermediary pseudo-capacitances, ion (charge) transport via electrical migration (mobility), and diffusion across a concentration gradient to electrode surface reaction sites where charge transfer and species incorporation or elimination occurs. The rate determining step dominates the time constant for the reaction or process. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and piezoelectric crystal electrode (PCE) response analysis have proven to be useful tools in the study and identification of reaction mechanisms. This work explains and demonstrates with the electro-deposition of copper the application of EIS and PCE measurement and analysis to the selection of an optimum cyclic operating schedule, an optimum driving frequency for efficient, sustained cyclic (pulsed) operation.

Classification of Baltic Sea ice types by airborne multifrequency microwave radiometer

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

Kurvonen, L.; Hallikainen, M.

An airborne multifrequency radiometer (24, 34, 48, and 94 GHz, vertical polarization) was used to investigate the behavior of the brightness temperature of different sea ice types in the Gulf of Bothnia (Baltic Sea). The measurements and the main results of the analysis are presented. The measurements were made in dry and wet conditions (air temperature above and below 0 C). The angle of incidence was 45{degree} in all measurements. The following topics are evaluated: (a) frequency dependency of the brightness temperature of different ice types, (b) the capability of the multifrequency radiometer to classify ice types for winter navigationmore » purposes, and (c) the optimum measurement frequencies for mapping sea ice. The weather conditions had a significant impact on the radiometric signatures of some ice types (snow-covered compact pack ice and frost-covered new ice); the impact was the highest at 94 GHz. In all cases the overall classification accuracy was around 90% (the kappa coefficient was from 0.86 to 0.96) when the optimum channel combination (24/34 GHz and 94 GHz) was used.« less

Reduction of turbulent boundary layer induced interior noise through active impedance control.

PubMed

Remington, Paul J; Curtis, Alan R D; Coleman, Ronald B; Knight, J Scott

2008-03-01

The use of a single actuator tuned to an optimum impedance to control the sound power radiated from a turbulent boundary layer (TBL) excited aircraft panel into the aircraft interior is examined. An approach to calculating the optimum impedance is defined and the limitations on the reduction in radiated power by a single actuator tuned to that impedance are examined. It is shown that there are too many degrees of freedom in the TBL and in the radiation modes of the panel to allow a single actuator to control the radiated power. However, if the panel modes are lightly damped and well separated in frequency, significant reductions are possible. The implementation of a controller that presents a desired impedance to a structure is demonstrated in a laboratory experiment, in which the structure is a mass. The performance of such a controller on an aircraft panel is shown to be effective, if the actuator impedance is similar to but not the same as the desired impedance, provided the panel resonances are well separated in frequency and lightly damped.

Time-optimum packet scheduling for many-to-one routing in wireless sensor networks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Song, W.-Z.; Yuan, F.; LaHuser, R.

2007-01-01

This paper studies the WSN application scenario with periodical traffic from all sensors to a sink. We present a time-optimum and energy-efficient packet scheduling algorithm and its distributed implementation. We first give a general many-to-one packet scheduling algorithm for wireless networks, and then prove that it is time-optimum and costs max(2N(u1) - 1, N(u 0) -1) time slots, assuming each node reports one unit of data in each round. Here N(u0) is the total number of sensors, while N(u 1) denotes the number of sensors in a sink's largest branch subtree. With a few adjustments, we then show that our algorithm also achieves time-optimum scheduling in heterogeneous scenarios, where each sensor reports a heterogeneous amount of data in each round. Then we give a distributed implementation to let each node calculate its duty-cycle locally and maximize efficiency globally. In this packet scheduling algorithm, each node goes to sleep whenever it is not transceiving, so that the energy waste of idle listening is also eliminated. Finally, simulations are conducted to evaluate network performance using the Qualnet simulator. Among other contributions, our study also identifies the maximum reporting frequency that a deployed sensor network can handle. ??2006 IEEE.

Time-optimum packet scheduling for many-to-one routing in wireless sensor networks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Song, W.-Z.; Yuan, F.; LaHusen, R.; Shirazi, B.

2007-01-01

This paper studies the wireless sensor networks (WSN) application scenario with periodical traffic from all sensors to a sink. We present a time-optimum and energy-efficient packet scheduling algorithm and its distributed implementation. We first give a general many-to-one packet scheduling algorithm for wireless networks, and then prove that it is time-optimum and costs [image omitted], N(u0)-1) time slots, assuming each node reports one unit of data in each round. Here [image omitted] is the total number of sensors, while [image omitted] denotes the number of sensors in a sink's largest branch subtree. With a few adjustments, we then show that our algorithm also achieves time-optimum scheduling in heterogeneous scenarios, where each sensor reports a heterogeneous amount of data in each round. Then we give a distributed implementation to let each node calculate its duty-cycle locally and maximize efficiency globally. In this packet-scheduling algorithm, each node goes to sleep whenever it is not transceiving, so that the energy waste of idle listening is also mitigated. Finally, simulations are conducted to evaluate network performance using the Qualnet simulator. Among other contributions, our study also identifies the maximum reporting frequency that a deployed sensor network can handle.

Magnetoelectric coupling characteristics in multiferroic heterostructures with different thickness of nanocrystalline soft magnetic alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Lei; Wang, Yao

2016-05-01

Magnetoelectric(ME) coupling characteristics in multiferroic heterostructures with different thickness of nanocrystalline soft magnetic alloy has been investigated at low frequency. The ME response with obvious hysteresis, self-biased and dual-peak phenomenon is observed for multiferroic heterostructures, which results from strong magnetic interactions between two ferromagnetic materials with different magnetic properties, magnetostrictions and optimum bias magnetic fields Hdc,opti. The proposed multiferroic heterostructures not only enhance ME coupling significantly, but also broaden dc magnetic bias operating range and overcomes the limitations of narrow bias range. By optimizing the thickness of nanocrystalline soft magnetic alloy Tf, a significantly zero-biased ME voltage coefficient(MEVC) of 14.8mV/Oe (185 mV/cmṡ Oe) at Tf = 0.09 mm can be obtained, which is about 10.8 times as large as that of traditional PZT/Terfenol-D composite with a weak ME coupling at zero bias Hdc,zero. Furthermore, when Tf increases from 0.03 mm to 0.18 mm, the maximum MEVC increases nearly linearly with the increased Tf at Hdc,opti. Additionally, the experimental results demonstrate the ME response for multiferroic heterostructures spreads over a wide magnetic dc bias operating range. The excellent ME performance provides a promising and practicable application for both highly sensitive magnetic field sensors without bias and ME energy harvesters.

Development of Non-Optimum Factors for Launch Vehicle Propellant Tank Bulkhead Weight Estimation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, K. Chauncey; Wallace, Matthew L.; Cerro, Jeffrey A.

2012-01-01

Non-optimum factors are used during aerospace conceptual and preliminary design to account for the increased weights of as-built structures due to future manufacturing and design details. Use of higher-fidelity non-optimum factors in these early stages of vehicle design can result in more accurate predictions of a concept s actual weights and performance. To help achieve this objective, non-optimum factors are calculated for the aluminum-alloy gores that compose the ogive and ellipsoidal bulkheads of the Space Shuttle Super-Lightweight Tank propellant tanks. Minimum values for actual gore skin thicknesses and weld land dimensions are extracted from selected production drawings, and are used to predict reference gore weights. These actual skin thicknesses are also compared to skin thicknesses predicted using classical structural mechanics and tank proof-test pressures. Both coarse and refined weights models are developed for the gores. The coarse model is based on the proof pressure-sized skin thicknesses, and the refined model uses the actual gore skin thicknesses and design detail dimensions. To determine the gore non-optimum factors, these reference weights are then compared to flight hardware weights reported in a mass properties database. When manufacturing tolerance weight estimates are taken into account, the gore non-optimum factors computed using the coarse weights model range from 1.28 to 2.76, with an average non-optimum factor of 1.90. Application of the refined weights model yields non-optimum factors between 1.00 and 1.50, with an average non-optimum factor of 1.14. To demonstrate their use, these calculated non-optimum factors are used to predict heavier, more realistic gore weights for a proposed heavy-lift launch vehicle s propellant tank bulkheads. These results indicate that relatively simple models can be developed to better estimate the actual weights of large structures for future launch vehicles.

Noise and frequency response of silicon photodiode operational amplifier combination.

PubMed

Hamstra, R H; Wendland, P

1972-07-01

The noise in dark and illuminated Schottky barrier and diffused PIN non-guard-ring photodiodes has been measured between 0.1 Hz and 10 kHz and compared to theory with an excellent fit. It is shown that diodes used photovoltaically are free of 1/f noise in the dark. It is also demonstrated that there is an optimum bias (ca. 100 mV) for minimum noise equivalent power. When only a resistive load is used with a detector, it often determines the frequency response and noise of the detector circuit. We develop and demonstrate equations for the major improvements in both noise and frequency response that can be obtained using a current mode (inverting) operational amplifier.

A theoretical multi-reflection method for analysis of optomechanical behavior of the Fabry-Perot cavity with moving boundary condition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahrampour, A. R.; Vahedi, M.; Abdi, M.; Ghobadi, R.; Golshani, M.; Tofighi, S.; Parvin, B.

2011-09-01

The opto-mechanical coupling and the generation of Stokes and anti-Stokes frequencies in the in-band and intra-band regimes of operation of the Fabry-Perot cavity with a moving mirror on the basis of multi-reflection method (MRM) are described by a unique theory. The frequency characteristic function of the Fabry-Perot filter is modified. By increasing the amplitude of mirror oscillation the Fabry-Perot bandwidth increases and normal mode splitting occurred. The conversion efficiencies of the Stokes and anti-Stokes frequencies versus the mechanical amplitude of oscillation have an optimum value. Also, the delay function corresponding to the radiation pressure is obtained.

Spirochaeta americana sp. nov.: A New Haloalkaliphilic, Obligately Anaerobic Spirochete Isolated from Soda Mono Lake, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoover, Richard B.; Pikuta, Elena V.; Marsic, Damien; Whitman, William B.; Tang, Jane; Krader, Paul; Six, N. Frank (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A novel obligately anaerobic, mesophilic, haloalkaliphilic spirochete, strain ASpG1, was isolated from sediments of the alkaline, hypersaline Mono Lake in California, U.S.A. The gram-negative cells are motile and spirochete-shaped with sizes of 0.22 x 10-15 micron. Growth was observed over the temperature range of 10 C to 44 C (optimum 37 C), NaCl concentration range of greater than 1 - 12 % (wt/vol) (optimum 3%), and pH range 7.5 - 10.5 (optimum pH 9.5). The novel isolate is strictly alkaliphilic, requires high concentrations of carbonate in the medium, and is capable of utilizing D-glucose, fructose, maltose, sucrose, starch, and D-mannitol. Main end products of glucose fermentation are: H2, acetate, ethanol, and formate. Strain AspG1 is resistant to kanamycin, but sensitive to chloramphenicol, gentamycin and tetracycline. The G+C content of its DNA is 58.5 mol%. On the basis of its physiological and molecular properties, the isolate appears to be a novel species among the genus Spirochaeta; and the name Spirochaeta americana sp. nov., is proposed for the taxon (type strain ASpG1(sup T) = ATCC BAA_392(sup T) = DSMZ 14872(sup T)).

Energetics and optimum motion of oscillating lifting surfaces of finite span

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahmadi, A. R.; Widnall, S. E.

1986-01-01

In certain modes of animal propulsion in nature, such as bird flight and fish swimming, the efficiency compared to man-made vehicles is very high. In such cases, wing and tail motions are typically associated with relatively high Reynolds numbers, where viscous effects are confined to a thin boundary layer at the surface and a thin trailing wake. The propulsive forces, which are generated primarily by the inertial forces, can be calculated from potential-flow theory using linearized unsteady-wing theory (for small-amplitude oscillations). In the present study, a recently developed linearized, low-frequency, unsteady lifting-line theory is employed to calculate the (sectional and total) energetic quantities and optimum motion of an oscillating wing of finite span.

Optimum detection of tones transmitted by a spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, M. K.; Shihabi, M. M.; Moon, T.

1995-01-01

The performance of a scheme proposed for automated routine monitoring of deep-space missions is presented. The scheme uses four different tones (sinusoids) transmitted from the spacecraft (S/C) to a ground station with the positive identification of each of them used to indicate different states of the S/C. Performance is measured in terms of detection probability versus false alarm probability with detection signal-to-noise ratio as a parameter. The cases where the phase of the received tone is unknown and where both the phase and frequency of the received tone are unknown are treated separately. The decision rules proposed for detecting the tones are formulated from average-likelihood ratio and maximum-likelihood ratio tests, the former resulting in optimum receiver structures.

Optimum constrained image restoration filters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riemer, T. E.; Mcgillem, C. D.

1974-01-01

The filter was developed in Hilbert space by minimizing the radius of gyration of the overall or composite system point-spread function subject to constraints on the radius of gyration of the restoration filter point-spread function, the total noise power in the restored image, and the shape of the composite system frequency spectrum. An iterative technique is introduced which alters the shape of the optimum composite system point-spread function, producing a suboptimal restoration filter which suppresses undesirable secondary oscillations. Finally this technique is applied to multispectral scanner data obtained from the Earth Resources Technology Satellite to provide resolution enhancement. An experimental approach to the problems involving estimation of the effective scanner aperture and matching the ERTS data to available restoration functions is presented.

The Development of a Portable Modular Component Building System for the Armed Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-11-08

environment and provide optimum thermal comfort and energy performance throughout a wide climatic range. Finally, such a system would provide optimum user...I I I I I l i 56. ind thermal comfort . The low humidity of the atmosphere allows temperatures to fal. deeply at night so buildings constructed of hig...site topographies. Extensive support equipment is also required for their transport, erection and sustained thermal comfort for the occupants. Off the

The effect of noise constraints on engine cycle optimization for long-haul transports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antl, R. J.

1973-01-01

Optimum engine cycles were determined for noise levels of 10, 15, and 20 EPNdB below current FAA regulations, using 200-passenger trijet aircraft flying over ranges from 5555 to 10,200 km at cruise speeds of Mach 0.90 and 0.98. The tests showed that the noise constraints imposed compromises on the optimum cycle with resulting economic penalties. The economic penalties, however, could be effectively offset by applying advanced engine technologies.

Influence of gate overlap engineering on ambipolar and high frequency characteristics of tunnel-CNTFET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaker, Ahmed; Ossaimee, Mahmoud; Zekry, A.; Abouelatta, Mohamed

2015-10-01

In this paper, we have investigated the effect of gate overlapping-on-drain on the ambipolar behavior and high frequency performance of tunnel CNTFET (T-CNTFET). It is found that gate overlapping-on-drain suppresses the ambipolar behavior and improves OFF-state current. The simulation results show that there is an optimum choice for the overlapped length. On the other hand, this overlap deteriorates the high frequency performance. The high frequency figure of merit is analyzed in terms of the unit-gain cutoff frequency (fT). Further, we propose two different approaches to improve the high frequency performance of the overlapped T-CNTFET. The first one is based on inserting a high-dielectric constant material below the overlapped part of the gate and the second is based on depositing a different work function gate metal for the overlapped region. The two solutions show very good improvement in the high frequency performance with maintaining the suppression of the ambipolar characteristics.

Optical investigation of BaFe2(As0.77P0.23)2 : Spin-fluctuation-mediated superconductivity under pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uykur, E.; Kobayashi, T.; Hirata, W.; Miyasaka, S.; Tajima, S.; Kuntscher, C. A.

2017-06-01

Temperature-dependent reflectivity measurements in the frequency range 75-8000 cm-1 were performed on BaFe2(As0.77P0.23)2 single crystals under pressure up to ˜5 GPa . The obtained optical conductivity spectra have been analyzed to extract the electron-boson spectral density α2F (Ω ) . A sharp resonance peak was observed in α2F (Ω ) upon the superconducting transition, persisting throughout the applied pressure range. The energy and temperature dependences of this peak are consistent with the superconducting gap opening. Furthermore, several similarities with other experimental probes such as inelastic neutron scattering (INS) [D. S. Inosov et al., Nat. Lett. 6, 178 (2010), 10.1038/nphys1483] give evidence for the coupling to a bosonic mode, possibly due to spin fluctuations. Moreover, electronic correlations have been calculated via spectral weight analysis, which revealed that the system stays in the strongly correlated regime throughout the applied pressure range. However, a comparison to the parent compound showed that the electronic correlations are slightly decreased with P doping. The investigation of the phase diagram obtained by our optical study under pressure also revealed the coexistence of the spin-density wave and the superconducting regions, where the coexistence region shifts to the lower pressure range with increasing P content. Moreover, the optimum pressure range, where the highest superconducting transition temperature has been obtained, shows a nonlinear decrease with increasing P content.

RADIOSENSITIVITY OF SEEDS. III. EFFECTS OF PRE-IRRADIATION HUMIDITY AND GAMMA-RAY DOSE ON SEEDS FROM FIVE BOTANICAL FAMILIES

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

Osborne, T.S.; Lunden, A.O.; Constantin, M.J.

1963-01-01

Seeds of Brassica napus L. (Cruciferae), Festuca elatior L. (Gramineae), Lactuca sativa L. (Compositae), Lycopersicon escuientum Mill. (Solanaceae), and Trifolium incarnatum L. var. elatius Gibelli & Belli (Leguminosae) were equilibrated at relative humidities of 10, 35, 60, and 85 per cent then exposed to gamma-ray doses of 0, 10, 20, for 14 to 16 days in a controlled environment and assayed for dry weight. Data were analyzed by a full-quadratic regression model. Except for Festuca, growth from irradiated and control seeds was drastically affected by preirradiation humidity, with higher humidities generally more damaging than iower but with growth decreasing bothmore » above and below an optimum humidity. Optimum humidity varied with species, ranging from 9 to 38 per cent R. H. in the controls, and with radiation treatment, ranging from 42 to 53 per cent R. H. at the highest doses tolerated. The hypothesis of persisting radiation-induced radicals at lower humidities does not explain the similar increase in radiosensitivity at humidities above the optimum. (auth)« less

Know how to maximize maintenance spending

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

Carrino, A.J.; Jones, R.B.; Platt, W.E.

Solomon has developed a methodology to determine a large optimum point where availability meets maintenance spending for Powder River Basin (PRB) coal-fired units. Using a database of sufficient size and composition across various operating ranges, Solomon generated an algorithm that predicts the relationship between maintenance spending and availability. Coupling this generalized algorithm with a unit-specific market-loss curve determines the optimum spending for a facility. The article presents the results of the analysis, how this methodology can be applied to develop optimum operating and financial targets for specific units and markets and a process to achieve those targets. It also describesmore » how this methodology can be used for other types of fossil-fired technologies and future enhancements to the analysis. 5 figs.« less

Thermoelectric properties of non-stoichiometric lanthanum sulfides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shapiro, E.; Danielson, L. R.

1983-01-01

The lanthanum sulfides are promising candidate materials for high-efficiency thermoelectric applications at temperatures up to 1300 C. The non-stoichiometric lanthanum sulfides (LaS(x), where x is in the range 1.33-1.50) appear to possess the most favorable thermoelectric properties. The Seebeck coefficient and resistivity vary significantly with composition, so that an optimum value of alpha sq/rho (where alpha is the Seebeck coefficient and rho is the resistivity) can be chosen. The thermal conductivity remains approximately constant with stoichiometry, so a material with an optimum value of alpha sq/rho should possess the optimum figure-of-merit. Data for the Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity of non-stoichiometric lanthanum sulfides will be pressed, together with structural properties of these materials.

Design of helicopter rotor blades for optimum dynamic characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peters, D. A.; Ko, T.; Korn, A.; Rossow, M. P.

1985-01-01

The mass and stiffness distributions for helicopter rotor blades are tailored in such a way to give a predetermined placement of blade natural frequencies. The optimal design is pursued with respect of minimum weight, sufficient inertia, and reasonable dynamic characteristics. Finite element techniques are used as a tool. Rotor types include hingeless, articulated, and teetering.

Variation in pH optima of hydrolytic enzyme activities in tropical rain forest soils.

PubMed

Turner, Benjamin L

2010-10-01

Extracellular enzymes synthesized by soil microbes play a central role in the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients in the environment. The pH optima of eight hydrolytic enzymes involved in the cycles of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur, were assessed in a series of tropical forest soils of contrasting pH values from the Republic of Panama. Assays were conducted using 4-methylumbelliferone-linked fluorogenic substrates in modified universal buffer. Optimum pH values differed markedly among enzymes and soils. Enzymes were grouped into three classes based on their pH optima: (i) enzymes with acidic pH optima that were consistent among soils (cellobiohydrolase, β-xylanase, and arylsulfatase), (ii) enzymes with acidic pH optima that varied systematically with soil pH, with the most acidic pH optima in the most acidic soils (α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase), and (iii) enzymes with an optimum pH in either the acid range or the alkaline range depending on soil pH (phosphomonoesterase and phosphodiesterase). The optimum pH values of phosphomonoesterase were consistent among soils, being 4 to 5 for acid phosphomonoesterase and 10 to 11 for alkaline phosphomonoesterase. In contrast, the optimum pH for phosphodiesterase activity varied systematically with soil pH, with the most acidic pH optima (3.0) in the most acidic soils and the most alkaline pH optima (pH 10) in near-neutral soils. Arylsulfatase activity had a very acidic optimum pH in all soils (pH ≤3.0) irrespective of soil pH. The differences in pH optima may be linked to the origins of the enzymes and/or the degree of stabilization on solid surfaces. The results have important implications for the interpretation of hydrolytic enzyme assays using fluorogenic substrates.

On the dynamic response at the wheel axle of a pneumatic tire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kung, L. E.; Soedel, W.; Yang, T. Y.

1986-06-01

A method for calculating the steady state displacement response and force transmission at the wheel axle of a pneumatic tire-suspension system due to a steady state force or displacement excitation at the tire to ground contact point is developed. The method requires the frequency responses (or receptances)_of both tire-wheel and suspension units. The frequency response of the tire-wheel unit is obtained by using the modal expansion method. The natural frequencies and mode shapes of the tire-wheel unit are obtained by using a geometrically non-linear, ring type, thin shell finite element of laminate composite. The frequency response of the suspension unit is obtained analytically. These frequency responses are used to calculate the force-input and the displacement-input responses at the wheel axle. This method allows the freedom of designing a vehicle and its tires independently and still achieving optimum dynamic performance.

Vortex flow structures and interactions for the optimum thrust efficiency of a heaving airfoil at different mean angles of attack

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

Martín-Alcántara, A.; Fernandez-Feria, R.; Sanmiguel-Rojas, E.

The thrust efficiency of a two-dimensional heaving airfoil is studied computationally for a low Reynolds number using a vortex force decomposition. The auxiliary potentials that separate the total vortex force into lift and drag (or thrust) are obtained analytically by using an elliptic airfoil. With these auxiliary potentials, the added-mass components of the lift and drag (or thrust) coefficients are also obtained analytically for any heaving motion of the airfoil and for any value of the mean angle of attack α. The contributions of the leading- and trailing-edge vortices to the thrust during their down- and up-stroke evolutions are computedmore » quantitatively with this formulation for different dimensionless frequencies and heave amplitudes (St{sub c} and St{sub a}) and for several values of α. Very different types of flows, periodic, quasi-periodic, and chaotic described as St{sub c}, St{sub a}, and α, are varied. The optimum values of these parameters for maximum thrust efficiency are obtained and explained in terms of the interactions between the vortices and the forces exerted by them on the airfoil. As in previous numerical and experimental studies on flapping flight at low Reynolds numbers, the optimum thrust efficiency is reached for intermediate frequencies (St{sub c} slightly smaller than one) and a heave amplitude corresponding to an advance ratio close to unity. The optimal mean angle of attack found is zero. The corresponding flow is periodic, but it becomes chaotic and with smaller average thrust efficiency as |α| becomes slightly different from zero.« less

Diabetes, obesity and non-optimum blood pressure levels in a group of employees of the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, 2003.

PubMed

Disdier-Flores, Orville M; Rodríguez-Lugo, Luis A

2005-06-01

To estimate the proportion of diabetes, obesity and non-optimum blood pressure levels in a group of employees of the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus that participated in a diabetes health fair at the "Centro de Diabetes para Puerto Rico". A total of 113 participants of the diabetes health fair completed a questionnaire to obtain demographic characteristics and the frequency of self-reported diabetes. The nursing staff examined the participants in order to obtain the following clinical characteristics: body mass index, blood pressure and blood glucose levels. The proportion of self-reported diabetes, obesity (> or = 30 kg/m2) and non-optimum blood pressure levels (systolic > or = 20 mm/Hg or diastolic > or = 80 mm/Hg) were 15.4% (95% CI: 8.5% - 25.7%), 80.0% (95% CI: 70.8%-86.9%) and 70.5% (95% CI: 61.1%-78.6%), respectively. Although it was not statistically significant, diabetes was higher among females (15.4%) compared to males (12.0%). All participants with self-reported diabetes were overweight or obese, and 91.7% showed non-optimum blood pressure levels. A significant positive correlation (p < 0.001) was observed between blood pressure levels and body mass index (r = 0.3). The percentage of persons with diabetes, obesity, and non-optimum blood pressure levels in this sample of Medical Sciences Campus employees underscores the need for confirming these results in a larger study and developing strategies focused on reducing health risks in this population.

Analytical correlation of centrifugal compressor design geometry for maximum efficiency with specific speed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Galvas, M. R.

1972-01-01

Centrifugal compressor performance was examined analytically to determine optimum geometry for various applications as characterized by specific speed. Seven specific losses were calculated for various combinations of inlet tip-exit diameter ratio, inlet hub-tip diameter ratio, blade exit backsweep, and inlet-tip absolute tangential velocity for solid body prewhirl. The losses considered were inlet guide vane loss, blade loading loss, skin friction loss, recirculation loss, disk friction loss, vaneless diffuser loss, and vaned diffuser loss. Maximum total efficiencies ranged from 0.497 to 0.868 for a specific speed range of 0.257 to 1.346. Curves of rotor exit absolute flow angle, inlet tip-exit diameter ratio, inlet hub-tip diameter ratio, head coefficient and blade exit backsweep are presented over a range of specific speeds for various inducer tip speeds to permit rapid selection of optimum compressor size and shape for a variety of applications.

Characterization of a low frequency magnetic noise from a two-stage pulse tube cryocooler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eshraghi, M. J.; Sasada, I.; Kim, J. M.; Lee, Y. H.

2009-07-01

Magnetic noise of a two-stage pulse tube cryocooler (PT) was measured by a fundamental mode orthogonal fluxgate magnetometer and by a LTS Double Relaxation Oscillation SQUID (DROS) first-order planar gradiometer. The magnetometer was installed in a dewar made of aluminum at 12 cm distance from a section containing magnetic regenerative materials of the second pulse tube. The magnetic noise spectrum showed a clear peak at 1.8 Hz, which is the fundamental frequency of the He gas pumping rate. The 1.8 Hz magnetic noise registered a peak, during the cooling down process, when the second cold-stage temperature was around 12 K, which is well correlated with the 1.8 Hz variation of the temperature of the second cold stage. Hence, we attributed the main source of this magnetic noise to the temperature variation of the magnetic moments resulting from magnetic regenerative materials, Er 3Ni and HoCu 2, in the presence of background static magnetic fields. We have also pointed out that the superconducting magnetic shield of lead sheets reduced the low frequency magnetic noise generated from the magnetic regenerative materials. With this arrangement, the magnetic noise amplitude measured with the LTS DROS gradiometer, mounted at 7 cm horizontal distance from the magnetic regenerative materials, in the optimum condition, was lower than 500 pT peak-to-peak, whereas the noise level without lead shielding was higher than the dynamic range of DROS instrumentations which was around ±10nT.

Optimum timing for integrated pest management: modelling rates of pesticide application and natural enemy releases.

PubMed

Tang, Sanyi; Tang, Guangyao; Cheke, Robert A

2010-05-21

Many factors including pest natural enemy ratios, starting densities, timings of natural enemy releases, dosages and timings of insecticide applications and instantaneous killing rates of pesticides on both pests and natural enemies can affect the success of IPM control programmes. To address how such factors influence successful pest control, hybrid impulsive pest-natural enemy models with different frequencies of pesticide sprays and natural enemy releases were proposed and analyzed. With releasing both more or less frequent than the sprays, a stability threshold condition for a pest eradication periodic solution is provided. Moreover, the effects of times of spraying pesticides (or releasing natural enemies) and control tactics on the threshold condition were investigated with regard to the extent of depression or resurgence resulting from pulses of pesticide applications. Multiple attractors from which the pest population oscillates with different amplitudes can coexist for a wide range of parameters and the switch-like transitions among these attractors showed that varying dosages and frequencies of insecticide applications and the numbers of natural enemies released are crucial. To see how the pesticide applications could be reduced, we developed a model involving periodic releases of natural enemies with chemical control applied only when the densities of the pest reached the given Economic Threshold. The results indicate that the pest outbreak period or frequency largely depends on the initial densities and the control tactics. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation on the pitting of potato starch granules during high frequency ultrasound treatment.

PubMed

Bai, Wenzhe; Hébraud, Pascal; Ashokkumar, Muthupandian; Hemar, Yacine

2017-03-01

In this paper, the pitting of potato starch granules in aqueous suspensions (1%) by high-frequency high-power ultrasound (850kHz at a power of 0.2W, 2W or 3.7W; and also 500kHz and 1MHz at a power of 2W) is reported. The number of pits per starch granules was found to be independent of the amylose content of starches, and the surface properties of starch granules as modified through SDS and ethanol washing. At 850kHz, the maximum number of pits per starch granule, for both normal and waxy starches, did not exceed 11. However, a close inspection of fractionated starch granules based on their sizes showed that there is an optimum granule size for which a maximum pit number is obtained. For example, starch granules with diameter size range of ∼15 to ∼30μm had a maximum pit number (between 10 and 20 pits per granule) when sonicated (2W, 850kHz and 30min); while sonication of small (<10μm) and very large (>45μm) granules resulted in a smaller number of pits per granule (∼5). Further, the maximum number of pits per granules is also found to be proportional to the ultrasound frequency, with values of approximately 7, 10 and 11 at 0.50, 0.85, and 1MHz, respectively. FTIR measurements did not show any breakup of starch molecules. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Design of experiments for zeroth and first-order reaction rates.

PubMed

Amo-Salas, Mariano; Martín-Martín, Raúl; Rodríguez-Aragón, Licesio J

2014-09-01

This work presents optimum designs for reaction rates experiments. In these experiments, time at which observations are to be made and temperatures at which reactions are to be run need to be designed. Observations are performed along time under isothermal conditions. Each experiment needs a fixed temperature and so the reaction can be measured at the designed times. For these observations under isothermal conditions over the same reaction a correlation structure has been considered. D-optimum designs are the aim of our work for zeroth and first-order reaction rates. Temperatures for the isothermal experiments and observation times, to obtain the most accurate estimates of the unknown parameters, are provided in these designs. D-optimum designs for a single observation in each isothermal experiment or for several correlated observations have been obtained. Robustness of the optimum designs for ranges of the correlation parameter and comparisons of the information gathered by different designs are also shown. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Studies with sample conductivity, insertion rates, and particle deflection in a continuous flow electrophoresis system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, G., Jr.

1982-01-01

The continuous flow electrophoresis system makes electrophoresis possible in a free-flowing film of aqueous electrolyte medium. The sample continuously enters the electrolyte at the top of the chamber and is subjected to the action of a lateral dc field. This divides the sample into fractions since each component has a distinctive electrophoretic mobility. Tests were made using monodisperse polystyrene latex microspheres to determine optimum sample conductivity, insertion rates and optimum electric field applications as baseline data for future STS flight experiments. Optimum sample flow rates for the selected samples were determined to be approximately 26 micro-liters/min. Experiments with samples in deionized water yielded best results and voltages in the 20 V/cm to 30 V/cm range were optimum. Deflections of formaldehyde fixed turkey and bovine erythrocytes were determined using the continuous flow electrophoresis system. The effects of particle interactions on sample resolution and migration in the chamber was also evaluated.

Design of slurry bubble column reactors: novel technique for optimum catalyst size selection contractual origin of the invention

DOEpatents

Gamwo, Isaac K [Murrysville, PA; Gidaspow, Dimitri [Northbrook, IL; Jung, Jonghwun [Naperville, IL

2009-11-17

A method for determining optimum catalyst particle size for a gas-solid, liquid-solid, or gas-liquid-solid fluidized bed reactor such as a slurry bubble column reactor (SBCR) for converting synthesis gas into liquid fuels considers the complete granular temperature balance based on the kinetic theory of granular flow, the effect of a volumetric mass transfer coefficient between the liquid and the gas, and the water gas shift reaction. The granular temperature of the catalyst particles representing the kinetic energy of the catalyst particles is measured and the volumetric mass transfer coefficient between the gas and liquid phases is calculated using the granular temperature. Catalyst particle size is varied from 20 .mu.m to 120 .mu.m and a maximum mass transfer coefficient corresponding to optimum liquid hydrocarbon fuel production is determined. Optimum catalyst particle size for maximum methanol production in a SBCR was determined to be in the range of 60-70 .mu.m.

[Optimum design of imaging spectrometer based on toroidal uniform-line-spaced (TULS) spectrometer].

PubMed

Xue, Qing-Sheng; Wang, Shu-Rong

2013-05-01

Based on the geometrical aberration theory, a optimum-design method for designing an imaging spectrometer based on toroidal uniform grating spectrometer is proposed. To obtain the best optical parameters, twice optimization is carried out using genetic algorithm(GA) and optical design software ZEMAX A far-ultraviolet(FUV) imaging spectrometer is designed using this method. The working waveband is 110-180 nm, the slit size is 50 microm x 5 mm, and the numerical aperture is 0.1. Using ZEMAX software, the design result is analyzed and evaluated. The results indicate that the MTF for different wavelengths is higher than 0.7 at Nyquist frequency 10 lp x mm(-1), and the RMS spot radius is less than 14 microm. The good imaging quality is achieved over the whole working waveband, the design requirements of spatial resolution 0.5 mrad and spectral resolution 0.6 nm are satisfied. It is certificated that the optimum-design method proposed in this paper is feasible. This method can be applied in other waveband, and is an instruction method for designing grating-dispersion imaging spectrometers.

Acute treatment of migraine headaches.

PubMed

Taylor, Frederick R

2010-04-01

Optimum acute treatment of migraine requires prevention of headache as a top priority. Recognition of the multitude of migraine presentations, the frequency of total headache attacks, and number of days of headache disability are critical. Successful treatment requires excellent patient-clinician communication enhancing confidence and mutual trust based on patient needs and preferences. Optimum management of acute migraine nearly always requires pharmacologic treatment for rapid resolution. Migraine-specific triptans, dihydroergotamine, and several antiinflammatories have substantial empirical clinical efficacy. Older nonspecific drugs, particularly butalbital and opioids, contribute to medication overuse headache and are to be avoided. Clinicians should utilize evidence-based acute migraine-specific therapy stressing the imperative acute treatment goal of early intervention, but not too often with the correct drug, formulation, and dose. This therapy needs to provide cost-effective fast results, meaningful to the patient while minimizing the need for additional drugs. Migraine-ACT evaluates 2-hour pain freedom with return to normal function, comfort with treatment, and consistency of response. Employ a thoroughly educated patient, formulary, testimonials, stratification, and rational cotherapy against the race to central sensitization for optimum outcomes. Thieme Medical Publishers.

Advanced composites in sailplane structures: Application and mechanical properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muser, D.

1979-01-01

Advanced Composites in sailplanes mean the use of carbon and aramid fibers in an epoxy matrix. Weight savings were in the range of 8 to 18% in comparison with glass fiber structures. The laminates will be produced by hand-layup techniques and all material tests were done with these materials. These values may be used for calculation of strength and stiffness, as well as for comparison of the materials to get a weight-optimum construction. Proposals for material-optimum construction are mentioned.

Fiberglass supports for cryogenic tanks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keller, C. W.

1972-01-01

Analysis, design, fabrication, and test activities were conducted to develop additional technology needed for application of filament-wound fiberglass struts to cryogenic flight tankage. It was conclusively verified that monocoque cylinder or ogive struts are optimum or near-optimum for the range of lengths and loads studied, that a higher strength-to-weight ratio can be achieved for fiberglass struts than for any metallic struts, and that integrally-wrapped metallic end fittings can be used to achieve axial load transfer without reliance on bond strength or mechanical fasteners.

Single-junction solar cells with the optimum band gap for terrestrial concentrator applications

DOEpatents

Wanlass, M.W.

1994-12-27

A single-junction solar cell is described having the ideal band gap for terrestrial concentrator applications. Computer modeling studies of single-junction solar cells have shown that the presence of absorption bands in the direct spectrum has the effect of ''pinning'' the optimum band gap for a wide range of operating conditions at a value of 1.14[+-]0.02 eV. Efficiencies exceeding 30% may be possible at high concentration ratios for devices with the ideal band gap. 7 figures.

Single-junction solar cells with the optimum band gap for terrestrial concentrator applications

DOEpatents

Wanlass, Mark W.

1994-01-01

A single-junction solar cell having the ideal band gap for terrestrial concentrator applications. Computer modeling studies of single-junction solar cells have shown that the presence of absorption bands in the direct spectrum has the effect of "pinning" the optimum band gap for a wide range of operating conditions at a value of 1.14.+-.0.02 eV. Efficiencies exceeding 30% may be possible at high concentration ratios for devices with the ideal band gap.

Phase noise in pulsed Doppler lidar and limitations on achievable single-shot velocity accuracy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcnicholl, P.; Alejandro, S.

1992-01-01

The smaller sampling volumes afforded by Doppler lidars compared to radars allows for spatial resolutions at and below some sheer and turbulence wind structure scale sizes. This has brought new emphasis on achieving the optimum product of wind velocity and range resolutions. Several recent studies have considered the effects of amplitude noise, reduction algorithms, and possible hardware related signal artifacts on obtainable velocity accuracy. We discuss here the limitation on this accuracy resulting from the incoherent nature and finite temporal extent of backscatter from aerosols. For a lidar return from a hard (or slab) target, the phase of the intermediate frequency (IF) signal is random and the total return energy fluctuates from shot to shot due to speckle; however, the offset from the transmitted frequency is determinable with an accuracy subject only to instrumental effects and the signal to noise ratio (SNR), the noise being determined by the LO power in the shot noise limited regime. This is not the case for a return from a media extending over a range on the order of or greater than the spatial extent of the transmitted pulse, such as from atmospheric aerosols. In this case, the phase of the IF signal will exhibit a temporal random walk like behavior. It will be uncorrelated over times greater than the pulse duration as the transmitted pulse samples non-overlapping volumes of scattering centers. Frequency analysis of the IF signal in a window similar to the transmitted pulse envelope will therefore show shot-to-shot frequency deviations on the order of the inverse pulse duration reflecting the random phase rate variations. Like speckle, these deviations arise from the incoherent nature of the scattering process and diminish if the IF signal is averaged over times greater than a single range resolution cell (here the pulse duration). Apart from limiting the high SNR performance of a Doppler lidar, this shot-to-shot variance in velocity estimates has a practical impact on lidar design parameters. In high SNR operation, for example, a lidar's efficiency in obtaining mean wind measurements is determined by its repetition rate and not pulse energy or average power. In addition, this variance puts a practical limit on the shot-to-shot hard target performance required of a lidar.

Free-Ranging Cow Behavior Pre and Post-Weaning

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The optimum husbandry of free-ranging cattle requires not only nutritional knowledge but also an understanding of how to manage and use behavioral information. With the advent of global positioning technology (GPS) it is now possible to monitor animal travel with relative ease over extended periods...

Condition monitoring of Electric Components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaman, Ishtiaque

A universal non-intrusive model of a flexible antenna array is presented in this paper to monitor and identify the failures in electric machines. This adjustable antenna is designed to serve the purpose of condition monitoring of a vast range of electrical components including Induction Motor (IM), Printed Circuit Board (PCB), Synchronous Reluctance Motor (SRM), Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machine (PMSM) etc. by capturing the low frequency magnetic field radiated around these machines. The basic design and specification of the proposed antenna array for low frequency components is portrayed first. The design of the antenna is adjustable to fit for an extensive variety of segments. Subsequent to distinguishing the design and specifications of the antenna, the ideal area of the most delicate stray field has been identified for healthy current streaming around the machineries. Following this, short circuit representing faulty situation has been introduced and compared with the healthy cases. Precision has been found recognizing the faults using this one generic model of Antenna and the results are presented for three different machines i.e. IM, SRM and PMSM. Finite element method has been used to design the antenna and detect the optimum location and faults in the machines. Finally, a 3D Printer is proposed to be employed to build the antenna as per the details tended to in this paper contingent upon the power segments.

An experimental investigation of thermoacoustic lasers operating in audible frequency range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolhe, Sanket Anil

Thermoacoustic lasers convert heat from a high-temperature heat source into acoustic power while rejecting waste heat to a low temperature sink. The working fluids involved can be air or noble gases which are nontoxic and environmentally benign. Simple in construction due to absence of moving parts, thermoacoustic lasers can be employed to achieve generation of electricity at individual homes, water-heating for domestic purposes, and to facilitate space heating and cooling. The possibility of utilizing waste heat or solar energy to run thermoacoustic devices makes them technically promising and economically viable to generate large quantities of acoustic energy. The research presented in this thesis deals with the effects of geometric parameters (stack position, stack length, tube length) associated with a thermoacoustic laser on the output sound wave. The effects of varying input power on acoustic output were also studied. Based on the experiments, optimum operating conditions were identified and qualitative and/or quantitative explanations were provided to justify our observations. It was observed that the maximum sound pressure level was generated for the laser with the stack positioned at a distance of quarter lengths of a resonator from the closed end. Higher sound pressure levels were recorded for the laser with longer stack lengths and longer resonator lengths. Efforts were also made to develop high-frequency thermoacoustic lasers.

Improvement of Current Drive Efficiency in Projected FNSF Discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prater, R.; Chan, V.; Garofalo, A.

2012-10-01

The Fusion Nuclear Science Facility - Advanced Tokamak (FNSF-AT) is envisioned as a facility that uses the tokamak approach to address the development of the AT path to fusion and fusion's energy objectives. It uses copper coils for a compact device with high βN and moderate power gain. The major radius is 2.7 m and central toroidal field is 5.44 T. Achieving the required confinement and stability at βN˜3.7 requires a current profile with negative central shear and qmin>1. Off-axis Electron Cyclotron Current Drive (ECCD), in addition to high bootstrap current fraction, can help support this current profile. Using the applied EC frequency and launch location as free parameters, a systematic study has been carried out to optimize the ECCD in the range ρ= 0.5-0.7. Using a top launch, making use of a large toroidal component to the launch direction, adjusting the vertical launch angle so that the rays propagate nearly parallel to the resonance, and adjusting the frequency for optimum total current give a high dimensionless efficiency of 0.44 for a broad ECCD profile peaked at ρ=0.7, and the driven current is 17 kA/MW for n20= 2.1 and Te= 10.3 keV locally.

Analytical calculation of vibrations of electromagnetic origin in electrical machines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCloskey, Alex; Arrasate, Xabier; Hernández, Xabier; Gómez, Iratxo; Almandoz, Gaizka

2018-01-01

Electrical motors are widely used and are often required to satisfy comfort specifications. Thus, vibration response estimations are necessary to reach optimum machine designs. This work presents an improved analytical model to calculate vibration response of an electrical machine. The stator and windings are modelled as a double circular cylindrical shell. As the stator is a laminated structure, orthotropic properties are applied to it. The values of those material properties are calculated according to the characteristics of the motor and the known material properties taken from previous works. Therefore, the model proposed takes into account the axial direction, so that length is considered, and also the contribution of windings, which differs from one machine to another. These aspects make the model valuable for a wide range of electrical motor types. In order to validate the analytical calculation, natural frequencies are calculated and compared to those obtained by Finite Element Method (FEM), giving relative errors below 10% for several circumferential and axial mode order combinations. It is also validated the analytical vibration calculation with acceleration measurements in a real machine. The comparison shows good agreement for the proposed model, being the most important frequency components in the same magnitude order. A simplified two dimensional model is also applied and the results obtained are not so satisfactory.

Ball Milling Assisted Solvent and Catalyst Free Synthesis of Benzimidazoles and Their Derivatives.

PubMed

El-Sayed, Taghreed H; Aboelnaga, Asmaa; Hagar, Mohamed

2016-08-24

Benzoic acid and o-phenylenediamine efficiently reacted under the green solvent-free Ball Milling method. Several reaction parameters were investigated such as rotation frequency; milling balls weight and milling time. The optimum reaction condition was milling with 56.6 g weight of balls at 20 Hz frequency for one hour milling time. The study was extended for synthesis of a series of benzimidazol-2-one or benzimidazol-2-thione using different aldehydes; carboxylic acids; urea; thiourea or ammonium thiocyanate with o-phenylenediamine. Moreover; the alkylation of benzimidazolone or benzimidazolthione using ethyl chloroacetate was also studied.

Non-linear Post Processing Image Enhancement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunt, Shawn; Lopez, Alex; Torres, Angel

1997-01-01

A non-linear filter for image post processing based on the feedforward Neural Network topology is presented. This study was undertaken to investigate the usefulness of "smart" filters in image post processing. The filter has shown to be useful in recovering high frequencies, such as those lost during the JPEG compression-decompression process. The filtered images have a higher signal to noise ratio, and a higher perceived image quality. Simulation studies comparing the proposed filter with the optimum mean square non-linear filter, showing examples of the high frequency recovery, and the statistical properties of the filter are given,

Experimental on-stream elimination of resonant whirl in a large centrifugal compressor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhat, G. I.; Eierman, R. G.

1984-01-01

Resonant whirl condition during operation of a multi-stage centrifugal compressor at higher than anticipated speeds and loads was reported. The condition was diagnosed by a large scale computerized Machinery Condition Monitoring System (MACMOS). This computerized system verified that the predominant subsynchronous whirl frequency locked in on the first resonant frequency of the compressor rotor and did not vary with compressor speed. Compressor stability calculations showed the rotor system had excessive hearing stiffness and inadequate effective damping. An optimum bearing design which was developed to minimize the unbalance response and to maximize the stability threshold is presented.

Passive Microwave Remote Sensing of Soil Moisture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Njoku, Eni G.; Entekhabi, Dara

1996-01-01

Microwave remote sensing provides a unique capability for direct observation of soil moisture. Remote measurements from space afford the possibility of obtaining frequent, global sampling of soil moisture over a large fraction of the Earth's land surface. Microwave measurements have the benefit of being largely unaffected by cloud cover and variable surface solar illumination, but accurate soil moisture estimates are limited to regions that have either bare soil or low to moderate amounts of vegetation cover. A particular advantage of passive microwave sensors is that in the absence of significant vegetation cover soil moisture is the dominant effect on the received signal. The spatial resolutions of passive Microwave soil moisture sensors currently considered for space operation are in the range 10-20 km. The most useful frequency range for soil moisture sensing is 1-5 GHz. System design considerations include optimum choice of frequencies, polarizations, and scanning configurations, based on trade-offs between requirements for high vegetation penetration capability, freedom from electromagnetic interference, manageable antenna size and complexity, and the requirement that a sufficient number of information channels be available to correct for perturbing geophysical effects. This paper outlines the basic principles of the passive microwave technique for soil moisture sensing, and reviews briefly the status of current retrieval methods. Particularly promising are methods for optimally assimilating passive microwave data into hydrologic models. Further studies are needed to investigate the effects on microwave observations of within-footprint spatial heterogeneity of vegetation cover and subsurface soil characteristics, and to assess the limitations imposed by heterogeneity on the retrievability of large-scale soil moisture information from remote observations.

An automatic frequency control loop using overlapping DFTs (Discrete Fourier Transforms)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aguirre, S.

1988-01-01

An automatic frequency control (AFC) loop is introduced and analyzed in detail. The new scheme is a generalization of the well known Cross Product AFC loop that uses running overlapping discrete Fourier transforms (DFTs) to create a discriminator curve. Linear analysis is included and supported with computer simulations. The algorithm is tested in a low carrier to noise ratio (CNR) dynamic environment, and the probability of loss of lock is estimated via computer simulations. The algorithm discussed is a suboptimum tracking scheme with a larger frequency error variance compared to an optimum strategy, but offers simplicity of implementation and a very low operating threshold CNR. This technique can be applied during the carrier acquisition and re-acquisition process in the Advanced Receiver.

Multi-objective optimization of MOSFETs channel widths and supply voltage in the proposed dual edge-triggered static D flip-flop with minimum average power and delay by using fuzzy non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II.

PubMed

Keivanian, Farshid; Mehrshad, Nasser; Bijari, Abolfazl

2016-01-01

D Flip-Flop as a digital circuit can be used as a timing element in many sophisticated circuits. Therefore the optimum performance with the lowest power consumption and acceptable delay time will be critical issue in electronics circuits. The newly proposed Dual-Edge Triggered Static D Flip-Flop circuit layout is defined as a multi-objective optimization problem. For this, an optimum fuzzy inference system with fuzzy rules is proposed to enhance the performance and convergence of non-dominated sorting Genetic Algorithm-II by adaptive control of the exploration and exploitation parameters. By using proposed Fuzzy NSGA-II algorithm, the more optimum values for MOSFET channel widths and power supply are discovered in search space than ordinary NSGA types. What is more, the design parameters involving NMOS and PMOS channel widths and power supply voltage and the performance parameters including average power consumption and propagation delay time are linked. To do this, the required mathematical backgrounds are presented in this study. The optimum values for the design parameters of MOSFETs channel widths and power supply are discovered. Based on them the power delay product quantity (PDP) is 6.32 PJ at 125 MHz Clock Frequency, L = 0.18 µm, and T = 27 °C.

Delta wing vortex manipulation using pulsed and steady blowing during ramp pitching

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moreira, J.; Johari, H.

1995-01-01

The effectiveness of steady and pulsed blowing as a method of controlling delta wing vortices during ramp pitching has been investigated in flow visualization experiments conducted in a water tunnel. The recessed angled spanwise blowing technique was utilized for vortex manipulation. This technique was implemented on a beveled 60 delta wing using a pair of blowing ports located beneath the vortex core at 40% chord. The flow was injected primarily in the spanwise direction but was also composed of a component normal to the wing surface. The location of vortex burst was measured as a function of blowing intensity and pulsing frequency under static conditions, and the optimum blowing case was applied at three different wing pitching rates. Experimental results have shown that, when the burst location is upstream of the blowing port, pulsed blowing delays vortex breakdown in static and dynamic cases. Dynamic tests verified the existence of a hysteresis effect and demonstrated the improvements offered by pulsed blowing over both steady blowing and no-blowing scenarios. The application of blowing, at the optimum pulsing frequency, made the vortex breakdown location comparable in static and ramp pitch-up conditions.

Studies on Phase Shifting Mechanism in Pulse Tube Cryocooler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padmanabhan; Gurudath, C. S.; Srikanth, Thota; Ambirajan, A.; Basavaraj, SA; Dinesh, Kumar; Venkatarathnam, G.

2017-02-01

Pulse Tube cryocoolers (PTC) are being used extensively in spacecraft for applications such as sensor cooling due to their simple construction and long life owing to a fully passive cold head. Efforts at ISRO to develop a PTC for space use have resulted in a unit with a cooling capacity of 1W at 80K with an input of 45watts. This paper presents the results of a study with this PTC on the phase shifting characteristics of an Inertance tube in conjunction with a reservoir. The aim was to obtain an optimum phase angle between the mass flow (ṁ) and dynamic pressure (\\tilde p) at the PT cold end that results in the largest possible heat lift from this unit. Theoretical model was developed using Phasor Analysis and Transmission Line Model (TLM) for different mass flow and values of optimum frequency and phase angles were predicted. They were compared with experimental data from the PTC for different configurations of the Inertance tube/reservoir at various frequencies and charge pressures. These studies were carried out to characterise an existing cryocooler and design an optimised phase shifter with the aim of improving the performance with respect to specific power input.

Pre-emphasis determination for an S-band constant bandwidth FM/FM station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wallace, G. R.; Salter, W. E.

1972-01-01

Pre-emphasis schedules are given for 11 constant-bandwidth FM subcarriers modulating an S band transmitter at three receiver signal to noise ratios (i.e., 9, 15, and 25 dB). The criterion for establishing these pre-emphasis curves is the achievement, at various receiver intermediate frequency signal to noise ratios, of equal receiver output signal to noise ratios for all channels. It is realized that these curves may not be the optimum pre-emphasis curves based on overall efficiency or maximum utilization of the allotted spectrum, but they are near-optimum for data with channels which require equal output signal to noise ratios, such as spectral densities. The empirically derived results are compared with a simplified, analytically derived schedule and the primary differences are explained. The S band pre-emphasis schedule differs from the lower frequency VHF case. Since most proportional bandwidth and constant bandwidth systems use ground based recorders and some use flight recorders (as the Saturn systems did on VHF proportional bandwidth telemetry), the effects of these recorders are discussed and a modified pre-emphasis schedule is presented showing the results of this study phase.

Experimental demonstration of a frequency-domain Volterra series nonlinear equalizer in polarization-multiplexed transmission.

PubMed

Guiomar, Fernando P; Reis, Jacklyn D; Carena, Andrea; Bosco, Gabriella; Teixeira, António L; Pinto, Armando N

2013-01-14

Employing 100G polarization-multiplexed quaternary phase-shift keying (PM-QPSK) signals, we experimentally demonstrate a dual-polarization Volterra series nonlinear equalizer (VSNE) applied in frequency-domain, to mitigate intra-channel nonlinearities. The performance of the dual-polarization VSNE is assessed in both single-channel and in wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) scenarios, providing direct comparisons with its single-polarization version and with the widely studied back-propagation split-step Fourier (SSF) approach. In single-channel transmission, the optimum power has been increased by about 1 dB, relatively to the single-polarization equalizers, and up to 3 dB over linear equalization, with a corresponding bit error rate (BER) reduction of up to 63% and 85%, respectively. Despite of the impact of inter-channel nonlinearities, we show that intra-channel nonlinear equalization is still able to provide approximately 1 dB improvement in the optimum power and a BER reduction of ~33%, considering a 66 GHz WDM grid. By means of simulation, we demonstrate that the performance of nonlinear equalization can be substantially enhanced if both optical and electrical filtering are optimized, enabling the VSNE technique to outperform its SSF counterpart at high input powers.

[Study on correlation of oxygen consumption rate and suffocation point of Whitmania pigra and Bellamya purificata and optimum way of feeding Whitmania pigra].

PubMed

Li, Meng-Meng; Shi, Hong-Zhuan; Guo, Qiao-Sheng; Wang, Jia; Dai, Dao-Xin

2016-08-01

The oxygen consumption, oxygen consumption rate and suffocation point of different quality Whitmania pigra and Bellamya purificata were determined by hydrostatic breathing room method. The effects of feeding modes on growth of W.pigra were determined by biomass. The results showed that the oxygen consumption correlated positively with the weight of W.pigra and B. purificata（P<0.05）, suffocation point increased with the increases of the weight（P<0.05）.Oxygen consumption correlated negatively with the weight of W. pigra, the oxygen consumption rate of B.purificata first increased and then decreased with the increasing of the weight. Feeding modes had no significant effects on the finial weight, SGR, WGR, death rates of W. pigra. Feeding modes had significant effects on eating ratio. It suggested that the optimum feeding frequency of W. pigra was once every three days. Scientific and reasonable feeding amount of B. purificata should be calculated based on oxygen consumption and suffocation point of W.pigra and B.purificata at every period. Meanwhile, stocking density, water area and water exchanging frequency should be taken into consideration. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Distortion and regulation characterization of a Mapham inverter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sundberg, Richard C.; Brush, Andrew S.; Button, Robert M.; Patterson, Alexander G.

1989-01-01

Output-voltage total harmonic distortion (THD) of a 20-kHz, 6-kVA Mapham resonant inverter is characterized as a function of its switching-to-resonant frequency ratio, f(s)/f(r), using the EASY5 Engineering Analysis System. EASY5 circuit simulation results are compared with hardware test results to verify the accuracy of the simulations. The effects of load on the THD versus f(s)/f(r) is investigated for resistive, leading, and lagging power factor load impedances. The effect of the series output capacitor on the Mapham inverter output-voltage distortion and inherent load regulation is characterized under loads of various power factors and magnitudes. An optimum series capacitor value which improves the inherent load regulation to better than 3 percent is identified. The optimum series capacitor value is different from the value predicted from a modeled frequency domain analysis. An explanation is proposed which takes into account the conduction overlap in the inductor pairs during steady-state inverter operation, which decreases the effective inductance of a Mapham inverter. A fault protection and current limit method is discussed which allows the Mapham inverter to operate into a short circuit, even when the inverter resonant circuit becomes overdamped.

Distortion and regulation characterization of a Mapham inverter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sundberg, Richard C.; Brush, Andrew S.; Button, Robert M.; Patterson, Alexander G.

1989-01-01

Output voltage Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) of a 20kHz, 6kVA Mapham resonant inverter is characterized as a function of its switching-to-resonant frequency ratio, f sub s/f sub r, using the EASY5 engineering analysis system. EASY5 circuit simulation results are compared with hardware test results to verify the accuracy of the simulations. The effects of load on the THD versus f sub s/f sub r ratio is investigated for resistive, leading, and lagging power factor load impedances. The effect of the series output capacitor on the Mapham inverter output voltage distortion and inherent load regulation is characterized under loads of various power factors and magnitudes. An optimum series capacitor value which improves the inherent load regulation to better than 3 percent is identified. The optimum series capacitor value is different than the value predicted from a modeled frequency domain analysis. An explanation is proposed which takes into account the conduction overlap in the inductor pairs during steady-state inverter operation, which decreases the effective inductance of a Mapham inverter. A fault protection and current limit method is discussed which allows the Mapham inverter to operate into a short circuit, even when the inverter resonant circuit becomes overdamped.

Optimum Temperature for Storage of Fruit and Vegetables with Reference to Chilling Injury

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murata, Takao

Cold storage is an important technique for preserving fresh fruit and vegetables. Deterioration due to ripening, senescence and microbiological disease can be retarded by storage at optimum temperature being slightly above the freezing point of tissues of fruit and vegetables. However, some fruit and vegetables having their origins in tropical or subtropical regions of the world are subject to chilling injury during transportation, storage and wholesale distribution at low temperature above freezing point, because they are usually sensitive to low temperature in the range of 15&digC to 0°C. This review will focus on the recent informations regarding chilling injury of fruit and vegetables, and summarize the optimum temperature for transportation and storage of fruit and vegetables in relation to chilling injury.

Tunable Twin Matching Frequency (fm1/fm2) Behavior of Ni1−xZnxFe2O4/NBR Composites over 2–12.4 GHz: A Strategic Material System for Stealth Applications

PubMed Central

Saini, Lokesh; Patra, Manoj Kumar; Jani, Raj Kumar; Gupta, Goutam Kumar; Dixit, Ambesh; Vadera, Sampat Raj

2017-01-01

The gel to carbonate precipitate route has been used for the synthesis of Ni1−xZnxFe2O4 (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75) bulk inverse spinel ferrite powder samples. The optimal zinc (50%) substitution has shown the maximum saturation magnetic moment and resulted into the maximum magnetic loss tangent (tanδm) > −1.2 over the entire 2–10 GHz frequency range with an optimum value ~−1.75 at 6 GHz. Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4- Acrylo-Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) composite samples are prepared at different weight percentage (wt%) of ferrite loading fractions in rubber for microwave absorption evaluation. The 80 wt% loaded Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4/NBR composite (FMAR80) sample has shown two reflection loss (RL) peaks at 5 and 10 GHz. Interestingly, a single peak at 10 GHz for 3.25 mm thickness, can be scaled down to 5 GHz by increasing the thickness up to 4.6 mm. The onset of such twin matching frequencies in FMAR80 composite sample is attributed to the spin resonance relaxation at ~5 GHz (fm1) and destructive interference at λm/4 matched thickness near ~10 GHz (fm2) in these composite systems. These studies suggest the potential of tuning the twin frequencies in Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4/NBR composite samples for possible microwave absorption applications. PMID:28294151

Tunable Twin Matching Frequency (fm1/fm2) Behavior of Ni1-xZnxFe2O4/NBR Composites over 2-12.4 GHz: A Strategic Material System for Stealth Applications.

PubMed

Saini, Lokesh; Patra, Manoj Kumar; Jani, Raj Kumar; Gupta, Goutam Kumar; Dixit, Ambesh; Vadera, Sampat Raj

2017-03-15

The gel to carbonate precipitate route has been used for the synthesis of Ni 1-x Zn x Fe 2 O 4 (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75) bulk inverse spinel ferrite powder samples. The optimal zinc (50%) substitution has shown the maximum saturation magnetic moment and resulted into the maximum magnetic loss tangent (tanδ m ) > -1.2 over the entire 2-10 GHz frequency range with an optimum value ~-1.75 at 6 GHz. Ni 0.5 Zn 0.5 Fe 2 O 4 - Acrylo-Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) composite samples are prepared at different weight percentage (wt%) of ferrite loading fractions in rubber for microwave absorption evaluation. The 80 wt% loaded Ni 0.5 Zn 0.5 Fe 2 O 4 /NBR composite (FMAR80) sample has shown two reflection loss (RL) peaks at 5 and 10 GHz. Interestingly, a single peak at 10 GHz for 3.25 mm thickness, can be scaled down to 5 GHz by increasing the thickness up to 4.6 mm. The onset of such twin matching frequencies in FMAR80 composite sample is attributed to the spin resonance relaxation at ~5 GHz (f m1 ) and destructive interference at λ m /4 matched thickness near ~10 GHz (f m2 ) in these composite systems. These studies suggest the potential of tuning the twin frequencies in Ni 0.5 Zn 0.5 Fe 2 O 4 /NBR composite samples for possible microwave absorption applications.

Tunable Twin Matching Frequency (fm1/fm2) Behavior of Ni1-xZnxFe2O4/NBR Composites over 2-12.4 GHz: A Strategic Material System for Stealth Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saini, Lokesh; Patra, Manoj Kumar; Jani, Raj Kumar; Gupta, Goutam Kumar; Dixit, Ambesh; Vadera, Sampat Raj

2017-03-01

The gel to carbonate precipitate route has been used for the synthesis of Ni1-xZnxFe2O4 (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75) bulk inverse spinel ferrite powder samples. The optimal zinc (50%) substitution has shown the maximum saturation magnetic moment and resulted into the maximum magnetic loss tangent (tanδm) > -1.2 over the entire 2-10 GHz frequency range with an optimum value ~-1.75 at 6 GHz. Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4- Acrylo-Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) composite samples are prepared at different weight percentage (wt%) of ferrite loading fractions in rubber for microwave absorption evaluation. The 80 wt% loaded Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4/NBR composite (FMAR80) sample has shown two reflection loss (RL) peaks at 5 and 10 GHz. Interestingly, a single peak at 10 GHz for 3.25 mm thickness, can be scaled down to 5 GHz by increasing the thickness up to 4.6 mm. The onset of such twin matching frequencies in FMAR80 composite sample is attributed to the spin resonance relaxation at ~5 GHz (fm1) and destructive interference at λm/4 matched thickness near ~10 GHz (fm2) in these composite systems. These studies suggest the potential of tuning the twin frequencies in Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4/NBR composite samples for possible microwave absorption applications.

Activity classification using the GENEA: optimum sampling frequency and number of axes.

PubMed

Zhang, Shaoyan; Murray, Peter; Zillmer, Ruediger; Eston, Roger G; Catt, Michael; Rowlands, Alex V

2012-11-01

The GENEA shows high accuracy for classification of sedentary, household, walking, and running activities when sampling at 80 Hz on three axes. It is not known whether it is possible to decrease this sampling frequency and/or the number of axes without detriment to classification accuracy. The purpose of this study was to compare the classification rate of activities on the basis of data from a single axis, two axes, and three axes, with sampling rates ranging from 5 to 80 Hz. Sixty participants (age, 49.4 yr (6.5 yr); BMI, 24.6 kg·m (3.4 kg·m)) completed 10-12 semistructured activities in the laboratory and outdoor environment while wearing a GENEA accelerometer on the right wrist. We analyzed data from single axis, dual axes, and three axes at sampling rates of 5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 Hz. Mathematical models based on features extracted from mean, SD, fast Fourier transform, and wavelet decomposition were built, which combined one of the numbers of axes with one of the sampling rates to classify activities into sedentary, household, walking, and running. Classification accuracy was high irrespective of the number of axes for data collected at 80 Hz (96.93% ± 0.97%), 40 Hz (97.4% ± 0.73%), 20 Hz (96.86% ± 1.12%), and 10 Hz (97.01% ± 1.01%) but dropped for data collected at 5 Hz (94.98% ± 1.36%). Sampling frequencies >10 Hz and/or more than one axis of measurement were not associated with greater classification accuracy. Lower sampling rates and measurement of a single axis would result in a lower data load, longer battery life, and higher efficiency of data processing. Further research should investigate whether a lower sampling rate and a single axis affects classification accuracy when considering a wider range of activities.

Theoretical modeling and design of photonic structures in zeolite nanocomposites for gas sensing. Part I: surface relief gratings.

PubMed

Cody, D; Naydenova, I

2017-12-01

The suitability of holographic structures fabricated in zeolite nanoparticle-polymer composite materials for gas sensing applications has been investigated. Theoretical modeling of the sensor response (i.e., change in hologram readout due to a change in refractive index modulation or thickness as a result of gas adsorption) of different sensor designs was carried out using Raman-Nath theory and Kogelnik's coupled wave theory. The influence of a range of parameters on the sensor response of holographically recorded surface and volume photonic grating structures has been studied, namely the phase difference between the diffracted and probe beam introduced by the grating, grating geometry, thickness, spatial frequency, reconstruction wavelength, and zeolite nanoparticle refractive index. From this, the optimum fabrication conditions for both surface and volume holographic gas sensor designs have been identified. Here, in part I, results from theoretical modeling of the influence of design on the sensor response of holographically inscribed surface relief structures for gas sensing applications is reported.

Cyclic stretching of soft substrates induces spreading and growth

PubMed Central

Cui, Yidan; Hameed, Feroz M.; Yang, Bo; Lee, Kyunghee; Pan, Catherine Qiurong; Park, Sungsu; Sheetz, Michael

2015-01-01

In the body, soft tissues often undergo cycles of stretching and relaxation that may affect cell behaviour without changing matrix rigidity. To determine whether transient forces can substitute for a rigid matrix, we stretched soft pillar arrays. Surprisingly, 1–5% cyclic stretching over a frequency range of 0.01–10 Hz caused spreading and stress fibre formation (optimum 0.1 Hz) that persisted after 4 h of stretching. Similarly, stretching increased cell growth rates on soft pillars comparative to rigid substrates. Of possible factors linked to fibroblast growth, MRTF-A (myocardin-related transcription factor-A) moved to the nucleus in 2 h of cyclic stretching and reversed on cessation; but YAP (Yes-associated protein) moved much later. Knockdown of either MRTF-A or YAP blocked stretch-dependent growth. Thus, we suggest that the repeated pulling from a soft matrix can substitute for a stiff matrix in stimulating spreading, stress fibre formation and growth. PMID:25704457

Modified linear predictive coding approach for moving target tracking by Doppler radar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Yipeng; Lin, Xiaoyi; Sun, Ke-Hui; Xu, Xue-Mei; Liu, Xi-Yao

2016-07-01

Doppler radar is a cost-effective tool for moving target tracking, which can support a large range of civilian and military applications. A modified linear predictive coding (LPC) approach is proposed to increase the target localization accuracy of the Doppler radar. Based on the time-frequency analysis of the received echo, the proposed approach first real-time estimates the noise statistical parameters and constructs an adaptive filter to intelligently suppress the noise interference. Then, a linear predictive model is applied to extend the available data, which can help improve the resolution of the target localization result. Compared with the traditional LPC method, which empirically decides the extension data length, the proposed approach develops an error array to evaluate the prediction accuracy and thus, adjust the optimum extension data length intelligently. Finally, the prediction error array is superimposed with the predictor output to correct the prediction error. A series of experiments are conducted to illustrate the validity and performance of the proposed techniques.

Effect of annealing temperature on the microstructure and optical-electrical properties of Cu-Al-O thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y. J.; Liu, Z. T.; Zang, D. Y.; Che, X. S.; Feng, L. P.; Bai, X. X.

2013-12-01

We have successfully prepared Cu-Al-O thin films on silicon (100) and quartz substrates by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering method. The as-deposited Cu-Al-O film is amorphous in nature and post-annealing treatment in argon ambience results in crystallization of the films and the formation of CuAlO2. The annealing temperature plays an important role in the surface morphology, phase constitution and preferred growth orientation of CuAlO2 phase, thus affecting the properties of the film. The film annealed at 900 °C is mainly composed of CuAlO2 phase and shows smooth surface morphology with well-defined grain boundaries, thus exhibiting the optimum optical-electrical properties with electrical resistivity being 79.7 Ω·cm at room temperature and optical transmittance being 80% in visible region. The direct optical band gaps of the films are found in the range of 3.3-3.8 eV depending on the annealing temperature.

Variation in sensitivity of large benthic Foraminifera to the combined effects of ocean warming and local impacts.

PubMed

Prazeres, Martina; Roberts, T Edward; Pandolfi, John M

2017-03-23

Large benthic foraminifera (LBF) are crucial marine calcifiers in coral reefs, and sensitive to environmental changes. Yet, many species successfully colonise a wide range of habitats including highly fluctuating environments. We tested the combined effects of ocean warming, local impacts and different light levels on populations of the common LBF Amphistegina lobifera collected along a cross-shelf gradient of temperature and nutrients fluctuations. We analysed survivorship, bleaching frequency, chlorophyll a content and fecundity. Elevated temperature and nitrate significantly reduced survivorship and fecundity of A. lobifera across populations studied. This pattern was exacerbated when combined with below optimum light levels. Inshore populations showed a consistent resistance to increased temperature and nitrate levels, but all populations studied were significantly affected by light reduction. These findings demonstrated the capacity of some populations of LBF to acclimate to local conditions; nonetheless improvements in local water quality can ultimately ameliorate effects of climate change in local LBF populations.

A significant upward shift in plant species optimum elevation during the 20th century.

PubMed

Lenoir, J; Gégout, J C; Marquet, P A; de Ruffray, P; Brisse, H

2008-06-27

Spatial fingerprints of climate change on biotic communities are usually associated with changes in the distribution of species at their latitudinal or altitudinal extremes. By comparing the altitudinal distribution of 171 forest plant species between 1905 and 1985 and 1986 and 2005 along the entire elevation range (0 to 2600 meters above sea level) in west Europe, we show that climate warming has resulted in a significant upward shift in species optimum elevation averaging 29 meters per decade. The shift is larger for species restricted to mountain habitats and for grassy species, which are characterized by faster population turnover. Our study shows that climate change affects the spatial core of the distributional range of plant species, in addition to their distributional margins, as previously reported.

Pulsed Ejector Thrust Amplification Tested and Modeled

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Jack

2004-01-01

There is currently much interest in pulsed detonation engines for aeronautical propulsion. This, in turn, has sparked renewed interest in pulsed ejectors to increase the thrust of such engines, since previous, though limited, research had indicated that pulsed ejectors could double the thrust in a short device. An experiment has been run at the NASA Glenn Research Center, using a shrouded Hartmann-Sprenger tube as a source of pulsed flow, to measure the thrust augmentation of a statistically designed set of ejectors. A Hartmann- Sprenger tube directs the flow from a supersonic nozzle (Mach 2 in the present experiment) into a closed tube. Under appropriate conditions, an oscillation is set up in which the jet flow alternately fills the tube and then spills around flow emerging from the tube. The tube length determines the frequency of oscillation. By shrouding the tube, the flow was directed out of the shroud as an axial stream. The set of ejectors comprised three different ejector lengths, three ejector diameters, and three nose radii. The thrust of the jet alone, and then of the jet plus ejector, was measured using a thrust plate. The arrangement is shown in this photograph. Thrust augmentation is defined as the thrust of the jet with an ejector divided by the thrust of the jet alone. The experiments exhibited an optimum ejector diameter and length for maximizing the thrust augmentation, but little dependence on nose radius. Different frequencies were produced by changing the length of the Hartmann-Sprenger tube, and the experiment was run at a total of four frequencies. Additional measurements showed that the major feature of the pulsed jet was a starting vortex ring. The size of the vortex ring depended on the frequency, as did the optimum ejector diameter.

Regeneration and molecular characterization of an intergeneric hybrid between Graphium putredinis and Trichoderma harzianum by protoplasmic fusion.

PubMed

Savitha, S; Sadhasivam, S; Swaminathan, K

2010-01-01

The fungal strains Graphium putredinis and Trichoderma harzianum were selected as parents for fusant development. Protoplasts were isolated using the combination of lysing enzymes Novozym 234 and cellulase with 0.6M KCl as osmotic stabilizer. The optimum conditions for release of viable protoplasts from the fungal mycelium viz. age of the mycelium, lytic enzymes, osmotic stabilizers, pH, incubation period and regeneration medium were determined. Intergeneric protoplast fusion was carried out using 50% polyethylene glycol with calcium chloride (CaCl(2)) and glycine buffer and the conditions for effective protoplast fusion, viz. fusogen, osmotic stabilizer, pH, incubation period and regeneration medium were optimized. At optimum conditions, the regeneration frequency of the fused protoplasts on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium and fusion frequency were calculated. The regeneration frequency on non-selective (PDA) and selective media (PDA amended with starch) was determined for the parental and fusant strains in which, fusant showed a higher rate of regeneration. Fusant formation was confirmed by morphological markers (colony morphology and spore size and shape) and genetical markers like, mycelial protein pattern, restriction digestion pattern and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. The efficiency of these parental strains and their intergeneric fusant in the production of hydrolytic enzymes - amylases (treatment plant for sago factory effluent), cellulases (bioethanol), xylanases (bleaching agents for waste paper pulp) and proteases (additives in commercial detergents) - have probable applications in various industrial processes. (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Optimum data analysis procedures for Titan 4 and Space Shuttle payload acoustic measurements during lift-off

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Piersol, Allan G.

1991-01-01

Analytical expressions have been derived to describe the mean square error in the estimation of the maximum rms value computed from a step-wise (or running) time average of a nonstationary random signal. These analytical expressions have been applied to the problem of selecting the optimum averaging times that will minimize the total mean square errors in estimates of the maximum sound pressure levels measured inside the Titan IV payload fairing (PLF) and the Space Shuttle payload bay (PLB) during lift-off. Based on evaluations of typical Titan IV and Space Shuttle launch data, it has been determined that the optimum averaging times for computing the maximum levels are (1) T (sub o) = 1.14 sec for the maximum overall level, and T(sub oi) = 4.88 f (sub i) (exp -0.2) sec for the maximum 1/3 octave band levels inside the Titan IV PLF, and (2) T (sub o) = 1.65 sec for the maximum overall level, and T (sub oi) = 7.10 f (sub i) (exp -0.2) sec for the maximum 1/3 octave band levels inside the Space Shuttle PLB, where f (sub i) is the 1/3 octave band center frequency. However, the results for both vehicles indicate that the total rms error in the maximum level estimates will be within 25 percent the minimum error for all averaging times within plus or minus 50 percent of the optimum averaging time, so a precise selection of the exact optimum averaging time is not critical. Based on these results, linear averaging times (T) are recommended for computing the maximum sound pressure level during lift-off.

Light cone effect on the reionization 21-cm signal - II. Evolution, anisotropies and observational implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Datta, Kanan K.; Jensen, Hannes; Majumdar, Suman; Mellema, Garrelt; Iliev, Ilian T.; Mao, Yi; Shapiro, Paul R.; Ahn, Kyungjin

2014-08-01

Measurements of the H I 21-cm power spectra from the reionization epoch will be influenced by the evolution of the signal along the line-of-sight direction of any observed volume. We use numerical as well as seminumerical simulations of reionization in a cubic volume of 607 Mpc across to study this so-called light-cone effect on the H I 21-cm power spectrum. We find that the light-cone effect has the largest impact at two different stages of reionization: one when reionization is ˜20 per cent and other when it is ˜80 per cent completed. We find a factor of ˜4 amplification of the power spectrum at the largest scale available in our simulations. We do not find any significant anisotropy in the 21-cm power spectrum due to the light-cone effect. We argue that for the power spectrum to become anisotropic, the light-cone effect would have to make the ionized bubbles significantly elongated or compressed along the line of sight, which would require extreme reionization scenarios. We also calculate the two-point correlation functions parallel and perpendicular to the line of sight and find them to differ. Finally, we calculate an optimum frequency bandwidth below which the light-cone effect can be neglected when extracting power spectra from observations. We find that if one is willing to accept a 10 per cent error due to the light-cone effect, the optimum frequency bandwidth for k = 0.056 Mpc-1 is ˜7.5 MHz. For k = 0.15 and 0.41 Mpc-1, the optimum bandwidth is ˜11 and ˜16 MHz, respectively.

Kinetic approach to the study of froth flotation applied to a lepidolite ore

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vieceli, Nathália; Durão, Fernando O.; Guimarães, Carlos; Nogueira, Carlos A.; Pereira, Manuel F. C.; Margarido, Fernanda

2016-07-01

The number of published studies related to the optimization of lithium extraction from low-grade ores has increased as the demand for lithium has grown. However, no study related to the kinetics of the concentration stage of lithium-containing minerals by froth flotation has yet been reported. To establish a factorial design of batch flotation experiments, we conducted a set of kinetic tests to determine the most selective alternative collector, define a range of pulp pH values, and estimate a near-optimum flotation time. Both collectors (Aeromine 3000C and Armeen 12D) provided the required flotation selectivity, although this selectivity was lost in the case of pulp pH values outside the range between 2 and 4. Cumulative mineral recovery curves were used to adjust a classical kinetic model that was modified with a non-negative parameter representing a delay time. The computation of the near-optimum flotation time as the maximizer of a separation efficiency (SE) function must be performed with caution. We instead propose to define the near-optimum flotation time as the time interval required to achieve 95%-99% of the maximum value of the SE function.

Comparison of COD removal from pharmaceutical wastewater by electrocoagulation, photoelectrocoagulation, peroxi-electrocoagulation and peroxi-photoelectrocoagulation processes.

PubMed

Farhadi, Sajjad; Aminzadeh, Behnoush; Torabian, Ali; Khatibikamal, Vahid; Alizadeh Fard, Mohammad

2012-06-15

This work makes a comparison between electrocoagulation (EC), photoelectrocoagulation, peroxi-electrocoagulation and peroxi-photoelectrocoagulation processes to investigate the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) from pharmaceutical wastewater. The effects of operational parameters such as initial pH, current density, applied voltage, amount of hydrogen peroxide and electrolysis time on COD removal efficiency were investigated and the optimum operating range for each of these operating variables was experimentally determined. In electrocoagulation process, the optimum values of pH and voltage were determined to be 7 and 40 V, respectively. Desired pH and hydrogen peroxide concentration in the Fenton-based processes were found to be 3 and 300 mg/L, respectively. The amounts of COD, pH, electrical conductivity, temperature and total dissolved solids (TDS) were on-line monitored. Results indicated that under the optimum operating range for each process, the COD removal efficiency was in order of peroxi-electrocoagulation > peroxi-photoelectrocoagulation > photoelectrocoagulation>electrocoagulation. Finally, a kinetic study was carried out using the linear pseudo-second-order model and results showed that the pseudo-second-order equation provided the best correlation for the COD removal rate. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hydrogeophysical investigation of groundwater potential and aquifer vulnerability prediction in basement complex terrain - A case study from Akure, Southwestern Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akinrinade, Opeyemi J.; Adesina, Rasheed B.

2016-06-01

This study provides a model for the prediction of groundwater potential and vulnerability of basement aquifers in parts of Akure, Southwestern Nigeria. Hydrogeophysical surveys involving very-low-frequency electromagnetic (VLF-EM) profiling and electrical resistivity (ER) sounding, as well as evaluation of hydraulic gradient using three-point method, were carried out. Ten VLF-EM reconnaissance survey traverses, with lengths ranging from 55 m to 75 m, at 10 m station separation, and 12 vertical electrical sounding (VES) stations were occupied. Two-dimensional map of the filtered real component reveals areas of high conductivity, indicative of linear features that can serve as a reservoir or conduit for fluid flow. Interpretation of the VES results delineates three to four geoelectric units. Two aquifer zones were identified, with resistivity values in the ranges of 20 Ωm to 310 Ωm and 100 Ωm to 3,000 Ω m, respectively. Transverse resistance, longitudinal conductance, coefficient of anisotropy and hydraulic gradient have values ranging from 318.2 Ωm2 to 1,041.8 Ωm2, 0.11 mhos to 0.39 mhos, 1.04 to 1.74 and 0.017 to 0.05, respectively. The results of this study identified two prospective borehole locations and the optimum position to site the proposed septic system, based on the aquifer's protective capacity and groundwater flow properties.

Determining the Optimum Power Load in Jump Squat Using the Mean Propulsive Velocity

PubMed Central

Loturco, Irineu; Nakamura, Fabio Yuzo; Tricoli, Valmor; Kobal, Ronaldo; Cal Abad, Cesar Cavinato; Kitamura, Katia; Ugrinowitsch, Carlos; Gil, Saulo; Pereira, Lucas Adriano; González-Badillo, Juan José

2015-01-01

The jump squat is one of the exercises most frequently used to improve lower body power production, which influences sports performance. However, the traditional determination of the specific workload at which power production is maximized (i.e., optimum power load) is time-consuming and requires one-repetition maximum tests. Therefore, the aim of this study was to verify whether elite athletes from different sports would produce maximum mean propulsive power values at a narrow range of mean propulsive velocities, resulting in similar jump heights. One hundred and nine elite athletes from several individual/team sport disciplines underwent repetitions at maximal velocity with progressive loads, starting at 40% of their body mass with increments of 10% to determine the individual optimum power zone. Results indicated that regardless of sport discipline, the athletes’ optimum mean propulsive power was achieved at a mean propulsive velocity close to 1.0 m.s−1 (1.01 ± 0.07 m.s−1) and at a jump height close to 20 cm (20.47 ± 1.42 cm). Data were narrowly scattered around these values. Therefore, jump squat optimum power load can be determined simply by means of mean propulsive velocity or jump height determination in training/testing settings, allowing it to be implemented quickly in strength/power training. PMID:26444293

Simple programmable voltage reference for low frequency noise measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanov, V. E.; Chye, En Un

2018-05-01

The paper presents a circuit design of a low-noise voltage reference based on an electric double-layer capacitor, a microcontroller and a general purpose DAC. A large capacitance value (1F and more) makes it possible to create low-pass filter with a large time constant, effectively reducing low-frequency noise beyond its bandwidth. Choosing the optimum value of the resistor in the RC filter, one can achieve the best ratio between the transient time, the deviation of the output voltage from the set point and the minimum noise cut-off frequency. As experiments have shown, the spectral density of the voltage at a frequency of 1 kHz does not exceed 1.2 nV/√Hz the maximum deviation of the output voltage from the predetermined does not exceed 1.4 % and depends on the holding time of the previous value. Subsequently, this error is reduced to a constant value and can be compensated.

Optimizing an Actuator Array for the Control of Multi-Frequency Noise in Aircraft Interiors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palumbo, D. L.; Padula, S. L.

1997-01-01

Techniques developed for selecting an optimized actuator array for interior noise reduction at a single frequency are extended to the multi-frequency case. Transfer functions for 64 actuators were obtained at 5 frequencies from ground testing the rear section of a fully trimmed DC-9 fuselage. A single loudspeaker facing the left side of the aircraft was the primary source. A combinatorial search procedure (tabu search) was employed to find optimum actuator subsets of from 2 to 16 actuators. Noise reduction predictions derived from the transfer functions were used as a basis for evaluating actuator subsets during optimization. Results indicate that it is necessary to constrain actuator forces during optimization. Unconstrained optimizations selected actuators which require unrealistically large forces. Two methods of constraint are evaluated. It is shown that a fast, but approximate, method yields results equivalent to an accurate, but computationally expensive, method.

Application of nomographs for analysis and prediction of receiver spurious response EMI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heather, F. W.

1985-07-01

Spurious response EMI for the front end of a superheterodyne receiver follows a simple mathematic formula; however, the application of the formula to predict test frequencies produces more data than can be evaluated. An analysis technique has been developed to graphically depict all receiver spurious responses usig a nomograph and to permit selection of optimum test frequencies. The discussion includes the math model used to simulate a superheterodyne receiver, the implementation of the model in the computer program, the approach to test frequency selection, interpretation of the nomographs, analysis and prediction of receiver spurious response EMI from the nomographs, and application of the nomographs. In addition, figures are provided of sample applications. This EMI analysis and prediction technique greatly improves the Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) test engineer's ability to visualize the scope of receiver spurious response EMI testing and optimize test frequency selection.

AFETR Instrumentation Handbook

DTIC Science & Technology

1971-09-01

of time. From this, vehicle velocity and acceleration can be computed. LOCATION Three Askanias are mobile and may be located at selected universal...Being mobile , these cinetheodolites may be placed for optimum launch coverage. Preprogrammed focusing is provided for automatic focus from 2000 and 8000...console trailer. IR (lead sulfide sensor ) Automatic Tracking System with 1 to 20 miles range. Elevation range: -10 deg to +90 deg Azimuth range: 350

Quantum illumination for enhanced detection of Rayleigh-fading targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuang, Quntao; Zhang, Zheshen; Shapiro, Jeffrey H.

2017-08-01

Quantum illumination (QI) is an entanglement-enhanced sensing system whose performance advantage over a comparable classical system survives its usage in an entanglement-breaking scenario plagued by loss and noise. In particular, QI's error-probability exponent for discriminating between equally likely hypotheses of target absence or presence is 6 dB higher than that of the optimum classical system using the same transmitted power. This performance advantage, however, presumes that the target return, when present, has known amplitude and phase, a situation that seldom occurs in light detection and ranging (lidar) applications. At lidar wavelengths, most target surfaces are sufficiently rough that their returns are speckled, i.e., they have Rayleigh-distributed amplitudes and uniformly distributed phases. QI's optical parametric amplifier receiver—which affords a 3 dB better-than-classical error-probability exponent for a return with known amplitude and phase—fails to offer any performance gain for Rayleigh-fading targets. We show that the sum-frequency generation receiver [Zhuang et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 040801 (2017), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.040801]—whose error-probability exponent for a nonfading target achieves QI's full 6 dB advantage over optimum classical operation—outperforms the classical system for Rayleigh-fading targets. In this case, QI's advantage is subexponential: its error probability is lower than the classical system's by a factor of 1 /ln(M κ ¯NS/NB) , when M κ ¯NS/NB≫1 , with M ≫1 being the QI transmitter's time-bandwidth product, NS≪1 its brightness, κ ¯ the target return's average intensity, and NB the background light's brightness.

Paleobotanical Evidence for Coupling of Temperature and pCO2 during the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, R. Y.; Greenwood, D. R.; Basinger, J. F.

2009-12-01

The Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO) was the warmest period of the Cenozoic, indicated by multiple proxy mean annual temperature estimates for sea and land surface. However, estimates of pCO2 from geochemical, modeling, and paleontological proxies show a wide range of values, from near modern day levels to an order of magnitude greater. Resolving the pCO2 record for this time period, and correlating it with trends in temperature, is a key task in understanding the interaction of climate and pCO2 in globally warm periods. Here we present a fine scale study of trends in temperature and pCO2 based on paleobotanical data from an early Eocene site from the Okanagan Highlands of British Columbia, Canada. Plant macrofossils were collected using an unbiased census approach from three informal units, allowing for quantitative comparison of trends within the site. Temperature estimates derived from multiple paleobotanical techniques (physiognomic and floristic approaches) suggest microthermal (MAT <13°C) but equable (CMMT >0°C) conditions for this upland site, and show a trend in declining MAT over time reflected in the three units. At the same time, stomatal frequency of Ginkgo suggests that pCO2 was high (>2x modern values), but also declining over time. These results suggest that temperature and pCO2 were coupled during this globally warm period, and that fine scale trends on the order of 103 - 104 years can be tracked within fossil sites to provide a window on climate/pCO2 interactions.

Wide bandwidth phase-locked loop circuit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koudelka, Robert David (Inventor)

2005-01-01

A PLL circuit uses a multiple frequency range PLL in order to phase lock input signals having a wide range of frequencies. The PLL includes a VCO capable of operating in multiple different frequency ranges and a divider bank independently configurable to divide the output of the VCO. A frequency detector detects a frequency of the input signal and a frequency selector selects an appropriate frequency range for the PLL. The frequency selector automatically switches the PLL to a different frequency range as needed in response to a change in the input signal frequency. Frequency range hysteresis is implemented to avoid operating the PLL near a frequency range boundary.

A class of optimum digital phase locked loops for the DSN advanced receiver

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hurd, W. J.; Kumar, R.

1985-01-01

A class of optimum digital filters for digital phase locked loop of the deep space network advanced receiver is discussed. The filter minimizes a weighted combination of the variance of the random component of the phase error and the sum square of the deterministic dynamic component of phase error at the output of the numerically controlled oscillator (NCO). By varying the weighting coefficient over a suitable range of values, a wide set of filters are obtained such that, for any specified value of the equivalent loop-noise bandwidth, there corresponds a unique filter in this class. This filter thus has the property of having the best transient response over all possible filters of the same bandwidth and type. The optimum filters are also evaluated in terms of their gain margin for stability and their steady-state error performance.

Haladaptatus pallidirubidus sp. nov., a halophilic archaeon isolated from saline soil samples in Yunnan and Xinjiang, China.

PubMed

Liu, Bing-Bing; Zhao, Wan-Yu; Chu, Xiao; Hozzein, Wael N; Prabhu, Deene Manik; Wadaan, Mohammed A M; Tang, Shu-Kun; Zhang, Li-Li; Li, Wen-Jun

2014-11-01

Two extremely halophilic archaea, designated YIM 90917 and YIM 93656(T), were isolated from saline soils in Yunnan province and Lup nur region in Xinjiang province, western China, respectively. Colonies of the two strains were observed to be pink-pigmented. The cells were found to be Gram-stain negative, coccoid and non-motile. The organisms were found to be aerobic and could grow in an NaCl range of 6-35 % (optimum 18 %), temperatures ranging from 25 to 50 °C (optimum 37-42 °C), pH range from 6.0-8.5 (optimum pH 7.0-7.5) and Mg(2+) range from 0 to 1.5 M (optimum 0.5-1.0 M); Mg(2+) was not necessary for growth. Cells were not observed to lyse in distilled water. Strains YIM 90917 and YIM 93656(T) showed the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to Haladaptatus cibarius JCM 15962(T) (97.6 and 97.9 %, respectively). In addition, the DNA-DNA hybridizations of strains YIM 90917 and YIM 93656(T) with type strains H. cibarius JCM 15962(T), Haladaptatus litoreus JCM 15771(T) and Haladaptatus paucihalophilus JCM 13897(T) were 37.2 and 38.2 %, 36.6 and 39.0 % and 27.9 and 27.7 %, respectively. The DNA G+C contents of strains YIM 90917 and YIM 93656(T) were determined to be 56.0 and 57.4 mol%. The major polar lipids of the two strains were identified as phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol phosphate methyl ester, phosphatidylglycerol sulfate, sulfated mannosyl glucosyl diether and other four unidentified glycolipids. On the basis of physiological, chemotaxonomic data and phylogenetic analysis, the strains YIM 90917 and YIM 93656(T) can be classified as a novel species of the genus Haladaptatus, for which the name Haladaptatus pallidirubidus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM 93656(T) (=JCM 17504(T) = CCTCC AB2010454(T)).

Frequency domain laser velocimeter signal processor: A new signal processing scheme

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyers, James F.; Clemmons, James I., Jr.

1987-01-01

A new scheme for processing signals from laser velocimeter systems is described. The technique utilizes the capabilities of advanced digital electronics to yield a smart instrument that is able to configure itself, based on the characteristics of the input signals, for optimum measurement accuracy. The signal processor is composed of a high-speed 2-bit transient recorder for signal capture and a combination of adaptive digital filters with energy and/or zero crossing detection signal processing. The system is designed to accept signals with frequencies up to 100 MHz with standard deviations up to 20 percent of the average signal frequency. Results from comparative simulation studies indicate measurement accuracies 2.5 times better than with a high-speed burst counter, from signals with as few as 150 photons per burst.

Extension of vibrational power flow techniques to two-dimensional structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cuschieri, Joseph M.

1988-01-01

In the analysis of the vibration response and structure-borne vibration transmission between elements of a complex structure, statistical energy analysis (SEA) or finite element analysis (FEA) are generally used. However, an alternative method is using vibrational power flow techniques which can be especially useful in the mid frequencies between the optimum frequency regimes for SEA and FEA. Power flow analysis has in general been used on 1-D beam-like structures or between structures with point joints. In this paper, the power flow technique is extended to 2-D plate-like structures joined along a common edge without frequency or spatial averaging the results, such that the resonant response of the structure is determined. The power flow results are compared to results obtained using FEA results at low frequencies and SEA at high frequencies. The agreement with FEA results is good but the power flow technique has an improved computational efficiency. Compared to the SEA results the power flow results show a closer representation of the actual response of the structure.

Extension of vibrational power flow techniques to two-dimensional structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cuschieri, J. M.

1987-01-01

In the analysis of the vibration response and structure-borne vibration transmission between elements of a complex structure, statistical energy analysis (SEA) or Finite Element Analysis (FEA) are generally used. However, an alternative method is using vibrational power flow techniques which can be especially useful in the mid- frequencies between the optimum frequency regimes for FEA and SEA. Power flow analysis has in general been used on one-dimensional beam-like structures or between structures with point joints. In this paper, the power flow technique is extended to two-dimensional plate like structures joined along a common edge without frequency or spatial averaging the results, such that the resonant response of the structure is determined. The power flow results are compared to results obtained using FEA at low frequencies and SEA at high frequencies. The agreement with FEA results is good but the power flow technique has an improved computational efficiency. Compared to the SEA results the power flow results show a closer representation of the actual response of the structure.

Sensing and Control Electronics for Low-Mass Low-Capacitance MEMS Accelerometers

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-05-01

R . Lewis (Analog Devices, Inc.) Spring 2002 Report Documentation Page Form ApprovedOMB No. 0704-0188 Public...10 −4 10 −3 Minimum noise floor vs frequency Frequency (Hz) N o is e F lo o r (g / r tH z) 10 4 10 5 10 6 10 7 10 8 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Optimum...N o is e F lo o r (u g / r tH z) Noise floor vs channel width at 100 KHz 10 1 10 2 10 3 15 20 25 30 35 40 MOSFET Channel Width (um) N o is e F lo

Probe-fed semi circular microstrip antenna vis-à-vis circular microstrip antenna: a necessary revisit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, S. K.; Varshney, S. K.; Chakraborty, S.; Singh, L. L. K.; Chattopadhyay, S.

2018-03-01

Microstrip patch antenna of semicircular geometry has been investigated in view of miniaturization of conventional circular geometry. The precise operating frequency of the semicircular microstrip patch antenna is the most significant parameter to be determined in order to design such antenna system to achieve the optimum performance. In the present investigation an improved formulation is presented for accurate determination of the resonant frequency of semicircular patch. Also, the radiation property of such patch is thoroughly investigated. Through comparisons are documented amongst the circular and semicircular patches. It is revealed that, the semicircular patch offers more better radiation performance compared to circular.

Supercontinuum optimization for dual-soliton based light sources using genetic algorithms in a grid platform.

PubMed

Arteaga-Sierra, F R; Milián, C; Torres-Gómez, I; Torres-Cisneros, M; Moltó, G; Ferrando, A

2014-09-22

We present a numerical strategy to design fiber based dual pulse light sources exhibiting two predefined spectral peaks in the anomalous group velocity dispersion regime. The frequency conversion is based on the soliton fission and soliton self-frequency shift occurring during supercontinuum generation. The optimization process is carried out by a genetic algorithm that provides the optimum input pulse parameters: wavelength, temporal width and peak power. This algorithm is implemented in a Grid platform in order to take advantage of distributed computing. These results are useful for optical coherence tomography applications where bell-shaped pulses located in the second near-infrared window are needed.

Effect of an InxGa1-xAs-GaAs blocking heterocathode metal contact on the GaAs TED operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arkusha, Yu. V.; Prokhorov, E. D.; Storozhenko, I. P.

2004-09-01

The frequency dependence of the generation efficiency of an mm- -nn:In:InxGaGa1-1-xAs- As-nn:GaAs-:GaAs-nn++:GaAs TED with the 2.5-mm long active region is calculated. The optimum values - which yield the diode maximum generation efficiency - for the :GaAs TED with the 2.5-mm long active region is calculated. The optimum values - which yield the diode maximum generation efficiency - for the nn:In:InxGaGa1-1-xAs cathode length, the cathode concentration of ionized impurities, and the height of the potential barrier on metal contact are determined.As cathode length, the cathode concentration of ionized impurities, and the height of the potential barrier on metal contact are determined.

Impact of speech presentation level on cognitive task performance: implications for auditory display design.

PubMed

Baldwin, Carryl L; Struckman-Johnson, David

2002-01-15

Speech displays and verbal response technologies are increasingly being used in complex, high workload environments that require the simultaneous performance of visual and manual tasks. Examples of such environments include the flight decks of modern aircraft, advanced transport telematics systems providing invehicle route guidance and navigational information and mobile communication equipment in emergency and public safety vehicles. Previous research has established an optimum range for speech intelligibility. However, the potential for variations in presentation levels within this range to affect attentional resources and cognitive processing of speech material has not been examined previously. Results of the current experimental investigation demonstrate that as presentation level increases within this 'optimum' range, participants in high workload situations make fewer sentence-processing errors and generally respond faster. Processing errors were more sensitive to changes in presentation level than were measures of reaction time. Implications of these findings are discussed in terms of their application for the design of speech communications displays in complex multi-task environments.

Inversion of multi-frequency electromagnetic induction data for 3D characterization of hydraulic conductivity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brosten, Troy R.; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Schultz, Gregory M.; Curtis, Gary P.; Lane, John W.

2011-01-01

Electromagnetic induction (EMI) instruments provide rapid, noninvasive, and spatially dense data for characterization of soil and groundwater properties. Data from multi-frequency EMI tools can be inverted to provide quantitative electrical conductivity estimates as a function of depth. In this study, multi-frequency EMI data collected across an abandoned uranium mill site near Naturita, Colorado, USA, are inverted to produce vertical distribution of electrical conductivity (EC) across the site. The relation between measured apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) and hydraulic conductivity (K) is weak (correlation coefficient of 0.20), whereas the correlation between the depth dependent EC obtained from the inversions, and K is sufficiently strong to be used for hydrologic estimation (correlation coefficient of − 0.62). Depth-specific EC values were correlated with co-located K measurements to develop a site-specific ln(EC)–ln(K) relation. This petrophysical relation was applied to produce a spatially detailed map of K across the study area. A synthetic example based on ECa values at the site was used to assess model resolution and correlation loss given variations in depth and/or measurement error. Results from synthetic modeling indicate that optimum correlation with K occurs at ~ 0.5 m followed by a gradual correlation loss of 90% at 2.3 m. These results are consistent with an analysis of depth of investigation (DOI) given the range of frequencies, transmitter–receiver separation, and measurement errors for the field data. DOIs were estimated at 2.0 ± 0.5 m depending on the soil conductivities. A 4-layer model, with varying thicknesses, was used to invert the ECa to maximize available information within the aquifer region for improved correlations with K. Results show improved correlation between K and the corresponding inverted EC at similar depths, underscoring the importance of inversion in using multi-frequency EMI data for hydrologic estimation.

Inversion of multi-frequency electromagnetic induction data for 3D characterization of hydraulic conductivity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brosten, T.R.; Day-Lewis, F. D.; Schultz, G.M.; Curtis, G.P.; Lane, J.W.

2011-01-01

Electromagnetic induction (EMI) instruments provide rapid, noninvasive, and spatially dense data for characterization of soil and groundwater properties. Data from multi-frequency EMI tools can be inverted to provide quantitative electrical conductivity estimates as a function of depth. In this study, multi-frequency EMI data collected across an abandoned uranium mill site near Naturita, Colorado, USA, are inverted to produce vertical distribution of electrical conductivity (EC) across the site. The relation between measured apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) and hydraulic conductivity (K) is weak (correlation coefficient of 0.20), whereas the correlation between the depth dependent EC obtained from the inversions, and K is sufficiently strong to be used for hydrologic estimation (correlation coefficient of -0.62). Depth-specific EC values were correlated with co-located K measurements to develop a site-specific ln(EC)-ln(K) relation. This petrophysical relation was applied to produce a spatially detailed map of K across the study area. A synthetic example based on ECa values at the site was used to assess model resolution and correlation loss given variations in depth and/or measurement error. Results from synthetic modeling indicate that optimum correlation with K occurs at ~0.5m followed by a gradual correlation loss of 90% at 2.3m. These results are consistent with an analysis of depth of investigation (DOI) given the range of frequencies, transmitter-receiver separation, and measurement errors for the field data. DOIs were estimated at 2.0??0.5m depending on the soil conductivities. A 4-layer model, with varying thicknesses, was used to invert the ECa to maximize available information within the aquifer region for improved correlations with K. Results show improved correlation between K and the corresponding inverted EC at similar depths, underscoring the importance of inversion in using multi-frequency EMI data for hydrologic estimation. ?? 2011.

Investigating the Effect of Recruitment Variability on Length-Based Recruitment Indices for Antarctic Krill Using an Individual-Based Population Dynamics Model

PubMed Central

Thanassekos, Stéphane; Cox, Martin J.; Reid, Keith

2014-01-01

Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba; herein krill) is monitored as part of an on-going fisheries observer program that collects length-frequency data. A krill feedback management programme is currently being developed, and as part of this development, the utility of data-derived indices describing population level processes is being assessed. To date, however, little work has been carried out on the selection of optimum recruitment indices and it has not been possible to assess the performance of length-based recruitment indices across a range of recruitment variability. Neither has there been an assessment of uncertainty in the relationship between an index and the actual level of recruitment. Thus, until now, it has not been possible to take into account recruitment index uncertainty in krill stock management or when investigating relationships between recruitment and environmental drivers. Using length-frequency samples from a simulated population – where recruitment is known – the performance of six potential length-based recruitment indices is assessed, by exploring the index-to-recruitment relationship under increasing levels of recruitment variability (from ±10% to ±100% around a mean annual recruitment). The annual minimum of the proportion of individuals smaller than 40 mm (F40 min, %) was selected because it had the most robust index-to-recruitment relationship across differing levels of recruitment variability. The relationship was curvilinear and best described by a power law. Model uncertainty was described using the 95% prediction intervals, which were used to calculate coverage probabilities and assess model performance. Despite being the optimum recruitment index, the performance of F40 min degraded under high (>50%) recruitment variability. Due to the persistence of cohorts in the population over several years, the inclusion of F40 min values from preceding years in the relationship used to estimate recruitment in a given year improved its accuracy (mean bias reduction of 8.3% when including three F40 min values under a recruitment variability of 60%). PMID:25470296

Discovery and characterization of ionic liquid-tolerant thermophilic cellulases from a switchgrass-adapted microbial community.

PubMed

Gladden, John M; Park, Joshua I; Bergmann, Jessica; Reyes-Ortiz, Vimalier; D'haeseleer, Patrik; Quirino, Betania F; Sale, Kenneth L; Simmons, Blake A; Singer, Steven W

2014-01-29

The development of advanced biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass will require the use of both efficient pretreatment methods and new biomass-deconstructing enzyme cocktails to generate sugars from lignocellulosic substrates. Certain ionic liquids (ILs) have emerged as a promising class of compounds for biomass pretreatment and have been demonstrated to reduce the recalcitrance of biomass for enzymatic hydrolysis. However, current commercial cellulase cocktails are strongly inhibited by most of the ILs that are effective biomass pretreatment solvents. Fortunately, recent research has shown that IL-tolerant cocktails can be formulated and are functional on lignocellulosic biomass. This study sought to expand the list of known IL-tolerant cellulases to further enable IL-tolerant cocktail development by developing a combined in vitro/in vivo screening pipeline for metagenome-derived genes. Thirty-seven predicted cellulases derived from a thermophilic switchgrass-adapted microbial community were screened in this study. Eighteen of the twenty-one enzymes that expressed well in E. coli were active in the presence of the IL 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C2mim][OAc]) concentrations of at least 10% (v/v), with several retaining activity in the presence of 40% (v/v), which is currently the highest reported tolerance to [C2mim][OAc] for any cellulase. In addition, the optimum temperatures of the enzymes ranged from 45 to 95°C and the pH optimum ranged from 5.5 to 7.5, indicating these enzymes can be used to construct cellulase cocktails that function under a broad range of temperature, pH and IL concentrations. This study characterized in detail twenty-one cellulose-degrading enzymes derived from a thermophilic microbial community and found that 70% of them were [C2mim][OAc]-tolerant. A comparison of optimum temperature and [C2mim][OAc]-tolerance demonstrates that a positive correlation exists between these properties for those enzymes with a optimum temperature >70°C, further strengthening the link between thermotolerance and IL-tolerance for lignocelluolytic glycoside hydrolases.

The Influence of Current Density and Magnetic Field Topography in Optimizing the Performance, Divergence, and Plasma Oscillations of High Specific Impulse Hall Thrusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hofer, Richard R.; Jankovsky, Robert S.

2003-01-01

Recent studies of xenon Hall thrusters have shown peak efficiencies at specific impulses of less than 3000 s. This was a consequence of modern Hall thruster magnetic field topographies, which have been optimized for 300 V discharges. On-going research at the NASA Glenn Research Center is investigating this behavior and methods to enhance thruster performance. To conduct these studies, a laboratory model Hall thruster that uses a pair of trim coils to tailor the magnetic field topography for high specific impulse operation has been developed. The thruster-the NASA-173Mv2 was tested to determine how current density and magnetic field topography affect performance, divergence, and plasma oscillations at voltages up to 1000 V. Test results showed there was a minimum current density and optimum magnetic field topography at which efficiency monotonically increased with voltage. At 1000 V, 10 milligrams per second the total specific impulse was 3390 s and the total efficiency was 60.8%. Plume divergence decreased at 400-1000 V, but increased at 300-400 V as the result of plasma oscillations. The dominant oscillation frequency steadily increased with voltage, from 14.5 kHz at 300 V, to 22 kHz at 1000 V. An additional oscillatory mode in the 80-90 kHz frequency range began to appear above 500 V. The use of trim coils to modify the magnetic field improved performance while decreasing plume divergence and the frequency and magnitude of plasma oscillations.

Optimum design on refrigeration system of high-repetition-frequency laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Gang; Li, Li; Jin, Yezhou; Sun, Xinhua; Mao, Shaojuan; Wang, Yuanbo

2014-12-01

A refrigeration system with fluid cycle, semiconductor cooler and air cooler is designed to solve the problems of thermal lensing effect and unstable output of high-repetition-frequency solid-state lasers. Utilizing a circulating water pump, water recycling system carries the water into laser cavity to absorb the heat then get to water cooling head. The water cooling head compacts cold spot of semiconductor cooling chips, so the heat is carried to hot spot which contacts the radiating fins, then is expelled through cooling fan. Finally, the cooled water return to tank. The above processes circulate to achieve the purposes of highly effective refrigeration in miniative solid-state lasers.The refrigeration and temperature control components are designed strictly to ensure refrigeration effect and practicability. we also set up a experiment to test the performances of this refrigeration system, the results show that the relationship between water temperature and cooling power of semiconductor cooling chip is linear at 20°C-30°C (operating temperature range of Nd:YAG), the higher of the water temperature, the higher of cooling power. According to the results, cooling power of single semiconductor cooling chip is above 60W, and the total cooling power of three semiconductor cooling chips achieves 200W that will satisfy the refrigeration require of the miniative solid-state lasers.The performance parameters of laser pulse are also tested, include pulse waveform, spectrogram and laser spot. All of that indicate that this refrigeration system can ensure the output of high-repetition-frequency pulse whit high power and stability.

Optimization of Orifice Geometry for Cross-Flow Mixing in a Cylindrical Duct

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sowa, W. A.; Kroll, J. T.; Samuelsen, G. S.; Holdeman, J. D.

1994-01-01

Mixing of gaseous jets in a cross-flow has significant applications in engineering, one example of which is the dilution zone of a gas turbine combustor. Despite years of study, the design of jet injection in combustors is largely based on practical experience. A series of experiments was undertaken to delineate the optimal mixer orifice geometry. A cross-flow to core-flow momentum-flux ratio of 40 and a mass flow ratio of 2.5 were selected as representative of an advanced design. An experimental test matrix was designed around three variables: the number of orifices, the orifice aspect ratio (long-to-short dimension), and the orifice angle. A regression analysis was performed on the data to arrive at an interpolating equation that predicted the mixing performance of orifice geometry combinations within the range of the test matrix parameters. Results indicate that mixture uniformity is a non-linear function of the number of orifices, the orifice aspect ratio, and the orifice angle. Optimum mixing occurs when the asymptotic mean jet trajectories are in the range of 0.35 less than r/R less than 0.5 (where r = 0 is at the mixer wall) at z/R = 1.0. At the optimum number of orifices, the difference between shallow-angled slots with large aspect ratios and round holes is minimal and either approach will lead to good mixing performance. At the optimum number of orifices, it appears possible to have two local optimums where one corresponds to an aspect ratio of 1.0 and the other to a high aspect ratio.

Optimization and design of pigments for heat-insulating coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Guang-Hai; Zhang, Yue

2010-12-01

This paper reports that heat insulating property of infrared reflective coatings is obtained through the use of pigments which diffuse near-infrared thermal radiation. Suitable structure and size distribution of pigments would attain maximum diffuse infrared radiation and reduce the pigment volume concentration required. The optimum structure and size range of pigments for reflective infrared coatings are studied by using Kubelka—Munk theory, Mie model and independent scattering approximation. Taking titania particle as the pigment embedded in an inorganic coating, the computational results show that core-shell particles present excellent scattering ability, more so than solid and hollow spherical particles. The optimum radius range of core-shell particles is around 0.3 ~ 1.6 μm. Furthermore, the influence of shell thickness on optical parameters of the coating is also obvious and the optimal thickness of shell is 100-300 nm.

Desulfonatronum paiuteum sp. nov.: A New Alkaliphilic, Sulfate-Reducing Bacterium, Isolated from Soda Mono Lake, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pikuta, Elena; Hoover, Richard B.; Marsic, Damien; Whitman, William; Cleland, David; Krader, Paul; Six, N. Frank (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A novel alkaliphilic, sulfate reducing bacterium strain MLF1(sup T) was isolated from sediments of soda Mono Lake, California. Gram-negative vibrion cells, motile by singular polar flagellum, with sizes 0.5 - 0.6x 1.2 - 2.0 micron occurred singly, in pairs or short spirilla. Growth was observed over the temperature range of +15 C to +48 C (optimum +37 C), NaCl concentration range is greater than 1 - 7 %, wt/vol (optimum 3 %, wt/vol) and pH range 7.8 - 10.5 (optimum pH 9.0 - 9.4). The novel isolate is strictly alkaliphilic, requires high carbonate concentration in medium, obligately anaerobic and catalase negative. As electron donors strain MLF1(sup T) uses hydrogen, formate, ethanol. Sulfate, sulfite, and thiosulfate (but not sulfur or nitrate) can be used as electron acceptors. The sole end product of growth on formate was H2S. Strain MLF1(sup T) is resistant to kanamycin and gentamycin, but sensitive to chloramphenicol and tetracycline. Na2MoO4 inhibits growth of strain MLF1(sup T). The sum of G+C in DNA is 63.1 mol% (by HPLC method). On the basis of physiological and molecular properties, the isolate was considered as novel species of genus Desulfonatronum; and the name Desulfonatronum paiuteum sp. nov., is proposed (type strain MLF1(sup T) = ATCC BAA-395(sup T) = DSMZ 14708(sup T).

Control Design Strategies to Enhance Long-Term Aircraft Structural Integrity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, Brett A.

1999-01-01

Over the operational lifetime of both military and civil aircraft, structural components are exposed to hundreds of thousands of low-stress repetitive load cycles and less frequent but higher-stress transient loads originating from maneuvering flight and atmospheric gusts. Micro-material imperfections in the structure, such as cracks and debonded laminates, expand and grow in this environment, reducing the structural integrity and shortening the life of the airframe. Extreme costs associated with refurbishment of critical load-bearing structural components in a large fleet, or altogether reinventoring the fleet with newer models, indicate alternative solutions for life extension of the airframe structure are highly desirable. Increased levels of operational safety and reliability are also important factors influencing the desirability of such solutions. One area having significant potential for impacting crack growth/fatigue damage reduction and structural life extension is flight control. To modify the airframe response dynamics arising from command inputs and gust disturbances, feedback loops are routinely applied to vehicles. A dexterous flight control system architecture senses key vehicle motions and generates critical forces/moments at multiple points distributed throughout the airframe to elicit the desired motion characteristics. In principle, these same control loops can be utilized to influence the level of exposure to harmful loads during flight on structural components. Project objectives are to investigate and/or assess the leverage control has on reducing fatigue damage and enhancing long-term structural integrity, without degrading attitude control and trajectory guidance performance levels. In particular, efforts have focused on the effects inner loop control parameters and architectures have on fatigue damage rate. To complete this research, an actively controlled flexible aircraft model and a new state space modeling procedure for crack growth have been utilized. Analysis of the analytical state space model for crack growth revealed the critical mathematical factors, and hence the physical mechanism they represent, that influenced high rates of airframe crack growth. The crack model was then exercised with simple load inputs to uncover and expose key crack growth behavior. To characterize crack growth behavior, both "short-term" laboratory specimen test type inputs and "long-term" operational flight type inputs were considered. Harmonic loading with a single overload revealed typical exponential crack growth behavior until the overload application, after which time the crack growth was retarded for a period of time depending on the overload strength. An optimum overload strength was identified which leads to maximum retardation of crack growth. Harmonic loading with a repeated overload of varying strength and frequency again revealed an optimum overload trait for maximizing growth retardation. The optimum overload strength ratio lies near the range of 2 to 3 with dependency on frequency. Experimental data was found to correlate well with the analytical predictions.

Temperature dependent dielectric and conductivity studies of polyvinyl alcohol-ZnO nanocomposite films by impedance spectroscopy

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

Hemalatha, K. S.; Damle, R.; Rukmani, K., E-mail: rukmani9909@yahoo.co.in

2015-10-21

Dielectric and conductivity behaviors of nano ZnO doped polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composites for various concentrations of dopant were investigated using impedance spectroscopy for a wide range of temperatures (303 K–423 K) and frequencies (5 Hz–30 MHZ). The dielectric properties of host polymer matrix have been improved by the addition of nano ZnO and are found to be highly temperature dependent. Anomalous dielectric behavior was observed in the frequency range of 2.5 MHz–5 MHz. Increase in dielectric permittivity and dielectric loss was observed with respect to temperature. The Cole-Cole plot could be modeled by low resistance regions in a high resistance matrix and the lowest resistance wasmore » observed for the 10 mol. % films. The imaginary part of the electric modulus showed asymmetric peaks with the relaxation following Debye nature below and non-Debye nature above the peaks. The ac conductivity is found to obey Jonscher's power law, whereas the variation of dc conductivity with temperature was found to follow Arrhenius behavior. Two different activation energy values were obtained from Arrhenius plot indicating that two conduction mechanisms are involved in the composite films. Fitting the ac conductivity data to Jonscher's law indicates that large polaron assisted tunneling is the most likely conduction mechanism in the composites. Maximum conductivity is observed at 423 K for all the samples and it is optimum for 10 mol. % ZnO doped PVA composite film. Significant increase in dc and ac conductivities in these composite films makes them a potential candidate for application in electronic devices.« less

Heat shock response and metabolic stress in the tropical estuarine copepod Pseudodiaptomus annandalei converge at its upper thermal optimum.

PubMed

Low, Joyce S Y; Chew, Li Lee; Ng, Ching Ching; Goh, Hao Chin; Lehette, Pascal; Chong, Ving Ching

2018-05-01

Heat shock response (HSR), in terms of transcription regulation of two heat shock proteins genes hsp70 and hsp90), was analysed in a widespread tropical copepod Pseudodiaptomus annandalei. The mRNA transcripts of both genes were quantified after copepods at a salinity of 20 underwent an acclimation process involving an initial acclimation temperature of 29 °C, followed by gradual thermal ramping to the target exposure temperature range of 24-36 °C. The respective cellular HSR and organismal metabolism, measured by respiratory activity at exposure temperatures, were compared. The fold change in mRNA expression for both hsp70 and hsp90 (8-9 fold) peaks at 32 °C, which is very close to 32.4 °C, the upper thermal optimum for respiration in the species. Unexpectedly, the modelled HSR curves peak at only 3 °C (hsp90) and 3.5 °C (hsp70) above the mean water temperature (29.32 °C) of the copepod in the field. We propose that copepods in tropical waters adopt a preparative HSR strategy, early at the upper limit of its thermal optimum, due to the narrow thermal range of its habitat thus precluding substantial energy demand at higher temperatures. However, the model suggests that the species could survive to at least 36 °C with short acclimation time. Nevertheless, the significant overlap between its thermal range of hsp synthesis and the narrow temperature range of its habitat also suggests that any unprecedented rise in sea temperature would have a detrimental effect on the species. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mathematical Models for the Apparent Mass of the Seated Human Body Exposed to Vertical Vibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, L.; Griffin, M. J.

1998-05-01

Alternative mathematical models of the vertical apparent mass of the seated human body are developed. The optimum parameters of four models (two single-degree-of-freedom models and two two-degree-of-freedom models) are derived from the mean measured apparent masses of 60 subjects (24 men, 24 women, 12 children) previously reported. The best fits were obtained by fitting the phase data with single-degree-of-freedom and two-degree-of-freedom models having rigid support structures. For these two models, curve fitting was performed on each of the 60 subjects (so as to obtain optimum model parameters for each subject), for the averages of each of the three groups of subjects, and for the entire group of subjects. The values obtained are tabulated. Use of a two-degree-of-freedom model provided a better fit to the phase of the apparent mass at frequencies greater than about 8 Hz and an improved fit to the modulus of the apparent mass at frequencies around 5 Hz. It is concluded that the two-degree-of-freedom model provides an apparent mass similar to that of the human body, but this does not imply that the body moves in the same manner as the masses in this optimized two-degree-of-freedom model.

Harnessing rogue wave for supercontinuum generation in cascaded photonic crystal fiber.

PubMed

Zhao, Saili; Yang, Hua; Zhao, Chujun; Xiao, Yuzhe

2017-04-03

Based on induced modulation instability, we present a numerical study on harnessing rogue wave for supercontinuum generation in cascaded photonic crystal fibers. By selecting optimum modulation frequency, we achieve supercontinuum with a great improvement on spectrum stability when long-pulse is used as the pump. In this case, rogue wave can be obtained in the first segmented photonic crystal fiber with one zero dispersion wavelength in a controllable manner. Numerical simulations show that spectral range and flatness can be regulated in an extensive range by cascading a photonic crystal fiber with two zero dispersion wavelengths. Some novel phenomena are observed in the second segmented photonic crystal fiber. When the second zero dispersion wavelength is close to the first one, rogue wave is directly translated into dispersion waves, which is conducive to the generation of smoother supercontinuum. When the second zero dispersion wavelength is far away from the first one, rogue wave is translated into the form of fundamental soliton steadily propagating in the vicinity of the second zero dispersion wavelength. Meanwhile, the corresponding red-shifted dispersion wave is generated when the phase matching condition is met, which is beneficial to the generation of wider supercontinuum. The results presented in this work provide a better application of optical rogue wave to generate flat and broadband supercontinuum in cascaded photonic crystal fibers.

A method for approximating acoustic-field-amplitude uncertainty caused by environmental uncertainties.

PubMed

James, Kevin R; Dowling, David R

2008-09-01

In underwater acoustics, the accuracy of computational field predictions is commonly limited by uncertainty in environmental parameters. An approximate technique for determining the probability density function (PDF) of computed field amplitude, A, from known environmental uncertainties is presented here. The technique can be applied to several, N, uncertain parameters simultaneously, requires N+1 field calculations, and can be used with any acoustic field model. The technique implicitly assumes independent input parameters and is based on finding the optimum spatial shift between field calculations completed at two different values of each uncertain parameter. This shift information is used to convert uncertain-environmental-parameter distributions into PDF(A). The technique's accuracy is good when the shifted fields match well. Its accuracy is evaluated in range-independent underwater sound channels via an L(1) error-norm defined between approximate and numerically converged results for PDF(A). In 50-m- and 100-m-deep sound channels with 0.5% uncertainty in depth (N=1) at frequencies between 100 and 800 Hz, and for ranges from 1 to 8 km, 95% of the approximate field-amplitude distributions generated L(1) values less than 0.52 using only two field calculations. Obtaining comparable accuracy from traditional methods requires of order 10 field calculations and up to 10(N) when N>1.

Operational Parameters, Considerations, and Design Decisions for Resource-Constrained Ion Trap Mass Spectrometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Danell, Ryan M.; VanAmerom, Friso H. W.; Pinnick, Veronica; Cotter, Robert J.; Brickerhoff, William; Mahaffy, Paul

2011-01-01

Mass spectrometers are increasingly finding applications in new and unique areas, often in situations where key operational resources (i.e. power, weight and size) are limited. One such example is the Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA). This instrument is a joint venture between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop an ion trap mass spectrometer for chemical analysis on Mars. The constraints on such an instrument are significant as are the performance requirements. While the ideal operating parameters for an ion trap are generally well characterized, methods to maintain analytical performance with limited power and system weight need to be investigated and tested. Methods Experiments have been performed on two custom ion trap mass spectrometers developed as prototypes for the MOMA instrument. This hardware consists of quadrupole ion trap electrodes that are 70% the size of common commercial instrumentation. The trapping RF voltage is created with a custom tank circuit that can be tuned over a range of RF frequencies and is driven using laboratory supplies and amplifiers. The entire instrument is controlled with custom Lab VIEW software that allows a high degree of flexibility in the definition of the scan function defining the ion trap experiment. Ions are typically generated via an internal electron ionization source, however, a laser desorption source is also in development for analysis of larger intact molecules. Preliminary Data The main goals in this work have been to reduce the power required to generate the radio frequency trapping field used in an ion trap mass spectrometer. Generally minimizing the power will also reduce the volume and mass of the electronics to support the instrument. In order to achieve optimum performance, commercial instruments typically utilize RF frequencies in the 1 MHz range. Without much concern for power usage, they simply generate the voltage required to access the mass range of interest. In order to reduce the required RF voltage (and power), operation of the ion trap at lower RF frequencies has been investigated. Surprisingly, the performance of the instrument has only been slightly degraded at RF frequencies all the way down to 500 kHz. Mass resolution is relatively stable to this point and depending on the resonant ejection point used, the peak intensity is also quite stable. To date only masses up to m/z 200 have been fully investigated, however, additional studies are planned to verify the performance with higher mass ions. The lower frequency and voltage should reduce the pseudo potential well depth, eventually affecting the trapping efficiency of the instrument -- effect that could manifest itself in significantly limiting the mass range of trapped ions. Other methods to reduce the RF power while maintaining analytical performance are also under investigation. This includes ion ejection at lower q(sub z) values to access a given mass with a lower RF voltage. The loss of mass resolution at lower q(sub eject) points has been measured and current work is underway to leverage scan speed and the use of non-linear resonances in order to counter this trend. The overall trap performance under this range of operating conditions will be presented with a goal of identifying what trade-offs are acceptable.

Effect of double air injection on performance characteristics of centrifugal compressor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirano, Toshiyuki; Takano, Mizuki; Tsujita, Hoshio

2015-02-01

In the operation of a centrifugal compressor of turbocharger, instability phenomena such as rotating stall and surge are induced at a lower flow rate close to the maximum pressure ratio. In this study, for the suppression of surge phenomenon resulting in the extension of the stable operating range of centrifugal compressor to lower flow rate, the compressed air at the compressor exit was re-circulated and injected into the impeller inlet by using the double injection nozzle system. The experiments were performed to find out the optimum circumferential position of the second nozzle relative to the fixed first one and the optimum inner diameter of the injection nozzles, which are able to most effectively reduce the flow rate of surge inception. Moreover, in order to examine the universality of these optimum values, the experiments were carried out for two types of compressors.

Platinum particle size and support effects in NO(x) mediated carbon oxidation over platinum catalysts.

PubMed

Villani, Kenneth; Vermandel, Walter; Smets, Koen; Liang, Duoduo; van Tendeloo, Gustaaf; Martens, Johan A

2006-04-15

Platinum metal was dispersed on microporous, mesoporous, and nonporous support materials including the zeolites Na-Y, Ba-Y, Ferrierite, ZSM-22, ETS-10, and AIPO-11, alumina, and titania. The oxidation of carbon black loosely mixed with catalyst powder was monitored gravimetrically in a gas stream containing nitric oxide, oxygen, and water. The carbon oxidation activity of the catalysts was found to be uniquely related to the Pt dispersion and little influenced by support type. The optimum dispersion is around 3-4% corresponding to relatively large Pt particle sizes of 20-40 nm. The carbon oxidation activity reflects the NO oxidation activity of the platinum catalyst, which reaches an optimum in the 20-40 nm Pt particle size range. The lowest carbon oxidation temperatures were achieved with platinum loaded ZSM-22 and AIPO-11 zeolite crystallites bearing platinum of optimum dispersion on their external surfaces.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Subjects with Type 1 Diabetes: Improvement in Accuracy by Correcting for Background Current

PubMed Central

Youssef, Joseph El; Engle, Julia M.; Massoud, Ryan G.; Ward, W. Kenneth

2010-01-01

Abstract Background A cause of suboptimal accuracy in amperometric glucose sensors is the presence of a background current (current produced in the absence of glucose) that is not accounted for. We hypothesized that a mathematical correction for the estimated background current of a commercially available sensor would lead to greater accuracy compared to a situation in which we assumed the background current to be zero. We also tested whether increasing the frequency of sensor calibration would improve sensor accuracy. Methods This report includes analysis of 20 sensor datasets from seven human subjects with type 1 diabetes. Data were divided into a training set for algorithm development and a validation set on which the algorithm was tested. A range of potential background currents was tested. Results Use of the background current correction of 4 nA led to a substantial improvement in accuracy (improvement of absolute relative difference or absolute difference of 3.5–5.5 units). An increase in calibration frequency led to a modest accuracy improvement, with an optimum at every 4 h. Conclusions Compared to no correction, a correction for the estimated background current of a commercially available glucose sensor led to greater accuracy and better detection of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. The accuracy-optimizing scheme presented here can be implemented in real time. PMID:20879968

The design and performance of the nano-carbon based double layers flexible coating for tunable and high-efficiency microwave absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Danfeng; Hao, Zhifeng; Qian, Yannan; Zeng, Bi; Zhu, Haiping; Wu, Qibai; Yan, Chengjie; Chen, Muyu

2018-05-01

Nanocarbon-based materials are outstanding microwave absorbers with good dielectric properties. In this study, double-layer silicone resin flexible absorbing coatings, composed of carbon-coated nickel nanoparticles (Ni@C) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), with low loading and a total thickness of 2 mm, were prepared. The reflection loss (RL) of the double-layer absorbing coatings has measured for frequencies between 2 and 18 GHz using the Arch reflecting testing method. The effects of the thickness and electromagnetic parameters of each layer and of the layer sequence on the absorbing properties were investigated. It is found that the measured bandwidth (RL ≤ - 10 dB) of the optimum double-layer structure in our experiment range achieves 3.70 GHz. The results indicated that the double coating structure composed of different materials has greater synergistic absorption effect on impedance matching than that of same materials with different loading. The maximum RL of S1 (5 wt% CNTs)/S3 (60 wt% Ni@C) double-layer absorbing coating composed of different materials (S1 and S3) was larger than the one achieved using either S1 or S3 alone with the same thickness. This was because double-layer coating provided a suitable matching layer and improve the interfacial impedance. It was also shown that absorbing peak value and frequency position can be adjusted by double-layer coating structure.

Determination of thorium (IV) using isophthalaldehyde-tetrapyrrole as probe by resonance light scattering, second-order scattering and frequency-doubling scattering spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jiao; Xue, Jinhua; Xiao, Xilin; Xu, Li; Jiang, Min; Peng, Pengcheng; Liao, Lifu

2017-12-01

The coordination reaction of thorium (IV) with a ditopic bidentate ligand to form supramolecular polymer was studied by resonance light scattering (RLS) spectra, second-order scattering (SOS) spectra and frequency-doubling scattering (FDS) spectra, respectively. The ditopic bidentate ligand is isophthalaldehyde-tetrapyrrole (IPTP). It was synthesized through a condensation reaction of isophthalaldehyde with pyrrole. The formation of supramolecular polymer results in remarkable intensity enhancements of the three light scattering signals. The maximum scattering wavelengths of RLS, FDS and SOS were 290, 568 and 340 nm, respectively. The reaction was used to establish new light scattering methods for the determination of thorium (IV) by using IPTP as probe. Under optimum conditions, the intensity enhancements of RLS, SOS and FDS were directly proportional to the concentration of thorium (IV) in the ranges of 0.01 to 1.2 μg mL- 1, 0.05 to 1.2 μg mL- 1 and 0.05 to 1.2 μg mL- 1, respectively. The detection limits were 0.003 μg mL- 1, 0.012 μg mL- 1 and 0.021 μg mL- 1, respectively. The methods were suitable for analyzing thorium (IV) in actual samples. The results show acceptable recoveries and precision compared with a reference method.

Simultaneous determination of some ultraviolet-absorbing chemicals in sunscreen cosmetics using a high-performance liquid chromatography method.

PubMed

Liu, T; Wu, D

2011-10-01

A method of gradient elution high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for simultaneous determination of 11 different ultraviolet-absorbing chemicals of phenylbenzlmldazole sulphonic acid, 4-aminobenzoic acid, benzophenone-4, benzophenone-3, isoamyl p-methoxycinnamate, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, octocrylene, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, homosalate, ethylhexyl salicylate, methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutyl phenol was developed for the application to sunscreen cosmetic products. In this study, an Agilent SB-C18 analytical column (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) was utilized and methanol, tetrahydrofuran and perchloric acid aqueous solution (0.2 mL HClO(4) + 300 mL H(2)O) were used for gradient elution at a total flow rate of 1.0 mL min(-1). The optimum conditions for 11 different ultraviolet-absorbing chemicals analyses were investigated. All calibration curves showed good linear regression with UV detection (311 nm) within test ranges. The correlation coefficients were better than 0.999 in all cases. The assay was simple, selective, convenient and reproducible and is suitable for the determination of ultraviolet-absorbing chemicals in commercial sunscreen cosmetic products. The use frequency of 11 different ultraviolet absorbents in 100 sunscreen cosmetics was investigated and statistically analysed. The ultraviolet absorbent of maximum use frequency was ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate. © 2011 The Authors. ICS © 2011 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

A 4 GHz phase locked loop design in 65 nm CMOS for the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parkalian, N.; Robens, M.; Grewing, C.; Christ, V.; Kruth, A.; Liebau, D.; Muralidharan, P.; Nielinger, D.; Roth, C.; Yegin, U.; Zambanini, A.; van Waasen, S.

2018-02-01

This paper presents a 4 GHz phase locked loop (PLL), which is implemented in a 65 nm standard CMOS process to provide low noise and high frequency sampling clocks for readout electronics to be used in the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) experiment. Based on the application requirements the target of the design is to find the best compromise between power consumption, area and phase noise for a highly reliable topology. The design implements a novel method for the charge pump that suppresses current mismatch when the PLL is locked. This reduces static phase offset at the inputs of the phase-frequency detector (PFD) that otherwise would introduce spurs at the PLL output. In addition, a technique of amplitude regulation for the voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) is presented to provide low noise and reliable operation. The combination of thin and thick oxide varactor transistors ensures optimum tuning range and linearity over process as well as temperature changes for the VCO without additional calibration steps. The current mismatch at the output of the charge pump for the control voltage at about half the 1 V supply voltage is below 0.3% and static phase offset down to 0.25% is reached. The total PLL consumes 18.5 mW power at 1.8 V supply for the VCO and 1 V supply for the other parts.

Large inert-gas thrusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, H. R.; Robinson, R. S.

1981-01-01

Using present technology as a starting point, performance predictions were made for large thrusters. The optimum beam diameter for maximum thruster efficiency was determined for a range of specific impulse. This optimum beam diameter varied greatly with specific impulse, from about 0.6 m at 3000 seconds (and below) to about 4 m at 10,000 seconds with argon, and from about 0.6 m at 2,000 seconds (and below) to about 12 m at 10,000 seconds with Xe. These beams sizes would require much larger thrusters than those presently available, but would offer substantial complexity and cost reductions for large electric propulsion systems.

A comprehensive study of sampling-based optimum signal detection in concentration-encoded molecular communication.

PubMed

Mahfuz, Mohammad U; Makrakis, Dimitrios; Mouftah, Hussein T

2014-09-01

In this paper, a comprehensive analysis of the sampling-based optimum signal detection in ideal (i.e., free) diffusion-based concentration-encoded molecular communication (CEMC) system has been presented. A generalized amplitude-shift keying (ASK)-based CEMC system has been considered in diffusion-based noise and intersymbol interference (ISI) conditions. Information is encoded by modulating the amplitude of the transmission rate of information molecules at the TN. The critical issues involved in the sampling-based receiver thus developed are addressed in detail, and its performance in terms of the number of samples per symbol, communication range, and transmission data rate is evaluated. ISI produced by the residual molecules deteriorates the performance of the CEMC system significantly, which further deteriorates when the communication range and/or the transmission data rate increase(s). In addition, the performance of the optimum receiver depends on the receiver's ability to compute the ISI accurately, thus providing a trade-off between receiver complexity and achievable bit error rate (BER). Exact and approximate detection performances have been derived. Finally, it is found that the sampling-based signal detection scheme thus developed can be applied to both binary and multilevel (M-ary) ASK-based CEMC systems, although M-ary systems suffer more from higher BER.

Production of Biodiesel from Acid Oil via a Two-Step Enzymatic Transesterification.

PubMed

Choi, Nakyung; Lee, Jeom-Sig; Kwak, Jieun; Lee, Junsoo; Kim, In-Hwan

2016-11-01

A two-step enzymatic transesterification process in a solvent-free system has been developed as a novel approach to the production of biodiesel using acid oil from rice bran oil soapstock. The acid oil consisted of 53.7 wt% fatty acids, 2.4 wt% monoacylglycerols, 9.1 wt% diacylglycerols, 28.8 wt% triacylglycerols, and 6.0 wt% others. Three immobilized lipases were evaluated as potential biocatalysts, including Novozym 435 from Candida antarctica, Lipozyme RM IM from Rhizomucor miehei, and Lipozyme TL IM from Thermomyces lanuginosus. The effects of molar ratio of acid oil to ethanol, temperature, and enzyme loading were investigated to determine the optimum conditions for the transesterification with the three immobilized lipases. The optimum conditions of the three immobilized lipases were a molar ratio of 1:5 (acid oil to ethanol), the temperature range of 30-40°C, and the enzyme loading range of 5-10%. The two-step transesterification was then conducted under the optimum conditions of each lipase. The stepwise use of Novozym 435 and Lipozyme TL IM or Lipozyme RM IM and Lipozyme TL IM resulted in similar or higher levels of yield to the individual lipases. The maximum yields obtained in both stepwise uses were ca. 92%.

Natural frequency and vibration analysis of jacket type foundation for offshore wind power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hung, Y.-C.; Chang, Y.-Y.; Chen, S.-Y.

2017-12-01

There are various types of foundation structure for offshore wind power, engineers may assess the condition of ocean at wind farm, and arrange the transportation, installation of each structure members, furthermore, considering the ability of manufacture steel structure as well, then make an optimum design. To design jacket offshore structure, unlike onshore cases, offshore structure also need to estimate the wave excitation effect. The aim of this paper is to study the difference of natural frequency between different kinds of structural stiffness and discuss the effect of different setting of boundary condition during analysis, besides, compare this value with the natural frequency of sea wave, in order to avoid the resonance effect. In this paper, the finite element analysis software ABAQUS is used to model and analyze the natural vibration behavior of the jacket structure.

Frequency response control of semiconductor laser by using hybrid modulation scheme.

PubMed

Mieda, Shigeru; Yokota, Nobuhide; Isshiki, Ryuto; Kobayashi, Wataru; Yasaka, Hiroshi

2016-10-31

A hybrid modulation scheme that simultaneously applies the direct current modulation and intra-cavity loss modulation to a semiconductor laser is proposed. Both numerical calculations using rate equations and experiments using a fabricated laser show that the hybrid modulation scheme can control the frequency response of the laser by changing a modulation ratio and time delay between the two modulations. The modulation ratio and time delay provide the degree of signal mixing of the two modulations and an optimum condition is found when a non-flat frequency response for the intra-cavity loss modulation is compensated by that for the direct current modulation. We experimentally confirm a 8.64-dB improvement of the modulation sensitivity at 20 GHz compared with the pure direct current modulation with a 0.7-dB relaxation oscillation peak.

Evaluating the frequency of vital sign monitoring during blood transfusion: an evidence-based practice initiative.

PubMed

DeYoung Sullivan, Karen; Vu, Truc; Richardson, Goley; Castillo, Estella; Martinez, Fernando

2015-10-01

Patients with cancer are often dependent on blood transfusions during treatment. Frequent vital sign monitoring during transfusions may interrupt sleep and the patient's ability to ambulate or participate in unit activities. Relying heavily on vital sign findings may also overshadow unmeasurable symptoms of transfusion reaction. The aim of this evidence-based practice initiative was to examine the evidence regarding the optimum frequency of vital sign monitoring for patients undergoing stem cell transplantation receiving blood products and to amend policy and practice to be consistent with the literature. 
AT A GLANCE
: Patients with cancer frequently require transfusion support during treatment.Inconsistencies exist in recommendations for the frequency of vital sign monitoring during transfusion.Examining best practice guidelines suggests that less frequent vital sign monitoring may be appropriate if coupled with thoughtful physiologic assessment.

Frequency comb based on a narrowband Yb-fiber oscillator: pre-chirp management for self-referenced carrier envelope offset frequency stabilization.

PubMed

Lim, Jinkang; Chen, Hung-Wen; Chang, Guoqing; Kärtner, Franz X

2013-02-25

Laser frequency combs are normally based on mode-locked oscillators emitting ultrashort pulses of ~100-fs or shorter. In this paper, we present a self-referenced frequency comb based on a narrowband (5-nm bandwidth corresponding to 415-fs transform-limited pulses) Yb-fiber oscillator with a repetition rate of 280 MHz. We employ a nonlinear Yb-fiber amplifier to both amplify the narrowband pulses and broaden their optical spectrum. To optimize the carrier envelope offset frequency (fCEO), we optimize the nonlinear pulse amplification by pre-chirping the pulses at the amplifier input. An optimum negative pre-chirp exists, which produces a signal-to-noise ratio of 35 dB (100 kHz resolution bandwidth) for the detected fCEO. We phase stabilize the fCEO using a feed-forward method, resulting in 0.64-rad (integrated from 1 Hz to 10 MHz) phase noise for the in-loop error signal. This work demonstrates the feasibility of implementing frequency combs from a narrowband oscillator, which is of particular importance for realizing large line-spacing frequency combs based on multi-GHz oscillators usually emitting long (>200 fs) pulses.

Entanglement-enhanced Neyman-Pearson target detection using quantum illumination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuang, Quntao; Zhang, Zheshen; Shapiro, Jeffrey H.

2017-08-01

Quantum illumination (QI) provides entanglement-based target detection---in an entanglement-breaking environment---whose performance is significantly better than that of optimum classical-illumination target detection. QI's performance advantage was established in a Bayesian setting with the target presumed equally likely to be absent or present and error probability employed as the performance metric. Radar theory, however, eschews that Bayesian approach, preferring the Neyman-Pearson performance criterion to avoid the difficulties of accurately assigning prior probabilities to target absence and presence and appropriate costs to false-alarm and miss errors. We have recently reported an architecture---based on sum-frequency generation (SFG) and feedforward (FF) processing---for minimum error-probability QI target detection with arbitrary prior probabilities for target absence and presence. In this paper, we use our results for FF-SFG reception to determine the receiver operating characteristic---detection probability versus false-alarm probability---for optimum QI target detection under the Neyman-Pearson criterion.

THE DYNAMICS OF A NEUROMUSCULAR SYSTEM FUNCTIONAL CONDITION DURING THE PREPARATION FOR IMPORTANT CONTESTS

PubMed Central

Titov, G.

1973-01-01

The aim of this research was to determine a conjugation of the functional condition dynamics of the neuromuscular organs, visual analyser, latent period of the motorial activity and supporting kinosthetic functions at different stages of preparation of the sportsmen for important contests. The following research methods were used to achieve this aim: a functional mobility of the neuromuscular organs was determined with the help of an electrostimulation method (excitability thresholds, frequency range of optimum and maximum rhythm, data on the changes of a bioelectric potential in relation to electrical stimuli); a functional condition of the visual analyser was determined with the use of an electrostimulation method (excitability thresholds, frequency range of phosefan in the reaction to a threshold irritant); a grey matter neurodynamics was determined with the help of a chronoreflexometry using an audio irritant of a different power with the preliminary strain of motor centres or without it; supporting kinosthetic functions were determined with the help of seismotremography and stabilography (frequency and amplitude of tremor, deviations of the gravity centre of the body in different positions of the Romberg test). All the research on the systems mentioned was carried out within the preparatory, main and contest periods during the preparation for the important contests. Gymnasts, boxers and fencers were under observation. In all there were carried out 570 observations of 54 sportsmen of a high sporting qualification. The functional condition of the visual analyser at a satisfactory level of training was characterised by relatively low excitability thresholds and high frequency limits of phosefan. The functional mobility of the neuromuscular organs was reduced during this period. The supporting kinosthetic functions became apparent in the instability of frequency and amplitude tremor characteristics and general gravity centre deviations. The latent period of the motor movement reaction was the longest without the preliminary strain of the motor centres. The performance of intense training efforts was accompanied by distinct symptoms of the nervous system excitement against a background of the reduced functional mobility of the neuromuscular organs. Just before the main contests, when the sportsmen were in good training condition, the excitability thresholds of the visual analyser were slightly increasing; frequency limits of phosefan were falling; functional mobility of the neuromuscular organs achieved the highest value; supporting kinosthetic functions were characterised by stable values of the tremor frequency and amplitude and of the deviations of the general gravity centre of the body; minimum latent period of the motor movement reaction was dependent upon the preliminary strain of the motor centres. The data obtained gave us the opportunity to assume that the functional condition dynamics of the systems under consideration might characterise the level of an operative rest, as A. A. Ukhtomsky saw it, as a combatant readiness for physical activity.

A method to optimize the processing algorithm of a computed radiography system for chest radiography.

PubMed

Moore, C S; Liney, G P; Beavis, A W; Saunderson, J R

2007-09-01

A test methodology using an anthropomorphic-equivalent chest phantom is described for the optimization of the Agfa computed radiography "MUSICA" processing algorithm for chest radiography. The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in the lung, heart and diaphragm regions of the phantom, and the "system modulation transfer function" (sMTF) in the lung region, were measured using test tools embedded in the phantom. Using these parameters the MUSICA processing algorithm was optimized with respect to low-contrast detectability and spatial resolution. Two optimum "MUSICA parameter sets" were derived respectively for maximizing the CNR and sMTF in each region of the phantom. Further work is required to find the relative importance of low-contrast detectability and spatial resolution in chest images, from which the definitive optimum MUSICA parameter set can then be derived. Prior to this further work, a compromised optimum MUSICA parameter set was applied to a range of clinical images. A group of experienced image evaluators scored these images alongside images produced from the same radiographs using the MUSICA parameter set in clinical use at the time. The compromised optimum MUSICA parameter set was shown to produce measurably better images.

Life cycle assessment for optimising the level of separated collection in integrated MSW management systems.

PubMed

Rigamonti, L; Grosso, M; Giugliano, M

2009-02-01

This life cycle assessment study analyses material and energy recovery within integrated municipal solid waste (MSW) management systems, and, in particular, the recovery of the source-separated materials (packaging and organic waste) and the energy recovery from the residual waste. The recovery of materials and energy are analysed together, with the final aim to evaluate possible optimum levels of source-separated collection that lead to the most favourable energetic and environmental results; this method allows identification of an optimum configuration of the MSW management system. The results show that the optimum level of source-separated collection is about 60%, when all the materials are recovered with high efficiency; it decreases to about 50%, when the 60% level is reached as a result of a very high recovery efficiency for organic fractions at the expense of the packaging materials, or when this implies an appreciable reduction of the quality of collected materials. The optimum MSW management system is thus characterized by source-separated collection levels as included in the above indicated range, with subsequent recycling of the separated materials and energy recovery of the residual waste in a large-scale incinerator operating in combined heat and power mode.

Effect of air-entry angle on performance of a 2-stroke-cycle compression-ignition engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Earle, Sherod L; Dutee, Francis J

1937-01-01

An investigation was made to determine the effect of variations in the horizontal and vertical air-entry angles on the performance characteristics of a single-cylinder 2-stroke-cycle compression-ignition test engine. Performance data were obtained over a wide range of engine speed, scavenging pressure, fuel quantity, and injection advance angle with the optimum guide vanes. Friction and blower-power curves are included for calculating the indicated and net performances. The optimum horizontal air-entry angle was found to be 60 degrees from the radial and the optimum vertical angle to be zero, under which conditions a maximum power output of 77 gross brake horsepower for a specific fuel consumption of 0.52 pound per brake horsepower-hour was obtained at 1,800 r.p.m. and 16-1/2 inches of Hg scavenging pressure. The corresponding specific output was 0.65 gross brake horsepower per cubic inch of piston displacement. Tests revealed that the optimum scavenging pressure increased linearly with engine speed. The brake mean effective pressure increased uniformly with air quantity per cycle for any given vane angle and was independent of engine speed and scavenging pressure.

A wave dynamics criterion for optimization of mammalian cardiovascular system.

PubMed

Pahlevan, Niema M; Gharib, Morteza

2014-05-07

The cardiovascular system in mammals follows various optimization criteria covering the heart, the vascular network, and the coupling of the two. Through a simple dimensional analysis we arrived at a non-dimensional number (wave condition number) that can predict the optimum wave state in which the left ventricular (LV) pulsatile power (LV workload) is minimized in a mammalian cardiovascular system. This number is also universal among all mammals independent of animal size maintaining a value of around 0.1. By utilizing a unique in vitro model of human aorta, we tested our hypothesis against a wide range of aortic compliance (pulse wave velocity). We concluded that the optimum value of the wave condition number remains to be around 0.1 for a wide range of aorta compliance that we could simulate in our in-vitro system. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chronically Increased G[subscript s][alpha] Signaling Disrupts Associative and Spatial Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bourtchouladze, Rusiko; Patterson, Susan L.; Kelly, Michele P.; Kreibich, Arati; Kandel, Eric R.; Abel, Ted

2006-01-01

The cAMP/PKA pathway plays a critical role in learning and memory systems in animals ranging from mice to "Drosophila" to "Aplysia." Studies of olfactory learning in "Drosophila" suggest that altered expression of either positive or negative regulators of the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway beyond a certain optimum range may be deleterious. Here we…

Sharing the 620-790 MHz band allocated to terrestrial television with an audio-bandwidth social service satellite system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, E. K.; Reinhart, E. E.

1977-01-01

A study was carried out to identify the optimum uplink and downlink frequencies for audio-bandwidth channels for use by a satellite system distributing social services. The study considered functional-user-need models for five types of social services and identified a general baseline system that is appropriate for most of them. Technical aspects and costs of this system and of the frequency bands that it might use were reviewed, leading to the identification of the 620-790 MHz band as a perferred candidate for both uplink and downlink transmissions for nonmobile applications. The study also led to some ideas as to how to configure the satellite system.

Marinilactibacillus piezotolerans sp. nov., a novel marine lactic acid bacterium isolated from deep sub-seafloor sediment of the Nankai Trough.

PubMed

Toffin, Laurent; Zink, Klaus; Kato, Chiaki; Pignet, Patricia; Bidault, Adeline; Bienvenu, Nadège; Birrien, Jean-Louis; Prieur, Daniel

2005-01-01

A piezotolerant, mesophilic, marine lactic acid bacterium (strain LT20T) was isolated from a deep sub-seafloor sediment core collected at Nankai Trough, off the coast of Japan. Cells were Gram-positive, rod-shaped, non-sporulating and non-motile. The NaCl concentration range for growth was 0-120 g l(-1), with the optimum at 10-20 g l(-1). The temperature range for growth at pH 7.0 was 4-50 degrees C, with the optimum at 37-40 degrees C. The optimum pH for growth was 7.0-8.0. The optimum pressure for growth was 0.1 MPa with tolerance up to 30 MPa. The main cellular phospholipids were phosphatidylglycerols (25 %), diphosphatidylglycerols (34 %) and a group of compounds tentatively identified as ammonium-containing phosphatidylserines (32 %); phosphatidylethanolamines (9 %) were minor components. The fatty acid composition was dominated by side chains of 16 : 0, 14 : 0 and 16 : 1. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 42 mol%. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and the secondary structure of the V6 region, this organism was found to belong to the genus Marinilactibacillus and was closely related to Marinilactibacillus psychrotolerans M13-2(T) (99 %), Marinilactibacillus sp. strain MJYP.25.24 (99 %) and Alkalibacterium olivapovliticus strain ww2-SN4C (97 %). Despite the high similarity between their 16S rRNA gene sequences (99 %), the DNA-DNA hybridization levels were less than 20 %. On the basis of physiological and genetic characteristics, it is proposed that this organism be classified as a novel species, Marinilactibacillus piezotolerans sp. nov. The type strain is LT20T (=DSM 16108T=JCM 12337T).

Design of recursive digital filters having specified phase and magnitude characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, R. E.; Condon, G. W.

1972-01-01

A method for a computer-aided design of a class of optimum filters, having specifications in the frequency domain of both magnitude and phase, is described. The method, an extension to the work of Steiglitz, uses the Fletcher-Powell algorithm to minimize a weighted squared magnitude and phase criterion. Results using the algorithm for the design of filters having specified phase as well as specified magnitude and phase compromise are presented.

Stability and Response of Polygenic Traits to Stabilizing Selection and Mutation

PubMed Central

de Vladar, Harold P.; Barton, Nick

2014-01-01

When polygenic traits are under stabilizing selection, many different combinations of alleles allow close adaptation to the optimum. If alleles have equal effects, all combinations that result in the same deviation from the optimum are equivalent. Furthermore, the genetic variance that is maintained by mutation–selection balance is 2μ/S per locus, where μ is the mutation rate and S the strength of stabilizing selection. In reality, alleles vary in their effects, making the fitness landscape asymmetric and complicating analysis of the equilibria. We show that that the resulting genetic variance depends on the fraction of alleles near fixation, which contribute by 2μ/S, and on the total mutational effects of alleles that are at intermediate frequency. The interplay between stabilizing selection and mutation leads to a sharp transition: alleles with effects smaller than a threshold value of 2μ/S remain polymorphic, whereas those with larger effects are fixed. The genetic load in equilibrium is less than for traits of equal effects, and the fitness equilibria are more similar. We find that if the optimum is displaced, alleles with effects close to the threshold value sweep first, and their rate of increase is bounded by μS. Long-term response leads in general to well-adapted traits, unlike the case of equal effects that often end up at a suboptimal fitness peak. However, the particular peaks to which the populations converge are extremely sensitive to the initial states and to the speed of the shift of the optimum trait value. PMID:24709633

High spectral selectivity for solar absorbers using a monolayer transparent conductive oxide coated on a metal substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimizu, Makoto; Suzuki, Mari; Iguchi, Fumitada; Yugami, Hiroo

2017-05-01

A spectrally selective absorber composed of a monolayer transparent conductive oxide (TCO) coated on a metal substrate is investigated for use in solar systems operating at temperatures higher (>973 K) than the operation temperature of conventional systems ( ˜ 673 K). This method is different from the currently used solar-selective coating technologies, such as those using multilayered and cermet materials. The spectral selective absorption property can be attributed to the inherent optical property of TCO owing to the plasma frequency and interferences between the substrates. Since spectral selectivity can be achieved using monolayered materials, the effect of atomic diffusion occurring at each layer boundary in a multilayer or cermet coatings under high-temperature conditions can be reduced. In addition, since this property is attributed to the inherent property of TCO, the precise control of the layer thickness can be omitted if the layer is sufficiently thick (>0.5 μm). The optimum TCO properties, namely, carrier density and mobility, required for solar-selective absorbers are analyzed to determine the cutoff wavelength and emittance in the infrared range. A solar absorptance of 0.95 and hemispherical emittance of 0.10 at 973 K are needed for achieving the optimum TCO properties, i.e., a carrier density of 5.5 × 1020 cm-3 and mobility of 90 cm2 V-1 s-1 are required. Optical simulations indicate that the spectrally selective absorption weakly depends on the incident angle and film thickness. The thermal stability of the fabricated absorber treated at temperatures up to 973 K for 10 h is verified in vacuum by introducing a SiO2 interlayer, which plays an important role as a diffusion barrier.

A Frequency Domain Approach to Pretest Analysis Model Correlation and Model Updating for the Mid-Frequency Range

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-02-01

range of modal analysis and the high frequency region of statistical energy analysis , is referred to as the mid-frequency range. The corresponding...frequency range of modal analysis and the high frequency region of statistical energy analysis , is referred to as the mid-frequency range. The...predictions. The averaging process is consistent with the averaging done in statistical energy analysis for stochastic systems. The FEM will always

Thermococcus Thioreducens sp. nov., A Novel Hyperthermophilic, Obligately Sulfur-Reducing Archaeon from a Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pikuta, Elena V.; Hoover, Richard B.; Marsic, Damien; Bej, Asim K.; Garriott, Owen

2003-01-01

A novel hyperthermophilic organo-heterotrophic archaeon, strain OGL-20P(sup T), was isolated from 'black smoker' chimney material from the Rainbow hydrothermal vent site on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (36.2 N; 33.9 W). The cells of strain OGL-20P(sup T) have an irregular coccoid shape and are motile with a single flagellum. Growth was observed to occur within the pH range 5.0-8.5 (optimum pH 7.0), NaCl concentration range 1-5 % (w/v) (optimum 3 %), and temperature range 55-94 C (optimum 83-85 C). Novel isolate is strictly anaerobic and obligately dependent from elemental sulfur as electron acceptor, but it cannot reduce sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate, iron (III) or nitrate. Proteolysis products that can be utilized as substrates during sulfur-reduction are: peptone, bactotryptone, casamino-acids, and yeast extract. Strain OGL-20P(sup T) is resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, and gentamycin, but sensitive to tetracycline and rifampicin. The G+C content of DNA is 57.1 mol% . Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain OGL-20P(sup T) is most closely related to Thermococcus celer and 'T. barossii', but no significant homology by DNA-DNA hybridization was observed between those species and the new isolate. On the basis of physiological and molecular properties of the new isolate, the name Thermococcus thioreducens sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is OGL-20P(sup T) (= ATCC BAA-394(sup T) = DSM 1498(sup T)).

Tindallia Californiensis sp. nov.: A New Halo-Alkaliphilic Primary Anaerobe, Isolated from Meromictic soda Mono Lake in California and the Correction of Diagnosis for Genus Tindallia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pikuta, Elena; Marsic, Damien; Hoover, Richard B.; Kevbrin, Vadim; Whitman, William B.; Krader, Paul; Cleland, Dave; Six, N. Frank (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A novel extremely halo-alkaliphilic, bacterium strain APO (sup T) was isolated from sediments of the athalassic, meromictic, soda Mono Lake in California. Gram positive, spore-forming, slightly curved rods with sizes 0.6-0.7x 2.5-4.0 micrometers which occur singly, in pairs or short curved chains. Cells, are motile by singular subcentral flagellum. Strain APO (sup T) is mesophilic: growth was observed over the temperature range of +10 C to +48 C (optimum +37 C), NaCl concentration range 1-20 %, wt/vol (optimum 3-5%, wt/vol) and pH range 8.0-11.0 (optimum pH 9.5). The novel isolate is strictly halo-alkaliphilic, requires sodium chloride in medium, obligately anaerobic and catalase-negative. Strain APO (sup T) is organo-heterotroph with fermentative type of metabolism, and uses as substrates: peptone, badotryptone, casamino acids, yeast extract, L-serine, L-lysine, L-histidine, L-arginine, and pyruvate. The main end products of growth on peptone medium were: lactate, acetate, propionate, and ethanol. Strain APO (sup T) is resistant to kanamycin, but sensitive to chloramphenicol, tetracycline, and gentamycin. The sum of G+C in DNA is 44.4 mol% (by HPLC method). On the bait of physiological and molecular properties, the isolate was considered as novel species of genus Tindallia; and the name Tindallia californiensis sp. nov., is proposed for new isolate (type strain APO (sup T) - ATCC BAA_393(sup T) = DSMZ 14871 (sup T)).

Impact of depth and location of the wells on vibrational resonance in a triple-well system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhijuan; Ning, Lijuan

2018-04-01

The effect of depth and location of a triple-well potential on vibrational resonance is investigated in a quintic oscillator driven by a low-frequency force and a high-frequency force. The values of low-frequency ω and amplitude g of the high-frequency force at which vibrational resonance occurs are derived both numerically and theoretically. It is found that: as ω varies, at most one resonance takes place and the response amplitude at resonance depends on the depth and the location of the potential wells. When g is altered, the depth and location of wells can control the number of resonances, resulting in two, three and four resonances. The system parameters can be adjusted by controlling the depth and position of the wells to achieve optimum vibrational resonance. Furthermore, the changes induced by these two quantities in the tristable system are found to be richer than those induced in bistable systems.

Morphological Simulation of Phase Separation Coupled Oscillation Shear and Varying Temperature Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Heping; Li, Xiaoguang; Lin, Kejun; Geng, Xingguo

2018-05-01

This paper explores the effect of the shear frequency and Prandtl number ( Pr) on the procedure and pattern formation of phase separation in symmetric and asymmetric systems. For the symmetric system, the periodic shear significantly prolongs the spinodal decomposition stage and enlarges the separated domain in domain growth stage. By adjusting the Pr and shear frequency, the number and orientation of separated steady layer structures can be controlled during domain stretch stage. The numerical results indicate that the increase in Pr and decrease in the shear frequency can significantly increase in the layer number of the lamellar structure, which relates to the decrease in domain size. Furthermore, the lamellar orientation parallel to the shear direction is altered into that perpendicular to the shear direction by further increasing the shear frequency, and also similar results for larger systems. For asymmetric system, the quantitative analysis shows that the decrease in the shear frequency enlarges the size of separated minority phases. These numerical results provide guidance for setting the optimum condition for the phase separation under periodic shear and slow cooling.

Asymptotically optimum multialternative sequential procedures for discernment of processes minimizing average length of observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fishman, M. M.

1985-01-01

The problem of multialternative sequential discernment of processes is formulated in terms of conditionally optimum procedures minimizing the average length of observations, without any probabilistic assumptions about any one occurring process, rather than in terms of Bayes procedures minimizing the average risk. The problem is to find the procedure that will transform inequalities into equalities. The problem is formulated for various models of signal observation and data processing: (1) discernment of signals from background interference by a multichannel system; (2) discernment of pulse sequences with unknown time delay; (3) discernment of harmonic signals with unknown frequency. An asymptotically optimum sequential procedure is constructed which compares the statistics of the likelihood ratio with the mean-weighted likelihood ratio and estimates the upper bound for conditional average lengths of observations. This procedure is shown to remain valid as the upper bound for the probability of erroneous partial solutions decreases approaching zero and the number of hypotheses increases approaching infinity. It also remains valid under certain special constraints on the probability such as a threshold. A comparison with a fixed-length procedure reveals that this sequential procedure decreases the length of observations to one quarter, on the average, when the probability of erroneous partial solutions is low.

Harvesting energy from the vibration of a passing train using a single-degree-of-freedom oscillator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gatti, G.; Brennan, M. J.; Tehrani, M. G.; Thompson, D. J.

2016-01-01

With the advent of wireless sensors, there has been an increasing amount of research in the area of energy harvesting, particularly from vibration, to power these devices. An interesting application is the possibility of harvesting energy from the track-side vibration due to a passing train, as this energy could be used to power remote sensors mounted on the track for strutural health monitoring, for example. This paper describes a fundamental study to determine how much energy could be harvested from a passing train. Using a time history of vertical vibration measured on a sleeper, the optimum mechanical parameters of a linear energy harvesting device are determined. Numerical and analytical investigations are both carried out. It is found that the optimum amount of energy harvested per unit mass is proportional to the product of the square of the input acceleration amplitude and the square of the input duration. For the specific case studied, it was found that the maximum energy that could be harvested per unit mass of the oscillator is about 0.25 J/kg at a frequency of about 17 Hz. The damping ratio for the optimum harvester was found to be about 0.0045, and the corresponding amplitude of the relative displacement of the mass is approximately 5 mm.

Optimization of rotor blades for combined structural, dynamic, and aerodynamic properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

He, Cheng-Jian; Peters, David A.

1990-01-01

Optimal helicopter blade design with computer-based mathematical programming has received more and more attention in recent years. Most of the research has focused on optimum dynamic characteristics of rotor blades to reduce vehicle vibration. There is also work on optimization of aerodynamic performance and on composite structural design. This research has greatly increased our understanding of helicopter optimum design in each of these aspects. Helicopter design is an inherently multidisciplinary process involving strong interactions among various disciplines which can appropriately include aerodynamics; dynamics, both flight dynamics and structural dynamics; aeroelasticity: vibrations and stability; and even acoustics. Therefore, the helicopter design process must satisfy manifold requirements related to the aforementioned diverse disciplines. In our present work, we attempt to combine several of these important effects in a unified manner. First, we design a blade with optimum aerodynamic performance by proper layout of blade planform and spanwise twist. Second, the blade is designed to have natural frequencies that are placed away from integer multiples of the rotor speed for a good dynamic characteristics. Third, the structure is made as light as possible with sufficient rotational inertia to allow for autorotational landing, with safe stress margins and flight fatigue life at each cross-section, and with aeroelastical stability and low vibrations. Finally, a unified optimization refines the solution.

Lessons Learned from Previous Space-Borne Sounders as a Guide to Future Sounder Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benson, Robert F.; Deshpande, Manohar D.; Farrell,William M.; Fung, Shing F.; Osherovich, Vladimir A.; Pfaff, Rovert E.; Rowland, Douglas E.; Adrian, Mark L.

2008-01-01

Space-borne radio sounding is considered to be the gold standard for electron-density (N(sub e)) measurements compared to other techniques even under low-density conditions, such as N(sub e) < 1/cu cm, when other techniques are known to experience difficulties. These reliable measurements are not restricted to in-situ N(sub e) determinations since a spaceborne sounder can provide vertical N(sub e) profiles (N(sub e)(h)) from the spacecraft altitude to the altitude of maximum N(sub e). Near-conjunction studies involving the International Satellites for Ionospheric Studies (ISIS) satellites in the topside ionosphere and Dynamics Explorer 2 (DE 2) near the altitude of the F-region peak density have verified that, even at the greatest distance from the sounder, the ISIS-derived N(sub e)(h) profiles agree with the DE-2 Langmuir-probe measurements to within about 30% over a density range of more than two decades. Space-borne sounders can also provide N(sub e) profiles along the magnetic-field B, by inverting echoes that are ducted along field-aligned irregularities (FAI), and can provide information about the terrain beneath the satellite by examining surface reflections in the frequency range above the ionospheric penetration frequency. Many nations have launched rocket and satellite radio sounders in geospace over more than 4 decades and there have been sounders on space-probes and in orbit around other planets. Here we will summarize some of the lessons learned from these accomplishments by analyzing data from radio sounders on the Alouette and ISIS satellites and the OEDIPUS and other rockets in the terrestrial ionosphere, the IMAGE satellite in the terrestrial magnetosphere, the Ulysses space probe in Jupiter's 10 plasma torus and the MARSIS satellite in orbit around Mars. The emphasis will be on information deduced concerning (1) fundamental plasma processes and gradients in N, and B in the vicinity of the sounders from sounder-stimulated plasma resonances and short-range echoes involving ion as well as electron motions, (2) the importance of the antenna orientation relative to B for the detection of different plasma resonances, (3) sounder-stimulated plasma phenomena, including FAI, when special plasma conditions are satisfied, (4) the minimum power required for long-range echoes, as indicated by echoes from frequency components of the transmitted pulse and by multiple ducted echoes, and (5) the terrain beneath the satellite from surface reflections. Knowledge of these results should enable the optimum design of a future sounder to satisfy specific science requirements with minimal spacecraft resources.

47 CFR 18.309 - Frequency range of measurements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... MEDICAL EQUIPMENT Technical Standards § 18.309 Frequency range of measurements. (a) For field strength measurements: Frequency band in which device operates (MHz) Range of frequency measurements Lowest frequency...

Development of device for quantifying magnetic nanoparticle tracers accumulating in sentinel lymph nodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuwahata, Akihiro; Kaneko, Miki; Chikaki, Shinichi; Kusakabe, Moriaki; Sekino, Masaki

2018-05-01

The developed device with electromagnetic coils and small permanent magnets quantifies the iron contents of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy. To remove diamagnetic and paramagnetic components and detect only superparamagnetic components, a 2nd harmonics signal is detected by a gradiometer under a moderate AC magnetic field (1-2 mT) with the fundamental frequency (2.944 kHz) of the coils and DC magnetic field (1-2 mT) of the magnets. The detection limit with a signal-to-noise ratio of 5 is approximately 0.28 μg of iron, and the device has a wide dynamic range of 104, 0.28 μg-2.8 mg. Additional coils and permanent magnets play an important role producing the optimum distribution of AC/DC magnetic fields for an iron distribution-independent and SLN size-independent quantification. We demonstrated the quantification of the iron in phantoms, which have a size of 3-20 mm with varied iron distributions and contain magnetic nanoparticles numerically. These results indicate that the developed device is useful for quantifying the magnetic nanoparticles accumulating in SLNs.

Experimental validation of structural optimization methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adelman, Howard M.

1992-01-01

The topic of validating structural optimization methods by use of experimental results is addressed. The need for validating the methods as a way of effecting a greater and an accelerated acceptance of formal optimization methods by practicing engineering designers is described. The range of validation strategies is defined which includes comparison of optimization results with more traditional design approaches, establishing the accuracy of analyses used, and finally experimental validation of the optimization results. Examples of the use of experimental results to validate optimization techniques are described. The examples include experimental validation of the following: optimum design of a trussed beam; combined control-structure design of a cable-supported beam simulating an actively controlled space structure; minimum weight design of a beam with frequency constraints; minimization of the vibration response of helicopter rotor blade; minimum weight design of a turbine blade disk; aeroelastic optimization of an aircraft vertical fin; airfoil shape optimization for drag minimization; optimization of the shape of a hole in a plate for stress minimization; optimization to minimize beam dynamic response; and structural optimization of a low vibration helicopter rotor.

Radiosounding in the planned mission to Phobos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakharov, A. V.; Eismont, N. A.; Gotlib, V. M.; Smirnov, V. M.; Yushkova, O. V.; Marchuk, V. N.

2017-09-01

The opportunities to study Phobos' internal structure provided by radio methods are considered in this paper. The necessity of these studies is related to solution of the problem of the origin of the Martian moons. Radiosounding is one of the most efficient methods of analyzing the internal structure of small space objects and, in particular, that of Phobos. The new Boomerang project planned according to the Federal Space Program of Russia for 2016—2025 within the Expedition-M program aimed at the exploration of Phobos and delivery of soil samples from its surface to the Earth, as well as the specifics of a ballistic scenario of this expedition, provide a unique opportunity to carry out radioscopy of this space object to discover the internal structure Phobos and to solve the key problem of its origin. The model of Phobos' internal structure, radiosounding ballistic conditions, analysis of optimum frequency range of sounding, and key parameters of the device required for the experiment are considered in this paper. The significance of proposed studies and opportunities for their implementation are discussed.

Double closed-loop resonant micro optic gyro using hybrid digital phase modulation.

PubMed

Ma, Huilian; Zhang, Jianjie; Wang, Linglan; Jin, Zhonghe

2015-06-15

It is well-known that the closed-loop operation in optical gyros offers wider dynamic range and better linearity. By adding a stair-like digital serrodyne wave to a phase modulator can be used as a frequency shifter. The width of one stair in this stair-like digital serrodyne wave should be set equal to the optical transmission time in the resonator, which is relaxed in the hybrid digital phase modulation (HDPM) scheme. The physical mechanism for this relaxation is firstly indicated in this paper. Detailed theoretical and experimental investigations are presented for the HDPM. Simulation and experimental results show that the width of one stair is not restricted by the optical transmission time, however, it should be optimized according to the rise time of the output of the digital-to-analogue converter. Based on the optimum parameters of the HDPM, a bias stability of 0.05°/s for the integration time of 400 seconds in 1 h has been carried out in an RMOG with a waveguide ring resonator with a length of 7.9 cm and a diameter of 2.5 cm.

Effects of proton beam irradiation on seed germination and growth of soybean ( Glycine max L. Merr.)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Im, Juhyun; Kim, Woon Ji; Kim, Sang Hun; Ha, Bo-Keun

2017-12-01

The present study aimed to evaluate the morphological effects of proton beam irradiation on the seed germination, seedling survival, and plant growth of soybean. Seeds of three Korean elite cultivars (Kwangankong, Daepungkong, and Pungsannamulkong) were irradiated with a 57-MeV proton beam in the range of 50 - 400 Gy. The germination rates of all the varieties increased to > 95%; however, the survival rates were significantly reduced. At doses of > 300 Gy irradiation, the Daepungkong, Kwangankong, and Pungsannamulkong cultivars exhibited 39, 75, and 71% survival rates, respectively. In addition, plant height and the fresh weight of shoots and roots were significantly decreased by doses of > 100 Gy irradiation, as were the dry weights of the shoots and roots. However, SPAD values increased with increasing doses of irradiation. Abnormal plants with atypically branched stems, modified leaves, and chlorophyll mutations were observed. Based on the survival rate, plant growth inhibition, and mutation frequency, it appears that the optimum dosage of proton beam irradiation for soybean mutation breeding is between 250 and 300 Gy.

Investigation into Generation of Micro Features by Localised Electrochemical Deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Debnath, Subhrajit; Laskar, Hanimur Rahaman; Bhattacharyya, B.

2017-11-01

With the fast advancement of technology, localised electrochemical deposition (LECD) is becoming very advantageous in generating high aspect ratio micro features to meet the steep demand in modern precision industries of the present world. Except many other advantages, this technology is highly uncomplicated and economical for fabricating metal micro-parts with in micron ranges. In the present study, copper micro-columns have been fabricated utilizing LECD process. Different process parameters such as voltage, frequency, duty ratio and electrolyte concentration, which affect the deposition performance have been identified and their effects on deposition performances such as deposition rate, height and diameter of the micro-columns have been experimentally investigated. Taguchi's methodology has been used to study the effects as well as to obtain the optimum values of process parameters so that localised deposition with best performance can be achieved. Moreover, the generated micro-columns were carefully observed under optical and scanning electron microscope from where the surface quality of the deposited micro-columns has been studied qualitatively. Also, an array of copper micro-columns has been fabricated on stainless steel (SS-304) substrate for further exploration of LECD process capability.

The design and development of an automatic control system for the in-duct cancellation of spinning modes of sound. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harrington, W. W.

1973-01-01

The reduction is discussed of the discrete tones generated by jet engines which is essential for jet aircraft to meet present and proposed noise standards. The discrete tones generated by the blades and vanes propagate in the inlet and exhaust duct in the form of spiraling acoustic waves, or spinning modes. The reduction of these spinning modes by the cancellation effect of the combination of two acoustic fields was investigated. The spinning mode synthesizer provided the means for effective study of this noise reduction scheme. Two sets of electrical-acoustical transducers located in an equally-spaced circular array simultaneously generate a specified spinning mode and the cancelling mode. Analysis of the wave equation for the synthesizer established the optimum cancelling array acoustic parameters for maximum sound pressure level reduction. The parameter dependence of the frequency ranges of propagation of single, specified circumferential modes generated by a single array, and of effective cancellation of the modes generated by two arrays, was determined. Substantial sound pressure level reduction was obtained for modes within these limits.

The effect of noise constraints on engine cycle optimization for long-haul transports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antl, R. J.

1973-01-01

Results are presented of NASA studies to determine optimum engine cycles for noise levels of 10, 15, and 20 EPNdb below current FAA regulations. The study aircraft were 200-passenger trijets flying over ranges of 5,556 and 10,200 km at cruise speeds of Mach 0.90 to 0.98. The economic impact of reducing noise, the identification of needed advanced technology and the effect of these advances are presented. The studies showed that the noise constraints imposed compromises on the optimum cycle with resulting economic penalties. The application of advanced engine technologies, however, could effectively offset these economic penalties.

Study of the Optimum Zone of the Independent Variables of an ORGEL Reactor Connected to a 250-MWeb Power Plant. Self Supporting Fuel Elements Made of UC, with Sap Cladding with Four Fuel Rods and Individual Pressure Tubes; STUDIE DER OPTIMALEN ZONE DER UNABHANGIGEN PARAMETER EINES ORGEL- REAKTORS IN EINEM 250-MWe-KRAFTWERK. SELBST-TRAGENDES BRENNELEMENT AUS UC, SAP-UMHUL-LUNG MIT 4 BRENNSTOFFSTABEN UND INDIVIDUELLEN DRUCKROHREN

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

LaFontaine, F.; Tauch, P.

The optimum range of the independent variables of and ORGEL reactor connected to a 250-Mw power plant (4 fuel rods of UC with individual pressure tubes), as well as the geometry of the reactor core and the operation of the plant, is described. (auth)

Fluxgate magnetometers for outer planets exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Acuna, M. H.

1974-01-01

The exploration of the interplanetary medium and the magnetospheres of the outer planets requires the implementation of magnetic field measuring instrumentation with wide dynamic range, high stability, and reliability. The fluxgate magnetometers developed for the Pioneer 11 and Mariner-Jupiter-Saturn missions are presented. These instruments cover the range of .01 nT to 2 million nT with optimum performance characteristics and low power consumption.

Use of Supplemental Feeding Locations to Manage Cattle Use on Riparian Areas of Hardwood Rangelands

Treesearch

Neil K. McDougald; William E. Frost; Dennis E. Jones

1989-01-01

Typical cattle use on two range units of hardwood rangeland (annual rangeland) at the San Joaquin Experimental Range, Madera County, California, left 50 percent of riparian area with less than optimum amounts of residual dry matter (RDM) for promoting seedling growth and soil protection. By relocating supplemental feeding sites away from water sources and into areas of...

Theoretical DFT study on spectroscopic signature and molecular dynamics of neurotransmitter and effect of hydrogen removal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, V.; Singh, N. P.; Yadav, R. A.

2013-04-01

Vibrational spectroscopic study has been made for the serotonin molecule and its deprotonated form. The Infrared and Raman spectra in optimum geometry of these two molecules are calculated using density functional theorem and the normal modes are assigned using potential energy distributions (PEDs) which are calculated using normal coordinate analysis method. The vibrational frequencies of these two molecules are reported and a comparison has been made. The effect of removal of the hydrogen atom from the serotonin molecule upon its geometry and vibrational frequencies are studied. Electronic structures of these two molecules are also studied using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. Theoretical Raman spectrum of serotonin at different exciting laser frequencies and at different temperatures are obtained and the results are discussed. Present study reveals that some wrong assignments had been made for serotonin molecule in earlier study.

Characteristics of different frequency ranges in scanning electron microscope images

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

Sim, K. S., E-mail: kssim@mmu.edu.my; Nia, M. E.; Tan, T. L.

2015-07-22

We demonstrate a new approach to characterize the frequency range in general scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. First, pure frequency images are generated from low frequency to high frequency, and then, the magnification of each type of frequency image is implemented. By comparing the edge percentage of the SEM image to the self-generated frequency images, we can define the frequency ranges of the SEM images. Characterization of frequency ranges of SEM images benefits further processing and analysis of those SEM images, such as in noise filtering and contrast enhancement.

Entropy generation minimization for the sloshing phenomenon in half-full elliptical storage tanks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saghi, Hassan

2018-02-01

In this paper, the entropy generation in the sloshing phenomenon was obtained in elliptical storage tanks and the optimum geometry of tank was suggested. To do this, a numerical model was developed to simulate the sloshing phenomenon by using coupled Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solver and the Volume-of-Fluid (VOF) method. The RANS equations were discretized and solved using the staggered grid finite difference and SMAC methods, and the available data were used for the model validation. Some parameters consisting of maximum free surface displacement (MFSD), maximum horizontal force exerted on the tank perimeter (MHF), tank perimeter (TP), and total entropy generation (Sgen) were introduced as design criteria for elliptical storage tanks. The entropy generation distribution provides designers with useful information about the causes of the energy loss. In this step, horizontal periodic sway motions as X =amsin(ωt) were applied to elliptical storage tanks with different aspect ratios namely ratios of large diameter to small diameter of elliptical storage tank (AR). Then, the effect of am and ω was studied on the results. The results show that the relation between MFSD and MHF is almost linear relative to the sway motion amplitude. Moreover, the results show that an increase in the AR causes a decrease in the MFSD and MHF. The results, also, show that the relation between MFSD and MHF is nonlinear relative to the sway motion angular frequency. Furthermore, the results show that an increase in the AR causes that the relation between MFSD and MHF becomes linear relative to the sway motion angular frequency. In addition, MFSD and MHF were minimized in a sway motion with a 7 rad/s angular frequency. Finally, the results show that the elliptical storage tank with AR =1.2-1.4 is the optimum section.

Extent and frequency of floods on the Schuylkill River near Phoenixville and Pottstown, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Busch, William F.; Shaw, Lewis C.

1973-01-01

Knowledge of the frequency and extent of flooding is an important requirement for the design of all works of man bordering or encroaching on flood plains. The proper design of bridges, culverts, dams, highways, levees, reservoirs, sewage-disposal systems, waterworks and all structures on the flood plains of streams requires careful consideration of flood hazards. -1- By use of relations presented in this report, the extent, depth, and frequency of flooding can be estimated for any site along the reach of the Schuylkill River from Oaks to Pottstown. These flood data are presented so that regulatory agencies, organizations, and individuals may have a technical basis for making decisions on the use of flood-prone areas. The Delaware River Basin Commission and the U. S. Geological Survey regard this program of flood-plain-inundation studies as a positive step toward flood-damage prevention. Flood-plaininundation studies are a prerequisite to flood-plain management which may include a mixture of flood-control structures and/or land-use regulations. Both physical works and flood-plain regulations are included in the Comprehensive Plan for development of the Delaware River basin, of which the Schuylkill River is a part. Recommendations for land use, or suggestions for limitations of land use, are not made herein. Other reports on use and regulation of land in flood-prone areas are available (Dola, 1961; White, 1961; American Society of Civil Engineers Task Force on Flood Plain Regulations, 1962; and Goddard, 1963). The primary responsibility for planning for optimum land use in the flood plain and the implementation of flood-plain zoning or other regulations to achieve such optimum use rests with State, and local interests.

Use of a priori statistics to minimize acquisition time for RFI immune spread spectrum systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holmes, J. K.; Woo, K. T.

1978-01-01

The optimum acquisition sweep strategy was determined for a PN code despreader when the a priori probability density function was not uniform. A psuedo noise spread spectrum system was considered which could be utilized in the DSN to combat radio frequency interference. In a sample case, when the a priori probability density function was Gaussian, the acquisition time was reduced by about 41% compared to a uniform sweep approach.

(Per)chlorate Reduction by the Thermophilic Bacterium Moorella perchloratireducens sp. nov., Isolated from Underground Gas Storage▿

PubMed Central

Balk, Melike; van Gelder, Ton; Weelink, Sander A.; Stams, Alfons J. M.

2008-01-01

A thermophilic bacterium, strain An10, was isolated from underground gas storage with methanol as a substrate and perchlorate as an electron acceptor. Cells were gram-positive straight rods, 0.4 to 0.6 μm in diameter and 2 to 8 μm in length, growing as single cells or in pairs. Spores were terminal with a bulged sporangium. The temperature range for growth was 40 to 70°C, with an optimum at 55 to 60°C. The pH optimum was around 7. The salinity range for growth was between 0 and 40 g NaCl liter−1 with an optimum at 10 g liter−1. Strain An10 was able to grow on CO, methanol, pyruvate, glucose, fructose, cellobiose, mannose, xylose, and pectin. The isolate was able to respire with (per)chlorate, nitrate, thiosulfate, neutralized Fe(III) complexes, and anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate. The G+C content of the DNA was 57.6 mol%. On the basis of 16S rRNA analysis, strain An10 was most closely related to Moorella thermoacetica and Moorella thermoautotrophica. The bacterium reduced perchlorate and chlorate completely to chloride. Key enzymes, perchlorate reductase and chlorite dismutase, were detected in cell extracts. Strain An10 is the first thermophilic and gram-positive bacterium with the ability to use (per)chlorate as a terminal electron acceptor. PMID:17981952

Carnobacterium pleistocenium sp. nov., a novel psychrotolerant, facultative anaerobe isolated from permafrost of the Fox Tunnel in Alaska

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pikuta, Elena V.; Marsic, Damien; Bej, Asim; Tang, Jane; Krader, Paul; Hoover, Richard B.

2005-01-01

A novel, psychrotolerant, facultative anaerobe, strain FTR1T, was isolated from Pleistocene ice from the permafrost tunnel in Fox, Alaska. Gram-positive, motile, rod-shaped cells were observed with sizes 0.6-0.7 x 0.9-1.5 microm. Growth occurred within the pH range 6.5-9.5 with optimum growth at pH 7.3-7.5. The temperature range for growth of the novel isolate was 0-28 degrees C and optimum growth occurred at 24 degrees C. The novel isolate does not require NaCl; growth was observed between 0 and 5 % NaCl with optimum growth at 0.5 % (w/v). The novel isolate was a catalase-negative chemoorganoheterotroph that used as substrates sugars and some products of proteolysis. The metabolic end products were acetate, ethanol and CO2. Strain FTR1T was sensitive to ampicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, rifampicin, kanamycin and gentamicin. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed 99.8 % similarity between strain FTR1T and Carnobacterium alterfunditum, but DNA-DNA hybridization between them demonstrated 39+/-1.5 % relatedness. On the basis of genotypic and phenotypic characteristics, it is proposed that strain FTR1T (=ATCC BAA-754T=JCM 12174T=CIP 108033T) be assigned to the novel species Carnobacterium pleistocenium sp. nov.

Carnobacterium Pleistocaenium sp. nov.: A Novel Psychrotolerant, Facultative Anaerobe Isolated from Permafrost of the Fox Tunnel in Alaska

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pikuta, Elena V.; Marsic, Damien; Bej, Asim; Tang, Jane; Krader, Paul; Hoover, Richard B.

2004-01-01

A novel, psychrotolerant, facultative anaerobe, strain FTRIT1(sup T), was isolated from Pleistocene ice from the permafrost tunnel in Fox, Alaska. Gram-positive, motile, rod-shaped cells with sizes 0.6-0.7 x 0.9-1.5 micrometers were observed. Growth occurred within the pH range 6.5-9.5 and optimum at pH 7.3-7.5. The temperature range of the new isolate was 0-28 C and optimum growth occurred at 24 C. The novel isolate requires NaCl (growth absent at 0 %) and growth was observed between 0 and 5% NaCl with optimum at 0.5% (w/v). The new isolate was a catalase-negative chemoorganoheterotroph that used as substrates sugars and some products of proteolysis. The metabolic end products were: acetate, ethanol and CO2. Strain FTRl was sensitive to ampicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, rifampin, kanamycin, and gentamycin. The 16S rDNA sequence analysis showed 99.8% similarity of strain FTR1 with Carnobacterium alterfunditum, but the DNA-DNA hybridization between them demonstrated 39 plus or minus 5% homology. On the basis of genotypic and phenotypic characteristics, it is proposed that the strain FTR1(sup T) (= ATCC BAA-754(sup T) = JSM 12174(sup T) is assigned to the new species of the genus Carnobacterium with proposed name Carnobacterium pleistocaenium sp. nov.

Gelidivirgula Patagoniensis Gen. Nov., Sp. Nov., A Novel Psychrotolerant, Sporeforming Anaerobe Isolated from Magellanic Penguin Guano in Patagonia, Chile

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pikuta, Elena V.; Hoover, Richard B.; Marsic, Damien; Whitman, William B.; Tang, Jane; Krader, Paul

2003-01-01

A novel obligately anaerobic, psychrotrophic bacterium, strain PPP2(sup T), was isolated from guano of the Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) in Patagonia, Chile. The Gram-positive, sporeforming, straight rods with sizes 0.6-0.9 x 3.0-5.0 microns, are motile by peritrichous flagella. Growth was observed to occur within the pH range 6.0-9.5 (optimum pH x), and temperature range 2-28 C (optimum 20 C). The novel isolate does not require NaCl for growth, but is halotolerant and growth was observed between 0 and 7 % NaCl (w/v) with optimum at 0.5 % (w/v). The new isolate is a catalase negative chemoorganohetherotroph with fermentative metabolism and uses as substrates: peptone, Bacto-tryptone, Casamino acids, and yeast extract. The major metabolic products are: acetate, butyrate, ethanol, and hydrogen is a minor gas product.. Strain PPP2 was sensitive to ampicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, rifampin, kanamycin, and gentamycin. The G+C content of the DNA is 43.6 mol%. On the basis of 16S rDNA gene sequences and phenotypic characteristics, it is proposed that the strain PPP2(sup T) (= ATCC BAA-755(sup T) = JSM ...(sup T)) is assigned to the new genus Gelidivirgula gen. nov., as a representative of the new species, Gelidivirgula patagonensis sp. nov.

[THE CRITICAL INCIDENTS IN THE COMBINED ANESTHESIA DURING MAJOR ABDOMINAL SURGERY IN ELDERRY AND OLD PATIENTS: ROLE PREOPERATIVE LEVEL OF WAKEFULNESS.

PubMed

Veyler, R V; Musaeva, T S; Trembach, N V; Zabolotskikh, I B

2016-09-01

to determine patterns during combined anesthesia andfrequency ofcritical incidents, depending on the initial level of wakefulness and patient age. 158 patients of planning operated under combined anesthesia for colon tumors were divided into two groups of elderly patients (n= 79) and old (n= 79). Each group was divided into 3 subgroups, depending on level of wakefulness, the estimatedfor level of direct current potential: low, optimum and high levels ofwakefulness. Relations of age and level ofwakefulness with afrequency of critical incidents. In the number of registered incidents included hemodynamic incidents: hypotension, hypertension, bradycardia, arrhythmia and tachycardia; respiratory incidents: hypoxemia, hypercapnia, the needfor prolonged postoperative mechanical ventilation; metabolic incidents: hypothermia, slow recovery of neuromuscular conduction, slow postoperative awakening has been studied. The most frequent incidents in our study were hemodynamic incidents, which prevailed in the structure of hypotension and hypertension. Among of the respiratory incidents dominated by hypoxia and hypercapnia. In the group of elderly patients the most incidents occurred in the subgroup with low level of wakefulness, while in the oldest patients statistically group significant differences between the groups were not found Conclusion. Frequency of critical incidents does not only depend from the age but also from a preoperative level of wakefulness; frequency was lower in elderly patients with an optimum level of wakefulness, and the low level of wakefulness - was high regardless of age.

Chatter reduction in boring process by using piezoelectric shunt damping with experimental verification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yigit, Ufuk; Cigeroglu, Ender; Budak, Erhan

2017-09-01

Chatter is a self-excited type of vibration that develops during machining due to process-structure dynamic interactions resulting in modulated chip thickness. Chatter is an important problem as it results in poor surface quality, reduced productivity and tool life. The stability of a cutting process is strongly influenced by the frequency response function (FRF) at the cutting point. In this study, the effect of piezoelectric shunt damping on chatter vibrations in a boring process is studied. In piezoelectric shunt damping method, an electrical impedance is connected to a piezoelectric transducer which is bonded on cutting tool. Electrical impedance of the circuit consisting of piezoceramic transducer and passive shunt is tuned to the desired natural frequency of the cutting tool in order to maximize damping. The optimum damping is achieved in analytical and finite element models (FEM) by using a genetic algorithm focusing on the real part of the tool point FRF rather than the amplitude. Later, a practical boring bar is considered where the optimum circuit parameters are obtained by the FEM. Afterwards, the effect of the optimized piezoelectric shunt damping on the dynamic rigidity and absolute stability limit of the cutting process are investigated experimentally by modal analysis and cutting tests. It is both theoretically and experimentally shown that application of piezoelectric shunt damping results in a significant increase in the absolute stability limit in boring operations.

Selecting algorithms, sensors, and linear bases for optimum spectral recovery of skylight.

PubMed

López-Alvarez, Miguel A; Hernández-Andrés, Javier; Valero, Eva M; Romero, Javier

2007-04-01

In a previous work [Appl. Opt.44, 5688 (2005)] we found the optimum sensors for a planned multispectral system for measuring skylight in the presence of noise by adapting a linear spectral recovery algorithm proposed by Maloney and Wandell [J. Opt. Soc. Am. A3, 29 (1986)]. Here we continue along these lines by simulating the responses of three to five Gaussian sensors and recovering spectral information from noise-affected sensor data by trying out four different estimation algorithms, three different sizes for the training set of spectra, and various linear bases. We attempt to find the optimum combination of sensors, recovery method, linear basis, and matrix size to recover the best skylight spectral power distributions from colorimetric and spectral (in the visible range) points of view. We show how all these parameters play an important role in the practical design of a real multispectral system and how to obtain several relevant conclusions from simulating the behavior of sensors in the presence of noise.

Multi-objective thermodynamic optimisation of supercritical CO2 Brayton cycles integrated with solar central receivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasquez Padilla, Ricardo; Soo Too, Yen Chean; Benito, Regano; McNaughton, Robbie; Stein, Wes

2018-01-01

In this paper, optimisation of the supercritical CO? Brayton cycles integrated with a solar receiver, which provides heat input to the cycle, was performed. Four S-CO? Brayton cycle configurations were analysed and optimum operating conditions were obtained by using a multi-objective thermodynamic optimisation. Four different sets, each including two objective parameters, were considered individually. The individual multi-objective optimisation was performed by using Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm. The effect of reheating, solar receiver pressure drop and cycle parameters on the overall exergy and cycle thermal efficiency was analysed. The results showed that, for all configurations, the overall exergy efficiency of the solarised systems achieved at maximum value between 700°C and 750°C and the optimum value is adversely affected by the solar receiver pressure drop. In addition, the optimum cycle high pressure was in the range of 24.2-25.9 MPa, depending on the configurations and reheat condition.

Inherited and environmentally induced differences in mutation frequencies between wild strains of Sordaria fimicola from "Evolution Canyon".

PubMed

Lamb, B C; Saleem, M; Scott, W; Thapa, N; Nevo, E

1998-05-01

We have studied whether there is natural genetic variation for mutation frequencies, and whether any such variation is environment-related. Mutation frequencies differed significantly between wild strains of the fungus Sordaria fimicola isolated from a harsher or a milder microscale environment in "Evolution Canyon," Israel. Strains from the harsher, drier, south-facing slope had higher frequencies of new spontaneous mutations and of accumulated mutations than strains from the milder, lusher, north-facing slope. Collective total mutation frequencies over many loci for ascospore pigmentation were 2.3, 3.5 and 4.4% for three strains from the south-facing slope, and 0.9, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and 1.3% for five strains from the north-facing slope. Some of this between-slope difference was inherited through two generations of selfing, with average spontaneous mutation frequencies of 1.9% for south-facing slope strains and 0.8% for north-facing slope strains. The remainder was caused by different frequencies of mutations arising in the original environments. There was also significant heritable genetic variation in mutation frequencies within slopes. Similar between-slope differences were found for ascospore germination-resistance to acriflavine, with much higher frequencies in strains from the south-facing slope. Such inherited variation provides a basis for natural selection for optimum mutation rates in each environment.

Inherited and environmentally induced differences in mutation frequencies between wild strains of Sordaria fimicola from "Evolution Canyon".

PubMed Central

Lamb, B C; Saleem, M; Scott, W; Thapa, N; Nevo, E

1998-01-01

We have studied whether there is natural genetic variation for mutation frequencies, and whether any such variation is environment-related. Mutation frequencies differed significantly between wild strains of the fungus Sordaria fimicola isolated from a harsher or a milder microscale environment in "Evolution Canyon," Israel. Strains from the harsher, drier, south-facing slope had higher frequencies of new spontaneous mutations and of accumulated mutations than strains from the milder, lusher, north-facing slope. Collective total mutation frequencies over many loci for ascospore pigmentation were 2.3, 3.5 and 4.4% for three strains from the south-facing slope, and 0.9, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and 1.3% for five strains from the north-facing slope. Some of this between-slope difference was inherited through two generations of selfing, with average spontaneous mutation frequencies of 1.9% for south-facing slope strains and 0.8% for north-facing slope strains. The remainder was caused by different frequencies of mutations arising in the original environments. There was also significant heritable genetic variation in mutation frequencies within slopes. Similar between-slope differences were found for ascospore germination-resistance to acriflavine, with much higher frequencies in strains from the south-facing slope. Such inherited variation provides a basis for natural selection for optimum mutation rates in each environment. PMID:9584088

Inherited differences in crossing over and gene conversion frequencies between wild strains of Sordaria fimicola from "Evolution Canyon".

PubMed Central

Saleem, M; Lamb, B C; Nevo, E

2001-01-01

Recombination generates new combinations of existing genetic variation and therefore may be important in adaptation and evolution. We investigated whether there was natural genetic variation for recombination frequencies and whether any such variation was environment related and possibly adaptive. Crossing over and gene conversion frequencies often differed significantly in a consistent direction between wild strains of the fungus Sordaria fimicola isolated from a harsher or a milder microscale environment in "Evolution Canyon," Israel. First- and second-generation descendants from selfing the original strains from the harsher, more variable, south-facing slope had higher frequencies of crossing over in locus-centromere intervals and of gene conversion than those from the lusher north-facing slopes. There were some significant differences between strains within slopes, but these were less marked than between slopes. Such inherited variation could provide a basis for natural selection for optimum recombination frequencies in each environment. There were no significant differences in meiotic hybrid DNA correction frequencies between strains from the different slopes. The conversion analysis was made using only conversions to wild type, because estimations of conversion to mutant were affected by a high frequency of spontaneous mutation. There was no polarized segregation of chromosomes at meiosis I or of chromatids at meiosis II. PMID:11779798

Inherited differences in crossing over and gene conversion frequencies between wild strains of Sordaria fimicola from "Evolution Canyon".

PubMed

Saleem, M; Lamb, B C; Nevo, E

2001-12-01

Recombination generates new combinations of existing genetic variation and therefore may be important in adaptation and evolution. We investigated whether there was natural genetic variation for recombination frequencies and whether any such variation was environment related and possibly adaptive. Crossing over and gene conversion frequencies often differed significantly in a consistent direction between wild strains of the fungus Sordaria fimicola isolated from a harsher or a milder microscale environment in "Evolution Canyon," Israel. First- and second-generation descendants from selfing the original strains from the harsher, more variable, south-facing slope had higher frequencies of crossing over in locus-centromere intervals and of gene conversion than those from the lusher north-facing slopes. There were some significant differences between strains within slopes, but these were less marked than between slopes. Such inherited variation could provide a basis for natural selection for optimum recombination frequencies in each environment. There were no significant differences in meiotic hybrid DNA correction frequencies between strains from the different slopes. The conversion analysis was made using only conversions to wild type, because estimations of conversion to mutant were affected by a high frequency of spontaneous mutation. There was no polarized segregation of chromosomes at meiosis I or of chromatids at meiosis II.

Resonance frequency control of RF normal conducting cavity using gradient estimator of reflected power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leewe, R.; Shahriari, Z.; Moallem, M.

2017-10-01

Control of the natural resonance frequency of an RF cavity is essential for accelerator structures due to their high cavity sensitivity to internal and external vibrations and the dependency of resonant frequency on temperature changes. Due to the relatively high radio frequencies involved (MHz to GHz), direct measurement of the resonant frequency for real-time control is not possible by using conventional microcontroller hardware. So far, all operational cavities are tuned using phase comparison techniques. The temperature dependent phase measurements render this technique labor and time intensive. To eliminate the phase measurement, reduce man hours and speed up cavity start up time, this paper presents a control theme that relies solely on the reflected power measurement. The control algorithm for the nonlinear system is developed through Lyapunov's method. The controller stabilizes the resonance frequency of the cavity using a nonlinear control algorithm in combination with a gradient estimation method. Experimental results of the proposed system on a test cavity show that the resonance frequency can be tuned to its optimum operating point while the start up time of a single cavity and the accompanied man hours are significantly decreased. A test result of the fully commissioned control system on one of TRIUMF's DTL tanks verifies its performance under real environmental conditions.

Improved reading performance using individualized compensation filters for observers with losses in central vision

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawton, Teri B.

1989-01-01

A method to improve the reading performance of subjects with losses in central vision is proposed in which the amplitudes of the intermediate spatial frequencies are boosted relative to the lower spatial frequencies. In the method, words are filtered using an image enhancement function which is based on a subject's losses in visual function relative to a normal subject. It was found that 30-70 percent less magnification was necessary, and that reading rates were improved 2-3 times, using the method. The individualized compensation filters improved the clarity and visibility of words. The shape of the enhancement function was shown to be important in determining the optimum compensation filter for improving reading performance.

Influence of the frequency detuning on the four-wave mixing efficiency in three-level system coupled by standing-wave

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Hai-Tao; Che, Shao-Na; Han, Yu-Hong; Wang, Dan

2018-05-01

In a Λ-type three-level atomic system coupled by an off-resonant standing-wave, the reflected four-wave mixing (FWM) spectrum is studied. It shows that the maximum reflection efficiency occurs when both of the coupling and probe fields are tuned off resonances from the atomic transitions. The essence of enhanced reflection is that the nonlinear efficiency of the FWM based on coherent atoms is improved due to the significant reduction of phase mismatch. The theoretical analysis shows good agreement with the experimental results. Furthermore, the influence of the atomic number density on the coupling frequency detuning of the optimum reflection efficiency and the linewidth are also investigated.

Enhanced target normal sheath acceleration based on the laser relativistic self-focusing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, D. B.; Zhuo, H. B.; Yang, X. H.; Shao, F. Q.; Ma, Y. Y.; Yu, T. P.; Wu, H. C.; Yin, Y.; Ge, Z. Y.; Li, X. H.

2014-06-01

The enhanced target normal sheath acceleration of ions in laser target interaction via the laser relativistic self-focusing effect is investigated by theoretical analysis and particle-in-cell simulations. The temperature of the hot electrons in the underdense plasma is greatly increased due to the occurrence of resonant absorption, while the electron-betatron-oscillation frequency is close to its witnessed laser frequency [Pukhov et al., Phys. Plasma 6, 2847 (1999)]. While these hot electrons penetrate through the backside solid target, a stronger sheath electric field at the rear surface of the target is induced, which can accelerate the protons to a higher energy. It is also shown that the optimum length of the underdense plasma is approximately equal to the self-focusing distance.

Design of various fixed-geometry water-lubricated hydrodynamic journal bearings for maximum stability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schuller, F. T.

1973-01-01

This publication is the result of over 260 fractional-frequency-whirl stability tests on a variety of fixed-geometry journal bearings. It is intended principally as a guide in the selection and design of antiwhirl bearings that must operate at high speeds and low loads in low-viscosity fluids such as water or liquid metals. However, the various fixed-geometry configurations can be employed as well in applications where other lubricants, such as oil, are used and fractional-frequency whirl is a problem. The important parameters that effect stability are discussed for each bearing type, and design curves to facilitate the design of optimum-geometry bearings are included. A comparison of the stability of the different bearing configurations tested is also given.

Design of an Integrated Thermoelectric Generator Power Converter for Ultra-Low Power and Low Voltage Body Energy Harvesters aimed at EEG/ECG Active Electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ataei, Milad; Robert, Christian; Boegli, Alexis; Farine, Pierre-André

2014-11-01

This paper describes a design procedure for an efficient body thermal energy harvesting integrated power converter. This procedure is based on loss examination for a selfpowered medical device. All optimum system parameters are calculated respecting the transducer constraints and the application form factor. It is found that it is possible to optimize converter's working frequency with proper design of its pulse generator circuit. At selected frequency, it has been demonstrated that wide area voltage doubler can be eliminated at the expense of wider switches. With this method, more than 60% efficiency is achieved in simulation for just 20mV transducer output voltage and 30% of entire chip area is saved.

Radio-frequency power-assisted performance improvement of a magnetohydrodynamic power generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murakami, Tomoyuki; Okuno, Yoshihiro; Yamasaki, Hiroyuki

2005-12-01

We describe a radio-frequency (rf) electromagnetic-field-assisted magnetohydrodynamic power generation experiment, where an inductively coupled rf field (13.56MHz, 5.2kW) is continuously supplied to the disk generator. The rf power assists the precise plasma ignition, by which the otherwise irregular plasma behavior was stabilized. The rf heating suppresses the ionization instability in the plasma behavior and homogenizes the nonuniformity of the plasma structures. The power-generating performance is significantly improved with the aid of the rf power under wide seeding conditions: insufficient, optimum, and excessive seed fractions. The increment of the enthalpy extraction ratio of around 2% is significantly greater than the fraction of the net rf power, that is, 0.16%, to the thermal input.

Measurement methods and algorithms for comparison of local and remote clocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levine, Judah

1993-01-01

Several methods for characterizing the performance of clocks with special emphasis on using calibration information that is acquired via an unreliable or noisy channel is discussed. Time-domain variance estimators and frequency-domain techniques such as cross-spectral analysis are discussed. Each of these methods has advantages and limitations that will be illustrated using data obtained via GPS, ACTS, and other methods. No one technique will be optimum for all of these analyses, and some of these problems cannot be completely characterized by any of the techniques discussed. The inverse problem of communicating frequency and time corrections to a real-time steered clock are also discussed. Methods were developed to mitigate the disastrous problems of data corruption and loss of computer control.

Designing water supplies: Optimizing drinking water composition for maximum economic benefit.

PubMed

Rygaard, M; Arvin, E; Bath, A; Binning, P J

2011-06-01

It is possible to optimize drinking water composition based on a valuation of the impacts of changed water quality. This paper introduces a method for assessing the potential for designing an optimum drinking water composition by the use of membrane desalination and remineralization. The method includes modeling of possible water quality blends and an evaluation of corrosion indices. Based on concentration-response relationships a range of impacts on public health, material lifetimes and consumption of soap have been valued for Perth, Western Australia and Copenhagen, Denmark. In addition to water quality aspects, costs of water production, fresh water abstraction and CO(2)-emissions are integrated into a holistic economic assessment of the optimum share of desalinated water in water supplies. Results show that carefully designed desalination post-treatment can have net benefits up to €0.3 ± 0.2 per delivered m(3) for Perth and €0.4(±0.2) for Copenhagen. Costs of remineralization and green house gas emission mitigation are minor when compared to the potential benefits of an optimum water composition. Finally, a set of optimum water quality criteria is proposed for the guidance of water supply planning and management. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Boundary layer and separation control on wings at low Reynolds numbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Shanling

Results on boundary layer and separation control through acoustic excitation at low Re numbers are reported. The Eppler 387 profile is specifically chosen because of its pre-stall hysteresis and bi-stable state behavior in the transitional Re regime, which is a result of flow separation and reattachment. External acoustic forcing on the wing yields large improvements (more than 70%) in lift-to-drag ratio and flow reattachment at forcing frequencies that correlate with the measured anti-resonances in the wind tunnel. The optimum St/Re1/2 range for Re = 60,000 matches the proposed optimum range in the literature, but there is less agreement for Re = 40,000, which suggests that correct St scaling has not been determined. The correlation of aerodynamic improvements to wind tunnel resonances implies that external acoustic forcing is facility-dependent, which inhibits practical application. Therefore, internal acoustic excitation for the same wing profile is also pursued. Internal acoustic forcing is designed to be accomplished by embedding small speakers inside a custom-designed wing that contains many internal cavities and small holes in the suction surface. However, initial testing of this semi-porous wing model shows that the presence of the small holes in the suction surface completely transforms the aerodynamic performance by changing the mean chordwise separation location and causing an originally separated, low-lift state flow to reattach into a high-lift state. The aerodynamic improvements are not caused by the geometry of the small holes themselves, but rather by Helmholtz resonance that occurs in the cavities, which generate tones that closely match the intrinsic flow instabilities. Essentially, opening and closing holes in the suction surface of a wing, perhaps by digital control, can be used as a means of passive separation control. Given the similarity of wing-embedded pressure tap systems to Helmholtz resonators, particular attention must be given to the setup of pressure taps in wings in order to avoid acoustic resonance effects. Local acoustic forcing is achieved through the activation of internally embedded speakers in combination with thin diaphragms placed across the holes in the suction surface to eliminate Helmholtz resonance effects. Activating various speakers in different spanwise and chordwise distributions successfully controls local flow separation on the wing at Re = 40,000 and 60,000. The changes in aerodynamic performance differ from those observed through external acoustic forcing, indicating that internal acoustic forcing is facility-independent. Combining the effect of Helmholtz resonance and the effect of pure internal acoustic forcing yields a completely different set of performance improvements. Since the internal acoustic forcing studies in the literature did not separate these two effects, there is reason to question the validity of the true nominal performance of the wings in previously reported internal acoustic studies. Stability analysis is performed on experimental velocity profiles by means of a numerical Orr-Sommerfeld solver, which extracts the initially least stable frequencies in the boundary layer using parallel and 2-d flow assumptions. Velocity profiles of the E387 wing are chosen at a condition where acoustic excitation at various chordwise locations and frequencies promotes the originally separated, low-lift state flow into a reattached, high-lift state. Preliminary stability analysis of the flow at different chordwise stations for the wing in its nominal state (without acoustic excitation) indicates that the flow is initially stable. The least stable frequencies are found to be equal to, and sub harmonics of, the preferential acoustic forcing frequencies determined in experiments. However, potentially improper and oversimplified flow assumptions are most likely sources of inaccuracy since the Orr-Sommerfeld equation is not generally used for separated flows or for boundary layers that grow significantly over the chord length. The reported numerical results serve as a basis for further validation. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Sulfurirhabdus autotrophica gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from a freshwater lake.

PubMed

Watanabe, Tomohiro; Kojima, Hisaya; Shinohara, Arisa; Fukui, Manabu

2016-01-01

A novel sulfur-oxidizing bacterium, designated strain BiS0T, was isolated from a sediment sample collected from a freshwater lake in Japan. The cells were rod-shaped, 1.4-4.6 × 0.4-0.7 μm and Gram-stain-negative. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was around 44 mol%. The isolate possessed summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c), C16 : 0 and C10 : 0 3-OH as major cellular fatty acids. Strain BiS0T grew by carbon dioxide fixation and oxidation of inorganic sulfur compounds with oxygen as the electron acceptor. Growth was observed over a temperature range of 0-32 °C (optimum, 15-22 °C), an NaCl concentration range of 0-546.4 mM (optimum 0-66.7 mM) and a pH range of 5.2-8.1 (optimum 6.1-6.3). Phylogenetic analysis, based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, indicated that strain BiS0T belongs to the family Sulfuricellaceae in the class Betaproteobacteria. The closest cultured relatives were Sulfuricella denitrificans skB26T and Sulfuricella sp. T08, with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 96.3 %. On the basis of the data obtained in this study, strain BiS0T represents a novel species of a novel genus, for which the name Sulfurirhabdus autotrophica gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BiS0T ( = NBRC 110941T = DSM 100309T).

Thermococcus Thioreducens sp. Nov., a Novel Hyperthermophilic, Obligately Sulfur-reducing Archaeon from a Deep-sea Hydrothermal Vent

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pikuta, Elena V.; Marsic, Damien; Itoh, Takashi; Bej, Asim K.; Tang, Jane; Whitman, William B.; Ng, Joseph D.; Garriott, Owen K.; Hoover, Richard B.

2007-01-01

A hyperthermophilic, sulfur-reducing, organo-heterotrophic archaeon, strain OGL-20P was isolated from black smoker chimney material from the Rainbow hydrothermal vent site on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (36.2 N, 33.9 W). The cells of strain OGL-20P(sup T) have an irregular coccoid shape and are motile with a single flagellum. Growth was observed within the pH range 5.0-8.5 (optimum pH 7.0), NaCl concentration range 1-5 % (w/v) (optimum 3%), and temperature range 55-94 C (optimum 83-85 C). The novel isolate is strictly anaerobic and obligately dependent upon elemental sulfur as an electron acceptor, but it does not reduce sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate, iron (III) or nitrate. Proteolysis products (peptone, bacto-tryptone, casamino-acids, and yeast extract) are utilized as substrates during sulfur-reduction. Strain OGL-20P(sup T) is resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, and gentamycin, but sensitive to tetracycline and rifampicin. The G+C content of DNA is 52.9 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain OGL-20P(sup T) is closely related to Thermococcus coalescens and related species, but no significant homology by DNA-DNA hybridization was observed between those species and the new isolate. On the basis of physiological and molecular properties of the new isolate, we conclude that strain OGL-20P(sup T) represents a new separate species within the genus Thermococcus, and propose the name Thermococcus thioreducens sp. nov. The type strain is OGL-20P(sup T) (= ATCC BAA-394(sup T) = JCM 12859(sup T) = DSM 14981(sup T)).

Alkaline Anaerobic Respiration: Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Alkaliphilic and Metal-Reducing Bacterium

PubMed Central

Ye, Qi; Roh, Yul; Carroll, Susan L.; Blair, Benjamin; Zhou, Jizhong; Zhang, Chuanlun L.; Fields, Matthew W.

2004-01-01

Iron-reducing enrichments were obtained from leachate ponds at the U.S. Borax Company in Boron, Calif. Based on partial small-subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequences (approximately 500 nucleotides), six isolates shared 98.9% nucleotide identity. As a representative, the isolate QYMF was selected for further analysis. QYMF could be grown with Fe(III)-citrate, Fe(III)-EDTA, Co(III)-EDTA, or Cr(VI) as electron acceptors, and yeast extract and lactate could serve as electron donors. Growth during iron reduction occurred over the pH range of 7.5 to 11.0 (optimum, pH 9.5), a sodium chloride range of 0 to 80 g/liter (optimum, 20 g/liter), and a temperature range of 4 to 45°C (optimum, approximately 35°C), and iron precipitates were formed. QYMF was a strict anaerobe that could be grown in the presence of borax, and the cells were straight rods that produced endospores. Sodium chloride and yeast extract stimulated growth. Phylogenetic analysis of the SSU rRNA gene indicated that the bacterium was a low-G+C gram-positive microorganism and had 96 and 92% nucleotide identity with Alkaliphilus transvaalensis and Alkaliphilus crotonatoxidans, respectively. The major phospholipid fatty acids were 14:1, 16:1ω7c, and 16:0, which were different from those of other alkaliphiles but similar to those of reported iron-reducing bacteria. The results demonstrated that the isolate might represent a novel metal-reducing alkaliphilic species. The name Alkaliphilus metalliredigens sp. nov. is proposed. The isolation and activity of metal-reducing bacteria from borax-contaminated leachate ponds suggest that bioremediation of metal-contaminated alkaline environments may be feasible and have implications for alkaline anaerobic respiration. PMID:15345448

Tindallia californiensis sp. nov., a new anaerobic, haloalkaliphilic, spore-forming acetogen isolated from Mono Lake in California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pikuta, E. V.; Hoover, R. B.; Bej, A. K.; Marsic, D.; Detkova, E. N.; Whitman, W. B.; Krader, P.

2003-01-01

A novel extremely haloalkaliphilic, strictly anaerobic, acetogenic bacterium strain APO was isolated from sediments of the athalassic, meromictic, alkaline Mono Lake in California. The Gram-positive, spore-forming, slightly curved rods with sizes 0.55- 0.7x1.7-3.0 microns were motile by a single laterally attached flagellum. Strain APO was mesophilic (range 10-48 C, optimum of 37 C); halophilic (NaCl range 1-20% (w/v) with optimum of 3-5% (w/v), and alkaliphilic (pH range 8.0-10.5, optimum 9.5). The novel isolate required sodium ions in the medium. Strain APO was an organotroph with a fermentative type of metabolism and used the substrates peptone, bacto-tryptone, casamino acid, yeast extract, L-serine, L-lysine, L-histidine, L-arginine, and pyruvate. The new isolate performed the Stickland reaction with the following amino acid pairs: proline + alanine, glycine + alanine, and tryptophan + valine. The main end product of growth was acetate. High activity of CO dehydrogenase and hydrogenase indicated the presence of a homoacetogenic, non-cycling acetyl-coA pathway. Strain APO was resistant to kanamycin but sensitive to chloramphenicol, tetracycline, and gentamycin. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 44.4 mol% (by HPLC method). The sequence of the 16s rRNA gene of strain APO possessed 98.2% similarity with the sequence from Tindullia magadiensis Z-7934, but the DNA-DNA hybridization value between these organisms was only 55%. On the basis of these physiological and molecular properties, strain APO is proposed to be a novel species of the genus Tindallia with the name Tindallia californiensis sp. nov., (type strain APO = ATCC BAA-393 - DSM 14871).

Thermococcus thioreducens sp. nov., a Novel Hyperthermophilic, Obligately Sulfur-Reducing Archaeon from a Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pikuta, Elena V.; Marsic, Damien; Itoh, Takashi; Bej, Asim K.; Tang, Jane; Whitman, William B.; Ng, Joseph D.; Garriott, Owen K.; Hoover, Richard B.

2007-01-01

A hyperthermophilic, sulfur-reducing, organo-heterotrophic archaeon, strain OGL-20P(sup T), was isolated from 'black smoker' chimney material from the Rainbow hydrothermal vent site on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (36.2degN, 33.9degW). The cells of strain OGL-20P(T) have an irregular coccoid shape and are motile with a single flagellum. Growth was observed within a pH range of 5.0-8.5 (optimum pH 7.0), an NaCl concentration range of 1-5%(w/v) (optimum 3%)and a temperature range of 55-94 C (optimum 83-85 C). The novel isolate is strictly anaerobic and obligately dependent upon elemental sulfur as an electron acceptor, but it does not reduce sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate, Fe(III) or nitrate. Proteolysis products (peptone, bacto-tryptone, Casamino acids and yeast extract) are utilized as substrates during sulfur reduction. Strain OGL-20P(sup T) is resistant to ampicillin, chloram phenicol, kanamycin and gentamicin, but sensitive to tetracycline and rifampicin. The G + C content of the DNA is 52.9 mol% The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain OGL-20P(sup T) is closely related to Thermococcus coalescens and related species, but no significant homology by DNA-DNA hybridization was observed between those species and the new isolate. On the basis of physiological and molecular properties of the new isolate, we conclude that strain OGL-20P(sup T) represents a new separate species within the genus Thermococcus, for which we propose the name Thermococcus thioreducens sp. nov. The type strain is OGL-20P(sup T) (=JCM 12859(exp T) = DSM 14981(exp T)=ATCC BAA-394(exp T)).

Decomposition of Alternative Chirality Amino Acids by Alkaliphilic Anaerobe from Owens Lake, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Townsend, Alisa; Pikuta, Elena V.; Guisler, Melissa; Hoover, Richard B.

2009-01-01

The study of alkaliphilic microbial communities from anaerobic sediments of Owens and Mono Lakes in California led to the isolation of a bacterial strain capable of metabolizing amino acids with alternative chirality. According to the phylogenetic analysis, the anaerobic strain BK1 belongs to the genus Tindallia; however, despite the characteristics of other described species of this genus, the strain BK1 was able to grow on D-arginine and Dlysine. Cell morphology of this strain showed straight, motile, non-spore-forming rods with sizes 0.45 x 1.2-3 microns. Physiological characteristics of the strain showed that it is catalase negative, obligately anaerobic, mesophilic, and obligately alkaliphilic. This isolate is unable to grow at pH 7 and requires CO3 (2-) ions for growth. The strain has chemo-heterotrophic metabolism and is able to ferment various proteolysis products and some sugars. It plays the role of a primary anaerobe within the trophic chain of an anaerobic microbial community by the degradation of complex protein molecules to smaller and less energetic molecules. The new isolate requires NaCl for growth, and can grow within the range of 0.5-13 %, with the optimum at 1 % NaCl (w/v). The temperature range for the growth of the new isolate is 12-40 C with optimum at 35 C. The pH range for the growth of strain BK1 occurs between 7.8 and 11.0 with optimum at 9.5. This paper presents detailed physiological characteristics of the novel isolate from Owens Lake, a unique relic ecosystem of Astrobiological significance, and makes an accent on the ability of this strain to utilize L-amino acids.

Piezoelectrically driven vertical cavity acoustic transducers for the convective transport and rapid detection of DNA and protein binding to DNA microarrays with SPR imaging--a parametric study.

PubMed

Okabe, Yuka; Chen, Yulin; Purohit, Rishi; Corn, Robert M; Lee, Abraham P

2012-05-15

Mixing within the microdomain is limited because convective mixing cannot be achieved since diffusion dominates as the main form of transport. Hence microassays can take on the order of 1 to 72 h, without the aid of a passive or active mixer to shorten the time of transport of a target molecule to a probe (Lai et al., 2004). Liu et al. (2002, 2003) developed a low cost cavitation microstreaming based mixer which is easy to implement and use, but no comprehensive study has been done to optimize such a mixer for various applications. We present a study of the effects of various frequencies and cavity parameters on mixing using dye and surface based assays with protein, DNA, and nanoparticles to obtain an optimum mixing frequency and configuration for a wide range of assay applications. We present a novel method to monitor real time binding using surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRI) coupled with a vertical cavity acoustic transducer (VCAT) micromixer for various biomolecule surface assays. The combination of VCAT and SPRI allows assay signal saturation within one minute while conserving reagent volume. The kinetic rate constant for adsorption (k(a)) and desorption (k(d)) as well as the limit of detection (LOD) of 5 nM for the DNA duplex formation are reported using this VCAT micromixer. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stabilizing Selection, Purifying Selection, and Mutational Bias in Finite Populations

PubMed Central

Charlesworth, Brian

2013-01-01

Genomic traits such as codon usage and the lengths of noncoding sequences may be subject to stabilizing selection rather than purifying selection. Mutations affecting these traits are often biased in one direction. To investigate the potential role of stabilizing selection on genomic traits, the effects of mutational bias on the equilibrium value of a trait under stabilizing selection in a finite population were investigated, using two different mutational models. Numerical results were generated using a matrix method for calculating the probability distribution of variant frequencies at sites affecting the trait, as well as by Monte Carlo simulations. Analytical approximations were also derived, which provided useful insights into the numerical results. A novel conclusion is that the scaled intensity of selection acting on individual variants is nearly independent of the effective population size over a wide range of parameter space and is strongly determined by the logarithm of the mutational bias parameter. This is true even when there is a very small departure of the mean from the optimum, as is usually the case. This implies that studies of the frequency spectra of DNA sequence variants may be unable to distinguish between stabilizing and purifying selection. A similar investigation of purifying selection against deleterious mutations was also carried out. Contrary to previous suggestions, the scaled intensity of purifying selection with synergistic fitness effects is sensitive to population size, which is inconsistent with the general lack of sensitivity of codon usage to effective population size. PMID:23709636

Combination of High Rate, Real-Time GNSS and Accelerometer Observations and Rapid Seismic Event Notification for Earthquake Early Warning and Volcano Monitoring with a Focus on the Pacific Rim.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimakov, L. G.; Passmore, P.; Raczka, J.; Alvarez, M.; Jackson, M.

2014-12-01

Scientific GNSS networks are moving towards a model of real-time data acquisition, epoch-by-epoch storage integrity, and on-board real-time position and displacement calculations. This new paradigm allows the integration of real-time, high-rate GNSS displacement information with acceleration and velocity data to create very high-rate displacement records. The mating of these two instruments allows the creation of a new, very high-rate (200 sps) displacement observable that has the full-scale displacement characteristics of GNSS and high-precision dynamic motions of seismic technologies. It is envisioned that these new observables can be used for earthquake early warning studies, volcano monitoring, and critical infrastructure monitoring applications. Our presentation will focus on the characteristics of GNSS, seismic, and strong motion sensors in high dynamic environments, including historic earthquakes in Southern California and the Pacific Rim, replicated on a shake table, over a range of displacements and frequencies. We will explore the optimum integration of these sensors from a filtering perspective including simple harmonic impulses over varying frequencies and amplitudes and under the dynamic conditions of various earthquake scenarios. In addition we will discuss implementation of a Rapid Seismic Event Notification System that provides quick delivery of digital data from seismic stations to the acquisition and processing center and a full data integrity model for real-time earthquake notification that provides warning prior to significant ground shaking.

Microstructure, magnetic and microwave absorptive behavior of doped W-type hexaferrite nanoparticles prepared by co-precipitation method

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

Gordani, Gholam Reza, E-mail: gordani@gmail.com; Mohseni, Marzieh; Ghasemi, Ali

2016-04-15

Highlights: • High frequency properties of substituted W-type Sr-hexaferrite. • Saturation magnetization of samples is decreased with increasing of dopants content. • The ferrite sample covers about 6 GHz of bandwidth in K{sub u} band. • The optimum substituted samples can be used as a potential magnetic loss material. • Sample contain x = 0.4 of dopants have shown greater than 90% of reflection loss. - Abstract: Substituted W-type hexaferrite nanoparticles of SrZn{sub 2−x}Co{sub x/2}Ni{sub x/2}Fe{sub 16}O{sub 27} were synthesized by a chemical co-precipitation method. The X-ray diffraction results confirmed that W-type ferrite was identified as the main phase inmore » whole samples in the range of x = 0–0.4. According to magnetic hysteresis loops, with increasing of substituted cations, saturation of magnetization increased and coercivity decreased due to crystalline site occupation of Zn with Ni and Co cations. The microwave reflection loss analysis results in the K{sub u} band (12–18 GHz) show that the highest value of reflection loss of samples was −29.11 dB at frequency of 14.57 GHz with an absorption bandwidth of more than 6 GHz by choosing reflection loss value of −10 dB as a reference. The results indicate that, the sample with appropriate amount of substituted cations hold great promise for microwave device applications.« less

In Vivo Proton–Electron Double-Resonance Imaging of Extracellular Tumor pH Using an Advanced Nitroxide Probe

PubMed Central

Samouilov, Alexandre; Efimova, Olga V.; Bobko, Andrey A.; Sun, Ziqi; Petryakov, Sergey; Eubank, Timothy D.; Trofimov, Dmitrii G.; Kirilyuk, Igor A.; Grigor’ev, Igor A.; Takahashi, Wataru; Zweier, Jay L.; Khramtsov, Valery V.

2014-01-01

A variable radio frequency proton–electron double-resonance imaging (VRF PEDRI) approach for pH mapping of aqueous samples has been recently developed (Efimova et al. J. Magn. Reson. 2011, 209, 227–232). A pH map is extracted from two PEDRI acquisitions performed at electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) frequencies of protonated and unprotonated forms of a pH-sensitive probe. To translate VRF PEDRI to an in vivo setting, an advanced pH probe was synthesized. Probe deuteration resulted in a narrow spectral line of 1.2 G compared to a nondeuterated analogue line width of 2.1 G allowing for an increase of Overhauser enhancements and reduction in rf power deposition. Binding of the probe to the cell-impermeable tripeptide, glutathione (GSH), allows for targeting to extracellular tissue space for monitoring extracellular tumor acidosis, a prognostic factor in tumor pathophysiology. The probe demonstrated pH sensitivity in the 5.8–7.8 range, optimum for measurement of acidic extracellular tumor pH (pHe). In vivo VRF PEDRI was performed on Met-1 tumor-bearing mice. Compared to normal mammary glands with a neutral mean pHe (7.1 ± 0.1), we observed broader pH distribution with acidic mean pHe (6.8 ± 0.1) in tumor tissue. In summary, VRF PEDRI in combination with a newly developed pH probe provides an analytical approach for spatially resolved noninvasive pHe monitoring, in vivo. PMID:24372284

Occurrence and food habits of the round goby in the profundal zone of southwestern Lake Ontario

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walsh, M.G.; Dittman, D.E.; O'Gorman, R.

2007-01-01

Little is known about the ecology of round goby (Neogobius melanostomus), an invasive benthic fish, in the profundal zone of the Great Lakes. In April 2002–2005 we caught increasing numbers of round gobies with a bottom trawl in the 45–150 m depth range of southwestern Lake Ontario. In 2005, we examined gut contents of 30 round gobies from each of three depths, 55, 95, and 130 m, and qualitatively compared gut contents with density of benthic invertebrates determined by Ponar grabs. Round goby guts contained mostly Dreissena spp. and opposum shrimp, Mysis relicta (Mysis); the frequency of occurrence of dreissenids in guts decreased with depth, whereas the frequency of occurrence of Mysis in guts increased with depth. Abundance of these invertebrates in the environment followed the same pattern, although dreissenids of optimum edible size (3–12 mm) were still abundant (1,373/m2) at 130 m, where round gobies primarily consumed Mysis, suggesting that round gobies may switch from dreissenids to more profitable prey when it is available. Other food items were ostracods and fish, with ostracods generally eaten by smaller round gobies and fish eaten by larger round gobies. Occurrence and increasing abundance of round gobies in the profundal zone and predation on Mysis by round goby could have far-reaching consequences for the Lake Ontario fish community.

[Isolation and characterization of Thermopirellula anaerolimosa gen. nov., sp. nov., an obligate anaerobic hydrogen-producing bacterium of the phylum Planctomycetes].

PubMed

Liu, Dongying; Liu, Yi; Men, Xuehui; Guo, Qunqun; Guo, Rongbo; Qiu, Yanling

2012-08-04

To cultivate various yet-to-be cultured heterotrophs from anaerobic granule sludge, we used a selective culture medium with low concentrations of substrates supplemented a variety of antibiotics. An obligate anaerobic, thermophilic, hydrogen-producing bacterium, strain VM20-7(T), was isolated from an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor treating high-strength organic wastewater from isomerized sugar production processes. Cells of strain VM20-7(T) are non-motile, spherical, pear or teardrop shaped, occurring singly(o)r as aggregates (0.7 - 2.0 microm x 0.7 - 2.0 microm). Spore formation was not observed. Growth temperature ranges from 35 - 50 degrees C (optimum 45 degrees C), pH ranges from 6.0 - 8.3 (optimum 7.0 - 7.5) , NaCl tolerant concentration ranges from 0% - 0.5% (w/v, optimum 0% ). Nitrate, sulfate, thiosulfate, sulfite, elemental sulfur and Fe (III)-NTA were not used as terminal electron acceptors. Strain VM20-7(T) utilizes a wide range of carbohydrates, including glucose, maltose, ribose, xylose, sucrose, galactose, mannose, raffinose, pectin, yeast extract and xylan. Acetate and H2 are the main end products of glucose fermentation. The G + C content of the genomic DNA was 60.9 mol%. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that it is related to the Pirellula-Rhodopirellula-Blastopirellula (PRB) clade within the order Planctomycetales (82.7 - 84.3% similarity with 16S rRNA genes of other known related species). The first obligate anaerobic bacterium within the phylum Planctomycetes was isolated with low concentration of carbohydrates and antibiotics. On the basis of the physiological and phylogenetic data, the name Thermopirellula anaerolimosa gen. nov. , sp. nov. is proposed for strain VM20-7(T) (= CGMCC 1.5169(T) = JCM 17478(T) = DSM 24165(T)).

Germination response of Hylocereus setaceus (Salm-Dyck ex DC: ) Ralf Bauer (Cactaceae) seeds to temperature and reduced water potentials.

PubMed

Simão, E; Takaki, M; Cardoso, V J M

2010-02-01

The germination response of Hylocereus setaceus seeds to isothermic incubation at different water potentials was analysed by using the thermal time and hydrotime models, aiming to describe some germination parameters of the population and to test the validity of the models to describe the response of the seeds to temperature and water potential. Hylocereus setaceus seeds germinated relatively well in a wide range of temperatures and the germination was rate limited from 11 to 20 degrees C interval and beyond 30 degrees C until 40 degrees C, in which the germination rate respectively shifts positively and negatively with temperature. The minimum or base temperature (T(b)) for the germination of H. setaceus was 7 degrees C, and the ceiling temperature varied nearly from 43.5 to 59 degrees C depending on the percent fraction, with median set on 49.8 degrees C. The number of degrees day necessary for 50% of the seeds to germinate in the infra-optimum temperature range was 39.3 degrees C day, whereas at the supra-optimum interval the value of theta = 77 was assumed to be constant throughout. Germination was sensitive to decreasing values of psi in the medium, and both the germinability and the germination rate shift negatively with the reduction of psi, but the rate of reduction changed with temperature. The values of base water potential (psi(b)) shift to zero with increasing temperatures and such variation reflects in the relatively greater effect of low psi on germination in supra optimum range of T. In general, the model described better the germination time courses at lower than at higher water potentials. The analysis also suggest that Tb may not be independent of psi and that psi(b(g)) may change as a function of temperature at the infra-otimum temperature range.

Selective Impairment in Frequency Discrimination in a Mouse Model of Tinnitus

PubMed Central

Mwilambwe-Tshilobo, Laetitia; Davis, Andrew J. O.; Aizenberg, Mark; Geffen, Maria N.

2015-01-01

Tinnitus is an auditory disorder, which affects millions of Americans, including active duty service members and veterans. It is manifested by a phantom sound that is commonly restricted to a specific frequency range. Because tinnitus is associated with hearing deficits, understanding how tinnitus affects hearing perception is important for guiding therapies to improve the quality of life in this vast group of patients. In a rodent model of tinnitus, prolonged exposure to a tone leads to a selective decrease in gap detection in specific frequency bands. However, whether and how hearing acuity is affected for sounds within and outside those frequency bands is not well understood. We induced tinnitus in mice by prolonged exposure to a loud mid-range tone, and behaviorally assayed whether mice exhibited a change in frequency discrimination acuity for tones embedded within the mid-frequency range and high-frequency range at 1, 4, and 8 weeks post-exposure. A subset of tone-exposed mice exhibited tinnitus-like symptoms, as demonstrated by selective deficits in gap detection, which were restricted to the high frequency range. These mice exhibited impaired frequency discrimination both for tones in the mid-frequency range and high-frequency range. The remaining tone exposed mice, which did not demonstrate behavioral evidence of tinnitus, showed temporary deficits in frequency discrimination for tones in the mid-frequency range, while control mice remained unimpaired. Our findings reveal that the high frequency-specific deficits in gap detection, indicative of tinnitus, are associated with impairments in frequency discrimination at the frequency of the presumed tinnitus. PMID:26352864

Antenna array geometry optimization for a passive coherent localisation system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knott, Peter; Kuschel, Heiner; O'Hagan, Daniel

2012-11-01

Passive Coherent Localisation (PCL), also known as Passive Radar, making use of RF sources of opportunity such as Radio or TV Broadcasting Stations, Cellular Phone Network Base Stations, etc. is an advancing technology for covert operation because no active radar transmitter is required. It is also an attractive addition to existing active radar stations because it has the potential to discover low-flying and low-observable targets. The CORA (Covert Radar) experimental passive radar system currently developed at Fraunhofer-FHR features a multi-channel digital radar receiver and a circular antenna array with separate elements for the VHF- and the UHF-range and is used to exploit alternatively Digital Audio (DAB) or Video Broadcasting (DVB-T) signals. For an extension of the system, a wideband antenna array is being designed for which a new discone antenna element has been developed covering the full DVB-T frequency range. The present paper describes the outline of the system and the numerical modelling and optimisation methods applied to solve the complex task of antenna array design: Electromagnetic full wave analysis is required for the parametric design of the antenna elements while combinatorial optimization methods are applied to find the best array positions and excitation coefficients for a regular omni-directional antenna performance. The different steps are combined in an iterative loop until the optimum array layout is found. Simulation and experimental results for the current system will be shown.

Polymer nanocomposite nanomechanical cantilever sensors: material characterization, device development and application in explosive vapour detection.

PubMed

Seena, V; Fernandes, Avil; Pant, Prita; Mukherji, Soumyo; Rao, V Ramgopal

2011-07-22

This paper reports an optimized and highly sensitive piezoresistive SU-8 nanocomposite microcantilever sensor and its application for detection of explosives in vapour phase. The optimization has been in improving its electrical, mechanical and transduction characteristics. We have achieved a better dispersion of carbon black (CB) in the SU-8/CB nanocomposite piezoresistor and arrived at an optimal range of 8-9 vol% CB concentration by performing a systematic mechanical and electrical characterization of polymer nanocomposites. Mechanical characterization of SU-8/CB nanocomposite thin films was performed using the nanoindentation technique with an appropriate substrate effect analysis. Piezoresistive microcantilevers having an optimum carbon black concentration were fabricated using a design aimed at surface stress measurements with reduced fabrication process complexity. The optimal range of 8-9 vol% CB concentration has resulted in an improved sensitivity, low device variability and low noise level. The resonant frequency and spring constant of the microcantilever were found to be 22 kHz and 0.4 N m(-1) respectively. The devices exhibited a surface stress sensitivity of 7.6 ppm (mN m(-1))(-1) and the noise characterization results support their suitability for biochemical sensing applications. This paper also reports the ability of the sensor in detecting TNT vapour concentration down to less than six parts per billion with a sensitivity of 1 mV/ppb.

Estimating occupant satisfaction of HVAC system noise using quality assessment index.

PubMed

Forouharmajd, Farhad; Nassiri, Parvin; Monazzam, Mohammad R; Yazdchi, Mohammadreza

2012-01-01

Noise may be defined as any unwanted sound. Sound becomes noise when it is too loud, unexpected, uncontrolled, happens at the wrong time, contains unwanted pure tones or unpleasant. In addition to being annoying, loud noise can cause hearing loss, and, depending on other factors, can affect stress level, sleep patterns and heart rate. The primary object for determining subjective estimations of loudness is to present sounds to a sample of listeners under controlled conditions. In heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems only the ventilation fan industry (e.g., bathroom exhaust and sidewall propeller fans) uses loudness ratings. In order to find satisfaction, percent of exposure to noise is the valuable issue for the personnel who are working in these areas. The room criterion (RC) method has been defined by ANSI standard S12.2, which is based on measured levels of in HVAC systems noise in spaces and is used primarily as a diagnostic tool. The RC method consists of a family of criteria curves and a rating procedure. RC measures background noise in the building over the frequency range of 16-4000 Hz. This rating system requires determination of the mid-frequency average level and determining the perceived balance between high-frequency (HF) sound and low-frequency (LF) sound. The arithmetic average of the sound levels in the 500, 1000 and 2000 Hz octave bands is 44.6 dB; therefore, the RC 45 curve is selected as the reference for spectrum quality evaluation. The spectral deviation factors in the LF, medium-frequency sound and HF regions are 2.9, 7.5 and -2.3, respectively, giving a Quality Assessment Index (QAI) of 9.8. This concludes the QAI is useful in estimating an occupant's probable reaction when the system design does not produce optimum sound quality. Thus, a QAI between 5 and 10 dB represents a marginal situation in which acceptance by an occupant is questionable. However, when sound pressure levels in the 16 or 31.5 Hz octave bands exceed 65 dB, vibration in lightweight office construction is possible.

Nano-particle enhanced impedimetric biosensor for detedtion of foodborne pathogens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, G.; Om, A. S.; Mun, J. H.

2007-03-01

Recent outbreaks of foodborne illness have been increased the need for rapid and sensitive methods for detection of these pathogens. Conventional methods for pathogens detection and identification involve prolonged multiple enrichment steps. Even though some immunological rapid assays are available, these assays still need enrichment steps result in delayed detection. Biosensors have shown great potential for rapid detection of foodborne pathogens. They are capable of direct monitoring the antigen-antibody reactions in real time. Among the biosensors, impedimetric biosensors have been widely adapted as an analysis tool for the study of various biological binding reactions because of their high sensitivity and reagentless operation. In this study a nanoparticle-enhanced impedimetric biosensor for Salmonella enteritidis detection was developed which detected impedance changes caused by the attachment of the cells to the anti-Salmonella antibodies immobilized on interdigitated gold electrodes. Successive immobilization of neutravidin followed by anti-Salmonella antibodies was performed to the sensing area to create a biological detection surface. To enhance the impedance responses generated by antigen-antibody reactions, anti-Salmonella antibody conjugated nanoparticles were introduced on the sensing area. Using a portable impedance analyzer, the impedance across the interdigital electrodes was measured after the series of antigen-antibody bindings. Bacteria cells present in solution attached to capture antibodies and became tethered to the sensor surface. Attached bacteria cells changed the dielectric constant of the media between the electrodes thereby causing a change in measured impedance. Optimum input frequency was determined by analyzing frequency characteristics of the biosensor over ranges of applied frequencies from 10 Hz to 400 Hz. At 100 Hz of input frequency, the biosensor was most sensitive to the changes of the bacteria concentration and this frequency was used for the detection experiments. The biosensor was able to detect 106 CFU/mL in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) with a detection time of 3 minutes. Additional use of nanoparticles significantly enhanced the detection performance. By using the nanoparticles the biosensor could detect 104 CFU/mL of Salmonella enteritidis in PBS and 105 CFU/mL of cells in milk.

Variable frequency iteration MPPT for resonant power converters

DOEpatents

Zhang, Qian; Bataresh, Issa; Chen, Lin

2015-06-30

A method of maximum power point tracking (MPPT) uses an MPPT algorithm to determine a switching frequency for a resonant power converter, including initializing by setting an initial boundary frequency range that is divided into initial frequency sub-ranges bounded by initial frequencies including an initial center frequency and first and second initial bounding frequencies. A first iteration includes measuring initial powers at the initial frequencies to determine a maximum power initial frequency that is used to set a first reduced frequency search range centered or bounded by the maximum power initial frequency including at least a first additional bounding frequency. A second iteration includes calculating first and second center frequencies by averaging adjacent frequent values in the first reduced frequency search range and measuring second power values at the first and second center frequencies. The switching frequency is determined from measured power values including the second power values.

Hamstring Injuries--An Examination of Possible Causes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liemohn, Wendell

On the basis of research, the following characteristics appear to be important factors relative to precluding hamstring strains in sprinters: bilaterality relative to hamstring and quadricep strength development, optimum strength ratios between ipsilateral antagonists throughout the range of movement, and above-normal hip-joint flexibility. (JD)

Rust and paint stripping from power transmission towers with a pulsed Nd:YAG laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashidate, Shu-ichi; Obara, Minoru

1997-04-01

The possibility of the rust and paint removal from the power transmission towers was investigated with the pulsed Nd:YAG laser for the first time. The red rust and paint were successfully removed without damaging underlying Zn(zinc) galvanized steel substrates. The optimum irradiated laser fluence for the red rust was found from 0.3 J/cm2 to 0.4 J/cm2 for 9 ns short pulses, from 1.0 J/cm2 to 4.4 J/cm2 for 200 ns long pulses, respectively. For the paint stripping the optimum ranged from 3.3 J/cm2 to 4.4 J/cm2 with the pulse width of 200 ns.

Particle size effects on viscosity of silver pastes: A manufacturer's view

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Provance, J.; Allison, K.

1983-01-01

Particles from a variety of silver powders were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and particle size analyses. Particle size distribution curves and volume population graphs were prepared for these silver powders and for glass powders with optimum, extra fine and coarse particle sizes. The viscosity at a given shear rate and slope of viscosity over a range of shear rates were determined for thick film pastes made with these powders. Because of particle anomalies and variations, the need for flexibility to achieve the best printing qualities for silver pastes was evident. It was established that print quality, dried and fired film density and optimum contact of silver particles with silicon, important for cell electrical output, could be achieved by adjusting the slope of viscosity that fell outside of the range, -0.550 to -0.650. This was accomplished through organic vehicle technology that permitted a change in the slope of viscosity, up or down, while maintaining a constant silver and total solids content.

Metabolic Factors Affecting Enhanced Phosphorus Uptake by Activated Sludge

PubMed Central

Boughton, William H.; Gottfried, Richard J.; Sinclair, Norval A.; Yall, Irving

1971-01-01

Activated sludges obtained from the Rilling Road plant located at San Antonio, Tex., and from the Hyperion treatment plant located at Los Angeles, Calif., have the ability to remove all of the orthophosphate normally present in Tucson sewage within 3 hr after being added to the waste water. Phosphorus removal was independent of externally supplied sources of energy and ions, since orthophosphate and 32P radioactivity were readily removed from tap water, glass-distilled water, and deionized water. Phosphorus uptake by Rilling sludge in the laboratory appears to be wholly biological, as it has an optimum pH range (7.7 to 9.7) and an optimum temperature range (24 to 37 C). It was inhibited by HgCl2, iodoacetic acid, p-chloromercuribenzoic acid, NaN3, and 2, 4-dinitrophenol (compounds that affect bacterial membrane permeability, sulfhydryl enzymes, and adenosine triphosphate synthesis). Uptake was inhibited by 1% NaCl but was not affected by 10−3m ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt (a chelating agent for many metallic ions). PMID:5002140

A parametric study of the copper chloride laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nerheim, N. M.

1977-01-01

A parametric study of the double-pulsed copper chloride laser is reported. The effects of a wide range of variables on the laser energy density and on three characteristic time intervals (the minimum, maximum, and optimum delay time) between the two electrical-discharge pulses were studied. The geometric variables investigated included a tube diameter of 2.3 to 40 mm and a tube length of 3 to 60 cm. Three buffer gases, helium, neon, and argon, were studied over the pressure range 0.5-50 torr, and the tube temperature was varied from 270 to 500 C. The energy density and voltage of both the dissociation and pumping pulse were varied independently from less than 1 mJ/cu cm at 8.5 kV to over 500 mJ/cu cm at 20 kV. The optimum conditions for maximum laser energy density were found to be with 20 torr neon in a 10-mm by 30-cm tube at 400 C. The maximum energy density obtained was 22 microjoules/cu cm.

Single Crystal Fibers of Yttria-Stabilized Cubic Zirconia with Ternary Oxide Additions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ritzert, F. J.; Yun, H. M.; Miner, R. V.

1997-01-01

Single crystal fibers of yttria (Y2O3)-stabilized cubic zirconia, (ZrO2) with ternary oxide additions were grown using the laser float zone fiber processing technique. Ternary additions to the ZrO2-Y2O3 binary system were studied aimed at increasing strength while maintaining the high coefficient of thermal expansion of the binary system. Statistical methods aided in identifying the most promising ternary oxide candidate (Ta2O5, Sc2O3, and HfO2) and optimum composition. The yttria, range investigated was 14 to 24 mol % and the ternary oxide component ranged from 1 to 5 mol %. Hafnium oxide was the most promising ternary oxide component based on 816 C tensile strength results and ease of fabrication. The optimum composition for development was 81 ZrO2-14 Y203-5 HfO2 based upon the same elevated temperature strength tests. Preliminary results indicate process improvements could improve the fiber performance. We also investigated the effect of crystal orientation on strength.

User's manual for the BNW-I optimization code for dry-cooled power plants. [AMCIRC

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

Braun, D.J.; Daniel, D.J.; De Mier, W.V.

1977-01-01

This appendix provides a listing, called Program AMCIRC, of the BNW-1 optimization code for determining, for a particular size power plant, the optimum dry cooling tower design using ammonia flow in the heat exchanger tubes. The optimum design is determined by repeating the design of the cooling system over a range of design conditions in order to find the cooling system with the smallest incremental cost. This is accomplished by varying five parameters of the plant and cooling system over ranges of values. These parameters are varied systematically according to techniques that perform pattern and gradient searches. The dry coolingmore » system optimized by program AMCIRC is composed of a condenser/reboiler (condensation of steam and boiling of ammonia), piping system (transports ammonia vapor out and ammonia liquid from the dry cooling towers), and circular tower system (vertical one-pass heat exchangers situated in circular configurations with cocurrent ammonia flow in the tubes of the heat exchanger). (LCL)« less

Bending and coupling losses in terahertz wire waveguides.

PubMed

Astley, Victoria; Scheiman, Julianna; Mendis, Rajind; Mittleman, Daniel M

2010-02-15

We present an experimental study of several common perturbations of wire waveguides for terahertz pulses. Sommerfeld waves retain significant signal strength and bandwidth even with large gaps in the wire, exhibiting more efficient recoupling at higher frequencies. We also describe a detailed study of bending losses. For a given turn angle, we observe an optimum radius of curvature that minimizes the overall propagation loss. These results emphasize the impact of the distortion of the spatial mode on the radiative bend loss.

A study of methods to predict and measure the transmission of sound through the walls of light aircraft. A survey of techniques for visualization of noise fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshall, S. E.; Bernhard, R.

1984-01-01

A survey of the most widely used methods for visualizing acoustic phenomena is presented. Emphasis is placed on acoustic processes in the audible frequencies. Many visual problems are analyzed on computer graphic systems. A brief description of the current technology in computer graphics is included. The visualization technique survey will serve as basis for recommending an optimum scheme for displaying acoustic fields on computer graphic systems.

Multi-objective optimization of hole characteristics during pulsed Nd:YAG laser microdrilling of gamma-titanium aluminide alloy sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biswas, R.; Kuar, A. S.; Mitra, S.

2014-09-01

Nd:YAG laser microdrilled holes on gamma-titanium aluminide, a newly developed alloy having wide applications in turbine blades, engine valves, cases, metal cutting tools, missile components, nuclear fuel and biomedical engineering, are important from the dimensional accuracy and quality of hole point of view. Keeping this in mind, a central composite design (CCD) based on response surface methodology (RSM) is employed for multi-objective optimization of pulsed Nd:YAG laser microdrilling operation on gamma-titanium aluminide alloy sheet to achieve optimum hole characteristics within existing resources. The three characteristics such as hole diameter at entry, hole diameter at exit and hole taper have been considered for simultaneous optimization. The individual optimization of all three responses has also been carried out. The input parameters considered are lamp current, pulse frequency, assist air pressure and thickness of the job. The responses at predicted optimum parameter level are in good agreement with the results of confirmation experiments conducted for verification tests.

Stochastic resonance in an underdamped system with FitzHug-Nagumo potential for weak signal detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López, Cristian; Zhong, Wei; Lu, Siliang; Cong, Feiyun; Cortese, Ignacio

2017-12-01

Vibration signals are widely used for bearing fault detection and diagnosis. When signals are acquired in the field, usually, the faulty periodic signal is weak and is concealed by noise. Various de-noising methods have been developed to extract the target signal from the raw signal. Stochastic resonance (SR) is a technique that changed the traditional denoising process, in which the weak periodic fault signal can be identified by adding an expression, the potential, to the raw signal and solving a differential equation problem. However, current SR methods have some deficiencies such us limited filtering performance, low frequency input signal and sequential search for optimum parameters. Consequently, in this study, we explore the application of SR based on the FitzHug-Nagumo (FHN) potential in rolling bearing vibration signals. Besides, we improve the search of the SR optimum parameters by the use of particle swarm optimization (PSO). The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by using both simulated and real bearing data sets.

Improved carbon nanotube growth inside an anodic aluminum oxide template using microwave radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dadras, Sedigheh; Faraji, Maryam

2018-05-01

In this study, we achieved superfast growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template by applying microwave (MW) radiation. This is a simple and direct approach for growing CNTs using a MW oven. The CNTs were synthesized using MW radiation at a frequency of 2.45 GHz and power was applied at various levels of 900, 600, and 450 W. We used graphite and ferrocene in equal portions as precursors. The optimum conditions for the growth of CNTs inside a MW oven were a time period of 5 s and power of 450 W. In order to grow uniform CNTs, an AAO template was applied with the CNTs synthesized under optimum conditions. The morphology of the synthesized CNTs was investigated by scanning electron microscopy analysis. The average diameters of the CNTs obtained without the template were 22-27 nm, whereas the diameters of the CNTs prepared inside the AAO template were about 4-6 nm.

A microcontroller system for investigating the catch effect: functional electrical stimulation of the common peroneal nerve.

PubMed

Hart, D J; Taylor, P N; Chappell, P H; Wood, D E

2006-06-01

Correction of drop foot in hemiplegic gait is achieved by electrical stimulation of the common peroneal nerve with a series of pulses at a fixed frequency. However, during normal gait, the electromyographic signals from the tibialis anterior muscle indicate that muscle force is not constant but varies during the swing phase. The application of double pulses for the correction of drop foot may enhance the gait by generating greater torque at the ankle and thereby increase the efficiency of the stimulation with reduced fatigue. A flexible controller has been designed around the Odstock Drop Foot Stimulator to deliver different profiles of pulses implementing doublets and optimum series. A peripheral interface controller (PIC) microcontroller with some external circuits has been designed and tested to accommodate six profiles. Preliminary results of the measurements from a normal subject seated in a multi-moment chair (an isometric torque measurement device) indicate that profiles containing doublets and optimum spaced pulses look favourable for clinical use.

Steady-state and transient analysis of a squeeze film damper bearing for rotor stability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barrett, L. E.; Gunter, E. J.

1975-01-01

A study of the steady-state and transient response of the squeeze film damper bearing is presented. Both the steady-state and transient equations for the hydrodynamic bearing forces are derived. The bearing equivalent stiffness and damping coefficients are determined by steady-state equations. These coefficients are used to find the bearing configuration which will provide the optimum support characteristics based on a stability analysis of the rotor-bearing system. The transient analysis of rotor-bearing systems is performed by coupling the bearing and journal equations and integrating forward in time. The effects of unbalance, cavitation, and retainer springs are included in the analysis. Methods of determining the stability of a rotor-bearing system under the influence of aerodynamic forces and internal shaft friction are discussed with emphasis on solving the system characteristic frequency equation and on producing stability maps. It is shown that for optimum stability and low force transmissability the squeeze bearing should operate at an eccentricity ratio epsilon 0.4.

Speaker box made of composite particle board based on mushroom growing media waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tjahjanti, P. H.; Sutarman, Widodo, E.; Kurniawan, A. R.; Winarno, A. T.; Yani, A.

2017-06-01

This research aimed to use mushroom growing media waste (MGMW) that was added by urea, starch and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) glue as a composite particle board to be used as the material of speaker box manufacture. Physical and mechanical testing of particle board including density, moisture content, thickness swelling after immersion in water, strength in water absorption, internal bonding, modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture and screw holding power, were carried out in accordance with the Stándar Nasional Indonesia (SNI) 03-2105-2006 and Japanese International Standard (JIS) A 5908-2003. The optimum composition of composite particle boards was 60% MGMW + 39% (50% urea +50% starch) + 1% PVC glue. Furthermore, the optimum composition to create speaker box with hardness values of 14.9 Brinnel Hardness Number and results of vibration test obtained amplitude values of the Z-axis, minimum of 0.032007 and maximum of 0.151575. For the acoustic test, results showed good sound absorption coefficients at frequencies of 500 Hz and it has better damping absorption.

Sensitivity method for integrated structure/active control law design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilbert, Michael G.

1987-01-01

The development is described of an integrated structure/active control law design methodology for aeroelastic aircraft applications. A short motivating introduction to aeroservoelasticity is given along with the need for integrated structures/controls design algorithms. Three alternative approaches to development of an integrated design method are briefly discussed with regards to complexity, coordination and tradeoff strategies, and the nature of the resulting solutions. This leads to the formulation of the proposed approach which is based on the concepts of sensitivity of optimum solutions and multi-level decompositions. The concept of sensitivity of optimum is explained in more detail and compared with traditional sensitivity concepts of classical control theory. The analytical sensitivity expressions for the solution of the linear, quadratic cost, Gaussian (LQG) control problem are summarized in terms of the linear regulator solution and the Kalman Filter solution. Numerical results for a state space aeroelastic model of the DAST ARW-II vehicle are given, showing the changes in aircraft responses to variations of a structural parameter, in this case first wing bending natural frequency.

Optimization of hybrid laser - TIG welding of 316LN steel using response surface methodology (RSM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ragavendran, M.; Chandrasekhar, N.; Ravikumar, R.; Saxena, Rajesh; Vasudevan, M.; Bhaduri, A. K.

2017-07-01

In the present study, the hybrid laser - TIG welding parameters for welding of 316LN austenitic stainless steel have been investigated by combining a pulsed laser beam with a TIG welding heat source at the weld pool. Laser power, pulse frequency, pulse duration, TIG current were presumed as the welding process parameters whereas weld bead width, weld cross-sectional area and depth of penetration (DOP) were considered as the process responses. Central composite design was used to complete the design matrix and welding experiments were conducted based on the design matrix. Weld bead measurements were then carried out to generate the dataset. Multiple regression models correlating the process parameters with the responses have been developed. The accuracy of the models were found to be good. Then, the desirability approach optimization technique was employed for determining the optimum process parameters to obtain the desired weld bead profile. Validation experiments were then carried out from the determined optimum process parameters. There was good agreement between the predicted and measured values.

A Novel Method of Supplying Nutrients Permits Predictable Shoot Growth and Root : Shoot Ratios of Pre-transplant Bedding Plants

PubMed Central

Greenwood, Duncan J.; Mckee, John M. T.; Fuller, Deborah P.; Burns, Ian G.; Mulholland, Barry J.

2007-01-01

Background and Aims Growth of bedding plants, in small peat plugs, relies on nutrients in the irrigation solution. The object of the study was to find a way of modifying the nutrient supply so that good-quality seedlings can be grown rapidly and yet have the high root : shoot ratios essential for efficient transplanting. Methods A new procedure was devised in which the concentrations of nutrients in the irrigation solution were modified during growth according to changing plant demand, instead of maintaining the same concentrations throughout growth. The new procedure depends on published algorithms for the dependence of growth rate and optimal plant nutrient concentrations on shoot dry weight Ws (g m−2), and on measuring evapotranspiration rates and shoot dry weights at weekly intervals. Pansy, Viola tricola ‘Universal plus yellow’ and petunia, Petunia hybrida ‘Multiflora light salmon vein’ were grown in four independent experiments with the expected optimum nutrient concentration and fractions of the optimum. Root and shoot weights were measured during growth. Key Results For each level of nutrient supply Ws increased with time (t) in days, according to the equation ΔWs/Δt=K2Ws/(100+Ws) in which the growth rate coefficient (K2) remained approximately constant throughout growth. The value of K2 for the optimum treatment was defined by incoming radiation and temperature. The value of K2 for each sub-optimum treatment relative to that for the optimum treatment was logarithmically related to the sub-optimal nutrient supply. Provided the aerial environment was optimal, Rsb/Ro≈Wo/Wsb where R is the root : shoot ratio, W is the shoot dry weight, and sb and o indicate sub-optimum and optimum nutrient supplies, respectively. Sub-optimal nutrient concentrations also depressed shoot growth without appreciably affecting root growth when the aerial environment was non-limiting. Conclusion The new procedure can predict the effects of nutrient supply, incoming radiation and temperature on the time course of shoot growth and the root : shoot ratio for a range of growing conditions. PMID:17210608

Cloning and high-level expression of β-xylosidase from Selenomonas ruminantium in Pichia pastoris by optimizing of pH, methanol concentration and temperature conditions.

PubMed

Dehnavi, Ehsan; Ranaei Siadat, Seyed Omid; Fathi Roudsari, Mehrnoosh; Khajeh, Khosro

2016-08-01

β-xylosidase and several other glycoside hydrolase family members, including xylanase, cooperate together to degrade hemicelluloses, a commonly found xylan polymer of plant-cell wall. β-d-xylosidase/α-l-arabinofuranosidase from the ruminal anaerobic bacterium Selenomonas ruminantium (SXA) has potential utility in industrial processes such as production of fuel ethanol and other bioproducts. The optimized synthetic SXA gene was overexpressed in methylotrophic Pichia pastoris under the control of alcohol oxidase I (AOX1) promoter and secreted into the medium. Recombinant protein showed an optimum pH 4.8 and optimum temperature 50 °C. Furthermore, optimization of growth and induction conditions in shake flask was carried out. Using the optimum expression condition (pH 6, temperature 20 °C and 1% methanol induction), protein production was increased by about three times in comparison to the control. The recombinant SXA we have expressed here showed higher turnover frequency using ρ-nitrophenyl β-xylopyranoside (PNPX) substrate, in contrast to most xylosidase experiments reported previously. This is the first report on the cloning and expression of a β-xylosidase gene from glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 43 in Pichia pastoris. Our results confirm that P. pastoris is an appropriate host for high level expression and production of SXA for industrial applications. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Improved Broadband Liner Optimization Applied to the Advanced Noise Control Fan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nark, Douglas M.; Jones, Michael G.; Sutliff, Daniel L.; Ayle, Earl; Ichihashi, Fumitaka

2014-01-01

The broadband component of fan noise has grown in relevance with the utilization of increased bypass ratio and advanced fan designs. Thus, while the attenuation of fan tones remains paramount, the ability to simultaneously reduce broadband fan noise levels has become more desirable. This paper describes improvements to a previously established broadband acoustic liner optimization process using the Advanced Noise Control Fan rig as a demonstrator. Specifically, in-duct attenuation predictions with a statistical source model are used to obtain optimum impedance spectra over the conditions of interest. The predicted optimum impedance information is then used with acoustic liner modeling tools to design liners aimed at producing impedance spectra that most closely match the predicted optimum values. Design selection is based on an acceptance criterion that provides the ability to apply increased weighting to specific frequencies and/or operating conditions. Constant-depth, double-degree of freedom and variable-depth, multi-degree of freedom designs are carried through design, fabrication, and testing to validate the efficacy of the design process. Results illustrate the value of the design process in concurrently evaluating the relative costs/benefits of these liner designs. This study also provides an application for demonstrating the integrated use of duct acoustic propagation/radiation and liner modeling tools in the design and evaluation of novel broadband liner concepts for complex engine configurations.

An alternative approach to estimating rainfall rate by radar using propagation differential phase shift

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jameson, A. R.

1994-01-01

In this work it is shown that for frequencies from 3 to 13 GHz, the ratio of the specific propagation differential phase shift phi(sub DP) to the rainfall rate can be specified essentially independently of the form of the drop size distribution by a function only of the mass-weighted mean drop size D(sub m). This significantly reduces one source of substantial bias errors common to most other techniques for measuring rain by radar. For frequencies 9 GHz and greater, the coefficient can be well estimated from the ratio of the specific differential attenuation to phi(sub DP), while at nonattenuating frequencies such as 3 GHz, the coefficient can be well estimated using the differential reflectivity. In practice it appears that this approach yields better estimates of the rainfall rate than any other current technique. The best results are most likely at 13.80 GHz, followed by those at 2.80 GHz. An optimum radar system for measuring rain should probably include components at a both frequencies so that when signals at 13.8 GHz are lost because of attenuation, good measurements are still possible at the lower frequency.

Higher-order differential phase shift keyed modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanalphen, Deborah K.; Lindsey, William C.

1994-02-01

Advanced modulation/demodulation techniques which are robust in the presence of phase and frequency uncertainties continue to be of interest to communication engineers. We are particularly interested in techniques which accommodate slow channel phase and frequency variations with minimal performance degradation and which alleviate the need for phase and frequency tracking loops in the receiver. We investigate the performance sensitivity to frequency offsets of a modulation technique known as binary Double Differential Phase Shift Keying (DDPSK) and compare it to that of classical binary Differential Phase Shift Keying (DPSK). We also generalize our analytical results to include n(sup -th) order, M-ary DPSK. The DDPSK (n = 2) technique was first introduced in the Russian literature circa 1972 and was studied more thoroughly in the late 1970's by Pent and Okunev. Here, we present an expression for the symbol error probability that is easy to derive and to evaluate numerically. We also present graphical results that establish when, as a function of signal energy-to-noise ratio and normalized frequency offset, binary DDPSK is preferable to binary DPSK with respect to performance in additive white Gaussian noise. Finally, we provide insight into the optimum receiver from a detection theory viewpoint.

Numerical research of a 2D axial symmetry hybrid model for the radio-frequency ion thruster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chenchen, WU; Xinfeng, SUN; Zuo, GU; Yanhui, JIA

2018-04-01

Since the high efficiency discharge is critical to the radio-frequency ion thruster (RIT), a 2D axial symmetry hybrid model has been developed to study the plasma evolution of RIT. The fluid method and the drift energy correction of the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) are applied to the analysis of the RIT discharge. In the meantime, the PIC-MCC method is used to investigate the ion beam current extraction character for the plasma plume region. The beam current simulation results, with the hybrid model, agree well with the experimental results, and the error is lower than 11%, which shows the validity of the model. The further study shows there is an optimal ratio for the radio-frequency (RF) power and the beam current extraction power under the fixed RIT configuration. And the beam extraction efficiency will decrease when the discharge efficiency beyond a certain threshold (about 87 W). As the input parameters of the hybrid model are all the design values, it can be directly used to the optimum design for other kinds of RITs and radio-frequency ion sources.

Double spacing multi-wavelength Brillouin Raman fiber laser of eight-shaped structure utilizing Raman amplifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madin, M. Sya'aer; Ahmad Hambali, N. A. M.; Shahimin, M. M.; Wahid, M. H. A.; Roshidah, N.; Azaidin, M. A. M.

2017-02-01

In this paper, double frequency spacing of multi-wavelength Brillouin Raman fiber laser utilizing eight-shaped structure in conjunction with Raman amplifier is simulated and demonstrated using Optisys software. Double frequency multiwavelength Brillouin Raman fiber laser is one of the solution for single frequency spacing channel de-multiplexing from narrow single spacing in the communication systems. The eight-shaped structure has the ability to produce lower noise and double frequency spacing. The 7 km of single mode fiber acting as a nonlinear medium for the generation of Stimulated Brillouin Scattering and Stimulated Raman Scattering. As a results, the optimum results are recorded at 1450 nm of RP power at 22 dBm and 1550 nm of BP power at 20 dBm. These parameters provide a high output peak power, gain and average OSNR. The highest peak power of Stokes 1 is recorded at 90% of coupling ratio which is 29.88 dBm. It is found that the maximum gain and average OSNR of about 1.23 dB and 63.74 dB.

Effect of the combination of different welding parameters on melting characteristics of grade 1 titanium with a pulsed Nd-Yag laser.

PubMed

Bertrand, C; Laplanche, O; Rocca, J P; Le Petitcorps, Y; Nammour, S

2007-11-01

The laser is a very attractive tool for joining dental metallic alloys. However, the choice of the setting parameters can hardly influence the welding performances. The aim of this research was to evaluate the impact of several parameters (pulse shaping, pulse frequency, focal spot size...) on the quality of the microstructure. Grade 1 titanium plates have been welded with a pulsed Nd-Yag laser. Suitable power, pulse duration, focal spot size, and flow of argon gas were fixed by the operator. Five different pulse shapes and three pulse frequencies were investigated. Two pulse shapes available on this laser unit were eliminated because they considerably hardened the metal. As the pulse frequency rose, the metal was more and more ejected, and a plasma on the surface of the metal increased the oxygen contamination in the welded area. Frequencies of 1 or 2 Hz are optimum for a dental use. Three pulse shapes can be used for titanium but the rectangular shape gives better results.

A One ppm NDIR Methane Gas Sensor with Single Frequency Filter Denoising Algorithm

PubMed Central

Zhu, Zipeng; Xu, Yuhui; Jiang, Binqing

2012-01-01

A non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) methane gas sensor prototype has achieved a minimum detection limit of 1 parts per million by volume (ppm). The central idea of the design of the sensor is to decrease the detection limit by increasing the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the system. In order to decrease the noise level, a single frequency filter algorithm based on fast Fourier transform (FFT) is adopted for signal processing. Through simulation and experiment, it is found that the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the filter narrows with the extension of sampling period and the increase of lamp modulation frequency, and at some optimum sampling period and modulation frequency, the filtered signal maintains a noise to signal ratio of below 1/10,000. The sensor prototype provides the key techniques for a hand-held methane detector that has a low cost and a high resolution. Such a detector may facilitate the detection of leakage of city natural gas pipelines buried underground, the monitoring of landfill gas, the monitoring of air quality and so on.

An Improved Adaptive Received Beamforming for Nested Frequency Offset and Nested Array FDA-MIMO Radar.

PubMed

Cheng, Sibei; Zhang, Qingjun; Bian, Mingming; Hao, Xinhong

2018-02-08

For the conventional FDA-MIMO (frequency diversity array multiple-input-multiple-output) Radar with uniform frequency offset and uniform linear array, the DOFs (degrees of freedom) of the adaptive beamformer are limited by the number of elements. A better performance-for example, a better suppression for strong interferences and a more desirable trade-off between the main lobe and side lobe-can be achieved with a greater number of DOFs. In order to obtain larger DOFs, this paper researches the signal model of the FDA-MIMO Radar with nested frequency offset and nested array, then proposes an improved adaptive beamforming method that uses the augmented matrix instead of the covariance matrix to calculate the optimum weight vectors and can be used to improve the output performances of FDA-MIMO Radar with the same element number or reduce the element number while maintain the approximate output performances such as the received beampattern, the main lobe width, side lobe depths and the output SINR (signal-to-interference-noise ratio). The effectiveness of the proposed scheme is verified by simulations.

An Improved Adaptive Received Beamforming for Nested Frequency Offset and Nested Array FDA-MIMO Radar

PubMed Central

Cheng, Sibei; Zhang, Qingjun; Bian, Mingming; Hao, Xinhong

2018-01-01

For the conventional FDA-MIMO (frequency diversity array multiple-input-multiple-output) Radar with uniform frequency offset and uniform linear array, the DOFs (degrees of freedom) of the adaptive beamformer are limited by the number of elements. A better performance—for example, a better suppression for strong interferences and a more desirable trade-off between the main lobe and side lobe—can be achieved with a greater number of DOFs. In order to obtain larger DOFs, this paper researches the signal model of the FDA-MIMO Radar with nested frequency offset and nested array, then proposes an improved adaptive beamforming method that uses the augmented matrix instead of the covariance matrix to calculate the optimum weight vectors and can be used to improve the output performances of FDA-MIMO Radar with the same element number or reduce the element number while maintain the approximate output performances such as the received beampattern, the main lobe width, side lobe depths and the output SINR (signal-to-interference-noise ratio). The effectiveness of the proposed scheme is verified by simulations. PMID:29419814

SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUITS: A reconfigurable analog baseband circuit for WLAN, WCDMA, and Bluetooth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Tong; Baoyong, Chi; Ziqiang, Wang; Ying, Zhang; Hanjun, Jiang; Zhihua, Wang

2010-05-01

A reconfigurable analog baseband circuit for WLAN, WCDMA, and Bluetooth in 0.35 μm CMOS is presented. The circuit consists of two variable gain amplifiers (VGA) in cascade and a Gm-C elliptic low-pass filter (LPF). The filter-order and the cut-off frequency of the LPF can be reconfigured to satisfy the requirements of various applications. In order to achieve the optimum power consumption, the bandwidth of the VGAs can also be dynamically reconfigured and some Gm cells can be cut off in the given application. Simulation results show that the analog baseband circuit consumes 16.8 mW for WLAN, 8.9 mW for WCDMA and only 6.5 mW for Bluetooth, all with a 3 V power supply. The analog baseband circuit could provide -10 to +40 dB variable gain, third-order low pass filtering with 1 MHz cut-off frequency for Bluetooth, fourth-order low pass filtering with 2.2 MHz cut-off frequency for WCDMA, and fifth-order low pass filtering with 11 MHz cut-off frequency for WLAN, respectively.